Happy New Year

We would like to wish all our members, and everybody else in Horsham constituency a Happy New Year in 2011. 

It is likely to be a good year. Unless you are old. Or looking forward to university.  Or fall ill, drive a car, commute by train, lose your job, want to leave home, or buy anything in shops.

Here are a few of the things to look forward to in 2011.

No opposition on Horsham council

Following the news reports of a £1.6million gap in Horsham council's finances, the chair of Horsham Labour party wrote a letter to the local papers.

The letter states that the Liberal Democrats councillors on Horsham district council fail to provide an effective opposition to the ruling Tory group, with the result that matters affecting the town of Horsham are decided largely by councillors from outside the town and with no significant scrutiny from councillors who represent the town.

Some new web sites

A couple of new websites have started this week that our members and supporters might find interesting. Both sites contain news and details of campaigning events.

UK Uncut

Can be found at www.ukuncut.org.uk
It bills itself as the 'Big Society Revenue & Customs' and is there to put pressure on those large companies and wealthy individuals who avoid or evade their taxes.

Its mission statement is:

At the same time as making massive cuts to public services, this government is letting rich individuals and corporations avoid billions of pounds of tax. Join UK Uncut’s Big Society Revenue & Customs (BSRC) and become part of an army of citizen volunteers determined to make wealthy tax avoiders pay. If they won't chase them, we will

False Economy

Can be found at www.falseeconomy.org.uk
It is based on the premise that the government's planned cuts are unfair, risk the fragile economic recovery and fail to make those who caused the crash pay a proper contribution through the tax system to clearing up the mess they made.

Disappointed by Lib Dems

In the local paper last week there were a couple of pages about the increase in student fees, including the opinions of several local politicians, parents and head teachers.

One of these opinion pieces was by Morwen Millson, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the county council.

This week the County Times printed a piece by Labour's Andrew Skudder which is partly a response to that article but also a commentary on the public spending cuts in general.

The full text is below.

Ireland's economic miracle - now coming to the UK

Photo by Alltogetherfool

By Andrew Skudder

Ireland's current economic problems are all over the news at the moment but, unlike most economic experts and the population of Ireland, one person over here thinks the Irish government's strategy is one to be admired and copied....

...unfortunately that person is the UK's 'Chancer of the Exchequer' George Osborne

Stopping the cuts

Last night the North Sussex and East Surrey Trades Council organised a public meeting in Crawley to discuss the government's cuts to public services and discuss how a local anti-cuts coalition can help to prevent cuts.
 
There were several speakers at the meeting including our candidate in this year's election, Andrew Skudder, who represented Horsham Labour party.