Langworthy Lib Dems can be spotted wearing these T-Shirts.Monday 29 March 2010
Saturday 27 March 2010
Monday 15 March 2010
TAKE A LONG, HARD LOOK AT THE TORIES' PLANS FOR SCHOOLS
Ed Balls MP, Labour's Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, is today urging people to take a long, hard look at the Tories' plans for schools.
Key points
Ed Balls is challenging the Tories to come clean on how they will pay for their two flagship schools policies - new ‘free market' schools and a national ‘pupil premium'.
Ed Balls said:"Labour's Pre-Budget Report made clear that while there will be tough decisions to halve the deficit within four years, we will protect frontline funding for our priorities, including schools, Sure Start and 16-19 education."But there is an unresolved conflict in the Conservatives' plans for education: while George Osborne is applying a downward pressure to the budget for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, Michael Gove's two flagship policies - new ‘free market' schools and a national pupil premium - apply an upward pressure on costs. How can this circle be squared?
"Michael Gove refuses to say, but what is clear is that his options are limited: the costs of these two policies run into billions and those billions must come from cuts within the DCSF budget. The challenge being se t to Michael Gove today is to identify what he intends to cut in order to fund his two flagship policies. It's time for the Tories to come clean."
Earlier today, Ed Balls set out to Parliament further details of funding for schools up to 2013, following the Pre-Budget Report announcement that funding for Labour's frontline priorities will be protected, including schools, Sure Start and 16-19 education.
We will make tough choices and savings across the non-settled areas of the DCSF budget, e.g. from arms length bodies such as Becta; and ending start-up funding for extended services now that 95 per cent of schools already offer access to them.
In contrast, George Osborne has made clear that no part of the DCSF budget will be protected from his plans to cut the deficit further and faster than Labour. But from a smaller overall budget, Michael Gove has made two expensive policy commitments which he needs to fund:
1. The Conservatives' "free market schools" policy will require hundreds of millions of pounds of additional revenue funding, each year.
2. The Conservatives' policy of a national ‘pupil premium', if it is not to take money from existing schools, will require, potentially, billions of pounds of additional funding each year.
It is now time for Michael Gove to come clean: how much will his two flagship policies cost and where will the funding come from? What will he cut to pay for them?
Key points
Ed Balls is challenging the Tories to come clean on how they will pay for their two flagship schools policies - new ‘free market' schools and a national ‘pupil premium'.
Ed Balls said:"Labour's Pre-Budget Report made clear that while there will be tough decisions to halve the deficit within four years, we will protect frontline funding for our priorities, including schools, Sure Start and 16-19 education."But there is an unresolved conflict in the Conservatives' plans for education: while George Osborne is applying a downward pressure to the budget for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, Michael Gove's two flagship policies - new ‘free market' schools and a national pupil premium - apply an upward pressure on costs. How can this circle be squared?
"Michael Gove refuses to say, but what is clear is that his options are limited: the costs of these two policies run into billions and those billions must come from cuts within the DCSF budget. The challenge being se t to Michael Gove today is to identify what he intends to cut in order to fund his two flagship policies. It's time for the Tories to come clean."
Earlier today, Ed Balls set out to Parliament further details of funding for schools up to 2013, following the Pre-Budget Report announcement that funding for Labour's frontline priorities will be protected, including schools, Sure Start and 16-19 education.
We will make tough choices and savings across the non-settled areas of the DCSF budget, e.g. from arms length bodies such as Becta; and ending start-up funding for extended services now that 95 per cent of schools already offer access to them.
In contrast, George Osborne has made clear that no part of the DCSF budget will be protected from his plans to cut the deficit further and faster than Labour. But from a smaller overall budget, Michael Gove has made two expensive policy commitments which he needs to fund:
1. The Conservatives' "free market schools" policy will require hundreds of millions of pounds of additional revenue funding, each year.
2. The Conservatives' policy of a national ‘pupil premium', if it is not to take money from existing schools, will require, potentially, billions of pounds of additional funding each year.
It is now time for Michael Gove to come clean: how much will his two flagship policies cost and where will the funding come from? What will he cut to pay for them?
Wednesday 10 March 2010
TAKE A LONG HARD LOOK AT THE TORIES ON CRIME
Alan Johnson has today launched a video highlighting the risk the Tories pose to crime and safety.Key points
When it comes to crime, David Cameron is more concerned with headlines than policies. That's why he talks Britain down by deliberately misleading the public about crime figures even though his party has been censured by the Statistics Authority for doing this.
The reality is the Conservatives have voted against Labour's measures to fight crime including opposing changes to the retention of DNA evidence - making it harder for the police to catch criminals. And they have campaigned against the use of CCTV which reduces the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour.
Alan Johnson MP, Labour's Home Secretary said:"Labour wants to see a future fair for all and today I am setting out the tough action we are taking to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. "While crime has been cut by over a third since 1997 and Labour is protecting front line policing the Conservatives have refused to say if they would protect the police budget."Labour is clear about what we will do to keep people safe -the Tories' refusal to reveal their own plans should not go unchallenged. Nor should their election candidates be able to continually mislead the public with dodgy crime statistics."I am urging people today to take a long hard look at the Tories' policies on crime and particularly the fact that they would make it harder for the police to use DNA to catch criminals. Our hard hitting short film exposes how weak the Tories are when it comes to fighting crime. "The Conservatives have campaigned against the use of CCTV, which the evidence shows reduces the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour. They have made clear they would water down the police's ability to use DNA evidence - making it harder to convict the most dangerous criminals."
To view our video highlighting the risk the Tories pose to crime and safety click here.
When it comes to crime, David Cameron is more concerned with headlines than policies. That's why he talks Britain down by deliberately misleading the public about crime figures even though his party has been censured by the Statistics Authority for doing this.
The reality is the Conservatives have voted against Labour's measures to fight crime including opposing changes to the retention of DNA evidence - making it harder for the police to catch criminals. And they have campaigned against the use of CCTV which reduces the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour.
Alan Johnson MP, Labour's Home Secretary said:"Labour wants to see a future fair for all and today I am setting out the tough action we are taking to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. "While crime has been cut by over a third since 1997 and Labour is protecting front line policing the Conservatives have refused to say if they would protect the police budget."Labour is clear about what we will do to keep people safe -the Tories' refusal to reveal their own plans should not go unchallenged. Nor should their election candidates be able to continually mislead the public with dodgy crime statistics."I am urging people today to take a long hard look at the Tories' policies on crime and particularly the fact that they would make it harder for the police to use DNA to catch criminals. Our hard hitting short film exposes how weak the Tories are when it comes to fighting crime. "The Conservatives have campaigned against the use of CCTV, which the evidence shows reduces the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour. They have made clear they would water down the police's ability to use DNA evidence - making it harder to convict the most dangerous criminals."
To view our video highlighting the risk the Tories pose to crime and safety click here.
Monday 1 March 2010
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