Lib Dems outline economic recovery plan

Nick Clegg and Vince Cable discuss the cost of living

Gordon Brown’s proposals to deal with the economic slowdown are too little too late, say Hastings & Rye Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems have published their package of proposals designed to help people left struggling by the credit crunch. And the plans are being strongly backed by members in Hastings & Rye.

The Lib Dem measures include tax cuts for low and middle income households, stopping unnecessary repossessions, action to cut energy bills and moves to stop reckless banks jeopardising economic security.

Hastings & Rye parliamentary spokesperson, Nick Perry, said:

“Gordon Brown’s response to the economic crisis has been too little, too late.

“Here in Hastings & Rye and across Britain people are struggling with rising bills, rising prices, and wages that aren’t keeping up.

“If the Prime Minister really wants to help people on low and middle incomes he should take the simple and obvious step of cutting their taxes, releasing billions of pounds to boost the economy.

“The Liberal Democrats have consistently called for action to cut energy bills, to stop irresponsible behaviour by banks and to deliver more help for those threatened with repossession.

“If Gordon Brown had acted when we first raised these issues, we would not be in as deep a mess as we are.”

Key points of the Lib Dem Fairer Future Economic Recovery Plan:

• Put more money in people’s pockets – tax cuts for people on low and middle incomes
• Stop unnecessary home repossessions and provide more affordable housing
• Make energy companies reinvest their windfall profits in cutting bills
• Extra help for people in debt or who lose their jobs
• Tough new rules to limit the excesses of the City

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Nick slams Government ID Cards for language students

Nick Perry, Lib Dem parliamentary campaigner for Hastings & Rye, has slammed Government proposals to require non-EU language students to buy expensive ID cards.

Speaking at the weekend, Nick said,

“There will be many unintended outcomes of the Government’s stupid and wasteful plan to introduce ID cards. One such outcome could be for language schools in our constituency.

“The requirements, due to come into force this November, will result in costly, tedious and demeaning biometric procedures for students. It risks driving away to Ireland one of the biggest sources of income for our area.

“I have written to local language schools asking for their views and the impact that they foresee for their students and their business”, said Nick.

Chris Huhne MP, the Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesman says,

“The Government is using vulnerable members of our society, like foreign nationals who do not have the vote, as guinea pigs for a deeply unpopular and unworkable policy.”

At their recent Party Conference, Liberal Democrats have confirmed their plan to ditch the Government’s ID Card scheme, and to use the money to fund Lib Dem spending priorities as well as tax cuts for low and middle income families.

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Local Lib Dems challenge Conservatives on Economy

Liberal Democrats in Hastings & Rye have thrown down the gauntlet to the Conservatives at the time of their conference by demanding answers to questions about the economy.

Nick campaigning with Vince Cable MP on rising food prices

Leading the charge for the local Liberal Democrats is Nick Perry, the party’s parliamentary campaigner.

He said that with the credit crunch biting hard, residents in Hastings & Rye have a right to know what the Conservatives would do to restore the economy to health.

“The credit crunch started last year but so far, the Conservatives have said a lot about how badly the economy is going, and very little about how they want the economy restored to health,” said Nick.

“If the Conservatives want people in Hastings & Rye to vote for them, they need to say what they stand for. It seems to me that the Conservatives are either clueless about how to solve the economic problems or have policies that they want to keep hidden.

“I am therefore challenging the Conservatives in Hastings & Rye to tell us how they would tackle the big issues facing local residents.”

Nick has written to the local Conservatives calling for answers to the following:

Will the Conservatives make the richest pay their fair share of tax?
The only tax proposals announced by the Conservatives are to cut Inheritance Tax for millionaires, abolish Stamp Duty on shares and introduce a marriage-based tax system which would penalise widows, those escaping domestic violence and anyone else who is not married.

Will the Conservatives continue to defend the behaviour of fat-cat City speculators?
The Conservatives have refused to criticise the City hedge funds, which have significantly worsened the recent financial crisis.

What do the Conservatives mean by sharing the proceeds of growth, and how will they do it in a recession?

Why have the Conservatives nothing to say about council and other social housing?
The Conservatives brought council house building effectively to an end when they were last in government. Now council housing is badly needed but the Conservatives have been silent about this.

Do the Conservatives now admit they got it wrong on Northern Rock?
The Conservatives failed to see the Northern Rock fiasco coming. When it did arrive they kept changing their position on how to deal with it. Now that other banks are facing difficulties will they continue to oppose state ownership on ideological grounds?

Why did the Conservatives ignore the dangerous boom in lending and house prices?
Whilst the Government let the boom in credit get out of control, the Conservatives sat idly by. Now that the housing bubble has burst, the Conservatives are happy to make political capital. Their frontbencher Andrew Mitchell MP said that the economic problems besetting the country have created ‘an incredibly good moment’ for the Conservatives. How can taxpayers believe they will do anything to tackle the problem were they in government? (Source: ePolitix.com 26/9/08)

What is the Conservative view on house prices?
High house prices mean many people are unable to get their foot on the first rung of the property ladder. However, the Conservatives have so far failed to accept that prices needs to be more realistic. They were the first to propose a Stamp Duty holiday to get first time buyers into the market. Yet that same policy completely failed when they introduced it the last time they were in office. People did not want to buy homes which a few months later would be worth a great deal less than they paid for it.

Why do the Conservatives still support Council Tax?
The last Conservative Government introduced the unfair Council Tax in the wake of the disastrous Poll Tax. 15 years on and after it has doubled under the current Government, the Tories have still failed to tackle this flawed tax, which disproportionately hits pensioners and poor families.

Nick said, “So far the Conservatives have failed to say how they will resolve the problems facing families today.

“Their empty words have got them through until now, but they are no substitute for actual proposals when it comes to tackling the serious problems facing our economy. The Conservatives must stop dodging the tough choices if he really wants to establish any economic credibility with voters.”

The Lib Dems are the party of social justice

[Nick's letter to the Labour MP]

Dear Michael,

It is unpleasantly ironic that in your recent column for the Observer – ‘A Fairer Britain’ – you are dishonest and deeply unfair about proposed Liberal Democrat tax cuts for low and middle income families.

You are either deliberately misrepresenting our policies, or you have not understood them.

Let me explain.

The first point you must accept is that the Conservatives would never propose tax cuts for low and middle income families.

As you probably know, but have omitted from your article, the Conservatives have pledged to match Labour’s spending should they be returned to Government, and their only tax policy is to raise the Inheritance Tax threshold for millionaires.

By contrast, we have put forward tax cuts funded by increases in green taxation and tax on wealthy families. We are prioritising redistribution – a word that has curiously disappeared from the Labour lexicon.

This was a policy introduced at our previous Conference.

Just like the furore over the 10p tax band, it seems that policy takes a while to sink in on the Labour backbenches.

What we have introduced at this Conference is a pledge to get better value for money from current Government spending, and to redirect some of it to our own priorities – the pupil premium, free care for older citizens, more police on the streets. The programme is called Make it happen.

On Tuesday I took the trouble to read Gordon Brown’s speech in full. I agreed with a lot of what he said. The trouble is, there is often a large gulf between what Labour does and what it says it will do.

Remember the Post Offices?

The British people will give their verdict on Labour’s trustworthiness at the next General Election.

In the meantime, I suggest you read Nick Clegg’s speech if you have not done so.

If you are really committed to social justice, then maybe you should become part of the re-alignment between Labour and the Lib Dems that Vince Cable foresees.

After all, he has been right about more things than your lot recently.

Yours, as ever,

Nick offsets his carbon footprint and challenges local Councils to do the same

Nick campaigning with Steve Webb MP - this is what the British Isles might look like as a result of climate change

As you will see from the last posting, I attended the Car Free Day in Hastings town centre yesterday.

I came away having learnt number of things.

One of the key points was a reminder about offsetting my carbon emissions.

I am usually not bad at remembering to offset any flights that I take, but I am less good at remembering the effects of the car and using utilities at home.

I have to be a car user for my job in adult mental health care, so I have been on the Climate Care website and done the necessary.

I have also written to the Leaders and Chief Executives of Hastings Borough, Rother District and East Sussex County Councils asking for feedback on their approach to offsetting the emissions of their vehicles and buildings, and about what they are doing to promote cycling amongst their staff.

I will keep you posted!

Nick backs HUB and slams the Conservatives over seafront cycle path delay

Nick Perry, Lib Dem parliamentary campaigner for Hastings & Rye, attended the Car Free Day in Hastings today to support the work of the Hastings Urban Bikes network.

Nick says,

“I have been really impressed by the commitment of HUB members to improve the take-up of cycling and the cycling infrastructure of the local area.

“We need to be promoting cycling – not just because it’s good for our health, but also because it is good for the environment.

“I think the local Conservatives (particularly Cllr Lock, the lead member for Transport & Environment on the County Council) should be hanging their heads in shame for the time it is taking to get the seafront cycle path in place.

“Unfortunately, this shows that the commitment of the Conservatives on green issues is only as good as their next press release.”

[Photo: Nick with Nick Hanna, Chair of HUB]

Baker promises electric line between Hastings and Ashford

Following the ratification of the policy paper ‘Building a transport system for the 21st century’ at the recent Liberal Democrat Conference, Lewes MP and Transport spokesman Norman Baker has confirmed that the plans include the electrification of the railtrack between Hastings and Ashford.

Mr Baker said,

“I want to say loud and clear to the people of Hastings & Rye that the Liberal Democrats understand how important the Hastings-Ashford link is, and that we are committed to delivering an improved service.”

Nick Perry, Parliamentary Campaigner said,

“I am delighted that I have received confirmation from Norman this weekend that these improvements are an integral part of Lib Dem plans.

“There is no doubt that we need better connections, better services and cheaper train fares. These are crucial to the regeneration of constituencies such as ours. And Lib Dem plans mean that we can deliver this regeneration in as green and sustainable a way as possible.”

An Annex of rail schemes was published in the (fully costed) paper and the electrification of the Hastings-Ashford line is in that list. The Lib Dems aim to electrify the whole network by 2040, starting with key gaps first, such as the Hastings-Ashford line.

Nick helps to ‘Walk the Fish’!

What a fantastic weekend it has been!

The weather couldn’t have been better for Seafood & Wine 2008 in Hastings.

It was great to see so many kids and parents enjoying themselves together, and the children proudly carrying their fabulous selection of prawn, jellyfish and shark banners!

Thanks to all the exhibitors and stallholders, to our visitors and to the good people of Hastings & Rye for making this a weekend to remember.

Lib Dem tax plans will help local families

Hastings & Rye Lib Dems have been in Bournemouth this week to hear from their Leader, Nick Clegg, on new tax proposals.

The Lib Dems have agreed tax cuts for low and middle income families, paid for by increases in green taxation and on the wealthy.

Parliamentary campaigner Nick Perry said,

“Lib Dem tax plans are a clear demonstration that we are the only party that is serious about social justice. Local families who are having to cope with more expensive food, fuel and utility bills will clearly benefit.”

Nick Clegg gave his closing speech on Wednesday.

“I will never support the Tory idea that you cut taxes for millionaires and the benefits somehow trickle down,” he said.

“That is not what struggling families need. They need their money back.”

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Lib Dems will fight for better transport links

Dear Editor,

I hope that the Observer will be taking up the important issue of the failure of our MP and the Labour Government to improve road and rail access to Hastings from the north.

It is clear that a key part of a successful regeneration programme for our constituency must be the improvement of our links to and from London.

At the Hastings Council Cabinet meeting last Monday, the relevant report stated that improvements to the A21 are to be delayed until 2011-12, and that Channel Tunnel-related rail improvements may benefit Kent, to the detriment of the Hastings-London line.

As if this is not bad enough, the local Conservatives – in cloud cuckoo land as usual – are saying that all is rosy in the garden.

When are the Conservatives going to get serious about representing our constituency with real vigour and talent?

They have shown that they can’t do it at a local Council level, and they don’t cut it at parliamentary level either.

Liberal Democrats will be raising this important issue wherever and whenever we can.

And we will be fighting for the benefits that an improved (particularly public) transport infrastructure will bring to the local area.

Yours sincerely,

[What do you think of local transport links?  Please use the form below to send in your views]

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