Ferrets in a sack!

Like ferrets in a sack. Cameron has not got a clue and Gideon Osborne 'gets up your nose'

And these are comments from the governments own ministers!

No wonder this useless rabble are behind in the polls.

Save the Educational Maintenance Allowance

This blog and the Rochester & Strood Labour Party is backing the Save the EMA campaign which is opposing the Coalition government proposal to scrap the allowance to the poorest students.

It is challenging local Conservative MPs; Tracey Crouch, Mark Reckless and Rehman Chisthi to oppose any measure which would cut a key allowance to the most vulnerable students. The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a means-tested allowance of between £10 and £30, paid to 16- to 19-year-olds who stay on in education.

Rolled out nationally in September 2004, EMA is intended to help with the cost of books, travel, equipment or anything useful to the continuation of learning. It’s paid straight into the pupil’s bank account, not their parents or their college, giving them independence and forcing them to take charge of a small weekly budget. The payments are under the condition that they attend classes regularly. If the pupil works hard or achieves good grades, there is the opportunity to earn bonuses.

EMA is available to 16-19 year olds who come from low income families and whose household’s net income is below £30,000 pa. There is an additional grant for those students from families household income is up to and below £20,000 pa. EMA currently exists all across the UK although the administering of it is devolved to the regional parliaments of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The allowance is not only a financial life-line for poorer students - in terms of purchasing stationary and academic textbooks. It is also a hook with which to keep pupils in attendance over the duration of their academic course.

The worrying fact coming out of this Coalition government is that the Tories do not believe in educational opportunity for all. They are targeting the poorest students in scrapping the Educational Maintenance Allowance and are raising tuition fees to an eye-watering £9,000 per year. This could leave the average student (at both a grammar, private, college or comprehensive) with a massive debt burden on entering the unstable world of work. The Tories are gerrymandering funding from state funded schools into the pet 'free schools' which is privatisation in all but name. Youth services across Medway have been cut.

Medway Labour MPs made it a cornerstone of there legacy to invest in education for our young people.

Under the last Labour government we saw significant investment in improved primary schools, new academies and several university campuses across the towns. We embedded educational attainment so that all our people could fulfil their potential as human beings. It is time for the Tories to put education first, for the future of Medway

Tory Police Commissioner cost of £2m

The Tory policy to politicise Kent Police and elect an inexperienced police commissioner for Kent could cost taxpayers up to £2 million – this is equivalent of about 50 frontline police officers which could cut crime in Medway.

£2m which will come out of your Council Tax bill in the form of a rebate every year.

That is bobbies not on the beat in favour of a Conservative Party frontman running the police force of Kent. The wholesale politicisation of the police which will see an elected stooge who could gerrymander resources away from Medway and into safer Conservative seats in central Kent.

Police priorities should be set by local communities and professional officers and not hyper-partisan sheriffs. The Tories should trust the professionals to get on with their jobs and not introduce another layer of political control.

Nationally the Local Government Association has predicted a total cost for all police forces of about £54m or 700 jobs.

The news comes just two weeks after Kent Police warned it may have to lose 1,500 jobs as a result of Government spending cuts.

Kent Police Authority chairwoman Ann Barnes said:

"I do not think that now is the time to be putting money we haven’t got into an uncosted proposal that lacks clarity and detail.

"At best this is a rebranding exercise, as the commissioner is expected to have exactly the same role and powers as our existing police authority.

"When we are scratching around for every penny to protect front-line policing and jobs, to spend money on these proposals is not justifiable."

Ann Barnes is absolutely correct. Not one person on the doorstep in River Ward wanted an elected stooge running the police. The Tory pet project is a massive waste of tax-payers money for little benefit.

It should be scrapped.

Winter Fuel Allowance Threat

It appears that the coalition Liberal Democrat and Conservative Government is considering cutting Winter Fuel Allowances for the elderly.

According to the Daily Telegraph:

“it has learnt that ministers have resolved to increase the qualifying age for the annual payment from 60 to at least 66. Talks are under way about an even bigger rise.

The basic winter fuel payment, made to more than 12 million people, will also be cut by £50 for new recipients and £100 for the oldest.”

Nick Clegg has dismissed the piece as 'irresponsible speculation' but it is clear that the issue is being discussed and at length in the corridors of power.

The cut in Winter Fuel Allowance would be a vindication of the Liberal Democrat manifesto position of slashing the allowance, though the Liberal Democrats made clear that the cut to the allowance of those between 60-64, would see increases in Winter Fuel Allowance to disabled people.

The Winter Fuel Allowance was heavily debated in the General Election 2010, where Labour led the charge that the Tories would cut the allowance.

David Cameron made his position on the Winter Fuel Allowance absolutely starkly clear:

Cameron :…Stop his candidates from lying about Conservative policy. Glad I got that off my chest, it’s something I feel very, very, strongly about.

Q: Just to be clear, you will keep benefits, but you will not change them in any way. You will not means test, you will not change the criteria?

Cameron: We will keep what we inherit in all of those important areas. All of the things Labour has been saying are complete and utter lies.

Pretty Definitive. If the coalition were to cut the Winter Fuel Allowance it would be a massive two-fingers to pensioners across Medway.

Many Conservative MPs in Medway spoke about the Winter Fuel Allowance whilst in opposition.

Tracey Crouch MP spoke eloquently about the affect of government changes to the allowance on the 25th April 2008, where she attacked the then Labour Government for changes to the allowance. If her government were to scrap the allowance for the same 60-64 year olds this would represent a slap in the face to those she sought to represent only two years ago.

Mark Reckless MP also campaigned during the election to safeguard the Winter Fuel Allowance. On his blog he confirmed a 'personal promise' that 'I will protect your Winter Fuel Payment' as part of a piece on David Cameron's Pledge to Pensioners. He accused Labour of scaremongering on cuts to Winter Fuel allowance.

So two Tory MPs who would honourably oppose the cut to Winter Fuel Allowance it is presumed?

This blogger will be watching our MPs very very closely indeed on this issue because it goes to the heart of looking after the most vulnerable in our community.

Tory Cuts undermining Economic recovery

Ideological and brutal cuts to schools, hospitals and local services. Privatisation of health and school services. Undermining of the police and criminal justice system. A Tory government is now in full swing.

Now we have 'credit' bounty hunters being paid by the government to spy on the citizens of our country targeting the poorest in society.

This Conservative Government has scared consumer confidence and cut too early and too quickly. House prices are wobbling and people are fearful for their jobs.

The Coalition has squandered the economic recovery that they inherited by Labour. A recovery that came after a recession caused not by government, but by the greedy market.

Tory cuts. They must be opposed.