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While we were all hurriedly preparing for Christmas, the Tories and their Lib Dem colleagues were sneakily hatching plans, to allow NHS hospitals to devote up to 50% of their beds and theatre time to private patients.
This surprise move has sent shockwaves through the NHS and is confirmation of this Government’s arrogant determination to turn our NHS into a US-style commercial system, where hospitals operate in the interest of profits rather than people.
Continue Reading
Calderdale Police are appealing for information from local residents in Luddenden Foot after racist graffiti was found in the area.
Police belive that the damage took place overnight on Monday, November 29, at locations on Burnley Road at the junction with Station Road and Luddenden Lane.
Because of the racist basis of the graffiti, the Police are treating the incident as a hate crime and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
Every year I create an e-card instead of sending traditional Christmas cards and give a donation to charity. Here is this year’s comical offering. I wish everyone in the Luddenden Foot ward and beyond a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Labour in Calderdale have been campaigning this weekend against the wasted opportunities as unemployment amongst young people passes one million. Labour’s five point plan for jobs and growth is designed to give a real boost to employment, and help avoid the tragedy of another wasted generation.
We’d like to know what you think about Labour’s plans – you can have your say by completing our on-line survey.
In the past I’ve done the Great North Run, the Yorkshire Three Peaks and the Corbett Challenge amongst various other traditional fundraisng ventures, but this one actually makes me more nervous. For the whole month of Movember (Formerly known as November) I’ll be growing a moustache. Now this could be a little embarrasing, but its all in a good cause so I’d ask you all to dig deep and splash some cash for my tash by sponsoring me!
Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in the UK and around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men. This year I’ve decide to take part! Read the rest of this entry
Calderdale Councils cabinet will be asked to agree proposals to make it simpler for local people to recycle by Labour councillor Barry Collins.
Under the plans all the current recycling materials will be collected every week, instead off having to remember which items to put out when. At the same time, the report identifies actions agreed with the contractor, Sita, to ensure a better waste collection service in periods of bad weather.
(There’s a Council press release about the plans here, and it has been reported in the Halifax Courier and the Huddersfield Examiner. You can also download the Cabinet report on this and many other items.) If the proposals are adopted the change will take effect from 5 December 2011 to coincide with the replacement of bin calendars.
Despite the best efforts of UNISON and other campaigners, the Health and Social Care Bill was voted through the House of Commons on 7 September 2011 and the bill is now in the hands of the House of Lords. But the campaign to save our NHS is far from over.
Next Tuesday, 11 October, the Health and Social Care Bill receives its second reading in the House of Lords and we have another opportunity to influence the bill by writing, emailing or phoning a Peer to raise concerns about the proposed changes to the NHS.
Peers are not used to the individual lobbying that MPs get, so receiving personal contact from members of the public should really get their attention. Continue Reading
I was saddened to learn about the death of Steve Jobs who has lost his long battle with pancreatic cancer. I’m reminded of a speech he made back in 2005 to the University of Stanford in which he discusses death and his battle with pancreatic cancer. The speech really resonated with me, live each day as if it was your last, follow your heart. “If you live each day as if it was your last, some day you will almost certainly be right”.
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. Continue Reading
The Boundary Commission has recommended that the number of constituencies in Yorkshire and Humber be reduced by four to 50. Here in Calderdale they have proposed to increase the size of Halifax constituency by including the Hipperholme and Lightcliffe ward from Calder Valley constituency. Under the initial proposals Calder Valley would gain Worth Valley ward from Keighley constituency.
Once again its commuters and families being clobbered with massive increases in rail fares.
The Tory-led government has announced average fare increases of 8% from January in order to plug the gap left by Tory spending cuts to the Department of Transport’s budget.
But wait for it; this is only the beginning as fares could increase by a massive 30% by 2015 (Even more in Yorkshire!). This is yet another devastating blow to families struggling to survive during these tough times, it’s a virtual tax on train commuters…who are only trying to get to work! Continue Reading
Get your flat caps at the ready to celebrate all that is good in the white rose county! It’s a day to remind us of, and have pride in, our local heritage. Happy Yorkshire Day!
Yorkshire is celebrated on 1st August each year to celebrate Yorkshire integrity and traditions. Continue Reading
A report by HMIC – Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary – has confirmed Labour’s warnings that more than 1500 police jobs will go in West Yorkshire.
Calderdale’s Labour leader, Cllr Tim Swift, is warning that the cuts – forced on West Yorkshire by Government spending cuts – are certain to put the fight against crime at risk.
“I have every confidence in our current police force – they have been remarkably good at tackling crime and making people feel safe. Read the rest of this entry »
I would like to thank each and every person that voted Labour on May 5th. You all made a huge diference, sending a strong message to both the Tory and Liberal Democrats that the cuts they are making go too far too fast. I have spoken to hundreds of you over the last few months about your hopes, fears and aspirations for our local community, and whilst Labour narrowly missed out on election victory this year, you can be sure that the Labour Party will continue to fight for fairness and be your voice in tough times. Continue Reading
Postal votes are now arriving on your door mats and once again I’m urging local residents to vote Labour. Send a clear message to the Tory & Lib-Dem leadership, that we will not stand idly by while they destroy our public services, sqeeze families on low and middle incomes and abandon the aspirations of our young people. There is an alternative.Have a problem with your postal vote? Call the Electoral Services Unit on 01422 393103.
Labour volunteers are delivering the next edition of The Labour Rose throughout the local area. Dont forget to complete the residents survey and let me know what your priorities are for our local community. You can also complete the survey online here or read an electronic version of the Labour Rose by Clicking here
Ed Miliband today launched the Labour Party’s local election campaign. Calling on the public to back Labour as the first line of defence against the damage being done by the Conservative-led Government and their Liberal Democrat allies. It is the Labour Party that will be your voice in tough times. |Watch the speech|
The latest Labour Rose will soon be hitting your door mats of Luddenden, Luddendenfoot, Mytholmroyd, Wainstalls, Booth, Midgley & Cragg Vale! Inside you’ll find a residents survey, where I’m asking you about your priorities for our local community. You can either complete the survey included in the Labour Rose, or alternatively you can complete it online. |Complete the survey |
In yet another devastating blow for the aspirations of young people, the Tory / Lib-Dem Government abolished the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), kicking away the ladder of opportunity.
Speaking about EMAs before the General Election David Cameron said: “We don’t have any plans to get rid of them…” Scrapping them is “one of those things the Labour Party keep putting out that we are planning to do, but we’re not,” Another broken promise! Continue Reading
Police cuts have got the Tory / Lib-Dem’s finger prints all over them! By cutting police funding by over 20 per cent over the next four years, the Tory-led government is taking big risks with the safety of our community. Across the country police forces have already said that they are being forced to cut the jobs of around 10,000 officers, blowing apart the Tory and Lib Dem claim that they would protect frontline services. Continue Reading
I’m proud to have been selected by the local Labour Party to stand in the local elections in Calderdale as the Labour Candidate for Luddendenfoot ward. Now nobody actually knows what that means, so to explain I’m fighting to represent Luddenden, Luddendenfoot, Mytholmroyd, Wainstalls, Booth, Midgley & Cragg Vale. Continue Reading
The Inside Housing survey has confirmed today that the New Homes Bonus is a disastrous failure. It is yet another example of government failure to tackle the housing crisis.
The day after the launch of the Tory-led Government’s so called housing strategy we learnt that their 60% cut to the affordable budget had led to a 99% fall in affordable housing. Now we learn that their flagship housing policy, the New Homes Bonus, heralded as the means to deliver homes across the country, is failing. Continue Reading
Simon Danczuk MP has today written to David Cameron calling on him to explain to the House of Commons why he did nothing to stop Stephen Hester’s bonus. Simon Danczuk said:
“Rather than stopping this bonus, David Cameron took the decision to nod it through.The public own Royal Bank of Scotland and they deserve an explanation. Instead, Conservative ministers have been running scared – dodging the cameras rather than justifying this disgraceful failure of leadership from David Cameron.
“That is why I have today written to the Prime Minister to ask him to come to the House of Commons to explain why, when he should have blocked this million pound bonus, he decided to do nothing.”
Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, in response to a 20% increase in the number of cancelled urgent operations, said:
“Patients are beginning to pay the price for the Government’s mismanagement of the NHS. It is unacceptable that more people are waiting more than four hours in AE, more people are waiting more than 18 weeks for an operation and more urgent operations are being cancelled.
“Every day more evidence comes to light showing that Ministers have lost Labour’s firm grip on the NHS. The Government has thrown the health service into turmoil with its confused policies and chaotic management. The time has come for the Government to halt its destabilising NHS reorganisation and let it focus on what matters: maintaining standards of patient care.”
Yvette Cooper MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on police numbers, said: ”These shocking figures show the biggest fall in police numbers in over a decade at the same time as we are seeing the biggest increase in personal crime. The Home Secretary needs to take urgent heed of the serious warning from the Gloucester Chief Constable that the police are facing a “cliff edge” due to the sheer scale of these police cuts.
“David Cameron and Theresa May are letting down communities and turning their backs on the police. They should be battling to cut crime, but they are just cutting the police instead. Continue Reading
Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, urges Lib Dem MPs to respect the wishes of their voters and reject the Government’s plans. Labour will today ask MPs to reject Coalition plans to allow NHS hospitals to devote half their beds to the treatment of private patients. In an Opposition debate on NHS privatisation, Andy Burnham will say the plan to let NHS hospitals earn 49% of income from treating private patients will lead to longer NHS waiting lists and a two-tier health service.
The Prime Minister’s plan, announced in the Lords just before the Christmas break, threatens to turn England’s hospitals into US-style hospitals, pitting one against another in a competitive market and putting profits before patient care. Continue Reading
Labour has announced that it supports the recommendations of the report of the independent High Pay Commission and has set three tests for David Cameron to show he is serious about increasing accountability and transparency on high pay.
In an interview on the Today programme on Friday (6 January), David Cameron echoed Ed Miliband’s calls to recognise the need for responsibility at the top as well as at the bottom of society - and promised action to tackle ‘rewards for failure’. However, whilst his Government has implemented economic policies that have adversely impacted on working families and women, after 20 months in office he has failed to take action to tackle excessive pay in the City and FTSE 100 boardrooms. The Tory-led Government even went so far as instructing their MEPs to seek to block tough new City bonus restrictions which were implemented by the FSA in 2011 at the behest of the EU. Continue Reading
Today’s UCU report shows that Government funding for university teaching and research is falling to its lowest proportion in more than a century, putting the status of our world class university sector in jeopardy. It is important that graduates, taxpayers and businesses, all groups who benefit from higher education – contribute fairly to the costs of running a world class sector. This is at a time when Government decisions have created a difficult and uncertain environment for universities and students alike.
We have a world class university sector, but the actions of the Government will result in teaching and research funding being reduced to its lowest levels in over a century and risk decades of progress being undone. Continue Reading
Caroline Flint MP, Labour’s Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, responding to the announcement that the Government will be appealing the High Court ruling which said that cuts to solar tariff payments are legally flawed, said: “The Government’s reckless cuts to the Feed-in Tariff have thrown the solar industry into disarray, putting thousands of jobs and businesses at risk, and hitting families trying to do the right thing and cut their energy bills. What the industry needs – and what the public deserves – is certainty about the future of solar power, yet by appealing against the ruling, the Government is just creating even more uncertainty.
“Instead of wasting more money on legal fees, the Government should go back to the drawing board and bring forward more measured proposals that guarantee the continued growth of the solar industry, put feed-in tariffs on a sustainable footing and are fair to the public.”
The number of university applicants from the UK is down by over 23,000 compared to the same time last year. These latest figures show that the Tory-led Government’s decision to treble tuition fees has led many students to delay their university applications. It is unfair that many who have the ability to go to university are being put off applying because of the high levels of debt that they will face.
We are seeing a drop of more than 14 per cent among applicants aged 25 and over, showing that the chaotic and unfair policy to treble tuition fees is putting off those who are already in the workforce in investing in their skills and developing their careers. Continue Reading
Labour today highlighted the growing cost of living crisis afflicting millions of families, following a report by Save the Children showing that the Government’s scheme for help with bills currently reaches just 3% of families at risk of fuel poverty.
Caroline Flint MP, Labour’s Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, responding to the report, said:”Today’s news that just three per cent of families are getting the help they need with rocketing energy bills, follows hard on the heels of soaring train fares and the IFS report showing families with children will be hardest hit by this Government’s policies. Continue Reading
Adult social care is one of the biggest public policy challenges this country faces and it’s time that all politicians come together to address it.
It is now more than six months since Ed Miliband offered David Cameron and Nick Clegg the chance to put party politics aside and open cross-party talks with him. This was a bold and constructive offer and we are pleased David Cameron and Nick Clegg have accepted. Labour will now play a full part in talks on the Dilnot proposals and we’ll push for them to be implemented in full as a first step. Continue Reading
Ahead of a decisive year for the NHS, Show Health Minister, Andy Burnham has sent this direct message to NHS staff.
I know that 2011 was a hard year. Sadly, the prospects for the new one look no better. But there is a positive. Times like these serve only to remind people of the NHS’s greatest strength – the sheer resilience of those who work within it. People know what pressure you are under and truly appreciate what you do. Continue Reading
Homeowners across the country in fear of losing their home will not be surprised by the Council of Mortgage Lenders report which predicts a huge 22 per cent rise in repossessions next year. The independent report says this is a result of rapidly rising unemployment and a squeeze on family incomes.
For too many it will be a bleak Christmas in fear of losing their homes, in court trying to save it or on the streets having failed to do so. It is these people that are paying the price of this Government’s failing economic policies.
Labour’s five point plan for jobs and growth shows a different way. Getting the economy moving and people back to work is the surest way to help families stay in their homes, get the deficit down and put Britain on the right course for the future.
David Cameron’s isolation is a sign of weakness not of strength and is today more isolated than at any point in the 35 years of British membership of Europe. 
Chuka Umunna MP, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, reacting to the announcement by the Office of Fair Access on 25 access agreements that have been revised today, said:
“The Tory-led Government is still trebling fees. OFFA says most universities have not requested a change to their fee levels. The Government should implement Labour’s proposal to cut the fee cap to £6,000, paid for by reversing the Government’s Corporation Tax cut for the banks and some additional payments by the wealthiest graduates. None of the chaos around access changes and cutting courses – which universities now have to bid for – would then be needed. Labour’s proposal would maintain funding for universities but avoid harm to families and graduates from the Government’s plans. Continue Reading
This week saw the prison population reaching an all time high of 88,179 yet the Tory-led Government remain clueless on how to tackle this impending prison crisis. Despite the record prison numbers the Government are savagely cutting resources for the prison service, risking frontline prison officer jobs and cutting probation services.
This Government’s short-sighted decisions to cancel the prison building programme, cut investment on the prison estate by 83% and continue to close prisons could put the security and safety of prison staff at serious risk. They must show they are not taking a risk with public or staff safety, and provide assurances that there are no plans to release prisoners early.
The Labour Party supports the hard work our police forces do day in, day out. That’s why we oppose the Government’s huge 20% cuts to policing, have a more proportionate plan to find savings in the police service, and have commissioned an Independent Review on the Future of Policing to consider the challenges faced.
We now want to hear from a diverse range of people, from all walks of life, who are interested in becoming a Police and Crime Commissioner in their area. We want people committed to their communities who will work with the police in the difficult job they do. We argued in Parliament that the money for these Police and Crime Commissioner elections would have been better spent on 3,000 more police constables in Olympic year, but the Government is pushing ahead with the elections next November instead. Continue Reading
