Reduce interest rates now.

The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee is due to decide the base interest rate today. It would be sensioble to reduce the current rate bt a significant amount in order to restore economic confidence, to prevent job losses, to stimulate the housing market. The obsession with inflation rate is unhealthy, most of this is caused by imported inflation: energy and food prices beyond control of the domestic market.

Unfortunately, it is more likely the idiots on the M.P.C. will not reduce the basic interest rate this will only compound our economic woes and lead to more job losses and bankruptcies. Only a substsantial reduction in the base interest rate will stimulate economic growth.

Banks, money, money, money…

Banks, money, money, money…can we not wonder at the financial crisis due to not only the crisis in the mortgage sub prime market in the USA: also due to the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee raising interest rates and the Chancellor of the Exchequer must accept some responsibilty for contributing to the crisis becoming worse here. Mr. Darling’s recent wisdoms are not helping the crisis and most financial institutions are responsible lenders, like Nero fiddled while Rome burnt, Mr Darling has permitted recent interest rate rises to take effect - this is unsatisfactory.

The crisis now would be helped if the “old lady of Threadneedle Street” took the courage to cut interest rates with immediate effect, this may help to create confidence in our financial institutions.

Monetary Policy Committee…

The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee…or should it be the Misery Policy Committee…yesterday decided to sit on the fence and in its wisdom, of which its members have little, decided to leave interest rates as they are. It would have been better for the UK economy if the bank had taken the bold decision to reduce interest rates and thus help to restore confidence in the UK economy. The UK government should end its fear of a little inflation in the economy and act to reduce interest rates. The consequences of the present financial crisis are serious, as UK bank lending rates and new home mortgages are set to rise putting housing ownership beyond the always hopeful first time buyer. Labour should be the party and government that encourages home ownership and facilitate lower interest rates for home mortgages. Labour should not allow high interest rates to continue.

Gangs, drugs, killings…

Hardly a day passes now when we see headlines about another shooting, another killing, gang violence and anti-social behaviour. There is sufficient legislation for the police to act to deal with these issues, maybe if the police concentrated less on harassing motorists and get out of their cars and walk the streets on the beat and get to know their local communities - it might help. Courts should employ stiffer sentencing for possessing and using knives and guns.

It might also help if local authorities and public bodies did something about cleaning graffiti ridden streets; deal with vacant and derelict properties; spend money on providing facilities for youths and communities; we have to do something positive to counter gang culture. ASBOs could be strenthened with offenders doing community projects. More must be done to assist with employment opportunities; more effort to attract people away from gangs and drugs. More funding for voluntary youth organisations.

Fine promises of action of funding from number 10 are not enough, money must be seen trickling through estates, the public need evidence on the ground of projects, we need a new dynamic approach.

It might also help if for once our media concentrated on stories on positive youths, positive role models of youths who make worthwhile contributions to themselves and others.

Ashtead - shame of nimybyism

A £1.7million house in Grays Lane, Ashtead, Surrey, is to be used by the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) for the relatives of injured soldiers at Headley Court Rehabilitation Centre , Epsom.

86 residents of the area around Grays Lane Ashtead should really be ashamed of themselves this morning for their nimbyism of the worst kind. The approval by Mole Valley District Council is to be welcomed. Some of these people interviewed on BBC TV expose themselves to be the most awful nimbys in the country.

Floods - foolish to blame the government…

I have been reading some of the bitter postings on a BBC News web site, no doubt many are by habitual critics and cynics accustomed to blame the government of the day for anything from lost bus tickets to the poor results in sporting events. I am sure that many are genuinely angry and bitter and don’t know who to blame and the government seems an easy option. If any organizations are to blame for the floods at all, given it is a natural event, then blame the water and sewerage companies for enjoying fat profits, failure to update infrastructure and imposing high prices.

Do the water and sewerage companies need any government to show them the way; they should be aware that floods in certain areas of the UK are not new events. Surely, the privatized water and sewerage companies must be aware of the need to modernize our old infrastructure and spend money in doing so, the aim was to spend £4.5 billion but they are not spending that, they are spending less than that.

Builders, developers, planning authorities also need to share the blame, for they have also failed the general public.

We need now to think, plan and redevelop our infrastructure, the cost should be born partly from the profits of the water companies and government funding and E.U. assistance should be sought.

Time to re-nationalize the water industry…

It is clear that the privatized water and drainage industry has failed consumers, given the challenge that flooding is now causing perhaps the time has come to take water and drainage companies into public ownership.

Baroness Young of the Environment Agency has recently warfned consumers will foot the bill for flooding and flood protection policies, yes, we probably will, the water companies were supposed to spend £4.5 billion on modernizing infrastructure so far only £3.5 billion has been spent.

The water indstry has regularly imposed higher charges for consumers over the years and £2 billion in profits a year is in the light of their failures - obscene.

So the government should now consider that it’s time for these water corporate spivs to go and take water and drainage compabnies back into public ownership.

Heavy rainfall coming…

The news that yet more heavy rain may fall soon will bring some concern to residents in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, who have already endured so much, as indeed those in Yorkshire did not long ago. We hope extra resources will be made available to assist those that need practical help.

It seems there is going to be a considerable bill to pay for infrastructure repairs, let alone insurance payouts which will reach record heights, all of us should understand the need for flood protection measures being speeded up. Likewise, the need for extra supplies of water and fresh food should be on the list, the E.U. should now be asked for assistance.

We hope builders and developers will in regions where flooding is a constant threat ensure new homes are built to withstand the worst flooding scenarios, naturally I doubt if any builders or developers are bothered at all in regard to the kind of housing that needs to be constructed.

Positive measures for youth…

Interesting statement from 10, Downing Street, we have reprinted it below; good to see at last some constructive proposals in regard to youth.

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Youth Cabinet marks major investment in youth services

26 July 2007

Gordon Brown hosted a Cabinet meeting with a difference this morning to highlight the Government’s new ten-year youth strategy. Most of the other members were teenagers from around the country who were given the opportunity to question the PM about facilities and opportunities for young people.

Mr Brown, who gave up his usual seat at the Cabinet table to allow the 16-year-old “youth mayor” of Lewisham, Wilf Petheridge, to take charge, listened to the young people’s suggestions for activities and things to do.

The PM told them:

“Young people contribute an enormous amount to society, and the views of young people have had a big influence on the Youth Strategy we are publishing today.

“Now we want to hear from young people themselves. What are your priorities, where do you want to take this over the next few months, and how do we get the message out across the country that something’s actually happening?”

Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes, who also attended, said:

“One of the things we want to start to do is call for people to stand up for young people and cut through all this negative stereotyping.

“It’s about saying to the British public, look, we have got fantastic young people in this country and it’s time to start celebrating them.”

Ms Hughes later outlined the Government’s strategy on positive activities, which she described as “the most ambitious commitment to all our young people for decades”, in Parliament.

It promises major investment in an “exciting, modern, up to date place for young people in every community”. Working alongside young people themselves, local authorities will lead public, voluntary and private sector partnerships, to develop new facilities and ensure all young people can reach them. The Government will particularly target the most excluded young people in the most deprived communities.

There will also be a new fund to develop a national institute of youth leadership and older teenagers will be supported in setting up social enterprises in their communities.

The strategy additionally sets out a ten-year workforce reform programme to ensure “stronger leadership, and more skilled and creative people working with our teenagers - good role models who can relate to and inspire young people from all backgrounds”.

Floods & photo opportunities…

BBC TV News at 6pm, we see Gordon Brown in Gloucester with the local MP, a woman seeing the media scrum starts to chase Gordon Brown wanting answers he is seen scuttling away fast; were his minders over reacting; was the woman a nutter; was she a Tory or Lib Dem plant; was she a genuine citizen, suffering and wanting answers.? Well, we just don’t know, at the time of writing.

It is not good to see this kind of evasive action, Gordon Brown should have stopped and chatted to the woman concerned and listened - aren’t we supposed to be listening?

Gordon Brown’s minders should think and be ready to respond at least allow the viewers to judge by what she has to say. One hopes that in the future we will not see such a repeat of evasive action: to the voters and to the suffering people in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire such prime ministerial visits will look like photo opportunities.