Cuts & Runs.

There is a kind of obscene haste at the moment with politicians from all three major parties in what seems to be a new game of boasting about future cuts in public spending. The public sector has become a whipping post a target for plans for pay freezes, pension reductions and unemployment. Let us recall this recession began with the selfish, greedy bonus seekers in the banking sector who appear to be able to continue their bad habits regardless that their jobs were saved by taxpayers money. The fact we are £805 billions in debt is the sole responsibility of the UK banks. The banks must be made to pay back every penny they have gobbled up and no one should be given a penny in bonuses.

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Royal Mail Remains in the Public Sector.

The good news yesterday was that Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary has had to back down in regard to his ridiculous privitisation plans. This is a victory for common sense and for all who campaigned against any privitisation of a vital public service.

The Royal Mail needs investment and government should assist with investment, after all plenty of billions which we are paying for were found for UK banks. If the Post Office had the same level of investment then we would have the finest postal service in the world. Lord Mandelson should now go one step further and sack Crozier and Leighton, these two clowns have ruined our Post Office; purge the management and appoint people who know the Post Office and can manage it.

In the light of the recent decision it would be a gesture of good faith if the CWU were to call off planned strikes, whilst such strikes have justification they annoy business and the general public. Lord Mandelson should act to ensure that Post Office management guarantee they consult and negotiate with the CWU on all future developments and modernisation.

London Postal Workers Announce 24 Hour Strike.

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The proposed strike by London postal workers is justified, the people who command the Royal Mail: Leighton and Crozier, have no idea what the Post Office is for, they conduct a dilettante style of management.  They should be fired for running the services of the Post Office down. The government should also any plans for part privitization. As a gesture of solidarity from a former UPW member of many years ago, I have reprinted below a statement from the CWU:

CWU: “Ten thousand postal workers will take strike action on Friday 19th June as Royal Mail refuses to negotiate change and pushes ahead with arbitrary cuts which will damage services.

Following the 2007 postal dispute, an agreement was struck that ensured both the company and the union worked together to improve efficiency. This agreement has ensured that the company has built steady profits. The last part of that agreement is to agree modernisation of the business. Royal Mail are now ignoring that element of the agreement and implementing arbitrary cuts in costs without modernising.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: “Royal Mail is blocking modernisation by refusing to negotiate change with the CWU.

“We have offered a moratorium on all strike action if Royal Mail will suspend executive action and enter into meaningful negotiations. We want to bring forward the successful transformation of the business by working together. They need to honour the 2007 national agreement and work with us to achieve that.”

“There is growing unrest across the country as Royal Mail tries to impose damaging cuts and changes without the input of union reps. The future of the business must be safeguarded through careful planning, not shooting from the hip.

“Postal workers deliver a first class service but the current cuts and attitude of management threatens that and worsens services.

“Royal Mail can avert this strike action by pulling back from arbitrary cuts and negotiating modernisation with the CWU.”

More than ten thousand postal workers in all areas of deliveries, collections and processing across London will take industrial action for 24 hours starting from the early shift on Friday 19th June. Further strike action will be announced if no progress is made.”

via | Media | Latest News | London Postal Workers Announce 24 Hour Strike.

Miss California Carrie Prejean Fired!

Whilst we have been concerned with more earthly matters here in the UK, it seems Carrie Prejean hasn’t been doing her duties as Miss California! So Donald Trump has fired her!

Image by vrysxy via Flickr

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) — Carrie Prejean has been dethroned as Miss California USA for “contract violations,” including missing scheduled pageant events, according to a state pageant official.

Donald Trump poses with Carrie Prejean in May. Prejean was removed as Miss California USA on Wednesday.

Prejean, 22, retained her title last month despite a controversy over topless photos, missed appearances and her statements against same-sex marriage.

Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump decided to fire Prejean a month after he gave her a second chance.

“Carrie is a beautiful young woman, and I wish her well as she pursues her other interests,” Trump said.

Runner-up Tami Farrell, who was Miss Malibu, will immediately assume the Miss California USA title, state pageant Executive Director Keith Lewis said.

“This was a decision based solely on contract violations, including Ms. Prejean’s unwillingness to make appearances on behalf of the Miss California USA organization,” he said.

Van maker LDV collapses into administration: Business: guardian.co.uk

I hope it is not too late for the government to act to save the jobs of 850 workers at LDV and the thousands of related jobs at stake. A Labour government has bent over backwards to assist the banks with billions and something should be done to save the jobs and communities of workers associated with LDV. Failure will only mean more votesfor Labour will disappear as the government looks the other way.

Elena Moya & Graema Weardon in THE GUARDIAN: “The Birmingham-based van maker LDV fell into administration today after teetering on the brink for months when a prospective bidder failed to raise enough money. As many as 3,000 jobs at dealers and suppliers have been put at risk by the failure of the firm, which has already made most of its staff redundant.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has been appointed administrator of LDV Group and a parts supplier, Birmingham Pressings. The two firms employ about 850 people at their offices and plant in Drews Lane, Birmingham. About 40 staff will be kept to maintain the site, PwC said. Most redundancies came after the plant shut in December as the firm ran out of cash…”more

via Van maker LDV collapses into administration | Business | guardian.co.uk .

IMF Gives Good Report on the UK Economy.

Good report from the IMF, it seems the government has done the right thing!

United Kingdom – 2009 Article IV Consultation
Concluding Statement of the Mission

“1. The UK authorities’ policy response to the deep recession and global financial crisis has been bold and wide ranging. Public capital has been injected into weak banks and their troubled assets are being ring-fenced. Unprecedented easing of monetary policy and temporary discretionary fiscal stimulus are in place. This response has been commensurate with the particular exposure of the UK economy to global shocks because of its large financial sector relative to the size of the economy, overheated property markets, high household indebtedness, and strong cross-border links.

2. The aggressive actions by the authorities have been successful in containing the crisis and averting a systemic breakdown. Indeed there are tentative signs that confidence is improving and that the output decline is moderating. But the financial system is still under stress. Moreover, the ongoing crisis has given rise to very big fiscal deficits and large contingent government liabilities, although from a starting position of relatively low public debt…”

G7 offers hope crisis is easing: BBC NEWS.

BBC NEWS: “Financial chiefs from the G7 have said there are signs the contraction in the global economy may have eased, but warned this did not signal a recovery.The world economy shows “some signs of stabilisation”, finance ministers and central bank governors from the G7 said after meeting in Washington.Although the G7 expects economic activity to begin to recover later this year, it said risks still persist…”

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David Cameron still fails to explain where he will cut public expenditure.

This morning David Cameron the Tory party leader, speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, was pressed to explain his policy in regard to cutting public expenditure. This is exactly what makes the man so shallow and Tory policy so obscure.

He claims he speaks for honesty but here was an opportunity to be honest to the listening public and what did he do? He avoided details of public expenditure cuts. Yes, he would cut the ID card programme; the NHS comuterization scheme; not to adopt a fiscal stimulus; quangos etc but where on earth will he finds the many billions, to cut, which as a Tory he will undoubtedly do but he failed to explain what he would cut beyond the above mentioned proposals – clearly not enough as far as his supporters and experts think!

This is the man who has become the darling of the printed media; the TV journalists; yet we are told his party’s opinion poll ratings are at the moment 18+% in the lead over Labour. Why are so many opting to back David Cameron when at this time he fails to explain his intentions as the future prime minister?

If he doesn’t adopt the fiscal stimulus and goes ahead with cuts in public expenditure then surely unemployment already over 2 million will simply soar to unprecedented levels in order to balance the budget. The voting public needs to look beyond the image: the Punch & Judy man who speaks in cliches and look for substance and of that – there isn’t much.

Below is the link to the podcast from Radio 4 Today programme:
David Cameron on Radio 4 Today Programme 24 April 2009

Gordon Brown: Britain is overcoming economic difficulties – Politics – guardian.co.uk

The Tory media and blogosphere fail to discuss how we can overcome the recession and have no idea what to do except run the country down and multiply the gloom. Gordon Brown has the following to say;

THE GUARDIAN: “Gordon Brown today said Britain was “overcoming” the problems caused by the recession as it emerged that spending cuts worth £15bn are likely to be announced in the budget on Wednesday.

The prime minister delivered his upbeat message as he published a strategy intended to help firms take advantage of economic opportunities in the future.

“Our industrial policy is about a dialogue with business, leading to a consensus about what we in Britain need to do to face this global future, and then of course a partnership for the future that I believe is to the benefit of all,” he said.

“We have difficulties that we are overcoming, but we have also got enormous opportunities and challenges ahead. Working together, we can meet and master every challenge.”

For more see the link below;

via Gordon Brown: Britain is overcoming economic difficulties | Politics | guardian.co.uk .

Alistair Darling prepares for Budget 2009

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Alistair Darling talks about his forthcoming Budget.