Lies, damned lies and Paul Rowen

Posted By: Ibrar Khan
Date Posted: 03/12/2008

A brief history of scaremongering shows that this deplorable tactic is often used in a time of war to frighten citizens and influence their political views.

To his great shame, I have noted that our MP seems to be using this same shameful tactic to shore up his flagging political credibility at a time of economic crisis.

I was disgusted to see Paul Rowen wrongly claim last week that the Government’s pre-budget report meant that everyone earning more than £19,000 would be worse off.

This is completely untrue. And he knows it. Everyone earning under £40,000 will gain under the Government’s income tax and National Insurance plans, which is nine-in-every-10 workers, about 23 million people. Paul Rowen’s scaremongering conveniently ignores an extra £600 in tax-free earnings that’s been made permanent by the Chancellor.

Only a few days after this gaffe, I received a Liberal Democrat leaflet entitled ‘the Credit Crunch Survey 2008’. In this leaflet I was asked, ‘Are you concerned that the Government may axe the Post Office Card Account?’

Considering that the Government renewed this £1billion contract two weeks ago, I have to say the only answer to this question is NO!

Once again this is a deliberately misleading statement that runs completely contrary to established facts and is designed solely to spread fear and uncertainty in our Borough.

And it's not just Paul Rowen doing this either. So are members of his team. Only recently, Adam Power phoned up this very newsite to try and gag a Member of Parliament whose quotes were critical of the Lib Dems in Rochdale. Mr Power amazingly claimed to know the MP, Tony Lloyd, and then brazenly lied by saying that Mr Lloyd did not say what was attributed to him in a news release and was about to sue Rochdale Labour Party! Once again, this was an outright lie. This time, thankfully it was exposed on Rochdale Online and also in a national newspaper.

I am getting tired of speaking to taxi drivers in Rochdale who think our hospital is closing down as a result of the Lib Dems scaremongering. And I am getting tired of Paul Rowen deliberately trying to cause alarm and panic in our community.

If his only strategy is to believe that a lie will travel half way around the world before the truth has got its boots on, then this brings shame to his office. It is deeply irresponsible politics that needs to be exposed and condemned.