Queens’ Speech Wont Help Families in Rochdale

Posted By: Zulfiqar Ali
Date Posted: 04/12/2008

This week, we have seen the Government’s plans for new laws and I’m afraid to say that they will do little for the hard pressed families of our borough.

The measures outlined in the Queen’s speech are not enough to help local people with the real problems we are now facing.

I find it hard to believe that Gordon Brown thinks that short term trimming of VAT, which gives customers a 2.5% discount in our shops, is the real answer to the current economic plight we find ourselves in after 11 years of his leadership. He has proven yet again that he has little vision for the future of our country. Whilst people are losing jobs, as we have sadly seen over the last few days in Rochdale, he is more concerned about forcing through ID Cards that will cost the taxpayer Billions. As Vince Cable said this week, the Prime Minister cuts a rather sad figure nowadays.

What we need is income tax cuts that will put money directly back into the pockets of the low-mid earners of Rochdale. We need action to force the banks to lend money on fair terms to small businesses and families. We also need new legislation that will change the way energy tariffs work and to make sure that people get the cheapest prices for their essential fuel and power.

Another issue I would like to raise is the Government’s intent on pushing through the new Planning Bill. This Bill will see major planning decisions taken away from Rochdale and given to an un-elected quango. Decisions such as Ding Quarry for example could be taken out of our Council’s hands and I am appalled that the government are doing this. I and my Lib Dem colleagues made sure that Rochdale was the first Council in England to formally object to these plans back in July of this year by putting forward a Notice of Motion to the Council which was successfully passed.

I was somewhat bemused by the recent diary entry “written by” Simon Danczuk’s puppet Councillor Ibrar Khan. He says he is ‘sick of speaking to taxi drivers in Rochdale who think our hospital is closing down.’ Well I hope he has the courtesy to explain to them that our hospital may not be closing down but we will be losing our Accident and Emergency, Child-Care and Maternity Services by 2011 because of a decision that his colleagues in London have taken.

The Government wasted the opportunity to help people in the Pre-Budget Report and now with the Queen’s Speech they are wasting it again.