Originally posted @ 10:58 pm, Wed 5th Jan 2011
Finally local Conservatives have started putting a leaflet out.
First story - they support local post offices. Both of them. Both of them that are already close. Presumably this reflects a confidence in the Conservative led government doing loads for local post offices elsewhere. Except, the CWU has pointed out ( http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/12561/ ), the rate of post office closures is increasing. STRIKE 1.
Second story - claims that the City Council is misrepresenting education attainment by reporting the 5 good GCEs figures instead of the 5 good GCSEs including maths and English figures. I rebutted this 2 monts ago - http://www.labourblogs.com/public-blog/michaeledwards/28790/ - had we chosen to highlight the latter figures, we could still have shown Nottingham making progress at one and a half times the national rate. The tougher measure was of course something the Labour gov't chose to embrace as part of its drive to improve the life chances of our children. STRIKE 2.
Third story - the pavements in a street near where one of the Conservative candidates lives, is being re-done, and not just with the usual patches. Something that was agreed in a schedule by the local Labour Councillors some time ago with the increased funds made available by the Labour gov't. This year, the ConDems took £10 million away from the council - in year! STRIKE 3.
The Conservatives remain stuck with big messages that don't tie up with reality.
1. They promised a big society, but cuts in public expenditure, especially by targeting councils and services to the poor, will see the community and voluntary sector losing money;
2. They promised a new politics but have disregarded pledges made in the run-up to the election (e.g. defend NHS spending from cuts and retain the Educational Maintenance Allowance) and David Cameron avoids questions at PMQs, having promised to do better when he was Leader of the Opposition;
3. They keep wanting to say services will be better whilst slashing at public expenditure; that just won't happen.
The local leaflet does not celebrate the national government once in the leaflet. No wonder.
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