LUDLOW CONSTITUENCY LIBERAL DEMOCRATSNews & reviews from Ludlow ConstituencyHOSPITAL CHAOS AS 30,000 DOCTORS START NEW JOBS- July 31, 2007 Hospital services face chaos today as an unprecedented 30,000 junior doctors change jobs at once. Operations will be cancelled or delayed, while casualty and intensive-care departments could be severely undermanned. Many will have no experience in the areas of medicine in which they are working, will not know their way around the hospital and will be absent from the wards as they attend induction days. Daily Mail 24dash Patients will be at the sharp end of ministers' incompetence. If the...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1514.html SUBSTANCE HAS BEEN REPLACED BY PR TORY CANDIDATES VERDICT ON CAMERON- July 31, 2007 The man who introduced David Cameron at the launch of his campaign to lead the Conservative Party less than two years ago has accused the Tory leader for "gimmickry" and being "obsessed with PR". Ali Miraj, who was Tory candidate in Watford in 2005 and is a member of two of Mr Cameron’s policy groups, told the BBC: "I'm disillusioned because I think substance has been replaced by PR. What I'm asking for is some substance and some credibility and not box-ticking...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1513.html Poll: Cameron out of control- July 26, 2007 A new poll by YouGov for Channel 4 News at Noon has found that more than half of voters do not believe that Tory leader David Cameron is in control of his party. Just 22 per cent of those questioned said Mr Cameron was in control of the Tories, compared to 52 per cent who said he was not. The poll also revealed that neither Mr Brown nor Mr Cameron inspires voters. Only 26% saw the new PM as inspiring against 51% who said he was not. But the Tory leader fared worse, receiving 22 per cent...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1512.html Shropshire Unitary gets green light- July 25, 2007 Local Government Minister John Healey has today announced that the Shropshire Bid for unitary status will now go ahead towards implementation with the intention that the new authority will be fully up and running in 2009. In total there were 9 succesful bids, 4 of which need futher work to prove the finacial case. 6 further bids will not be proceeding. Councils currently estimate that the nine new unitary authorities could save over £150 million per year which can be used...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1511.html ICM POLL TORIES ON LOWEST VOTE SHARE SINCE CAMERON TOOK OVER- July 25, 2007 ICM’s monthly poll for The Guardian puts the Conservatives down three per cent to 32 per cent, their lowest rating since David Cameron became leader and below their general election percentage (32.3%) for the first time under Cameron. Labour are down one to 38 per cent and the Lib Dems up two to 20 per cent. This is the third poll in less than a week to show a Labour lead of six points or more. As recently as March ICM put the Tories on 41 per cent with a ten point lead over Labour. In...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1510.html Poor results for Cameron's 'Style Over Substance'- July 21, 2007 EALING SOUTHALL: LIB DEMS SLASH LABOUR MAJORITY, DISASTER FOR CONSERVATIVES Nigel Bakhai and the Liberal Democrats have soured Gordon Brown’s honeymoon, slashing the Labour majority in Ealing Southall to just 5,070 votes. The Labour to Lib Dem swing was 5.2%. The Tories, despite five visits by David Cameron and a handpicked ‘local celebrity’ candidate, trailed home in third place in yesterday’s by-election, picking up 22% of the vote. BBC Guardian Release SEDGEFIELD: BIG.http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1509.html NEW REPORT SHOWS LABOUR HAS FAILED RURAL COMMUNITIES- July 17, 2007 An exodus of young people to the towns is one of the biggest threats to the viability of villages and hamlets in England, a report suggests. The report, State of the Countryside, sees cheaper affordable housing, particularly in the social rented sector, as one of the main solutions to attract younger people to the countryside. The impact of migrant workers on rural communities is also highlighted in the report. This report shows that ten years of Labour policies have failed rural communities...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1508.html LABOUR MPs OPPOSE LIB DEM PROPOSAL FOR FAIR TAXES FOR THE RICH- July 17, 2007 A Liberal Democrat proposal for fair taxation of the wealthy was voted down by Labour MPs in the House of Commons yesterday, as the Tories sat on their hands. The motion was proposed in an opposition day debate led by Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable. Dr Cable called for the closure of loopholes in capital gains tax which allow the very wealthy to pay less tax than their cleaners. He warned that middle-income families were disproportionately burdened by stamp duty and inheritance tax thresholds....http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1507.html LIB DEMS BACKED FOR BY-ELECTION GLORY SAY BOOKIES- July 16, 2007 The Liberal Democrats have been backed to win both of this week’s by-elections with William Hill, who have slashed their odds from 51 to 31 to win the Ealing-Southall by-election; and from 331 to 161 to win in Sedgefield. “The Lib Dems traditionally fare well in by-elections and as ninety per cent of the money we have taken for these two is being placed on that Party there is clearly an expectation that Sir Menzies Campbell’s leadership could be in for a boost next...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1506.html IRAQ COMMISSION CALLS FOR EARLY TROOP WITHDRAWAL- July 16, 2007 UK troops should withdraw from Iraq as soon as they have trained local forces - regardless of the security situation, a group of senior politicians has said. The US-led coalition has "no easy options left, only painful ones", a report by the Iraq Commission stated. "We are, in a sense, a target for the violence, and therefore we need to hand this process over to the Iraqis," joint Commission chairman Lord Ashdown told BBC One's Sunday AM programme. The Commission recommends..http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1505.html |