LUDLOW CONSTITUENCY LIBERAL DEMOCRATSNews & reviews from Ludlow ConstituencyWRITING SKILLS OF SEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOYS IS A NATIONAL DISGRACE, WARNS LAWS- August 30, 2007 The results of National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage One published today show that writing standards among seven-year-olds in England have fallen for the second year in a row. Some 80% of children reached Level 2 in school writing tests - a fall of one percentage point on 2006.There was no change in maths, science or reading this year, with some 90% achieving the required level in maths, 89% in science and 84% in reading. BBC It is national disgrace that one in four boys don't even...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1524.html LIBDEMS CONDEMN NHS SURPLUS ACHIEVED BY CUTTING KEY SERVICES- August 30, 2007 According to the quarterly NHS financial data published today, the NHS is expected to have a surplus worth £983m by the end of next year. The latest finance forecast estimates that the number of NHS trusts in deficit will fall by three quarters to 22 by the end of 2008, accounting for six per cent of all trusts. The gross deficit stands at £204m, down from £911m since last year, while the surplus has increased from £510m in 2006-07. ePolitix Last year saw dreadful cuts.http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1523.html TORY HOSPITAL CAMPAIGN HIT BY BLUNDERS- August 22, 2007 Conservative leader David Cameron’s campaign to ‘save the district general hospital’ has hit already hit trouble, just one day after its launch. Conservative MP Henry Bellingham was forced to apologise today after Mr Cameron wrongly claimed maternity services at his local district hospital were under threat. Mr Bellingham stressed that the hospital is not facing cuts. Meanwhile, Altrincham General Hospital, named by the Conservatives as being threatened with the closure of its.http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1522.html CAMPBELL BACKS MILITARY DEMANDS FOR ARMY TO LEAVE IRAQ- August 21, 2007 The Independent on Sunday has reported that senior military commanders have advised the government to withdraw troops from south-east Iraq without further delay. Commanders have said that Britain can achieve "nothing more" in Basra, which has seen a sharp rise in insurgent attacks over the past year. Independent Gordon Brown must listen to his generals in Iraq and set a target date for withdrawal. The number of British deaths and casualties is unacceptable. We have a moral...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1521.html QUANGO SPENDING UP SEVEN-FOLD UNDER LABOUR- August 21, 2007 Labour has been condemned over the expansion of costly, unaccountable quangos. An in-depth study found the 883 "arm's-length" government agencies and advisory and monitoring bodies spent £167.5billion last year, up from £24.1billion in 1997-98. The study by the Economic Research Council think-tank reveals that 200 more quangos have been set up in the past two years. Seven more have been unveiled in the seven weeks since Mr Brown took power - including a Business Council...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1520.html BANKS ACCUSED OVER AGGRESSIVE PROMOTION OF STUDENT DEBT- August 21, 2007 Banks have been accused of creating a whole generation of debtors after it was revealed that one student has just graduated with loans of £60,000 - among the highest ever seen. As students received their A-level results last week, it emerged that banks make minimal checks when university-goers open student accounts, allowing them to have multiple overdrafts of up to £2,000 a time. Sunday Times Banks are aggressively promoting debts among students, taking no account of the serious...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1519.html ELDERLY CARE CRISIS CONTINUES: WOMAN, 78, AT THE END OF MY TETHER- August 13, 2007 Stories continue to surface about the poor state of Tory Shropshire’s County elderly care – supposedly one of England’s best. Mrs M of Much Wenlock is 78 – her husband, Glyn, is over 80 and suffering Alzheimer’s. His wife has cared devotedly for him until it became “simply too much”. When he had a fall, she was frightened at how to lift him. She only went to social services for help when she could no longer cope – “at the..http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1518.html CARE OF THE ELDERLY 'LESS THAN LAST YEAR'- August 13, 2007 Liberal Democrats mocked MP Philip Dunne for comments made last week. Mr Dunne welcomed the extra £650,000 being put into elderly social care by the Tory County Council. “They’re still spending less than last year”, said Wenlock Councillor Dave Gibbon., “Mrs Craig told the PCT in May that, despite “adding” 600,000 in April, her department made CUTS of £1.7M! Any child could see that the £650k more still leaves her...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1517.html Double blow for project 'Style Over Susbtance'- August 7, 2007 Conservative donor Sir Tom Cowie has accused David Cameron of an "arrogant, Old Etonian" style of leadership and said he would give the party no more money. He said: "All I can say is I am very, very disappointed with the state of the party." He also said: "The Tory party seems to be run now by Old Etonians and they don't seem to understand how other people live. BBC "They seem to be very arrogant like I suppose Old Etonians can be. They certainly don't understand.http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1516.html COUNCIL TAX IS UNFAIR, AGREE MPs OF ALL PARTIES- August 7, 2007 The communities and local government committee warned yesterday that council tax benefits are restrictive and too few people claim them. Last year, nearly £2 billion went unclaimed.The cross-party group of MPssaid it is difficult to justify rules which leave 1.4 million adults living in poverty and yet still liable to pay the full council tax. BBC Independent This report shows just how unfair Council Tax is. 1.2 million pensioners and 3.2 million working-age adults in poverty pay full...http://www.bridgnorth-libdems.org/Article1515.html |