Labour's Pledge - Now I know they've lost

I received the latest newsletter from Labour as part of the general election campaign and it has provoked me to take to my blog again, even though I had no intention of writing today.

I have a lot of work to do over the next couple of weeks but really, it is my duty to point a few things out to the people of Ipswich and beyond.

Let's take the front pages;

Labour will;
Balance the Books - now that's enough to make anyone choke on their muesli in the morning and I can't believe the affront of these people. Do the designers and marketing team have a really good laugh when composing these things back at Labour HQ?
Did they look it up first to see what it meant - Hey guys, balance the books? Anyone know how many books on our heads we are promising to balance while we talk a good talk?

Better wages - okay so that good old platitude - better - because everyone falls for that don't they? How will the wages be better - perhaps they mean give them a few years and we will be paid in Euros, if they have their way. Is that better?  Or perhaps they mean they will make those horrible businesses who dare to think of dirty words like profit and shareholders pay more for their staff irrespective of the going rate or the quality of workmanship. Labour have proved themselves to be a total disaster just talking about business, never mind poking their nose in.
Labour and Mr Cruddas - Mind your own business first eh?

Back the next generation - Another platitude and because, of course, Tories don't have children do they? so why would they want to back the next generation?  I mean, not only have we set up the best apprenticeship system this country has seen for decades (yes sorry Milliband, we got there before you but then your head is so far up your own..) but we have also helped so many back into work with youth unemployment reaching an all time low.
They will have you believe that these new jobs are zero contract or part time, but this is just UNTRUE. Most jobs are full time. They constantly tell lies and at best are disingenuous.

Freeze energy bills - Yes folks they have actually repeated it. If they'd have been in power we would have had our energy bills frozen at the optimum level, just before they decreased. They are useless at predicting the future, just as they were when they sold off all our gold at rock bottom prices. They are the part that just keep giving and then Bill Somebody (Eh, Mr Balls?).

Cut tax with a low 10p starting rate - OH MY WORD!
Not only did they scrap this level before they thankfully left government BUT we have replaced it with 0, yes 0 tax by upping the allowance by a generous amount. What planet are they on - it simply beggars belief that people would fall for this.
Jam tomorrow made from last years rotting fruit methinks...

Take the next soundbite on their literature - this is such a total untruth it almost makes me feel sorry for their desperation. Apparently;-

People are now £1600 worse off a year - This figure is just plucked from the backsides of those that failed their maths GCSE and furthermore, it does not take into account the raise in tax allowance.

Of course we're a little worse off but we are on the road to recovery - abled again only by a conservative led government - just as we have had to do before, following a labour legacy.

I can understand the die hards (the forever labour voters who stand by this shambles of a party) if you sign up to their core values - like equal outcomes, nanny state, co-sign on victimhood, large state, envy politics but if they really asked themselves the hard questions like - how about thinking in terms of equal opportunities, small state, self responsibility, co-sign on survivorhood - ooh and thinking of Ed as our prime minister and how the Greek government on the far left are going to fail their country miserably over the next few months, then common sense must surely prevail?

I'm keeping this manifesto of theirs - I think it's the moment they lost the battle of the words and credibility - vote for them at OUR peril...

And as far as Ipswich is concerned there really is only one man for the job - the one that's been doing it brilliantly for nearly 5 years and with another term will show this country and our young people that this party is the one that has the long term view of prosperity, even if we have to give a bit of tough love,

Don't know about the labour bloggers but I have work to do

It has really brought home to me recently how certain labour councillors who blog and tweet should seriously consider where their time is best spent.

I know I have neglected this site a little in recent weeks but that's because:

I have spent many hours saving a resident in Stoke Park ward from eviction, which meant representing her at court, meetings with IBC about her benefits, emails and phone calls to the housing association etc etc

I have spent time on case work including preparing to represent a resident at a planning committee

I have read hundreds of pages of council and executive papers in order to hold the labour admin to account

I have been delivering and knocking on doors to speak to residents. I have been working hard on behalf of Ben Gummer who is the finest MP we have seen for many a decade and he is worth my time.

I have fitted in being group leader and shadow portfolio for finance

I have been preparing to give an alternative to labour for Ipswich residents for our manifesto

And much much more...

This took me about 5 minutes to type because I wasn't trying to think up anything clever or derogatory about the other side who seem to spend a lot of time trying to goad me on twitter and have faux rants all through the evening about stuff that has nothing to do with me. Nor was I looking to write a masterpiece. This is about - what is your councillor doing?

I think they need to get out more..

Wear Red for British heart Foundation

Archie, Ipswich's "first canine citizen", is taking the lead to encourage local people to wear red on Friday 6th February to help the British Heart Foundation (BHF) fight the UK’s biggest killer, heart disease.

Archie belongs to the Mayor and Mayoress, Bill and Barbara Quinton, and he was out and about in smart red trim to get the "Wear It, Beat It" campaign message across. Lending her support was Dawne Hart of the BHF (pictured).

Wearing red is one simple way to get involved - paint your nails red, wear a red tie or put a flower in your hair. Anything goes as long as its red.

As part of the Ipswich Heart Town initiative, the Council will be encouraging its staff and members of the public to join in the campaign with suggested donations of £2 going to the charity.

• A Red Squash Tournament will be held at Northgate Sports Centre on Friday 6th February at 5.30 pm. An entry fee applies including a donation to the BHF.
• Profiles Ipswich are running a ‘Beat’ It Challenge with the aim being to collectively log 100,000 minutes of exercise in two weeks. The average heart beats 100,000 heartbeats a day.
• The Ipswich Regent will be illuminated red.
• The Ipswich parkrun will be a Red Run on Saturday 7th February.

To register your organisation, get ideas or donate visit www.wearitbeatit.org.uk