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Monday, April 12, 2010
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Gordon Brown’s pledge on income tax
Pledge to rebuild – Gordon Brown and wife Sarah campaigning in Rugby today
Gordon Brown launched Labour’s election manifesto in the West Midlands today with a pledge not to put up income tax – but he ruled out a similar promise on VAT. The Prime Minister promised a “future fair for all” and pledged to rebuild Britain’s economy, renew public services and restore trust in politics. However he made no new spending commitments and spoke of “tougher times”. Flanked by his Cabinet at the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, Mr Brown said: “Rebuilding our economy means securing the recovery and investing in future growth and jobs, for the many not just wealthy few. “Renewing our society means further strengthening the communities that bind
By London Editor Sunita Patel our country together, and continuing improvement in our public services.” There were no new spending commitments and he did not rule out increasing VAT.
Failing But there were pledges aimed at loosening the control of government and increasing people’s “choice”. Measures included giving the best-performing schools and hospitals the power to take over the running of weaker ones - plus a NHS guarantee of cancer diagnosis within one week of GP referral, and new help for
communities to step in to save their local pub. Failing chief constables would be sacked and failing police forces merged. Laws would be brought in to let individuals apply for anti-social behaviour orders, and guarantee a 24-hour response to complaints. He also promised to double paid paternity leave from two to four weeks and to give grandparents the right to see their grandchildren after a divorce. There was also pledge to make English tests compulsory for all migrant workers in jobs which involve contact with the public. The Conservatives, who will unveil their manifesto tomorrow, said Labour had “no new ideas”.
40p
Celebration offer on Albion triumph
West Bromwich Albion were today set to be offered an open-top bus parade or civic reception to celebrate the club’s return to the Premier League. They clinched their move back to the top tier of English football – worth more than £60 million to the club – after Saturday’s 3-2 victory at Doncaster. Returning to English football’s elite will also secure a further £20m boost to the wider economy in Sandwell, experts predicted, with bigger crowds at games and a higher profile for the area. Sandwell Council today said they planned to approach Albion to offer an open top bus parade or a civic reception. The last time the club was promoted, in the 2007/08 season, it rejected a reception and bus parade, “to focus its attentions on preparing for the Premier League” and so that players could go on holiday. Albion spokesman John Simpson said: “We still have three games left to concentrate on.”
Candidates’ budgets are varying wildly Police may
PROPAGANDA BILLS BULGE EXCLUSIVE by Alex Campbell
PARLIAMENTARY hopefuls in Staffordshire are preparing to unleash thousands of pounds of election propaganda in a bid to secure votes in May.
Widower Tweed due in court
Candidates’ spending in campaigns
As of this general election candidates will be required to disclose the amount of money they spend in the “short campaign” – from the dissolution of Parliament on April 12 to polling day on May 6.
Delight as volcanoes discovered A Wolverhampton sea captain was today celebrating the discovery of the deepest underwater volcanoes ever found. Roger Chamberlain is Master of the Royal Research Ship James Cook which has taken a party of British scientists to the deepest waters of the Caribbean. The volcanoes were found by remote cameras at a depth of three miles. They are said to be teeming with marine life. Jon Copley, a marine biologist at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, today said the discovery was “aweinspiring”. Captain Chamberlain lives with wife Carol in Fordhouses.
They will also have to declare their spending from January onwards in the “long campaign”. The short campaign spending limit is £7,150, plus 5p per elector, amounting to between £12,000£13,000 in the Staffordshire constituencies. The long campaign spending limit is around £30,000 when including the same population-related allowance. The cash they are spending locally to win your vote: Cannock Chase: Labour – Sue Woodward £6,000 (Short: £4,000) Conservative – Aidan Burley – refused to disclose. Liberal Democrat – Jon Hunt – £2,000 (Short: £2,000) UKIP – Malcolm McKenzie – £1,200 (Short: £1,200) Stafford: Labour – David Kidney MP – £21,900 (Short: £12,900) Conservative – Jeremy Lefroy – £25,000-£28,000 (Short: £10,000); Liberal Democrat – Barry Stamp – £1,000 (Short: £1,000)
Cannock Chase Council will debate plans put forward by London and Associated Properties to reopen the former Rileys snooker hall, in Brewery Street. Despite the previous use Staffordshire Police has objected to the granting of a licence claiming the venue is not suitable as a nightclub and fear there could be disorder in the town centre. London Associated Properties have applied for a licence to serve alcohol, show films and sporting events, live and recorded music, and other entertainment. The company wants to have entertainment and serve refreshments until midnight every day. It had agreed to a series of conditions with the police but after the force learned the company wanted to run the venue as a nightclub on a Friday and Saturday night it refused to withdraw the objections. PC Andrew Frost, said the application should be refused as it was likely to “undermine” the objectives of preventing crime and disorder, preventing nuisance and protecting children. Rugeley town council chairman and district councillor Mick Grocott said he was surprised.
Warning on mud is given
Widower Jack Tweed arrives at court today to stand trial on a rape allegation The widower of reality TV star Jade Goody arrived at court today for the start of his trial on a charge of raping a teenager. Jack Tweed is accused of attacking the 19year-old after meeting her at a nightclub in London’s West End on September 4 last year. The 22-year-old club promoter and his friend Anthony Davis, 25, denied two counts of rape at a hearing in December. The attack is alleged to have taken place at Tweed’s former home in Woodford Green, east London. Prosecutors claim Tweed met
A Lichfield teenager accused of killing a man in Trafalgar Square was due to go on trial today. Ruby Thomas, aged 18, was charged with the manslaughter of Ian Baynham, 62, following his death last September 25. He died from a brain injury two weeks after he was assaulted. Thomas, of Pass Avenue, Whittington, is due to appear at the Old Bailey in London later today, along with co-defendants Joel Alexander, 19, of south London, and Rachel Burke, 18, of Three Oaks, East Sussex. All three deny manslaughter.
Budgets vary from £28,000 for Jeremy Lefroy’s Tories to £1,000 predicted by Lib Dem Barry Stamp in marginal seat Stafford. Local election funds are independent of multi-million pound national campaigns and are intended to promote local candidates’ agendas. The cash pays for promotions like leaflets, brochures, magazines and advertising. In some cases the budget partly funds salaried campaign staff, as with the Tories in Stafford, but others such as Labour’s drive in Cannock Chase are managed only by volunteers. Lower budgets are largely made up of donations from local supporters while some campaigns are topped up by donations from parties.
Refused Figures do not legally have to be disclosed until after polling, and some candidates have refused. Cannock Chase Tory hopeful Aidan Burley’s campaign manager Ian Collard refused to disclose the amount as it would give a “strategic advantage” to opponents. But he insisted it is made up of local donations. Lichfield Tory Michael Fabricant also refused to reveal his spend. Neil Stanley, is leader of Cannock Chase council and Lib Dem Jon Hunt’s campaign agent. He said cash was donated by local party members. Labour’s Sue Woodward, hoping to succeed Tony Wright as MP for Cannock Chase, said: “You can’t put a price on old fashioned campaigning like going out and meeting people face-to-face.” Campaigners criticise the county council zero tolerance policy on posters on lamp posts and road signs.
A bid to create a new snooker hall and nightclub in Rugeley could be thrown out by councillors after objections from Staffordshire Police.
A Brownhills grandmother has urged people to keep out of the mud at the drained part of the Chasewater reservoir after an incident in which her son saved a horse that had got trapped. Gloria Wigley, of Pear Tree Lane, said that her daughter Sarah Wigley, granddaughter Chloe, aged 10, and a 12-year-old friend had been thrown off their horses while riding near the rugby club by Chasewater on Wednesday at 6.45pm. “The horses were frightened by a dog off its lead and bolted. All three were thrown and the horses ran into the country park and into the mud. “Two of them got out, but one was stuck up to its neck. “My son Mark used tyres to reach the horse and calm it and was able to pull it free before firefighters arrived. “The horse is 14 hands high and it shows how deep the mud is there,” said Mrs Wigley. She said she was concerned that children could be tempted to go on to the drained section. “I fear a Emergency services spent child could die there if nothmore than an hour coaxing a ing is done,” she added. runaway suspect from a canal in Wednesfield. The man jumped into the water at Coxwell Avenue at 1am yesterday after being Seven people were killed chased by police. Andy Froggatt, of West and more than 20 others inMidlands Fire Service, said: jured when a train derailed “Firefighters used a throw near the northern Italian line and personal flotation city of Bolzano. The accident happened at device to remove the man.” He was taken to hospital around 9am after a landslide yesterday and later arrested. in the region of Alto Adige.
But some candidates will have a lot more of it than others. Candidates across Cannock Chase, Lichfield and Stafford have campaign budgets ranging from tens of thousands to just a few hundred pounds.
● Key points of the manifesto and election round-up – See Pages 6&7
scupper snooker hall plan
Suspect in canal drama
Seven killed in rail crash
Report by Rob Hess the woman at the Embassy club in Mayfair before inviting her back to the rented house. Tweed, who married Big Brother star Goody, 27, shortly before she lost her battle against cervical cancer in March 2009, was arrested later that day. Both Tweed and estate agent Davis, of Stradbroke Drive, Chigwell, Essex, are on bail. The trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court is expected to last up to three weeks.
City teen in death trial
STAFFORDSHIRE POLISH COMMUNITY IN MOURNING – SEE PAGE 4