TORY MINISTERS WANT TO PRIVATISE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES

I IMAGINE even David Cameron might have been alarmed if someone had told him three years ago that his government would be looking at privatising our emergency services.

But this Tory-led government has become so totally detached from reality that even the most radical and hare-brained policies seem to be coming thicker and faster.

Wielding an axe at our fire and rescue services was despicable enough. Some estimates suggest around 5,000 firefighter jobs will be lost by 2015.

Yet now the government has gone even further by proposing that it washes its hands of this vital life-saving service altogether - selling it off to the private sector like some kind of second hand motor it doesn't want to spend any more money on.

Well here is the point Mr Cameron and his ministers are failing to grasp: vital public services are supposed to cost society money - that's why we pay our taxes.

It's as if the government, and particularly its fire minister, Brandon Lewis, just don't get it.

Stuck in a self-made whirlwind of relentless cuts driven by an obsessive determination to see through their ideological experiment, whatever the cost may be, they have lost any context.

To make matters worse, Brandon Lewis sought to sneak this radical proposal through the obscure House of Commons Regulatory Reform Committee. That was until his privatisation wheeze ran into cross party opposition from members of the committee.

What these coalition ministers fail to understand is that the fire and rescue service, like the police and ambulance service, don't pay for themselves by bringing in monies. They do so by saving lives, by making our communities safer and by enabling people to feel secure in their homes.

What price knowing that if something unthinkable happens to your nearest and dearest then there are professionals on hand to help?

What price a human life?

Let's look at it another way. Why, exactly, do the government think that a private sector company would be prepared to take on a business such as the fire and rescue service?

There can only be one answer: to make money.

And if the prime motivation is to make profits for shareholders, service delivery is likely to be impaired. Surely even this government can see that our emergency services need to be protected, rather than being fed to the wolves.

The fire and rescue service should always be about saving lives first, second and third. It should never be about making money. The day that changes would be a grim day indeed for our society.

There is an online petition that you can sign here: http://tinyurl.com/b6fdhn6

CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF ECUADOR’S CITIZENS REVOLUTION

ECUADORIANS go to the polls to elect their President today.  Ecuador is today being transformed by radical social and economic reforms known as the Citizens Revolution. Led by President Rafael Correa this process is tackling the deep crisis caused by years of extreme neo-liberal policies forced on Ecuador under the Washington Consensus.

President Correa first came to office in 2007 in the aftermath of huge economic, social and political turbulence in Ecuador. Seven different Presidents were replaced in a decade. A massive banking collapse caused income per head to fall by one-third. Unemployment rocketed and one in ten Ecuadorians was forced to emigrate to escape the crisis.

Today, in contrast, the Citizens Revolution offers Ecuador a new development model that has already delivered major achievements. A tripling of social investment in just five years has significantly boosted economic growth and meant that Ecuador never entered recession despite the global slowdown. One million Ecuadorian households have been lifted out of poverty and 450,000 children have been taken out of child labour. The right to decent work means that unemployment has almost halved and is now at its lowest ever levels, the minimum wage has doubled and outsourcing has been made illegal. The huge increases in social spending are guaranteeing free education, including at university level, free healthcare and better public services for all.

These tremendous advances are all the more impressive given that they have taken place against the backdrop of the global economic crisis.

At the same time a new constitution, backed by popular referendum, now guarantees human rights and equality for the once-excluded as well as granting rights to nature. Ecuador is also at the forefront of ground-breaking environmental measures.

In achieving all of this in South America’s third poorest country, the Correa government has had to challenge the previous elites that dominated Ecuador for decades. Sovereignty over the country’s oil and other natural resources has been recovered from the hands of multinationals. Ecuador has repudiated the punishing debt owed to international financial institutions that meant three times as much was being spent on debt repayment than on social services. Tax collection from the very wealthy has increased in order to fund social projects and Ecuador has shut down the USA military base in the country.

Fierce opposition to all of this has come from the old elite and its international allies. A coup d’état was even attempted in 2010. Fears of external intervention to affect the likely outcome of the coming election have been recently expressed by President Correa. At the same time media misrepresentations about Ecuador have increased, with much of this disinformation stemming from those opposed to Ecuador’s progressive new direction.

The Presidential election will be the 8th free and fair nation-wide electoral process in the past 6 years. There are seven candidates but polls indicate that the main contest is between President Rafael Correa and Guillermo Lasso, a former head of one of Ecuador's largest banks. Correa is polling firmly in the lead.

We believe that, as with other developments in Latin America, Ecuador’s Citizens Revolution, offers an inspiring alternative to the failed policies of neo-liberalism. We are certain that a further victory for the Citizens Revolution will allow the Ecuadorian people to continue expanding social justice. We believe that it is the right of the Ecuadorian people to pursue this path if that is their wish and that any external intervention should be condemned.

SIGNED

Ken Livingstone, former Mayor of London

Chris Williamson MP, Shadow Minister for Local Government and Communities

Ian Davidson MP

Virendra Sharma MP

Katy Clark MP

Grahame Morris MP

Kelvin Hopkins MP

Baroness Sue Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat Peer)

Elaine Smith, Member Scottish Parliament

Denis Skinner MP

Paul Flynn MP

Jeremy Corbyn MP

Tariq Ali, author

Richard Gott, author

Owen Jones, author

Brian Eno, musician

Ken Loach, filmmaker

John Pilger, filmmaker

Linton Kwesi Johnson, poet

Louise Christian, award-winning British human rights lawyer.

Tim Potter, Barrister

Michael Mansfield QC, barrister

Imran Khan, human rights lawyer

Professor Ernesto Laclau, Professor Emeritus of Government at the University of Essex,

Professor Doreen Massey, Emeritus Professor (Geography), The Open University

Professor George Irvin, University of London, SOAS

Professor Jonathan Rosenhead, Department of Management, London School of Economics

Dr Peter Lambert, Associate Dean in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Bath

Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Chairman, International institute for the Study of Cuba

Dr Thomas Muhr, Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol

Professor Bill Bowring, Barrister, Director of Human Rights, School of Law, Birkbeck, University of London

Dr Julia Buxton, Department of Peace Studies, Bradford University

Professor Mike Cole, Emeritus Research Professor in Education and Equality, Bishop Grosseteste University

John Weeks, Professor Emeritus SOAS, University of London

Diana Raby, Senior Fellow, Latin American Studies University of Liverpool

Professor Peter Hallward, Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy, Kingston University

Dr Francisco Dominguez, Head of Latin American Studies, Middlesex University

Dr Lee Salter, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, University West England

Dr Michael Derham, Programme Leader Spanish and Latin American Studies, Northumbria University, Newcastle -upon-Tyne

Dr Julie Hearn, Lecturer, Department of Politics, Philosophy & Religion (PPR), Lancaster University

Dr. Mehmet Ali Dikerdem, Institute for Work Based Learning, Middlesex University,

Dr Steve Ludlam, Senior Lecturer, Department of Politics, University of Sheffield

Len McCLuskey, General Secretary UNITE (Europe’s largest trade union)

Billy Hayes, General Secretary, Communications Workers Union

Manuel Cortes, general Secretary, TSSA Union (Transport union)

Bob Crow, General Secretary, RMT Union (Railway worker’s union)

Mick Whelan, General Secretary ASLEF (Railway worker’s union)

Ronnie Draper, General Secretary, Bakers Food & Allied Workers Union

Doug Nicholls, General Secretary, General Federation of Trade Unions

Luke Crawley, Assistant General Secretary, BECTU (Broadcasting Worker’s union)

Roger McKenzie, Assistant General Secretary, UNISON Union (Public Sector union)

Bert Schouwenburg, International Officer, GMB Union

Tony Burke, Unite the Union Assistant General Secretary

Steve Turner, Director of Executive Policy, Unite the union,

Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary, Communication Workers Union

Andrew Murray, Chief of Staff, Unite the union,

Martin Mayer, UNITE executive council member, Chair United Left, & Labour NEC delegate

Moz Greenshields, UNISON NEC

Bernard Regan, Chair of SERTUC International Committee and Secretary of the CSC

Jose Vallejo Villa, Regional Coordinating Officer, Unite the UNION

Joe Mann President General Federation of Trade Unions

John Fray Vice President v

Ann Pettifor, Economist

Bruce Kent, leading peace activist

Neal Lawson, Chair, Compass Thinktank

Lindsey German, Founder of Stop the War Coalition

Rob Miller Director, Cuba Solidarity Campaign

Colin Burgon, Chair Venezuela Solidarity Campaign

Luke Daniels, President of Caribbean Labour Solidarity

Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign

Matthew Willgress, Convenor Venezuela Solidarity Campaign

Sam Gurney, Labour Party National Policy Forum

Zita Holbourne, National Co-Chair BARAC UK

Cat Smith, Convenor, Next Generation Labour (PC)

Michael Burke, Socialist Economic Bulletin

Lee Brown, researcher on Latin America

John Haylett, Morning Star Political Editor

Aaron Kiely, National Unions of Students, Black Students' Officer

Chris McLaughlin, Editor TRIBUNE newspaper

Pav Akhtar, Director, UK Black Pride

THIS GOVT IS ROBBING THE POOR TO PAY THE RICH

THE quip that the Tory ethos is to rob the poor to pay the rich will perhaps never be more fitting than this April. For that is exactly what they will be doing.

The Government has rightly been attacked by its opponents for the mad decision to give a huge tax break to the country's highest earners. It is a policy which grates at a time when the Prime Minister is telling the nation we all must share the burden of painful cuts.

But the shameful manner in which David Cameron and his cronies are balancing the books by attacking the poorest in society is really beyond the pale. Every council in the country has been forced to introduce a Council Tax Support scheme which cut the budget available to help those in most need by at least 10 per cent. Those typically losing out include people on low incomes, carers, those with disabilities and single mums.

And let us make no secret about who is making the saving. Not the councils who have been cornered into sorting out the Government's mess by coming up with a least-worst scheme. It is the Government that makes the saving because it is a Government budget being cut. The Government has, quite literally, taken the budget it spent last year, slashed it by 10 per cent then handed it to councils and said: "You decide who misses out, but somebody must". They have passed the buck but refused to hand over the bucks.

Compare that if you will to the high earners who will be pocketing a few extra thousand pounds just as the needy are coming to terms with the withdrawal of their support. A banker earning £250,000 per year will be £10,000 per year better off from April because of this Government. That's another £833.33 per month in their pay-packet.

I wonder how many families in poverty have had to sacrifice their Council Tax Support to fund that?

It simply doesn't sit comfortably on the conscience. How David Cameron and his Tories can sleep at night when they are destroying lives to help high earners enjoy more holidays is beyond me. I can't help but wonder if it was the subject of discussion at any of Mr Cameron's dinner parties for the millionaires whose funding helps the Conservatives orchestrate their election campaigns.

And let's not forget the Lib Dems either. They have been complicit in these changes, voting them through without a moment's hesitation.

But there is yet another twist to this pitiful tale, which casts an even darker shadow of the Government's dealings. Let's not forget it was this Government that put pressure on councils to not increases council tax with the promise of a one-off financial buffer for doing so. A one-off financial buffer that would not be an ounce of help every year beyond 2013/14, when those councils count the cost of not imposing an increase.

And this at a time when councils funding is being slashed so mercilessly by that same Government that raising the council tax income stream is the only means left to them to avoid bankruptcy. Yet while pretending to want to keep council tax low on the one hand, the council tax support schemes the Government has forced will do exactly the opposite.

In the constituency of Eric Pickles, the minister responsible for this social wrong, the lowest earners will pay £300 more council tax even without the council imposing an increase.

The whole thing is an almighty mess. It proves once again how out of touch the Government is. And it proves the claim that in Tory Britain the poor are robbed to pay the rich has never been more accurate.

MORE OF THE SAME ON THE ECONOMY- IT’S HURTING BUT IT ISN’ T WORKING

The Prime Minister told us that when it came to the economy, “the good news will keep coming”. After last week’s growth figures it obviously hasn't. Instead of the 5 per cent forecast, growth in Britain came in at a depressing 0.4 per cent.

Britain's economy has flatlined for over two years, with nearly one million young people out of work. Prices are still going up faster than wages and borrowing is going up not down, by seven per cent so far this year.

The coalition’s failure on growth is having a serious, and in some cases devastating effect on the living standards of people in this area.

Only the richest are insulated. They’re set to receive a £3 billion tax cut in April while the bumper bank bonuses continue.

But for most families, working people and pensioners – the people who are paying the price for Government’s failure through tax and benefit changes - it is a different story.

David Cameron says other countries are doing worse than us but it simply isn’t true. Britain is now 18th out of the 20 G20 countries on growth, behind the USA, Canada, Germany and France because of terrible decisions he has made.

David Cameron promised change, but nothing is changing. He can’t be the One Nation Prime Minister Britain needs when he is hitting ordinary families and cutting taxes for millionaires.

THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DELIVER THOUSANDS MORE APPRENTICESHIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Three years after Labour produced a detailed proposal for the building of high speed rail (HS2) routes in Britain, the Tories have this week finally announced their own scheme. Unfortunately the wasted years of uncertainty means work won’t begin until 2017 at the earliest.

The best that can be said of these delays is that it’s ‘better late than never’, especially for our economy which is on the brink of a triple-dip recession and which needed the investment months ago. But now that the government is committed to this infrastructure project, we must seize the opportunity and help the future career development of tens of thousands of young people.

Britain has almost one million young people unemployed and the number out of work for more than 12 months has doubled in the last year. In the developed world, only Greece and Spain are doing worse.

The economy has been flatlining for two years but the building of HS2 is a fantastic opportunity to give a real boost to young people’s future prospects now. It is a chance to create a new generation of skilled British workers rather than waste the talent of those growing up wondering if they will ever get a decent job.

Experts say that for every £1 million of government spending projects like HS2, a minimum of one apprenticeship should be created. When money is tight and we are spending £33 billion, this really shouldn’t be too much to ask.

Labour’s Youth Task Force is taking this challenge head on - examining the best ways of tackling the problem of youth unemployment by drawing on best practice across the country. For example, we would insist that when large firms win government contracts for projects like HS2 they must put high-quality apprenticeship schemes in place and commit to training young people for high-skilled jobs.

But it’s not enough to just build a new route between London and Birmingham. Young people in Derby might not want to move across the county to where the new train lines are being built so we need to give all young people a route to their futures and that starts in local schools and colleges.

The outrageous decision by the government to award the Thameslink rolling stock contract to Siemens instead of Bombardier will mean apprenticeships that should have been created here will go abroad instead.

Labour would offer school students quality vocational courses that would lead to a new gold standard qualification called a Technical Baccalaureate. We would also create a national application system for young people who want to find an apprenticeship that would work just the same as the UCAS system does for those applying to university.

The time has come to end the divide that says university is always best and vocational education is only second-best. Kick-starting our economy and giving young people a chance is not going to be easy in these tough times but Britain needs these One Nation Labour policies so that we can ensure everyone plays their part and that we use the talents of every young person in the country.