‘I invite our Labour MP to turn down a pay rise’
HOW very, very strange that our Prime Minister can say something, the meaning of which seems absolutely crystal clear only for himself, and others to then claim that what he said was not what he meant.
The latest example of this are his remarks on devolution, which if nothing else show he is still suffering from an acute case of ‘foot in mouth’ syndrome.
These remarks have irritated and dismayed politicians right across the political spectrum including, and in particular, the Scottish Conservative Party, which feels the Prime Minister is undermining both them and their cause.
Boris really is an enigma – he claims to be a Unionist, but talks and behaves like an English nationalist. One thing that does seem clear though, is advocates of Scottish independence could not ask for a better recruiting sergeant for their cause than ‘good old Boris’.
A really good rule of thumb is that ‘when you are in a hole, stop digging’, but Boris just cannot help himself and the Scottish Conservative Party National Conference have just had to suffer listening to him again explaining that what he said was not what he meant.
If only Boris could master the knack of saying what he means at the first time of asking, things would at least seem a little less confusing and dysfunctional.
IN March 2021 MPs are due to get yet another pay rise of over £3,000, while public sector workers – including doctors and nurses – will face a pay freeze.
Over the past five years MPs have received massive increases while most people have suffered hardships.
I am asking the MP for Huddersfield, Barry Sheerman, if he intends to take that pay increase or will he do the right thing and refuse it. Being a Labour man, surely, he must stand with the workers and say no. I now invite Barry Sheerman to make a statement in the Examiner as to what his intentions will be.
New way of thinking
A REPORT in the Examiner recently contained whingeing from all the opposing political parties on the council concerning the resignation of three Labour councillors.
Apparently they are concerned that this will distract from fighting the pandemic.
But to fight Covid, resources on a huge scale are needed. We know Labour has followed every instruction to cut from the Tory government but what is the opposition doing?
These include Tory councillors who support the government’s barbaric reductions on local government spending and whose national leader could not find his way out of a paper bag, never mind combat Covid.
Then we have the Lib Dems who have a sustained record of making cuts in power whether in local or national government.
The Greens want to save the planet but when in power, as was the case in Brighton, they did nothing to campaign against a 33 per cent government funding reduction and proceeded to try to cut the wages of refuse collectors by £4,000 a year.
As for the Independent group – does anyone in Kirklees know what they do apart from being ‘independent’?
A socialist council would coordinate local distribution of food, medicine, PPE etc to the vulnerable.
They would protect the health and safety of staff and services users. There would be no delay in food vouchers to provide nutritious free school meals. Rents and council tax payments would be waived for the duration of the emergency.
Forget about managers – let working people organise support. They know what they are doing. Finally, link up with other councils, community groups and trade unions nationwide to campaign and demand emergency funding.