New Labour in Ashley - Crash & Burn

bristol | local government | opinion/analysis Monday July 21, 2008 16:29 by EMO

Labour have been busy...but are only telling half a story...

In through the letterbox pops a flyer for Labour called 'Labour in Ashley' announcing to the world that "Labour Delivers" - But do they?

Well obviously Labour delivers on some things - wars and torture and privatisation for example, but I think they want us to ignore this and just focus on the local.

So their propaganda starts, "St Pauls Park now has a new and innovative play area thanks to the city council, the government's Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and Places for People.'

This is only half the story. The Neighbourhood Renewal Funds that St.Pauls and other areas had been getting to try and help with social issues have also been cut by the Labour government to 50% for 2 years then to nothing:

"After almost seven years, the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund in Bristol will come to a end in March 2008. As a consequence, the futures of many smaller voluntary and community-based projects are under threat and the disadvantaged areas of the city will suffer a significant setback." [1]

Then the propaganda says, "In nearby St Agnes plans have been unveiled to rebuild the Catbot primary school. This will be part of a multi-million pound complex that will improve the chances of hundreds of local children."

Again only half the story, yes this is the plan - a multi-story site with the playground on the roof, financed by selling land to the Dove Lane developers (which is why all the services are squashed onto one site) - something many local people are unhappy about and feel bypassed by Labour on this. Labour is sooo out of touch.

Then they go for Shirley Marshall, the LibDem councillor under fire for spending too much time abroad, "Just last year, here in Ashley Ward, one of your two Councillors, Lib-dem Shirley Marshall, was re-elected by the skin of her teeth [...] However, recently Cllr Marshall has been subject to comment in the Evening Post for not being contactable or available."

Half the story - Shirley Marshall did only just hang-on to the seat, but not vs. Labour, it was to the Greens who came within about 200 votes of taking the seat. I hear that Shirley Marshall's standing in the ward is not great, but Labour's has collapsed thanks to Iraq and the anti-working people policies of the Government.

It is ironic that the Ashley Bristol Labour party gives it address as "Transport House, Victoria Street, Bristol" - the same place as a recent rally called to defend public services against privatisation??? The party pushing this agenda is in the same building as the Unions opposing it!!! [2]

If you live in Ashley Ward, the Labour Party has asked you to write to them - FREE OF CHARGE - to return the questionnaire and say about anything else that is of concern. I will be sending my questionnaire back and say I am concerned about the million plus dead in Iraq. I hope they can help with that.

[1] http://www.bcrn.org.uk/blog/?p=12
[2] http://www.bristol.indymedia.org/article/688612