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We should be addressing youth unemployment which is set to increase again rather than bin collections. This says the wrong things about the Government ie care more about waste while wasting young people. Which has the greater impact on us in the future - bin collections or massive youth unemployment leading to increased crime rates. We stand a greater chance of upping our economic performance by training and developing our unemployed young people.
Every household has a right to have a weekly bin collection
By Eric Pickles, Communities and Local Government Secretary Ask people what they pay their council tax for, and some might say local schools. Others will say parks or leisure centres. But for many, the bottom line will be – emptying the bins and cleaning the streets. Local government ha...
£250 million for bin collection. Would do better spending that on bringing down youth unemployment. What message does this send out about our priorities?
Rolling record of Tory Conference policy announcements
Our rolling blog of policy announcements continues with Party Conference now only a day away. Saturday 1st October David Cameron promises more corporation tax cuts in the Daily Mail. He tells the same paper that a free urgent 111 care number is to be introduced to replace NHS direct - but desis...
Don't forget rural areas too. Where I live lovely villages and views across fields etc are spoilt by unnecessary roadsign clutter. Some have been stolen I presume for the smelting down, leaving behind empty poles or parts of signs redered meaningless. A complete waste of money.
Eric Pickles declares war on "street clutter"
From the Press Association: "The Government is urging councils to cut street clutter by getting rid of unnecessary signs, railings and advertising hoardings. Ministers are worried the character of urban spaces is being damaged. "Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Transport Secretary Phil...
The first item says "A 5% in public sector pay; "
A five percent what in public sector pay?
The FT publishes the spending cuts that the political parties will not
A 5% cut in public sector pay; Freezing benefits for a year; means-testing child benefit; Abolishing winter fuel payments and free television licences; Reducing prison numbers by a quarter; Axing the two planned aircraft carriers; withdrawing free bus passes for pensioners; Delaying Crossrail f...
As a Tory-voting-Guardian reader I was dismayed by the article. I would have preferred to see pictures of those candidates who are standing for the second,third or fourth time who will finally win at this election because of their sheer hard work and dedication.
The Guardian profiles the same Tory candidates that always get profiled
One day a newspaper won't run profiles of the most glamorous Tory candidates but will try and give their readers a real picture of the next Tory intake. Today's weekend Guardian magazine photo profiles the usual suspects including Louise Bagshawe, Nick Boles, Shaun Bailey (who is the handsome ...
Brilliant news and well deserved too. Congratulations to Rob and his team.
Robert Halfon is more recognised in his constituency than any other Conservative candidate
This is according to a piece in this morning's Times about how the parties are assessing which voters in which seats to target: Conservative headquarters monitors candidate performance by using polls to measure name recognition. The candidate in Harlow, Essex, Robert Halfon, is the most recogn...
I work at a Further Education College with high levels of success in developing young people and adults in vocational subjects. Many of our learners following vocational programmes progress onto university degree courses. Please remember that not only those following academic pathways go to university. Having said that, the College would welcome setting up a technical Academy.
Further Education has long seen itself as the Cinderella of the education sector in the UK. This is something the Conservative Party should address. We develop thousands of young people and adults who set up their own businesses and who then become employers. These people are most often loyal supporters of the Conservative Party. Today we have received our indicative funding allocation for adult learning for next year. This funds not only those returning to learn aged 19 plus but also young people following A-levels and vocational programmes when they become 19 years old. The budget is £290,000 less than last year, the equivalent of 9-10 members of staff.
Three cheers for technical Academies
One of the least commented on aspects of the schools chapter of the draft manifesto launched last week by David Cameron was the reference to and support for vocational and technical education. For business this was probably one of the most welcome of the many positive messages in the chapter. ...
If you read the very well-written, well-argued monograph, you will learn that it gives valid reasons for continued government expenditure post-compulsory education (and that means adults aged over 21) with the funding going to the individual learner.
As for £5000 per learner, the FE College at which I work would welcome that figure, as the 16-18 year olds that we teach are funded at about £3500 each, a far smaller sum than is currently paid per learner to schools delivering the same courses. Currently we have 400 learners that are not being funded at all, the Government failing to allocate the much vaunted £650M appropriately.
Alison Wolf: How £2 billion of the Further Education budget is wasted on useless activities - and how we should reform the system
Alison Wolf is the Sir Roy Griffiths Professor of Public Sector Management at King's College London and is a visiting professorial fellow at the Institute of Education, University of London. Her new monograph for the IEA, An Adult Approach to Further Education, was published this week. England...
Very well put Tarek. I completely agree.
James Bethell: The Centre-Right must take on the BNP - and not let the Left off the hook for its role in Britain's neo-fascist revival
James Bethell is Director of Nothing British. It’s sad to lose, but how are you meant to feel when your team just doesn’t turn up to play? That’s how it felt after another no-show by the Right when a handful of the English Defence League provoked a bottle-throwing riot in Harrow and a weekend-...
No to Churchill day. St Edmund was originally the patron saint of England from the 9th century until the Norman invasion. He should be restored as the true patron saint of England as St George was introduced to destroy our original national identity. King Edmund was martyred on the 20th November 870, killed by the Danes. I would propose that for our national day.
My day for Britain would be Churchill Day
David T Breaker, author of News Junction, writes the latest instalment of ConHome's series on patriotism. What is “British-ness”? It’s a question loved by Britophobes, thinking that it can lead only two ways; into the realms of the goody-goody concepts of the politically correct such as tolera...
I agree. And it is a good argument against changes to the 'first past the post' system. Their poison will be directed towards the conservatives soon.
The BNP is not the "Far Right"
In an interview with Nick Griffin, BNP leader, the Today programme's John Humphrys called the BNP a "far right" party. It is not. It is "Labour With Racism", as Lord Tebbit memorably said recently. I fear the BNP may be here for a few years now. The BBC needs to find a more accurate way of d...
Thank you Robert for letting us in on your busy schedule. I know Harlow will do well with you as MP after the next election, as we are with our dedicated Conservative run council. I also know your student volunteer and can vouch for his energy and commitment. I have also seen him take on some of the hard left we have in the town.
Diary of a PPC: Robert Halfon (Harlow)
This is the first of a new feature on ConservativeHome. Each week I will ask a prospective parliamentary candidate to write a diary of the previous seven days in which they can highlight the national political issues and events which are getting them exercised, the local issues on which they are...
What is also required is a reality check by local planning officers. I know of several families looking to increase the size of their property by extending their homes, or seeking to raise income by converting old barns on their property. This would be a big boost to the local economy and keep local builders, craftsmen, suppliers in business but planners are putting up the most ridiculous arguments against. In the case of two barn conversions, planners from South Cambridgeshire want them to be converted into office or workshop accommodation. Haven't they noticed that there is a lot of business accommodation empty? A barn would keep a small building firm in business for nearly a year.
Mark Prisk MP: The construction industry needs action not words
Mark Prisk is MP for Hertford and Stortford and the shadow minister for construction in the Conservative frontbench Business and Enterprise team. The construction sector has been a mainstay of the UK economy in recent years, representing 9% of GDP and by 2007 employing roughly two million peop...
Brilliant news and how great it will be to have West Suffolk back again!
Yes we can. St Edmundsbury freezes Council Tax.
Cllr John Griffiths. leader of St Edmundsbury Council, is offering residents some relief in the recession. Amidst all the financial turmoil, and the unsettling prospect of local government review in Suffolk, St Edmundsbury Borough Council has announced a council tax freeze for next year and ca...
Tory Suffolk County Councillors would be advised to recognise that the dismantling of the three tier system, which parents feel has worked well in Suffolk, will cost them votes. It is causing immense disquiet amongst many of the villages who forecast the disappearance of their village schools and the Clare Middle School fiasco is stoking this fear. Those of us working on the doorsteps for the party are being taken to task on this issue. The parents like the primary and middle school system.
Why is Tory Suffolk Council closing a good school and saving a bad one?
Nick Seaton of the Campaign for Real Education suspects Suffolk is allowing left wing bureaucrats to drive their schools policy and that children will suffer. Clare is a small town in Suffolk situated roughly midway between Haverhill and Sudbury, each of which is about 10 miles away. At presen...
Why on earth was a crowd allowed to gather to witness this awful event. I understand the situation lasted several hours.
I am socially deprived, so I cheer on a suicide
Yesterday at Comment is Free there was an article by the feminist and trade union activist Cath Elliott about what's being called the Broken Society. With the usual apologies to her readers, she found herself agreeing with David Cameron. The piece was shot through with a genuine fear about wh...
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