Lewes Labour - A strong voice for Lewes in tough times

Budget 2012 – “cynical deluded and regressive”

Lewes Labour - Campaign team — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:26:21 +0000

The Tories with their LibDem friends have given us a budget which is cynical, deluded and regressive (Larry Elliot The Guardian 22.3.12)

Those with an income of £1 million will get an extra £42,500; those with an income of £150,000 will get an extra £10,000, while those with an income of £20,000 will lose £253.

Pensioners have had a shock raid on their incomes and are set to lose £84 on average, more for the soon to be retired. Pensioners will contribute £3 billion to prop up the incomes of the rich.

The Tories no longer bother to pretend that “we are all in this together”, with their consistent punitive measures against low and middle income families and have gone back to the Tories discredited idea of “trickle down” wealth. We know that wealth does not trickle down: it stays where it is to make the rich even richer.

Those of us running the stalls on 24th March, at North St and in the Cliffe precinct, listened to the views of many people in Lewes and the unanimous voice was that the budget was unfair. We were delighted to sign up a lot of new members and supporters and hope to see them soon at branch meetings.

“unfair and out of touch, for the few, not the many”. – Ed Miliband

Labour Street Stall, Sale/fundraiser and Surgery – April 28th

Lewes Labour - Campaign team — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:19:03 +0000

The Street Stall, table sale/fundraiser is a social, fundraising event linked to some political action in the Cliffe precinct. The Stall and fundraiser are a good source of funds for lewes Labour and need your support. But we need more donations of goods to raise money.

**LABOUR FUNDRAISING SALE**
JUMBLE SALE on

Saturday, 28 April at 3 North St, Lewes from 9am to 1pm

Please have a good turn out, especially clothes. Please deliver to 3 North St between 6pm and 9pm Friday, 27 April or call Fran 472251 for collection

COME & BUY and/or drop in and have a free cup of tea/coffee and biscuit.

If you can help with selling on the Saturday please come along. We open at 10am until 1pm but will be setting up from 7am.

We will need people to help at 3 North street and people to staff the Cliffe precinct stall for our petitons and campaigning. Drop by 3 North street for a coffee, everyone is welcome, or come down to the cliffe to help or give support, drop by and say hello.

We hope to see you all there.

Thoughts, Discussion, Campaigning, Socialising, Activity, Party, Community, Friendship, Policy, Economics, Health, Education, Environment, Family, Fundraising, Media, Internet, You, Them, Us, The Future, Now …Lewes Labour More Than You Think

Lewes, Ringmer and Ouse Valley Branch Meeting April 24th

Lewes Labour - Campaign team — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:06:09 +0000

Lewes Labour Branch Meeting, covering Lewes, Ringmer, Ouse Valley and the surrounding villages. all members and supporters welcome.

The meeting takes the form of organising for local action, a lively discussion on a topical subject in an informal and friendly atmosphere.

An agenda is distributed to members via email (please ensure we have your email- use the contact form on this sight) and by post/hand. Further information is available by clicking on Events and Meetings

** PAULA BLACK **

Branch Secretary: Unison East Sussex Area
We are pleased to welcome Paula to our meeting on 24 April, 7.30pm
“What is in store for Adult Social Care and Children’s Services in light of cuts to local government funding”

Thoughts, Discussion, Campaigning, Socialising, Activity, Party, Community, Friendship, Policy, Economics, Health, Education, Family, Fundraising, Media, Internet, You, Them, Us, The Future, Now …Lewes Labour More Than You Think

Poorest hit hardest by housing benefit changes

Louis Blair — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:48:41 +0000

Lib Dem = Con

The Lib Dem collaborators like to talk tough about taxing the rich, when in fact its the poor who are footing the bill in the Con Dem cuts.

From next April, maximum Housing Benefit allowances will be cut, alongside the capping of benefits for all households despite their real housing costs. In addition, families who have lived in their homes for years will lose housing benefit if they have a spare bedroom, even if they need the room for carers or visiting family members. This will lead to thousands of families losing their homes and being uprooted from schools, work and families through no fault of their own. All this at a time when the Con Dem cuts strategy has brought our economy to its knees.

So Mr Clegg and Mr Cable instead of cooking up your fantasy taxes in an attempt to please your few remaining supporters, think about the real impact of your actual policies on the most vulnerable in our society.

A Million Young People Unemployed

Linda Drabble — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:00:08 +0000

A MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE NOW UNEMPLOYED UNDER THE TORIES

With over a million young people now out of work, Labour has launched a clear plan to create and support new jobs for the next generation.

The Tories’ economic policies have resulted in over 1 million young people now being unemployed. In Lewes the number of young people claiming Job Seekers Allowance has increased by 46 %.

The Tory-led Government inherited an economy in which unemployment was coming down but because of their decisions to cut too far too fast – including scrapping Labour’s successful Future Jobs Fund which created over 100,000 jobs for young people – unemployment is now rising again, with youth unemployment at a 19 year high.

In response, Labour has set out a clear five-point plan to create jobs and help the next generation. This plan includes:

1. A £2 billion tax on bank bonuses to fund 100,000 jobs for young people – which they would be required to take-up – and build 25,000 more affordable homes.

2. Bring forward long-term investment projects in schools, roads and transport to get people back to work and to strengthen our economy for the future.

3. Temporarily reverse January’s damaging VAT rise – an extra £450 for a couple with children would provide a boost for our high streets and help struggling families.

4. A one-year cut in VAT to 5% on home improvements, repairs and maintenance to help homeowners and small businesses.

5. A one-year national insurance tax break for every small firm which takes on extra workers would help small businesses to grow and create jobs.

Linda Drabble, Chair of Lewes Labour said: “It’s terrible news that so many young people are now unemployed and unable to find work. David Cameron’s Government have been given a million reasons to change course on the economy – and they need to do so before it’s too late.

“There is a better way. Labour’s five-point plan for growth will get our economy moving again, help get the deficit down in a steadier and more balanced way and create thousands of jobs for the next generation.”

ENDS

To find out more about Labour’s five-point plan for jobs please visit labour.org.uk/plan

Add your Labour or Union Meeting or Event to our events calendar

Jonathan Spencer — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 23:27:39 +0000

Look out for our new Labour Movement Events Calendar, you can add events here (they will need to be approved). So if you have an event you want listing please submit via our events page. Don’t forget to give time and location details so we can add the location to or database and get google maps to show the way.

Lewes, Ringmer and Ouse Valley Branch Meeting March 27th

Lewes Labour - Campaign team — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 23:20:52 +0000

Lewes Labour Branch Meeting, covering Lewes, Ringmer, Ouse Valley and the surrounding villages. all members and supporters welcome.

The meeting takes the form of organising for local action, a lively discussion on a topical subject in an informal and friendly atmosphere.

Labour Street Stall, Sale/fundraiser and Surgery – March 24th

Lewes Labour - Campaign team — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 23:13:29 +0000

Look out in your newsletter for the focus of each sale or fundraiser

Please donate by calling Fran on 472251 to collect/ discuss or bring to LPHQ between 6 and 9pm on the Friday before..

COME & BUY and/or drop in and have a free cup of tea/coffee and biscuit.

If you can help with selling on the Saturday please come along. We open at 10am until 1pm but will be setting up from 7am.

We hope to see you all there.

Get The tories to drop the Health Bill – Sign the petition

Lewes Labour - Campaign team — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:56:26 +0000

The Government is planning the biggest re-organisation of the NHS since it began in 1948.

It is unnecessary, unwanted, wasteful and damaging – and threatens to end the NHS as we know it. Only last year, the Government promised people they wouldn’t do it. Many thousands of people have already called on the Government to stop.

But they are ploughing on, ignoring public and professional opinion, out of touch with Britain. We need to make the Government listen before it’s too late.

Get involved and help make a change by signing the petition here

Are the Greens divided in Lewes

Lewes Labour - Campaign team — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:54:49 +0000

Its a simple enough question, with a lead Green Councillor: Matt Kent leaving the Green Party fold to become an independent. We have to ask why he felt the need to leave after being committed to the green cause. What would so put him off, what would divide the Greens. In Lewes they seem to have a habit of losing councillors or people leaving.

Perhaps they will offer some transparency on these matters?

Matt has his own web site that seems to promote many of things Labour has been campaigning on in and around Malling, lets hope he continues to push our agenda.

http://mattdkent.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/lewes-town-cllr-matt-kent-becomes-independent/