Education Maintenance Allowances scrapped by Tory government
The long-standing EMA scheme will soon be replaced by a new plan by the Cameron government, intended on providing a more targeted financial support to students in need, encouraging them to continue their educational path.
The previous arrangement through the Education Maintenance Allowances meant low-income students were granted £30 a week in a budget allocation totalling more than £550m. The Labour opposition is regretting the change, with Andy Burnham calling the new support scheme a “humiliating climbdown” that unnecessarily replaces what he thinks was a successful policy. The old allowances had originally been brought on by the former Labour executive as they sought to bring down the high number of teenage drop-outs from education.
The new bursary scheme will only drain a third of the old budget for allowances and will attempt to give greater help to severely disadvantaged teens, like pupils in care or the gravely disabled. An additional £165m will be allocated directly to colleges and schools, who will have discretion in supporting low-income students with subsidies for transport, food and educational materials.
The scheme will gradually be introduced, with students who started courses in 2009-10 continuing to receive the same payments until the end of the 2011-12 academic year.
Gordon Brown given advisory role in the WEF
Former Labour leader and Britain Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been designated in an advisory role within the World Economic Forum, an international organisation uniting world business leaders with politicians, notable academia figures and more through their annual high-profile meeting in Davos.
Professor Klaus Schwab, acting as WEF executive chairman, says Mr Brown will bring a “wealth of knowledge and experience” and “valuable insights into the global agenda” to the role, which is in effect an unpaid position.
Gordon Brown had previously been rumoured to be in the running for the position of the head of the International Monetary Fund, a potential move which sparked strong disapproval from political opposition back home. Conservative leader David Cameron declared Mr Brown would “not be the best person to work out whether other countries around the world have a debt and deficit problem”, while current Labour leader Ed Miliband thought the former PM would be “eminently qualified” for the role.
Attack attempt on John Prescott receives general disapproval
A physical altercation aimed at former Labour MP John Prescott left him unscathed but instead affected two women as a man in a Prescott mask tried to reach the politician during a public appearance in east London. The man, thought to be in his 30s, was arrested following the disturbance in Chrisp Street, Poplar, and is now in custody at an east London police station, while another man involved in the incident was only spoken to by police and released shortly after.
Mr Prescott made the incident public via a post on his twitter page, receiving a swift response from Conservatives chairman Erick Pickles, who called such incidents “unacceptable”. Another Tory spokesman announced the party had already opened an investigation into the incident, and had suspended the men involved (who were already rumoured to be party members) from the Conservative ranks, pending the results of the enquiry.
Gordon Brown takes campaign to Wales
The incumbent Prime Minister arrived in Wales for the first time yesterday, steering his campaign towards Cardiff. During an open question and answer session at the Swalec cricket stadium, he rejected criticism of not giving enough attention to that park of UK, saying he had been to Wales on numerous occasions prior to the general election. The Q&A meeting with students touched upon a variety of subject, from the hot topic of the airway crisis, to the general state of the economy, institutional reform and expenses by political represantatives in the Parliament.
Welsh jobs and unemployment were issues on the agenda in the meeting, with recent statistics indicating an added 10,000 people out of work in the country. Gordon Brown took the opportunity to highlight what he considered were very bad Conservative plans for the economy, as Tory agenda would be of no help to creating employment opportunities in Wales and elsewhere. He said his main concern was creating a job market for the future generation of workers, as well as keeping a good level of public services in the health, education and policing sectors.
Local opposition to the Labour Prime Minister used Mr Brown’s visit to Wales as an opportunity to criticise Labour policies. Myfanwy Davies, Plaid Cymru candidate in the constituency of Llanelli, told the press Mr Brown should be tackling the “shamefully low” level of the state pension, which he considers Gordon Brown is avoiding as it is an issue he would not be able to defend. Welsh Conservative Cheryl Gillan, on the other hand, complained about the late arrival of the Prime Minister in Wales, mentioning her party’s leader – David Cameron, had already travelled there twice during the current campaign.
Tory savings considered dangerous by economists
A public letter quoted by The Daily Telegraph and signed by over 50 economists has issued a warning over the danger that the Conservatives‘ public spending plans represent on the health of the British economy. The publication claims it has read the leaked letter, which is supposedly signed by 58 economists, among them Lord Peston, Sir David Hendry, Lord Skidelsky and Lord Layard. All of them support the current Prime Minister’s plans for the economic recovery, while calling the Tories’ so-called efficiency savings only “a cut by another name”.
The Conservatives have spun much of their ongoing campaign around a proposed efficiency plan on the public sector which is promising to save £6bn straight away. The economists in question are warning this would be a “destabilising action” which is not needed. They claim that the country’s recovery is still fragile, and that “only when the recovery is well under way, will it be safe to have extra cuts in government expenditure”.
This comes in contrast with the opposition party’s supporters of the heavy cuts, as the Tories have been vigurously advertising the backing of over 400 small and medium businesses, as well as that of the leaders of several high-profile companies, such as Marks and Spencer and Next, over their savings plans. Mainly the Tory party is opposing a decision by Gordon Brown’s cabinet to raise National Insurance by one percent next year, for high earners (over £20,000), saying the measure would in effect “kill the recovery”.
photo: CPLabour and Tory manifestos, the cover story
They sit at opposing ends in the Parliament, have radically distinct policies and have now positioned themselves even further away from each other with the official campaign manifestos. This week has seen the launch of both the Labor and Conservative manifesto publications and, before delving in the substance of the plans and the promises, a look at the form of them is equally intriguing.
The ruling party has long been labelled by their opposition as lacking vision, as well as energy. It’s as if the Labour manifesto has set out to contradict just that: bright colours and a lively imagery featuring a family looking towards “A future fair for all“. No doubt a striking image, overly socialist-realist perhaps, but bold enough to be considered cool, some consider. In contrast, the Conservatives certainly lived up to their name, with a simple cover intended to instill distinction, trust, and suggest calm (perhaps by way of experience), encasing the “Invitation to Join The Government of Britain” in a serene dark blue background.
Want to buy your own copies of the Tories and Labour manifestos? You can, but for the moment just the Tory one, which sells for £5 in hardback. Their counterparts only offer theirs as a digital download (also an option for the Conservative’s document), but have announced a paper copy would be made available for £4, should demand create a need for it.
Tory to cut child benefits, say Labour
Tax increases and benefits are high on the agenda of the main contestants of the general election, and every day is another opportunity to do battle on the issue. With the Tories’ main campaign pledge a massive cut in public spending, the Labour focus on outlining what they say will be the sacrifices for this free-up in expenditure.
While visiting a Dumfries Community Centre yesterday, Labour Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy warned about the perils of The Conservatives’ financial plan on family households in particular. He said one of the components of the package includes a cut on child benefits, as well as the child trust fund, giving as an example a couple on a combined income of £31,000, which he estimated could stand to have their child credits cut completely, should a Tory cabinet be in place after May 6th.
Labour candidate in the constituency Russell Brown accompanied the Scottish Secretary in his visit, with Mr Murphy concluding that Tory leadership would not favour the “hard-working families”.
photo: ForeignOfficeLabour pledge no raise in basic rate in income tax
With the election debates due to heavily revolve around tax levels, national insurance and job security, Gordon Brown has come out early on to reveal that his party’s campaign pledge will announce a commitment to keep the basic rate in income tax. Some are even expecting the Labour Party to promise a freeze in all three income tax rates, including the 50p one, which has just come in effect this week.
It is, however, only one of many issues that the Conservatives are bringing on the table against the ruling party, as the Labour’s planned National Insurance tax is thought by the opposition to halt economic recovery. In turn, Tory officials are asked to account for a promised £6bn cut in government spending, their main standing point on the promise of largely keeping tax levels down, while reducing the country’s deficit level.
Tax issues held the spotlight on the second (official) day of campaigning, with Foreign Secretary David Miliband stating in an interview that the Tories do not have a solution handy to fund the tax cuts they have been promising. In opposition, Liberal Democrats are stating the poor state of country’s tax revenue will not have them contest the NI tax increase, but that they are striving to exclude the people on the lowest income from paying tax altogether.
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