UKBA and the very best of Britain!

The Army is on call-out alert to man the border control immigration desks at all ports and airports in Britain!

The 30th November 2011 is set to enter modern history as the largest public sector strike since the seventies.

Why? Because an incompetent boss of UKBA got fired for allegedly allowing hundreds of thousands of unchecked immigrants into the UK during the summer of 2011, surely not?

Apparently, it is more to do with pension disagreements that have been rolling on for ages. The ConLib Government wishes to make cuts and control the generous pay-out perks that public civil servants get but the Unions have stepped in to do what they do best in moments of national economic crises and call a national public service strike.

Camden Labour chiefs have issued instructions for all Councillors not to enter the Town Hall and therefore, not to cross the picket line tomorrow at Jude Street. Fighting talk indeed.

Whilst, I have no problems with a local rebellion at this level in support of a legitimate strike. I do have a big problem when an authority called UKBA that feels appropriate to strike at key ports and airports on critical immigration posts thus bringing commerce to a grinding halt.

It is estimated that such a strike, should it occur at levels of 2 millions or more strikers would result in a loss to the country of £500,000 Million or put another way £0.5 Billion.

Pension deals on the table would then be revoked and made non economic on next rounds of discussions. And just as in the Seventies with Union strikes a never ending spiralling worsening of relations between the Unions and a Government unable due to the deficit crises to give in to demands for improved pensions future pay-outs.

What is certain is the UK appears locked in to enter a new period of 'Winter of Discontent' strikes with public sector workers.

Sadly for the thousands of NHS patients waiting for life saving operations on Wednesday 30th November strikes all hospitals will be providing only weekend coverage. Only the most critical procedures beings provided where it is a matter of life of death.

I think we all can agree that the NHS needs reform and that all workers receive a decent wage, I am sure that most Unions would agree with this view but the question is at what costs should the return to national strikes be endured.

Author: Nigel Rumble
Photo: (c) AP

Poppy Lib Dems a National Disgrace

I don't normally post a raw cut from the press courtesy of Richard Osley of CNJ in his private blog. But I wanted this out ASAP. Putting any branding let alone political branding on a wreath on memorial Sunday is just ignorant and beyond the pale. Do the Lib Dems really think this will win them votes!

Very sad Day for local politics.

The Winning Team BowForwad

The Bow Group Elections of 27th October 2011.

For all the details see http://www.bowgroup.org/

I was successfully elected as Membership Secretory of the illustorous "Bow Group" together with other successful elect including my H&K Conservatives collegue Oliver Cooper.

Mervyn King and the Bank of England

So here we are in 2011 and we have QEII and that is not the cruise liner going on a voyage. But it might as well be one as we learn from Mervyn King that he believes that not only are we headed for a double dip recession but that the problems ahead may be as bad as the Great Depression if not worse!

Clearly, Mr King knows a thing or two about the Economy and need for stability in time of crises.

But I do question his undoubted wisdom this time round; the injection of around £75B over the next four months may be welcome to keep money moving but the doom and gloom of something unimaginable and worse than the Great Depression we do not need.

So if you get a chance to read this Mr King. Try to be just a bit more bullish next time.

Supporting Culture at SJSS

CPC11 life is not only politics!

Start of LCO season. 1
Mozart Concerto no 10 fir two pianos
Poulenc Concerto for 2 Pianos
Haydn Symphony no 104 'London'

The CNJ special on Camden Conservatives at CPC11

The group photo of Camden's Tories had a splendid turnout this year. The main story that Richard Osley choose to focus on however, was comments from Cllr Jonny Bucknell going against party lines on asking for the entire HS2 development to be axed.

Since the proposed route would cut underground through virtually most of Camdens housing estates such as Belsize Park, Swiss Cottage and parts of Kilburn. Cllr Bucknell voiced valid concerns for the residents of Camden. And is completely correct to represent his ward of Belsize.

On such local issues Councillors often go against national party lines.

Camden Group held an excellent reception on the last night of Conference.

Manchester CPC11 photo diaries

Oliver Cooper and I (Center) both from H&K Conservatives

Camden, Cuts, The Cabinet, Smiles and taking ownership

Like all councils up and down the country cuts have been imposed by central government. It is entirely up to the locally elected council administrations to decide on how best to proportion out belt tightening measures.

This is after all what every citizen of Great Britain does every month when balancing earnings against expenditure. Is it not reasonable that if “the people” have to make cuts not only to essential things as well as any luxury items and foods just to make ends meet every month.
Unfortunately some folks get caught up in the easy use of that flexible friend the credit card, much like the Labour government under Gordon Brown did with the treasury of our country. But we know where that leads to, in the case of a government a fall from grace, and in the case of the individual the loss and repossession of homes.

So against this backdrop, is it not reasonable that the Camden Labour administration accepts it’s responsibility to implement hopefully a fair and well thought out measures of cuts and that balances the financial books of the very affluent borough of Camden.

I sincerely hope that the new Labour Cabinet fully embraces the challenges that face them in these very difficult financial times and uses a positive managerial command of pushing forward rather than just blame central government for having fewer sweets in it’s sweetie bag this year. It must accept as all the people have already accepted and move on in a dignified and positive way to show by the quality of it’s analysis and fiscal management that Camden can become a shining beacon to other councils by way of example.

If the cabinet feels the need of atonement about about dishing out the package of cuts to the residents of Camden they could always make the gesture to reduce their handsome allowances!

The Full Council meets this Monday 28th February at 7pm. Camden residents will be watching!

Author: Nigel Rumble

Parodox of the US and UK Economic situation

The US economy doing rather better than expected with higher last quarter growth and GDP now up at 3.5%. This all appears to be linked to the upturn in consumer spending for last quarter. The fiscal decision to keep the Dollar down is paying off big bucks at the expense of the stronger pound, UK Economy which has taken the worst last quarter possible with 0.5% down on growth figures with consumer spending at an all time low.

Although too early to pin this UK market retraction on VAT (20% Consumption TAX) increase of 2.5% this clearly appears together with bad weather during the critical consumer spending period pre Christmas period.

Banks appear to be doing well and the debate soon to re-start as the big bank bonuses are announced will re-emerge in the press any week now.

Conclusion: US doing better than predicted with a lower expectation of the US people for recovery, but spending at steady level. UK doing not so well and certainly less than predicted with a retracted consumer spending, but paradoxically a higher expectation of the UK people for recovery.

The UK ConLib coalition clearly needs to work more on giving out realistic expectations to the country. In many ways too many Conservative (and including coalition partners) taxation policies designed to help reduce to the deficit are having a quite opposite effect short-term.

The decision to TAX NonDom’s a fixed annual charge of £30,000 on long-term residents claiming non-domicile status may have been popular with voters pre election but indications are already showing a considerable exodus of extremely wealthy NonDom’s out of Britain to more TAX friendly Nations. Our loss their gain!

It is predicted that the overall (deficit reducing benefit) money gained from this new £30,000 charge will pale into insignificance by the overall loss that the UK economy ‘would’ have achieved had the NonDom’s been encouraged to stay in the UK in the first place!

More the case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing and probably motivated in pre-election voter pleasing campaigning! Time for moving on and working out 'sensiblel' deficit reducing policies.

Author: Nigel Rumble