Labour's economic legacy makes cuts inevitable
June 1, 2010 11:28 AM
Cllr Brian Watkins
In a letter to the local press Cllr Brian Watkins, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Norwich City Council, responds to Labour's criticism of government plans to cut spending.
Dear Evening News,
Cllr Steve Morphew (Labour Leader of Norwich City Council) is right to draw attention to the belt-tightening that will have to happen in the coming months and years (Evening News 24th May). What he fails to mention is why it is necessary.
The truth is that this Liberal Democrat-Conservative government has inherited an economic mess from Labour. Gordon Brown's government lived beyond its means borrowing an eye-watering £156 billion last year. This means we now have the biggest annual deficit since World War II. Labour's disastrous financial legacy has left a deficit level that is unsustainable. If the UK is to avoid Greece's fate then money will have to be saved and cuts will have to be found. Norwich residents should remember that when they read Cllr Morphew lambast the new government for making unpopular cuts, the fault really lies with the old government that made the cuts inevitable.
This debt mountain is the biggest challenge that faces the new government and it is quite rightly the top priority. Having said that, it is pleasing to see long cherished Lib Dem policies on scrapping ID Cards, raising the tax allowance to £10,000, and plans to introduce electoral reform for the House of Commons (AV) and the House of Lords (PR) included in the Queen's Speech.
Along with many Lib Dems I had reservations about entering into a coalition with the Tories. However, what we are seeing in this collation are three things: the implementation of Lib Dem policies which will really help the people of Norwich: Lib Dem influence which will help to prevent the worst excesses of Conservatism; but most of all, a strong coalition government committed to sorting out the UK economy.
It is not going to be an easy time ahead and popular policies and schemes will have to be shelved. As a local council group we will continue to campaign for the people of Norwich and we will not be afraid to disagree with the new government if we feel that they are getting it wrong and cutting in the wrong areas. However, let us not forget why we are here in the first place. It is because Labour failed. Whilst recognising that there has been a global economic slowdown, Harriet Harman in the Queen's Speech debate failed to utter one word of apology for the economic mess in which Labour has left the country. Steve Morphew would do well to remember this before making similar accusations in future.
Cllr Brian Watkins
Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Norwich City Council
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