Like Pompey, the whole city is making progress

March 2008

Firstly, congratulations to Pompey for getting to the FA Cup semi-final. Like all fans, I was delighted at the news and will, of course, be hoping they win! And the whole club is a great ambassador for the city. Not only on the pitch but also in the work it does in the community on schemes to get local kids off the streets and playing football and taking part in other activities.

Like Pompey, I believe the city as a whole is making progress. I would never pretend everything is perfect and we need a better deal from central Government. But the roads are being resurfaced. The Kings Theatre, for example, is going from strength to strength with a great deal of hard work from volunteers after we saved and supported it. And CCTV and city-wide community wardens are contributing to crime falling 11% in the city – the best in the county.

We recently had the new Chancellor’s first budget which, unlike Pompey, turned out to be a damp squib with hardly anything to help tackle global warming, for ordinary families or pensioners.

On the environment the budget was a big green “cop-out”. Whereas, it should have been the “green tax switch” – taxing pollution and carbon emissions but giving it back in tax cuts to hard-working people.

From April, those earning under £18,500 will also be paying more in income tax because the 10p starting rate is being axed. In contrast the Lib Dems would cut 4p from the basic rate of tax and overall our fairer tax plans would save the average two-earner household £1,000 a year. This would be achieved by the very rich contributing more to local taxation and closing tax loopholes that benefit them.

The recently announced gas and electricity price increases will see the average pensioner household is paying an extra £420. But the pensioners’ winter fuel allowance is only being increased by £50 and even then for one year only. The Lib Dems say the state pension should be increased immediately by £100 a month.

In short, the budget shows once again that the Government needs to quickly raise their game or, as every football manager knows, face the sack!