A letter submitted to The Argus on 22nd December:
Sir,
Before Labour’s Lord Bassam rushes to man the barricades against the cuts (Letters, 21st December 2010), he might wish to check what his party’s position on these cuts actually is.
In response to Conservative minister Eric Pickles’ announcement of the heavily reduced local government finance settlement on 13th December, what did Labour shadow Caroline Flint MP say? That Labour too would have cut local government funding – “This is not about whether or not local government funding should be reduced,” she said because she claimed whoever won the election would have made local government cuts.
These indiscriminate cuts are ideological – a free-market bankers above nurses ideology shared by Tories, LibDems and New Labour, which Ed Milliband is unwilling to refute as shown by his October speech to the CBI.
Greens believe there are some acceptable cuts: Cutting Trident, new aircraft carriers, hugely expensive nuclear power projects and clamping down on the £30-40 billion of tax evasion for starters. Whilst our MP advocates these in Parliament, Green councillors will work with all local parties willing to reduce the worst of these cuts imposed on our council.
Sincerely,
Cllr Jason Kitcat
Finance Spokesperson, Green Group of Councillors
Brighton & Hove City Council
Kings House, Grand Avenue, Hove BN3 2LS
Jason Kitcat 