Inside the bubble
Back at my desk following three rather listless days at the Lib Dems conference wondering what it was all for. Not that it was awful or anything: it was at least a good chance to catch up with the usual conference suspects and the chats with the Lib Dem politicians themselves were pleasant enough. But, with everything that is going on outside the political bubble, what with Lehman Brothers going under and HBOS in trouble, you have to ask how far anything done in Bournemouth over the past 72 hours will have any impact on the future of housing policy in the UK.
And even inside the bubble, it is tempting to ask questions about how far the Lib Dems matter at this point in the political cycle. Today’s Times carries a typically acerbic piece by Danny Finkelstein arguing that the divide between Labour and the Lib Dems was now entirely artificial. Discarding the piece’s obvious party political bias, his argument that the Lib Dems are largely irrelevant to the current debate has a certain force. Even in Bournemouth among the faithful, it felt that the controversy over Nick Clegg’s tax-cutting proposals was merely theoretical.
But just because no-one at Bournemouth seemed to be expecting the party to mount a significant political challenge to the established order at the next general election does not mean that what the Lib Dems do is meaningless. Not only does where they position themselves influence the positioning of the other main parties; on an individual level, as Finkelstein argues, Vince Cable is hugely admired across the political spectrum. More important, Lib Dem administrations control a sizeable number of local councils, including strategically important urban centres such as Liverpool, Newcastle and Hull and rural areas such as Somerset. If the worst impact of the housing crisis is to be alleviated and much needed supply continue to come forward, leadership at a local level is vital. In many areas of the country, only the Lib Dems are poised to provide such leadership.
September 20th, 2008 at 10:05 am
How much progress has been made since the film “Cathy come home”? In all reallity very little, because those children suffering horrendous housing conditions are being toyed with by all political parties. They all use issues such as POVERTY to draw media attention, to appear to be doing the right thing, when in fact they are doing very little, well except exploit all those left in such vulnerable positions.
With the recent Government bail out of the Greedy irrisponsible financial institutes, by placing billions of tax payers money into the rich market, they have proved their priorities, have they not?
A fraction of those billions could have changed standards vertually overnight, could it not?
Such irrisponsible actions by all political parties must beg the question, DO THEY REALLY WANT TO LEFT THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY AND HORRENDOUS HOUSING? Based upon actions and not hollow words, must demonstrate that they have little intention of making any such positive actions.
Of course the media are also to blame, has they will freely highlight a benefit cheat, but they fail to highlight those suffering at the hands of the system.
Has society progressed with real actions, the clear answer must be NO.
September 20th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Here in West Sussex, they are shouting about the proposed Ford Eco Town, which may have some justifications. But the campaign holds full support of the Councils, simply because they do not want to encourage social housing in any form. In fact, the Councils shout about the housing stock numbers they have sold off and the high priced private housing they allow. But they hide those vulnerable and exploit them in so many various ways. Not to mention that they have no real intentions of helping those already suffering, it was highlight in a recent tenants meeting, “will the council build more social housing” the answer was NO.
And look here: http://www.littlehamptongazette.co.uk/news/Council-housing-in-crisis.1257411.jp
This storey was back in 2005 and those children are still sleeping with mum.