tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post2828129297082729429..comments2023-07-09T11:04:50.150+01:00Comments on Mike Barker: Lib Dem politics in a northern market town: Heads show common senseMike Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15453607421766177229noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-41793511011636759602010-07-14T14:39:42.424+01:002010-07-14T14:39:42.424+01:00Ian - a cabinet of millionaires is going to make m...Ian - a cabinet of millionaires is going to make millions of ordinary people pay for a financial crisis caused by wealthy bankers with higher taxes (the VAT bombshell) and spending cuts (between 25-40%). If that isn't class war, I don't know what is.<br /><br />Sam T - if you cannot understand the furuore about the cuts, just wait a bit and you'll see what all the fuss is about.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11443724356434212172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-34285081665318937562010-07-14T13:42:43.254+01:002010-07-14T13:42:43.254+01:00Sam, good to have someone new on here.
I appreciat...Sam, good to have someone new on here.<br />I appreciate where you are coming from to an extent.<br />However, not all schools will be able to simply "make-do" having been suffering for years with no significant capital investment.<br /><br />These schools NEED significant spending just to stand still, let alone improve on what they have.<br /><br />The buildings are simply well past ianhnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-71378261130418204442010-07-14T13:26:30.292+01:002010-07-14T13:26:30.292+01:00Hi boys,
Fairly new to politics and a recent defec...Hi boys,<br />Fairly new to politics and a recent defector from Labour to Lib-Dem. It was Mike's early blog re BSF and the possibility of Darlington not being awarded the money for the three schools which made me start following Mike's blogs and much more recently the Lib-Dems.<br />As an ex accountant and now a housewife with four children, I cannot understand the furore about the cuts.<Sam Tnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-57212377170372022122010-07-12T09:32:36.803+01:002010-07-12T09:32:36.803+01:00I am not interested "class" let alone &q...I am not interested "class" let alone "class war"<br />What i am interested in is seeing that EVERY young person has an equal opportunity for success in life, whatever their socio-economic background.<br /><br />It is therefore essential that we have high quality state schools.<br />You may have seen the Echo this weekend, tucked away somewhere near the back, the Head of ianhnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-35809295863944253652010-07-11T22:59:43.190+01:002010-07-11T22:59:43.190+01:00Class *is* socioeconomic, Alan. I don't use th...Class *is* socioeconomic, Alan. I don't use the term in a cultural way. Economic power has long been centralised in the hands of a few - in banks and big businesses over which we have no democratic control, and yet which shape our lives. The Labour Party was set up precisely because people who create wealth had no party to represent their interests.<br /><br />You might not feel worse off nowAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11443724356434212172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-75262377915685378572010-07-10T12:49:46.284+01:002010-07-10T12:49:46.284+01:00Alan Macnab writes.....
May I come into this very...Alan Macnab writes.....<br /><br />May I come into this very interesting conversation. I like Mike was in higher education in the 1970s. I attended a polytechnic which is now a university. I benefitted from a local authority grant (Tory North Yorkshire). Life at the Poly I attended was pretty much the same as Mike experienced. I remember the sit ins and the demos.<br /><br />I find it Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-46416322025446944512010-07-10T08:49:01.854+01:002010-07-10T08:49:01.854+01:00Of course class influences my political thought - ...Of course class influences my political thought - it influences most people's political thought, Mike. If it didn't, the Tories wouldn't have any need for your lot to prop them up in parliament!<br /><br />By the way, I've never had much time for left-wing / right-wing labels. Spatial metaphors make people dizzy - people think you're going on about airplanes or birds.<br /><brAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11443724356434212172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-66531166762149120532010-07-10T07:25:48.611+01:002010-07-10T07:25:48.611+01:00Ah James, does the notion of class still inform yo...Ah James, does the notion of class still inform your political thought?<br /><br />I am reminded of one of my politics lecturers at University back in the 1970s whose favourite pun, when confronted by yet another depleted seminar group, was to bemoan the absence of some of our more left-wing colleagues (we almost all were, it's just that some were off the scale), who were probably involved Mike Barkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15453607421766177229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-75187784012752648022010-07-10T01:00:02.582+01:002010-07-10T01:00:02.582+01:00Ianh raises the issue of free schools which will b...Ianh raises the issue of free schools which will be getting money to set up schools regardless of local demand!<br /><br />This is not a way of efficiently delivering state education - but subsidising the profits of private "education companies".<br /><br />I hate to use a pun but this is all about class interest. ;-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11443724356434212172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-53450773612784995252010-07-09T16:03:47.872+01:002010-07-09T16:03:47.872+01:00Mike,
I fhtere is "NO MONEY" then how ca...Mike,<br />I fhtere is "NO MONEY" then how can Gove be promoting his "Free Schools"?<br /><br />He wants to see new schools set up alongside exisitng,regardless of local need or surplus spaces etc.<br /><br />How on earth can this be an efficient way to deliver a quality state education?<br /><br />Are you suggesting that you/we should not be persuing this much needed funding ianhnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-27034596184176576922010-07-08T21:47:12.356+01:002010-07-08T21:47:12.356+01:00But Mike - there is money left. The government is ...But Mike - there is money left. The government is still collecting taxes and can still borrow.<br /><br />Public spending has made up for the fall in private investment. As happens during every recession, a spending deficit occurs.<br /><br />Now there's two options -<br /><br />Risk a return to recession through rushed spending cuts.<br /><br />Or secure the recovery and gradually reduce Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11443724356434212172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-28600802749189730472010-07-08T21:27:13.703+01:002010-07-08T21:27:13.703+01:00As you well know Ian, all three local parties foug...As you well know Ian, all three local parties fought for this money and I can't see anything in what I've written that could possibly be interpreted as suggesting that this money is not necessary. Please don't tell me to wake up to something you must realise I am fully aware of.<br /><br />The point I am making is that the money isn't there, no matter how much we would like it to Mike Barkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15453607421766177229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-91002394426815869902010-07-08T20:42:34.407+01:002010-07-08T20:42:34.407+01:00I won't turn the record off, Mike. I know many...I won't turn the record off, Mike. I know many people who voted for you who are disappointed at the coalition - and at your silence on the budget's attack on ordinary people.<br /><br />You could have spoken out against this - instead you have bowed down to the Tories and are now singing from their hymn sheet about it all being Labour's fault.<br /><br />The Liberals are now sharing Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11443724356434212172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-68511450019885295242010-07-08T16:42:46.876+01:002010-07-08T16:42:46.876+01:00Mike,
As you are probably aware i have been no fan...Mike,<br />As you are probably aware i have been no fan of the local Labour administration over the years.<br /><br />However your defence of these cuts I find very sad.<br />Hurworth is in a very different position to Longfield, with significantly worse infrastructure.<br /><br />This level of investment is not an aspiration, it is a necesity.<br />I know how hard at least one of your colleahuesianhnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-12328150208960731122010-07-08T08:48:50.833+01:002010-07-08T08:48:50.833+01:00Turn the record off James. You lost...get over it....Turn the record off James. You lost...get over it.Mike Barkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15453607421766177229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565935975551949363.post-91210967270106468452010-07-08T01:47:01.271+01:002010-07-08T01:47:01.271+01:00No, Mike - we now have a Tory government. And you ...No, Mike - we now have a Tory government. And you joined it. People won't forget that.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11443724356434212172noreply@blogger.com