Sorry I was out when you called....Part Two

If you have been enthusiastically following my blog, you might have seen that on Saturday I somehow managed to miss a personal call from Cllr Thompson. Thompson is the last surviving councillor from the Conservative party for the Pinhoe ward. Indeed, she called at my house but unfortunately I was out so not able to engage with her political campaign face to face. (Incidentally, my house is now listed via ‘FourSquare’ using GPS as “The Pinhoe Labour Safehouse” if you’re interested.)

Just in case the information slipped my radar, she tweeted a picture of herself stood outside my home. Additionally, she was courteous enough to leave a card. On this was Her Message to Pinhoe.

In Monday’s post we had a look at her important announcement that the Lib Dems "CAN'T WIN HERE!" as one might imagine Cllr Thompson shouting this invaluable piece of knowledge. She's right. They can't. Pinhoe will be won in May by either Labour or the Tories. Cllr Thompson is further quick to draw attention to the statistics: she rightly points out that in 2011 the electorate of Exeter gave the local Labour Party a 6% margin over the Tories. This means Pinhoe has a near-complete Labour team of Ben Bradshaw as our Labour MP, Saxon Spence as our Labour County Councillor, and Moira MacDonald as our Labour City Councillor. Once Cllr Thompson has gone, the community of Pinhoe will have an effective, united Labour team protecting and promoting its interests.

As Cllr Thompson also highlighted, as a key marginal, Pinhoe might also decide the final balance of the City Council. Which brings me to today's post. 

In keeping with Cllr Thompson's theme: "DON'T RISK A LABOUR COUNCIL,” today I will outline the paradoxical nature of her deeply flawed view. I’ll persuade you that a Labour council is the one thing we ABSOLUTELY need, in this very uncertain time nationally.

Why the people of Exeter wouldn't 

want to "risk" a Tory council

Come May, Exeter Council will take one of two routes. It shall be run by either the local Tories, or the local Labour group. That much Cllr Thompson and I can agree on. The key question is who has the ability to tend to the local people’s needs most effectively. Are the local people better off under Labour, or the Conservatives? Cllr Thompson is quick to outline that you wouldn’t dare want to “risk” a Labour council, but what about the risks you would be taking through the re-election of a Conservative Councillor in Pinhoe? Can we afford to let Exeter council to slip back to a Conservative majority? Is it wise to be persuaded by a party currently running the nearest comparable urban authorities: Plymouth and Torbay? (Don't get me started on the County Council! !) 

Let me elaborate...

Economy. 

The facts are unavoidable. Whichever way you look at it, Exeter is booming. Despite the global financial crisis, despite the poor growth outlook in the UK, despite the shocking VAT increase, businesses continue to invest in Labour-run Exeter. Exeter is growing. Exeter is succeeding. While the airport in Tory-controlled Plymouth closes, Exeter airport is growing. Home to Europe's largest domestic carrier, we have seen the opening of a state-of-the-art Flight School and continued investment in new routes. 

Despite a disastrous retail trading climate due to poor national consumer confidence, Labour-led Exeter has actually seen the number of vacant retail units FALL under a Labour council to just 6.4%. This is compared to 11.6% and up to 18% in Tory-controlled Plymouth and Torbay respectively (and a national average of 14%)

Jobs.

Only two local authority areas in our region have a Job Seekers Allowance claimant rate in the worse 50% nationally. Yes, Tory-controlled Plymouth, and Tory-controlled Torbay. The percentage of adults of working age who are deemed "economically inactive" in Labour-led Exeter is 17.7%. In Tory-run Torbay it is 23.6%, and even higher at 25.3% in Tory-controlled Plymouth. Exeter’s prosperity, generated and maintained by Labour, is illustrated by the average wages in the city, which are higher than both Plymouth and Torbay. 

Exeter's workforce is more successful, and it is skilled, and trained to a higher level. In Labour-led Exeter 75% have an NVQ Level 2 or higher qualification. In Tory-controlled Torbay the figure is 70.3%, and just 68.2% in Plymouth.

A Council that listens.

Despite widespread objections, Tory-controlled Plymouth council, pursuing its ideology of privatisation, spent nearly £1 million of local tax-payers money to sell-off the City Bus operation.

Recently, the Chair of Torbay’s Conservative Future, Nick Benstow, called for the scrapping of the protection of green belt land, ignoring all serious objections and outcries. Aside from Breaking ranks from his party's attempt to be seen as the "greenest government" he argued that it was a move bound to upset the "green freaks". Charming, I know.

Local residents' objections fell on deaf Tory ears in Plymouth

Meanwhile Conservative-run Plymouth Council has just approved the building of a massive incinerator that will "import" waste from across the south west, will operate 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and see over 260 HGVs per day drive through surrounding residential areas. This decision flew in the face of unparalleled local opposition. One Tory councillor even declared she was "prepared to lose her seat" (by de-selection by her own party) in order to oppose the scheme. Despite Plymouth Labour's best efforts, and to the absolute astonishment of local residents, the Conservative majority forced the vote through. So much for "localism." These very recent, very real events really do speak for themselves.

But now we have a real chance to continue to take Exeter’s Council in the RIGHT direction...

A Labour-led Council for Exeter will continue to develop the local economy, despite Tory cuts at national and county level.

A Labour-led Council for Exeter will continue to protect local jobs.

A Labour-led Council for Exeter will continue to engage with local residents and work in partnership with them.

Exeter’s success really is an exception to the rule in these hard national times. The success that Labour is generating here in the South West is fantastic. But the success is not luck, nor coincidence.

It is down to a hard-working, dedicated Labour MP, our Labour county councillors, and a  committed team of Labour city councillors.

DON'T RISK A TORY-LED COUNCIL.

Vote Labour on May 3rd.

Next time: “#allyearround”. Really?