Are the railways now a metaphor for our incompetent government? Billions have been spent on HS2, promised as the zero carbon, high speed, rail network of the future. Now it won’t even reach central London and the link to Manchester and beyond may never be built. This year has seen industrial disputes, cancellations, and tooContinue reading Thomas the Tank
Rishi Sunak wants to be your friend, at least he wants to be somebody’s friend. Last week he posed for pictures at a pub on the very day he increased taxes on your favourite tipple. He claims it’s a public health measure, protecting us from ourselves. It means almost another £1 on a bottle ofContinue reading PM sounds way too much like a fair-weather pal
The Nat West Bank has been making news for the wrong reasons especially given it’s almost 40% owned by the British taxpayer, having been bailed out by the government in 2008. It also owns the posh bank Coutt’s who are reputed to only accept customers with at least £1million. It’s emerged that not only doContinue reading Bank on PM not to care
As summer arrives, so too does news of the first hosepipe ban of the season and the threat of more to come. Despite experiencing the wettest March since 1981, parts of the country are already facing a water shortage. Many point to the effects of climate change and its certainly true, across the world, thatContinue reading Golden Shot At Regulation
This week I asked the Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills about the £600 million levy returned to the Treasury due to the drop of apprenticeship starts this year. Given the skills shortages affecting our economy, it would make sense to let businesses in my constituency and elsewhere utilise at least some of that returned moneyContinue reading What is the Government doing with the apprenticeship levy?
It’s hard to imagine now that the mantra of Tony Blair’s government was once, ‘Education, Education, Education’. A recent survey reveals that two thirds of schools in England are facing budget deficits which will lead to staff cuts and reductions in other services, including mental health support. Too many of our children aren’t getting theContinue reading Shadow Education Secretary Bridget sets out mantra
WHAT’S the fascination with outsourcing that makes so many managers and consultants offer it as the solution when they’re asked to make improvements or find savings? Public is not always best but there’s no guarantee private is either. There have been some spectacular government failures with prisons, probation, and tagging of offenders. In Birmingham weContinue reading Peril of failed outsourcing
Steve McCabe MP has recently visited Speciality Minerals in Lifford Lane. It follows some local complaints about noise from the site. The actual site has been there since 1898 and Steve first visited back in the early 1990s when he was a councillor for the Brandwood Ward. There have been some lurid stories on social media aboutContinue reading Steve McCabe MP visits Speciality Minerals
Steve McCabe MP visited the local constituency fire station in Billesley recently, to check in with staff during this summer of intense heatwaves and the cost-of-living crisis. Steve had an informative chat with the station staff who stressed that not only are the recent scorching temperatures affecting the risk of fire and hazard, but theContinue reading Steve McCabe MP visits local fire station
AFTER 12 glorious days, in which Birmingham showed the world just what we can do, the Commonwealth Games have come to an end with a closing ceremony just as enjoyable as the spectacular opening. We weren’t the first choice to host the Games and only stepped in after it became apparent that Durban couldn’t deliver.Continue reading A PERFECT SHOWCASE
