WE MUST HOLD THE LIB DEM LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABLE IN THE SPENDING REVIEW (South Dorset Liberal Democrats)

South Dorset Liberal Democrats <info@southdorsetlibdems.org.uk>

WE MUST HOLD THE LIB DEM LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABLE IN THE SPENDING REVIEW

September 21, 2010 5:28 PM
By ROS KAYES in Liberal Democrat Party Conference 21.9.10

ROS KAYES - WE MUST HOLD THE LIB DEM LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABLE IN THE SPENDING REVIEW

> Conference - I was one of the signatories to this motion because I believe that our party needs to hold our leadership to account on the delivery of social justice. I don't believe our ministers have got the balance right. Social mobility is a vital aim ; but when recession limits mobility for ALL of us, we need to protect the poor. Our welfare state combines the principle of the step ladder with that of the safety net - in times of austerity it is imperative that we protect the safety net. If Vince Cable's prescriptions for the economy were being sufficiently heeded in government I believe we would be protecting the poor - but it will be a retrograde step if George Osborne is allowed to run rampant like the reaper of death through benefits and services that ordinary people rely on. To identify those on benefits as making a lifestyle choice when there are no jobs available is simply contemptible. But to deny their children the chance to climb out of poverty is even worse. So I want to ask - where is the funding we promised for FE, apprenticeships, internships & employment schemes ? Both coalition parties promised this in their manifestoes. If we salvage any spending from Osborne's cuts it MUST be diverted to funding for growth. So that we as a party deliver on our commitment to social justice & regenerating our broken economy. Conference - in Bridport, Dorset , I am part of a community enterprise that is putting the real ' Big Society ' into action by starting our area's first skills training centre for NEETS & hard to reach youngsters in my deprived council ward. We've had a huge success rate - 80% graduating to full time college, apprenticeships or employment. When I asked Oliver Letwin , Bridports MP & proponent of Big Society last week about the liklihood of future funding he looked at me as though I was mad. Conference - there can be no economic regeneration without fully funded skills training. Redirecting money from universal benefits paid to the affluent could pay for this. You can't build a recovery on sand. I urge you to hold our ministers to account by supporting this motion.