“CHANGE. Yes! That’s it, that’s the slogan”, someone in “Scottish” Labour’s HQ in London probably exclaimed in recent months.
Politics might be the only area where people like seeing change; so what change is it that’s coming when Labour inevitably take office following the Conservative’s total collapse across the UK?
Nationalisation? Sorry, but from railways to big energy companies, nationalisation is no longer on the docket. Free movement? Starmer did campaign for a 2nd EU referendum after all, but no, ditched. Some leftie policies? Don't be daft, taxing the richest top 5% of earners was binned ages ago, as was the wealth tax.
How about the Tories’ obscene child benefit cap? They won't scrap that either while scrapping the Universal Credit system was dropped in favour of reforming it, again. Saving our NHS and stopping the creep of privatisation saw another U-turn with Labour now planning to increase private sector involvement in our NHS.
But all this is national stuff, and Kier Starmer isn’t a candidate in West Dunbartonshire. A local councillor in Clydebank is. It's been over two years since he put on the chains of the provost’s office at WDC so at least we can look at what change the local Labour guy has brought.
Increased fees and charges. Despite inflation dropping below 4%, his administration imposed a 10% increase in 2024. At the same time, bin collections were reduced to every third week, and if you want your brown bin emptied, you will have to pay £60 per year. Festive events were cancelled, including Alexandria’s Christmas lights switch-on with Balloch’s Highland Games funding pulled just months before the event was due.
Daughters and Sons of the Rock, be advised that the Pipe Band Championships are also being eyed up, and the annual fireworks display too, so Dumbarton won't escape the Red Grinch for long. Whether it's cuts to the Care & Repair service or Y Sort-it, be you young or old, West Dunbartonshire Labour has more change lined up just for you. Sadly, children and families were particularly heavily targeted this year, with reductions to early learning teachers, primary teachers and support staff all voted through by Labour’s local Westminster hopeful.
The budget for new books and digital and audio resources was slashed too. Labour has started closing or just rendering useless our libraries with Balloch Library being moved into a refurbished cupboard at the local primary school, and, though they haven’t officially admitted it yet, Parkhall Library is being given the same treatment. I understand from the council officer's reports that the number of bookshelves they have will be less than I have at home!
It sounds like the only good idea to come from Labour then, was their catchy, one-word slogan. Another catchy political slogan we saw recently was “Take back control”, and look how that turned out. History doesn’t repeat itself exactly, but it sure does rhyme and with Labour's commitment to reduce public spending even further, I know exactly who I will NOT be voting for on 4th July.
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