Labour's scorched earth policy

Subject: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 17 May 10 - 11:10 AM

From The Times:

Billions of pounds in public money was committed in the run-up to the election campaign in a deliberate strategy to boost Labour's chances at the ballot box and sabotage the next government.

One former Labour minister told The Sunday Times: "There was collusion between ministers and civil servants to get as many contracts signed off as possible before the election was called."

One former adviser to the schools department said there was a deliberate policy of "scorched earth". "The atmosphere was 'pull up all the railways, burn the grain stores, leave nothing for the Tories'," he added.

The disclosures come as George Osborne, the chancellor, prepares this week to reveal details of an initial £6 billion of cuts to help plug the hole in the £163 billion deficit. A full emergency budget next month will see some departmental budgets being slashed by up to 25% as well as tax rises, including a possible hike in Vat.

Many ministers are spending this weekend going through their red boxes trying to understand the scale of the budgetary black holes facing their departments.

This week the government is expected to call a temporary halt to recently signed IT contracts, while new public sector construction projects will be reviewed.

The "black holes" that ministers have already unearthed include:

- A series of defence contracts signed shortly before the election, including a £13 billion tanker aircraft programme whose cost has "astonished and baffled" ministers.

- £420m of school building contracts, many targeting Labour marginals, signed off by Ed Balls, the former schools secretary, weeks before the general election was called.

Interesting???

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: Stu
Date: 17 May 10 - 11:16 AM

Not really.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 17 May 10 - 11:48 AM

Precisely my thoughts, Jack. That and a noble desire to limit the harm that the conservatives could do.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 17 May 10 - 11:58 AM

No Richard, the new coalition government, will spend the first half of it's term in office, undoing all the doctrinaire and idealistic, but impractical things, that the outgoing New Labour government has done.
They will then spend the second half building up our reserves, so that the next New Labour government can start squandering all over again.

Remember the mantra of the last government? They blamed everything on '13 years of Tory mis-rule'
Why does it sound even more hollow now, than it did then, after 13 years of Blair and Brown?

BTW, I vote for neither party, so don't accuse me of affinities I don't espouse.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 May 10 - 01:26 PM

Not to worry - win the referendum on the Alternative Vote, and we can all vote Green next time.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 17 May 10 - 02:59 PM

This school playground bickering is so tiresome.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 17 May 10 - 03:51 PM

You started it!
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 17 May 10 - 04:15 PM

It wisnae me sir, a big boy din it an' ran awa'.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 May 10 - 06:51 PM

Fight! Fight!

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: GUEST,Steamin' Willie
Date: 18 May 10 - 04:27 AM

Well, away from my absurd nom de plume, I used to be a special advisor, which sounds grand but as a Ministerial appointment chairing a public body, it was part of the trade.

The reason I mention this is that one of my chores was to brief shadow ministers and spokesmen. if that didn't satisfy them, they had the right to what are called privy briefings where the ministers had to tell them what they were doing.

This is because opposition does have a role, and his called Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Which means, in our archaic yet not altogether broken system, that the head of state not only agrees to appointing ministers but gives the right to shadow ministers to challenge effectively, hence being briefed on what is going on.

In short, Osborne either knew the state of affairs or he is guilty of a serious dereliction of duty. Nothing new in claiming the situation is worse than you expected. After all, you promised to make it all better and you need an excuse why you can't do so.

Just so tiresome to hear an otherwise respected newspaper do the bidding of their boss the dirty digger, and prostitute themselves to stories that insult the intelligence of many of their readers.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 18 May 10 - 05:12 AM

I doubt if the readers of some of the dirty digger's rags, have any intelligence to insult.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 May 10 - 07:13 AM

The Times probably has a few serious readers, though it's hard to see why.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 May 10 - 08:22 AM

As Mister Mudoch's assorted Media outlets had a definate aim to stop New Labour , and particularly Gordon Brown winning the election over the twelve months before the election was even announced , I personally wouldnt believe a word that was produced by them now

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 18 May 10 - 08:23 AM

Nice to see even "New Labour" accused of idealism. I'm all for idealism, myself.

Subject: RE: Labour's scorched earth policy
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 18 May 10 - 08:34 AM

Hitler was an idealist too, Richard :)