|
|
 | | From: | Jackie Mulheron | | Subject: | Labour MPs trying to stop a "war" | | Date: | Fri, 21 Jan 2005 18:20:59 -0000 |
|
|
 | But only to save their own skins.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/31309.shtml
HOW heartening to learn that the Westminster Parliamentary Labour Party has
stamped its collective foot and, in no uncertain terms, told Tony and
Gordon: "This has got to stop," referring to the increasingly bitter and
public disaffection between the prime minister and the chancellor. How good
that they're all united behind such an important common cause: "the good of
the party".
How absolutely pitiful that they didn't think of saying "This has got to
stop" back in 2003, as they voted for Tony Blair to take this country into
an illegal and unjust war on Iraq.
Gordon's certainly right about one thing, though - which of us will ever
again be able to trust anything Blair says? Or indeed a Labour Party that
puts "the party" before all else?
A Campbell, 31 Bellfield Street, Edinburgh.
|
|
| | From: | Jackie Mulheron | | Subject: | Who says Scotland has a stronger voice through the UK? | | Date: | Fri, 21 Jan 2005 18:44:32 -0000 |
|
|
| http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=52432005
Sat 15 Jan 2005
Blame Westminster for aid cuts £600m
PETER MACMAHON
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT EDITOR
THE European Commission last night firmly blamed the British government for
the cuts of up to £600 million in regional development funding that Scotland
is set to suffer.
Ewa Hedlund, a spokeswoman for Dalia Grybauskaite, the European Union's
budget commissioner, told The Scotsman that the UK government's proposals to
cap overall European spending would lead to cuts in regional aid.
Her claim will increase pressure on Whitehall to prove that Scotland will
not suffer the cuts of between 15 and 50 per cent which Scottish Executive
officials have warned ministers to expect from 2007.
Opposition politicians claimed the UK government's backing for a plan to
limit total EU spending to 1 per cent of the gross national income of the
newly-expanded 25-member union was putting Scotland's development funding at
risk.
Their case was bolstered by Ms Hedlund's statement. She said that the budget
plans which six countries, including Britain, France and Germany, had put
forward would result in a reduction of £125 billion in EU spending between
2007 and 2013.
"If you were to have a 1 per cent limit, it means a cut," she said. "It
means less money for the priorities like competitiveness and regional
development."
Her statement will reinforce fears in the Highlands and Islands and the
Borders - which have received hundreds of millions of pounds - that they
will face a massive investment shortfall in two years.
John Swinney, the former SNP leader, condemned Westminster's position and
said: "The British government is completely wrong on this. The consequences
of their restricting EU funding will be cuts to money coming to Scotland."
Mr Swinney argued that the promise by Douglas Alexander, the UK trade
minister, that areas of Britain would not lose out when the government
"repatriates" regional funding from Brussels was too vague.
The Department of Trade and Industry said the government believed structural
funds should go only to the poorest member states. "This will allow these
economies to raise EU GDP levels and create new markets for UK exports," a
spokeswoman said. "Richer member states should have more scope to use their
own funds to tackle the causes of economic underperformance.
"We are aware that some areas that need help could potentially lose out, but
we want to ensure that they are properly supported."
|
|
|
