tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post7498183029733520370..comments2023-05-28T10:59:57.169+01:00Comments on Jon's labour movement blog: Tory cuts - what should Labour do?Jon Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779486527359048519noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30704611.post-12188686698036835102011-02-09T18:28:01.650+00:002011-02-09T18:28:01.650+00:00Jon, I respect your views on this. We all share t...Jon, I respect your views on this. We all share the same objective - removing this Government and opposing their cuts. But we seem to have different tactics. The Council cannot set an illegal budget. It would be ruinous and it would play straight into Tory hands. Ted Knight's tactics failed in the '80s. We are still paying off the debts he ran up - money that would otherwise be going on protecting services. The Tories would love it if we ran up the white flag, said we won't set a budget, so they could send in administrators saying Labour's not up to the job of running a council. What we can do is protect the most vulnerable, make clear and visible our opposition, and campaign for the defeat of this Government through the ballot box. All of that I will do. But above all else those of us opposed to the cuts MUST stand together. Some of your comments were personally deeply offensive. You know we are not Nazi collaborators and to say things like that debases your point. There was a small number of people at Cabinet on Monday intent on causing division for their own political ends. I don't mean the trade unions and nor do I mean the genuine groups of local residents with whom we all sympathise. We must not let such people divide us. You know we cannot set an illegal budget so please stop demanding it for cheap applause. Establishing a needs budget based on funding that the Government should have made available is a different matter and I would be happy to discuss that further. In unity! Steve Reed.Cllr Steve Reedhttp://cllrstevereed.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com