Thursday 20 March 2014

Letter 128: George's Budget's not great


"Dear Dave, 
Come play with voters, while George's budget is  disassembled and we wait for someone to crowd fund Grant Shapps' #torybingo poster to display outside Gala halls and Poundland shops:
   


2.For the
 privileged
few

39.Tax havens 
are fine

20. We’ve
got plenty

24.Olde people
 vote more

30. Bullingdon   Bertie



35. Food banks mushroom & thrive


63. Empathy
free

64. Cuts for
the poor

10. The rich 
gain again

75. Bringing
Dickens alive


1. NHS
    gone



38. Longer
hospital
wait


48. Dismantle
 the
 State


78. Disabled     can
 wait
 
34. Living
 costs
 soar

44. Ignore
 young  &
      poor

6. More
      Tory


74. Take from
poor, give
rich more

bait

22. Deficit
grew

4. More
working


68. Your
 pension
can wait
   

27. Rich
man’s
heaven

104. Cuts for
the poor


Shall I get the beers in?
Yours with best wishes, etc"


 

Saturday 8 March 2014

Letter 127: International Women's Day, Coalition style


"Dear Dave and Nick,
Thanks for this: 
@David_Cameron "On #IWD we celebrate the achievements of women and must redouble our efforts to end discrimination and persecution around the world." 
And this: 
@nick-clegg " helps remind us that we should always support greater equality and promote the achievements of women ow.ly/ulHsK"
On International Women's Day, it would be reassuring to know that you've got my back. We're going to need all the help we can get, since your tax and benefits changes seem to impact women four times harder than men. Oh blimes, as members of the Quad, you both signed those changes off, didn't you? And what's this? A new £20 billion black hole in public finances? Which we all know you'll be backing George to pay for with more cuts and tax rises.... Sigh. You do know actions speak louder than words, don't you?

Yours with best wishes, speaking as one of the many UK women on a low income,etc "








Friday 7 March 2014

Letter 126: The protest against cuts to legal aid is a fight for social justice


Dear Dave,
Have you looked outside your window today? What a marvellous turnout of barristers, solicitors and general public opposed to the cuts to legal aid. I just wanted write and let you know that though I couldn't be in London to march with them, I totally support their actions and am there in spirit. It seems I'm in good company. As John Cooper, QC rightly said: "You don't have to be a lawyer to care what happens to justice." My particular concern is the effects of the cuts on abused womenthough there's a much wider impact than just on that vulnerable group. I read in the Guardian that Doreen Lawrence believes that without legal aid, she and her husband might not have been able to continue their campaign for justice. Powerful and timely endorsement. And on the other side of court, shouldn't everyone accused have access to a competent defence lawyer, not just the wealthy?

Yours etc"


Letter 125: It's transparent this government has an immigration problem it wants to hide



"Dear Dave,
I'm going to ask you a question (no, not about domestic help). If you could choose, which would you say is the more embarrassing; that immigration has little effect on unemployment, or that Downing Street has been blocking the civil servant report showing this

Tricky choice though it is, I'd say the latter. Now we know immigration has little effect on unemployment, some good can come form the knowledge. You can stand up to your backbenchers and apply for that EU flood relief. That way you can offer the people of Somerset a better deal that the £20 million announced by Owen Paterson today Plus it's a blessed relief to see the dogwhistle politics shown for what it really is. The misinformation can stop, if only for a little while.

As a voter, I'd say blocking the report concerns me most. You yourself said that trust in politicians is important and I share your belief. So when searching a little deeper, I was dismayed to find six more reports that the Huffington Post say you've suppressed, here:
Transparently, you have a problem.

Yours, etc"