David Cameron campaigning against Tory cuts

scorza · 12 Nov 2015 at 07:48

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34788129

David Cameron is involved in a row with the Conservative leader of his local county council over cuts to services.

The PM has written to Oxfordshire council leader Ian Hudspeth saying he is "disappointed" at proposed "cuts to frontline services, from elderly day centres, to libraries, to museums".

We all are "disappointed" Dave, we all are.

He's also potentially violated the ministerial code by inviting Oxfordshire county council to the No 10 Policy Unit to discuss the cuts. The code says that ministers may not use their ministerial position to secure an advantage for their constituency.

Nodiggidy123 · 12 Nov 2015 at 07:52

What are the consequences for "breaking" the ministerial code?

scorza · 12 Nov 2015 at 07:54

Nodiggidy123 said:
What are the consequences for "breaking" the ministerial code?

Dunno, probably not much - may have to apologise to parliament.

NexusK · 12 Nov 2015 at 07:56

Hilarious

Cameron complains that he is “disappointed” by the council’s proposals “to make significant cuts to frontline services – from elderly day centres, to libraries, to museums. This is in addition to the unwelcome and counter-productive proposals to close children’s centres across the county.” Why, he asks, has Oxfordshire not focused instead on “making back-office savings”? Why hasn’t it sold off its surplus property? After all, there has been only “a slight fall in government grants in cash terms”. Couldn’t the county “generate savings in a more creative manner”?

Explaining the issue gently, as if to a slow learner, the council leader, Ian Hudspeth, points out that the council has already culled its back-office functions, slashing 40% of its most senior staff and 2,800 jobs in total, with the result that it now spends less on these roles than most other counties. He explains that he has already flogged all the property he can lay hands on, but would like to remind the prime minister that using the income from these sales to pay for the council’s running costs “is neither legal, nor sustainable in the long-term since they are one-off receipts”.

As for Cameron’s claim about government grants, Hudspeth comments: “I cannot accept your description of a drop in funding of £72m or 37% as a ‘slight fall’.”

Freakbro · 12 Nov 2015 at 08:08

Was coming to post this, oh the irony!

I guess it's just like everyone else, cuts are fine, until they affect yourself (or in this case, your constituents...) Oh those poor people in Oxfordshire, how will they cope. Wait....are there any poor people in Oxfordshire?

If you want to read the letters themselves

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/11_11_15_cameronletter.pdf DC's

and the fairly robust 6 page reply

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/11_11_15_oxfordreply.pdf

Oh and I love John McDonnells quote on this story

For Labour, shadow chancellor John McDonnell told the BBC: "I'm backing David Cameron on this one, he is absolutely right that his chancellor's cuts to local government are seriously damaging our communities and have to be opposed.

"I welcome the prime minister as another Tory MP joining our campaign against George Osborne's cuts."

Cosimo · 12 Nov 2015 at 08:14

Nodiggidy123 said:
What are the consequences for "breaking" the ministerial code?

He slaps himself on the wrist and Labour will choke on the story.

Sliver · 12 Nov 2015 at 08:27

Cosimo said:
He slaps himself on the wrist and Labour will choke on the story.

I'm choking on the irony.

wordy · 12 Nov 2015 at 08:49

Freakbro said:
Was coming to post this, oh the irony!

I guess it's just like everyone else, cuts are fine, until they affect yourself (or in this case, your constituents...) Oh those poor people in Oxfordshire, how will they cope. Wait....are there any poor people in Oxfordshire?

If you want to read the letters themselves

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/11_11_15_cameronletter.pdf DC's

and the fairly robust 6 page reply

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/11_11_15_oxfordreply.pdf

Oh and I love John McDonnells quote on this story

mattyfez · 12 Nov 2015 at 08:51

Hopefully he'll now realise that local authorities can't be trusted with administering budget cuts, rather than cut waste and look at actually making things more efficient, they simply cut front line services and blame it on central government.

Welcome to the party, David!

wordy · 12 Nov 2015 at 09:02

mattyfez said:
Hopefully he'll now realise that local authorities can't be trusted with administering budget cuts, rather than cut waste and look at actually making things more efficient, they simply cut front line services and blame it on central government.

Welcome to the party, David!

No they don't.

I guess you missed this part from the BBC article....

The county council leader points out that the authority employs almost 3,000 fewer people than it did in 2010.

Tunney · 12 Nov 2015 at 09:38

mattyfez said:
Hopefully he'll now realise that local authorities can't be trusted with administering budget cuts, rather than cut waste and look at actually making things more efficient, they simply cut front line services and blame it on central government.

Welcome to the party, David!

Or maybe it's impossible to run all of the essential services with a 37% cut in funding? Selling off property is a very short term solution to the problem.

This is a Tory-run council. They don't have anything to gain from blaming central government.

wordy · 12 Nov 2015 at 09:46

Tunney said:
This is a Tory-run council. They don't have anything to gain from blaming central government.

This.

In Rotherham you have a labour run council (god knows why after what they did) & the 1st thing they do when mentioning services being trimmed or cut is say "Due to the cuts by the Conservative Government"

Oxfordshire is a tory council, blaming central government is the last thing they want to do, but Ian Hudspeth has been forced to defend himself publicly because of Cameron's interfering.

platypus · 12 Nov 2015 at 10:20

Pretty hilarious.

However, David Cameron MP probably has to do this as his duty to his constituents, whereas David Cameron PM obviously doesn't know what he's doing.

scorza · 12 Nov 2015 at 10:24

Tunney said:
Or maybe it's impossible to run all of the essential services with a 37% cut in funding? Selling off property is a very short term solution to the problem.

This is a Tory-run council. They don't have anything to gain from blaming central government.

To be honest, in my experience the sort of Tories who go into local government politics are decent human beings. Quite different to the sort of Tory who goes to Westminster. That's why despite my rational hatred of the Tory governments, I do actually tend to vote Tory in local elections.

Cosimo · 12 Nov 2015 at 10:26

scorza said:
To be honest, in my experience the sort of Tories who go into local government politics are decent human beings. Quite different to the sort of Tory who goes to Westminster. That's why despite my rational hatred of the Tory governments, I do actually tend to vote Tory in local elections.

What personal experience do you have of a Tory in Westminster?

Uther · 12 Nov 2015 at 10:29

Fantastic story to start the day!

JohnnyG · 12 Nov 2015 at 10:30

scorza said:
To be honest, in my experience the sort of Tories who go into local government politics are decent human beings. Quite different to the sort of Tory who goes to Westminster. That's why despite my rational hatred of the Tory governments, I do actually tend to vote Tory in local elections.

I know a Tory who's done both and he is the same person believe it or not.

cheesyboy · 12 Nov 2015 at 10:32

This is how the Tory's can happily make the sort of cuts they're making: they don't have any ****ing clue of the impact those cuts actually have.

Cameron's surprise at the real impacts of local government cuts should be considered hand in hand with the surprise to him and Osborne over the actual real impact on poor Hard Working Families™ of their planned tax credit cuts.

chris.tarry85 · 12 Nov 2015 at 13:46

Hudspeth is a laughing stock within Oxfordshire, he spouts he pro-conservative propaganda when it suits him but as soon as he is criticized turns straight around and blames it on central government.

He needs to understand that he campaigned on a Conservative manifesto and therefore by default said that he agreed with their plans.

Surely if he is as close to Cameron as he claims to be he would have known the cuts that were coming.

The county council is massively inefficient and wastes a huge amount on ridiculous projects (look at the amount of roadworks around Oxford at the moment for example)

chris.tarry85 · 12 Nov 2015 at 13:48

wordy said:
This.

In Rotherham you have a labour run council (god knows why after what they did) & the 1st thing they do when mentioning services being trimmed or cut is say "Due to the cuts by the Conservative Government"

Oxfordshire is a tory council, blaming central government is the last thing they want to do, but Ian Hudspeth has been forced to defend himself publicly because of Cameron's interfering.

Not entirely true - as an Oxfordshire resident I have contacted Hudspeth with concerns which he has been quite happy to blame directly on central government.