What price "Localism"?

[stockhausen]

In pursuit of Cameron's "Localism" initiative, George Gideon Oliver Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and multi-millionaire heir to the Osborne baronetcy has come up with the cunning vote-grabbing idea of dictating to Local Councils that they may not increase the Council Tax.

Pass the sick-bag Doris.

 

[stockhausen]

I take it form the last two posts that you would agree with me that Cameron & Pickle's posturing about devolving power from Whitehall to local communities ("Localism") was nothing more nor less than meaningless propaganda and lies then?

 

[stockhausen]

Since when is preventing the council's increasing council tax a devolution of Localism? ...

What

... Is Localism really delegating responsibility and choice to the communities and empowering local groups? ...

I would have thought it certainly should be, yes. As it happens, I believe that it an entirely meaningless slogan that has been thought through just about as carefully as the Deforestation idea and the thoroughly unpopular privatisation of the NHS.

The Tories claiming that they want to devolve power from Whitehall to local communities doesn't really seem to sit too comfortably with saying that councils elected by local communities should have no control over their income.

I notice that Pickles recently found a spare £250 million lying around and unclaimed that he could bung at local councils to reinstate weekly refuse collection. No connection with the upcoming Tory party conference of course

 

[stockhausen]

I'm more worried that David Cameron thinks that British scientists invented DNA.

Ohhh yes. If it wasn't for plucky British Scientists, DNA would never have been invented and none of us would be here today.

I take it that you didn't read PP&E at Oxford or you would be aware of this sort of basic stuff

 

[stockhausen]

They aren't dictating, they have no power to force it on councils. However if councils freeze or lower council tax they get extra central funding. What's the issue here?

I take it that if someone approached you in the street and invited you to hand over your mobile and wallet as an alternative to having a knife stuck in your guts, you would consider that there was absolutely no question of force or coercion since you were quite at liberty to reject his suggestion

Perhaps if you were actually to read my opening and subsequent post about refuse collection you would (with a little effort) realise that my points are that:

• Cameron & Pickle's "Localism" plans are meaningless waffle
• No matter how dire the state of the economy, the Tories can always find a few hundred millions in order to grab the headlines around conference time

You really, really should stick to cutting and pasting F1 gossip sunshine