Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn

SocialistAC Sun Aug 12, 2007 at 12:15:43 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,,2147199,00.html 

"The most controversial proposal in the report, which aims to improve the competitiveness of the British economy, would see a Tory government restore the opt-out from the European Social Chapter, which was removed by Labour in 1997. Redwood will also call for EU working time regulations to be repealed."




Don't we already have the longest working weeks in Europe? Won't the opt-out of the Social Chapter mean the (eventual) end of the minimum wage, trade union recognition, gender equality laws, protection for disabled workers, etc etc? Horrifying.

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Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn | 8 comments (8 topical)

Re: Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn (#1)

by Angiem on Sun Aug 12, 2007 at 09:19:14 AM GMT

Just as you thought that David Cameron could not make matters worse for his ailing party. He digs up Redwood. What other horrors are going to appear? Is Jeffery Archer going to be reinstated as a man of truth and integrity? It Seems the caring chameleon is now a darker shade of blue.


Re: Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn (#2)

by NorthernMonkey on Sun Aug 12, 2007 at 01:30:17 PM GMT

Ah, so the great lurch to the right is finally in full swing. Cameron's shooting himself in the foot if he thinks John Redwood is the man to follow.


Re: Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn (#3)

by sgthowie on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 01:02:44 AM GMT

What a nightmare it would be.  The Social Chapter also gives minimum holiday provisions, which will finally be in line with the rest of the EU in 2009 when the 8 bank holidays are excluded from the statutory 20 days.  


How on earth can that be described as 'red tape'?  Allowing 2 millions workers to have paid holidays for the first is ever so beaurocratic isn't it?


Re: Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn (#4)

by swatantra on Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 09:07:38 AM GMT

Redwood is a dangerous right wing fanatic in the same mould as Keith Joseph; he is the apostle of Conservativism. But thank goodness he's such a prat nobody is going to listen to him.


[ Parent ]

Re: Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn (#5)

by Loz on Tue Aug 14, 2007 at 03:55:55 PM GMT

Just had a quick glance at the sun today - paticuarly their editorial which seems also to have swung behind the Tories.


They were moaning about the BBCs coverage of the 'announcement' and the fact they DARED to show that video: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RIwBvjoLyZc. 


I think if most people knew the sort of thing the tories were planning to cut - they'd be as worried as we were.


The problem is - far from knowing what the tories plan to cut - they don't even know they have these rights in the first place.


Can we please see some Labour ministers coming out and making these points? I have just seen the usual cliche 'tory public spending cuts' tripe which really has little impact.


If they were to spell out exactly what these things are - this will backfire for the Tories.


(I'm sure int the Tory PR bunker they were covering their faces with their hands as they remembered that late night they decided to put Redwood in charge of anything). 


Re: Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn (#6)

by Angiem on Tue Aug 14, 2007 at 10:18:32 PM GMT

I fully agree with you. As for your last sentence,  I should think that any decent Tory out there, and I do think there are some, would be covering there face in shame that thier leadership has brought this embarrassment upon them. Who can ever forget the miming the Welsh National Anthem incident. Remember his failed leadership bid against John Major?


[ Parent ]

Re: Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn (#7)

by JM on Tue Aug 14, 2007 at 11:21:44 PM GMT

If Labour plays it cool, this could win us the next election.

But we shouldn’t forget that some of Redwood's proposals, much as they're wrong, could be popular if we give them the opportunity to spin them properly.

There's a lot of mileage in the Tories if they promote these as cutting bureaucracy, standing up for UK interests against the EU etc. We need to explain to people exactly why these proposals are exactly the WRONG way to cut bureaucracy and the WRONG issues to oppose the EU on. 


Re: Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn (#8)

by MacArthur on Sat Sep 15, 2007 at 07:32:25 PM GMT

A sad, desperate attempt by Cameron to gain publicity and, he hopes, a jump on Labour for his ailing party.

His goose is cooked - the man who wants to be everyone's friend has lost it.

One shouldn't gloat, but Labour IMO has the next election to lose.


Tories plan £14Bn/year slash'n'burn | 8 comments (8 topical)