The Prime Minister has announced a plan allowing those who have lost their jobs to defer their mortgage payments for up to two years.

The plan is designed to give a breathing space to those who have lost their jobs - in order to find new employment - without the stress and worry of losing their house as well.

8 Major lenders have signed up to the plan, covering 70% of all mortgages in the nation.

The difference in this recession is clear. On one hand, you have the opposition - devoid of ideas and direction on the economy - a do nothing party with a do nothing leader and on the other - you have a government taking real action to help families in this downturn with a Prime Minister who is this nation's best and only hope to help us through this down turn and return our economy to prosperity.

 

 

Some very interesting numbers coming out of the latest Comres poll, to be published in the Indy tomorrow.

 PDF here: http://www.communicateresearch.com/page190624540.aspx

The YouGov poll was done for the Telegraph and was conducted on Monday evening and Tuesday morning after the PBR

 

Can you guess which holiday was not in the UK?

As the nation tightens its belt to weather what looks to be the worst international crisis since the war - it would appear that the economic downturn is not having such an impact on the cameron household.

The mirror has found out that Cameron took a £21,000 a week holiday this year, only - on this occassion, the press were not invited; as opposed to them being invited to his bucket and spade photo shoot.

Waited on by an army of staff, the yacht comes with its own personal chef.

The Labour MP for Rotherham said: "When the vast majority of hard-working British people are not sure if they can afford one holiday a year, here is Two-vacation Cameron showing, as long as you are super-rich, you can forget the day-job.

"Cameron tries to pretend he goes on bucket-and-spade holidays but in reality he goes sailing in the lap of luxury with his rich friends."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/08/23/exclusive-lavish-holiday-exposes-the-lie-of-ordi nary-guy-david-cameron-115875-20708731/ 

L'État, c'est moi? Or is it a case of letting them eat cake?

...and criticises David Cameron and co

From the Financial Times:

"Leading UK business organisations on Tuesday opposed David Cameron, opposition Conservative leader, on the best economic response to the recession, backing the prime minister’s assertion that unfunded tax cuts were urgently needed.

We are now back in hung parliament territory; what a difference a crisis makes - the public know leadership when they see it.

The shadow chancellor has launched a scathing attack on the strength of the pound - stating that he believes more government borrowing could lead to a run on the currency. You could almost sense he wants it to happen.

A survey of the conservative grassroots has shown a wholesale abandonment of their shadow chancellor -

The result of 1600 respondents reveal an approval rating of just 2% as compared with 70% only a month ago. If the tory grassroots have no faith in his ability to run the economy; why on earth should the voters?

Giddeon is the weakest link on the tory front bench, especially as we are headed into recession - Brown and Darling should be more than capable of wiping the floor with the lightweight.

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/torydiary/2008/11/grassroots-have.html 

Once Obama takes office, what action will he take to mark a clear departure from Bush's aggressive foreign policy?

And if we can now expect a Presidency that is more committed to multilateral discussion, on what issues should those on the left around the world apply pressure, in order to ensure progressive change?

Have a read of this brilliant opinion piece in the new york times today. The analysis is spot on and clearly shows the decisiveness and breathtaking speed that our government has moved to stem the rot.

Labour's response to the financial crisis is exemplary. The real battle will be to make sure the shares of the banks acquired by the public will remain in public hands when the going gets good again. After all, it could pay for our pensions.

From the mail (shock horror...)

"He spent Friday on the sunny shores of Lake Como, on the final day of a luxury break organised by the hard-pressed bank's private wealth division.

While he enjoyed the balmy surroundings of one of Europe's most expensive hotels, where rooms can cost £1,000 a night, markets in London and America went into freefall."

Richard Caborn added: 'This is classic Tory hypocrisy. On the one hand David Cameron is frantically trying to distance himself from his chums in the city by slagging off bankers' bonuses. On the other hand his right-hand man is jetting off to join a £500,000 bankers' banquet in Italy.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1076370/Top-Tory-William-Hague-flew-Barclays-500-000-Italian -jolly-markets-crashed.html

No More Pinochets in Latin America - Bolivia and Venezuela in the front line

Tuesday 14 October, 7pm,
Committee Room 11, House of Commons. (Nearest tube: Westminster)
 
Speakers include:

• Maria Beatriz Souviron, Ambassador of Bolivia to Britain
• Samuel Moncada, Ambassador of Venezuela to Britain
• Colin Burgon MP, Chair of Labour Friends of Venezuela

How come Tom Harris, perhaps the only minister who wrote with us, the plebs, in LabourHome in recent times, is sacked?

The frontbench tory who has argued that councils should actively oppose the goverment has revealed his true colours today.

I know we shouldn't really take personal matters into political beliefs, but it helps to explain my support for the Labour party.

I joined Labour because earlier this year I had a heart operation. And I only waited 12 weeks for it. Had I been waiting 18 months for my operation, I could be very ill.

I joined Labour because they gave enough funding to schools that they couldn't give up on me, even with a learning "disorder".

I joined Labour because they've given the economic security through redistribution for my mum to be free.

When my family has been poor and alone, a Labour government did not abandon us. They helped. Whether it is through EMA's, or SureStart, or the minimum wage, a Labour government didn't forget me. And I haven't forgotten their help.

Our government has taken decisive action to avert financial meltdown. B&B has been taken into public ownership and could be merged with Northern Rock.

according to the Guardian