The council’s own reports warn that many of the Tories’ proposed cuts would fall disproportionately on the elderly and the vulnerable, whilst at the same time protecting the 10% council tax discount for the most well off senior citizens in the city.

Labour Group Leader Councillor Richard Williams said; “We’ve used the council’s own assessments to show where the impacts of their cuts are most serious. In many cases they affect the elderly and the vulnerable the most. In tough times like these, the better off should shoulder more of the challenges, not those with the least. That’s why we want to reallocate the £1,000,000 rich pensioners Council Tax discount to services that help many more elderly and vulnerable people.”

For example, Labour proposes to stop the Tories’ increases in the price of day care and services for disabled people. They would also use some of the saved discount to keep the city clean.

“We’ve all had enough of dirty streets with the Tories’ mismanagement of the staff dispute this year. In the year that we hope many more tourists will visit the city to see the new Sea City Museum the last thing we want is even more dirty streets.”

Labour would re-instate the £90,000 cut in support for people suffering domestic violence. Their amendment would also ensure that in a multi-cultural city like ours that the much valued Community Language Service will be re-instated.

Councillor Stephen Barnes-Andrews, Labour’s Shadow Spokesperson for Resources added; “The Tories have shown little regard for their own Equality Impact Assessments when it comes to the vulnerable. Community Safety is a key concern for all residents, especially the vulnerable.”

Labour’s proposals are also expected to save £170,000 in redundancy payments.

Unemployment is now higher than at any point since 1994, the last time the Conservative Party was in power. Youth unemployment is now perilously close being over one million. Women’s unemployment now stands at 1,069,000, the highest it has been since 1988.

Today’s figures are the clearest proof yet that the Tory-led Government’s decision to cut too far and too fast is hurting and not working.

Mr Denham said: “These bleak unemployment figures are bad news. It clearly shows the Tory-led Government has taken Britain on the wrong path. While unemployment is decreasing in America, Japan and the rest of Europe, ours has risen to its highest level in 17 years.

“What we need now is a decent plan for growth and jobs.”

Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Liam Byrne said: “This is a day of judgement for the government.

“Today’s figures are the clearest proof yet that the government’s decision to cut too far and too fast is hurting and just not working. Unemployment is soaring, and more young people are out of work than ever before.

“Britain now needs a change of direction. What we now need is a new plan like Labour’s 5 point plan for jobs and growth. Getting people – and our young people – back to work is quite simply the safest, surest way to get the deficit down and put Britain on the right course for the future.

“Today Labour has summoned the Chancellor to the House of Commons for an all day debate on jobs and economy. The question he must answer is simple: will he now change course?”

Cuts in the Taxicard budget of over £500,000 a year will result in 20% fewer people using the service, according to a Westminster City Council report. The Council plans to introduce a ‘means test’ to reduce the number of people using the service, as part of its continuing £60 million budget cuts. The Council estimates that it will save £292,000 in 2011/12, increasing to £519,000 in 2012/13 and subsequent years.

From 31st October 2011, the Council will introduce a ‘means test’ as part of the application process for a Taxicard. In future, only those who can demonstrate that they are on a low income would be eligible for the scheme. The Council says, “This would apply to all applicants to the scheme, including those who previously met the ‘automatic’ eligibility criteria, i.e. are registered blind, receive the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, receive a higher rate of Attendance Allowance, or receive a war pension mobility supplement.”

The Council also plans to introduce a face-to face Occupational Therapy assessment for those who qualify under the financial criteria, but do not receive the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, do not receive a higher rate of Attendance Allowance, do not receive a war pension mobility supplement or are not registered blind.

Under the new arrangements, all 6,000 current Taxicard members must reapply for their Taxicard under the new terms of the scheme. Currently the City Council has approximately 6,000 registered members although only 4,127 used the service between April 2010 and April 2011.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said; “It is ‘business as usual’ at Conservative Westminster where nothing stands in the way of further cuts to frontline services, even though the Council has just agreed to rake in another £7 million a year from motorists with new evening and Sunday parking charges. The Council will be receiving an extra £7 million in parking income so why is there a need for the £500,000 cut in the Taxicard budget?”

People are right to ask what has happened to the British press for parts of it to operate in this way. It is beneath contempt.

British newspapers have been – and can be – showcases for some of the best journalism in the world.

What we heard about last night was undeniably an example of the worst journalism in the world.

The police investigation needs to take its course and get right to the bottom of what happened.

But it is up to senior executives at the News of the World and News International to start taking responsibility for criminal activities over a sustained period.

This was not one isolated incident or a rogue reporter, it was far more systematic than that.

I said this morning that Rebekah Brooks needs to consider her position and examine her conscience about the culture over which she presided as editor of the News of the World.

The issue is not simply what she knew, but what happened on her watch.

But I also said this goes well beyond one individual. It goes to the heart of what we expect from our press.

Indeed, every decent British journalist should regard this episode as a stain on their professional integrity and the reputation of their industry.

I remain instinctively a supporter of self-regulation for the press. But like everyone else in this country I can see that the current system is clearly not working.

It is up to the press to prove that self-regulation can work.

Read the full article.

“Boris has been decoupling himself from the Tory leadership for months. This is, in fact, ‘an agreed strategy rather than a unilateral declaration of independence.’

Some time ago, he came to an understanding with Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne – who oversees Tory election planning – that gives him permission to defy them on policy. Both sides recognise that to win, the Mayor must separate himself from the Prime Minister and even at times beard him. In the near daily exchanges of text messages between the three, there is an informal understanding that when Boris plans to go off the reservation, he will alert the high command. As a political manoeuvre, it has worked a treat.”

Commenting on the article, Labour’s Ken Livingstone told Labour Matters: “David Cameron may regard it as a disaster for him if Boris Johnson loses, but they all seem to have lost sight of Londoners’ interests.

“What this shows is that Boris wants Dave’s job, George wants Dave’s job, Dave needs Boris to keep his job so he can hang on to his own job, and the three of them are texting each other to save each other’s jobs.

“Isn’t it about time we had a mayor and a government actually bothered about someone’s interests and jobs other than their own?”

Today we saw the usual pattern from the Prime Minister when he is in a corner. I have seen it at PMQs before – on school sports, NHS competition law and sentencing.

First he denies his own policy, then he tries insults. Usually, the U-turn follows

Will the same happen today? It certainly should.

It is bad enough that he insulted cancer victims by claiming they were a “smokescreen” Labour were using to distract from other issues.

But as I returned to my office after Prime Minister’s Question Time and read the messages to me from people whose loved ones are suffering from cancer it was clear to me he does not understand welfare reform.

He did not understand the detail of what is in his Welfare Reform Bill and that it would take away £94 a week from 7,000 cancer patients. These are people who only get this help because they have paid taxes and contributed all their lives.

Read the full article on Ed Miliband’s blog.

Ed Balls has published the full speech on his own blog, but this is how he concluded:

Let me conclude by saying this. My political opponents have accused me of talking down the economy.

As I have argued before, British history shows us that on previous occasions when major economic mis-judgements were made, broad-based political, media and financial opinion was in favour of the decision at the time. The dissenting voices of economists were silenced or ignored – most recently when Britain joined the ERM in 1990.

So we should learn the lessons of history, and beware British politicians or media commentators who tell us that there is no alternative or that something has to be done because the ‘financial markets’ demand it.

Adopting the consensus view may be the easy and safe thing to do, but it does not make you right and, in the long-term, it does not make you credible.

Read the full article.

A Labour spokesperson said: “It is with great regret that we have to announce that David Cairns, Member of Parliament for Inverclyde, passed away at 11 pm last night at the Royal Free, London. David had been suffering from acute pancreatitis after he was admitted as an emergency patient eight weeks ago. Our thoughts are with his partner Dermot, his father John, his brother Billy and all his many friends and family. David’s untimely death is a huge loss to parliament and politics in this country.”

Ed Miliband, Leader of the Labour Party, said: “David will be missed beyond measure as a former minister, as an MP, as a friend and a colleague by many people and my heart especially goes out to his partner Dermot and his family in Scotland. David was an immensely talented Member of Parliament who campaigned diligently on behalf of his constituents in Greenock and Inverclyde. A highly effective Minister of State in the Scottish Office, he was Labour through and through and yet was much-respected across the political divide. He was also a man with a wide hinterland. As a former Catholic priest he brought a sensitive understanding of others and a ready wit to politics and he never shied away from saying what he believed to be true. The Labour Party will miss him profoundly. He was a good man.”

Read the full article.

“The Labour and Trade Union movement are saturating the streets of Liverpool, even in our heartlands,” Warren Bradley, who was council leader for six years, wrote in the email to the Deputy Prime Minister.

“Liberalism started in Liverpool (Church Ward) during the late 60’s with Sir Trevor Jones and Cyril Carr being the driving force; a ward we have held for many years through thick and thin, sadly this year, because of your actions in Coalition Government, this may not be the case. Never before in 35+ years have I seen the streets of Wavertree snooing with Labour activists, never before have I seen Labour posters in a local election.

“This is only down to the policies that our Parliamentarians are pursuing in Coalition Government.

“The position is untenable, Mike Storey having given many decades to the party is extremely vulnerable, and could well fall because of the Parliamentary party.

“Many other long serving Councillors could be defeated not because of their record, but because of your record and the perception of what we as Liberal Democrats now are.

“I only hope on the 6th May, you will meet with Leaders/Groups/ordinary members and seek their views following a set of results, which if mirrored by our canvass returns will place us back 40 years.”

Read the full article.

The Labour Leader said: “I welcome the opportunity to give my support to the Manchester Evening News’s campaign.

“These cuts are not only unfair but the wrong long-term choices for the future of Greater Manchester.

“Councils are working hard to find savings but the fact is that these cuts go too far and too fast – hitting jobs, economic growth and the vital frontline services people rely on.

“I urge M.E.N. readers to sign the petition and send a message to the Tory-led government to think again.”

The petition has already been signed by thousands of people including a number of Lib Dem councillors.

Read the full article.