Hundreds sign Falmouth for Orders petition

Hundreds of people signed the petition calling for a deep channel for Falmouth on Saturday on the Moor Falmouth.

Organised jointly by the GMB trade union and Falmouth Labour Party the event was to enable as many local people as possible to sign the petition in support of the dredging.

Kevan Johnson from the GMB said; “Today was very encouraging for the ‘Falmouth for Orders’ campaign from the turn out of support to the comments of the general public, who all said similar comments ‘could not understand why it has not already been done, after all this is a working port and generations of family have been involved in making a living of the port in various ways’.

Candy Atherton Chair of Falmouth Labour Party said; “We were delighted to see so many people literally queuing up to sign the petition. People find it amazing that there is any discussion about the need.

“Falmouth has been a working harbour and docks for hundreds of years and if our town is to thrive then the need for dredging is urgent. If we do take action then jobs will be lost and the very future of the docks will be under threat.”

Labour and unions campaign for dredging the port of Falmouth

Campaigners from both the GMB and Docks trade unions and the Falmouth Labour Party will be out on The Moor, Falmouth, on Saturday 28th January collecting electronic and written signatures in support of a deep dredge channel for the port.

With banners from the trade union and local Labour Party and a stall the campaigners will be collecting support for their joint campaign in support of the dredge. Wi-fi connected computers will be used to electronically send signatures to the epetition while handwritten signatures will also be collected.

Kevan Johnston from the GMB said; “The GMB Falmouth Branch and A&P trade unions are endeavouring to the highlight the importance of why this has to be done.

“Without dredging the fear is that there would be a slow decline in the port, leading to decline in investment and jobs.

“To dredge the port would lead to developing port operations and new cargo opportunities, developing the Cornish cruse market increasing the number of visitors to the area and benefiting the local/county economy, developing the new marine renewables industry in Cornwall and the Southwest.

“All of this leading to better jobs, better pay and an increase in the number of apprentice ships for local young people, not just in Falmouth but county wide. Encouraging our young people to live and work in the county.

Regional funding put at risk by ministers’ failure to act

Millions of pounds lie unallocated while growth has flatlined.

Labour is calling on the Tory-led Government to get a grip and sort out the mess surrounding EU funds for regional growth, which is putting 28% for Cornwall at risk.

The unallocated funds are part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which exists to boost growth and jobs regionally, particularly in disadvantaged areas.

The Government has yet to put in place a mechanism for allocating the funds, following the hasty and chaotic abolition of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) which used to manage the process. European Commissioners have raised real concerns that the funding could be jeopardised as a result.

If this does not take place in time, two thirds will automatically revert to the Treasury’s coffers. According to the most recent government figures, £1,160m – 41 per cent – of ERDF funding for England is still unallocated.

Last month, BIS Minister Mark Prisk felt compelled to write to local decision makers urging them to look at national matched funding opportunities given the slow progress on allocating the funds in the past year and the RDA abolition which in his own words has “provided an additional challenge to your work”.

Gordon Marsden MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Further Education, Skills & Regional Growth, commenting, said: “It beggars belief that when Cornwall is crying out for cash and investment to boost jobs and growth, this Government’s actions are putting £110 Million of potential funding at risk, and over £1billion across England.

Economy and housing crisis will be worsened by coalition wage plans

Tory and Lib Dem government plans announced last week, to introduce regional pay deals could have devastating consequences for families and communities in Cornwall and worsen housing and employment problems.

Business leaders and unions have united in their response to the proposals, which could cut £7000 a year from salaries.

Jude Robinson, Labour & Cooperative Councillor for Camborne North, said: “What a Christmas present this is: the pockets of people in Cornwall will be emptied to pour more money into areas of the UK that are already wealthier. While local people will have to battle over a dwindling supply of affordable homes, those in better paid employment elsewhere will be snapping up second homes here.

“Not only will unemployment rise as the Tories and Lib Dems take yet more money out of Cornwall’s economy, but whole communities will find they are there simply to service wealthy visitors and second homes owners.

“It all adds up to making the low paid fork out more to bail out the bankers and top executives, who continue to award themselves obscene pay increases.”

Since the Tories and Lib Dems formed the coalition government in 2010, Cornwall has been hit hard by cuts, despite our economic needs. These are just a few examples.

£69 million was axed from the Building Schools for the Future fund, which would have provided new facilities and equipment for schoolchildren in Cornwall.

NHS reorganisation costs could pay off Cornwall hospital debt

Cornwall’s health services will have to put aside more than £35 million to pay for the coalition government’s NHS reorganisation according to figures published by the government in November.

Cornwall Labour & Cooperative Councillor Jude Robinson said: “This is an appalling waste of money. It is more than the £25 million still owed by the hospitals’ trust and almost double the £20 million identified shortfall in our health funding. Our waiting lists have risen since 2010, staff are losing jobs and our hospitals are struggling while money is thrown away on the rush to bring in private care. Cornwall’s health service should be able to use this money to treat patients.”

The costs of reorganisation were revealed in the government’s new NHS ‘Operating Framework’ on November 24 and shows that more than £3 billion will be spent nationally on the changes, which are opposed by the British Medical Association.

Jude added: ‘No-one voted for this – David Cameron promised that the Tories would not reorganise the NHS until he was elected and it is only the Lib Dems keeping this minority government in power.

Labour is running a major national drive to unite the country in a call on the Government to drop its unwanted Health Bill and people are being urged to add their name to the Government online petition by Dr Kailash Chand at epetitions.direct.gov.uk.

More details on Labour’s campaign at www.dropthebill.com

Agricultural Wages Board abolition would hit 4,000 Cornish workers

Labour’s Jude Robinson urges local MP George Eustice to back Labour’s campaign to protect pay for local agricultural workers.

Mary Creagh MP, Labour’s Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary has written to local MP, George Eustice to urge them to support Labour’s amendment in Parliament this Tuesday (25 October 2011) to stop the Tory-led Government abolishing the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB).

The Government will be voting to scrap pay protection for around 500 farm workers in Camborne & Redruth as part of the Public Bodies Bill. But Labour has tabled an amendment to save the Agricultural Wages Board.

Jude Robinson said in support of Mary Creagh’s letter: “If the AWB is abolished it will bring to an end 60 years of pay protection for countryside workers like those here in Cornwall. The AWB was set up to provide basic pay and protection for fruit pickers, farm labourers and other farmer workers, including on wages, holidays, sick pay, overtime and bereavement leave. More than 4000 people in Cornwall will be affected.

“According to the Government’s own figures, the abolition of the AWB will take £9 million nationally out of worker’s pockets. This is a terrible blow not only for local people who work in agriculture and their families but also for the economy. This is already a really worrying time for struggling families and shows once again that the Tories refuse to listen. The Tory-led Government’s cuts go too far and too fast.”

Cornwall Party in good heart as members attend Labour conference

Members from across Cornwall attended last week’s Labour Party conference in Liverpool. Delegates from North Cornwall to St Ives were actively involved in the conference with every constituency represented.

Councillor Jude Robinson was hailed from the platform on a number of occasions, including by Deputy Leader Harriet Harman MP and Environment Spokesperson Mary Creagh MP. Labour Leader Ed Miliband paid particular praise at a meeting on the Sunday. First time delegate Hanna Toms from Truro spoke of the importance of a Living Wage for Cornwall to combat the effects of the government’s policies and the difference between living in a Cornwall with Labour funding and life under the Tories and Lib Dems. Members from Cornwall met with many leading politicians both formally and informally to press the case for the county.

County chair Candy Atherton said: “It was good to see so many Labour Party members from Cornwall at the conference – we were everywhere! Hanna’s speech was well received and it was great to hear the plaudits to Jude for coming from fourth to first. Labour is on the up in Cornwall and we look forward to fighting elections up and down the county over the next few years.”

Labour’s Health Spokesperson John Healey visits Cornwall

John Healey MP, who has led the fight against the Coalition’s Health and Social Care Bill was at the Knowledge Spa, Peninsular Medical School, Truro, on Monday.

John made the case that there is an alternative to the government’s health plans. Throughout the last few months John has led the Labour team which has fought the coalition’s plans and had brought together supporters from the medical profession, patients and trade unionists. The Bill is now going to the House of Lords and many hope that the Lords will vote the Bill down.

Cornwall County Chair Candy Atherton said: “We are delighted to welcome John Healey back to Cornwall – he has visited us many times before and knows the problems the county faces.

“There are many members of the House of Lords who live in Cornwall and we hope that they will act to stop this bill which threatens the end of the NHS as we know it today. The Labour opposition have fought long and hard this year against the Bill in the Commons now it is the turn of the Lords.”

John Healey will also meet with the Chief Executive of Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust Lezli Boswell and members of the Board to hear their plans and concerns.

Labour tops by-election polls in Cornwall

Labour’s comeback in Cornwall continues as figures show that the party has polled more votes than any other party in the by-elections fought in Cornwall since the beginning of this year.

Combining the results of the seven by-elections fought since January 1st 2011, 1384 votes have been cast for Labour Party candidates compared to 996 for Conservatives and 474 for Lib Dems.

Jude Robinson, who won a Cornwall Unitary seat from the Conservatives in January, said: “We have worked hard to regain the trust of voters in Cornwall and it is great to see it is producing results. Campaigners like Robert Webber, who won a town council seat in Camborne South and Hanna Toms, a youth worker who doubled the Labour vote in Boscawen recently, are leading the way.”

Labour Party membership in Cornwall has increased by almost half since the Lib Dems went into coalition with the Conservatives nationally and the Labour Party is already preparing for the 2013 Unitary Council elections, with selections for council candidates due to start in September.

Camborne Town Councillor Robert Webber said: “Many people in Camborne and accross Cornwall are angry about the coalition cuts and broken promises on health and education. They know ONLY Labour is standing up for the interests of working people and to vote Lib Dem is to vote for the Tory cuts.”

Truro and Falmouth Labour urge strong support for Day of Action

Truro and Falmouth Labour Party is urging members and supporters to join the Day of Action on June 30th on Lemon Quay between 10 – 1pm.

A number of unions have joined together to campaign against cuts to pensions including PCS, UCU, ATL and the NUT.

Chair of the constituency Stuart Roden said; “We urge both our members and supporters to come along to Lemon Quay and show this vicious government that people will not accept these changes and cuts.

“There are many workers today really worried about their future benefits and they do not see why they should pay for the failure of bankers. Come along and take part – all welcome.”