I have just come across the Tory/Lib Dem apologist Andy Mayer's Blog today whining on about the evils of ASBO's and Naming and Shaming based on SLP coverage of the Woodene murder trial.
The Southwark Labour Group strongly supports a "naming and shaming" policy (although I personally dont like the tag as it suggests Wanted Posters on bus shelters) as it can be effective in notifying local people of exclusion zones of ASBO recipients and more quickly identify breaches. The East Dulwich Estate situation was a perfect example and even the Executive Member softened his opposition in this case.
The Lib Dem policy if they ever were to get into a position of power ( hard top contemplate I know!) is to repeal all of the Government's ASB Legislation so the question to Mr Mayer and his virtual cronies is "what would the lib dems do?".
It is a bit like the "wwjd" wrist bands that some Christians wear as we really have no idea how the Lib Dems would fulfill all their empty promised as well as reduce the basic rates of income tax and cut public spending by over £21 Billion! Of course their current bed fellows in Southwark Town Hall are also promiseing similar cuts in public spending but even the tories have gone quiet on reducing basic rates of income tax!!
Being vague just wont cut the mustard as we run up to a general Election with Gordon Brown as Prime Minister and I look forward to them arguing economics with him in the House as there will only be one winner!!!
Friday, December 22, 2006
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Hi John, I just found your blog. A belated Happy Christmas on this post.
As you're aware the difference between us on naming and shaming is that we support the use of powers in specific instances where the Borough Commander advises it should be used, you prefer almost blanket coverage with rare exceptions. It's not a ground-shaking difference.
Your bus-shelters comment though is apt as it's pretty unclear from any of your statements so far what a Southwark Labour policy would actually look like.
On the Wooddene are you seriously defending Harriet Harman spinning a murder after misreading of Diamond Babamuboni's ASBO?
The first complaint we have is that she used a sick murder to make a cheap political point about naming and shaming that turned out to be incorrect as well as ill-judged. It is simply not the case that a naming and shaming policy in respect of this criminal and his ASBO would have prevented the shooting. His ASBO clearly shows he was banned from a part of Dulwich around a school, not the Wooddene.
The second complaint is that the ASBO shows this young man was violent criminal with a serious track record, including assaults, robberies and carrying a knife. I would like to know what the Police thought they were doing by giving him an ASBO for that rather than putting him away.
I would assume as Labour's Community Safety spokesperson you would also take an interest in the dangerous and inappropriate use of 'soft sentences'. Or is the link to the prisons being full and your government's incompetence across the criminal justice system too obvious?
On tax and spending, where do you fabricate this dishonest drivel from? It explains much about your local leaflets.
The Lib Dem tax policy contains a clear commitment to the current levels of public spending, your £21billion claim is pure invention, as are your local claims. The policy also intends to make the tax system more fair by taking many of the poorest out of tax altogether funded by a range of green taxes and cuts in tax breaks for high income earners. 90% of people would pay less tax under these proposals without impacting spending. It's a policy more likely to appeal to Labour voters than your own Chancellor's pursuit of PFI deals and affluent donors.
Best,
Andy
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