Dear Ian,
This morning, the Office for Budget Responsibility – an office established by this Government – published its first assessment of the public finances. Regrettably the problems facing our country are even more serious than we had originally realised.
We and many others have been warning for some time that the growth forecast in the March Budget was optimistic. The Office for Budget Responsibility confirms this. And because trend growth is lower than expected, the structural deficit is larger than anyone realised. In 2010/11 it’s going to be 8% of GDP – that’s £118bn; £11 billion more than Labour told us, rising to £13 billion next year. So the scale of the problem is even bigger than we thought.
The OBR’s independent analysis paints a stark picture. We are now facing the highest budget deficit in Europe, the highest deficit in the G20. Government borrowing this year will be ten and a half per cent of GDP, with debt topping 60%. As we always suspected, and as confirmed by this report, the downturn did more damage to the economy than Labour admitted. This is the reality that confronts us.
Labour’s approach is clear: deny the problem, play games with the numbers, and promise money we don’t have.
We have always said that we would not shrink from this task. There are tough choices to be made, but we will make them now while we can do so in a way that is both fair and just. This government, Liberal Democrats and Conservatives together, will see through the deficit reduction that is an absolute prerequisite for turning Britain’s fortunes around.
Make no mistake: this is not a task we relish. Nor was it our choice. This is the legacy that we, as a new government, and we, the British people, were left. It is the only way we can get our public finances on a sound footing. To do anything else would not only be irresponsible; it would be a betrayal of our progressive values. There is nothing progressive about denial. And there is nothing progressive about condemning ourselves and our children to decades of debt, higher interest rates and fewer jobs.
We must deal with this problem now so we don’t leave our children to pay the price later.
Best wishes,
Dear Ian,
Yesterday I was proud to be at the Government Dispatch Box in the House of Commons moving a motion in support of a Queen’s Speech that committed to delivering long cherished Liberal Democrat policies.
Over the coming months we will bring forward legislation for much needed political reform and the restoration of our civil liberties. We will bring in a proportionally elected second chamber, strengthen the role of parliament, increase devolution to Scotland and Wales, regulate party funding and lobbysists, introduce the power of recall for corrupt MPs and give people a chance to vote to end First Past the Post elections for the House of Commons. All huge leaps forward in reforming our politics.
And we will introduce a Freedom Bill. Something I campaigned for vigorously with Chris Huhne, Lynne Featherstone and others in opposition – which we will now deliver in government. It will scrap ID cards, end fingerprinting of children in schools without their parent’s consent, regulate CCTV cameras, place significant restrictions on the DNA database and restore the right to protest.
I am sincerely committed to working together across party lines to help bring about this new and better politics. And I hope all parties will work together on these issues. However so far sadly the Labour party is unwilling to learn from is mistakes in government. It seems wedded to deeply illiberal policies such as intrusive and unjustifiable ID cards and a DNA database full of the data of innocent men and women. I hope that will change.
Yesterday the Liberal Democrat MPs you helped elect voted in Parliament for a program of real, liberal change. After 13 years of failure from Labour we are already making a real difference in government. With your on-going support we can keep making Liberal Democrat policies a reality.
Best wishes,
Nick Clegg
Nick on the other hand has played a blinder and got lots of our stuff in and here is his letter
Dear Ian,
The Queen’s Speech was unlike any we have seen for years. It was not
simply another list of bills from a government determined to rule from
the centre. It was not simply a speech from another one-party
Government able to push through measures without the support of a
majority of the country.
Instead, the speech marked the beginning of a radical move to
rebalance the relationship between people and their government, making
life better for everyone.
It was the first time the Queen has ever delivered a speech listing
the Bills to be introduced by a coalition government.
It is a testament to the hard work of Liberal Democrat campaigners and
supporters across the country that crucial policies we fought the
election on will now be enacted in Government. It is these policies
that, although times are tough and savings will have to be made, will
ensure that our country is made a fairer place.
I am looking forward to overseeing a radical programme of political
reform that will result in an House of Lords elected on a proportional
basis, the right to sack corrupt MPs and a referendum to finally
change our outdated voting system.
A Great Repeal Bill will roll back Labour’s surveillance state,
scrapping ID cards, the children’s database and restoring civil
liberties.
In areas like education, health and policing people are going to get
much greater powers over the services in their area. And we are going
to hand more powers to communities and councils.
This will have a real impact for people, not just giving them control,
but also making Britain a better place to live with good schools, a
stronger economy, support for businesses and real action on the
environment.
For too long the Queen’s Speech has been used by the government to
explain how it is going to hoard more power in Whitehall. We have now
explained how we will start giving that power back.
Best wishes,
Nick Clegg
Leader of the Liberal Democrats
just like heinz’s many varieties this speech has it all and i really like it rock on nicky
will ensure domestic bliss. you know it makes sense.
Dear Ian,
Today I have given my first set-piece speech as Deputy Prime Minister – you can read the full speech here. I’m proud that this speech was on a topic which I know is close to every Liberal Democrat heart, political reform.
What I have announced today is the biggest shake up of British democracy since the Great Reform Act of 1832. It is a fundamental resettlement of the relationship between state and citizen that puts people, not Whitehall, in charge.
Step one – we will repeal all of the intrusive and unnecessary laws that inhibit people’s freedom. This means scrapping ID cards, halting the second generation of biometric passports, radically reforming the DNA database, ending the ContactPoint children’s database and stopping the fingerprinting of children without parent’s permission.
Step two - we will reform our politics so it is open, transparent and decent. We will introduce an elected House of Lords, fixed termed parliaments and strengthening parliament so it can hold the executive to account. Under our plans voters will have the power to recall corrupt MPs, there will be a register of lobbyists and a cap on donations. And most importantly we will give people a chance to vote in a referendum on our outdated and undemocratic electoral system.
Step three - we will radically redistribute power away from the centre, into your communities, your homes and your hands. We will strengthen local democracy and empower local people whilst scrapping layers of unnecessary top-down Whitehall bureaucracy. And we will implement further devolution to the nations of Britain.
Liberal Democrats in government are already delivering our manifesto commitments and opening up our political system and empowering citizens. That is what we have fought for over many years, and that is what we are now able to do.
Best wishes,
Nick Clegg
Leader of the Liberal Democrats
life goes on did loads of county work how do i love my beloved northumberland let me count the ways
then peace will reign and the just will empower the people
start of a better way - let’s so pray at least 2 in power watches the other for deviance (eg personal corruption less likely)
round 1 to the Labservatives and their huge and vicious spin empire
free the people keep the faith
