Capitalism is up the creek

I am rather a novice when it comes to economics and I'm sure plenty of my colleagues in the Green Party have a far more insightful view on the current problems than myself. But anyhoo, here are my views...

Banks should be at the back of the queue when it comes to nationalisation. The rail network and energy companies would be a good start considering we currently subsidise the rail network while paying shareholders and allow energy companies to rip their customers off to guarantee profits to their shareholders.

So, the banks. I don't have all the answers, but my suggestion is for the future that banks and other financial institutions should pay into a government scheme to protect customer's savings. Then, at the end of the day if they get into trouble it is tough, they may act a bit more cautiously in future. If it wasn't for all the buy to let mortgages it is likely property prices would be lower than the current insane levels they are at.

There is however a major concern for trade unionists. Pension schemes are at real risk due to the current state of the market. We should never have got into the position where we are so reliant on work based pensions, but we are here now and a major fall in share prices will result in schemes closing down or requiring employees to pay a lot more in. More than ever, we need a reliable state pension which gives pensioners a living income so it does not have to be supplemented by work based pensions.

Press release from York Green Party

York Green Party has reacted with great dismay to the announcement that the Remploy factory in York has been recently sold on the day that the GMB union announced at the Labour Party conference that it would campaign to re-open the factory.

Of the 54 workers who lost their jobs when the York factory closed down around half have been unable to find alternative employment.

Green Party Trades Union Spokesperson Andrew Collingwood stated, "Remploy workers from York and across the country have been seriously let down by the Labour government. They have been forced into menial jobs well below their skill levels or, even worse, unemployment. We call for an immediate and independent review of the factory closures and for the government to support those Remploy workers who have been unable to find employment after 6 months."

The Green Party's candidate for York Central, Andy Chase, added,"We should stop mumbling platitudes about 'mainstream employment' and instead sit down and listen to the Remploy workers themselves."

Labour lets down Remploy workers

It is with great dismay that I must report the announcement that the Remploy factory in York has been recently sold on the day that the GMB announced at Labour party conference that they would campaign to re-open the factory.

Of the 54 workers who lost their job when the York factory closed down half have failed to find alternative employment.

The government has seriously let down Remploy workers across the country through its series of factory closures.

Stephen Fry's Podgrams

I'm currently suffering from a bout of illness. While lying in bed I have found the delights of the Stephen Fry Podgram, which I have been downloading through ITunes. This following excerpt about his views on dancing made me laugh out loud:

At a pinch I would welcome that over the continued existence of endless long ballroom routines in which you have to be taught the steps of quadrilles, cotillions, gavottes, waltzes and so forth. I suppose the descendant of that ghastly form of entertainment is the vile terror known as Line Dancing, a proceeding so fatuous and horrible as to defy language. I have twice been caught with nowhere to run in one of those events. It was like being on the gymnastics mat at school, or in the infant Music and Movement room. The sweaty, ghastliness of it all and the silly hats and embarrassing clapping. Oh god, I’ve given myself hives just thinking of it.

And hell, that reminds me of childhood Scottish dancing lessons, hopping over swords. Or more recent holidays with friends with Highland Reels promised as an after dinner treat. ‘In this life,’ Sir Arnold Bax is reputed to have said, ‘you should try everything once, except incest and folk dancing.’ Eightsome reels. Stripping the Willow. The Roger de Coverley, whoever the arse he was. Morris Dancing, which is fashionable to loathe, I really don’t mind at all. In fact I quite like it, because there is never the faintest chance of being invited to join in. Organised dancing and disorganised dancing in which one is supposed to participate. Both of them fill me with dread and disgust. Yes, probably self-disgust more than any other kind.

Maybe it all springs from having to sing at school the Worst Song Ever Written — Lord of the Dance. ‘Dance then, wherever you may be, for I am the Lord of the Dance said he. I’ll dance with you if you dance with me, for I am the lord of the dance said he.’ And so bloody on. If ever a song were guaranteed to create a generation of atheists and non-dancers it is that one. ‘I danced for the sun and I danced for the moon. I danced at night and I danced at noon.’ I mean, come on. Seriously shut up. Shut so up and go so dreadfully and entirely away.

http://stephenfry.com/blog/?paged=2#more-41

We're all f**ked is this woman gets elected

And with John McCain being close to his sell by date she may even become president. Barack Obama my not be the panacea to American's ailments but he has to be a better choice than the McCain/Palin ticket.

Meh

I've come away from my first GP conference feeling rather apathetic and not very motivated to campaign for the party nationally. (However, I still strongly support York Central's candidate Andy Chase, who does motivate me to get out there and campaign).

I was particularly disappointed that the original maximum/minimum wage motion was not passed with an amendment changing this:

C. For maximum income limit of 10 times the National Minimum Wage, through the establishment of a 100% rate of income tax on taxable personal income above that level.

to this:

(c) a new top rate of income tax to be levied on incomes over 10 times the National Minimum Wage

There was a lot of talk about how having a 100% tax rate would alienate some of our potential voters. I seriously doubt it. Under the current motion it would mean workers would not be able to earn over £81,700. The vast majority of the UK populace earns under this level, we would be talking about a policy which would affect under 1% of workers, people who most probably would never consider voting for us in the first place, as many of our other policies would not be in their interest. It is only with radical policies that we will really catch the attention of voters, not by putting out watered down policies for fear of upsetting a few Tory voters. There is real potential for the Green Party to attract disillusioned trade unionists who can no longer stomach New Labour and we will not do it by tinkering around the status quo.

I was also surprised by the amount of suits wandering round conference. It appears this number has grown year on year, and the suits seemed to be the those who did not support the good motions put through on maximum wage and right to rent.

The conference venue was also very dreary. No communal area for socialising (or networking if you prefer) was available until the evening. Thankfully the Malborough Arms proved a good venue for Green Left to meet in :-)

Oh well, let's see what this year brings with a new leader and GPEx. To quote this Simpsons:

The leader is good,
the leader is great.
We surrender our will,
as of this day.