Posts Tagged ‘Economy’
Struan Stevenson MEP campaigning for Scottish food producers
Its great to see Struan Stevenson MEP campaigning hard on behalf of Scottish interests in Europe in particular his robust defence of our farmers and business who produce such excellent locally grown produce. His comments on labelling are essential for consumers to know exactly what they are buying.
Jim Ferguson
First word …
Welcome to the February edition of my Brussels Briefing.This month, in addition to my involvement in the appointment process of the new European Commission, I have been keeping a close eye on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy while striving to seek clarity on the issue of food labelling.
In these tough economic times local businesses and farmers need our support. Locally sourced produce is no longer a fashionable phrase, it now relates to the very survival of local shops and businesses.
In addition, the people of Scotland recognise the quality of home-grown produce and want to buy food that is genuinely Scottish. For too long consumers have been duped by products that have been mislabelled or not labelled at all. It is about time that producers are given clear guidelines for labelling. I will continue to campaign to have existing legislation changed to reflect the choice and clarity that consumers expect.
Join up here to support my campaign and help protect Scotland’s local farmers and businesses.
Best wishes,
Struan Stevenson MEP
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Labour have failed to achieve the best for the people of the UK
I found the following article to be of great interest and one that clearly shows how Labour have failed to achieve the best for the people of this country.
Every person should read this and in particular people who voted Labour the last time around. They need to understand the feckless mismanagement of our economy, health care, policing, military and education by this Labour Government and read the proof for themselves.
The only way forward for Britain is to oust this Labour Government and that can only be done when the majority of people across the UK wake up and realise just how far Britain has fallen and the rate at which it continues to fall.
Jim Ferguson
Labour’s Two Nations
The Conservatives have launched “Labour’s Two Nations”, a comprehensive assessment of the level of inequality under this Labour government.
Labour’s great claim is that they are ‘for the many, not the few’, but that rings hollow today.
This report exposes the truth: after thirteen years in government, the party that prides itself on fairness has delivered the very opposite.
And in the foreword, David Cameron outlines Conservative plans to create “the big society” – our positive alternative to Labour’s failed big government – through which responsibility and opportunity can develop.
You can read the document in full using the reader below or alternatively click here to download a copy.
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Superfast broadband for the Highlands of Scotland and beyond.
I was particularly interested to see the announcement of superfast broadband which a Conservative Government will introduce. Clearly business and so many individuals now use the internet that it has become an essential way to do business and has opened up so many opertunities especially for home working.
Living in the Highlands of Scotland in a very rural area has its limitations as far as working in relation to the internet and doing business online goes and this announcement is a very welcome one indeed.
This is indeed the way forward and will help boost our economy and market share on a global basis.
Jim Ferguson
Nationwide superfast broadband by 2017
Monday, February 1 2010
As part of our plans to Get Britain Growing, the Conservatives have unveiled plans to help make the UK the first major European country that has superfast broadband in the majority of homes by 2017.
Jeremy Hunt, the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport said “we are currently one of the slowest countries in the developed world for broadband”, but with the Conservatives “we’ll become one of the fastest”.
He said Britain’s digital and creative industries “must have a proper communications infrastructure” if they are to become “world beaters”.
The Conservative approach to achieving this has three key components:
- We will create a regulatory framework to ensure the roll-out of superfast broadband at speeds of up to 100mbps to the majority of homes across the UK by 2017. This could involve either mobile or fixed line solutions and will be significantly faster than the Government’s proposed target. Our objective is to make the UK the first major European country to achieve this aim, securing its place as a European and global hub for the creative industries.
- We will end BT’s local loop monopoly by allowing other operators to use their ducts and poles thereby encouraging competition in the superfast broadband market. This approach has proved successful in other countries such as Singapore and South Korea: these countries are global leaders in superfast broadband infrastructure.
- We are committed to universal access to superfast broadband speeds. If the market does not deliver this in certain areas we will consider using the proportion of the licence fee dedicated to digital switchover to finance superfast broadband roll out under the new BBC licence fee settlement, starting in 2012. This amount would be leveraged to maximise the investment made, either by making it available as loans or on a matched funding basis.
Under these plans, Hunt said that “high speeds will be available not just in our cities but across the rural areas that have been left behind for too long”.
“These regulatory changes will create the right conditions for sustainable growth and ensure that the digital sector plays a leading role in a competitive, balanced economy”, he added.
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Conservative policy outlines economic growth
Good to see clear cut forward planning to restore our economy. George Osborne and his comments below demonstrate that a definitive vision exists to restore the economy and all the benefits that this entails.
Jim Ferguson
Osborne outlines eight benchmarks for economic growth
Tuesday, February 2 2010
George Osborne has set out a new model of economic growth, which plans for a private sector recovery driven by business investment and exports, instead of consumer borrowing and government debt.
The eight clear and transparent benchmarks published today are something against which a future Conservative Government can be judged.
Speaking at the launch of the document, the Shadow Chancellor contrasted our detailed approach with that of Gordon Brown who “will say anything and spend anything to cling on to power.”
And he added, “The man who failed to fix the roof while the sun was shining, and took Britain into the deepest and longest recession for generations, cannot be trusted to take us out of it.”
You can read the document in full using the viewer below, or alternatively click here to download a copy.
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Recovery of Britains economy has a long and difficult way to go
Jim Ferguson
Gordon Brown’s legacy will be the Great Recession
Commenting on the news that the UK is the last G20 economy to leave the recession, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said “Gordon Brown’s promise that Britain would lead the world out of recession lies in tatters”.
“We were one of the first in and now, today, we are the last out. Gordon Brown’s legacy will be the Great Recession.”
Not only is the UK the last G20 economy to leave the recession, but:
- The UK was one of the first countries to enter recession, and the last G20 country out.
- Some countries emerged nine months ago.
- The pound has fallen significantly against other major currencies.
Osborne added that a key reason for this was that “Gordon Brown’s decisions as Chancellor left Britain ill-prepared and his judgements as Prime Minister made the recession even worse.”
The Conservatives have published a document explaining how Gordon Brown made the recession worse – you can read it in full below.
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Dealing with Britains debt is a priority
Cameron says recovery depends on tackling the debt
The UK was one of the first economies to go into recession, and is now the last big economy to come out - new figures are expected to show the first signs of economic growth after eighteen months of recession.
“Obviously this will be very good news, but let’s be absolutely clear what this means”, Cameron said at his monthly press conference.
“Coming out of recession doesn’t mean that our debt crisis is over – far from it. Labour’s debt crisis is the biggest threat to our recovery. So we’ll only get this recovery right if we start right now on a proper debt reduction plan.”
In highlighting the need to “get a grip of our debt crisis”, Cameron used the analogy of a credit card: “the more we spend and the longer we wait to pay off our bills, the worse it can get”.
He said that the Government’s promise to halve the deficit in four years has failed to convince all those who we need to have confidence in Britain’s economic future.
“A key part of any plan is at least some early action to show that you are serious in your intent. That means some reduction in public spending plans in this coming financial year.”
“It is time they realised that it’s time to do the right thing”, Cameron added.
He also spoke about the Party’s agenda to mend our broken society, and of the Party’s success in selecting a diverse range of candidates.
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