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Labour cynically exploited a rival lying sick in hospital
• I WENT to the council meeting last Thursday, hoping to see the introduction of a freeze on council tax which I and my neighbours wished. When I heard that my councillor, Donna Boffa, who champions children in care, had been taken seriously ill that day and was in hospital, I hoped the Labour Party wouldn’t exploit the situation.
But I was in for a big disappointment. I was appalled that, after making a big show of wishing Cllr Boffa the best, Labour councillors forced through a rise in tax, cynically exploiting a hard-working councillor on her hospital bed.
Gordon Brown cancelled Prime Minister’s Questions last week after the tragic death of David Cameron’s son. You would hope that politicians would respect human frailty rather than exploit it. So it was a real low seeing our Labour councillors forcing their tax rises through in this way.
I almost expected them to crack the champagne open the way they were going on. Which reminded me of the days of Margaret Hodges’ “champagne socialism” and the horrendous rates and poll tax we used to pay here. Labour has shown its true colours – tax away and exploit anyone or anything to do it.
Our thoughts are with Cllr Boffa and her family and I hope she gets well soon.
ADRIAN HALL
Hall Street, EC1
• THE news that all Islington primary and nursery pupils are now to receive free school meals will I am sure be welcomed by hard-working families across the borough.
In many families like my own, while our children miss out on being eligible for free school meals, I find making ends meet is a real struggle each week.
This practical scheme will save us hundreds of pounds a year, and will also mean we have one less thing to worry about, knowing that whatever tough times we fall upon our kids will always be guaranteed a hot, nutritious and filling lunch.
It’s also a great incentive for parents who are looking for work but are concerned that taking on a job, especially a temporary one, will mean they could end up worse off because their kids would no longer be entitled to free school meals. It’s an invaluable measure, especially in the current economic climate, and I for one can’t wait to see it introduced.
JEAN ROGER KASEKI
N1
• WHILE Labour locally might be cock-a-hoop at its sneaky way of getting a council tax rise through last week, it is the majority of residents who will literally now pay the price.
In case it has escaped the notice of Labour politicians, most people in the borough don’t have primary school-age children and aren’t pensioners. So its plans for free school meals and a pensioners council tax discount don’t help the majority of people in Islington while saddling the rest of us with a 2.5 per cent council tax rise with nothing in return.
So much for being on our side.
WILLIAM MCGARVIE
Riversdale Road, N5
• I WAS delighted to read about the proposals for pensioners like myself passed by Islington Labour councillors.
Over the last few months I worried about the increase in my energy bill and some pensioners cannot even afford to put on their heating. It is estimated that up to three million pensioners are currently spending more than 10 per cent of their income on fuel bills.
The council tax discount will make a difference to thousands of pensioners and in the current economic conditions this discount couldn’t have come at a better time.
I hope the council will continue to help pensioners with practical information on energy efficiency schemes such as home insulation and advice for pensioners worried by large bills from energy companies.
PAT HAYNES
Mildmay Road, N1
• I ATTENDED the full Islington Council meeting last Thursday and am still appalled by what took place.
The fact that the Labour group forced through an amendment to the proposed budget to raise council tax by 2.5 per cent shows they have little or no regard for the difficult financial circumstances facing residents.
Equally, however, I am bitterly disappointed that the Lib Dem group of councillors were still not supportive of the campaign for universal free school meals in primary schools and a reduction in the council tax for pensioners, when we know that it is families and pensioners who are being hit hardest in the recession.
The Lib Dem executive leader and his finance chief narrowly avoided losing a vote of no-confidence and subsequently failed to support their own business going through because they left the chamber. Surely, the least our elected representatives can do is turn up to support their own policies?
If the Islington Conservative group had representation on the council they would have willingly supported a council tax freeze, and would have advocated free school meals and a pensioner discount to be paid out of reductions in council waste and excessive executive salaries and allowances.
As it is, the Lib Dem executive is struggling to properly control and lead the council and has conceded it will be putting up council tax next year. Such incompetence in the management of our council must be brought to an end.
MICHAEL BULL
Islington Conservative Association
• EMILY Thornberry, our Labour MP, came along to the meeting of the council last week, and sat there smirking while the Labour Party took advantage of the hospitalisation of a Lib Dem councillor to force through a £2million tax hike in Islington.
Maybe Ms Thornberry should have been where she was supposed to be – in Parliament, doing her actual job. That night, Parliament was debating the government subsidy for social housing. The Labour government has proposed a £5.2million cut to Islington’s social housing budget, meaning that residents face rent increases of seven per cent.
Ms Thornberry should have been in there, representing her constituents living in social housing, instead of sitting smirking while her Labour cronies in the council chamber dropped a multi-million tax bombshell on our borough.
She was missing from another important vote in Parliament last week too – on Heathrow expansion. We’re right under the flight path, so our MP should have been there. Where was Ms Thornberry? Certainly not where she was voted (and is paid handsomely) to be.
CLLR JYOTI VAJA
Lib Dem, Bunhill
• NOW that Boris Johnson’s children are going to receive free school meals courtesy of Islington Labour Party, perhaps in his capacity as Mayor of London he could reintroduce free school milk for all children in primary schools across London.
He need not stop there either. Free swimming classes for the under-10s would further children’s health and wellbeing.
CHRIS ROCHE
N19
• I WOULD like to send my get-well message to my colleague Councillor Donna Boffa. We have developed a good relationship since 2006, when I became a Liberal Democrat councillor. In fact, we have developed quite a friendship – probably because we both wish to do what is right for residents. I know that Donna did everything in her power to attend the council meeting last Thursday, because it was important for her to be there to vote for what she believes is right for residents.
I was disappointed that Labour and Councillor Andrew Cornwell chose not to defer the budget decision until Donna had an opportunity to attend. I was particularly disappointed that Cllr Cornwell chose to take the opportunity to push Labour’s budget through in Donna’s absence. It just shows you that politics is a funny old game and that it was too much to expect a bit of integrity from Labour here.
On behalf of Liberal Democrats, I would like to wish Donna and her family our best wishes and good luck.
CLLR PAULA BELFORD
Lib Dem, Canonbury
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