The beginning of the end of political correctness - The Telegraph

JayScottGreenspan

mewbie wrote: »

So anyway, the money he has saved so far - is there a proper breakdown of it? And how much will that saving actually impact on the council tax payers of Doncaster.

You know the answer - there is no proper breakdown, and it is a drop in the ocean. There will no impact on hard working council tax payers bills at all.

But as a populist egotistical selfish vote grabbing initiative it is worth a whole lot to the Mayor.

How do you attack someone who is doing the right thing - you make out that the savings are not worthwhile; or you make out that he must be doing it for the wrong reasons, selfish egotistical reasons. What a way to support the waste of taxpayers money!!!

Each of these cuts is the right thing to do. Even if it only knocks 1% off peoples' council tax bills in total, it's still the right thing to do.

StevieJ

JayScottGreenspan wrote: »

How do you attack someone who is doing the right thing - you make out that the savings are not worthwhile; or you make out that he must be doing it for the wrong reasons, selfish egotistical reasons. What a way to support the waste of taxpayers money!!!

Each of these cuts is the right thing to do. Even if it only knocks 1% off peoples' council tax bills in total, it's still the right thing to do.

Just listen to the MP3 he hasn't even checked if he can carry out all his promises

bendix

StevieJ wrote: »

Just listen to the MP3 he hasn't even checked if he can carry out all his promises

It's kind of irrelevant. He is directionally right. His approach is to cut the ridiculous politically correct !!!!!!!! expenditure that ordinary people loathe and refocus it on providing services that people want.

Even you - as a good labour man - can't argue with that.

The irony is that if he went in there under a Labour banner, SteveJ, you'd be supporting these same policies madly.

StevieJ

[QUOTE=bendix;24758005]It's kind of irrelevant. He is directionally right. His approach is to cut the ridiculous politically correct !!!!!!!! expenditure that ordinary people loathe and refocus it on providing services that people want.

Even you - as a good labour man - can't argue with that.

The irony is that if he went in there under a Labour banner, SteveJ, you'd be supporting these same policies madly.[/QUOTE]

It's kind of irrelevant.
I assume you listened to him BTW I am not a Labour voter.

carolt

Sorry, I'm afraid I haven't read whole thread, so forgive me if this point is already made many times.

Just that Doncaster is a rather special place - any readers of Private Eye will know that it has long been the most corrupt council in Britain. So I think moves to cut through the unnecessary waste and corruption will be particularly popular there - that's not to say that there are as many 'non-jobs' elsewhere or that cleaning out measures would be as popular in other less notorious councils.

JayScottGreenspan

StevieJ wrote: »

It appears when this was pointed out (the town makes a profit), he backed down

http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/free/Mayor-in-Gay-Pride-funding.5362346.jp (source other thread, thanks)

As I said earlier I prefer to see the whole picture first (Bendix).

I think he's just agreed to honour the previous mayor's commitment for this year. I don't think they'll be getting any funding next year.

Also, what does "the town makes profit" mean? Does it mean that for each £1 taken from the council budget that £1.05 is spent in the shops? Hooray for burger vans, boo-hoo for council tax payers? What about the cost of policing, litter, etc?
It doesn't matter - the event will go on without council funding, so pulling the donation is a win-win for rate payers. Seems a no-brainer to me!

mewbie_2

I assume that as yet the council rate bills have not been cut? So at this moment in time the rate payers receive less services for the same amount of money? Hmmm. It's obviously a vote winner.

LydiaJ

JayScottGreenspan wrote: »

I'm sure that's how his opponents will try to paint him, so probably best not to jump to conclusions:

OK I take back the BNP loving bit. But the sexism...

The man is quoted as saying (when asked about women in the workplace) "Why do we expect pregnant women to work?"

To which I would say:

(a) Apart from a minority of women who suffer from serious pregnancy-related health problems, most women are quite capable of working until fairly near the end of a pregnancy, so why shouldn't they? My experience was that my first pregnancy (while working full time) was a breeze compared with my second (while at home full time looking after a 2 year old).

and

(b) Although some women have husbands/partners who earn enough to support the family on just one income, many women do not, especially in these days of HP that require two incomes to get a mortgage. Getting pregnant doesn't suddenly alter the economic circumstances of a woman who previously needed to work.

Now, he doesn't sound like the sort of bloke to be suggesting that pregnant women should be provided with plenty of public money so that they don't need to work. And in real life pregnancies are not restricted to women with either rich partners or independent means. So his comments feel worryingly sexist to me. What does he expect pregnant women to live on if they are not to work to earn a living?

But I've already said I think a lot of what he's trying to do is good. And I shouldn't be judging him on the basis of a comment taken out of context. I'd be interested to see what kinds of policies result from his attitude to women.

i8change

(b) Although some women have husbands/partners who earn enough to support the family on just one income, many women do not, especially in these days of HP that require two incomes to get a mortgage. Getting pregnant doesn't suddenly alter the economic circumstances of a woman who previously needed to work.

Houses were affordable on one wage when only one tended to work. When both started working the prices went up to match. It's a trap, couples now need to keep two wages coming in at all times to pay the mortgage! I pity my kids generation and am very glad I cleared mine very young and have the freedom that brings.

mewbie_2

i8change wrote: »

...am very glad I cleared mine very young and have the freedom that brings.

Oh dear, pardon me for asking but did you go bankrupt? Don't tell me on here anyway, but if you check out the DFW they are full of good advice.