Politicians are too terrified to devolve power to the people

For all their so-called big ideas, both of the main parties are dead against any meaningful return to local democracy

Simon Jenkins
Wednesday November 14, 2007
The Guardian

Mention council tax to Gordon Brown or David Cameron and their faces turn white. They make the sign of the cross and reach for a stake and garlic. Local taxes are the devil's work. Even to suggest their reform has ghosts howling in the graveyard. Strange no other country has such trouble.

This cowardice is no longer sustainable. Next week councils are to be told how the 0.9% real-terms increase in central exchequer grant for each of the next three years is to be shared between them, the lowest rise for a decade (so some say). Since this will not cover the rising cost of services, notably for the elderly and childcare, councils will scream. Grant now covers 75% of their outgoings (including schools), and inflation-busting council tax rises will be banned by capping. The result will be both "Labour cuts" and uproar over such tax rises as occur. Vicars and old ladies will go to prison.

All parties regularly make vague promises to "end the hated council tax".The Liberal Democrats want it replaced with a local income tax. The Tories yesterday proposed a bizarre regime of capping plus referendums. Brown conducts a periodic ritual of "inquiring into alternatives". The author of the last such inquiry, Sir Michael Lyons, was consoled for his rejection with the chairmanship of the BBC. The author of the previous one, Nick Raynsford, was consoled with the sack. It is a wonder that the British public puts up with this nonsense year in, year out.

China approves US Navy's HK visit

China has given approval to US Navy vessels to enter Hong Kong for the American Thanksgiving holiday, after initially refusing a docking request.

About 8,000 personnel on the USS Kitty Hawk and other vessels had expected to dock in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

US officials said permission to enter the port had been denied, but China later said it would allow the flotilla to dock for "humanitarian" reasons.

The sailors have spent most of Thanksgiving on the South China Sea.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao confirmed the apparent U-turn, saying China had informed the US of its decision.

"We have decided to allow the Kitty Hawk strike group to stay in Hong Kong during Thanksgiving, and it is a decision out of humanitarian consideration only," Mr Liu said.

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Gus: kitty, kitty, kitty... 

Tony Blair is to be paid at least £200,000 by a City firm accused of profiteering from the financial crisis that brought Britain's banks to their knees.

The former prime minister has been hired by the hedge fund Lansdowne Partners to deliver four presentations to staff about the world political situation. Mr Blair, one of the world's most highly paid speakers, reportedly commands between £50,000 and £170,000 for a single speech.

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Me thinks that t'is well for him to do speak so, but his knowledge — if he has any on politics or most money matters — is PUBLIC PROPERTY.

Having gleaned most of, if not all, this information from PUBLIC OFFICE, Mr Blair should be sent a bill by the Pommy Atorney General or the revenue office to the value of all his PUBLIC SPEAKING engagements on any subject that involve GOVERNMENT KNOWLEDGE and/or POLICIES and/or on world political situation. Same for all former poliies.. Yet, we should be weary that Mr Blair has a tendency to tell porkies, especially when sending troops to useless wars... see toon at top.