A response to "Dubious"

Below, "Dubious" asked me whether "as someone apparently on the left of Labour", I agreed that "Labour could be very very much more different from the Tories than they are?"

Firstly, "Dubious", thanks for recognising that I'm on the left of the party - the Labour wing of the Labour party, one could call it.

And secondly, yes of course I wish we distingushed ourselves much more from the other parties. When we have achievements like lifting a million children out of poverty, perhaps we should shout them from the rooftops. Cos for sure, Michael Howard won't be thinking about how to lift the next million out of poverty on his first morning at number 10 (heaven forbid!). I disagreed with the decision to go to war in Iraq, but that doesn't mean that I'm ready to jump into bed with lightweight ex-SDP-ers with paperthin policies. I joined the Labour Party because I believe in social justice and equality - and our government is delivering for women, families, workers, children growing up in poverty, poorer pensioners, lesbian and gay people - all the groups left on the scrapheap by 18 years of Tory misrule.

You say "There's a reason that people are so disillusioned with politics, and I don't think denying that there is a problem helps very much."

I don't deny there is a problem with people being disillusioned. In fact, that's one of the reasons that I stood for selection. Politics needs to change - it needs about people like us, not people like them. It needs to deal with the everyday challenges of people's lives - and raise their expectations for a better world. Politicians need to look like Britain - more women, more young people, more black and Asian people. And politics needs to be about ordinary people - not the 7% of families that send their children to private schools or the 11% who opt out of the NHS. Politicians need to communicate with people, to be accountable, to address their concerns - which is why, despite the ravages of technophobia, I'm sat at a laptop writing this rather than in front of the telly.

Feel free to put pressure on the government to do more and do it faster and better. I'd be the first to say lots done, lots more to do. But don't kid yourself that you'll get a sympathetic hearing on the issues that you care about - be that privatisation, the environment or international development - from the rightwing Tories or the vacillating Liberals.

The difference between US and UK politics...

Just seen this over at vote-2005. Yes I know it's run by Tories, but I couldn't resist a quick look to see what they were saying about OxWAb. Apparently, some presumably-Republican presumably-American presumably-student thinks I'm a wannabe wing-nut. Well, forgive me for being quite pleased about that - the day Republicans think I'm great is the day I'll give up and go home.

Thanks Tom!

Tom Watson has just linked to me from his much more well-read blog - cheers Tom! Appreciate the encouragement to a technophobe novice at this game. I'll try to keep up the quirkiness...

Hustings

Thought you might like to see this picture of me at the recent hustings... I don't know what I've got in my mouth - can't be a cigarette, must be a pen!

Comparing the parties...

The BBC have done a really good summary of Labour, Tory and Liberal policies ahead of the next general election (May 2005?).

It makes for interesting reading and does a lot to dispell the myth that it's impossible to tell the difference between parties and politicians.

For example, on the subject of tax and the economy the policies are:

Labour: Takes credit for low mortgage rates, more jobs; would reform the "unsustainable" council tax; say spending plans affordable without tax rises; tax reliefs for "hard working families".

Conservatives: Would prevent "Labour third term tax rises"; will use £4bn to cut taxes although not saying which yet - however say inheritance tax, council tax and stamp duty are unfair.

Liberal Democrat: Would replace council tax with a local income tax; new 50% tax rate on earnings over £100,000 a year; no new business regulations without impact assessment.

Anyone who says that all parties are just the same never watches the news or reads a paper.

Don't forget to register to vote!

Just seen this on Bloggerheads:

The Electoral Commission are launching their campaign to remind people to register to vote. If the general election were to be on May 5th, the deadline would be March 11th. If you're not registered, or you're not sure if you've registered, go to aboutmyvote.co.uk.

A model for housing in Oxford?

I've been reading coverage of John Prescott's Sustainable Communities summit in Manchester with interest over the last week. The thing that caught my attention? That a £60,000 house could be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional and - crucially - affordable. If you don't believe me, look at this article. It's a two bedroom house over three floors, painted blue and faced in cedar wood.

Of course, this is probably the biggest issue facing us in the south-east at the moment - how can we make housing for public sector workers, low-paid and even medium-paid single people, couples and families affordable? House prices are so high that many people just can't afford to buy in places like Oxford, leaving many people who'd like to buy stuck in rented housing.

I believe that the answer is to build more houses in and around Oxford - something that the Government is keen to do.

Everyone will be getting a questionnaire through their door from the South East Regional Assembly soon, asking us about the housebuilding and development options we prefer. Our copy arrived this week, and I ticked the box for building 32,000 new homes per year - the highest number available. I hope many other people will do the same.

Hustings tonight

Well, today's the day. I'm looking forward to the hust tonight at SMI (Polstead Road, 8pm, £5 on the door), mainly as it finally makes the campaign real when you start to be challenged on why you're standing and what you believe in. I've duitifully read all the briefings from head office on Old Queen Street, discarded the ones that are rubbish, covered the rest in highlighter pen and attempted to force statistics about improvements in the health system and schools into my head. Am beginning to look forward to it now...

A global responsibility

Today I spoke at the Pro-Choice and Proud of It conference, organised by the National Union of Students Women's Campaign. It was really heartening to know that so many people are still prepared to stand up and defend a woman's right to choose.

However, the speech by Sarah Mackie from Interact Worldwide really shocked me. Did you know that, despite all the efforts going into increasing funding to fight HIV/AIDS across Africa, each African man has access to just three condoms per year? I'm proud that, in the HIV/AIDS strategy for the developing world announced by Tony Blair and Hilary Benn last July, the UK pledged £150 million pounds over the next three years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. But let's go further and use some of that political capital we got from supporting George W over Iraq to persuade him that his policy of funding only abstinence education rather than safer sex information in developing countries is disastrous...

Sixth formers

Today I was invited to speak to the year 13s at a school in Abingdon. The brief was to introduce myself and then to let them ask questions. I don't know quite what they expected, but I'm not sure it was me! Certainly, when I was in sixth form, a politician was a grey-suited older man with little relevance to my life - and I was determined not to be like that with them.

I was very impressed - they certainly gave me a good grilling on everything from comprehensive schools to the lack of a student discount on Oxfordshire buses to climate change, and several of them were confident enough to put their own views across. I think I did okay - I was certainly cross when the bell went and it was time to leave, as I was enjoying myself too much.

I'm happy to come and listen to the views of any schools or groups in Oxfordshire that want to invite me - I can speak if that's what you want, but to be honest I'd rather listen to your opinions and answer questions. In the same vein, please email me if there's something that needs to be added to the FAQs or you need a question answered - it's antonia@antoniabance.org.uk.