May201005
Poverty – Between 2004 to 2008, 1.3 million lived on <60% of median income greater than 1989
- The number of people in extreme poverty (<40% of median income) stayed constant in the first 8 years of Labour government, then rose to by 700,000 to the highest total ever.
- The average real incomes of the poorest 10% declined by 2% form 1997 to 2007, before the recession.
- The extra income generated by Labour has resulted in 40% accruing to the richest 10%.
- The richest 1% have greatest proportion of national income since 1930s.
- In 13 years of Labour government in UK, there is higher inequality than after 18 years of the Tories.
- Labour shifted taxation from the rich to the poor.
- Corporation Tax cut from 33% to 28%
- Capital gains tax from 40% to 18%
- Introduced an entrepreneur’s tax of 10% on first £2 million of capital gains.
- The inheritance tax threshold for couples was raised from £300,000 to £600,000.
- Raised minimum wages but blocked employment right for temporary and agency workers and preserved the opt-out clause in the EU working time directive.
- Work place inspections were reduced; result- increased deaths at work
- No recording of meetings between lobbyists and ministers
- Stopped corruption case against BAE (Saudi fighter planes deal and ??bribery)
- Private Finance Initiative; figures rigged to make the scheme appear to be value for money
- No re-nationalisation of railways – contrary to commitment.
- Private prisons has a higher proportion of prisoners in corporate jails than in the United States.
- Labour has added 3,500 new criminal offences to the statute book.
- Control, orders introduced to to place people under permanent house arrest without trial or even charge.
- Allowed extradition to US without producing evidence of an offence.
- UK has colluded in kidnapping and torture.
- More CCTV cameras than any other country.
- The DNA database is five times bigger than the second place country
- The number of prisoners in UK is up 41% since Labour took office.
- UK government blocked a ceasefire in Lebanon
- Sacked British ambassador in Uzbeckistan after he complained that the government there was boiling (yes BOILING) its prisoners to death.
- Gave aid to Colombian military that collaborates with fascist death squads.
- Announced the intention to waste huge money replacing the Trident nuclear submarines.
- Launched an illegal war in which hundreds of thousands of local people died in Iraq.