Once and For All End the Link Between Labour and Dodgy Donations

All through the last week I have refused to comment on the latest donations scandal that has hit the Labour Party. I have declined all media approaches to comment because like most Labour Party members I couldn't believe that we were back into another dodgy donations episode and I was hoping that all the questions would be answered swiflty and the the issue put to rest.

That hasn't happened and we are now facing the prospect of another Police investigation into the activities of the party hierarchy.

So today I have written to the Prime Minister urging that he take immediate and decisive action to restore the confidence of the electorate in our party. I have asked him to make an early statement explaining that he is putting proposals to the Party's National Executive Committee which end the practice of receiving large scale donations from rich individuals once and for all. I have proposed to him that he announce a cap of a maximum of £1000 per annum is placed on donations from individuals.

I have suggested to the Prime Minister that if the introduction of this cap results in a budget shortfall for the party then any shortfall is made up by the determined rebuilding of our party membership, which has become so depleted over recent years.

We cannot ever again allow our party to be dragged through the media as a result of any untoward financial arrangements.

Alert! New Housing Bill Sells Out Fourth Option.

After years of campaigning by the Defend Council Housing campaign and after securing overwhelming support at successive Labour Party conferences hopes were raised that the Government would at long last bring forward a housing bill which would tackle the housing crisis which has seen the number of homeless families double under New Labour since 1997.

The Labour Party conference policy is straightforward. It is the Fourth Option, allowing councils to access funds in the same way as housing associations so that councils can start building council houses again. This would enable us to launch the large scale housing programme that is desperately needed if we are to overcome the severe housing shortage which is causing such immense homelessness, overcrowding and the return of Rackman-like landlordism under the buy to let regime introduced by Gordon Brown.

Last night whilst many eyes were focussed on the latest party donations scandal the Housing Bill was debated in Parliament. The Government launched the Bill with a fanfare of claims announcing that we are to build 3 million new homes. Gordon Brown said in June "Councils will be able to build homes again."

This now looks as though it was just spin again. Our hopes have been dashed by the publication of the Government's new Bill. The Defend Council Housing Campaign has explained that the Bill means the Government will continue to discriminate against councils building new homes while offering public money to profit making private companies with little protection to either tenants or taxpayers. Profit making private landlords will be able to apply for social housing grants while councils cannot unless they set up arms length companies. At the same time councils will be pressurised to put public land into public/private partnerships that will build private not council housing. A new definition is also introduced for low cost housing which introduces for the first time in our history a means test for access to council housing.

Last night the Bill secured its second reading in the Commons only on the basis that backbench Labour MPs would be bringing forward amendments to the Bill which would reflect Labour party policy of supporting the Fourth option. The DCH campaign will be mobilising support in the Labour party, the trade unions, housing and tenants organisatiosn for the campaign to amend this bill, including a lobby of Parliament in the New Year. We all need urgently to get behind this campaign before it is too late and public housing is totally privatised. For further info look at the DCH website www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk

Gordon Brown Should be Advised that Endless Publicity Relaunches Just Wont Work.

Another week and another relaunch of Gordon Brown. Someone needs to advise him that endless publicity relaunches just won't work. This week's relaunch is particularly ineffective as it completely undermines the green credentials he tried to establish with his environment speech last week. Backing expansion of Heathrow, promoting nuclear power and weakening our environmental planning controls patently contradict the commitment to tackling climate change he asserted in last week's relaunch as well as diverting resources away from much needed investment in alternative energy.