Gordon Brown appeals to Gloucestershire voters
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has reached out to disaffected Labour voters in Gloucestershire – insisting "we never left them".
In a bid to rally support in the county where the party is defending two seats at this year's General Election – one with a wafer-thin majority of just 350 votes – Mr Brown pledged to continue to create new jobs and improve the prospects of the next generation.
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pledge: Gordon Brown with The Citizen's Nick Lester.
"In difficult times, we have been trying to do our best to take Gloucestershire through a very challenging recession," he said.
He was speaking as his premiership was rocked by yet another coup attempt, with two ex-cabinet ministers calling for a secret ballot on his leadership.
Patricia Hewitt and Geoff Hoon had written to Parliamentary colleagues calling for the leadership issue to be sorted out "once and for all". The Prime Minister had been due to be in the South West for a regional cabinet meeting but this was cancelled due to the weather.
In an interview with The Citizen, Mr Brown appealed to voters and Labour supporters.
Parmjit Dhanda is defending a majority of 4,271 in Gloucester, while David Drew in Stroud has one of just 350.
The PM said: "I am dedicated to high aspirations and giving young people the chance to realise their potential to the full, and we stand for all the country and not just a few people.
"I think when people look at what's happened over the over the last year, every single decision on the economy has been a wrong decision the Conservatives have made.
"You can talk about change but there's something called the wrong change. The Conservatives are the wrong change for Britain."
Mr Brown also defended the squeeze on the pay of public sector workers in Gloucestershire.
In last year's mini-budget, the Chancellor announced plans to cap public sector pay rises to one per cent for two years from 2011. State contributions to public sector pensions would be capped.
Mr Brown said: "We have managed during the period of the recession to keep large numbers of public servants in work, and to hold to the three year pay agreements that we have made, but I think it's right as we come through what's a low-inflation period that we put an emphasis on maintaining the jobs that are essential to deliver the best public services."
The PM was also critical of the Tory pledge to scrap the 2005 hunting ban. He said: "I don't think there's popular support for reversing that legislation. I think people understand that this form of cruelty was something that needed action taken."
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by John, Glos City
Sunday, January 10 2010, 10:47PM
“Pete lacy, Forest; Well what does a few hundred thousand pounds here or there matter to sweet Alistair Darling and his chipmunks in Whitehall. After all It¿s not an enormous salary compared to those lowly paid Chief Executives of County Council fame who are accredited with earning over £160,000 but to be fair I do not believe CEO have their electricity bills paid. Proportionality speaking compare the Mp with a CEO Salary I am sure we need to raise the MPs Salary to something more approaching £290,000. Though does it matter because this Government is already bankrupt -- Sorry Pete Lacy -- I overlooked the fact that you are part of this government so I suppose that makes you insolvent as well. Trust Labour”
by Pete lacy, Forest
Sunday, January 10 2010, 6:46PM
“It might be worth remembering that both Parmjit Dhanda and David Drew get taxpayer paid salaries of £64, 700. Mr Drew claimed £10k ACA and Mr Dhanda claimed £20k ACA. Oh, we also pay their mortgages and food bills. Taxpayers are still paying Mr Dhanda's cleaning, electric and furniture bills! These two need to go!”
by Joe K, Barton & Tredworth
Sunday, January 10 2010, 5:40PM
“And now it's back :)”
by Joe K, Barton & Tredworth
Sunday, January 10 2010, 5:21PM
“How do you get those heart/notes emoticons, John Doherty? And how is it that despite 53 comments, this article is no longer in the 'most commented' section?”
by John Doherty, Gloucester
Sunday, January 10 2010, 4:00PM
“¿¿ - I think I can make it now, Nu Labour is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I¿ve been praying for
It¿s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day. ¿¿
Look all around, there¿s nothin?but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothing but blue Tory skies ¿¿”
by John Doherty, Gloucester
Sunday, January 10 2010, 3:26PM
“¿¿ - This city desert makes you feel so cold, It's got so many people but it's got no SOUL And it's taken many so long To find out Labour were wrong
When you thought it had everything......We all found out...Labour...had NOTHING ¿¿”
by PD, Glos
Sunday, January 10 2010, 2:55PM
“Sandra, Gloucester
You're so right.
2nd May 1997, I woke up, just like being at a party when someone tells a group of you a joke, you don't get it, but laugh anyway.
I thought I was the only person in the country that hadn't voted for Blair.
And you know, everyday, and I mean every day, since then, there has been a damn good reason NOT to vote Labour, from Ecclestone's smoking millions to yesterday's let off for Harman.
Come on you Blues!”
by Sandra, Gloucester
Sunday, January 10 2010, 1:34PM
“John Halford ,
I don't see how I insulted you ?!
You have been the one saying ''people like you'' about me !
You also seem to assume I'm a fully paid up member of the Conservative Party from all of your comments ! Wrong , again !
You don't need to be affiliated to a certain political party to have an opinion , and to voice your views and concerns .
Labour has turned it's back on ordinary hard working .low paid people and has caused worsening deep social problems .
''People like me'' weigh up the pro's and con's about who they would rather have in power . ''People like me'' are straight talkers , and say it ''how it is'' ........ warts and all !
Labour deserve to be hammered at the next election.
You admit you know nothing about the proposed scrapping of AA and DLA care component . Fair enough . So don't go slinging mud at me because I've taken the trouble to , hopefully, enlighten you as to a potential gross unfairness to hit people in the near future from your Labour government . Maybe then you don't know what your own Labour policies are .?
For you to say I'd said ''we don't get enough benefits'' was totally wrong . I hadn't said that at all !”
by Joe K, Barton & Tredworth
Sunday, January 10 2010, 12:53PM
“John halford, I don't see how Sandra insulted you.
So Harriet Harman was not charged with using a mobile phone while driving (politically, a very damaging charge, and she apparently doesn't dispute she was doing it) because she pleaded guilty to the 'more serious charge' of driving without due care and attention. But the 'potentially more serious' offence of leaving the scene of an accident and failing to report it (did she *ever* contact the police?) was 'not brought to court'. Six of one and half a dozen of the other?”
by Joe K, Barton & Tredworth
Sunday, January 10 2010, 12:42PM
“'Anon, i remember the winter of discontent. The difference is Labour moved on and changed while the Tories have not moved on from their dark period, the Thatcher years' -
Shaun Shute, Gloucester
I'm just old enough to remember the Winter of Discontent, and what I can't recall, I read about. I *don't* remember three day weeks and rubbish going uncollected because of strikes during Thatcher's time. Those things were a consequence of the unions' power over the previous government. When Thatcher broke the unions' stranglehold, it benefited the present government more than her. If anyone is going to regurgitate ancient history, tell the whole story.”