The Green Room on Whitworth Street in Manchester has fallen foul of Labour’s new rules on what organisations should receive funding. Two excellent orchestras have also lost their funding, the renowned London Mozart Players, and the London Sinfonietta. One of the worst and most serious orchestral funding disasters is the removal of the £20 million grant from the government for the BBC Philharmonic. Being a BBC orchestra the withdrawal of the funding doesn’t attract headlines as if it was a cut from the arts council. However, this is another example of our city being let down by the New Labour government. The money was to come from a grant for Salford that the council was expecting, but was withdrawn by hazel Blears in her announcement about local government settlements (see article from MEN here) Its hard to tell if Salford’s Labour council were incompetent in promises the money without it being guaranteed, or its another example like the withdrawal of the casino of Labour simply stopping caring about the NW.
Archive for February, 2008
Tony Lloyd refuses to face the truth over the casino
February 29, 2008Tonight Tony Lloyd spoke with disgraceful lack of honesty about the decision to bin the plans for the super casino for Manchester. When it was put to him that Gordon Brown had decided that he personally didn’t want a super casino, Mr Lloyd had the gaul to say that wasn’t the case, and it was the fault of the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives! He must be the only person in the country to think so, showing how out of touch Labour MPs such as himself are, so out of step with public opinion.
What was even worse was the pathetic report produced by Hazel Blears. Blears was charged with producing a report to say how 3000 jobs would be saved, and what alternative investment would be given – this turned out to be none at all. The MEN put it rather well in this article on the front page. When I last met Hazel Blears she lacked the knowledge of local organisations to ask if musicians with the Halle orchestra had day jobs. It was rather ironic that she was with Ruth Kelly at the time, who is famed among musicians for asking a member of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic the same question about their orchestra! Its an even more shocking insight when it was Hazel Blears who announced the terrible financial settlement for her native Salford, where the funding the the BBC Philharmonic was removed, throwing Salford council into a quandary now over how to fund the orchestra when it moves over the river. See MEN article here
The casino debacle is the most recent in a line of big disappointments for Manchester dealt by the New Labour government. What is the point of having this Labour council if they can’t get a fair deal for Manchester when their party also forms the government? £240,000 was spent on the bid for the casino, which pales into insignificance in relation the the bid for the Congestion Charging scheme which is now over £9 million. Its very much an open process, but surely I’m not the only person who can see disaster on the horizon for someone in the TIFF bidding process. One scenario is that the government will give Manchester’s Labour council what it desires with the congestion charge after the disappointment over the casino, however if they do it creates problems elsewhere. If Manchester is successful in its bid, it will exhaust the TIFF fund for public transport. With Birmingham, Oxford and Leeds also bidding for the fund, how can these cities be satisfied too when Manchester’s bid is for virtually the entire pot?
When Manchester city council has finished bottom (along with Oldham) in the independent council ratings in Greater Manchester for value for money, fiscal competence and transparency, my faith in the TIFF bid and funding having a positive outcome is slim at best.
When will Labour being to face up to what is happening, how the casino affair hasn’t caused a huge rift in the party is a mystery. Incompetence and broken promises have characterised this government, and will tear New Labour apart from within. The fact that it hasn’t happened is surprising, but the fact that such ridiculous denial by MPs such as Tony Lloyd is so manifest will simply make the tear bigger when it does appear. Gordon Brown is responsible for pulling the plug on Metrolink, the Casino, and will be responsible along with the city council for the congestion charge – the charge that Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester council, said would be a disaster for the city.
Happy New Year! – the year of the Rat
February 11, 2008Wishing all Chinese people in Manchester a happy and prosperous New Year, may it bring you all you desire.
Afflecks Saves by Bruntwood
February 2, 2008What a relief, the character of the area and the opportunity for small creative business is assured with a deal from Bruntwood. See MEN coverage here
