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The Prime Minister's splurge of conference pledges was under intense scrutiny today — with claims that several were unravelling.
Gordon Brown surprised his audience by making costly-looking announcements in yesterday's big speech despite the pressure on public finances.
Insiders have told the Standard how the speech was rewritten repeatedly in Mr Brown's hotel suite, with a battery of policy officials haggling over how far the Premier could go in squeezing promises into his speech without them becoming unaffordable.
While No 10 said the final package was fully costed, the Conservatives issued a dossier claiming that there were “glaring holes” in individual promises.
Tory chairman Eric Pickles claimed: “As ever with Gordon Brown, you have to check the small print. We now discover half of his announcements consisted of fiddled figures and rehashes.”
Pledge: Social care
Mr Brown promised a National Care Service to help elderly people in the most need stay in their homes for as long as possible without losing their savings. No 10 says £400 million a year will be moved from low priority areas of the NHS budget, and another £270 million will come from local authorities.
Tories say: With 350,000 people who could benefit, this equates to less than £2,000 per person — or £36 per week — which is not enough. Official data shows the average unit cost of home care for older people is £135 per week, and higher for the most needy; £36 would buy only about 2.5 hours of home care per week.
Pledge: Childcare
Mr Brown said a third of two-year-olds will benefit from 10 hours of free childcare a week by the end of the Parliament, funded by cuts in tax relief for nursery places — specifically by scrapping tax relief on Employer Supported Childcare. Labour claims only wealthy people would lose out.
Tories say: It would hit middle class working parents — costing up to £904 a year for those on the basic rate of income tax and up to £1,487 for top rate payers. A 2006 government report found seven in 10 people receiving ECS were on the basic rate. The Tories also believe there is a £120 million shortfall in the costings.
Pledge: Hostels for teenage mothers
Mr Brown said Labour would introduce a “network of supervised homes” for “all 16 and 17-year-old parents” instead of handing them the keys to a free council home.
Tories say: This is a rehash of plans published a decade ago. Labour briefed that they will provide 500 places for young mothers, while one in 10 of all parents is a teenager.
Pledge: Anti-social behaviour
Mr Brown said Labour will introduce parenting orders, drink-banning orders and family intervention projects to crack down on drunken yobs who make life a misery for ordinary families.
Tories say: These are recycled policies that have already been announced. Small print says that the extra funding will be achieved by cutting “areas of youth crime and parenting spend”.
Pledge: 24-hour drinking
Mr Brown said Labour would give local authorities the power to reduce 24-hour drinking to curb bad behaviour.
Tories say: A maximum of 0.31 per cent of bars, pubs and clubs will be affected. There are 637 drinking establishments with 24-hour licences so the policy barely scratches the surface of the problem.
Reader views (8)
Mr.Brown surely thinks we are all idiots. Labour have had 12 years to stop yobs on the streets, to help the aged with free homecare and to improve education and healthcare. Throwing money at a problem has never worked, neither has piling on the bureaucracy and implementing multi layers of management and mountains of paperwork. All kinds of laws have been passed but are scarcely implemented - using mobile phones in cars, banning hunting to name but 2. Minor infractions are heavily penalised whilst thugs roam free and bankers wreck the economy. Private pension plans are robbed, layabouts are rewarded by being given better lifestyles than many lowpaid workers, education standards are lowered annually, police are bogged down with paperwork, hospitals are hotbeds of infection, teachers are unable to control pupils in school, we are engulfed by stealth taxes. The results of laws are not properly considered so we get idiotic situations where people are afraid to speak to children, we are bombarded by patronising advertisements telling us what to eat, how to live our lives. Police appear to focus on driving offences and let burglars and car thieves run free, old people are maltreated in care homes. Our politicians fiddle their expenses whilst the country cumbles. Uncontrolled immigration is allowed, 'human rights' appear to favour the criminals. And Mr.Brown expects us to vote him in for another terrible term? Pigs might fly!
- Sarah Harrison, Ripon North Yorkshire, 30/09/2009 23:50
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Crash Gordon looks just like Richard Nixon before he was impeached and lost the presidency of the United States. He will be remembered for saying: "There will be no white wash at the White House"
New Labour took slogans from a detergent company, "X washes whiter than white,"and
"X is tough on grime and the causes of grime." Sounds familiar? The rest is history!
- Kevin, London England, 30/09/2009 19:44
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When will Labour realise that simply announcing an idea is not a success. Making the correct decision and then implementing it badly is just as bad as making the wrong choice in the beginning. 12yrs of bad choices and bad management is enough for anyone.
- Mark, London, 30/09/2009 13:40
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No mention in his speech of howe he proposes to re-claim the hundreds of thousands of pounds misappropriated by this most corrupt government - nor indeed what punishment is going to be meted out to the guilty. ALL second homes must be sold and the money returned to the treasury when this lot are kicked into the long grass at the next election - and not one of them must be allowed to hold public office again.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK, 30/09/2009 13:13
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dom,don,t be silly.the tories know what to do,it,s just a case of showing your manifesto,when labour have no time to plagerise it
- Lorne, derby, 30/09/2009 12:22
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IS THERE ANYONE who believes the guff of Clown and Mandy - now heapinm insults on our troops by calling Liebour insurgents - what a truly awful shower.
- Ronreagan, aberdeen, 30/09/2009 12:00
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It all well and good the Tories picking holes and flaws, but what are the Tories offering? Come on Dave, let us know. Lots of hot air & probably no substance. There has got to be one decent party to vote for, but not red, blue or yellow as they are all the same old same old offering the same old same old.
- Dom, London, 30/09/2009 11:43
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IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO SEE RIGHT THROUGH THE GLARING HOLES IN GORMLESS BROWN'S ABJECT SPIN AND WAFFLE.
ROLL ON THE GENERAL ELECTION - I WILL BE THROWING A STREET PARTY FOR ALL THE STARVING LOCAL CHILDREN WHEN LABOUR IS WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 30/09/2009 10:31
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