SHEFFIELD TORIES IN DISARRAY, SAYS ANGELA SMITH

Sheffield Tories have been exposed as incompetent and unwilling to recognize that the world has changed, according to local Labour MP Angela Smith.

According to reports local Tories have forced one of their candidates for the General Election, Daniel Gage, to resign, on the grounds that he had been expelled from his position as a local parish councillor because of a failure to attend meetings.  He is now considering standing as an Independent and has accused Sheffield Tories of ‘not wanting new blood’. This allegedly forced resignation has occurred only days after the same members selected him.

Angela said,

“Once again we witness complete Tory incompetence in South Yorkshire.  It was quite right to challenge their candidate because of his non-attendance as an elected councillor, but you would have though any party worth its salt would have checked out his record before selecting him?  One wonders at the quality of the processes used by the Tories when they select candidates, I urge local people to be wary of a Party which can’t even get its choice of candidates right.” 

CAMERON’S HYPOCRISY OVER QUEEN’S SPEECH SHOWS TORIES HAVEN’T CHANGED, SAYS LOCAL MP

Local MP Angela Smith has expressed her astonishment that David Cameron, leader of the Tory Party, should have attended the Queen’s Speech, given his stated intention of ensuring that the legislative programme outlined by the Queen will be blocked by Tory members of the House of Lords.

David Cameron showed a serious lack of judgement, according to the Hillsborough MP, with his vow to use the unelected House of Lords to subvert the business of the elected House of Commons.

Central to the legislative programme are proposals to increase significantly the numbers of people with serious health conditions who receive free personal care in their own homes.

There are also proposals to prevent the undercutting of pay and terms of employment for workers by employers who sack full-time staff in favour of taking on temporary or agency workers long-term.  These proposals, which would be removed from the statute book by the Tories if they were to win power, are important if we are to protect workers from the unfair impact of cheap labour, particularly from other European countries.

Angela said,

“Once again the Tories have shown their true colours.  First of all, they decry the progress made by Labour to protect employment rights and then they threaten to use the unelected Lords to undermine the legislative programme put on the table by the elected government of the day.  It just goes to show, deep down the Tories remain the party of unelected privilege.  They have shown disdain for democracy with Cameron’s latest outburst and are unfit for power.”

Angela Smith MP welcomes extra money to help long-term unemployed into work

Today the Labour Government announced extra funding of over £1 million for Sheffield and £600,000 for Barnsley to tackle long-term worklessness, and ensure that no-one is left behind during the recession and everyone can benefit as the upturn happens.

Labour controlled Barnsley is already using its existing neighbourhood fund to double the length of time of a Future Jobs Funds placement to a year. This extra money will give even more help to people who need it.

While the number of long-term jobless families across the country has been reduced by 13 per cent over the last ten years, this funding demonstrates Labour’s commitment to tackling entrenched worklessness and steps up action to support the remaining 73,000 back into work.

The funding has been welcomed by Angela Smith as a crucial part of the local ‘Real Help Now and investment for areas that need it most.

Angela Smith said:

“This is good news from the Labour Government. It’s giving Barnsley and Sheffield extra help to those who need it most. It’s helping people get the skills, connecting them to jobs and creating new opportunities.

“Tackling long-term worklessness is not easy. Some people have complex circumstances or face particular challenges, but this funding shows Labour is determined to do more to help those who haven’t had a job. They need to know they have not fallen through the net or been written off.”

Communities Secretary, John Denham MP said:

“In past recessions the Conservative let people get left behind and today David Cameron is opposed to Labour’s fiscal stimulus to help people during the downturn. He would let the recession take its course whatever the consequences on families and communities.

“Even in the downturn hundreds of thousands of people are getting jobs. This funding shows even those out of work for years are not being left behind as they were under the Tories.

“We’re determined to make sure that this will never happen again. Labour is continuing to help, putting in additional investment, like the £40m Working Neighbourhood Fund announcement today, and we are asking local councils to take immediate action.

“Now more than ever people need to know system is fair and that we are doing everything we can to give every person, a fair chance to realise their potential in life.”

“The Tories will write people off. Labour will not”

Angela Smith MP, has also challenged Lib Dem the led Sheffield City Council to be honest, saying,

“While Lib Dem Councils like Sheffield have bid for Labour’s new investment like the Future Jobs Fund or are gladly receiving WNF they haven’t had the honesty to tell local people that none of this investment would have happened if it had been for a Labour Government.”

MP WARNS VOTERS ABOUT THE TORY ‘WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING’

MP WARNS VOTERS ABOUT THE TORY ‘WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING’

Local MP Angela Smith has issued a warning to voters in Penistone and Stocksbridge that despite appearances to the contrary, the Tories haven’t changed.

Since Cameron was elected as leader, the Tory Party has worked hard to erase its image as the nasty party and to suggest it has learnt the lessons of the mistakes it made in the 1980s and 1990s.

Recent comments by William Hague, however, have persuaded the Labour MP that the Tories haven’t changed.  In particular, his admission that public sector jobs in South Yorkshire will go and that the steel industry will not get special treatment is seen by the MP as clear evidence that South Yorkshire still has a lot to fear from the Tories.

Angela said, “The public sector accounts for at least a third of our local employment and yet William Hague has made it quite clear that jobs will be lost if the Tories are elected because of huge cuts in public spending.  Claims that the private sector will replace these jobs have no substance and will do nothing to help those who lose their jobs, thanks to the slash and burn approach of the Tory party.  In addition, steel will not be seen as a key industry.  We know from past experience that the Tories have always refused to support industries such as coal and steel.  South Yorkshire has everything to fear from a Tory party that is in effect a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”