Despite Cameron's warm words, she finds that where Tories take control of local authorities, the result is cuts to local services.
In Hammersmith & Fulham, she exposes how the Tory council shut down a mental health day centre, cut vulnerable children’s budget and youth services, and cut occupational therapy visits for the sick and old.
She writes:
Plainly these ambitious young leaders still reckon cuts are the way to Tory success - and they are not hugging hoodies but cutting youth services by £317k. They are not green or clean, but cutting nearly £1m from street cleaning; nor caring for the weak, but charging £200 more a year for meals on wheels.In Croydon, Polly Toynbee explains how the Tory council have just cut support for the voluntary sector and slashed a massive £6 million from social services.
In Harrow, the Tories have introduced a £12 daily charge on day centres for the frail.
In Havering, the Tories have just stopped school uniform payments for poor children.
In Westminster, the Tories are shutting down sheltered housing.
And after listing cuts in Camden, run by a Tory-LibDem coalition, Polly Toynbee asks:
Are they green? No, they have cut all night-time cleaning in Camden Town and Covent Garden.If Polly Toynbee came to Lincolnshire, she could have mentioned that the Tories recently increased home care charges for some from £40 to £120 a week.
Had she gone to North Lincolnshire, she'd find Scunthorpe residents asking the Tories: where's my £40 rebate which they promised four years ago but never delivered.
Same old Tories eh...?
9 comments:
I was paying all my attention to the opinion poll in the same paper.
what about Labour Lambeth where 132% increases
The Tory Manifesto by...Polly Toynbee. I wasn't aware she was a member. Stopped reading at that point. Try a bit harder Phil, this is becoming tedious.
geoffrey:
good to hear from you again. keep all your attention on the opinion polls, it will make you feel much better.
I well recall Labour being consistently double-digits ahead in every poll for years - except the ones that really mattered...
anonymous:
council tax rises are on average lower this year than for many - well below five per cent.
michael:
If only you'd kept reading you might have realised it wasn't the Tory Manifesto, it was the Tory Truth about what voting Conservative means for public services in your local community.
(Well, not yours of course, just those in UK).
According to...Polly Toynbee. A very impartial commentator on all things Tory. I keep telling you Phil, I still get a vote in the UK. They haven't (yet) made emigration a crime.
michael:
So you think Polly may be telling porkies about Tory cuts to local public services eh..?
Tell that to the council taxpayers of Hammersmith and Fulham, Croydon, Harrow, Havering, Westminster, Camden...
And of course Lincolnshire and Scunthorpe...
i hear on prime minister's question time that Tory Wandsworth is planning more cuts...
It seems unlikely that Poly Toynbee will ever understand a real Tory agenda. (She is an overpaid champagne socialist.)
mias:
whatever.
let's hope the voters understand.
Post a Comment