Pendle Labour Party Blog

It is good to learn that many people in the North West have received recognition through the honours system for the contribution they have made to the community. It is always good to hear that people are recognised for service rather than their contribution to a political party’s fund.
Not so good is the news that the hard core hawks of the Thatcher government were prepared to abandon Liverpool and its environs to “managed decline”.
Senior ministers warned her that it might be a waste to pour money into the “stony ground” of Merseyside — the county encompassing Liverpool and several other urban areas — after the decline of its heavy industry led to high unemployment and social unrest.
It would be unfair not to recognise that Michael Heseltine, from the left of the Conservative party, did make a stand for Liverpool by attempting to encourage private sector investment to regenerate the area.

Another piece of bad news is that full time workers resident in the North West have suffered the worst drop in living standards in the 12 regions of the UK. The real value of our average gross earnings has fallen by 9.1% between April 2007 and November 2011, due to the ‘bankers’ recession’ and stalled recovery.

Our Conservative MP applauds David Cameron for isolating us in Europe to protect the financial sector, whilst failing to recognise the small contribution that the finance sector makes to Pendle’s economy and that it could be bad news for Pendle, because in percentage terms we have one of the UK’s highest concentrations in manufacturing.

Those of us who have more years under our belts than we feel comfortable with will recall how during the 1950s the local Textiles Trades Federation had campaigned for the Conservative government of the day to explore the possibilities of balanced East–West trade and to encourage new industries to be based in Lancashire.

The Government remained undisturbed and flatly refused to take part in discussions between the Hong Kong Textile Employers and the Cotton Board.

The Government finally showed its hand when the President of the Board of Trade presented to Parliament a Bill for the “Reorganisation of the Cotton Industry”. This turned out to be a loom scrappage and compensation scheme. Best estimates at the time were that the Mill Owners would receive in total £560,000 for scrapping the looms, whilst the textile workers who were to be flung on to the ‘scrapheap’ would receive a total of some £90,000.

Quite clearly (and with the odd notable exception) the Conservative Party’s commitment to sustaining economic development in the North West is not good. Although I do recall one of Thatcher’s ministers advising us to get on our bikes and look for work.

Time and time again the people of the North West have shown that they are adaptable to the changing patterns and the advancing technology of manufacturing and developing industries.

The New Years Honours underlines that we have ordinary people committed to our community.

We need a Government that is equally committed to the economic development of the North West; the present Government’s record is not good, but I would welcome a viable economic ‘blueprint’ for the North West from any political party, rather than for us to be left by this government to “wither on the vine”.