Andrew Nutt

Tales of two debts

2012-01-24T04:48:00.000-08:00

Manchester United has Total debt now 2011 £590.4m, up from 2009 figure of £566.1m. While Peacock debt was of £240m. Which company have gone into administration, this can't be fair.

A boost For Tourisim

2012-01-20T04:46:00.000-08:00

Four Royal Weddings and a Royal Funeral

Nadolig Llawen Merry Xmas

2011-12-20T09:53:00.000-08:00

Nadolig Llawen and a Merry Xmas to everyone in Plaid Cymru and to all the bloggers. from Andrew, Pauline and Robert

Carwyn Leads Wales to Independance

2011-12-17T01:50:00.000-08:00

With the news Carwyn Jones has gone straight to Europe over David Cameron's veto, shows that Carwyn wants strengthen the connection with Europe and have less with London. This is what all smaller countries have done in the past on their road to Independence. Carwyn see the future of Wales lies in the hands of Europe and not those MP's in London.

Another Assembly Leader as a regional List AM

2011-12-05T09:33:00.000-08:00

If Plaid selected a regional list AM as their next leader, are they saying to the electorate don't help us win more seats in this area. Because we might lose our leader, just like the Tories. Plaid need to be looking to win more constituencies at the cost of regional seats. Win back Llanelli, win Carmarthen West but lose a West regional list seat. Win back Rhondda, win Cynon and Ponty and Plaid could lose all south Wales central seats. Plaid must look to win as many constituencies as possible at the cost of regional AM's.

People Pray for Clarkson Blowout

2011-12-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

People are now praying for Jeremy Clarkson Top Gear presenter to have a blowout while test driving one of the high performance cars. His he that much disliked.

Wales' unemployment 17% higher than a year ago, latest figures show.

2011-11-16T04:24:00.001-08:00

Unemployment in Wales has risen again to almost 137,000, the latest figures show.

Between July and September, the number of people of people out of work rose by more than 14,000.

The total number of unemployed in Wales aged 16-plus has increased from 122,000 to 137,000 – an increase of 11.4% on the quarter.

Unemployment in Wales is 16.9% higher than it was a year ago. I think this Labour government should start thinking outside the box. There are three iconic buildings in Merthyr lying derelict. The buildings could provide jobs if a plan to renovate them was agreed and provide Merthyr with some extra tourist attractions. One the old hospital could prevent bed blocking, if elderly patients were to be moved there while they recover.

Labour accused of 'most heiLabour accused of 'most heinous of political sellouts' as leaders clash

2011-11-09T04:23:00.001-08:00

When Plaid’s Mr Jones said: “Let me remind you, First Minister, since May we haven’t had a single piece of legislation to deal with in this chamber, we’ve had a programme for government which contains no targets and we’ve had no action on the economy.

“The only conclusion I can now draw from your failure to act is you have decided to sit back, let the economic crisis do its worst and blame the Tories for everything.

“First Minister, don’t you think that our young people deserve better than that?” Labour candidate stood on the election platform, they as Labour candidates will stand up for Wales. This was a fabrication of the truth and the biggest con trick in which the electoral fell hook line and stinker.

Save the Children: Severe child poverty Wales highest

2011-11-04T06:11:00.001-07:00

A higher proportion of children in Wales live in severe poverty compared to the rest of the UK, according to Save the Children.

It said 90,000 children (14%) live in low income homes which are often poorly heated and where it is a struggle to pay for basics like food and clothes.

This compares to 13% in England and 9% in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Labour have pledged to eradicate all child poverty by 2020, this target is unachievable say “Save the Children”. Labour has been in power in Wales since 1999 and 13 years of a UK Labour government. This is just a catalogue of failures and still people keep voting for them, any other walk of life and these people would have gone a long time. “If you tolerate this, your country will be next”

Plaid save People Money

2011-10-22T01:38:00.000-07:00

A partial switch-off of street lights almost paid for itself within the first year in Caerphily county council. A whopping £180,000 saved on power bills. The council will have cut carbon emissions by 45%. This would not have happened if Labour councillors, Labour AM's or Labour MP's had their way.

No compulsory redundancies at Caerphilly Council for last three years

2011-10-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

Caerphilly County Borough Council is the only local authority in Wales not to introduce compulsory staff redundancies over the last three financial years.

Newly released figures show that some councils have seen hundreds of redundancies since 2008 as public services struggle to cope with increasing financial constraints.

Council leader Allan Pritchard said: “Caerphilly County Borough Council has a robust vacancy management and redeployment policy in place and this strategy has proven to be very successful to date. This has been jointly negotiated with our trade union colleagues.”

“We will continue to use this policy as an effective response to the tough financial climate facing local government at the moment. This will minimise the likelihood of redundancies although we cannot guarantee that there will not be any in future as grant funding streams in particular are reduced.”

The authority has also ensured its budget is on track after agreeing far-reaching efficiency savings across the organisation.

Deputy leader Cllr Colin Mann added: “We are rising to the challenges of the current economic climate and thanks to our sound budget management we are protecting jobs, protecting services and ensuring that Caerphilly County Borough Council is leading the way in Wales once again.” Compare with Labour run RCT

Three thousand people in Wales and England die each year of fuel poverty, inquiry finds

2011-10-19T08:42:00.001-07:00

ALMOST 3,000 people in England and Wales die each year as a result of fuel poverty, an inquiry has found - as campaigners said keeping warm at home was “becoming a luxury that only the better-off can afford”.
Was they better off with Labour, the answer is no. With four million households were considered to be fuel poor in 2009. Labour let the fuel companies run riot with the cost of energy, now they put their costs up in packs.

Blame the Ref for Wales Losing

2011-10-18T06:12:00.000-07:00

Even with a below average French team, a team lacking in flair and ambition. 14 man Wales still failed to grab a win against the French. Who is to blame why the little man in the middle, granted Sam should have had 10 min in the bin. Wales missed a number of kicks at goal, one would have won us the game and failed to win two important line outs whilst in French 22 which could have made a drop goal available to win us the game. Don't get me wrong Wales is the most improved side and full of youth, who can beat Aussies Friday and next month and then go to win the Gran Slam next year.

Labour Price on Devolution

2011-10-12T05:35:00.000-07:00

Covanta Energy plans have been submitted for a £400m energy-from-waste generating station near Merthyr Tydfil. The Brig y Cwm plant, which developers say could create 650 construction jobs, is going to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) for a decision. Covanta Energy says it will generate enough energy to power all the homes in Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly areas.

Sadly any decision made will be by the English government in London and not it Cardiff. Because prior to the Welsh Assembly being established, Labour members and Labour MP’s thought big energy producing projects like the Covanta Energy should not be vetoed by any Welsh government. Welsh Labour doesn’t trust any Welsh government to make the right decision on energy producing projects. Welsh Labour was also afraid that one day there might be a Plaid Cymru government in Cardiff who they think is unwilling to work with future London governments. For that they were willing for Wales to be awash with any large energy producing projects from wind farms to Covanta project. The people of Wales should know what deals were made within the Labour party to push devolution through its membership.

Wales Reunited

2011-10-12T04:03:00.000-07:00

With the current success on the rugby field and a good chance Wales could reach a major final. The whole of Wales has come together and rightly so. The Welsh squad is made up from every corner of Wales all pulling together for a common goal. Whatever the final result this Saturday or next Saturday, I'm still proud of the boys and proud to be Welsh. So why can't all the political parties form a collation to defeat poverty, lack of jobs, housing, education and health. Or is that just an old nationalist's dream.

All Aboard the Welsh Train to Recession, Thanks to Labour

2011-10-05T05:19:00.000-07:00

In Labour’s manifesto they promised to stand up for Wales and increase jobs. So when Jane Hutt AM Welsh Labour Finance Minister Tuesday announced a draft budget for growth and jobs. I expected to more money for Edwina Hart Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science. When in real term Edwina is having her budget cut by a few millions pounds.

With is kind of funding cut I can’t see where the new jobs will be coming from, in fact this budget will only bring more un-employment that before. Look at the recent history of Wales. When time was good Wales still never had a good rise in jobs under Welsh Labour, while the rest of the UK increases job numbers. So how is cutting the budget going to increase the number of jobs available. With this kind of funding cut Wales under Labour will slip into a recession very soon.

Jeffrey Cuthbert Have a go Hero?

2011-09-30T06:05:00.000-07:00

I see Jeffrey Cuthbert AM for Caerphilly as put pen to paper in his latest attack on me in the Rhymney Valley Express. Well Mr Cuthbert if you didn't know what your top Labour leaders are saying, how out of touch are you. Alistair Darling MP has said Labour cuts would be 10% less than the Con/Dems. Ed Balls have said there is no need to re-look at the Barnett Formula and Ed "the red flag" Miliband has apologised the way Labour let the banks run riot in London.

4^th July last year Shadow Children’s Secretary Ed Balls, a former chief economic adviser to Gordon Brown, told Wales on Sunday the controversial Barnett Formula was not unfair despite experts saying it robs Wales of £300m a year. A high proportion of people in Wales already received benefits and tax credits, he claimed.

23^rd March last year, Alistair Darling's admission that Labour cuts will be "deeper and tougher" than those implemented by Margaret Thatcher

Labour’s conference this year, Ed Miliband, whose personal poll ratings are in desperate ... concedes to a failure to properly regulate the banks,

Labour cost Wales £millions on Tution Fees, Thanks Tony Blair

2011-09-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

First Minister Carwyn Jones says cutting the maximum university fee for students in England by a third would save Wales money. Labour leader Ed Miliband has said his party would reduce the tuition fee cap from £9,000 to £6,000 if in power.

Most Welsh students are set to pay about £3,400 a year from 2012, with the Welsh Government paying the rest. Mr Jones said it could mean the Wales saving "a lot of money" if Labour win the next UK election.

So when Tony Blair’s Labour party first introduced tuition fees, they in fact cost Wales millions of pounds. The last Labour government as under funded Wales via the unfair Barnett Formula. The sad fact Wales has generally lost millions of pounds over the thirteen years of a Labour government.

Fears over £65bn 'NHS mortgage' thanks to Labour

2011-09-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

The NHS in England faces a total bill of £65bn for new hospitals built under the private finance initiative (PFI), figures obtained by the BBC indicate.

The so-called "NHS mortgage" means that for some trusts annual repayments take up more than 10% of their turnover.

Economists said the fees, which rise each year, would make it harder to achieve savings while doctors said they would mean less money for patient care.

But the government said the 103 schemes were providing value for money.

Under the schemes, private firms pay for and build new hospitals and mental health units, leaving the NHS to pay off what is effectively its mortgage over a period of 30 or so years.

The data shows that the value of the projects when they were built was £11.3bn.

However, over the lifetime of the deals, the NHS is due to pay back £65.1bn, once extra costs such as maintenance, cleaning and catering are taken into account.

The figures also reveal the levels of repayments are rising. In total, the NHS currently pays back £1.25bn each year - a figure which rises year-on-year until 2030 when it will top £2.3bn. The final payment will not be made until 2048.

Plaid caerphilly v Labour RCT

2011-09-13T04:42:00.001-07:00

The Plaid-led Caerfilli council has also frozen Councillors’ allowances since 2008; it was another three years before RCT council followed suit. Caerfilli council also froze council tax for this year and intends to freeze them again next year whereas in Rhondda Cynon Taf council tax rose by 2.95% this year.

Councillor Jarman said: “The Labour-led administration has treated its workers with total disregard by making them the scapegoats for their budget deficit. What they have done to loyal council employees in the last year would make even the most right-wing of Conservative local authorities blush.

Caerphilly council was not the only council to lose money

2011-09-13T04:35:00.000-07:00

Local Authorities who lost money with the Icelandic banks include Kent county council with £50m; Nottingham city council, £42m; Norfolk county council, £32.5m; Dorset county council, and Hertfordshire county council, both £28m. Fifteen police forces and numerous charities also lost their investments in Iceland.

Ed Balls 'deeply sorry' over banking crisis

2011-09-13T04:23:00.000-07:00

Ed Balls has said he is "deeply sorry" for the previous Labour government's role in the banking crisis. Finally a former Labour cabinet member appolgise for their role in the banking crisis.

Helen Mary Jones on Dole

2011-09-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

I see Helen Mary is signing on, I know how she feels. I was made redundant after 13 years loyal and found myself living on £65 a week.

Why did Alun Davies AM change?

2011-08-25T04:40:00.000-07:00

The hours spend talking with Alun Davies when he was a Plaid member. Listeneing to the Labour party venom from his mouth. How can someone like that with so much hatred change, money, winning elections or very good at fooling people.