These are serious economic times for Swindon. The percentage of young people (18-24) out of work in Swindon has more than trebled since the Tories gained control of Swindon Council from 2.5% in 2000 to 8.8% in 2011.  Since January there has been a 77 per cent rise in young people on the dole for more than six months in Swindon. Unemployment is now 2.6 million – and youth unemployment has risen above 1 million  Businesses are struggling, families are finding times are hard, and people are worried about their jobs.

Unfortunately it appears that nationally and here in Swindon the Conservatives have no clear strategy to get our economy growing again. The Future Jobs Fund, EMA’s and the Connexions Service have been cut and tuition Fees trebled.  And In Swindon we see the same story.  The Core Strategy was widely criticised for lacking an economic vision for the Town.  A recent business leader said:  “What if another Honda or Intel decided to move to Swindon? They would look at this strategy, decide the town is closed for business and go somewhere else. In some ways the council isn’t just adopting a low growth’ strategy, it’s no growth”.  It is alarming to learn that the Tories have no in house team to market Swindon or promote inward investment, and have failed to build on the legacy of Honda, BMW and Motorola to attract new businesses to our town.Under the Tories there is no plan, there’s no strategy, there’s no vision.

Business leaders, workers and families are saying the same as us.  This town needs a plan for growth.   This is why we have launched our own economic strategy.  Our Green New Deal will ‘get Swindon working’ and build the new businesses, the new jobs and the new economy that our town needs. We will place Swindon at the heart of the hydrogen highway and at the forefront of creating new green collar jobs. Employment in the environmental sector has been growing at seven per cent since the year 2000. The European Union has already committed to three million green collar jobs by 2020.   We should seize the opportunities that will arrive as a result of the need to tackle climate change and become a centre for renewable energy, energy efficiency; and low carbon industries.  Just as Roosevelt did in the 1930s we should pledge ourselves to a new deal – a Green New Deal.

In the 1980’s the inward investment from Honda, BMW, Motorola and Nationwide among others made Swindon into a powerhouse of economic growth and zero unemployment. Using the 1980’s model – we will establish a new inward investment team to market Swindon and build relationships with businesses.  We will establish a dedicated planning officer to provide a key point of contact for developers and businesses wishing to relocate to Swindon.  This will create the opportunity for a new economic transformation of the town.

We are proud of Swindon successful businesses.  We will work in partnership with Swindon’s Successful Businesses to help them grow and encourage their expansion.  As a first step we will establish mini enterprise zones by reorganising the Council’s land holdings to attract supply chain businesses of Swindon’s major manufacturers.  And using the extra funds from the localization of business rates we will help small businesses by creating a Small Business Loans Scheme.

Alongside new jobs we need to increase local opportunity for education and skills.  We will build a long term plan for a University for Swindon to unlock the talents of local people and to drive economic regeneration.

And we will support the bid for a University Technical College to extend skills and training provision in Swindon .  A University for Swindon would transform people’s lives, and transform the future of our town.

Finally we will create a new master plan for the regeneration of Swindon Town Centre.  The Tories have failed to regenerate Swindon.  Our Town Centre is still scarred by wasteland, derelict buildings, and concrete eyesores.

The masterplan is the key measure that the experts say will provide prospective developers with clear guidance and certainty to invest. We will end degeneration and kick start regeneration.

With a strong economic strategy Swindon can once again become an economic powerhouse for jobs and prosperity

This is Labour’s Economic Plan:

>> Grow the green economy: by placing Swindon at the heart of the hydrogen highway and creating new green collar jobs

>> Get Swindon Working: by enable the creation of 1000 new jobs, boosting apprenticeships and launching a Getting Swindon Working programme

>> New Jobs through New Inward Investment by establishing a new inward investment team to market Swindon and build relationships with businesses.

>> Retaining and Growing Swindon’s Successful Businesses by working in partnership with existing large employers encourage their expansion and using the Council’s land assets to create mini enterprise zones to encourage their suppliers to locate in Swindon.

>> A Clear Plan for the Regeneration of Swindon: to deliver a Town Centre which is attractive for shopping, leisure and culture reflecting the railway history of Swindon.

>> Help for Small Businesses: by using extra funds from the localization of business rates to help small businesses.

>> Towards a University for Swindon; by bidding for a University Technical College and establishing a specialist University project team to drive forward a long term plan for a University.

>> A kick start for the construction sector by a first time buyers scheme, by growing Swindon by 1000 houses a year and securing 40% as affordable homes.

>> A Fair Deal for Swindon by supporting a Living Wage.

Economy and Jobs VnNovember

What the Tories say they do in Swindon and what they do in Swindon are contradictory.

In South Swindon there are 2,667 job seekers, but only 633 job registered vacancies. We need jobs here as we have been told more than once by the Conservatives Swindon is on the up, but where are the jobs?

As councillor Rod Bluh, Conservative council leader, boasted only a year ago on 14th October 2010

The future is ours to make, the momentum is with us with the college site now underway.  I am told we would be leading the UK out of recession in terms of regeneration.

We would be at the top because no one else is doing anything. If we can’t do it in Swindon they will struggle to do it elsewhere.

Perhaps Rod Bluh can tell us where it is?  The old college site is still standing. Full article here from 2010.

I am delighted to been selected by Abbey Meads Labour Party to stand in the local elections on the 5^th May. I live in Oakhurst and work locally in Swindon. As  someone just starting a family I understand the worries of what the future is going to bring.

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Fact1:  when the global crisis hit the UK had the second lowest debt of any G7 country.
Fact 2:  the last Government inherited a debt interest level of 10p in every pound of tax received, and (even after a world recession) bequeathed a figure 15% lower.
Fact 3:  the interest rates the UK pays on its debt have been falling since the beginning of the year.

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While canvassing today in Moredon I met a man who blamed the last Labour Government for the lost of his job, and the trouble he was having finding a new one.  I reminded him of the PriceWaterhouse Coopers report published last week which estimated that the Chancellors £84billion in cuts, due to be announced on the 20th, would cause 1 million job losses!  Economic experts agree that Labour’s policies held job losses 800,000 below where they would have been if the Tories had been in power during the recession. Labour would make cuts – but only half those planned by the Tories and not till next year when the economy is safe.

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Its as simple as that …

I greatly enjoyed Gordons speech last night to Citizens UK. Listen to it yourself and you’ll realise why this man has the experience, vision, compassion and honesty which the UK desperately needs.  Its easy to forget what Britain was like in the 80s and early 90s – with mass unemployment and businesses and jobs going to the wall every week.

Check out what Labour has achieved in the past 11 years, and our vision for the future.

Look at what Eddie Izzard says about brilliant Britain.

Look at my pledges for Swindon and those of the Swindon Labour Group …

… but whatever you do:  don’t risk the recovery,  don’t risk all the measures Labour has taken to buffer the effect of the recession,  don’t risk major cuts to education and police services,  don’t risk your job and that of others,  don’t use your vote to bring the 1980s  back,  don’t vote against the minimum wage and tax credits, don’t risk losing Labours help to the unemployed, don’t let the newspapers tell you who to vote for and, above all, don’t fail to use your vote.

Victor Agarwal, Labour Candidate, North Swindon

The Lib Dem vote in North Swindon in the 2005 General Election was only 15%.  Given this small base- support they cannot win this seat and I hope their potential supporters will agree with me that a Lib Dem vote here is effectively a Tory vote.  The last thing that Swindon needs is a Tory Council and Tory representatives in Westminster who risk the recovery and dont fight for local jobs and services.

However, Labour and the Liberal Democrats share a lot of progressive ideals, and the Lib Dems agree with Labour in many areas.  Labour is committed to having a referendum on introducing a form of proportional system.  This will certainly benefit the Lib Dems, and is fiercely opposed by the Tories.

So in both the national and local elections on Thursday can I ask all progressive voters to put their cross beside Agarwal and other excellent local labour candidates like Laura Baker in Penhill – shown here  leading the Canvassing team….  SO on Thursday …..

Vote for JOBS – remember there is 2% less unemployment in the UK than in Europe and the USA.

Vote for the RECOVERY –  remember that the OECD forecasts that next quarter the UK economy will be growing 2nd fastest in Europe.

Vote for FAIRNESS for the working man and woman – remember the Tories are committed to giving a £200,000 inheritance tax break to the 3,000 wealthiest families in Britain.

Vote for Victor Agarwal,  The Labour Candidate for North Swindon

Caption:  Laura Baker, Labour Candidate in Penhill and a canvass team.

Eddie Izzard talks about the Brilliant Britain he’s seen as he ran across the country – and how the Conservatives would put it at risk.

Labour’s Party Election Broadcast ‘The Road Ahead’. Britain is at a crossroads – let’s secure the recovery with Labour.