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Ben Bradshaw MP

The Labour Party is a democratic socialist party. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many not the few, where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe, and where we live together freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect.

Welcome to the Website of Exeter Labour Party

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Time for local Tories to come clean
2 March 2010

In January we challenged Exeter’s Conservatives to tell us who was funding the Tory poster campaign and the glossy leaflets being delivered in Exeter. 

We specifically asked the Tories to give an assurance that this campaign material was not being funded by anyone who is domiciled outside the UK for tax purposes.  They did not respond, although the glossy leaflets and targeted mailshots have continued to arrive in Exeter homes.   
 
Now it has been revealed that Tory peer Lord Ashcroft, instead of paying tax in the UK on all his earned income, has been donating millions to the Conservative Party, seeking to help them buy the next election by channelling funds into Tory target seats.

It is time for Exeter Tories to come clean.  The Tory candidate has already made a clear pledge to Exeter voters to “make her expenses available online”.  So we challenge Exeter Conservatives to tell us who has funded the campaign material they have put out in Exeter this year.

Tories: still the nasty party

19 February 2010

The Tories have proved that they are still the nasty party. 

Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives had been holding meetings to find common ground on one of the most important issues of our time – elderly care.  Until last week, when the Tories cynically launched a poster campaign attacking what they called Labour’s “death tax”.

Leaving aside the blatant lie - Labour does not have such a policy – the Tories have, for short term party political gain, wrecked hopes of a cross-party consensus on elderly care provision in the UK.  Even the pro Conservative Daily Telegraph described the Tory poster campaign as “alarmist” and “electioneering of the crudest kind”. 

Home Rule for Exeter
10 February 2010

The Local Government Minister has today announced the go ahead for Exeter to run the city's local services as a unitary council.

The Government has decided that a unitary structure for Exeter would be a more potent economic force for delivering growth for the city's residents and businesses and ministers were impressed by the strong and united support the proposal for unitary status for Exeter enjoyed from the city council, the people of Exeter, Exeter University and the Exeter business community.

City MP Ben Bradshaw said: "I am delighted at this news and congratulate all those in Exeter, including all of the political parties in the city for their strong and united campaign.

Cabinet in Exeter
5 February 2010

The Labour Cabinet came to Exeter today for one of a series of Cabinet meetings in the regions. The Cabinet meeting itself was held at Exeter Racecourse and Government Ministers made a number of visits around Exeter.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown flew into Exeter directly from finalising a crucial political deal in Northern Ireland and took part in discussions with local business leaders and with readers of the Express and Echo prior to the cabinet meeting.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband visited Exeter University’s Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies and answered questions posed by a capacity audience on a wide variety of subjects including Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Israel/Palestine. Cabinet Office Minister, Tessa Jowell visited Devon Doctors in Marsh Barton – the co-operative organisation of Devon GPs that runs the out of hours service in the county and was recently judged one of the best performing out of hours services in England. 

Attorney General Patricia Scotland visited Exeter Crown Court where she was particularly impressed by the work being done in Exeter on domestic violence. Schools Secretary Ed Balls was at St James’ School, one of the top ten most improved schools in the country, where he congratulated staff and students on their achievements.  Meanwhile, Culture Secretary, and City MP Ben Bradshaw was at St Luke’s School with Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell to celebrate the students’ achievements in school sport - St Luke’s has one of the highest activity and sports participation rates in the country.

Local Government Secretary John Denham visited Exeter University’s Innovation Centre and met academics working in politics. Transport Minister Sadiq Khan met cycle user groups in Exeter to learn how Exeter has achieved the biggest increase in cycling of anywhere in Britain, and  Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman met Labour Party members at Clifton Hill.

For further information visit the No. 10 Downing Street website. http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page22384

Free bus travel for the over 60’s
2 February 2010

Of all the society improving benefits introduced since Labour came to power in 1997, the policy of providing free bus travel for the over 60’s has been amongst the most popular, being enjoyed by some 8 million people. 

With the Tories talking of major cuts in public services if they form the next government, Devon County Council’s Labour Group has called on all parties to show their support for the continuation of the scheme, which is particularly important in Devon with its growing numbers of residents eligible for free bus travel, and its beneficial effects on their health and well being.   Labour is also seeking a pledge to continuation without changing the criteria for eligibility, and also recognising the need to ensure the scheme does not adversely affect the budgets of councils covering major bus hubs.

Labour backs 'Save our Toilets' campaign
26 January 2010

Exeter's Labour Group is backing the campaign to save Exeter's public toilets.  Labour Leader Group Councillor Pete Edwards will propose the Lib Dem run council lifts the threat to public toilets in the city by raising car park charges at tonight’s meeting of the Council's Executive.

He said: "The enormous public response to the proposed cuts to the network of public toilets in the City has given all councillors a clear message - think again.  The Labour Alternative Budget will keep all public toilets open.  I will be calling on the Executive to suspend making a decision on this vital council service so it can be properly debated by all 40 Councillors at the Budget-setting Full Council meeting on February 23rd where I will present the full Labour Alternative Budget."

Click here to sign the Express and Echo's Save our Toilets petition.

Exeter News
20 January 2010

Exeter News is now being delivered to households across Exeter.  Click on the image to read it online (opens as a .pdf file).


Who paid for the posters Dave?
16 January 2010

 

Large posters of Tory leader David Cameron, beautifully made-up and airbrushed, have appeared all over Exeter.  The Tories are also having glossy leaflets delivered to city homes by a commercial company.  But who is paying the bill for all of this?  We challenge Exeter’s Tories to give us an assurance that this poster and leaflet campaign is not being funded by anyone who is domiciled outside the UK for tax purposes.  
 
P.S. The message on the Tory posters is nonsense, so we’ve replaced it with a more relevant message in the image above.  With thanks to gofourth.co.uk.
 
Local Tories show their true colours
13 October 2009

Opposition to plans to provide a public footpath from Shakespeare Road through the new housing development on the Wyvern Barracks site is being supported by the Tory candidate for Priory in the local elections in May 2009.

The proposed footpath, which would cut about half a mile of the current most direct route would, claim opponents, encourage petty crime and anti-social behaviour.  So much for their opinion of people who live around Burnthouse Lane.  While the Tories are happy to have the votes of Burnthouse Lane area residents, they don’t want them getting too close to their expensive new homes.