David Ottewell's Politics

Nick Robinson has posted a clip from his Panorama programme with David Cameron here.

Hmm. I assume the Tory leader is wearing a lap-belt, because I can’t see a strap across his chest…

So how’s the global crisis working out for you? I have to admit, I didn’t notice it this morning. The traffic lights were still working. The lights were on in the office. Still bought my coffee for the same price.
And yet I listened with horror last night as the American House of Representatives threw out the $700m bail-out package. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
It seems there were two reasons why so many Republicans (and some Democrats) voted against the deal in the House. One: their constituents, perhaps blind to what is ultimately at stake, have made it perfectly plain they don’t like the idea of “bailing out” super-rich bankers on Wall Street. Two, and far more disturbing: they believe it is somehow morally wrong for government to intervene in the workings of the market.
Unfortunately, from a vantage point high above street-level, it is quite clear that failing to act now will cause (indeed, is already causing) global crisis, which will eventually filter down to “ordinary” folk like us. The unbridled working of the market, driven by greed and predicated on the value of debt, have got us into a mess it cannot clean up.
How terrifying, then, to now see a handful of US legislators clinging to the mast of free-market theory while the whole ship begins to sink.

The Guardian has picked up on our story about a row in Salford over whether to give the freedom of the city to Ryan Giggs or Aung San Suu Kyi.
They’ve also picked out this comment by one of our readers:

Just dug out these figures showing the ethnicity of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) in the various forces around the country (as of 31 March 2007, the latest available).
Cheshire appears to have a bit of work to do if it wants to be more representative.

“We will abide by the result of the referendum” – the words of shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers, speaking to me from the Conservative conference in Birmingham a moment ago.
We were talking about the current government’s pledge to allow Greater Manchester to invest up to £3bn in public transport in return for a peak-hour weekday congestion charge. The issue, you will know, is going to a referendum, with the result due on December 11.
The Conservatives have made it clear they would ultimately scrap the fund from which the money would come and put the cash into a “no strings” pot for the entire country. But not, it seems, before Greater Manchester gets its share – if, that is, it is willing to accept the congestion charge.
Much more in the paper tomorrow…

A second meaty policy proposal by the Conservatives today, with George Osborne promising an effective two-year council tax freeze for local authorities that limit their spending rises to 2.5 per cent.
The shadow chancellor has claimed he can pay for the move by cutting government spending on advertising and consultants. I haven’t had a chance to run the rule over the figures yet, although I’m naturally sceptical of claims that large sums can be saved by trimming “waste”. If it were that easy…
Nonetheless, its another impressive rabbit from the hat from Mr Osborne after his inheritance tax pledge changed the entire political mood of the country last year. Remember when such popular surprises were Gordon Brown’s hallmark?
The Tories job this week was to take the wind from Labour’s sails while looking like a plausible government in waiting. Mr Brown’s chosen strategy – can you really trust these people to run the country? – is a long-term one that will have more bite as the next election looms. For now, the Conservatives still seem to be doing most things right.

An email arrives from the WWF (the animal lovers, not the wresting federation).
“Dear David,” it says. “You were recently sent the web link for WWF’s Media Professionals survey. Perhaps you have been too busy to complete it…”
Does that sound like a veiled threat to you?

Oh my goodness. A genuinely new and important policy announcement emerges from the Conservative conference.
Scrap the third runway at Heathrow airport, say the Tories, and build a £20bn TGV-style rail link to Manchester (and Birmingham, and Leeds).
The new line would free up the West Coast Main Line for commuter trips from places like Macclesfield.
The journey time from Manchester to London would be slashed to 80 minutes.
The only drawback seems to be the timescale – the Conservatives are talking about investing £15bn or so up to 2027, with the rest (£4.4bn) coming from the private sector.
Still – as someone who spent around five hours getting from London to Manchester by train last Sunday – I’d say its certainly something to think about…

A table has been prepared by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities showing how many people visited each of the consultation events on the planned congestion charge/transport cash package.
Here it is:

Hang your head in shame, shoppers of Atherton Tesco!
Seriously, though, some of these numbers are depressingly low. Face-to-face “roadshows” are probably the best way of sharing information and addressing questions, but you can’t force people to turn up.
The fact we now have a referendum is a good thing – but if people don’t know what they are voting for or against, it is rendered pointless. No one on either side of the debate should want ignorance to win the day on December 11.

Gordon Brown – we know from his conference speech – would never use his children as props. So I was a little surprised to read this in our own South Manchester Reporter:
Perhaps the Manchester air has turned him soft because before I know it he’s going misty eyed recalling the day he waved his son, John Macaulay, off at the school gates.
He said: “He was nervous and then I realised that I was too. It is such a big change for children as they move into Year One. That is why Sure Start centres such as this are so essential, to help prepare children as much as possible in their early years.”