Labour: 'Supervised homes' for city's benefit mums
SINGLE teenage mothers on benefits in Plymouth will be forced to live in "supervised homes" instead of being given council houses under plans outlined by Gordon Brown.
The Prime Minister also pledged a fresh crackdown on anti-social behaviour with further moves to combat "problem families", penalties for parents whose children breach Asbos, and new powers for councils to ban 24-hour drinking in areas where it has been a problem.
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Prime Minister Gordon Brown delivers his keynote speech to the Labour Party Conference at the Brighton Centre, Brighton
Other new measures announced by Mr Brown included offering free personal care to elderly people with the "highest needs", giving a bigger role to Post Offices in providing financial services including mortgages, and in the wake of the MPs expenses scandal giving people the right to recall their MP to face re-election.
Mr Brown also pledged to increase the minimum wage, child benefit and child tax credits every year.
Unveiling plans for a network of supervised homes for teenage mothers, Mr Brown said it was not right that a 16-year-old girl could "get pregnant, be given the keys to a council flat and be left on her own".
He told the Labour Party's annual conference in Brighton, groups of young mothers and fathers would be taught responsibility and how to raise their children 'properly'.
"It's time to address a problem that for too long has gone unspoken: the number of children having children," he said.
In his speech Mr Brown said voters at the election, due to be held by next June, would have the "biggest choice for a generation".
In a slogan designed to draw clear defining lines with David Cameron's Tories, Mr Brown repeatedly promised that Labour would always choose "the change that benefits the hard-working majority, not the privileged few."
Labour MP for Plymouth Devonport Alison Seabeck said: "He flagged up clearly where we need to go and the huge gulf that exists between us and the Conservatives, and I think laid out the stall for the forthcoming General Election.
"He was solid as a rock and was very clear about where he thought the Labour Party should be going. In the middle of a crisis you want a rock."
The announcement on young mums was also 'significant' given the problem of teenage pregnancy in Plymouth.
Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton Linda Gilroy said help for young single parents made a "great deal of sense".
"The support will help them make their own way in the world and give their child the best start in life. Leaving them on their own doesn't work," she said.
On the speech Mrs Gilroy said: "We have got a track record a lot of which we should be proud of.
"We are in the right place as far as the big challenges of the day and there's a very sharp contrast between us and the other party. What a mess we would be in now if they had been in charge.
"When push comes to shove and faced with difficulties they call the wrong shots. Ours is to stand up and fight for more. A change would be disastrous for Plymouth."
Luke Pollard, Labour challenger for the South West Devon seat currently held by Tory Gary Streeter, said: "What we were presenting is a positive manifesto. It's a real challenge for David Cameron now. It's game on for the General Election."
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by Hermes (the Thelemia), Plymouth
Wednesday, September 30 2009, 4:23PM
“When Plymouth's fair Lady, in surety, begins Her tour in knowing detour;
My dear Council, wilst Her sided child, when if waited to asked, to see of the poor
Will an journey to the wayside be left to see any in life at all in any door
Council, Council; Abbey?
A. Does thine dig up the dead or provide shelter, integration and established communities of health for them all?
AA. What bread separates Plymouth's breathed breathren away into division such they are divided only amongst the company of their own empoverishedness?
AAA. You speak in repeated yearly cliches, Council. Yet you wear in robed Plymouth's ancestary of birthed riches in streamed wisdom; yet display only withdrawal in your gifted beneficies.
AAAA. When returns doth the breathed breath lived in Plymouth's unfounded giving of building, Council where do thine upkept in hour coaches our alms houses majour? Repaired?
"Rivered Plymouth Council's Tenants Unsettlemented Governed?"
"Did you learn nothing from the letters we paid to be sent home?"
"Ecomonied your breadth of breath to excuse my Grace? Soul? Rank employment? Cheers my health?
"Lives one centred inspire aspired?"
"Lighthouse!"”
by Lou, Cornwall
Wednesday, September 30 2009, 2:51PM
“Vor.. you mention spelling. Check your spelling!”
by David Mavin, Eggbuckland
Wednesday, September 30 2009, 10:51AM
“M, Plymouth the answer lies in not what the politicians spin us with, but what we the public want. I think it should be the public choosing the countries direction, not any political party of which the combined membership of the 3 big ones (approx 500k) is. This is less than the total amount of illegal immigrants on our shores.
We should trust the people to lead the way, hold open debates in an attempt to find a commonality that we can connect with, even if we disagree with the outcome.
Two examples,
Local: Plymouth CityBus, rather than all this squabbling about should we or shouldn¿t we sell it. Hold a referendum let the people decide then move on one way or the other.
Nationally: The EU, we were promised a referendum and many would have voted Labour because of it but it never materialised, now the ROI will decide our fate.
Now I am in favour of pulling out of a federal Europe, but as I believe in this country and democracy (not the elected dictatorship that we now have) I am willing to accept the will of the majority if after an open and honest debate full EU membership is what the country decided, then so be it.
This philosophy is called direct democracy and is working in a country that is in the heart of Europe but not in the European Union, its called Switzerland.
This is the time for all of us to think outside the usual 3 party ballot box.
VfM”
by M, Plymouth
Wednesday, September 30 2009, 10:21AM
“Well let's look at our choices for the next Election. We have the labour party, which has ended up as the blind leading the blind.
We have the conservatives who we all openly expect to screw us over every step of the way,
we have the liberal Democrats, which would most certainly be the mother of all blind dates, as i don't really know a damned thing about them.
we have UKIP, who hate europe purely for the sake of hating europe, and rarely have anything that makes sence to say.
We have the BNP, a paranoid delusional bunch who mask their complete lack of understanding of the modern world with childish scapegoating and hate mongering.
We have the Greens, who lets be honest, might be able to save the planet with their policies...But they arn't going to save the NHS, and they certainly aren't going to bring Afghanistan to a successful conclusion.
So what the hell do we do. those are all the main parties and a few side ones...and no one in their right mind would vote for any of them if there was any other real choice.
Either way we are screwed for the remaining future. Britain is being run and will continue to be run by a PR agency.”
by True Socialist, Plymouth area
Wednesday, September 30 2009, 6:59AM
“Isn't it strange how New Labour can utilise BNP Manifesto Policies, yet still pretend to be a caring government.
Gilroy and Seabeck have shown their true colours in supporting it.
This is a party of supreme arrogance and greed that will not be returned next MAY or JUNE to a controlling situation.
By the way how can we deselect our greedy MPs, if we are not mebers of New Labour? Sounds like a fraudulent claim to me.”