Prime Minister's Questions - 18th June 2014

In this weeks Prime Minister's Questions, Ed Miliband focused his six questions on the ongoing tensions in Iraq. 

Ed was particularly focused on the reports that British citizens have been fighting in Iraq. 

The exchanges between Ed Miliband and David Cameron where very amicable and it was nice to see. 

However Ed made sure that his backbenchers where asking key questions on the NHS. 

After about four questions on the NHS, David Cameron got annoyed and responded with usual soundbite about how Labour are in charge of the NHS in Wales and not running the service properly. 

So although the questions that Ed asked where met with an amicable response. Ed's backbenchers asked the question which I think rattled David Cameron. 

It's not easy for Ed at the moment with poll after poll suggesting that he is not leadership material.

 He just has to ignore these polls and focus the issues that affect voters I.e. the changes to the NHS, zero hours contract and childcare. 

Spring Budget 2014 - Review

What stood out to me in George Osborne's budget speech was the parts on childcare, savings and personal tax allowances.  

This is George Osborne's  penultimate budget before the next General Election and to me everything he was offering today was about securing vital votes for the next General Election. 

George Osborne's  childcare proposals are welcome but for me and I am sure many families up and down this country it has come two years too late and do not really go far enough to alleviate the financial burden of childcare. 

Most economic commentators have described George Osbourne's increase of ISA annual limit to 15K as the 'rabbit in the hat'. 

Again I think it is a great initiative but stats show that people have started to save considerable less so raising the annual limit to 15k is great but not many people will benefit from it. 

Raising the personal tax free allowance  to £10,500 is also welcome and it means that very low income will get some additional financial help. 

But what George Osbourne's budget fails to address is the squeezed who are getting by on food banks and not much else. 

So the rather cynical side of me says that George Osbourne's will have mass appeal in the right demographic Tory voting areas. Only time will tell whether this appeal can be translated to votes on Election Day. 

The best PMQ's ever!!!- 5th February 2014

Every week I write a little review about PMQ's and most of the time I have say that,  I watch it a little disheartened that the policies that our affecting my life own do not really come up.

However today was different in his first question Ed asked David Cameron what he was doing about the floods affecting large parts of the UK. 

David Cameron gave his usual bog standard replies about how his government are doing everything they can and they have increased spending on this area. 

If I was one of those affected by the floods, I would have come away thinking and the Prime Minister is trying to make a political point whilst my house is under water. 

 

Ed's next set of questions where about women, public life and childcare. Ed started off noting that there was not a single women on the government front bench.

 

He went to attack David Cameron on the lack of females in his party and the widening pay gap between men and women. 

Ed stated that women are struggling to return to work due to the lack of affordable childcare. 

David Cameron was well and truly flummoxed and did not really have a credible response. 

 

Instead he tried to move the discussion to trade unions and the current train strike which fell a little flat. 

Ed played a blinder today he succintly managed to link the lack of female MP's in the Tory party to pay and childcare issues. 

They Tory back benchers where reasonably quite today as I suspect they knew that Ed Miliband had a point. 

I believe that women will be very key to any party getting a majority and hopefully Ed Miliband will continue to craft his message and ultimately get those votes in. 

Working women and childcare

One the first policies the Coalition government put into place was to cut the child tax credit.

 This has meant many families up and down country have both parents working but are struggling to cover childcare cost. 

The childcare in the UK is expensive and the average nursery in London charge about £50 day which can work out to be over £1000 a month. 

The changes in child tax credit has meant that two parent with a joint income of over £32,000 are unable to claim tax credit. 

In London £32,000 is over the average earnings and this meant some parents are staying home unable to work due to these cost. 

Historical records have shown that with each general election the female vote is increasing. 

I think there be will women up and down the country who will be thinking about the cost of childcare before they decide whom to elect. 

As families up and down the country know that affordable and trustworthy childcare is a must before either parent can even consider going back to work.