Has Lord Ashcroft told the truth? Has William Hague? What did David Cameron know when? The answers to these questions remain unclear. Some parts of the right wing press and commentariat suggest this is Westminster village tittle tattle. It isn’t. Voters are concerned to know whether someone so essential to the Tory campaign keeps his promises and pays UK taxes like the rest of us. There are also fundamental questions of judgement to be asked of the Tory high command. The story cannot be brushed away.

That much is clear from the latest poll of 60 key marginals. The Tory lead has slipped to only 2 points. Down from a 13 point lead only some months ago.

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/domestic_politics/exclusive+tory+lead+shrinks+in+key+marginals/3569462

Voters in key marginals refuse to be bought by the Ashcroft millions. Millions funded by Ashcroft’s decision to be pay limited taxes. It shows how shallow David Cameron’s “patriotic duty” is. He puts his own self interest before that of the duty on all of use to pay taxes and fund essential public services. The Tories haven’t changed.

In the same week that Michael Foot has died, we must ponder the passing of a nobility that seems to be fundamentally lacking in this week’s revelations.

Meeting local residents in Caol, Lochaber.

Figures were published today which demonstrate something very important; something which demonstrates the marked difference between this Government and the last Tory Government: the rate of repossessions is half that of the last recession. Labour’s action to support homeowners is working. The Tories opposed the extra help and now they threaten to choke off recovery
The Government has put support for homeowners, and people losing their jobs, at the heart of our response to the recession. As a result of sustained Government action, the rate of repossessions is half that of the last recession.
Most homes are repossessed through the loss of a job, however, the Government has invested an extra £5 billion to get people back to work, and unemployment is now 450,000 lower than predicted at the time of last year’s Budget.
And most importantly 300,000 people have received advice and assistance with mortgage payments. The Tories opposed our action to help families, homeowners and businesses through the recession. Now they threaten to choke off recovery by cutting support now.
Voters in Ross Skye and Lochaber and should look hard at the differences between the response of this Government and compare it to the response of Thatcher and Major in the early 1990s. This constituency and Scotland does not want to go back to the dark days.

The Legg report has been published today. Politicians of all parties have been shamed by the revelations of 2009. The Government has acted quickly to reform the system,  by:-

1. introducing interim restrictions on the allowances scheme, with no more claims for furniture, household goods, cleaning, gardening, or stamp duty. Members can claim a maximum of £1,250 per month for rent, mortgage interest or hotel bills, plus utilities and Council Tax;
2. inviting the Committee on Standards in Public Life, chaired by Sir Christopher Kelly, to conduct a root and branch review of the expenses system;
3. establishing the Legg Review;
4. legislating to create the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to take over the setting and administration of the expenses system; and
5. passing further legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Kelly Report.

The Labour Government remains determined to do all that is necessary to restore trust and to ensure that all politicians - like the vast majority do already - concentrate on serving the public and not themselves. That is why the Prime Minister set out a radical programme of constitutional and parliamentary reform in his speech on Tuesday, including legislating this side of the general election for a referendum on the Alternative Vote system and publishing draft legislation to create a democratically accountable House of Lords in the next few weeks.

Voters in Ross, Skye and Lochaber should take some comfort that steps have been taken to ensure the abuses of the past are not repeated in the next parliament. Whatever the rules may be, however, integrity, restraint and honesty are called for.

John has written to his Conservative opposite number asking for clarification on false Tory crime claims. See below:-

Dear Donald,

Violent Crime down by 41% since 1997

Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson wrote to your party leader, David Cameron, in November questioning bogus Tory claims on violent crime, as the British Crime Survey shows violent crime down by 41% since 1997.

Unfortunately, David Cameron did not bother to reply but instead, on the release of recent crime statistics, once again claimed that violent crime is rising “significantly”.

Conservative Central Office has admitted that they were comparing statistics which they know were calculated in completely different ways. The BBC journalist who questioned David Cameron on this said:

“It emerges that the only way the Conservative leader can back up his claims is to ignore the klaxon warning attached to the statistics following changes in the way police record violent incidents in England and Wales”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2010/01/conservative_estimates_on_viol.html

Incredibly, in an interview on 3^rd February, Chris Grayling, Shadow Home Secretary, had the opportunity to come clean and put the record straight but instead ADMITTED he is fully aware of the change in the way the statistics are calculated and then REFUSED to agree to tell Tory candidates and parties to stop using these bogus statistics.

David Cameron has demonstrated that he cannot be trusted. In his New Year message he said he wanted a clean fight but he is deliberately misleading the public by using bogus crime statistics when the British Crime Survey shows violent crime down by 41% since 1997.

I am giving you the opportunity to be honest with voters in Ross Skye and Lochaber. Will you confirm that you will not use bogus Tory statistics which the BBC has shown are misleading and inaccurate?

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours sincerely,

John McKendrick

Labour PPC, Ross Skye and Lochaber

Throughout Ross Skye and Lochaber local people have asked me about securing the recovery. It won’t be easy, but the best way to do so, is by not voting Conservative.

The Labour Government is committed to securing the recovery and then halving the deficit over four years. Cutting support to the economy now risks choking off recovery. Securing the recovery and getting long-term growth are Labour’s absolute priority. The head of the IMF has warned against withdrawing support too early and pushing economies into recession - but that is precisely what David Cameron and George Osborne threaten.

Even the Institute for Fiscal Studies said today, “We suggest that no further significant tightening is implemented in 2010-11…” George Osborne threatens to choke off recovery by cutting support for the economy now - but he refuses to give details of his plans.

When the recovery is secured, the Government will halve the deficit in four years through:

• Growth - because faster growth increases revenues and cuts the costs of unemployment.
• Fair tax increases - and we have been upfront in setting out our choice to increase taxes on those with the highest incomes as well as putting a penny on national insurance in order to protect our front-line services.
• Tough choices on public spending - including cuts in some departments.

This is the carefully thought-out and measured plan that Labour offers voters at the next election. You’ll look hard to find similar coherency and depth to Tory, Lib Dem or Nationalist plans.

When I visited the Mart at Dingwall and the WHFP in Skye on separate occasions recently (see the photos) it hammered home to me how difficult it is to secure good jobs in remote areas. Labour plans for securing the recovery are the best route to protecting local jobs.

On the campaign trail….in Skye…..