Queen's Speech a Waste for Totnes

Totnes Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson, Mike Treleaven today slammed the Queen's Speech as a wasted opportunity to make life for people in the Totnes constituency fairer and better.

Mike Treleaven said:

"Tony Blair has squandered an opportunity to introduce measures that would improve the lives of people in the Totnes Constituency. The Queen's Speech today should have at its core the needs of the most vulnerable - our oldest and youngest citizens. It should have included proposals to axe the Council Tax and encourage learning by abolishing the injustice of tuition fees."

A Liberal Democrat Queen's Speech would have given Totnes:

Freedom from heavy-handed central government control

• Give local people more power and choice over public services.

Fair taxes not higher taxes

• Scrap tuition fees and top-up fees.

• Scrap the Council Tax.

• Scrap charges for personal care for the elderly.

Beef up the fight against crime

• Make education the new 'tough on crime' to cut re-offending.

• Make criminals payback to victims - not layback in prison - with tougher community sentences.

Place the environment at the heart of government

• Tackle immediate threats from pollution and waste.

• Boost energy conservation and renewable generation.

• Reduce road traffic congestion and pollution.