Exploding New Labour Myths

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NEW LABOUR CLAIM

"Labour's policies for economic stability and low inflation are helping more people into work. Overall, the number of people on the dole in Glasgow Kelvin has fallen from 2,360 in April 1997 to 1,756 in September this year, a drop of 604 (or 25.6%). And our New Deal programme is bringing training and jobs for unemployed young people.

• since New Deal started in 1998, to the end of August 2000, 908 young people in Glasgow Kelvin have started New Deal
• 315 young people have found work through the programme.
• in addition, 356 have gained work experience or training through New Deal options.

Across the UK, Labour has delivered a key election pledge to help a quarter of a million young people off benefits and into work through New Deal. Whereas the Tories would scrap New Deal, Labour will turn it into a permanent deal."

THE REALITY

New Labour continue to use fiddled Tory figures for calculating unemployment this misleads the Scottish public as to the true scale of unemployment in our country. Labour should be using the internationally recognised Labour Organisation statistics, ILO which puts unemployment in Glasgow Kelvin at 9.7% and not Claimant Count figures which is 1.2%.

Furthermore according to the Unemployment Unit 23.3% in Glasgow Kelvin
are out of work, on government training schemes to find work or have a part
time job and are unable to find full-time work

• According to official figures in Glasgow Kelvin almost 74% of those who
  joined New Deal have not found a job through the programme
• According to official figures in Glasgow Kelvin 54% of young people who completed New Deal Options have been failed by the system and did not find work
• Anyone who holds a job after New Deal for only 3 months is considered a New Labour success even though they may go straight back on benefit when the job finishes

NEW LABOUR CLAIM

"At least 2000 of the least well-off pensioners in Glasgow Kelvin will have gained from the Minimum Income Guarantee. This is currently £78.45 a week for single pensioners and £121.95 for pensioner couples, and receives a huge boost in April 2001, rising to £92.15 and £140.55 respectively."

THE REALITY

• 165,000 pensioners claim income support because their weekly income is too low to sustain them and a further 70,000 are living in severe poverty because they are living a few pence above the criteria need to gain Income Support.
• Although 2000 pensioners claim the Minimum Income Guarantee, between 21 and 31% of pensioners who are entitled to MIG (MIG is the name given to Income Support for pensioners) do not claim - that means up to 899 pensioners in Glasgow Kelvin are losing on average of £840.00 per year.

NEW LABOUR CLAIM

"All 11983 pensioners in Glasgow, Kelvin area benefiting from the Winter Fuel Payment, increased from £100 last year to £200 this and paid to all households with someone over 60."

THE REALITY

• Every pensioner in Council Tax Band D in Glasgow Kelvin since New Labour came to power is paying £174 more in water charges which almost cancels out the £200 winter fuel payment. New Labour give with the one hand and take away with the other.

NEW LABOUR CLAIM

"From 1 November at least 4793 pensioners over 75 in Glasgow Kelvin have benefited from a free television licence - a saving of £104 a year.

Up to 11983 pensioners in Glasgow Kelvin will benefit from a substantial boost to the Basic State Pension in April 2001. This will rise by £5 for a single pensioner to £72.50 a week, and by £8 for a pensioner couple to £115.90 a week."

THE REALITY

• Although the SNP welcomed this move from New Labour free television licences are given only to those over the age of 75.
• Almost 30% of our pensioners live on below £100 per week after housing costs and more than half of Scottish pensioners rely on state benefits for more than 75% of their income.
• Pensioners in Glasgow Kelvin deserve dignity in their old age. Yet again Scotland is losing out while other small Independent nations reap the benefits.
  In Norway the basic pension is £121.67 for a single person and £209.42 for a couple.

NEW LABOUR CLAIM

"Lowest tax burden for a working family since 1972

Labour is making work pay with the national minimum wage, the 10p rate of income tax and the Working Families Tax Credit. The tax burden on a single-earner family on average earnings with two children in Glasgow, Kelvin will be the lowest since 1972.

870 working families with children in Glasgow Kelvin are benefiting from the Working Families Tax Credit, guaranteeing an income of at least £214 per week for full-time work. No family with earnings of less than £235 a week in Glasgow Kelvin will pay any net income tax from October this year.

About 121690 people who work in Glasgow Kelvin are benefiting from the 1p cut in the basic rate of income tax introduced this year."

THE REALITY

• New Labour policy is indirect taxation not less taxation - one penny off your income tax and several pence on elsewhere. It is time this New Labour myth was exposed once and for all. If New Labour cut your income tax you will pay elsewhere by the backdoor.
• Since Labour came to power the average family who own their own home in Glasgow Kelvin pays over £1000 per year more in backdoor taxation.
• Since Labour came to power the average family living in council housing in Glasgow Kelvin pays over £1300 in backdoor taxation.

For the average family this is how much more you have to pay since Labour came to power

NEW LABOUR CLAIM

"More help for children. Child benefit for the eldest child has risen to £15 a week, compared to only £11.40 in 1997, helping 5500 families in Glasgow Kelvin. Child benefit for each subsequent child has also risen to £10."

THE REALITY

• A disgraceful 30% of households in Glasgow Kelvin are in poverty
• Despite all their promises to Scotland New Labour have taken no children out of poverty since they came to power in 1997. Child poverty has stayed at 30% since 1997/98