http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com Member of Parliament for Wokingham Fri, 09 May 2008 14:20:15 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Vote Conservative in the cold and wet, dodging the hailstones, on May 1st, and enjoy a week of sunshine and summer temperatures. Let's hope this felicitous coincidence will be matched by improvements from Conservative government in action at the local level. I was pleased to see Boris has set up a ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/09/its-sunnier-with-the-conservatives-now-make-it-better-value/ Today Russia commemorates the ending of the Second World War, one day after our VE day as always. The new President, doubtless influenced by Mr Putin, has decided that Russia is now strong enough to parade her military might as part of the display. As the oil ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/09/big-power-rivalry/ This week has seen more moves to ease the Credit Crunch in the USA. The Fed has taken the drought in the money markets seriously, and has kept a big flow of liquidity available to ease the worst of the problem. The Term Auction facility is now up ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/08/credit-crunch-food-prices-and-inflation/ Hitler committed suicide on April 30th 1945. On May 7th the new government of Germany bowed to the inevitable and authoritsed the signature of the unconditional surrender document at Reims on May 7th, and in Berlin on May 8th. All war like operations between Germany and the Allied powers ceased ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/08/63-years-ago-it-was-victory-in-europe-day/ EDM 1481 MULTILATERAL ACTION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE AND WORLD HUNGER 06.05.2008 Redwood, John That this House notes that China is the fastest growing major economy in the world and India the second fastest; further notes that China will soon overtake the United States as the world's single biggest ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/07/john-redwoods-early-day-motion-on-climate-change-and-world-hunger/ The Labour leadership's astonishing U Turn on a referendum about Scottish independence in Scotland leaves Gordon Brown in an even weaker position over both the EU and England. Up to this point we have been told that big constitutional issues - like Who governs the UK - is a matter for ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/07/give-the-english-a-vote-too/ If I had to choose between being a democrat and being a Conservative I would choose democracy every time. When you see the misery of Zimbabwe, the oppression of communist states and military dictatorships, you remember just how important it ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/06/wokingham-times-13/ There have been some great replies to the challenge to name some taxes. I like: Alcohol Duty - Fun tax Betting Duty - I have a dream Tax Congestion Charge Fine - Forgetful Tax Air Passenger Duty - I should have stayed at home Tax Vat on fuel - Tax ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/06/today-we-have-naming-of-taxes/ Last night Tony Robinson struggled through a feature-length version of Time Team, with enough material for a 30-minute programme. His central point was that the southern North Sea and the eastern English Channel used to be part of the European land mass, linking what is now England to France, ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/06/river-deltas-and-the-power-of-the-sea/ If Labour want to finish themselves off, they should press on with the Bin Tax. It will be the ultimate parody of their style of government. It means probing into the messy detail of every family’s life, literally rummaging through their garbage to find out what they are up to. ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/06/tax-the-bin-or-bin-the-tax/ Today I received a message from Dave Wetzel, as he leaves the government of London. He tells me " It's been a fun eight years and I would like to thank you for all your help in London achieving...road safety reductions..." I thought some of their crazy anti traffic schemes were unsafe ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/05/now-we-know-what-ken-has-been-doing/ The Treasury is busy making another fine mess. Larger companies are asking their tax advisers if they could now save serious money by moving their head offices out of the UK. The sales teams in Ireland, Switzerland and the Netherlands ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/05/a-taxing-question-how-much-business-do-you-want-to-keep-in-the-uk/ Conservative Councils now need to perform. People want lower Council taxes, concentrating what money is spent on the delivery of the main services. They would be happy to see advertising, spin doctoring,glossy brochure producing, networking, bogus consultation making budgets slashed. ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/04/conservative-councillors-should-produce-a-new-agenda/ In the Wokingham Parliamentary constituency 8 District Unitary Council seats were contested. The Conservatives won all eight, gaining one seat. The aggregate share of the vote was as follows: ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/03/local-election-results-in-wokingham/ The following draft would be suitable for a brave Labour adviser to send to our Prime Minister at bay: To Prime Minister From Senior Political Adviser When I last wrote to you I ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/03/what-should-gordon-do-now/ Proportional Representation did what it always does. It allows extreme and unpopular parties to get people elected, and prevents the most popular party having a majority, giving more power to unelected officials as a result. The London Assembly elections shows this off to ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/03/pr-encourages-extremes-and-prevents-majority-control/ The “independent” Bank of England allowed its Financial Stability Report to be published just before the local elections, and allowed the spin to be placed on it that the losses in the financial sector will prove to overstated, that the Credit Crunch has ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/02/1045/ It should have been no surprise that Labour was thumped badly in the local elections. People have been fed up for months. They are fed up with high taxes, high fuel prices, high food bills, high Council tax, and with the surveillance society that Labour buys with all the ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/02/labours-rubbish-policy-sums-up-what-went-wrong-for-them-and-us/ This year I have read many times commentators and market experts tell me the USA is “already in recession”. They should take a look at the first quarter figures, which shows the US economy still grew at 0.6%, thanks to ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/01/usuk-responses-to-the-credit-crunch/ Today we can elect new Councillors in many parts of the country. I do hope all the oppressed motorists of the UK will take this opportunity to tell their would be Councillors we are fed up with the way we ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/05/01/guilty-motorists-or-oppressive-rules/ I come to praise the sub prime mortgage. It has had such a bad press in the last eight months. Sub prime is now used as an excuse to explain why banks fail, shares go down and why fear stalks ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/04/30/freedom-today-5/ On the overtaxing of small businesses Mr. Redwood: I am a company director and a shareholder in companies, as I have declared in the register, but not, I think, of a company that will be paying this particular tax in the current year. I rise to support the idea that the tax ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/04/30/finance-bill-debate/ Speaking in yesterday’s debate on the Finance Bill, John Redwood joined the shadow minister in stressing the advantages of keeping taxes on small business down. Using the example of Ireland, he illustrated how such a measure would benefit the economy as a whole. Small businesses are fundamental for economic success: ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/04/30/john-redwood-champions-small-businesses/ Over the last two days we have been discussing the Finance Bill in the Commons. It has given me the opportunity to remind the government just how successful Ireland has been by setting low company tax rates. The Irish economy has grown much faster ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/04/30/labour-should-remember-the-poll-tax-and-the-peasants-revolt/ Nor did they tell us at the last budget they would be charging us more than 70p a litre in tax on unleaded with a pump price of 110p. Who would have thought that a few months into Gordon Brown’s premiership the main Forties pipeline would be closed down owing ... http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2008/04/29/wokingham-news/