One Year of Brown - Norwich Losing Out

9.22.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 27th Jun 2008

Friday 27th June marks the one year anniversary of Gordon Brown's period as Prime Minister. Commenting on the last 12 months Simon Wright, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Norwich South, says that Norwich people are suffering from widening inequality, a weakened economy, and the loss of local services such as post offices. Mr Wright said:

"As Chancellor, Gordon Brown built a reputation based on decisiveness, economic competence, and social justice. As Prime Minister for just one year, he has lost all of these qualities."

"Inequality is rising under Gordon Brown, and the poorest in society pay more of their income in tax than the richest. He has made matters worse by scrapping the 10p income tax rate which has affected thousands of households in Norwich. Even after the panic compensation package, many people here are worse off. On top of this, council taxes continued to rise in Norwich this year with no action by the government to scrap this unfair tax."

"The last twelve months have seen falling economic growth and house prices, and rising household bills - led by soaring food and energy prices. In Northern Rock, we've had the first run on a British bank since 1866, with the Government failing to heed warning signs and mismanaging the aftermath."

"We've had administrative failure after failure over the last 12 months. Missing computer discs, thousands of illegal immigrants employed as security staff, and donations to Labour that breached rules they themselves introduced, all contribute to the feeling that this Government has lost all competence."

"Gordon Brown has failed to bring a halt to the closure of local post offices. His Government has failed to recognise the social importance of the network and we are now seeing the consequences. Labour had the chance to stop the closure programme a few months ago. Gordon Brown and Labour MPs failed us, and now we will start seeing branches close in Norwich and across Norfolk."