Gordon Brown conference speech offers nothing for people of Oldham area

3.41.10pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 23rd Sep 2008

Elwyn Watkins, Liberal Democrat PPC for Oldham East & Saddleworth, has hit out at Gordon Brown for giving a conference speech which promised nothing practical for the people of the Oldham area.

"This was typical New Labour soundbites. The Labour party has run out of ideas. The lack of detail and action is extremely disappointing," Elwyn said.

"There were a lot of gimmicks, but not enough detail; in particular, at a time of economic hardship, he did not say how he was going to pay for anything.

"Working families don't need vague promises of fairness and energy efficiency, they need tax cuts and help with fuel bills now.

"Local businessmen don't need to be told that they can perform better, they need tax cuts and less red tape to ease the burden on their business.

"We need environmental action now, not a promise which is so far in the future that Mr Brown will probably not live to see it.

"Some of it was frankly unbelievable - the government does not spend our tax money wisely. The government is spending record amounts and they still cannot run our public services as well as the people of this country deserve.

"How Mr Brown can talk about fairness when he doubled the start rate of income tax is astonishing. A 4p cut in income tax, as the Liberal Democrats are suggesting, would help working people far more.

"Local people are facing an uncertain future under Gordon Brown - what they needed was action and detailed proposals.

"What we got instead was bluster and bluff and an unelected Prime Minister trying to save his job.

"What local people want is an election, so they can have a say on who runs the country."