Monday, June 23, 2008

Eco-Lies, Deceit And Spin

The lies, deceit and spin of Brown's government is set to be exposed this week showing the pathetic way they have tried to pull the wool over our eyes with so-called 'eco-towns' and ride rough-shod over democracy with the trickery of new planning laws aimed at pushing through pet projects. 

An official government report has warned today that many of the 'eco-town' schemes are just big housing estates with an eco-friendly 'green' label stuck in front.

And Brown faces a parliamentary revolt on Wednesday, when government plans for a new Planning Commission, which has split the cabinet, will come under fire from MPs outraged at plans for another hugely expensive, unaccountable and unelected bureaucratic quango.

With the Party's finances in meltdown, New Labour needs sweeteners for its dwindling backers and donors - the big housing developers and supermarkets. And 'eco-towns' are a perfect way for them to make money.

'Eco-towns', one of Brown's original Big Ideas, have been exposed as a sham, a sneaky way of just building thousands of new houses in rural areas and  branded as 'eco-towns' as part of the spin. In the face of a huge and growing backlash, a short list of 57 was whittled down to 15, then 10 and now reportedly just five. 

These massive housing developments would be outside the structure plan of local authorities so one of the key proposals of the new planning laws is replacing accountable public inquiries, with an unelected Planning Commission, stuffed with New Labour cronies on fat salaries. A cunning plan to fast-track the developments and by-pass the planning process.

This would cover massive building projects ranging from nuclear power stations, wind farms and incinerators, airports, new towns, roads and reservoirs. In fact anything that's unpopular.

Files on cabinet minister, Hazel Blears' missing laptop, "also contained information that shows cabinet members disagree over the government's proposed planning laws."

The proposals were due to be discussed by MPs in parliament two weeks ago but with the increasing chance of a defeat for Brown, quietly shelved for a rethink. 

Faced with stiff opposition from Conservatives, LibDems and back-bench Labour MPs and the reported cabinet split on the issue, it now looks as if Brown will not be able to carry even some of the New Labour faithful.

Protesters against the discredited 'eco-towns' are due to lobby MPs at Westminster at the end of the month.

And with the 'eco-town' backlash led by the New Labour luvvies of the Media Classes, living in their pretty villages, these NIMBYs give the protesters a powerful and articulate voice. 

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