The main theme from Labour's Conference last week was simple - it's time to make a stand against those who are using economic conditions an excuse to exploit workers, slash living standards and make ordinary families carry the can for the failure of the global capitalist system.
Ed Miliband is right to support dynamic businesses which care for their staff properly and develop long term strategies to support their business and our communities.
There are many such firms across my constituency and these companies, especially small ones, need help to survive and prosper in these hard times.
Part of that comes from growth as people buy more goods and services. But incomes are declining.
Another part comes from public spending on big ticket items like railways plus our common services.
This is where tax comes in and I think big business has to contribute much more
I believe that this view is shared by the vast majority of people and it is welcome to see that it is supported by the serious global businessman and Microsoft magnate Bill Gates.
I have been campaigning for many years for a very small global levy on financial speculators which could raise billions.
This has become known as the Robin Hood tax and has been endorsed by several governments on a European level thanks to a massive global campaign involving churches, green groups, unions and celebrities.
Some banks are squealing about it claiming it won't raise much money which begs the question as to why they are making such a fuss in the first place.
Bill Gates expertly explodes the myth that such a transactions tax cannot be done by Europe on its own and this opens up a large stream of funding for good purposes
Sadly the coalition government here is setting its face against it and threatening to veto it
That would be very sad not least as the LibDems have also been enthusiastic in the past and queued up to back it at the Commons launch which I chaired - before they aligned themselves with the Conservatives.
I shall pursue this vigorously in the run up to the G20 conference of rich countries in November.
It would be a shameful were our government to side with the sharks and predators.
Newcastle Chronicle and Journal
| Promoted by Paul Foy on behalf of Dave Anderson, both of St Cuthbert's Church Hall, Shibdon Road, Blaydon, NE21 5PT |