What Price Human Rights?

In October I blogged on the Council spending £28,000 on a trip to Shanghai for the World Expo next year.     I argued then that we should be using that money to deliver basic services in Wirral, such as re-instating the school crossing patrols that were axed, or refurbishing Linear Park in Moreton.   I still believe those alone are compelling reasons not to spend council taxpayers money on a trip to China for Council Officers.

However we now have what I believe to be another, perhaps even more compelling reason, the disgraceful and totally unacceptable behaviour of the Chinese State executing Akmal Shaikh.   Read more on that by clicking HERE and HERE.    I believe Wirral Council should lead by example, and make it clear that they will not tolerate China’s total disregard for human rights and withdraw from attending the World Expo next year.

劳工花 £ 28000 到中国旅行

Wirral’s ruling Labour Lib Dem Cabinet last night agreed to spend £28,000 on the international World Expo event in SHANGHAI, 5,719 miles away. The Council will spend £18,000 sponsoring the Liverpool City Council exhibition stand.      A further £10,000 will be spent sending officers from Wirral Council to Shanghai to ‘staff’ the stand during the event.     My colleague, Local Conservative candidate for the By-Election on 26th November, Steve Williams said:  “One minute, they haven’t got the £30,000 needed to hang on to lollipop ladies or to reopen Linear Park, here in Moreton.    The next minute, it’s bags packed and they’re off to China. You couldn’t make this up. This is more proof that New Labour has lost touch.”   Difficult to argue with that.    TIME FOR CHANGE!

PS the title is Chinese for ‘Labour spends £28,000 on a trip to China’

Two Weeks in Shanghai

That will be £28,000 please.     Thats what senior officers of the Council are asking the Cabinet to approve!   You can read the cabinet report by clicking HERE.      Seems the ruling Labour / Lib Dem administration are happy to slash our school crossing patrols, transfer our community centres, threaten to close our libraries, leisure centres and swimming pools, but then find £28,000 to send, as yet an unknown amount of Council officers to the World Expo in Shanghai next year.      Whats the betting that the Cabinet approves it?   TIME FOR CHANGE!