Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Councillors have expressed their shock and dismay at the announcement of further cuts amidst the deepening financial crisis at Bedford Hospital. A series of cutbacks in the current financial year will include the closure of a further 34 beds by December, while the hospital's financial deficit could grow to a massive £16.9 million.
Liberal Democrats have slammed the Borough Council for spending £10,000 on advertising Council car parks in a battle to win back drivers from public transport and park and ride.
Conservative Leader David Cameron has said the NHS is safe his hands as he brought the Conservative conference to an end this afternoon. He accused Labour of mismanaging the health service and said he would be taking to the streets with a campaign to stop the cuts.
The Tories are finding their new, environmentally friendly image hard to sell to their delegates at their Conference. Delegates voted to throw out the motion: "cheap flights are a false economy". Of course, this will make no difference whatsoever as the Conservative party does not yet have policies for its grassroots to reject.
Responding to reports that the British Government has turned down an offer from the US to the return nearly all British residents held at Guantanamo Bay, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell said "What is the point of the Attorney General and Lord Chancellor condemning Guantanamo as legally unacceptable when the British Government, at the same time, is unwilling to take back UK residents who are detained there?"
More than two million households are struggling to keep up with council tax bills, a study has concluded. People on low incomes are particularly badly hit as a larger percentage of their earnings is spent on payments and many people find it complicated to claim council tax benefits, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation said.