David Morris has launched a broadside attack on Labour’s ‘Seaside Resort’ MPs as the Government announced a £10 million cut to tourism funding.
Mr Morris, the Conservative’s choice for Parliament, questioned the accountability and credibility of Labour’s coastal resort MPs, accusing their Government of hypocrisy, double standards and spin.
In a recent Westminster Hall debate about economic regeneration, the calls from both Morecambe and Blackpool’s Labour MPs for more investment in tourism and infrastructure in coastal towns to attract business, were recorded.
However, within a week, the Labour Minister for Culture Media and Sport, James Purnell MP, announced that funding for VisitBritain would be cut by £10 million by 2010-2011 - from £55.1 million to just £45.8 million.
Davd Morris, who in previous elections was the Parliamentary Candidate in Blackpool and Tenby, said “I’ve heard lip service from Labour’s seaside MPs towards tourism for the better part of this decade. I have read their rehashed diatribe with no results other than job losses and further decline year on year”.
“This is a body blow to every hotel and guest house owner and an affront to the local economy here in Morecambe. By cutting this funding it cripples the entrepreneurial skills of our local tourism operators.”
Mr Morris, who has spoken with authority at a recent Conservative coastal resort initiative panel, believes that entrepreneurs should be aided in business by local Politicians. Government should not impede their endeavours and a proactive stance for local tourism with results must be adopted by the elected representatives to make a change.
Morecambe and Lunesdale’s would-be Conservative MP, David Morris, has condemned the proposed closures of Hornby and Skerton High Schools citing a new report which claims school children are suffering from deep anxiety due to the pressures of the ‘modern world’.
David argues that “any additional stress on local children caused by the uncertainty surrounding these schools could affect their emotional wellbeing.”
Researchers from the Cambridge based ‘Primary Review’ ran 87 discussions with groups of children, parents, teachers and others; 750 people took part.
A spokesman from the National Children’s Homes charity said “the findings of this report are a wake-up call to the Labour Government… “We know from our own research the increasing importance of emotional wellbeing in childhood in determining life chances and later social mobility.”
After a failed bid to merge Hornby and Skerton High Schools with Central Lancaster High School, to create a new academy school, Lancashire County Council is considering the closure of Hornby and Skerton High. The consultation closes at the end of the year.
It is thought that if the schools close, the Labour County Council will attempt to send the Hornby and Skerton pupils to Central Lancaster High.
David said: “Lancashire County Council’s decision to even consider closing these two popular schools is simply wrong. This new report by Primary Review adds to the case of why trying to close these schools is wide of the mark. The legacy of this current County Council could be one of adding a lot of stress to some very vulnerable school children.”
“I can assure all parents of pupils’ currently at Hornby and Skerton that I will be actively supporting them in their campaign to keep these schools open and available for local children.”
