“This price increase is a direct result of privatisation. The only thing these energy companies are concerned about is protecting their profits at the expense of workers struggling to make ends meet. Over the last 2 years, Phoenix Gas made a pre-tax profit of £20.6 million.”
“The only way to provide affordable gas and electricity is to bring these companies back into public ownership, and run utilities democratically in the interests of ordinary people, not profit.”
Housing maintenance grant budgets are being cut. Major investment in social housing is urgently needed to meet the housing needs of ordinary people. We are told there is not enough dough to go round. Well, if you happen to be a boss of housing associations, there is plenty to go round.
On 5 February the DUP and Sinn Fein agreed a deal on policing, justice and parades. The deal was announced in triumph as a “historic breakthrough” by Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness sitting along side Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen. Policing and justice will be transferred to local control by 12 April and the issue of contentious parades will be reviewed over the next three weeks by a “working party”. On 9 March an Assembly vote will be required to agree the package.
