Liberal Democrats release report damning Ruth Kelly - 5 June 2007
The Liberal Democrats today released a report attacking the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government as ‘Calamity Kelly’ after her first year in the job.
The report judges Ruth Kelly against the objectives she set herself in a letter to the Prime Minister shortly after she moved to the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) a year ago.
The report highlights:
· The bungled non-implementation of Home Information Packs that contain the key environmental measures important to tackling carbon emissions
· The unwillingness to reform the unfair council tax which millions of families struggle to pay each year
· The falling levels of home ownership and failure to provide enough affordable housing
Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Andrew Stunell MP said:
“There is a great deal of work that needs to be done to create affordable and environmentally friendly homes and scrapping the council tax to ensure fair taxes are raised and spent locally.
“Unfortunately after a year in charge, the Secretary of State has proven herself to be ‘Calamity Kelly’.
“The bungled introduction of Home Information Packs is only the most recent example of a year riddled by incompetence and missed opportunities.
“Millions of people are left on waiting lists for social housing while thousands of young people struggle to get on the first rung of the housing ladder.
“Ruth Kelly also missed the best chance for a decade to scrap the unfair council tax which millions of families struggle to pay every year.
“It seems that ‘Calamity Kelly’ is only keeping her job because of Tony Blair’s ridiculously long farewell tour.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors