An Invite from Ed Milliband?!

Was very surprised this week to get a letter from Ed Milliband (s press machine). I've been invited to meet Andy Burnham at a top secret location on Friday as part of the fresh-ideas.org.uk campaign. Not really sure what to think about this, I mean how do they know who I am? Why pick me? Exactly what have I been invited to? I'm guessing this sort of 'engagement event' is about mining for ideas to reshape Labour policy.

As fortune has it I'm off on Friday, so I'm gonna schelpp along and see what its really about. I'm a little concerned my head might explode. The ConDems are making great haste in wrecking this country, and the opposition Labour are providing is pathetic. There are so many things that make me crazy (in no particular order):
The Health Bill
Changes to disability living allowance
Library Closures
Threats to bookstart
Replacing nurse - led NHS direct with NHS111 with 1 nurse per call-centre
Forest Sell-Off
The 'Universal Credit'
Cuts to all areas of local authorities particularly, children's (and adults) social services
Decimation of Sure Start
Removal of public transport subsidies

There are probably a ton more, that's just off the top of my head. It upsets me when people's main response to this is "well what would you cut?". These cuts are not an economic necessity, they are an ideological assault on all of us. This brilliant video from the blog at False Economy, explains it well. Its said you should judge a society by the way it treats its most vulnerable members. Many of these cuts target the most vulnerable whether that's children, people with disabilities, older people, the long term unemployed etc etc.

So what do I say? Where do I start? Do I bring my list of vitriol with me? The opposition Labour provide has to step up a gear, or we are all lost. Sadly I just don't see it happening. Many of the ConDems ideas are building on the 'work' of New Labour.

I will report back on what happens, I hope I will come home happy and convinced Labour speak for people like me. But I seriously doubt it.