Labour claims to stand up for hard working families.  It has encouraged Mum’s back to work, saying it is good for them and their families.

Since 2005 they have been able to take advantage of a child care scheme which gives parents up to £243 pm paid directly from their wages to a nursery or childminder before any tax or NI is paid.

Without these vouchers there would be no point in some parents working at all.  In an incredibly sly and typical slight of the hand, Gordon Brown is to take them away to “divert” the money to nursery places for two year olds for lower income families for 12½ hours a week.

If, and its a big IF, a parent could find a job for those hours that would pull them out of poverty, they would be very lucky indeed.  Parents who have made the decision to work rather than end up on benefits, have just had a major stab in the back by this inept government which is simply trying to move the deck chairs round on a sinking ship.  A government that has simply run out of ideas!

On Sunday I attended the Remembrance Service at the Town Hall.

It’s always a moving service for me, especially when the last post is played and the parade does the march past.

This year I felt it more so; the War in Afghanistan

– which is what I think it is, becomes more disturbing by the day.  The sight of our young soldiers being repatriated is almost unbearable.  My personal view is that I would like our soldiers brought home.

I understand all the logic for being there, I despair at the lack of equipment – in fact I find it hard to reason with myself over this matter, but I always come to the same conclusion – they don’t play by the same rules as us.  This needs no further evidence than the recent killings of five brave soldiers murdered by the very people whom they were training.  How can we ever “win” a conflict where each side has different rules …………. and a final question ……. what does winning look like?