A KEY part of the National Liberal Party’s overall strategy is to build the infrastructure of an alternative mass media of news, information and entertainment (1).
To date, the NLP has launched several national, regional and local publications. Some have been e-publications whilst others have been hard copies. These include Liberty & Nation, Caledonian Voice, English Voice, Cuffley, Courier, Kent Voice, the Isle of Wight Voice and St. Andrews Voice.
In time, we aim to add to these publications – indeed, earlier this year Ulster Voice produced its first e-poster (2). We also hope to build a supporting infrastructure around each publication – including supporters and debating groups as well as Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter. But building such an infrastructure is slow and detailed work.
Another area of support for our publications is the production of regular e-posters. Such e-posters are known as visual sound bites. In this age of the ‘micro-second media’ they represent a very useful way of viralling our message out.
Indeed, earlier this month the Isle of Wight Voice produced another e-poster (3) which noted that the island needed jobs and not cuts. An earlier e-poster (4) campaigned in support of the National Health Service.
With the island in mind, here we reproduce the main article from issue 1 of the Isle of Wight Voice – which was produced way back in April 2012. As far as we’re aware, there’s only been one review (5) of this issue. However, we’d like to hear from anyone who’d be willing to produce another review of it or who’d be able to produce articles for future issues.
Similarly, we want to hear from anyone who can suggest subjects for future IoWV e-posters. To submit your ideas, simply e-mail us natliberal@aol.com or look out for this article on the National Liberals facebook site https://www.facebook.com/groups/52739504313/?fref=nf and have your say in the comments section.
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Island Unemployment Rates Are A DISGRACE!
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Issue 1 of the Isle of Wight Voice is still available. To get hold of your FREE pdf copy, simple e-mail natliberal@aol.com today!
THE CON-DEM Government needs to do much more to solve the social and economic problems faced by Islanders. And youth unemployment in particular needs to be tackled.
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That’s the view of Glen Maney – a full-time actor and comedian – who has extensive links on the island.
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He said: “Nearly five per cent of those on the Island aged between 16 – 64 are unemployed. That’s higher than both the South Eastern regional average of 2.7% and the national average of 4%. It’s an absolute disgrace.”
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And youth unemployment rates on the Island are even worse. Over 12% of 18-24 year olds here are out of work. That’s more than double the regional average, which stands at 5.4%. And it’s way above the national average of 8.1%.
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The figures – provided by the Office for National Statistics – show that 3,964 Islanders were claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) at the beginning of the year.
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Mr. Maney continued: “It’s said that for every job available on the Island, there are around 16 people applying for it. Sadly, it’s a figure that you’d normally associate with deprived inner-city areas of London, Birmingham, Liverpool or Manchester.
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Here we are in one of the most beautiful parts of England and we’re sitting on a social and economic time-bomb. If Islanders can’t find work, we’ll start facing the serious social problems associated with longterm unemployment.”
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Glen, an ex-footballer and policeman and now a professional comedian and owner of a film company, lived in Shanklin and Wroxall for many years. His family is still on the Island.
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Talking about the state of the economy, Glen – who will be standing for election here at the next General Election – said that he felt that there was plenty of money in the UK pot, but ordinary working families just don’t get a look in.
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“Each year the super-rich avoid paying around £420 billion in tax. Three years ago, the government managed to find £45 billion to bail out the Royal Bank of Scotland. How much has our involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya cost us? How much did the MPs Expenses Scandal cost us? How much does it cost us to stay in the EU?”
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He also pointed out that Britain’s former prime ministers – such as Maggie Thatcher and Tony Blair – can claim up to £500,000 a year each.
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“Cameron and Clegg always say that there’s no money. Yet they can always find money to wage war in some far-flung corner of the world, fund the EU ‘gravy train’ and bail out the bankers and help the ‘fat cats’.
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They need to clamp down on the super-rich and knock some of these payments on the head. The money saved should be put towards creating jobs for Islanders – especially the young!”
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(5) http://nationalliberal.org/review-of-isle-of-wight-voice-issue-1
