I have a fairly low opinion of the competency of New Labour and their leaders.

But the way that our leadership run the country affects so many people, in same cases the consequences are awful.

One of Gordon Brown's personal statements on what he was going to do to help families who were having problems paying their mortgage was to introduce the Mortgage Rescue Scheme. This was a key announcement by Brown and it was intended to show how he was able to respond to the needs of people who were likely to lose their homes because of the recession.

It took time for the scheme to come into effect, during which many people would have had their homes repossessed!

But we now find that the number of people that the scheme has helped in England is 15.  It is good that 15 families have been helped but what about all the other families who have had their homes repossessed? 

15 families helped! In Scotland it is around 1000 families, in Wales it is 70 families.

There were 11,400 repossessions between April and June. Yet this grandly announced scheme of Gordon Brown  has only helped 15 families!

Is this just incompetence by our government? Or are they only interested in saving the banking system?

Perhaps the officials involved in awarding certificates showing that school kids are able to catch a bus, should have been  spending their time on the Mortgage Rescue Scheme!

What are New Labour proposing?

The Mail on Sunday has details of a new tax on anyone who lives in a house, unless there are no redeeming features at all of the house or the view from the house!

William III introduced a window tax in 1696 . Glass was the equivalent of a good view or local amenities, but the principle is the same.

Charles Stuart II introduced a Hearth or Fireplace Tax in 1662. The tax had to be paid for each fireplace in a property.

The significance of this new New Labour tax is that it is not based on absolutes, At least the Kings of old actually taxed something that was useful  to the householder!

You may not like the view from your house. You may be fed up with the bus stop outside your gate because of the noise at night and the mess left around your gate. But you will still have to pay this tax!

We already pay council tax on our poperties, the amount paid depends upon the value of the propety in question. But the factors that determine the value of a house include the size of the house, the area the house is in, the views from the house, the presence of patios and conservatories, garages and the availability of parking.

In fact the new envy tax from New Labour is based on many of the factors that establish the council tax band.

This is a second tax on top of the council. We are being taxed TWICE for the same property assets!

No wonder New Labour like this tax! Right down their street!