Gordon Brown anniversary: not a vintage year for East Dunbartonshire

2.09.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 27th Jun 2008

Gordon Brown has endured a calamitous year as Prime Minister

Jo Swinson has criticised Gordon Brown's leadership, as the Prime Minister marks his first year in the job.

Jo has argued that on poverty, civil liberties and the economy, East Dunbartonshire has failed to benefit from Gordon Brown's first year as Prime Minister.

Jo said:

"Gordon Brown's Premiership started on a high, but he quickly crashed to earth and recent months have seen his Government lurch from crisis to crisis. Looking back at Mr Brown's leadership over the last 12 months, it is difficult to pick out any positives for East Dunbartonshire.

"Gordon Brown has made much of his wish to tackle poverty in this country, but the fiasco over the scrapped the 10p tax rate increased income tax bills for thousands of low paid workers in East Dunbartonshire. It is lamentable that after 11 years of Labour in power at Westminster, the gap between rich and poor is wider today than it was in 1997.

"At the same time as eroding our civil liberties, Gordon Brown's government has shown that it is incapable of keeping our personal data secure. One of the lowest points during the Prime Minister's first year in charge saw HM Revenue & Customs lose the personal details of almost 10,000 East Dunbartonshire families.

"During his decade as Chancellor, it was Brown's proudest boast that he had ended 'boom and bust' economics. The truth is that he has complacently presided over growing personal debt, which now stands at a staggering £1.3 trillion. Northern Rock, falling house prices and soaring household bills have left Gordon Brown's economic record well and truly sunk.

"As I speak to residents around East Dunbartonshire, I find more and more disillusionment over Gordon Brown's leadership. Brown's first 12 months have been far from a vintage year for East Dunbartonshire."