Economy
People today are struggling with spiralling debts, rising food and energy bills and unaffordable mortgages. A decade of complacency by Gordon Brown has meant that with plummeting house prices, falling growth, rising inflation and rising unemployment, the outlook for the UK economy has not looked so bleak since the Tory recession of the 1990s.
Please follow the links below for:
[Local Economy] - [Economic Downturn] - [Tax] - [Benefits and Tax Credits] - [External Media]
Local Economy
As the MP for East Dunbartonshire, I see it as my duty to maintain a close relationship with businesses in the area, keeping in regular contact, listening to their concerns and lobbying the Government to get our economy back on track. The links below highlight just some of the action I have taken.
Jo's news stories on Local Economy
14/05/10 Local business a clear winner
22/03/10 Jobless rate rising again
15/03/10 Jo praises local winners of Big Lottery Fund grants
04/03/10 Jo Swinson: "Lend a helping hand to local businesses"
26/02/10 Council attacks local voluntary groups
22/02/10 Unemployment rising again in East Dunbartonshire
08/02/10 Population decline shows need for regeneration
15/02/10 No empty space to replace Co-op
20/01/10 Local unemployment still falling while Scotland's rises
18/12/09 Local unemployment continues to fall
07/12/09 Buy local this Christmas, says Jo
24/11/09 Unemployment falling in East Dunbartonshire
16/11/09 Lib Dems welcome regeneration cash
13/11/09 East Dunbartonshire will be hardest hit by recession
02/11/09 Jo defends Kirky Farmers' Market
16/09/09 McGavigans goes into administration
28/08/09 70 unemployed teachers in East Dunbartonshire
14/08/09 East Dunbartonshire unemployment up 50% since 2008
18/06/09 Swinson: Government is failing small businesses in East Dunbartonshire
05/06/09 Milngavie Farmers Market returns
01/06/09 Excellent day for Aviva Bishopbriggs
29/05/09 Jo backs local farmers against unnecessary legislation
15/05/09 Milngavie Farmers' Market will go ahead in June
08/05/09 "Farmers' Market must go ahead next month" - Swinson
06/05/09 Jo highlights local unemployment in Parliament
27/04/09 "Sparklyn" new business success
10/03/09 Swinson celebrates Healthy Enterprise
21/02/09 Local workers meet Vince Cable MP
18/02/09 Huntershill Village weathering the storm
11/02/09 100 job losses in Bishopbriggs a heavy blow to local economy
06/02/09 Jo challenges MOD over local company job losses
06/01/09 Tavish Scott welcomes Jo's local economy plan
19/12/08 Jo Swinson highlights rising East Dunbartonshire unemployment at Westminster
04/12/08 Support local producers this Christmas
01/12/08 Update: Jo Swinson in talks over support proposals for Flexible Ducting workforce
28/11/08 Jo urges support for Flexible Ducting workforce
27/11/08 Cut Council payment times to help local businesses
24/11/08 Government misses golden opportunity to boost East Dunbartonshire economy
21/11/08 SNP public works delays causing concern for local business
31/10/08 Jo seeks to reunite 'forgotten' funds with savers
29/10/08 Unemployment figures show banking crisis has hit local families
27/10/08 Action needed to support small businesses
15/10/08 Letter from Jo Swinson on the local impact of the global financial crisis
14/10/08 Jo praises Bishopbriggs training scheme
12/09/08 Scottish Food Fortnight: Milngavie butcher top for Scottish produce
29/08/08 Jo backs action to save homes from repossession
13/08/08 Waste management can bring cash boost for local businesses
13/08/08 A slice of chocolate heaven in Milngavie
01/08/08 Serious concern over impact of British Gas rises
31/07/08 Jo alarmed at Passport Office job cuts
06/06/08 Jo blames Business Gateway axe as new businesses suffer 30% slump
09/05/08 Green Businesses thriving in East Dunbartonshire
22/04/08 Clear vision needed for East Dunbartonshire tourism
16/04/08 Jo positive on farmers' market
13/02/08 Milngavie must tap into West Highland Way potential
05/09/07 Milngavie Farmers Market factfinding mission
15/08/07 Small business support necessary to repeat Filterclear success
24/07/07 Business Gateway closures unacceptable
20/07/07 Positive moves over Farmers' Market future
20/06/07 Jo voices fears after Kirkintilloch Farmers' Market fails to go ahead
18/06/07 Jo teams up with Gary Lineker to support Markets Week
04/06/07 Jo launches Save Farmers' Market campaign
13/02/07 Top Bishopbriggs employer welcomes back Jo
02/02/07 Jo gets the lowdown on top Milngavie employer
30/12/06 Help at hand for New Year debt problems
08/12/06 Jo gives Season's Greetings to Bishopbriggs Businesses
17/11/06 Jo praises East Dunbartonshire's enterprising spirit
06/10/06 Jo Swinson offers Milngavie Business support
22/08/06 Optronics plant showcases skills of East Dunbartonshire workforce - Jo
27/01/06 Jo rewards initiative at local manufacturer
25/01/06 Comment from Jo over Marks and Spencer in Bishopbriggs
18/01/06 Comment from Jo over Harper Collins job cuts
11/01/06 Comment from Jo over job losses at B&Q in Bishopbriggs
05/01/06 Milngavie IT company receives Investors In People award from Jo Swinson
16/09/05 Jo Swinson opens new Job Centre Plus
01/06/05 Jo supports Milngavie Farmers Market - "good for local businesses"
24/05/05 Jo puts concerns to Clydesdale Bank representatives
19/05/05 Jo takes fight to save East Dunbartonshire's high streets to the House of Commons
Economic Downturn
Jo's news stories on the Economic Downturn
27/05/10 Most vulnerable must be protected from cuts, says Jo
06/04/10 Jo calls for bank bosses to be sacked if they fail to meet lending targets
04/03/10 Jo Swinson: "Lend a helping hand to local businesses"
25/02/10 Part nationalised banks are for lending, not bonuses
25/02/10 Labour's spending on green jobs just 20% of what was promised
22/02/10 Unemployment rising again in East Dunbartonshire
20/01/10 Local unemployment still falling while Scotland's rises
18/12/09 Local unemployment continues to fall
20/11/09 Jo delivers speech to UN conference on global economy
13/11/09 East Dunbartonshire will be hardest hit by recession
24/04/09 Jo condemns Labour budget as unemployment soars
12/02/09 Stop the madness over bankers' bonuses
10/11/08 Irresponsible lending leaving families struggling to cope - Jo
28/10/08 Stronger protection against repossessions needed
27/10/08 Action needed to support small businesses
15/10/08 Letter from Jo Swinson on the local impact of the global financial crisis
08/10/08 Jo backs £500bn bank rescue plan
26/09/08 Jo seeks feedback on credit crunch effects
29/08/08 Jo backs action to save homes from repossession
06/06/08 Jo blames Business Gateway axe as new businesses suffer 30% slump
18/02/08 Government incompetence has been costly to Northern Rock
Tax
When it comes to taxation, this Government has lost its way. The recent VAT cut has done little to encourage consumers back into the shops, and the return to the 17.5% rate in the middle of the winter sales will cause chaos for businesses. Gordon Brown's decision to scrap the 10p income tax rate has hit people on low incomes hard, going against all of his party's professed principles. Recent rises in fuel and alcohol tax couldn't have come at a worse time. The system of Council tax is grossly unfair, making poorer people pay a higher proprortion of their income than those who are better off.
Jo's news stories on Tax
23/06/10 Lib Dem tax switch to protect the poorest
25/03/10 Labour's budget makes tax system even more unfair
18/12/09 Swinson slams unfair tax rises
10/07/09 Government letting us down on income and alcohol tax
15/09/08 Cut 2p from income tax in Scotland - Jo
04/08/08 Minority report calls for Government U-turn on car tax
16/07/08 Scrap VAT on suncream to help fight skin cancer
24/04/08 Government leaving East Dunbartonshire residents in the dark over tax U-turn
11/04/08 Thousands of East Dunbartonshire residents suffer tax grab
11/03/08 Jo urges Chancellor to cut income tax
12/07/07 Jo challenges Chancellor as Lib Dems reveal new tax plans
27/03/07 Chancellor is 'Robin Hood in reverse'
21/03/07 Brown's final budget will hit poor hardest
08/06/06 The Green Tax switch
05/07/05 Council Tax - unfair and must be scrapped says Jo
Benefits and Tax Credits
The Government's benefits system is over-complicated and badly administered. One minute families are being underpaid tax credits, the next minute they are overpaid and then being asked to payback money which they have already spent, through no fault of their own. The system needs to be simplified so that these kinds of basic mistakes can be avoided.
Jo's news stories on Benefits
07/04/10 Jo slams Government for tax credit incompetence
06/05/09 Benefit system failing local families
04/02/09 Jo challenges Minister over tax credits misery for East Dunbartonshire families
16/10/08 Jo critical of new benefit backdating rules
26/08/08 Jo shock at spiralling tax credit complaints
21/07/08 Disgrace over £1.4bn lost tax credits
28/03/08 Jo backs benefits campaign with Westminster petition
12/03/08 Raw deal for poorer children and pensioners in budget
06/09/07 Housing grant cuts will hit disabled residents
16/05/07 Tax credits failure causing misery to East Dunbartonshire families
01/06/06 Tax Credit chaos still failing East Dunbartonshire families
28/03/06 Jo challenges Minister on JobCentre cuts at first Scottish Questions outing
26/01/06 Jo calls for good quality, tailored support to help incapacity benefit claimants back to work
18/11/05 Jo Swinson calls on tax credit overpayment families to complain to ombudsman
External Media
23/02/10 Cutbacks will hit schoolkids and community halls (Kirkintilloch Herald)
16/02/10 Skaters reach for the sky in Kirkintilloch (Kirkintilloch Herald)
16/02/10 Population will shrink in East Dunbartonshire (Kirkintilloch Herald)
10/11/09 Keep on growing! (Kirkintilloch Herald)
28/10/09 Buy-out offers job hopes (Kirkintilloch Herald)
02/09/09 New teachers left jobless in East Dunbartonshire (Kirkintilloch Herald)
16/06/09 Depression costs economy £8.6bn a year (The Independent)
23/04/09 'Name and shame' tax havens under fire (ePolitix)
15/09/08 Economist to superhero? (New Statesman)
21/08/08 Moans over tax credits line soaring (Daily Mirror)
16/08/08 Families face airport ripoff with holiday costs soaring (Daily Record)
04/08/08 Backdating road tax is retrograde (The Guardian, Comment is Free)
04/08/08 Drivers face higher parking charges under controversial new car tax band linked to engine emissions (Daily Mail)
04/08/08 Treasury plan to pay drivers of gas-guzzling cars to go green (Daily Mirror)
04/08/08 Car tax divides MPs (Politics.co.uk)
10/02/07 25m bonuses for Child Support bunglers (Daily Record)
05/02/07 £1 Billion let-off for errant fathers (Evening Standard)
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