Petition to remove the coalition government from power!

David Cameron stated that he would not cancel the EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance)
David Cameron stated that family allowance would not be affected and it was safe under a Conservative administration

George Osborne and David Cameron both denied that they had any plans to raise VAT and that the Labour party was trying to “scare” the electorate (Evening Standard, 2010)

The Conservative party said there would be no major top down reforms of the NHS in this parliament (Lansley, 2009)

Nick Clegg stated unequivocally that he and all 57 MP’s would vote against ANY increase in tuition fees (Libdem manifesto, 2010)

The Conservative party policy stated that failures in the penal system and law and order was due to Labour’s failed policies and anyone convicted of a knife crime would go to prison and more prison places would be made available (Conservative Manifesto, p57)

George Osborne stated that Labour had not regulated the banks enough and no one working in a Bank that had been saved by the state should get more than a £2,000 cash bonus (Conservative Party website, 2009)

Bonfire of the quangos.  To get rid of quangos to make them more efficient, accountable and more cost effective (Cameron, 2009)

The result

David Cameron now says EMA’s don’t work and is scrapping them, always quoting one survey supporting this view that 9 out of 10 students would still do the course even if the EMA was withdrawn, ignoring other evidence and a larger body of evidence that suggests EMA significantly increases the chances of students starting and finishing the courses in higher education

Family allowance is cut for a section of the population

VAT increased to 20% and no statement to state if this is permanent or not.

The largest most far reaching reforms of the NHS have been announced since 1945, costing several billions of pounds at a time the government is strapped for cash. Causing uncertainty in the service and without a consensus or rolling the changes out giving evidence the changes are working – THIS FAR REACHING REFORM WAS NOT IN THE MANIFESTO

Tuition fees increased by up to 300%, although with some progressive safeguards, these could easily be over turned at any time by future administrations

Kenneth Clarke has announced the biggest turn around in prison and law and order policy known in the UK. People voted for the Conservative Party to be strong on law and order and to build more prisons.  They have announced a closure of 3,000 prison places.  fewer people to be sent to prison and declaring that prison does not work and then cutting the police budgets.

George Osborne we now know in recent negotiations tried to water down EU recommendations for regulating the banks.  There will be no limitations on bonuses (Monbiot, 2011)

The bonfire of the quangos was more like a child’s sparkler.  They failed to understand that many of the quangos actually do something and there is no one else to do it.  The restructuring was announced without any research into who will carry out the functions after the restructuring or how much it will cost.  It could well cost more than it did before the reforms. The House of Lords, the biggest quango in our country has been bolstered by the Conservative party with a massive new intake to increase support for the coalition.  There is no timetable for reform of the upper house.