Barack Obama has announced a $450bn (£282bn) package of tax cuts and spending plans aimed at creating jobs and boosting the US economy.

He wants to fund huge construction projects, more teachers, jobs for both the long term unemployed and military veterans, while giving tax cuts to workers and small businesses to boost recruitment.

Obama says the American Jobs Act will provide “a jolt to an economy that has stalled”.

Surely we should be doing the same in Britain?  Getting the economy going must be a priority for a Labour Government.

Who are those twenty leading economists calling for a cut in the 50p tax rate?  All of them earning over £150,000 perhaps?

“I’m happy to pay an extra bit of tax when the UK is in difficulty”, says Stuart Rose, the ex-head of M&S.  That’s the spirit.

The idea that the only way to kick-start the economy is to give a tax cut to the top 1% of earners is just laughable.

The latest consultation from Suffolk County Council is on mobile libraries.  Clearly they are of most use in rural areas, where people are a long way from a library and the mobiles give access to a service.  There are a couple of routes through Ipswich.  In my ward, the mobile stops at two old folks homes, providing a valued service to people who are less mobile themselves.  The van schedule can be found here.

Page 4 of the consultation doc lists the “Proposed List of Mobile Library Stops to Cease”, which includes many locations in North Ipswich.   I’d say they are all at old folks homes or in areas where large numbers of older people live.

This is not really a consultation, as the doc states: “The proposal would reduce the fleet of operational mobile library vehicles from six to three.”  Clearly, the axe is going to fall on half the service.

On Friday I met the Azerbaijan Olympic Association and Ambassador when they visited Ipswich. Their Olympic squad will be staying in Ipswich next year, using Northgate sports centre and Crown pools for training. The Azeris have high hopes of medals in sports like wrestling and boxing and we might see a gold in Ipswich!

It’s reported in the Star.

With all the rioting going on, people seem to have taken their eye off the economy. It was good to see George Osborne being held to account by Ed Balls, as the growth forecast is down (to 1.5% from 1.8%) and the inflation forecast is up (to 5%). The cuts are going too far and too fast – will London be able to call on 10,000 extra police next summer?

The FTSE has dropped off a cliff – maybe the boy George could too?

Some jaw dropping footage on the TV in the last few days, as thugs seemed to be rampaging across London at will.

I was impressed that 10,000 extra police officers arrived in the capital to reclaim the streets. I was less impressed that it took three days and nights of wanton violence to make it happen.

I was also impressed by the swift justice meted out in Manchester. I’m not talking about the police officer whacking a guy on a bike with a baton, but the “Two people already jailed for their part in last night’s disorder – swift justice. Two men sentenced to 10 weeks and 16 weeks. First of many,” the tweet from Greater Manchester Police reads.

Why don’t the courts work this fast every time?