O/T something missing on here?

[Seasider9601]

And Clegg bites the dust now.

[SolentShrimp]

Grim result for anyone working in the public sector, currently in education or looking to get one, requiring housing, on low wages, needing benefit support, in poor health, work dependent on government funding, or business trades with Europe. Its going to be a tough five years for many of us I am afraid.

The last 5 years have been tough too, for ALL of us.
But don't blame the Tories for that.
Have you forgotten about Labour's PFI deals? They've caused the real threat to what you mention, and are set to cost taxpayers £11.7bn in repayments over the next parliament.

[Wild Bill]

Grim result for anyone working in the public sector, currently in education or looking to get one, requiring housing, on low wages, needing benefit support, in poor health, work dependent on government funding, or business trades with Europe. Its going to be a tough five years for many of us I am afraid.

The last 5 years have been tough too, for ALL of us.
But don't blame the Tories for that.
Have you forgotten about Labour's PFI deals? They've caused the real threat to what you mention, and are set to cost taxpayers £11.7bn in repayments over the next parliament.

Think ultimately there were too many familiar faces from the Blair/Brown days in Labour's current line up linked to their old failures. The Tories also (as you'd expect) used every trick in the book. They simply ran a better campaign, took far fewer risks and had a far better narrative, not just during the campaign, but throughout most of their government.

Labour lacked a clear strategy for a long time and spent too much airtime on issues (no matter how genuine) that effected only a small percentage of the active electorate, such as the bedroom tax and zero hours contracts. Ed Milliband too was an obvious liability early on (particularly in Scotland) but seemed to be turning it around in the last few weeks. Ultimately though it was too little too little, too late.

Lib Dems paid the ultimate price for trying to put a handbrake on the Tories ruthless cuts. Shame as coalition actually made for a fairer and more balanced government. It will probably never happen again and the Tories have a free reign to push through their vision of Britain.

[SolentShrimp]

David Milliband has taken his little brother's demise quite well...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5236793

[P/T Indie]

Think ultimately there were too many familiar faces from the Blair/Brown days in Labour's current line up linked to their old failures. The Tories also (as you'd expect) used every trick in the book. They simply ran a better campaign, took far fewer risks and had a far better narrative, not just during the campaign, but throughout most of their government.


That's the problem when Gordon Brown went it was just a case of his pals taking over and nothing changed. They needed a fresh start people with no history or links to the previous team.

The thought of Ed Balls been chancellor was scary I would have more faith in my 2 year old been able to look after the countries finances.

I don't think the country ever took to the two Ed's may Milliband started to grow slightly on some people but not enough and like the audience member on question time said if Ed balls worked in the city he would have been sacked and struck off and not allowed back.

The thing I don't get is all the Lib Dem voters who have abandoned them because Nick Clegg has been siding with the nasty Tories have all gone and voted Tory!! I can't get my head around that.

If Labour get a good team together I can see the Tories been give a lot harder time than they have had the past 5 years because the two Ed's were clueless. You do wonder if David Milliband and maybe a young up and coming person as shadow chancellor had been there instead if we could have been looking at a Labour Majority instead.

[George Dawes]

David Milliband has taken his little brother's demise quite well...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5236793

Labour dropped a bollock not putting David in charge in the first place, he's a lot more grown up.

Ed Milliband reminded me like somebody you was at school with who was a prefect, and stayed on to the 6th form at high school.

[outsider]

New Labours not winning, Why don't they try bringing back "old Labour"?
Then again they didn't win either.

Should we now change kits with Lancaster City? There Red we are Blue.

[Keith]

Grim result for anyone working in the public sector, currently in education or looking to get one, requiring housing, on low wages, needing benefit support, in poor health, work dependent on government funding, or business trades with Europe. Its going to be a tough five years for many of us I am afraid.

Ah yes, but bloody brilliant if you are wealthy and want to get wealthier!!!

[BoroRedShrimp]

Grim result for anyone working in the public sector, currently in education or looking to get one, requiring housing, on low wages, needing benefit support, in poor health, work dependent on government funding, or business trades with Europe. Its going to be a tough five years for many of us I am afraid.

Ah yes, but bloody brilliant if you are wealthy and want to get wealthier!!!

+1

[SolentShrimp]

Grim result for anyone working in the public sector, currently in education or looking to get one, requiring housing, on low wages, needing benefit support, in poor health, work dependent on government funding, or business trades with Europe. Its going to be a tough five years for many of us I am afraid.

Ah yes, but bloody brilliant if you are wealthy and want to get wealthier!!!

I went into our local Wetherspoons on Thursday (Election Day). It's one of the worst Westherspoons in the country, and it's always full of the same crowd. You know the sort, three-speed walking sticks, passing little bags around under the table types, work means signing in for their first pint by 1200.

I spent a while ear-wigging, and while they all seemed to know what day it was, there was total indifference about whether they should be voting or not. Not that it would of made any difference, as you need to register before you can vote.

I realise that we live in a democracy, and voting is a personal choice. But if people don't vote, then they are shedding their right to moan about who governs the country.

Labour created the Benefits culture, making scrounging a much better option than working.
Labour sold the gold at rock bottom prices.
Labour did all the PFI deals that have crucified the NHS.
Labour took us into Iraq with a pack of lies.
Labour created layers of managers in the Public Sector that weren't needed
Labour left the country in a financial mess after 13 years of financial miss-management.
Labour said, give us us another chance.
Labour lost the election by a country mile.

Get rid of the scroungers, and non deservers on Benefits, and the many that do deserve help will reap the reward. But PFI will still remain a monumental financial millstone round everyones' neck for years to come.

BTW Keith, what's Tony Bliars personal wealth these days?

[John L]

What have the Tories done?

[Heysham_Shrimp]

Anyone know where Ed's "Edstone" has gone ?

[SolentShrimp]

What have the Tories done?

Won the 2015 General Election with a majority.
That should allow a few months of unimpeded progress for the county, while everyone else squabbles over what to do next to plug the gaping holes to their pride.

Getting back to Labour's proud role of honour..

Labour opened the floodgates to unregulated immigration.
Labour allowed the EU, and all it's unelected bureaucrats to walk all over us.

Who has to pay for all of Labour's f**k-ups?
We do, all the UK taxpayers.
The money has to be spread doesn't it, and PFI alone is going to make it a long haul.
Austerity is a problem, but all Liebour would have done, is create an even bigger problem than they left 5 years ago.

Personally, I'm not a Tory.
I haven't got an enduring allegiance to anyone.
I'll vote for who I think is best for the country, and it ain't the Liebour Party of recent times.

[SolentShrimp]

Anyone know where Ed's "Edstone" has gone ?

Ed would have taken the country back to the Middle-Ages, so Ed's probably Ed-iting his "Edstone" with an hammer and chisel.

[Keith]

BTW Keith, what's Tony Bliars personal wealth these days?

You've been reading these forums long enough to know that I am far from being a Blair supporter. He should genuinely be facing war crimes for knowingly starting a war under falsified pretences.

The Liberal Democrats got in to bed with the wrong party five years ago because Clegg was promised the Deputy Prime Minister title and sod all else. At the time, their supporters were largely disaffected Labour, who would have preferred a Labour/Liberal pact to a Conservative/Liberal pact. They lost trust & credibility and were rightly destroyed because of it.

When you see Miliband eating a bacon butty, he looks like a tosser.
When you see Miliband in a serious debate where he has time to talk, he looks and sounds like a decent, caring human being.

Can't imagine why the billionaire owned press kept running the bacon butty photo, can you?

Leaving aside any left/right political views, Cameron MUST now address the EU question ASAP because uncertainty one way or the other WILL stifle recovery, as there is nothing worse for the markets than not knowing.

[SolentShrimp]

When you see Miliband in a serious debate where he has time to talk, he looks and sounds like a decent, caring human being.

Only if he's got a lectern for company...

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2015/04/why-does-ed-miliband-need-a-lectern-in-a-back-garden/

Otherwise he forgets the script...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29335450

Or trips up after being taken to task...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11575631/Watch-Ed-Miliband-trips-off-the-stage-following-Question-Time-leaders-special.html

Leaving aside any left/right political views, Cameron MUST now address the EU question ASAP because uncertainty one way or the other WILL stifle recovery, as there is nothing worse for the markets than not knowing.

Give him the weekend off first.
He's on a roll, and hopefully he knows what his priorities are, sorting out the EU being a high one.

[George Dawes]

this voting system we have

been watching sunday politics this morning, you gotta feel for a lot of the smaller parties and people who don't vote tactically, and vote just on face value.

i quite liked some of the Natalie Bennett(Green Party) ideas, she's straight talking as well as UKIP's

The Green Party got one seat despite a million votes and it's said they would have 25 seats under a proportional system.

UKIP also got one seat despite getting three and a half million votes and 118 second places

[outsider]

SNP 1.5m votes 56 seats?

[George Dawes]

SNP 1.5m votes 56 seats?

Aye, SNP have had a good deal.


how it could of should of, but we all had a vote about this in 2011


image hosting 30 mb

[SolentShrimp]

SNP 1.5m votes 56 seats?

Since the Scotland Independence Referendum, the SNP were always going to win nearly all the seats
All those who voted 'Yes' to Independence will have voted SNP.
All those who voted 'No' will have had to share the rest of the votes between several parties.
Apparently Sturgeon and Salmond are already on different wavelengths.

[SirFredGoodwin]

SNP 1.5m votes 56 seats?

Since the Scotland Independence Referendum, the SNP were always going to win nearly all the seats
All those who voted 'Yes' to Independence will have voted SNP.
All those who voted 'No' will have had to share the rest of the votes between several parties.
Apparently Sturgeon and Salmond are already on different wavelengths.

Sturgeon and Salmond are on the same wavelength.
By decimating Labours stronghold, claiming more representation for Scots.
They knew Labour would poll poorly on borrowing and the economy.
They wanted the Tories to win all along, so now they can say
"Look we've got another 5 years of Tory cuts and we can only get more power for Scots through independence"
They'll just keep pushing the referendum until they get the result they want

[marky No.1]

Apparently Sturgeon and Salmond are already on different wavelengths.

Sounds a bit fishy to me

[BoroRedShrimp]

Labour created the Benefits culture, making scrounging a much better option than working.

Think if you do you're research you'll find it was the Tories who created Incapacity Benefit.

It replaced Invalidity Benefit which I believe was also introduced during a Tory reign.

The Tories like to make out they reduce unemployment but basically they like to reduce figures.

Last I heard there was more people not working full time but not counted in the unemployed figure as they were students, not claiming, etc than with the last Labour government.

[George Dawes]

Labour created the Benefits culture, making scrounging a much better option than working.

Think if you do you're research you'll find it was the Tories who created Incapacity Benefit.

It replaced Invalidity Benefit which I believe was also introduced during a Tory reign.

The Tories like to make out they reduce unemployment but basically they like to reduce figures.

Last I heard there was more people not working full time but not counted in the unemployed figure as they were students, not claiming, etc than with the last Labour government.

and over a million people on zero hour contracts, having the piss taken out of them.

but don't get me wrong I don't like Labour either, both as bad as each other.

[BoroRedShrimp]

Labour created the Benefits culture, making scrounging a much better option than working.

Think if you do you're research you'll find it was the Tories who created Incapacity Benefit.

It replaced Invalidity Benefit which I believe was also introduced during a Tory reign.

The Tories like to make out they reduce unemployment but basically they like to reduce figures.

Last I heard there was more people not working full time but not counted in the unemployed figure as they were students, not claiming, etc than with the last Labour government.

and over a million people on zero hour contracts, having the piss taken out of them.

I agree my OH has a zero hour contract, so we know all about zero hour contracts too.