General Election June 8th

[Gelsons Dad]

Because poverty is now defined as not being able to go on a foreign holiday or take your kids to the cinema as opposed to feed and clothe oneself.

Correct, and by that measure I spent most of my youth in poverty. Which is a nonsense.

 

[worsleyweb]

Have your kids' schools started asking you for voluntary contributions yet?

No just the 700 a month direct debit.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

No just the 700 a month direct debit.

Count yourself lucky.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Given your political bent I will assume that was under Thatcher?

My daughter, who's the younger one, was born just as Thatcher was resigning so it would have been under both Major and Blair. It was a slightly different scenario as it was a Jewish school and the DofE wouldn't fund parts of the curriculum or pay for security. Noe schools here are asking for contributions as they can't afford the basics, including teachers.

And I'll be straight with you here, as you'd expect from me. I don't have a "political bent" and have never voted consistently for one party. I've voted for the one that I thought offered the best choice at the time or even just the one who had the best candidate in my ward or constituency. So I've voted for all 3 major parties in my time, including the last 10 years. In 2010 I voted Conservative because of both the local candidate and I didn't want Brown to continue as PM. In 2015 I was completely undecided up to the last minute but I voted Labour as, once again, their candidate I thought was the better one to represent the constituency (plus I knew his late mum & his wife very well and both his boys had been through my cub pack). I also felt, as you will see on here, that the policy of austerity had been a poor one and that Labour possibly offered a little more. But I wasn't overly convinced.

When May announced this election I thought she'd made a mistake in doing that but was broadly supportive of her at that time. I also thought Corbyn was a clown who couldn't get his message over very well. But this campaign has turned my thinking on its head. She's been the clown and has been a disaster whereas Corbyn has come across fantastically. Even my Telegraph-reading, Tory-voting brother said so when I saw him yesterday. I'm also genuinely enthused by their manifesto whereas the Tories have (in my view) nothing very exciting to offer. So that's my "political bent".

 

[BrianW]

I was quite amazed by my mate when he rang me today. He's a hard guy to position, politically. I suppose you might say 'moderate Labour' but he's been quite supportive of a lot of the stuff the Tories have done, and it wouldn't have surprised me if he'd decided to vote Tory this time.

He said that he agreed with everything Corbyn said (about foreign policy and terrorism) and that it was 'common sense'.

You could have knocked me down with a feather. This election looked like a formality - I think it has now turned 'interesting'.

 

[Gelsons Dad]

It's probably been the worst Tory campaign in history to be honest but the though of Corbyn as PM has made me rethink my position on Swiss citizenship which until now I have staunchly refused to entertain.

The labour manifesto is just a fantasy wish list which is completely unaffordable and he's an IRA sympathiser no matter how much he lies about it. Diane Abbott shouldn't be anywhere near government and John McDonnell can honour the fucking IRA by blowing himself up as far as I'm concerned.

Both my kids are voting and were both leaning towards Tory but are both now wondering what to do with their vote and frankly I've advised them to vote for none of the above.

 

[SWP's back]

Correct, and by that measure I spent most of my youth in poverty. Which is a nonsense.

Same mate.

Poverty in the country I reside in would literally mean not being able to own a yacht.

Luckily I've dug myself out of it.

 

[BigJoe#1]

Correct, and by that measure I spent most of my youth in poverty. Which is a nonsense.

Different measures maybe? Don't know how old you are but back in time it was more about going to Butlins or Blackpool or down here to Porthcawl for the miners fortnight.... for many couldn't.

 

[Gelsons Dad]

Different measures maybe? Don't know how old you are but back in time it was more about going to Butlins or Blackpool or down here to Porthcawl for the miners fortnight.... for many couldn't.

Most of my summer holidays were spend riding my bike or playing cricket in the park. I did go on ATC camp a couple of times. Closest thing to a "family holiday" we had. People moaning about poverty these days use the statistics incorrectly to try to paint a picture of Dickensian squaller which is just not the case.

 

[The perfect fumble]

It's probably been the worst Tory campaign in history to be honest but the though of Corbyn as PM has made me rethink my position on Swiss citizenship which until now I have staunchly refused to entertain.

The labour manifesto is just a fantasy wish list which is completely unaffordable and he's an IRA sympathiser no matter how much he lies about it. Diane Abbott shouldn't be anywhere near government and John McDonnell can honour the fucking IRA by blowing himself up as far as I'm concerned.

Both my kids are voting and were both leaning towards Tory but are both now wondering what to do with their vote and frankly I've advised them to vote for none of the above.