If only there was a safety net to help people in hard times .
Interesting piece (longish) I read on the election and state of affairs.
http://www.nybooks.com/daily/2017/06/10/britain-the-end-of-a-fantasy/
Labour would certainly win if there's an election in the next few months. If the tories can avoid an election until 2018 that might change. The Labour PLP is still hopelessly divided, the old wounds will eventually re-open. Corbyn will be able to have plenty of fun at May's expense in the next few weeks, but eventually he'll run out of steam. He's a campaigner, not a PM in waiting. The tories will replace May, although its difficult to see which of the possible candidates would be any better.
The biggest threat to the tories after the initial fuss has died down is Brexit. They'll struggle to come out of the initial negotiations with any credibility. The best thing they could do is to try to agree some sort of cross party concensus. Tie Labour to their failure.
As an aside, Macron is set for a landslide victory of scale unknown in modern French history, and he's done this in large part by mobilising the young and revitalising the electorate with a positive vision and providing much needed hope.
But paradoxically, his vision is one of cutting public spending and reducing the size of the state. He's basically setting out on a course of austerity, and yet this is what the French are so excited about. How ironic, at a time where we seem to be rebelling against it.
If only there was a safety net to help people in hard times .
This country essentially agreed, even if reluctantly, that austerity was needed to TRY and help balance the books. It had to be tried.
What was/ IS not acceptable is for there to be a never-ending austerity because, as is clearly CLEARLY evident, it is stagnating the economy and there is no money flowing around the system cos the fookers that should be actually paying their taxes are not and there's no real support to the NHS as it needs to be to reflect a growing population.
But, of course, you won't agree.
Absolutely 100% correct. I don't agree.
- Our austerity is not never-ending, in fact it was working very well, having brought the deficit down to by 75% already and we were on track to get into surplus and start investing again, hence the easing off of austerity. So you're wrong on that one.
- We had the highest growth in Europe until we voted for Brexit, proving the validity of the above.
- Whether "the fookers" are paying their taxes or not (and actually in the great majority, they are), is small beer in the overall scheme of things. The idea that there's this extra pot of money that will fix all our ills, if only someone can be arsed to just pick it up, is childishly naive.
So, while the the backbone of the country, like the NHS, infrastructure and housing are failing, you think austerity has been a success?? How would it be 'easing off' without the current backlash so evident to the Tories?
You think it was planned?? Ha! Ha!
If the May 'Flower' hadn't been taught a lesson, do you think there'd be an 'easing'? No.
The mere fact that the Tories are trying to change their manifesto, shows they understand how far out of touch they are, like you.
I'm not sure really. On the one hand, I think you're right and that the Tories would lose the next election if held any time soon. But on the other hand, I reflect on the fact that they still polled more votes and got significantly more seats than Corbyn, whilst running the most ludicrously awful campaign with a leader who was shockingly bad. Patch up the manifesto and throw a few vote winning goodies in there; replace May with someone vaguely appealing, and who knows.
And whilst there's clearly no public appetite for another vote on anything any time soon (with the relentless media bore fest it entails), I think as time progresses, things will likely get worse for the Tories, not better. The economy is stalling as a result of Brexit, which doesn't help at all. And it is inconceivable that the Brexit negotiations will go swimmingly, let alone go so well that no mud can be thrown by those with a political angle and an eye to do damage.
I think their best hope is to try to hang on until 2022, when hopefully Brexit is done and behind us, and there's something positive to campaign around. Whether they can hold out that long is another matter altogether.
Are you deliberately ignoring the fact that the deficit has come down by 75%?
Some of you seem to think that "austerity" meant tea and cakes for all, and are somehow surprised that it's all been pretty unpleasant. What on earth did you expect??? Of course it meant our public services were going to be under great strain, and it's 100% predictable that people are after nearly 7 years pissed off with it. I'm pissed off with it, FFS. Everyone is. But not everyone thinks it's been, or is, unnecessary: Far from it.
(And what "housing is failing" means, or has to do with anything, god only knows. Housebuilders are hindered by planning restrictions more than anything else, and that's why Cameron has tried to lift them to enable more housing development to take place. But that's another story altogether.)
Do I think there would have been easing? Damned right. The objective of austerity is to get back into surplus, it's not an aim in itself. In the manifesto already was a pledge to put an extra £8bn in real terms into the NHS and to increase the numbers of medical students by another 1,500 per year, for example. The target to get the deficit down has been moved backwards in order to accommodate more spending and less tax increase.
If I am out of touch, mate. What does that make you??? You seem to be forgetting that a larger number of the electorate agreed with me, not with you.
So, let's see; if austerity has lessened the deficit by 75%, that means another 3-4 years take get it back to an even keel, PLUS whatever it supposed to be determined to be an acceptable 'surplus'.
Wait, but no, May and co have decided 'maybe we'll ease off a little to satisfy the nation'. Why, because the Tories are compassionate? No, cos they're told by the people, if you don't, you're out.
All this £8Bn in 'real terms' is a load of bollocks. It needs twice as much to ease the situation, but really needs £30Bn to help solve it. You won't get that through the dense matter up top.
Up the wages, tax a little more, if you're so scared of tackling big business. No, but big business are resisting paying more to its workers, so you think it's okay to squeeze the lower paid for even MORE of what they don't have!!
The fooking stupid thing is, if the lower end got paid more, it would kick start the economy and lead to this 'strong and stable economy' soundbite you're so brainwashed about! As you know, it would allow people to SPEND MORE and CONTRIBUTE MORE, which is what everyone wants!!
Keeping it as is, means the very rich hoard the money, which stagnates the flow of the economy!! There's your 'trickle down economics' in full working order, right there!
Weak pound, rising foods costs and a 2.9% four year high in inflation.
Go home! Turn on your TVs! Austerity is working! NOTHING TO SEE HERE! AUSTERITY IS WORKING!!
*edit:
The vote reflects people scared of change, not knowing whether something is in their interest, non voters stepping in and the young fighting for THEIR futures. You will see that this vote was more of a push than a kicking down of the door.
So to summarise, he's both out of touch and watches too much TV?
Opposite of that. If they were so far out of touch then they wouldn't have realised it was shite.The mere fact that the Tories are trying to change their manifesto, shows they understand how far out of touch they are, like you.
As @Damocles points out, it doesn't help those in need for the next few years does it. Sweet spot my arse. If he was PM you'd be effervescent with glee.Corbyn hit the sweet spot. Fatally damaging May and leaving the Tories to try make something out of the shit show that is the Brexit negotiations from a much weakened position. All Corbyn has to do is tend his allotment and take pot shots from the safety of the sidelines.
As @Damocles points out, it doesn't help those in need for the next few years does it
Yeah I'm starting to see that. It makes some of the pre-vote histrionics about Tories being self serving a little hypocritical doesn't it.I think the logical mistake that I've made over the past few days is that they care.