The General Election Thread

[crazyg]

More lies.

And I'd calm down sunshine or it will be you having that heart attack.

Why can't the left lose graciously?

Lies well you better come tell my watch then because it's called a CRIT team at the moment sunshine, and the fire service are going to be doing it in the next year.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/about_us/what_we_do/key-projects/crit/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/about_ ... ects/crit/</a>

That post (IMO) just proves my point about people spouting off about the NHS whilst not understanding even basics.

Key to the current NHS strategy - and the one when the Labour party was in power is to get a grip of inappropriate attendance at A&E and to improve care in the community to reduce the services provided at Acute hospitals - it is good for us but people do not understand it - or choose not to

In France, it is the Fire Service who come out. I know this, unfortunately, as my wife passed away whilst we were on holiday. It was a fully equipped ambulance, staffed by paramedics, and they tried resus until the doctor arrived, but their work was in vain. But then again, they appear to be well funded. The fire station in the local village in Normandy where I frequently stay, have, apparently, better and more up to date equipment than a main station in Bristol, according to a fireman from that station who was staying there at the same time as me.

You pays yer money..............

 

[Ducado]

So given we have the "word" of an honest politician that there will be a law created to prevent me from raising income Tax, VAT and NI contributions, anyone have any thoughts on where the £12bn savings will come from?

Won't be the NHS, anywhere else, Police, Education, Defence are all fair game. The only certainty is that it won't come off the bottom line of the mega wealthy few at the top of society.. you know those people who are amongst the few that could genuinely afford it.

It's been a mystery that no one has explained to me

 

[northstander]

there shouldn't be council cuts in services or job losses in the public sector as people seem to fear, manchester council is supposedly sitting on £200 million, they should use that to improve services and keep jobs, but no, they choose to play politics with peoples lives, that is wrong and councils that sit on bank accounts should have it taken away and re-distributed by central government until they bplay fair with their own constituants.

 

[baildon blue]

Conservatives should be able to ride out the 5 years .
Unlike when Major was in office in the 90s
.The Tories aren't as dived as then about Europe .
Can't say I'm looking forward to 5 years of the Tories .

 

[whp.blue]

Once again Zero Hour contracts are being banded about I have never even seen a Zero Hours contract and neither has any of the small business owners I had breakfast with! I actually asked this exact question this morning

And a non socialist Government is responsible to create the environment where private business can create meaningful paid employment

I know 2 people on zero hour contracts - my missus little brother works at a garden centre (young lad, just rented his first house, got engaged) and a mate of mine who works as a chef (30s, previously employed at a large restaurant but took a job in a pub kitchen for personal reasons)

I know a few people in the catering business and it's very common

Well I own Two businesses in the Catering industry and as I have stated I have never even seen one
I am just saying they are not as common as some on here make out

 

[mcfc1632]

Many of the Tory voters in this thread have come across as callous and have a distinct lack of compassion, I am not sure they mean to but it is how they come across, I know lots of Tories who are nothing like that and are decent caring people

I think a fair few on either side don't come out of this thread particularly well, a lot of bitterness, bile and cheap shots rather than debate from both sides.

Well said - as someone that considers myself pretty middle of the road re politics I am confused about all the comments - as flood of them it seems - in recent days about all the extreme and personal posts made by RWNJs (I think is the preferred parlance).

Yes - there may have been an increased volume of posts from people from the right in recent days - perhaps a week - but before that it felt (from my objective viewpoint) that the balance was way towards the left with every other post (or so it seemed) to be from LWNJs (for balance) seeming to just 'drown out or shout down' views that they did not care for.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Conservatives should be able to ride out the 5 years .
Unlike when Major was in office in the 90s
.The Tories aren't as dived as then about Europe .
Can't say I'm looking forward to 5 years of the Tories .

But we've been promised a referendum on the EU in 2 years. They will rip themselves apart if it goes ahead and they will rip themselves apart if it doesn't.

What will happen if we vote 'No'?

 

[cibaman]

Conservatives should be able to ride out the 5 years .
Unlike when Major was in office in the 90s
.The Tories aren't as dived as then about Europe .
Can't say I'm looking forward to 5 years of the Tories .

Major was a dead duck after Black Wednesday. The EU stuff is a sideshow.

 

[Damocles]

Many of the Tory voters in this thread have come across as callous and have a distinct lack of compassion, I am not sure they mean to but it is how they come across, I know lots of Tories who are nothing like that and are decent caring people

I think a fair few on either side don't come out of this thread particularly well, a lot of bitterness, bile and cheap shots rather than debate from both sides.

Well said - as someone that considers myself pretty middle of the road re politics I am confused about all the comments - as flood of them it seems - in recent days about all the extreme and personal posts made by RWNJs (I think is the preferred parlance).

Yes - there may have been an increased volume of posts from people from the right in recent days - perhaps a week - but before that it felt (from my objective viewpoint) that the balance was way towards the left with every other post (or so it seemed) to be from LWNJs (for balance) seeming to just 'drown out or shout down' views that they did not care for.

There isn't a significant left wing presence in Bluemoon's political chattering classes. Most of centrist, quite a few are to the right and the left is about 4 people. Just 4 loud people.

 

[Pam]

I've studied British politics and I know for a fact that the difficulties of trying to govern with such a small majority is a nightmare. It's something that hasn't been seen since the 70's so peopledon't realise and the media is too thick to. They will cotton on shortly. Cameron will be the captive of by-election results in no time and mark my words, he will repeatedly come over as a twat. Even if he weren't a twat, this would be true. Even if he didn't have a shiny face, this would be true. Even if he wasn't an arrogant arsehole who is hated by 60 of his own disruptive, bat shit right-wing MP's, it would be true. And then there's Scotland and the Euro Referendum to negotiate and the inevitable mid-term descent into minority government and deals done in secret with Ulster fucking Unionist loonies.

I am getting the popcorn out. This will make John Major's problems with his right flank look like a picnic. It's going to be great fun.

Spot on there Pam. I said this before but not many in the media have twigged. The Tories are effectively a coalition of a left, centrist and right wing and the right will be very vocal.

Cameron looks at his worst when pandering to his right wing and he's going to be doing a lot of that. He's publicly ruled out a third term so he's fair game now. The next leadership hopefuls are going to be making their pitches behind his back and over his head. It's going to be mayhem on the government benches.

I wouldn't be shocked to see him stand down before the 5 years are up.

Same here. I doubt we'll be seeing a full term Tory government because once they slip into a minority (inevitable), every parliamentary Tom, Dick and Harry will be able to claim the capacity to bring them down. The parliamentary publicity hounds on the fringes will have a field day. No confidence votes will abound, which was exactly what did for the likes of James Callaghan back in the day. I'm not getting why the Tories are so giddy. I wouldn't want Labour to win in this way. The last time it did (general election 1974), it limped on for five years and then got booted out of power for 18 years.