The Labour Government

[mosssideblue]

I certainly agree with your last paragraph.

I think once the media and Tories stop pretending this is all Labour’s fault, they will stop looking back reminding everyone.

 

[hilts]

I think once the media and Tories stop pretending this is all Labour’s fault, they will stop looking back reminding everyone.

So no time soon then:-)

 

[mosssideblue]

So no time soon then:-)

Sadly not

 

[Saddleworth2]

I think once the media and Tories stop pretending this is all Labour’s fault, they will stop looking back reminding everyone.

One of our problems remains the economic fallout from Brexit. Labour had quite a bit of skin in the game for that catastrophe. Neither are global economic conditions all the fault of the Tories. They need to stop blaming each other and getting on addressing the problems. No government will ever make headway if they are guided by what plays well in our dishonest right wing media.

 

[mosssideblue]

One of our problems remains the economic fallout from Brexit. Labour had quite a bit of skin in the game for that catastrophe. Neither are global economic conditions all the fault of the Tories. They need to stop blaming each other and getting on addressing the problems. No government will ever make headway if they are guided by what plays well in our dishonest right wing media.

Totally agree. The media are flaming the situation rather than being supportive.

 

[Kirkstall Blue]

Well, certainly because of who was mistakenly released...

But the key question is why there's been a recent big increase - and so far as I can tell, no-one's come up with a reason why anything done under or by the present government might have caused the spike.

The current government because of the pressure on prison places decided early release with a sentence reduction has changed from 50% to 60% consequently it means 1,000 prisoners released and 1,000 new prisoners and asylum seekers in detention or due to be deported detained.

The government has created over two thousand extra terrorists which puts pressure on the police and justice system. They are yet to be convicted of terrorism if they are it will make the system breakdown altogether

Whatever you meant to say, it didn't work.

If you remember 12 months ago, the then justice secretary Sabeena Mahmoud interfered with the release program by changing the law on early release from prison ? Your question “how has this government caused the spike” ?

The current government have created the conditions for confusion in the prison system by announcing even earlier release dates of prisoners who then end up re-offending, plus adding to the burden of the justice system by making 2,100 extra PA terrorists are awaiting trial and people locked up for minor comments online.
“We can’t close the front door to prison the only choice is to open the back door”




Sabeena Mahmoud is to blame.

 

[blueinsa]

I think once the media and Tories stop pretending this is all Labour’s fault, they will stop looking back reminding everyone.

I think Labour have become a parody of themselves with the blame game and it’s a guess the time game in interviews these days as to when they will mention the last lot.

Think we are at the 20/30 second point in everything right now.

It’s seen as weak and it’s seen as them doing it because they have no answers to the issues the last lot caused no doubt but they convinced an electorate they did have.

 

[mosssideblue]

I think Labour have become a parody of themselves with the blame game and it’s a guess the time game in interviews these days as to when they will mention the last lot.

Think we are at the 20/30 second point in everything right now.

It’s seen as weak and it’s seen as them doing it because they have no answers to the issues the last lot caused no doubt but they convinced an electorate they did have.

I think the main issue is patience and lack of by many. Whoever won the last election was not going to pull a rabbit out of the hat irrespective of what manifesto promises were made.

Everyone knows the country is in a perilous position and the media, rather than be supportive of the government are using it for click bait.

Need to all get on the same page to recover

 

[Blackley_Blue]

Not strictly the Labour Government, but Oldham's Labour run Council....

Jeez, talk about corrupt!

For anyone interested that has TikTok (I know, I know) check out Paul Boots Errock and his latest exposé video...

Some VERY dodgy property and land deals linked to current and former councillors including a plan FOR Oldham Council Purchase Harry's bar from a company linked to a former councillor for £500k and spend a further £750k to knock it down. Also a previous land deal at Werneth where a council meeting took only 20 mins to decide to sell the council owned land for £50k to a company linked to the former Oldham Mayor. The land was sold on a short time later for £1.7MILLION!!

Disgusting.

 

[Saddleworth2]

I think Labour have become a parody of themselves with the blame game and it’s a guess the time game in interviews these days as to when they will mention the last lot.

Think we are at the 20/30 second point in everything right now.

It’s seen as weak and it’s seen as them doing it because they have no answers to the issues the last lot caused no doubt but they convinced an electorate they did have.

100%.

Here is what they promised the electorate. Six first steps:

• Deliver economic stability with “tough spending rules” (keeping taxes, inflation, mortgages as low as possible).
• Cut NHS waiting times – specifically 40,000 more appointments each week during evenings/weekends, funded by cracking down on non-dom tax status/loopholes.
• Launch a new Border Security Command (hundreds of specialist investigators, counter-terror powers) to smash criminal boat gangs.
• Set up Great British Energy, a publicly-owned clean-power company, to cut bills and boost energy security (paid for by windfall tax on oil/gas).
• Crack down on antisocial behaviour: more neighbourhood police, new youth hubs, tougher penalties, end wasteful contracts.
• Recruit 6,500 new teachers in key subjects, paid for by ending tax breaks for private schools.

Here is the current state of play 15 months in:

The UK is borrowing more than a year ago, largely because of rising debt interest, inflation-driven spending pressures and spending rises on pensions and benefits, while tax receipts lag those pressures. Tax rises in the forthcoming Budget are likely necessary and will help reduce borrowing, but they are not sufficient on their own unless accompanied by genuine spending control, improved growth and reduction of cost pressures. Where are the concrete plans to deliver that? We have already seen spending cuts fail to get past the PLP. And remember one of the Labour pledges was not to increase taxes for the working person. 'No ifs, buts or maybe's'.

In health, the pledge to cut NHS waiting times shows some signs of movement. The number of people waiting more than a year for treatment has fallen by around a third since early 2024, suggesting some improvement in tackling the longest delays. However, the overall waiting list still exceeds seven million cases and accident-and-emergency performance remains well below targets. The headline promise of 40,000 extra appointments a week has not yet been delivered, and visible pressure on services persists.

Labour’s proposed Border Security Command appears still to be in the planning stage, with no public figures on staffing or operations. Likewise, Great British Energy—the new publicly owned clean-power company—has not yet materialised beyond preparatory work. Both policies require major institutional setup, so tangible results are unlikely this soon. Border Security must be controlled quickly in the public eyes. That step alone might buy the government some time on the other 'first' steps.

On crime and policing, progress looks weaker. Despite a commitment to more neighbourhood officers and youth hubs, official data show the number of local policing officers has actually fallen since before the election. Reports of antisocial behaviour remain high, and while isolated local successes exist, there is no national evidence of improvement. Education faces similar headwinds. Labour pledged 6,500 new teachers funded by ending private-school tax breaks, but vacancies have reached record highs and recruitment has slowed. Critics note no coherent delivery plan or visible intake increase.

I think we are in a downward spiral which can only be broken by achieving greater productivity and growth and I cannot for the life of me see the scale plans or investment required to make that happen. Tax rises will lag increase in spending particularly when we have a Labour party loath to see any cuts in benefits. Debt interest will continue to rise. Whilst there is evidence that the government is allocating resources towards productive capacity (skills, R&D, infrastructure) the scale, pace and breadth of impact are still modest relative to the long-term challenge of boosting productivity and growth.

If I was Starmer, I would develop quarterly milestones for each of these steps for the next three years and publicly and personally report progress against them every quarter. They are saying mostly the right things but have to win trust through tangible delivery and that is lacking 15 months in.

 

[Vic]

The current government because of the pressure on prison places decided early release with a sentence reduction has changed from 50% to 60% consequently it means 1,000 prisoners released and 1,000 new prisoners and asylum seekers in detention or due to be deported detained.

The government has created over two thousand extra terrorists which puts pressure on the police and justice system. They are yet to be convicted of terrorism if they are it will make the system breakdown altogether


If you remember 12 months ago, the then justice secretary Sabeena Mahmoud interfered with the release program by changing the law on early release from prison ? Your question “how has this government caused the spike” ?

The current government have created the conditions for confusion in the prison system by announcing even earlier release dates of prisoners who then end up re-offending, plus adding to the burden of the justice system by making 2,100 extra PA terrorists are awaiting trial and people locked up for minor comments online.
“We can’t close the front door to prison the only choice is to open the back door”




Sabeena Mahmoud is to blame.

Where's the connection between extending the Tories' early release scheme and a spike in wrong releases? Unless it's all people who were due for early release being released a bit earlier, in which case it doesn't matter that much.

 

[Vic]

I think Labour have become a parody of themselves with the blame game and it’s a guess the time game in interviews these days as to when they will mention the last lot.

Think we are at the 20/30 second point in everything right now.

It’s seen as weak and it’s seen as them doing it because they have no answers to the issues the last lot caused no doubt but they convinced an electorate they did have.

The Tories were still using the joke note from 2010, "There's no money left," last year...

 

[blueinsa]

The Tories were still using the joke note from 2010, "There's no money left," last year...

2025 Vic.

 

[hampshireblue]

100%.

Here is what they promised the electorate. Six first steps:

• Deliver economic stability with “tough spending rules” (keeping taxes, inflation, mortgages as low as possible).
• Cut NHS waiting times – specifically 40,000 more appointments each week during evenings/weekends, funded by cracking down on non-dom tax status/loopholes.
• Launch a new Border Security Command (hundreds of specialist investigators, counter-terror powers) to smash criminal boat gangs.
• Set up Great British Energy, a publicly-owned clean-power company, to cut bills and boost energy security (paid for by windfall tax on oil/gas).
• Crack down on antisocial behaviour: more neighbourhood police, new youth hubs, tougher penalties, end wasteful contracts.
• Recruit 6,500 new teachers in key subjects, paid for by ending tax breaks for private schools.

Here is the current state of play 15 months in:

The UK is borrowing more than a year ago, largely because of rising debt interest, inflation-driven spending pressures and spending rises on pensions and benefits, while tax receipts lag those pressures. Tax rises in the forthcoming Budget are likely necessary and will help reduce borrowing, but they are not sufficient on their own unless accompanied by genuine spending control, improved growth and reduction of cost pressures. Where are the concrete plans to deliver that? We have already seen spending cuts fail to get past the PLP. And remember one of the Labour pledges was not to increase taxes for the working person. 'No ifs, buts or maybe's'.

In health, the pledge to cut NHS waiting times shows some signs of movement. The number of people waiting more than a year for treatment has fallen by around a third since early 2024, suggesting some improvement in tackling the longest delays. However, the overall waiting list still exceeds seven million cases and accident-and-emergency performance remains well below targets. The headline promise of 40,000 extra appointments a week has not yet been delivered, and visible pressure on services persists.

Labour’s proposed Border Security Command appears still to be in the planning stage, with no public figures on staffing or operations. Likewise, Great British Energy—the new publicly owned clean-power company—has not yet materialised beyond preparatory work. Both policies require major institutional setup, so tangible results are unlikely this soon. Border Security must be controlled quickly in the public eyes. That step alone might buy the government some time on the other 'first' steps.

On crime and policing, progress looks weaker. Despite a commitment to more neighbourhood officers and youth hubs, official data show the number of local policing officers has actually fallen since before the election. Reports of antisocial behaviour remain high, and while isolated local successes exist, there is no national evidence of improvement. Education faces similar headwinds. Labour pledged 6,500 new teachers funded by ending private-school tax breaks, but vacancies have reached record highs and recruitment has slowed. Critics note no coherent delivery plan or visible intake increase.

I think we are in a downward spiral which can only be broken by achieving greater productivity and growth and I cannot for the life of me see the scale plans or investment required to make that happen. Tax rises will lag increase in spending particularly when we have a Labour party loath to see any cuts in benefits. Debt interest will continue to rise. Whilst there is evidence that the government is allocating resources towards productive capacity (skills, R&D, infrastructure) the scale, pace and breadth of impact are still modest relative to the long-term challenge of boosting productivity and growth.

If I was Starmer, I would develop quarterly milestones for each of these steps for the next three years and publicly and personally report progress against them every quarter. They are saying mostly the right things but have to win trust through tangible delivery and that is lacking 15 months in.

I'm going to be lazy as i haven't got time to challenge it all but...you realise that your six steps are applicable over the 5 year term not the first 15 months? The trouble is unless people see instant improvement they only see failure.

 

[Scottyboi]

The Tories were still using the joke note from 2010, "There's no money left," last year...

Ha exactly, people moaning about Labour blaming the Tories, I've spent my entire working life hearing about that fucking note.

 

[Saddleworth2]

I'm going to be lazy as i haven't got time to challenge it all but...you realise that your six steps are applicable over the 5 year term not the first 15 months? The trouble is unless people see instant improvement they only see failure.

They aren’t my six steps, they were a key part of Labour manifesto. They were termed ‘first steps’ which you can use your own interpretation of in terms of timescales. I tried to be balanced in terms of reflecting progress. The key for me is economic growth and improved productivity. Where do you see that coming from?

 

[metalblue]

There is a certain inevitability to it I feel.

Reeves is going to get pelters but the truth is we are in the shit as a nation and that’s been ingrained since Covid, and arguably austerity. It’s going to have to be painful.

It’s only going to be more painful on income tax payers and for what? Just to keep the lights on - no grand strategy we can debate / get behind.

The problem, as I see it, is both her budgets will have been anti-growth so now the rubicon of tapping up tax payers for her negative budgets has been crossed she’ll likely need to be back again and again dipping ever deeper into taxpayers pockets.

 

[metalblue]

I'm going to be lazy as i haven't got time to challenge it all but...you realise that your six steps are applicable over the 5 year term not the first 15 months? The trouble is unless people see instant improvement they only see failure.

Instant improvement isn’t required, just things not getting worse. That’s all they had to do for a second term.

I’m sure someone will be along with a one of their list in a minute about breakfast clubs or some such shit like they didn’t exist or happen under the tories.