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[Politics] Are Labour going to turn this country around?

Is Labour going to turn the country around

  • Yes

    Votes: 121 25.5%
  • No

    Votes: 291 61.3%
  • Fence

    Votes: 63 13.3%

  • Total voters
    475


abc

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
1,455
As I said before, not all inflation is equal, there’s a need to differentiate between types of inflation.

I don’t know how we have one of the lowest productivity levels in Europe, as most of the people I know work like dogs with very little reward to show for it. If they didn’t do the constant overtime they do, they’d only just cover their bills. Working 12 hour days just to have enough money for a holiday once a year seems obscene to me.

I know that the businesses I’ve worked at more recently have had people performing drudge work that would be low hanging fruit for automation, but that just removes jobs from the ecosystem. It possibly does explain low productivity levels compared to other nations however.

Edit: here’s a timely article showing the effects of stifling demand by keeping the workforce poor:

Record jump in number of firms in financial distress https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9vmrpdrk4eo

I suspect there is quite a gap between those who work very hard and are productive and those like train drivers that get higher and higher wages but refuse to modernise and in fact demand to work less hours for more money.
But also the answer is rarely working harder or longer hours but being more productive through the use of technology, machinery etc. This requires acceptance of change by the workforce (see trains) and investment by companies. The latter requires an economically competent chancellor to create the right environment for investment.Reeves has done the opposite.
 




chickens

Have you considered masterly inactivity?
NSC Patron
Oct 12, 2022
2,900
I suspect there is quite a gap between those who work very hard and are productive and those like train drivers that get higher and higher wages but refuse to modernise and in fact demand to work less hours for more money.
But also the answer is rarely working harder or longer hours but being more productive through the use of technology, machinery etc. This requires acceptance of change by the workforce (see trains) and investment by companies. The latter requires an economically competent chancellor to create the right environment for investment.Reeves has done the opposite.

Reeves is doing exactly what the previous Tory chancellor was doing, showing that in effect there are no meaningful choices to be made in British politics.

You elect a blue party, they do what the Treasury officials convince them must be done, you elect a red party and they do what the Treasury officials convince them must be done.

Very much like Democrat/Republican in the US, both are the status quo, the presentation may be different, but the reality will be the same. There will be differences around the edges, I infinitely prefer Labour’s low-key and more measured approach to policy, over the Conservatives rabble-rousing and vindictive approach, creating “enemies” that must be defeated, but aside from the presentation there is limited to no difference between both parties, we’ve just elected a slightly less divisive centre-right party to replace a party that had moved too far right to appeal to the majority of the electorate.

I will give Starmer’s government more time, and I still regard it as an improvement on the government that went before it, but most of Reeves pronouncements since becoming chancellor have brought her back in line with what the Conservative chancellor was advocating in their last term in power. For those hoping for a saner path forward, there’s precious little so far to hang your hat on.

Debt-fuelled growth, softening non-dom changes, and allowing British consumers to be ripped off with impunity were all central pillars of Conservative policy. I see why people give up on politics, it’s a very thin gruel we’re expected to swallow.
 






HillBarnTillIDie

Active member
Jul 2, 2011
141
Its being reported that the day Starmer visited Southport to lay a tribute in light of the awful child killings (for all of 19 seconds) he was driven straight back to the capital to attend a Labour victory celebration party.

Not really an appropriate thing to do in my opinion.
 




Bodian

Well-known member
May 3, 2012
15,149
Cumbria
Its being reported that the day Starmer visited Southport to lay a tribute in light of the awful child killings (for all of 19 seconds) he was driven straight back to the capital to attend a Labour victory celebration party.

Not really an appropriate thing to do in my opinion.
'It's being reported'?

It was in the news at the time.

 


Kinky Gerbil

Im The Scatman
NSC Patron
Jul 16, 2003
58,836
hassocks
Its being reported that the day Starmer visited Southport to lay a tribute in light of the awful child killings (for all of 19 seconds) he was driven straight back to the capital to attend a Labour victory celebration party.

Not really an appropriate thing to do in my opinion.
He's not done anything wrong here, but the optics are awful.
 








The clown car is now polling 22%. They are killing the chances of a decent Labour government ever again in this country

 


Curious Orange

Punxsatawney Phil
Jul 5, 2003
10,300
On NSC for over two decades...
I'm still trying to work out how Ed Milliband is going to make us energy independent as a nation when we rely on importing the following things:
Oil​
Gas​
Coal​
Electricity​
Batteries​
Solar panels​
Wind turbines​
Ownership of the service providers​
Edit. I forgot Canadian forests as fuel for Drax.​
 
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I suspect there is quite a gap between those who work very hard and are productive and those like train drivers that get higher and higher wages but refuse to modernise and in fact demand to work less hours for more money.
But also the answer is rarely working harder or longer hours but being more productive through the use of technology, machinery etc. This requires acceptance of change by the workforce (see trains) and investment by companies. The latter requires an economically competent chancellor to create the right environment for investment.Reeves has done the opposite.

I suspect there is quite a gap between those who work very hard and are productive and those like train drivers that get higher and higher wages but refuse to modernise and in fact demand to work
Reeves is doing exactly what the previous Tory chancellor was doing, showing that in effect there are no meaningful choices to be made in British politics.

You elect a blue party, they do what the Treasury officials convince them must be done, you elect a red party and they do what the Treasury officials convince them must be done.

Very much like Democrat/Republican in the US, both are the status quo, the presentation may be different, but the reality will be the same. There will be differences around the edges, I infinitely prefer Labour’s low-key and more measured approach to policy, over the Conservatives rabble-rousing and vindictive approach, creating “enemies” that must be defeated, but aside from the presentation there is limited to no difference between both parties, we’ve just elected a slightly less divisive centre-right party to replace a party that had moved too far right to appeal to the majority of the electorate.

I will give Starmer’s government more time, and I still regard it as an improvement on the government that went before it, but most of Reeves pronouncements since becoming chancellor have brought her back in line with what the Conservative chancellor was advocating in their last term in power. For those hoping for a saner path forward, there’s precious little so far to hang your hat on.

Debt-fuelled growth, softening non-dom changes, and allowing British consumers to be ripped off with impunity were all central pillars of Conservative policy. I see why people give up on politics, it’s a very thin gruel we’re expected to swallow.

less hours for more money.
But also the answer is rarely working harder or longer hours but being more productive through the use of technology, machinery etc. This requires acceptance of change by the workforce (see trains) and investment by companies. The latter requires an economically competent chancellor to create the right environment for investment.Reeves has done the opposite.

Reeves is doing exactly what the previous Tory chancellor was doing, showing that in effect there are no meaningful choices to be made in British politics.

You elect a blue party, they do what the Treasury officials convince them must be done, you elect a red party and they do what the Treasury officials convince them must be done.

Very much like Democrat/Republican in the US, both are the status quo, the presentation may be different, but the reality will be the same. There will be differences around the edges, I infinitely prefer Labour’s low-key and more measured approach to policy, over the Conservatives rabble-rousing and vindictive approach, creating “enemies” that must be defeated, but aside from the presentation there is limited to no difference between both parties, we’ve just elected a slightly less divisive centre-right party to replace a party that had moved too far right to appeal to the majority of the electorate.

I will give Starmer’s government more time, and I still regard it as an improvement on the government that went before it, but most of Reeves pronouncements since becoming chancellor have brought her back in line with what the Conservative chancellor was advocating in their last term in power. For those hoping for a saner path forward, there’s precious little so far to hang your hat on.

Debt-fuelled growth, softening non-dom changes, and allowing British consumers to be ripped off with impunity were all central pillars of Conservative policy. I see why people give up on politics, it’s a very thin gruel we’re expected to swallow.
No easy choices left after Truss emptied what was left in the piggy bank. Mention of issues with train unions sends me down a rabbit hole.

I am simultaneously intrigued/horrified at the advance of AI and wonder whether the train drivers are roughly where the print unions were in 1982. The "Vanguard" of union power can be a dangerous place to be.

Which rail dependent European country will be the first to switch to mostly/ completely driverless trains? The issues blocking driverless cars would appear to much larger than for trains. This isn't a request, by the way, but the DLR has run for 40? years without significant issues.
 




WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
28,236
What isn't reported is that he also met with relatives of the victims and has done again subsequently . But for some, they believe it was a 19second visit!

I think @HillBarnTillIDie is referring to something that was reported in the Daily Mail 5 months ago on the day of the stabbings that he has only just heard about. Nothing to do with his more recent visits :shrug:
 






CheeseRolls

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 27, 2009
6,274
Shoreham Beach
I suspect there is quite a gap between those who work very hard and are productive and those like train drivers that get higher and higher wages but refuse to modernise and in fact demand to work less hours for more money.
But also the answer is rarely working harder or longer hours but being more productive through the use of technology, machinery etc. This requires acceptance of change by the workforce (see trains) and investment by companies. The latter requires an economically competent chancellor to create the right environment for investment.Reeves has done the opposite.
I did my own back of a fag packet train driver cost a while back and I estimated that for a Shoreham to London return train fair about 80p was down to the driver. If my estimates are even vaguely close you can quickly judge the impact of doubling their wages or indeed halving them. A peak time return is now over £70. There is also an easy answer if train operators don't want to pay drivers over time, maybe train more train drivers.
 






Curious Orange

Punxsatawney Phil
Jul 5, 2003
10,300
On NSC for over two decades...


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