Are labour voters the worst losers in the history of the world?

[W.C.]

I think my comment reads like I don't think they have much influence now, but I think they do, just less than before, that's all. I think there's an argument that families shouldn't own more than one paper, but apart from that, I'm not sure what we can do, the press needs to be free. What was Miliband going to do?

The real problem is just how stupid the public are.

He talked about changing the rules so that one person couldn't own more than 20% of the newspaper market. Whether or not he would have we'll never know.

 

[Triggaaar]

He talked about changing the rules so that one person couldn't own more than 20% of the newspaper market. Whether or not he would have we'll never know.

How does that work? If you have one newspaper, and it's good (crazy talk I know), and people want to buy it, do you have to refuse to sell too many of them?

 

[Bold Seagull]

How does that work? If you have one newspaper, and it's good (crazy talk I know), and people want to buy it, do you have to refuse to sell too many of them?

That probably means 20% of the available newspaper brands, not 20% of the total newspaper sales.

 

[Triggaaar]

That probably means 20% of the available newspaper brands, not 20% of the total newspaper sales.

Does Murdoch own more than 20% of those available? I can think of 10 newspapers, and only 2 that he owns.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Does Murdoch own more than 20% of those available? I can think of 10 newspapers, and only 2 that he owns.

Maybe you're right, although The Sunday Times is a separate paper from The Times.

 

[Triggaaar]

Maybe you're right, although The Sunday Times is a separate paper from The Times.

Well it wouldn't be if there was a limit of 20% ownership. So Miliband's idea would have to be to stop people buying a paper if it became too popular. Brilliant.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Well it wouldn't be if there was a limit of 20% ownership. So Miliband's idea would have to be to stop people buying a paper if it became too popular. Brilliant.

That's why I thought it must be number of actual newspapers you own regardless of circulation. The Sun probably has 20% as a single publication!

 

[Triggaaar]

That's why I thought it must be number of actual newspapers you own regardless of circulation.

Yes I understand, but 20% wouldn't change anything. I don't know what the downsides are to limiting it to 1 paper.

The Sun probably has 20% as a single publication!

Indeed.

I didn't know what Miliband was proposing, but it sounds like he had no ideas.

 

[wellquickwoody]

I thought 40% was the magic number that infers legitimacy?

Dead easy this one, 326 MP's does not infer legitimacy, it is legitimacy.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Dead easy this one, 326 MP's does not infer legitimacy, it is legitimacy.

Does that mean Cameron isn't the ba$tard I think he is?

Please note, this comment is meant mainly as a comic interlude, before anybody starts arguing with it from a political point of view.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

the sun supported the leftist SNP in Scotland

Of course it did, you clown! The common theme is who they were encouraging people NOT to vote for.

The Sun "Vote Tory"
The Scottish Sun "Vote SNP (not Labour)"

 

[ROSM]

Dead easy this one, 326 MP's does not infer legitimacy, it is legitimacy.

I was talking about the move to say strike ballots needed to be passed by 40% of the potential electorate rather than by a majority of those who voted

 

[ALBION28]

Cheer up Albion, things could be a lot worse, Labour might have won the election and been in Government now, propped up by a party who certainly don't want to unite as a nation.
We would have had an inadequate PM and Ed Balls as Chancellor.Not too sure the SNP would be too keen on maintaining adequate military services.Don't be silly,why should the Conservatives want to demolish the NHS?............wouldn't exactly be a vote winner would it?Tory voters get ill too! They also want to improve education,not demolish it.What would be the point? Who would benefit?....tory voters are generally pretty keen on education for their offspring. As for the welfare state, it has to be reformed (even Labour agree) so that the people who really need help continue to receive it, and indeed ,receive more help where necessary.The minority who possibly take advantage of the system,will hopefully be pointed in the right direction and see the error of their ways and helped to get employment. I admit this is going to be a mighty problem as many of these bods are unskilled and probably not ideal employees.This has always been a problem for Government of any persuasion.Therein lies the rub, it must be made more worthwhile to work, than not, for those that are unwilling to do so.Those that are unable to work, should continue to receive adequate benefits.
I reckon the Tories will do a decent job in Government and I believe Labour have lost the plot.......temporarily, I hope.
As for the Albion, I am not at all confident of success next season; but we can dream.

Hi Block F , Tend to think the alternative may well have been a mix of Labour, SNP etc despite the anti union (Scottish independence) stance of SNP . it would have an interesting mix and Nicola Sturgeon was a stand out in the televised debates. As Ed Milliband is my M.P and we have had numerous communications on various issues I am fully aware that we as a nation have missed out on a potentially superb P.M . The tory press will always villify a Labour leader, I can only ever recall Tony Blair getting their support via Murdoch. On the NHS, history is not with the Conservatives. Cuts are the made despite denial and smoke screen. In the eighties my mother suffered with 2 1/2 year wait for surgery when the funding was cut, she finally had the surgery, but it was too late the strain of waiting so long had weakened her heart. My wife is currently awating surgery in Rotherham. The surgery has been delayed funding issues .i.e cuts. No the NHS is not safe and yes there is a need to worry. On education the record is dire. I was a teacher through the eighties when cuts and new theories were thrust onto the education system by the then Conservative administration, LMS, 1265 hours of work, Sats, League tables, National Curriculum. That was bad enough now Academies, free schools more division and confusion. As for the exam system . A watering down of grade boundaries left a situation where employers were getting poorer qualified applicants, in truth a mess. To be fair here the coalition started to address the exam issue, there is a long way to go.
On welfare the Conservatives have a two pronged attack. Firstly to demolish the connection between paying in and entitlelment, i.e National Insurance and secondly should you resort to claiming you are to be seen as a scrounger. If you have savings beyond £6000 many options are reduced or closed, your family home does not count as savings ,yet. How about if you have an accident your nightmares are only just beginning. My wife had that happen, as a physio she had been earning well, but once she was hit by a larger vehicle she was severely disabled. It was a relief that financial help was availiable in the form of Incapacity Benefit (now ESA) a fraction of her then income but a help. Her medical was thorough and she was placed on maximum payment. 2010 arrived in came the Conservative led coalition. The attrition begins, fresh medical, Atos says wife fit for work (all doctors who saw her said impossible) money stops and jobcentre staff come to our home to see what work she would be capable of. After careful assessment they concluded that there was absolutely nothing she could do, she was unemployable. Perhaps they could inform DWP that was the case, no, you will have to apply from the start again. A year of struggle and a helpful Ed Milliband later the benefit was restored but not backdated. This is repeated all over the system. It has become a nightmare. Some like David Clapson ,( google him) have perished. There is so much more but do people care anymore? This is why I fear a Conservative Government. On the Albion we are of course dreamers, they are our opium, our addiction.

 

[BLOCK F]

Hi Block F , Tend to think the alternative may well have been a mix of Labour, SNP etc despite the anti union (Scottish independence) stance of SNP . it would have an interesting mix and Nicola Sturgeon was a stand out in the televised debates. As Ed Milliband is my M.P and we have had numerous communications on various issues I am fully aware that we as a nation have missed out on a potentially superb P.M . The tory press will always villify a Labour leader, I can only ever recall Tony Blair getting their support via Murdoch. On the NHS, history is not with the Conservatives. Cuts are the made despite denial and smoke screen. In the eighties my mother suffered with 2 1/2 year wait for surgery when the funding was cut, she finally had the surgery, but it was too late the strain of waiting so long had weakened her heart. My wife is currently awating surgery in Rotherham. The surgery has been delayed funding issues .i.e cuts. No the NHS is not safe and yes there is a need to worry. On education the record is dire. I was a teacher through the eighties when cuts and new theories were thrust onto the education system by the then Conservative administration, LMS, 1265 hours of work, Sats, League tables, National Curriculum. That was bad enough now Academies, free schools more division and confusion. As for the exam system . A watering down of grade boundaries left a situation where employers were getting poorer qualified applicants, in truth a mess. To be fair here the coalition started to address the exam issue, there is a long way to go.
On welfare the Conservatives have a two pronged attack. Firstly to demolish the connection between paying in and entitlelment, i.e National Insurance and secondly should you resort to claiming you are to be seen as a scrounger. If you have savings beyond £6000 many options are reduced or closed, your family home does not count as savings ,yet. How about if you have an accident your nightmares are only just beginning. My wife had that happen, as a physio she had been earning well, but once she was hit by a larger vehicle she was severely disabled. It was a relief that financial help was availiable in the form of Incapacity Benefit (now ESA) a fraction of her then income but a help. Her medical was thorough and she was placed on maximum payment. 2010 arrived in came the Conservative led coalition. The attrition begins, fresh medical, Atos says wife fit for work (all doctors who saw her said impossible) money stops and jobcentre staff come to our home to see what work she would be capable of. After careful assessment they concluded that there was absolutely nothing she could do, she was unemployable. Perhaps they could inform DWP that was the case, no, you will have to apply from the start again. A year of struggle and a helpful Ed Milliband later the benefit was restored but not backdated. This is repeated all over the system. It has become a nightmare. Some like David Clapson ,( google him) have perished. There is so much more but do people care anymore? This is why I fear a Conservative Government. On the Albion we are of course dreamers, they are our opium, our addiction.

Hello Albion,
Sorry to hear about your wife's problems and I do hope things are getting better for both of you.
I have parents aged 98 and 95.My mother has dementia and the biggest problem we have come across with the NHS is a lack of communication, rather than a lack of care and I can quite understand your frustrations with 'the system'.My dad is a retired GP and he gets frustrated!
Glad to hear Ed Miliband has proved to be a helpful MP. I am sure his heart is in the right place, but we will have to agree to disagree about him as PM!
As for the Albion, I have to admit, that coming up to 67, my most enjoyable times were The Glory Years under dear old Mullers. Don't think I will ever enjoy anything quite as much as those days.
Good luck.

 

[Norman Potting]

Many a true word spoken in jest?

http://newsthump.com/2015/05/15/green-party-voters-still-horrified-by-labour-defeat/

 

[ALBION28]

Hello Albion,
Sorry to hear about your wife's problems and I do hope things are getting better for both of you.
I have parents aged 98 and 95.My mother has dementia and the biggest problem we have come across with the NHS is a lack of communication, rather than a lack of care and I can quite understand your frustrations with 'the system'.My dad is a retired GP and he gets frustrated!
Glad to hear Ed Miliband has proved to be a helpful MP. I am sure his heart is in the right place, but we will have to agree to disagree about him as PM!
As for the Albion, I have to admit, that coming up to 67, my most enjoyable times were The Glory Years under dear old Mullers. Don't think I will ever enjoy anything quite as much as those days.
Good luck.

Seems we both have our crosses to bare. My wife used to help dementia and coma patients, an interesting mix I am sure you will agree. We both hope a cure for dementia emerges soon. Snap on the best years, just loved watching Peter Ward and co, wonderful years. How I would love to see a repeat of that before I depart this mortal coil. All the best.

 

[TomandJerry]

Thousands of people are expected to join anti-government demonstrations during the state opening of parliament on Wednesday, just over a fortnight after an anti-Tory protest in Whitehall led to clashes with police.

Organisers expect a crowd of around 5,000, including a large student bloc, to gather at Trafalgar Square in opposition to Conservative plans for five more years of spending cuts. About 2,000 are expected for a separate march from Downing Street through Westminster.

Militant anarchists have organised a protest on Parliament Square earlier the same day, around the time the Queen is expected to arrive at Westminster. They intend to use the slogan: “Five more years of this shit? No ****ing way!”

 

[bluenitsuj]

Thousands of people are expected to join anti-government demonstrations during the state opening of parliament on Wednesday, just over a fortnight after an anti-Tory protest in Whitehall led to clashes with police.

Organisers expect a crowd of around 5,000, including a large student bloc, to gather at Trafalgar Square in opposition to Conservative plans for five more years of spending cuts. About 2,000 are expected for a separate march from Downing Street through Westminster.

Militant anarchists have organised a protest on Parliament Square earlier the same day, around the time the Queen is expected to arrive at Westminster. They intend to use the slogan: “Five more years of this shit? No ****ing way!”

Meanwhile everyone else is working.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

They intend to use the slogan: “Five more years of this shit? No ****ing way!”

Assuming they even have jobs they clearly don't work in marketing !!!

 

[Steve Foster]

Don't like the government then go off to another European country. After all we have open borders