George Osborne = Political Pygmy

[Simster]

i disagree, think they will take the scythe massively to all waste and beaureaucracy.

Nope.

They'll make token changes to the *amount* of unemployment benefit but won't change the parameters on how to claim. They'll restrict child benefit to a maximum of 5 kids (or something that will clobber a small number of people but will barely make a dent in the govt budget) and then when they realise they can't reduce it anymore my merely "tinkering", they'll slash state pensions and fuel allowance (because old people don't fight back) and tell everyone "difficult decisions have to be made"

Then unemployment will rise (as it always does under the tories) and the total amount paid in benefits will actually increase anyway. And then it'll all be Labour's fault because they are to blame for the state of the economy the Tories inherited.


Just call me Mystic Meg.

 

[NMH]

Isn't that just Labour and Labour supporters all over though. People say the Tories have no policies but the only policies Labour have are slagging of the Tories. I cannot believe anyone thinks we will be better off with Labour and Brown except single mothers, students, long term unemployed, families with lots of kids , asylum seekers, civial servants, consultancy firms ----------------------------

It's funny that all I've heard from the tories is them slagging off Labour, and stating that all the clever policies are one "they stole from the conservatives".

Er..... yeah, riiiiiiight. Pull the other one, if you get people blind enough to vote for you Camaron ('shrimp' in Spanish, something the working class won't be able to afford if tories got in)

 

[Man of Harveys]

i believe you're a financial journalist or an analyst in the oil market ?? do you not see the hypocrisy of working within a system you so clearly despise ?

Yes I am. But what are you prattling on about - just because I can't stand the Tories doesn't actually mean I'm practically a reincarnation of Karl Marx. Capitalism is the least bad system that exists. But left completely unregulated, the market doesn't have a brain.

 

[Franks Wild Years]

I cannot believe anyone thinks we will be better off with Labour and Brown except single mothers, students, long term unemployed, families with lots of kids , asylum seekers, civial servants, consultancy firms ----------------------------

US, I presume you mean single mothers who claim benefit ?Does that include single mothers who have been widowed, single mothers who have been deserted by their partner, single mothers who have left an abusive relationship ? Single mothers have children and I believe we should support children from whatever background they are born into irrespective of the situation or mistakes of their parents.
Students better off under Labour ? What's the figure for the amount of debt your average graduate finds them self in ?
Large families I agree, people should be more responsible when planning their families but does that mean we punish children who's parents have made poor choices?
Civil Servants ? I think pay in the public sector is generally lower than in the private sector.
Asylum seekers, Personally I'm proud that I live in a country that offers haven to people who are being persecuted or who's lives are in danger in their own countries. If you mean people who abuse the asylum system then say so and don't lump the two very different issues together. And I suggest you go visit on of the 'prisons' that failed asylum seekers are kept in before being deported.
Consultancy firms, I agree government should be run by governments run by governments and not by focus groups or consultancy firms, but nothing I have heard from the tories leads me to believe that they would be any different.

 

[Simster]

Yes I am. But what are you prattling on about - just because I can't stand the Tories doesn't actually mean I'm practically a reincarnation of Karl Marx. Capitalism is the least bad system that exists. But left completely unregulated, the market doesn't have a brain.

You have to realise that the right of the political spectrum does not want to understand the difference between socialism and captialism - apparently it's all the same and it doesn't work. Which is news to the incredibly wealthy Scandinavian countries, obviously.

 

[Simster]

US, I presume you mean single mothers who claim benefit ?Does that include single mothers who have been widowed, single mothers who have been deserted by their partner, single mothers who have left an abusive relationship ? Single mothers have children and I believe we should support children from whatever background they are born into irrespective of the situation or mistakes of their parents.
Students better off under Labour ? What's the figure for the amount of debt your average graduate finds them self in ?

These are the sort of issues that the will mean the Tories do absolutely f*** all about the benefits system in this country.

Have they got the stomach to order a full scale review on state funding? No chance. However, the "nanny state" and it's beneficiaries only ever seems to matter to the likes of GG and Beach Hut when Labour are in control. Apparently things are always MUCH fairer under the Tories.

 

[Franks Wild Years]

yep.

One-nil to me I think.

 

[Buzzer]

These are the sort of issues that the will mean the Tories do absolutely f*** all about the benefits system in this country.

Have they got the stomach to order a full scale review on state funding? No chance. However, the "nanny state" and it's beneficiaries only ever seems to matter to the likes of GG and Beach Hut when Labour are in control. Apparently things are always MUCH fairer under the Tories.

So that bit last week when I pointed out that you were bleating about not knowing what the Tories policies were yet you seemed to know exactly what they'll do AND that it was bound to be worse than anything this current government would do........ Do you still refute that or are you gonna finally admit to being a Tory hater?

 

[Simster]

So that bit last week when I pointed out that you were bleating about not knowing what the Tories policies were yet you seemed to know exactly what they'll do AND that it was bound to be worse than anything this current government would do........ Do you still refute that or are you gonna finally admit to being a Tory hater?

Sorry Lee, I'm not so much as a Tory hater as a crap government hater. But why is it suddenly my job to second guess what opposition policies are going to be?

I am being cyncial for two reasons:
a) The tories have done NOTHING to dispell the possibility of them doing little to improve things by offering NO POLICIES whatsoever, and
b) I'm going on past Tory form. Don't get me wrong, when Labour have the chance of being re-elected in 2014, if they don't provide credible alternatives, I'll be moaning on here about how little they'll do to take rampant capitalism to task.

 

[User removed 4]

One-nil to me I think.

you'll have to enlighten me mate, why ?

 

[User removed 4]

You have to realise that the right of the political spectrum does not want to understand the difference between socialism and captialism - apparently it's all the same and it doesn't work. Which is news to the incredibly wealthy Scandinavian countries, obviously.

would that be norway that is drowning in petro dollars, or sweden which has had to massively cut down on its social benefits programe ?

 

[Franks Wild Years]

you'll have to enlighten me mate, why ?

You asked me if I'm a consultant, I'm not.
I asked you if you wok in finance, you do.

Therefore I win this weeks "Guess the occupation of a fellow NSC'er" competition.
And lets face it, competition is good.

 

[Simster]

would that be norway that is drowning in petro dollars, or sweden which has had to massively cut down on its social benefits programe ?

Yes, the same Norway as has the best hospital care and schools in Europe and the same Sweden which has enjoyed a far better standard of living than we ever have since the war despite NOT drowning in petro dollars but having a massive manufacturing base and decent social care policy.

Talking of petro dollars, what did we do with all ours when we drained the north sea? Oh I remember now. Thatcher spent it all on unemployment benefit after she decimated our mining industry. Carry on.

 

[User removed 4]

Yes, the same Norway as has the best hospital care and schools in Europe and the same Sweden which has enjoyed a far better standard of living than we ever have since the war despite NOT drowning in petro dollars but having a massive manufacturing base and decent social care policy.

Talking of petro dollars, what did we do with all ours when we drained the north sea? Oh I remember now. Thatcher spent it all on unemployment benefit after she decimated our mining industry. Carry on.

look at the oil production/reserves of norway per capita compared to ours, and perhaps the reason sweden has enjoyed a better standard of living since the war is not having taken part in it ? hence no cripplingly expensive rebuilding afterwards, carry on .

 

[Buzzer]

Sorry Lee, I'm not so much as a Tory hater as a crap government hater. But why is it suddenly my job to second guess what opposition policies are going to be?

I am being cyncial for two reasons:
a) The tories have done NOTHING to dispell the possibility of them doing little to improve things by offering NO POLICIES whatsoever, and
b) I'm going on past Tory form. Don't get me wrong, when Labour have the chance of being re-elected in 2014, if they don't provide credible alternatives, I'll be moaning on here about how little they'll do to take rampant capitalism to task.

That's funny because from where I'm sitting it looks like you're second guessing opposition policies and I don't detect much cynicism for this very crap government just for the Tories. You are aware that labour are in power aren't you? I know there's a fair few on here that don't know that.

Anyhow, do carry on

 

[London Calling]

Nearly all the services you receive are delivered locally, majority by the local council, we need better, quality services, not cut backs.

Across our inner cities, yes, mainly Labour areas. They are still suffering from under investment and of course the roads etc have a far more intensive usage than the old little country lans in middle of no where.

The Liberals have recently stated that 95% of the money for local services comes from the Government, I didn't think it was so high. My authority, Hackney whicjh has one of the biggest budgets, due to the need to bring homes up to a decent standard, highest levels of deprivation in the country etc. Has 90% of the budget from Central Government.

Thats why Buzz and others money is being redistributed not to Labour areas but to the country's poorest areas, the areas with the worst infrastucture,the areas with the oldest and dilapidated public buildings.

Interesting, though, areas such as Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle are now Liberal areas, that shows not only that these areas are progessively changing but Labour locally has not done a good enough job!

Leave local services alone, if you must freeze taxes look at the armed forces, look at cutting road building, look elsewhere!

 

[Simster]

look at the oil production/reserves of norway per capita compared to ours, and perhaps the reason sweden has enjoyed a better standard of living since the war is not having taken part in it ? hence no cripplingly expensive rebuilding afterwards, carry on .

Oh I didn't realise we were paying for world war 2 sixty years later. And yes, Sweden STILL has a far better standard of living than we do despite having to cut back on some *gasp* of its social welfare spending.

 

[Simster]

That's funny because from where I'm sitting it looks like you're second guessing opposition policies and I don't detect much cynicism for this very crap government just for the Tories.

This thread started off talking about what a political pygmy the shadow chancellor is. You'll find plenty of criticism of the Labour government by me on this site if you LOOK.

 

[User removed 4]

Oh I didn't realise we were paying for world war 2 sixty years later. And yes, Sweden STILL has a far better standard of living than we do despite having to cut back on some *gasp* of its social welfare spending.

then why did you use it as a reference point ? i.e " since the war ? " and i think you'll agree , not having to pay for it gives them something of a headstart , no ?

 

[Simster]

then why did you use it as a reference point ?

Eh? Clearly it's an example of a socialist government that has worked well for the best part of 5 decades!