It's all over for Labour & Mr Brown

[cunning fergus]

I've made it pretty clear where I stand overall - but I would admit that for me the biggest single f***-up on Brown's CV was selling off the 400 tons of gold against all expert advice in 1999. It is estimated that cost the country £2bn. Unbelievable, and the price duly soared after years of stagnation.

I was sitting listening to his speech yesterday as he was saying the Tories got all the big judgement calls wrong inwardly cringing.

Yep that was incredible, dont forget the others though like not going for an election when he was parachuted into the PM's office, not committing to a manifesto pledge with a referendum on Lisbon, the raping of Private pension funds in 1997, the failure to implement a robust Financial Services Regime via control of the FSA (the regulatory organisation implemented by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000).

However, even if you disagree with the above if ever there was an example of The Labour Party's arrogance/incompetence (take your pick) then its the 10p tax affair.

If they didn't know about the impact, then its no wonder that our economy is wrecked, and the sooner they are out of office the better we will be.

If they did know about about the impact, then its no wonder our economy is wrecked, and the sooner they are out of office the better we will be.

 

[User removed 4]

Agree very much with what you say and I have a funny feeling you could be absolutely right about DC.

You could also have added education to your list. At least under Labour it has recieved some reasonable funding and generally speaking our schools are vastly improved on the state they were in before Labour took power.

They have spunked hundreds of millions on putting people through university to earn degrees that aren't worth a wank , if you think our secondary education system will be improved by throwng more money at it then you're living in cloud cuckoo land, discipline aqnd respect for teachers is whats needed more than anything.



*stands by for tired, hackneyed daily mail reader insults*

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

One thing i do know is that i do not think Cameron will be the next prime minister. I just cannot see it happening.

Labour are 14/1 to win.

Politics betting | William Hill

 

[Don Quixote]

Labour are 14/1 to win.

Politics betting | William Hill

WOW! Amazing odds. I am sticking all my money on that.

 

[beorhthelm]

2. Benefits - how do you balance benefits againgst preventing poverty, where particularly children suffer. I think there some stat that half of all children in London live in poverty? A great stat for the wealthiest city on earth!

3. By the way I am not agruing with you. Yes we put our country in a financial rest and the banking fraternity still don't get it.

2. yeah, some stat with an arbitary standard for "poverty" which bares little relation to real poverty in say the third world, im sure you'll agree. but the problem remains that while there are genuine (relative) hardships in our country there are also a good many living pretty nicely thank you on benefits and have no incentive to change. they suck money from those genuine cases and create ill feeling towards those on benefits. Labour hasnt tackled this remotley and with things like tax credits they have hurt people those who do try to get on without the state.

3. i think we dont get it. bankers understand all too well, make as much as quickly as it might be your last trade. its their purpose, right or wrong, to make as much money as possible for their pockets and their bosses, ultimatly shareholders and us through pensions. they will not change, how could they? the government has to legislate to change anything and they have bottled it. i understand the risks (some overstated) of banks leaving the City, but some regulation can and should be done. govenment wont touch it and retains the same framework that oversaw the failures.

... the raping of Private pension funds in 1997,

1997? its happend EVERY year since, arguably resulting in tens of thousands of job losses as large corporations lay off staff to balance the books and fill in the pension deficits that have followed.

 

[NS Herald]

They have spunked hundreds of millions on putting people through university to earn degrees that aren't worth a wank , if you think our secondary education system will be improved by throwng more money at it then you're living in cloud cuckoo land, discipline aqnd respect for teachers is whats needed more than anything.



*stands by for tired, hackneyed daily mail reader insults*

Completely agree about the discipline & respect bit and think the majority would agree as well. Society has gone soft and a few canings in school would work a treat.

However don't agree about the 'throwing' money business. Money has worked and schools now have the proper tooks to do the job like books and decent equipment in classrooms. The resourcing of technology at all ages is a great thing in schools and I am sure that a lot of our readers remember the days when it was one book between two if you were lucky.

The importance of a sound basic education should not be underestimated and it doesn't do any harm to have a decent further education as well. The fact that a global recession has screwed opportunities up for graduates is hardly the fault of Labour?

 

[User removed 4]

The fact that a global recession has screwed opportunities up for graduates is hardly the fault of Labour?

I would agree, but i'll also say that some of the degrees themselves aren't worth a wank , irrespective of a global recession,my sister in law has a degree in travel and tourism, its something you should study at your local tech , is not a degree course for fucksake, the same goes for the countless media studies graduates,or my mates boy who did film studies , its all about ticking boxes .

 

[vulture]

brown on sky.....car crash tv......lost his rag with Boulton and stormed off

 

[Chicken Run]

To Quote Stumpy
"At Uni I did a paper on "The Sun Won It" crap that they claimed in 92 after Major won. The majority of Sun readers voted Labour in that election, no more no less than usual."

I bet that paper put you in good stead for the future Stumpy mate, what is you do for a living again? lol

 

[e77]

I think Labour will lose but I don't think the Sun will have much influence bearing in mind the dwindling sales of the printed press.

 

[NS Herald]

I would agree, but i'll also say that some of the degrees themselves aren't worth a wank , irrespective of a global recession,my sister in law has a degree in travel and tourism, its something you should study at your local tech , is not a degree course for fucksake, the same goes for the countless media studies graduates,or my mates boy who did film studies , its all about ticking boxes .

But look at how many even half decent jobs these days require a degree before they will look at you. The other way of looking at it is there is a lot more diversity offered at uni's - some course may be a waste of time but some aren't.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

The Sun just likes to back who it thinks will win. There are greater forces at work. Labour has been in power a long time and the country seems to want a change. Can Labour look at themselves in the mirror and say they deserve another term in office ?

It happened to the Tories - although they managed to hold on for an additional term by switching leaders. I don't think this will work for Brown. He prided himself on being in charge (if not with the title) for the entire time of the Labour government - so he can hardly make out he is some kind of new broom.

With Cameron and his mates at the helm - we may look back on this Labour government fondly.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

How many people can hoestly say they would be better off with a tory government?? How many people have been better off under a labour government , neither have made any difference to my lifestyle over the years .

 

[bigc]

The Sun just likes to back who it thinks will win. There are greater forces at work. Labour has been in power a long time and the country seems to want a change. Can Labour look at themselves in the mirror and say they deserve another term in office ?

It happened to the Tories - although they managed to hold on for an additional term by switching leaders. I don't think this will work for Brown. He prided himself on being in charge (if not with the title) for the entire time of the Labour government - so he can hardly make out he is some kind of new broom.

True. The Sun "Lost it" once, as I seem to recall they obiedently backed Blair's choice for Mayor, Dobbo, and we know what happened there.

Exactly, one of John Major's main bonuses was the fact nobody really knew who he was. I know he had been chancellor for the last year(89-90) but compared to the big beasts of the '80s, Hezza, Lawson, Howe, etc, his hands were relatively clean of it. Contrast that to Brown, who had been Chancellor for all of the Blair years and by many accounts, in control of alot of domestic policy after 2001 as Blair got involved with the war on terror. You can't call yourself a change then...

I'd have liked Alan Milburn to become leader, he'd have made things interesting.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I would agree, but i'll also say that some of the degrees themselves aren't worth a wank , irrespective of a global recession,my sister in law has a degree in travel and tourism, its something you should study at your local tech , is not a degree course for fucksake, the same goes for the countless media studies graduates,or my mates boy who did film studies , its all about ticking boxes .

What year was it that polytechnics were granted university status and more importantly the power to set their own degrees?

 

[Titanic]

I think Labour will lose but I don't think the Sun will have much influence bearing in mind the dwindling sales of the printed press.

Apparently they have 9 million 'readers'.

 

[e77]

Apparently they have 9 million 'readers'.

Be interesting to know how many vote.

 

[bigc]

What year was it that polytechnics were granted university status and more importantly the power to set their own degrees?

1992 I believe?

 

[London Calling]

How many people can hoestly say they would be better off with a tory government?? How many people have been better off under a labour government , neither have made any difference to my lifestyle over the years .

I can honestly say that comparing like for like, in London and especially in Hackney, Labour has been a vast improvement over the tories.

Without rattling out the usual stats I will focus on the following that had made a vast differnce to London and particular a East London area like Hackney.

The Tories cut back in real terms monies in schools - state Education became worst. The League tables led Middle Class Parents moving their kids to "better" schools.
Public transport cut back especially Public Investment in London.
PUblic sector cutbacks led to London looking dirty, unkept.
The Tories removed a whole tier of Democracy from LOndon.
Cutbacks led to our public housing stock bordering on third world housing.
NHS investment was cut back the state of Hospitals - well we all kno how bad that were.

Under Labour.

The Minimum Wage, the best and effective way of removing people from benefits.
Better maternity pay.
Investment in Education for the first time ever, money in Education is equivalent to 4% of GDP. The programme of City Academies launched with Education in Hackney being turned around.
Invertment in Polkice Force, with Hackney crime reducing by 30% in the last 5 years.
An Elected Mayor and Asembly in London, public pride in London. Investment in our street cape and public realm. LOnodn is again one of the world greatr cities.
Crossrail an £18 bn investment.
For the first time ever a new tube line into Hackney based on a BR line the Tories had cut!
Investment in the NHS.
DEcent Homes Programme, the buggest investment in Public Hiousing since the 50's targeting the worst estates.

Not bad eh.

My issue is that they have not done enough,

MOre investment is needed in Schools.

Not bad eh.







State school in Inner City areas need to be as good as in Middle England, Middle England schools need to be as good as the Private sector.
NHS needs to be broken up to the Regional Level.
Recycling needs to be better coordinated. Ther state needs to develop the glass bottle industry and reduce plastic bottle usage.

The state needs to

 

[bigc]

Under Labour.

The Minimum Wage, the best and effective way of removing people from benefits.
Better maternity pay.
Investment in Education for the first time ever, money in Education is equivalent to 4% of GDP. The programme of City Academies launched with Education in Hackney being turned around.
Invertment in Polkice Force, with Hackney crime reducing by 30% in the last 5 years.
An Elected Mayor and Asembly in London, public pride in London. Investment in our street cape and public realm. LOnodn is again one of the world greatr cities.
Crossrail an £18 bn investment.
For the first time ever a new tube line into Hackney based on a BR line the Tories had cut!
Investment in the NHS.
DEcent Homes Programme, the buggest investment in Public Hiousing since the 50's targeting the worst estates.

Not bad eh.

In regards to transport, ELL extensions and Crossrail would have happened far earlier had the Tories not mothballed them twice...

I do fear for Crossrail mind you under the Tories,despite Boris's commitment to it.