Tory - The caring conservatives

[Uh_huh_him]

What Labour need to do is find a John Smith type who basically made them electable again after Foot and Kinnock. Of course it would help if they don't have a heart attack and allow a young warmonger to take over.

To be honest I seem to remember John Smith as being a long way behind in the polls during his tenure.

I clearly remember the press coverage after his death and being genuinely surprised that the media started referring to him as a potential prime minister and a strong parliamentarian.

I have always felt that John Smith's death and the related press coverage in the period after, changed the electorate's perception of the labour party.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

To be honest I seem to remember John Smith as being a long way behind in the polls during his tenure.

I clearly remember the press coverage after his death and being genuinely surprised that the media started referring to him as a potential prime minister and a strong parliamentarian.

I have always felt that John Smith's death and the related press coverage in the period after, changed the electorate's perception of the labour party.

He was closing the gap, probably also helped that people were getting fed up of Majors "tory sleaze" (ironic because the champagne socialism that followed was rife with it) and the Tory infighting - leadership contests like John Redwood etc.

John Smith was an honest, straight talking politician, a refreshing change at the time. Not quite as left as Corbyn but a "reformer" of the Labour party, making people sit up and take notice, esp the so called "middle England".

I think at the time that he would have won regardless, even if it was as much as the Tories "losing" than Labour winning.

 

[glasfryn]

He was closing the gap, probably also helped that people were getting fed up of Majors "tory sleaze" (ironic because the champagne socialism that followed was rife with it) and the Tory infighting - leadership contests like John Redwood etc.

John Smith was an honest, straight talking politician, a refreshing change at the time. Not quite as left as Corbyn but a "reformer" of the Labour party, making people sit up and take notice, esp the so called "middle England".

I think at the time that he would have won regardless, even if it was as much as the Tories "losing" than Labour winning.

I liked John Smith, it was said of him that he could start and arguement in an empty room.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

Possibly... Possibly not... Who knows what will happen. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
New Labour policies have been roundly defeated in two elections.
New Labour took their core vote for granted in the last election and allowed the SNP to take over the vast majority of their safe seats in Scotland.

Labour have to look at that and make a decision what their policies need to be to defeat the Tories.
I think Corbyn is a good man to have at the helm to start that debate.

You are right it will be interesting. We disagree about Corbyn but his election has certainly livened up the UK political scene.

 

[GT49er]

maggie lives

Gawd, I hope not. Someone please drive a stake through her heart (if she had one) quickly.

 

[GT49er]

This. Thumbsup. This again.

I just did a thumbsup without doing a 'this' - that OK?

 

[BLOCK F]

He was closing the gap, probably also helped that people were getting fed up of Majors "tory sleaze" (ironic because the champagne socialism that followed was rife with it) and the Tory infighting - leadership contests like John Redwood etc.

John Smith was an honest, straight talking politician, a refreshing change at the time. Not quite as left as Corbyn but a "reformer" of the Labour party, making people sit up and take notice, esp the so called "middle England".

I think at the time that he would have won regardless, even if it was as much as the Tories "losing" than Labour winning.

It was quite a long time ago, but I seem to remember John Smith scaring some of the electorate with talk about sizeable tax increases.
Can any of the politicos on here add to my scant memories?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I just did a thumbsup without doing a 'this' - that OK?

It's fine with me

 

[Stato]

To be honest I seem to remember John Smith as being a long way behind in the polls during his tenure.

I clearly remember the press coverage after his death and being genuinely surprised that the media started referring to him as a potential prime minister and a strong parliamentarian.

I have always felt that John Smith's death and the related press coverage in the period after, changed the electorate's perception of the labour party.

You remember wrongly. Labour were well ahead in the polls by the time of Smith's death.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

You remember wrongly. Labour were well ahead in the polls by the time of Smith's death.

Thanks. My memory isn't what it was.

It was definitely the first time I could remember the media talking in positive terms about a labour leader as a future PM.
Most notably there was a concensus that his death had denied the country of a good PM.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

And on they go. B'stards.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/10/06/matthew-hancock-living-minimum-wage_n_8252008.html

 

[Smirko]

nothing to do with bailing the banks out then?

Ding Ding Ding, you win the bankers bingo first prize, going to the first person that mentioned bailing the bankers out!

 

[cunning fergus]

The thing that concerns me about the new union legislation is that strikes are at an all time low, so why is the government introducing legislation in relation to Unions if they are not causing work based disruption/defending members rights (delete as necessary).

There are significant structural problems in relation to working practices, low productivity, health, education and infrastructure that the government could be focussing on.

That they choose instead to introduce (or try to introduce) legislation in relation to fox hunting, trade unions, change the way the BBC operates and so on seems to trivialise some major failings and issues in this country. It's as if because they had a surprise victory in the May elections they are celebrating by giving all groups they perceive to by anti-Conservative a kicking.

It does them little credit, they have the mandate under our electoral system to make policy for the first time since 1997 and their approach seems to one of spite, revenge and malice rather than having the courage of their convictions to make policy that will have a positive legacy, regardless of one's political views on them.

Whilst strikes have been in decline that trend is not irreversible, so what better time to degrade Trade Union powers.

Taking a more strategic view, the developing TTIP trade agreement is pitting the EU Commission and EU Governments against European trade unions.

https://stop-ttip.org/trade-unions-positions-on-ttip-ceta-isds/

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ransatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership

Given the levels of opposition from the UK to TTIP the UK Government would be best served by dismantling the tools of opposition by the workers now as oppose to leaving it to chance when TTIP becomes law.

Quite sensible really.........unless the unions and people like Corbyn are wrong about TTIP of course?

 

[El Presidente]

Whilst strikes have been in decline that trend is not irreversible, so what better time to degrade Trade Union powers.

Taking a more strategic view, the developing TTIP trade agreement is pitting the EU Commission and EU Governments against European trade unions.

https://stop-ttip.org/trade-unions-positions-on-ttip-ceta-isds/

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ransatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership

Given the levels of opposition from the UK to TTIP the UK Government would be best served by dismantling the tools of opposition by the workers now as oppose to leaving it to chance when TTIP becomes law.

Quite sensible really.........unless the unions and people like Corbyn are wrong about TTIP of course?

What are your views on TTIP?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

What are your views on TTIP?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Whilst strikes have been in decline that trend is not irreversible, so what better time to degrade Trade Union powers.

Taking a more strategic view, the developing TTIP trade agreement is pitting the EU Commission and EU Governments against European trade unions.

https://stop-ttip.org/trade-unions-positions-on-ttip-ceta-isds/

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ransatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership

Given the levels of opposition from the UK to TTIP the UK Government would be best served by dismantling the tools of opposition by the workers now as oppose to leaving it to chance when TTIP becomes law.

Quite sensible really.........unless the unions and people like Corbyn are wrong about TTIP of course?

Second sentence. Good work.

 

[Ernest]

A caring Tory

 

[cunning fergus]

What are your views on TTIP?

Well, I think Corbyn and the unions have largely called it right so far, with concerns about creeping privatisation and the safeguarding of corporate interests against those of democratically elected governments; see the link with details of the unions concerns.

Then again this is the modus operandi of the EU...........great for capitalists, shit for workers.

 

[GT49er]

A caring Tory

View attachment 69025

Must be a very rare picture........

 

[cunning fergus]

Second sentence. Good work.

Thanks.

Whose side are you on Margaret, the EU or the unions?