Labour party madness
Posted by: Jonathan Gorse on 06 September 2006
Asa Labour voter I find the past 24 hours completely bizarre. We have a Prime Minister who is probably the most successful Labour PM in living memory, who has won 3 consecutive elections, revitalised the NHS, improved investment and performance in schools, introduced the minimum wage to protect low paid workers, improved the lot of everyman with better parental leave and social policy provision, expanded higher education to a greater degree than anyone before, solved the Irish problem, reinstated the nutritional guidelines on school meals (abolished by Satan - sorry Thatcher...)reinstated the income link to pensions, presided over 15 years of economic growth and stability, succeeded in harnessing the vote of the middle classes and industry in a way that the Labour party was never ever able to do before. In short a man ho has tried his best to balance the needs of the poor, the sick and the old with the desire for profitability and financial improvement for the better off. In addition a man who has charisma by the bucketload and epitomises family values and decency.
And the Labour party want to get rid of him?? The Conservatives have spent a decade in the wilderness trying to find his equal and wondering if they'll ever get in again so could somebody explain to me why on earth the Labour party think they'll have more chance of winning the election with Brown at the helm - worthy I'm sure but dull dull dull. The Conservatives must be rubbing their hands with glee at their first real chanbce of power in a generation.
I know that he got himself in hot Water with some people over Iraq but lets not forget they rid the world of a man who butchered tens of thousands of men, women and children and burned whole villages - so old Saddam wasn't exactly Mother Theresa was he? and Blair did have intelligence reports suggesting Iraq had WMD?
So can somebody explain why the Labour party seems to be committing electoral suicide?? I for one am dreading the Conservatives getting in and seeing all the good invstment in schools, hospitals etc being undone just so that Tarquin the merchant banker can have another tax cut.
Jonathan
Posted on: 06 September 2006 by Steve Toy
quote:
revitalised the NHS,
The same-day appointment scam didn't exist in 1997. Back then I could choose to see which GP and get an appointment today, tomorrow or next week if I wanted. Now it's today only if you get through on the phone.
He lied about tuition fees for students who must now get heavily into debt just to attend the course. Before 1997 it was free. Equality of outcome is the objective behind these changes whilst protecting his Scottish homeland from such excesses.
Posted on: 06 September 2006 by Mick P
Chaps
What ever our politics, we have to admit that TB is a very competent politician. He has won 3 elections which is very good and if Gordon Brown is elected then the Tories will walk it.
TB was the most formidable foe the Tories have had for ages and now they press the self destruct button and kick him out.
Bloody fools.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 06 September 2006 by Jonathan Gorse
But to be fair it was the Conservatives who had people dying in casualty wards for lack of beds, waiting2 years for operations. Blair has sought to remedy this and has launched NHS DIrect - perhaps my experience of using the service recently is worthwhile. Our Daughter had a bug and was unable to keep food/fluid down. AFter a day and a half of this (over the weekend I phoned NHS Direct at 11am. They told us to bring her in straight away. We walked in, were seen immediately (we didn't even sit down and wait). The doc examined her, prescribed some medication and said to call back if she still hadn't taken fluid in 24 hours and to call anytime day or night if at all concerned. WHo cares about seeing the same GP as long as you see a qualified one quickly? You don't ask to be flown by a particular pilot on your holidays do you? You just want to know the guy at the front knows what he's doing.
Re: students I completely agree but lets not forget it was Thatcher who started eroding the amount of student grants to below that required to live. Blair decided it was better to give more people the opportunity to go to University and borrow which would only be paid back if they earn a reasonable salary. Personally I'd prefer 2p on income tax and a 50p rate for those earning over £60k or something and free education for all but I suspect Blair thinks that he's be unelectable if he proposed a rise in income tax.
He's not perfect (who is) but to me as a Labour voter he looks better than any alternative (and I'm self employed)
Jonathan
Posted on: 06 September 2006 by rupert bear
Well there's another way of looking at it. Blair's greatest achievement was winning the 1997 only a few years after Kinnock and Ancient Labour had lost to the worst government since 1945 - for whom a few weeks without a sex scandal or an economic crisis constituted a Major success.
Since then, what have we really had? Cool Britannia, a stable economy run by Gordon Brown on principles established by Ken Clarke, a few good social policies like the minimum wage (granted - but the pre-Thatcher tories had that too), significant headway with the Irish problem but no way completed after 400 years (and anything was going to improve on the Thatcherite response), a huge hole in the pensions pot for the future, far too many illiterate undergraduates doing pretty pointless courses, a secondary state education system in meltdown, an NHS management now closing dozens of hospitals nationwide, and a few sops to the left such as the Hunting Bill - if only that were a reflection of the mood of the newly liberal British instead of an appeasement to the hard-line left! Oh, sorry, forgot - he "has tried his best to balance the needs of the poor, the sick and the old with the desire for profitability and financial improvement for the better off. In addition a man who has charisma by the bucketload and epitomises family values and decency." That was it. Hasn't actually done a lot though?
The war was a big big mistake, an old-fashioned attempt to hoodwink a much-cannier than expected electorate.
And are you implying that, like the Tories in 1990, just because there will be uncertainty doesn't mean that he's run his course? Anyway what else have we got to watch on the News for the next year?
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by PatG
quote:
So can somebody explain why the Labour party seems to be committing electoral suicide??
Jonathan
In a word............. Iraq.
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by Jonathan Gorse:
So can somebody explain why the Labour party seems to be committing electoral suicide?
Perhaps it's because they actually want to be the labour party again, not something further right than the tories.
Once Tony goes the real problems are going to start though because Brown, being Scottish, is probably un-electable.
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Rasher
quote:
Originally posted by PatG:
In a word............. Iraq.
Agree absolutely. After everything, he'll be remembered for that alone.
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Mick P
Chaps
Of course the Labour Party is on a suicide run, they are socialists, so what do you expect.
Socialists love being in opposition because they can waffle and complain without having any responsibility. You can recognise a few socialists here and on PFM who exhibit that particular tendency.
Tony Blair and Pater Mandelson disciplined the idiots and made them electable. Did they learn any lessons, did they like hell.
Blair invades Iraq and they all start criticising the leader of their own party. The result will be the dour Mr Brown ascending the throne and then losing the next election.
I never count my chicks but surely this mess must give the Tories a gift from God.
Socialist = pinko = the epitonmy of uselessness.
They have certainly proved it this week.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Steve Toy
quote:
TB was the most formidable foe the Tories have had for ages and now they press the self destruct button and kick him out.
Great news. Hopefully they will replace the clever and unscrupulous with someone dim and unscrupulous. I'd like to say clever and scrupulous but you just can't get those two qualities from a socialist - it'll never happen.
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Fisbey
Massive generalisation about socialists.
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Rasher
quote:
Originally posted by Fisbey:
Massive generalisation about socialists.
It's the Tory way. Individuals don't count because they
know what's good for us and we're just shite on their shoe.
quote:
Socialist = pinko = the epitonmy of uselessness
You gotta laugh, eh!? I bet he's a good Christian too!
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Big Brother
Labour committing suicide ? For any party to keep a leader who's foriegn policy goes against the core belief of the people, would indeed be suicide. The Labour party regulars aren't stupid, they are thinking about their political long term future. As far as Brown goes, so he's dull, big deal!! What's he supposed to do to sing and tell jokes and keep us in stitches like Jackie Mason ?? For me a politicial is a tool, you want certain things done so you pick the bugger whos beliefs are closest to your own. Didn't the English boot out Churchill ? Another "popular" leader. The party is booting Blair out before the electorate can. Brown will win the election and stand up to the cipher Bush. The British people have too much invested in the domestic policies of the party to turn to the Conservatives.....ATB....Big Brother
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Rasher
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Diccus62
The wonderful Steve Bell
diccus
