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The General Election - June 8th 2017

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  • cafcfan said:

    Rob7Lee said:

    Vince Cable was just on BBC London, now there's a politician that talks a lot of sense.

    I can't believe I just read that.

    Anyway back to bribes and to answer @cabbles question. It's how every party everywhere has operated for as long as I can remember. Just have a browse through the Labour manifesto spend-fest and ask yourself who benefited and who paid. Ask yourself why every single town promoted to a city during the Labour years had a bedrock of labour voters. Etc, etc, etc.

    Now my own rant on Northern Ireland. It already is the recipient of much more money than any part of England. By far. (As is Scotland and Wales.) Just take a look at the numbers of public sector jobs per capita in Norn Iron compared with us in civilisation. In the main, it is the English taxpayer who coughs up for all this.

    It is an outrage. As is Stormont. The size of that fucking building! To put it into context the total population of NI is pretty close to that of Essex. Essex has one city (Chelmsford, very recent) NI has five. What is the point, justification in NI having different government, different political parties, different rules, different legislation, the infamous renewable heat incentive, free water (yes, really!), different number plates, free bus and train passes from 60, (whereas it's 65 and rising and buses only in Essex. We pay for all this but can't even use our English passes in NI!)? They even still have fucking dog licences (£12.50, one year) for God's sake but it keeps some unnecessary bureaucrats in work.

    They have (far) more police per capita - most of them on sick leave according to the last figures I could find. On any given day, on average, 423 police officers in the PSNI will be on sick leave. In one recent six-month period 766 police officers were subject to "unsatisfactory performance" because of their absences. That's equivalent to a quarter of the whole Essex Constabulary. Totally unbelievable. The A12 in Essex is a pot-holed disgrace and utterly inadequate and if I want to visit Kent I have to pay a toll. But at least the A5 from Ballygawley to Londonderry is scheduled to be upgraded at a cost of nearly a billion. (This will be money well spent - as you'll be able to overtake the tractors running down to the shops on their red diesel.) Then there's Eglinton fucking airport, or City of Derry airport as it likes to call itself. Owned by local councils, heavily lose-making (and therefore paid for by English taxpayers). Calling passenger throughput pathetic is being kind. Hey, it's got four, yes four flight arrivals today. Just shut the fucking place, Londonderry is only 60 miles from Belfast International anyway!

    Northern Ireland should be treated like any other English County Council with the same laws. Stormont should be sold off and converted into a hotel or flats or something. If the bastards don't like it they should be told to pay for themselves or threatened with being ceded to the Republic, then we wouldn't have to worry about the border or what they cost us.

    Rant over.
    Do you see how much better you feel being able to get that off your chest? Without Norn Iron you'd never be able to experience that level of catharsis.

    Can I just point out that the licence for a neutered dog is £5 per annum (well in the delightfully named Fermanagh-Omagh District Council anyway)?

    And, I'd like to reassure you that I would be very happy to see the the A5 upgraded to dual carriageway (of a standard similar to the A12) from its current single carriageway status, but I would not hold my breath on that one (its funding was due to come in part from the EU and also from the Irish Government).
  • seth plum said:

    There are all kinds of bribes.
    Anybody remember the Tory bribe for Surrey council? The sweetheart deal, only last February too?

    And Nissan.
  • edited June 2017
    I'm really quite torn on how I feel about this... I voted labour but the constituency I live in strongly voted in favour of the conservatives.

    General Election 2017 results
    PARTY VOTES
    Conservative 36,906
    Labour 13,422

    So either way my vote would have been wasted. Cons had it guaranteed...

    The overall was something like: 13,669,883 vs 12,878,460 (Cons then Lab)

    Neither of those groups voting wanted or thought they'd have anything to do with the DUP.
  • edited June 2017
    The only way the political map will change is if we scrap FPTP, as people had virtually no reason to vote Tory last election except tactically to keep Corbyn/Abbott out.
  • Dazzler21 said:

    I'm really quite torn on how I feel about this... I voted labour but the constituency I live in strongly voted in favour of the conservatives.

    General Election 2017 results
    PARTY VOTES
    Conservative 36,906
    Labour 13,422

    So either way my vote would have been wasted. Cons had it guaranteed...

    The overall was something like: 13,669,883 vs 12,878,460 (Cons then Lab)

    Neither of those groups voting wanted or thought they'd have anything to do with the DUP.

    No such thing as a wasted vote, look at the former Labour safe seats in Scotland.
  • painful this ain't it.

    I've decided as a result of this thread to stop my regular donations to supporters of the conservative, liberal democrat and Labour Party.

    I'd be better off donating to micro-causes that benefit my local area.

    Oh wait, what about the global warming cycle, how is that going to be affected by my small scale actions...

    Maybe it's only in part human activity that leads to this raising of global temperatures, ice cap melting, ozone home, and probably this would happen anyway as part of the planet cycle with the sun.

    Maybe I don't need to back people with serious power who think mankind induced climate change is important, climate change may be unavoidable anyway.

    We should have had a magnetic pole reversal some hundreds of thousands if not millions of years ago which would have had mass tectonic plate fracture and would have ended the current life cycles on the planet, as has so often happened before.

    The ability of me to change anything of any global significance is minute and so I will focus on changing things for me my and immediate descendants in the positive.

    It seems like this would be best achieved in the UK by voting Conservative.

    Globally I think I am naturally drawn to those political movements that prize individual effort and reward over communal effort and joint reward. Individualism over other forms of collective enterprise seems more realistic today.

    Some or all of the above is a fib.

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  • Dazzler21 said:

    I'm really quite torn on how I feel about this... I voted labour but the constituency I live in strongly voted in favour of the conservatives.

    General Election 2017 results
    PARTY VOTES
    Conservative 36,906
    Labour 13,422

    Have the same living in Guildford, almost the same results too. I was blocked from a Guildford community facebook group after trying to discuss the election and share opinions to why I wanted to vote labour (in the most respectful way I may add!), but it appears certain folk are too narrow minded to listen to reason. Would love to know their opinions to this joke of a deal though, it's not right and insults all of us, urgh.

  • HarryLime said:

    https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jonathan-acworth-1?utm_id=60&utm_term=N58WWE4rp

    I'm assuming that this is genuine, if so the whole political map of Britain could change very quickly.

    I have a feeling that's only going to miss its target by somewhere between £500k and £600k,
  • Dazzler21 said:

    I'm really quite torn on how I feel about this... I voted labour but the constituency I live in strongly voted in favour of the conservatives.

    General Election 2017 results
    PARTY VOTES
    Conservative 36,906
    Labour 13,422

    Have the same living in Guildford, almost the same results too. I was blocked from a Guildford community facebook group after trying to discuss the election and share opinions to why I wanted to vote labour (in the most respectful way I may add!), but it appears certain folk are too narrow minded to listen to reason. Would love to know their opinions to this joke of a deal though, it's not right and insults all of us, urgh.

    Guildford is about as Tory as it gets being in the heart of the stockbroker belt - gives Tunbridge Wells a run for its money as most right-wing place in Britain.
  • Dazzler21 said:

    I'm really quite torn on how I feel about this... I voted labour but the constituency I live in strongly voted in favour of the conservatives.

    General Election 2017 results
    PARTY VOTES
    Conservative 36,906
    Labour 13,422

    Have the same living in Guildford, almost the same results too. I was blocked from a Guildford community facebook group after trying to discuss the election and share opinions to why I wanted to vote labour (in the most respectful way I may add!), but it appears certain folk are too narrow minded to listen to reason. Would love to know their opinions to this joke of a deal though, it's not right and insults all of us, urgh.

    Guildford is about as Tory as it gets being in the heart of the stockbroker belt - gives Tunbridge Wells a run for its money as most right-wing place in Britain.
    Must admit, did my LPC down there at the College of Law. Didn't enjoy it at all as a place
  • Should be interesting in parliament today as Labour look to debate & call a vote for an amendment to the queens speach on public sector pay etc.

    Anyone know if that's ever happened before? A challenge by the opposition before the vote?
  • I think it is an amendment rather than a challenge.
  • I think it is an amendment rather than a challenge.

    Thats what I said "Labour look to debate & call a vote for an amendment to the queens speech on public sector pay....." Clearly Labour are challenging the PM and her Queens speech to back their proposed amendment.

    Just wondered if an opposition party has formally done this before the vote.
    That's very good......
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  • I think there are a number of Tory MPs who are not gainst the amendment - they will not vote for it of course!
  • I think there are a number of Tory MPs who are not gainst the amendment - they will not vote for it of course!

    That's what the whips are for!

    I could never be an MP as there is very little form any of the parties I agree with to vote for!
  • I think you voted for them didn't you?

    Below a pre- election interview that shows that some Tories do get it - shame their voices are not heard!

    http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/robert-halfon-conservative-dying_uk_5776b79be4b0c9460800c912
  • Rob7Lee said:

    I think there are a number of Tory MPs who are not gainst the amendment - they will not vote for it of course!

    That's what the whips are for!

    I could never be an MP as there is very little form any of the parties I agree with to vote for!
    I would love to be an MP - who knows maybe when I stand I can surprise people.

    However the only reason I would want to be an MP is so that I could make my maiden speech and tell all the assembled twats what I really think of them, including some choice words that would likely send the Speaker into meltdown. I would then resign very loudly as I was being lead away by Black Rod.
  • bobmunro said:

    Rob7Lee said:

    I think there are a number of Tory MPs who are not gainst the amendment - they will not vote for it of course!

    That's what the whips are for!

    I could never be an MP as there is very little form any of the parties I agree with to vote for!
    I would love to be an MP - who knows maybe when I stand I can surprise people.

    However the only reason I would want to be an MP is so that I could make my maiden speech and tell all the assembled twats what I really think of them, including some choice words that would likely send the Speaker into meltdown. I would then resign very loudly as I was being lead away by Black Rod.
    As Kenneth Williams was wont to say on the radio, "Hmmmm, nice..."
  • bobmunro said:

    Rob7Lee said:

    I think there are a number of Tory MPs who are not gainst the amendment - they will not vote for it of course!

    That's what the whips are for!

    I could never be an MP as there is very little form any of the parties I agree with to vote for!
    I would love to be an MP - who knows maybe when I stand I can surprise people.

    However the only reason I would want to be an MP is so that I could make my maiden speech and tell all the assembled twats what I really think of them, including some choice words that would likely send the Speaker into meltdown. I would then resign very loudly as I was being lead away by Black Rod.
    As your campaign manager we'd need to discuss this first - I need to be kept in the loop at all times
  • bobmunro said:

    Rob7Lee said:

    I think there are a number of Tory MPs who are not gainst the amendment - they will not vote for it of course!

    That's what the whips are for!

    I could never be an MP as there is very little form any of the parties I agree with to vote for!
    I would love to be an MP - who knows maybe when I stand I can surprise people.

    However the only reason I would want to be an MP is so that I could make my maiden speech and tell all the assembled twats what I really think of them, including some choice words that would likely send the Speaker into meltdown. I would then resign very loudly as I was being lead away by Black Rod.
    I guess if you put it like that, being an MP if only for a day would be worthwhile.

    We're relying on you Bob, Looking forward to the campaign! @cabbles I can see Bob is going to be hard to control during the campaign, you've got your work cut out......

    On Labours requested amendment, we do seem to make hard work of these things whatever the political party, why only help the 17% who work in the public sector (not sure what % of those would be lower earners which I assume is whom labour mainly want to help), what about the lower earners in the private sector who haven't had rises for years?

    I can't help but think there is such an easy solution to help ALL lower paid workers, just take them out of all direct employment tax, Income & National Insurance.

    Why we charge people earning about £8k a year and above NI and above £11.5k a year income tax is beyond me. Just don't tax people on the first say £20k and amend the other rates accordingly (have 21% band above and then 41% or whatever is needed).

    Someone on £20k per year pays circa £1,700 in income tax and £1,500 in national insurance, that's 16% of their gross pay. Even someone on the minimum wage (circa £13k per annum) would be circa £1000 better off a year if they didn't pay Income tax or NI.

    Far easier and helps all lower paid workers not just a % based on who you are employed by.

    I thought Labours mantra was 'for the many not the few'........
  • Rob7Lee said:

    bobmunro said:

    Rob7Lee said:

    I think there are a number of Tory MPs who are not gainst the amendment - they will not vote for it of course!

    That's what the whips are for!

    I could never be an MP as there is very little form any of the parties I agree with to vote for!
    I would love to be an MP - who knows maybe when I stand I can surprise people.

    However the only reason I would want to be an MP is so that I could make my maiden speech and tell all the assembled twats what I really think of them, including some choice words that would likely send the Speaker into meltdown. I would then resign very loudly as I was being lead away by Black Rod.
    I guess if you put it like that, being an MP if only for a day would be worthwhile.

    We're relying on you Bob, Looking forward to the campaign! @cabbles I can see Bob is going to be hard to control during the campaign, you've got your work cut out......

    On Labours requested amendment, we do seem to make hard work of these things whatever the political party, why only help the 17% who work in the public sector (not sure what % of those would be lower earners which I assume is whom labour mainly want to help), what about the lower earners in the private sector who haven't had rises for years?

    I can't help but think there is such an easy solution to help ALL lower paid workers, just take them out of all direct employment tax, Income & National Insurance.

    Why we charge people earning about £8k a year and above NI and above £11.5k a year income tax is beyond me. Just don't tax people on the first say £20k and amend the other rates accordingly (have 21% band above and then 41% or whatever is needed).

    Someone on £20k per year pays circa £1,700 in income tax and £1,500 in national insurance, that's 16% of their gross pay. Even someone on the minimum wage (circa £13k per annum) would be circa £1000 better off a year if they didn't pay Income tax or NI.

    Far easier and helps all lower paid workers not just a % based on who you are employed by.

    I thought Labours mantra was 'for the many not the few'........
    I think he'd want to position himself as a maverick, I see myself as his Doug Stamper to Francis Underwood.
  • Rob7Lee said:

    bobmunro said:

    Rob7Lee said:

    I think there are a number of Tory MPs who are not gainst the amendment - they will not vote for it of course!

    That's what the whips are for!

    I could never be an MP as there is very little form any of the parties I agree with to vote for!
    I would love to be an MP - who knows maybe when I stand I can surprise people.

    However the only reason I would want to be an MP is so that I could make my maiden speech and tell all the assembled twats what I really think of them, including some choice words that would likely send the Speaker into meltdown. I would then resign very loudly as I was being lead away by Black Rod.
    I guess if you put it like that, being an MP if only for a day would be worthwhile.

    We're relying on you Bob, Looking forward to the campaign! @cabbles I can see Bob is going to be hard to control during the campaign, you've got your work cut out......

    On Labours requested amendment, we do seem to make hard work of these things whatever the political party, why only help the 17% who work in the public sector (not sure what % of those would be lower earners which I assume is whom labour mainly want to help), what about the lower earners in the private sector who haven't had rises for years?

    I can't help but think there is such an easy solution to help ALL lower paid workers, just take them out of all direct employment tax, Income & National Insurance.

    Why we charge people earning about £8k a year and above NI and above £11.5k a year income tax is beyond me. Just don't tax people on the first say £20k and amend the other rates accordingly (have 21% band above and then 41% or whatever is needed).

    Someone on £20k per year pays circa £1,700 in income tax and £1,500 in national insurance, that's 16% of their gross pay. Even someone on the minimum wage (circa £13k per annum) would be circa £1000 better off a year if they didn't pay Income tax or NI.

    Far easier and helps all lower paid workers not just a % based on who you are employed by.

    I thought Labours mantra was 'for the many not the few'........
    Well @Rob7Lee the government is the one responsible for how the public sector performs or otherwise and is the indirect employer as these services are paid for out of taxes. The Government is therefore (via Local Authorities, the NHS et al) the only organisation that can raise or lower the pay of the people it employs. The NHS in particular is facing a recruitment crisis, whoever is in government needs to tackle that.

    Of course Labour's policies also would have helped people in the private sector like banning zero hour contracts, the living wage and free university education etc. On top of that there is the benefit all of society gets from increasing schools budgets, having more police and beefing up the border guard numbers.

    The thing with raising the income tax threshold is of course that everybody benefits, even those earning £100k pa. It is a laudable policy on first viewing but I would rather we have progressive taxation that whilst benefiting us all also targeted help where it was most needed and most able to help.

    I also think there is an boast to people self-respect when they 'contribute' via taxation. They may get more back than they put in but they are putting into the pot and it gives every chance that in the future they can develop in to net payers. Incidentally despite the rhetoric it is still not 'always' better financially to be in work rather than on benefits, which is a One Nation Tory ideal I support but is just not happening.
  • Rob7Lee said:

    bobmunro said:

    Rob7Lee said:

    I think there are a number of Tory MPs who are not gainst the amendment - they will not vote for it of course!

    That's what the whips are for!

    I could never be an MP as there is very little form any of the parties I agree with to vote for!
    I would love to be an MP - who knows maybe when I stand I can surprise people.

    However the only reason I would want to be an MP is so that I could make my maiden speech and tell all the assembled twats what I really think of them, including some choice words that would likely send the Speaker into meltdown. I would then resign very loudly as I was being lead away by Black Rod.
    I guess if you put it like that, being an MP if only for a day would be worthwhile.

    We're relying on you Bob, Looking forward to the campaign! @cabbles I can see Bob is going to be hard to control during the campaign, you've got your work cut out......

    On Labours requested amendment, we do seem to make hard work of these things whatever the political party, why only help the 17% who work in the public sector (not sure what % of those would be lower earners which I assume is whom labour mainly want to help), what about the lower earners in the private sector who haven't had rises for years?

    I can't help but think there is such an easy solution to help ALL lower paid workers, just take them out of all direct employment tax, Income & National Insurance.

    Why we charge people earning about £8k a year and above NI and above £11.5k a year income tax is beyond me. Just don't tax people on the first say £20k and amend the other rates accordingly (have 21% band above and then 41% or whatever is needed).

    Someone on £20k per year pays circa £1,700 in income tax and £1,500 in national insurance, that's 16% of their gross pay. Even someone on the minimum wage (circa £13k per annum) would be circa £1000 better off a year if they didn't pay Income tax or NI.

    Far easier and helps all lower paid workers not just a % based on who you are employed by.

    I thought Labours mantra was 'for the many not the few'........
    Well @Rob7Lee the government is the one responsible for how the public sector performs or otherwise and is the indirect employer as these services are paid for out of taxes. The Government is therefore (via Local Authorities, the NHS et al) the only organisation that can raise or lower the pay of the people it employs. The NHS in particular is facing a recruitment crisis, whoever is in government needs to tackle that.

    Of course Labour's policies also would have helped people in the private sector like banning zero hour contracts, the living wage and free university education etc. On top of that there is the benefit all of society gets from increasing schools budgets, having more police and beefing up the border guard numbers.

    The thing with raising the income tax threshold is of course that everybody benefits, even those earning £100k pa. It is a laudable policy on first viewing but I would rather we have progressive taxation that whilst benefiting us all also targeted help where it was most needed and most able to help.

    I also think there is an boast to people self-respect when they 'contribute' via taxation. They may get more back than they put in but they are putting into the pot and it gives every chance that in the future they can develop in to net payers. Incidentally despite the rhetoric it is still not 'always' better financially to be in work rather than on benefits, which is a One Nation Tory ideal I support but is just not happening.
    Highlighted in bold, that's only the case if you don't amend the rate of taxation which I would, as I said, you couldn't do it without doing so. It would be very easy to increase the personal allowance and raise where NI kicks in and also the rate bands so that only the lower earners benefit which is what we need and not just in the public sector.

    Surely lifting the pay rise cap will also help the high earners in the public sector? So whether you earn £10k or £250k but happen to be employed in the public sector you'll benefit. But sorry, earn £10k in the private sector and you are on your own.

    The part in bold and italic, on that basis lets scrap the personal allowance altogether then so that everyone pays tax no matter how little they earn so that they feel as if they are contributing :neutral:

    If there are recruitment issues in one sector such as Nursing then deal with that specific, just like we did in teaching in the late 90's with the R&R awards, that worked too well though as many teachers then couldn't find a job.

This discussion has been closed.

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