2015 post UK election discussion

[bring the ghost on]

It always will be though. The press were a massive ball and chain on the Tories during the Blair years, but instead of moaning about it they managed to turn it around.

Fair enough, but its a lot easier for the Tories regain the support of the Murdoch press because they are of the same ideology, whereas traditionally (the Blair years obviously being the exception), Labour and the Murdoch press are ideologically opposed.

Therefore, the question for Labour becomes, just how far should they renege on your philosophy to get the support of the press.

 

[Mrk]

Murdoch backed a winner in that instance. It was always going to be a landslide because the Tory government were so popular. It helped that Blair occupied the centre ground, however, they would always return to their beloved Tory party the second there was a chance they would be voted back in, which is what happened.

The sun have backed the 'winner' every year since 1979. Lest we forget that Murdoch was extremely close to Blair and New Labour and was a very enthusiastic backer.

But again, to my first point, there are one group of people who will be delighted that Labour are obsessing about newspapers/Murdoch - that group of people is the Tories. Exactly the same thing happened in 2010, and look where that go them? They ended up with a leader nobody wanted who took them down a blind alley.

I'm no fan of the Labour party at all, but I think a Labour party that thinks rationally and puts across genuinely interesting and helpful policies is vital, so I hope to god they sort their sh*t out.

 

[peteblue]

any views how the snp will go now the tories have complete power ?
the scots can huff and puff as much as they like but call me dave can just say, so what old bean, yes just put the kettle on and be a good thing woman, and they cant do a thing about it.
He has nothing to lose up there and everything to gain in England by standing up to them, or putting them in there place.

Exactly. He doesn't need to pander to them, even though I would just cut them loose and say goodbye. It needs to be pointed out to the SNP that in terms of the UK electorate the SNP came 5th with a poxy 1.4M votes, just ahead of the Greens.....

 

[Mrk]

Fair enough, got its a lot easier for the Tories regain the support of the Murdoch press because they are of the same ideology, whereas traditionally (the Blair years obviously being the exception), Labour and the Murdoch press are ideologically opposed.

Therefore, the question for Labour becomes, just how far should they renege on your philosophy to get the support of the press.

The answer is, they shouldn't.

Instead, they should focus on coming up with policies that actually chime with people.

 

[Seanjd]

We reject ideals of egalitarianism because we believe in Freedom and being rewarded according to your god given talent, allied to your will to work.

Are you saying that if you have a talent and a will to work then you will be successful? I work with families everyday who would not recognise this I'm afraid. It is simply not true.

 

[bring the ghost on]

You don't have a *right* to healthcare or food

This is where the left and right differ. I believe that a compassionate society would provide health care to anyone in need of it.

If you don't believe that, then that's fine, but please don't say ''the left doesn't have a monopoly on compassion and social justice'', because the rest of your post, the last five years and every tory govt in living memory suggests otherwise.

 

[bring the ghost on]

The answer is, they shouldn't.

Instead, they should focus on coming up with policies that actually chime with people.

But when the media has such a large influence and the country has been overwhelmingly right of centre since 1979, do you not think that the policies which chime with people are also the policies which could be considered pandering to the right wing press?

 

[daylightrobber]

@Seanjd @daylightrobber

Some of you are very pro mass immigration. Just out of curiosity, if we left the EU do you think we'd then have controlled immigration rather than mass immigration? And if so why?



lol so dramatic.

If we leave the EU it'll be on a Tory watch which almost certainly means controlled immigration yep. A yes to leaving vote will be carte blanche for the Tories to manoeuvre themselves even further to the right. I don't think @Whistlin' Dixie is too far from the truth tbh. Without the foreigners to exploit it's the logical conclusion.

 

[AndyC]

It needs to be pointed out to the SNP that in terms of the UK electorate the SNP came 5th with a poxy 1.4M votes, just ahead of the Greens.....

Which under PR would be entirely relevant, however as long as this country operates a FPTP electoral system, they won by a country mile.
For the Greens to only have one seat as compared to 56 does indeed appear woefully disjointed and think how UKIP are feeling given their share of the vote too.
Sadly the Tories played a blinder in their campaign of discrediting Labour, demonising the SNP, slagging off their erstwhile bed mates from the LibDems and concentrating their focus on the economy supposedly getting stronger.

 

[Tramps_mate]

Just read this one.. wow. just wow..

Job Seekers Allowance for 18 to 21-year-olds will be replaced with a Youth Allowance. It will only be available for six months, after which they will have to work or study to qualify for payments. Young people will no longer be automatically entitled to Housing Benefit, regardless of their situation.

That could go very wrong indeed.

 

[Tubey]

Mods can google things they don't understand.

Supermods don't need to.

 

[peteblue]

Ed summed it all up when during his resignation speech he said he'd " lost the election, but not the argument"........when you are so deluded and wrapped up in your own self belief and certainty then, quite frankly, you have lost the plot. Ed Balls was exactly the same in his absolute refusal to accept any criticism of the debt or any recognition that under the coalition that they were getting somethings right. Political dogma and tribalism is one thing, to bury your head in the sand is quite another, and I for one am pleased to see the back of a couple of know nothing political overlords...........

 

[bizzaro]

Supermods don't need to.

 

[davek]

Have they started yet? Throwing babies up in the air and bayonetting them?

 

[bizzaro]

Have they started yet? Throwing babies up in the air and bayonetting them?

No mate. Thats tomorrow.