The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Toffeelover]

What a n ugly mug on the back of the van. BTW love the added slogans.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

further proof, whomever is in power, we are governed by people who are not experts in their particular field, generally speaking, and seem to be totally reliant on advisers, it does seem strange that at the highest level of education, health, environment or even finance, the guy at the top isn't an experienced expert

Well, the NHS has a chief executive now who does come from a health background. Which makes it all the more baffling that all the electioneering going on by any party seldom seems to reference the five year plan produced by that CEO about six months ago. It's hard to tell if the politicians are mugs or they assume we are.

 

[Eggs]

further proof, whomever is in power, we are governed by people who are not experts in their particular field, generally speaking, and seem to be totally reliant on advisers, it does seem strange that at the highest level of education, health, environment or even finance, the guy at the top isn't an experienced expert

...or perhaps an egotist who thinks he knows best. I suspect many of these appointments involve some of the old boys looking after each other.

 

[Walken]

Well, the NHS has a chief executive now who does come from a health background. Which makes it all the more baffling that all the electioneering going on by any party seldom seems to reference the five year plan produced by that CEO about six months ago. It's hard to tell if the politicians are mugs or they assume we are.

yeah for sure, I was just generalising, I'm not sure there is a viable alternative across the board in politics, its just something that always struck me as odd, and must leave the minister in charge open to some errors of judgement or at the mercy of his advisors, or even worse make it easier for him/her to make decisions based around a larger agenda than the department they are running

 

[roydo]

Watching that Behind the Scenes at Parliament, makes you wonder how anything ever gets done.

 

[Joey66]

Watching that Behind the Scenes at Parliament, makes you wonder how anything ever gets done.

Yes it highlights an outdated system taking place in a meuseum!

 

[rascal]

Rant:

My left-wing views have been on display in this thread and I'm proud to say that I'm a socialist, but, how is it fair that people who are stupid enough to get themselves up the duff, not being able to afford to care for their child, lounge around the house all day watching Jeremy Kyle, get a free house fully paid for by myself and my fellow British taxpayer, yet people like me who do the right thing and work, don't have kids because they know they can't afford to, are still stuck at home as they simply can't afford to live independently. The system as it is totally skewwhiff. More needs to be done to assist people like myself who do the right thing. I work for a housing association so I'm pretty much on the front line when it comes to dealing with the type of people that I mentioned initially, and of course it doesn't help that the people I deal with are largely rude, ignorant and feel entitled to everything. Fair to say things such as that leave me flummoxed about this country. For the record I'm totally fine with people who claim benefits but seek to put back into the community by volunteering their time helping various causes and charities, as I did similar before starting this job and have always felt that this is the least people claiming JSA should do.

Rant Over.

tl;dr? A party in this general election needs to commit to helping people who work full time on a minimal wage, to live independently, instead of continuing to dig the shirkers out of a hole.

 

[Joey66]

Rant:

My left-wing views have been on display in this thread and I'm proud to say that I'm a socialist, but, how is it fair that people who are stupid enough to get themselves up the duff, not being able to afford to care for their child, lounge around the house all day watching Jeremy Kyle, get a free house fully paid for by myself and my fellow British taxpayer, yet people like me who do the right thing and work, don't have kids because they know they can't afford to, are still stuck at home as they simply can't afford to live independently. The system as it is totally skewwhiff. More needs to be done to assist people like myself who do the right thing. I work for a housing association so I'm pretty much on the front line when it comes to dealing with the type of people that I mentioned initially, and of course it doesn't help that the people I deal with are largely rude, ignorant and feel entitled to everything. Fair to say things such as that leave me flummoxed about this country. For the record I'm totally fine with people who claim benefits but seek to put back into the community by volunteering their time helping various causes and charities, as I did similar before starting this job and have always felt that this is the least people claiming JSA should do.

Rant Over.

tl;dr? A party in this general election needs to commit to helping people who work full time on a minimal wage, to live independently, instead of continuing to dig the shirkers out of a hole.

some Socialist supporting the Tories Workfare programme this is actually happening now do you ever wonder why unemployment is plummeting , and income tax receipts are the lowest ever it does just not add up- also if you work for benefits it stops employers actually paying someone a wage. I know its a vicious circle, but this country needs real contracted jobs not zero hour ones !
The charity thing the DWP can get funny over that too saying you are not looking for a proper job!

 

[rascal]

some Socialist supporting the Tories Workfare programme this is actually happening now do you ever wonder why unemployment is plummeting , and income tax receipts are the lowest ever it does just not add up- also if you work for benefits it stops employers actually paying someone a wage. I know its a vicious circle, but this country needs real contracted jobs not zero hour ones !
The charity thing the DWP can get funny over that too saying you are not looking for a proper job!

I'm not sure you're well placed to comment given your apparent support for UKIP within this very thread, the Tory Workfare programme is designed to placate the type of person that UKIP hope to attract.

The DWP getting funny over volunteer work is largely a myth, minus the stupid idea of a few years ago of forcing people to work for free at corporations such as Poundland instead of local museums or hospitals, but certainly in my experience, volunteering was something that was strongly encouraged when I was claiming JSA.

People should be encouraged to work, not feel burdened by it. By the same token people should not be given money without sacrificing a part of their selves, no matter what their social status is.

 

[bring the ghost on]

Rant:

My left-wing views have been on display in this thread and I'm proud to say that I'm a socialist, but, how is it fair that people who are stupid enough to get themselves up the duff, not being able to afford to care for their child, lounge around the house all day watching Jeremy Kyle, get a free house fully paid for by myself and my fellow British taxpayer, yet people like me who do the right thing and work, don't have kids because they know they can't afford to, are still stuck at home as they simply can't afford to live independently. The system as it is totally skewwhiff. More needs to be done to assist people like myself who do the right thing. I work for a housing association so I'm pretty much on the front line when it comes to dealing with the type of people that I mentioned initially, and of course it doesn't help that the people I deal with are largely rude, ignorant and feel entitled to everything. Fair to say things such as that leave me flummoxed about this country. For the record I'm totally fine with people who claim benefits but seek to put back into the community by volunteering their time helping various causes and charities, as I did similar before starting this job and have always felt that this is the least people claiming JSA should do.

Rant Over.

tl;dr? A party in this general election needs to commit to helping people who work full time on a minimal wage, to live independently, instead of continuing to dig the shirkers out of a hole.

I totally agree that more needs to be done to help people who work for the minimum wage. It is hard to make ends meet. I don't think it's humane or moral to have people work for such a low amount.

The problem is, I think you're venting your anger at the wrong people. Those unemployed people living in council houses are equally the victims of the same system which is responsible for rubbish wages for hard working people.

I'm not a socialist in the strictest sense of the word, but if you claim to be one yourself then you should surely be venting your anger at those who are reaping the vast profits at the expense of the majority. After all, there is very little to envy about an unemployed single mother living in a council flat.

 

[rascal]

I totally agree that more needs to be done to help people who work for the minimum wage. It is hard to make ends meet. I don't think it's humane or moral to have people work for such a low amount.

The problem is, I think you're venting your anger at the wrong people. Those unemployed people living in council houses are equally the victims of the same system which is responsible for rubbish wages for hard working people.

I'm not a socialist in the strictest sense of the word, but if you claim to be one yourself then you should surely be venting your anger at those who are reaping the vast profits at the expense of the majority. After all, there is very little to envy about an unemployed single mother living in a council flat.

I agree entirely. In my mind these people should be first to be hanged, drawn and quartered, with the workshy a distant second.

 

[Joey66]

I'm not sure you're well placed to comment given your apparent support for UKIP within this very thread, the Tory Workfare programme is designed to placate the type of person that UKIP hope to attract.

The DWP getting funny over volunteer work is largely a myth, minus the stupid idea of a few years ago of forcing people to work for free at corporations such as Poundland instead of local museums or hospitals, but certainly in my experience, volunteering was something that was strongly encouraged when I was claiming JSA.

People should be encouraged to work, not feel burdened by it. By the same token people should not be given money without sacrificing a part of their selves, no matter what their social status is.

I will be voting Labour ? I have been fortunate to never claimed J S A - but I despise the nasty Tory party, and if UKIP stop them getting in = great news for me!
There are more tax avoiders costing the state far more than benefit claiments as publicised this week do you have a Swiss bank account?

 

[rascal]

I will be voting Labour ? I have been fortunate to never claimed J S A - but I despise the nasty Tory party, and if UKIP stop them getting in = great news for me!
There are more tax avoiders costing the state far more than benefit claiments as publicised this week do you have a Swiss bank account?

As stated, I'm not against the benefit system especially as I benefitted from it in the past albeit I also devoted some of my time to volunteering in the local community whilst claiming as I consider that to be fair. I'm against people who feel they deserve reward for doing nothing. People need to stop pussyfooting around this issue by bringing up the issue of those at the top, they're both culpable of being complete and utter *insert swear word here* who are a drag for the ordinary working person and just as deserving of contempt. Workers need help and are more deserving of that help than wasters. I'm not sure what's so difficult to grasp about that.

 

[Toffeelover]

Rant:

My left-wing views have been on display in this thread and I'm proud to say that I'm a socialist, but, how is it fair that people who are stupid enough to get themselves up the duff, not being able to afford to care for their child, lounge around the house all day watching Jeremy Kyle, get a free house fully paid for by myself and my fellow British taxpayer, yet people like me who do the right thing and work, don't have kids because they know they can't afford to, are still stuck at home as they simply can't afford to live independently. The system as it is totally skewwhiff. More needs to be done to assist people like myself who do the right thing. I work for a housing association so I'm pretty much on the front line when it comes to dealing with the type of people that I mentioned initially, and of course it doesn't help that the people I deal with are largely rude, ignorant and feel entitled to everything. Fair to say things such as that leave me flummoxed about this country. For the record I'm totally fine with people who claim benefits but seek to put back into the community by volunteering their time helping various causes and charities, as I did similar before starting this job and have always felt that this is the least people claiming JSA should do.

Rant Over.

tl;dr? A party in this general election needs to commit to helping people who work full time on a minimal wage, to live independently, instead of continuing to dig the shirkers out of a hole.

Rascal you must have the patience of a saint, well done.

Whilst the current amalgamation have made mistakes there is one commendable thing they have done. You are a taxpayer, in 2010 your free pay before tax was £6475, in April this year it will be £10600, an increase of £4125 which has meant that you will pay £825 less tax in other words more spending money in your pocket. If ther are two working people in the household it will be £1650.

In 1997 the allowance was £4045, it took Labour 15 year to get this up to £6475 and increase of £2430. That hardly helped with the cost of living!

 

[rascal]

Rascal you must have the patience of a saint, well done.

Whilst the current amalgamation have made mistakes there is one commendable thing they have done. You are a taxpayer, in 2010 your free pay before tax was £6475, in April this year it will be £10600, an increase of £4125 which has meant that you will pay £825 less tax in other words more spending money in your pocket. If ther are two working people in the household it will be £1650.

In 1997 the allowance was £4045, it took Labour 15 year to get this up to £6475 and increase of £2430. That hardly helped with the cost of living!

Indeed, kudos to the Lib Dems for that