daylightrobber
Player Valuation: £15m
Or better still, post a contradictory infographic/article
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The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )
- Thread starter rascal
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daylightrobber
Player Valuation: £15m
Hardly surprising. It's impossible to defend.
I studied politics at uni so I consider myself quite well versed but to the casual voter 80% of what I know is probably not of interest to them. It's quite frustrating that issues which may directly effect voters further down the line are cast aside but that's the nature of the beast.
People have short attention spans and it's the attention grabbing soundbites which win votes. Take UKIP for example, people lap up their stance on immigration but I wonder how many of their supporters could name 2 more policies?
The Esk
Player Valuation: £70m
I don't have the figures to hand but because health, education and overseas development budgets are ringfenced then the cuts elsewhere are significantly higher, plus they are over and above cuts already in place/planned.
Will post more later in a non partisan way if possible
Cuts in Government spending outside of protected areas, year on year:
2011-12: -6%
2012-13: -6%
2013-14: -3%
2014-15: -5%
2015-16: -4%
2016-19: -8% per annum
daylightrobber
Player Valuation: £15m
Couldn't agree more re: the soundbites
If there are issues that have been discussed that you want to revisit to expand upon, please do. We've got another 15 days!
It's not just the publics fault, it suit the politicians and the media
I'm sure over the next 15 days there will be more than enough to keep us busy! This by and large is a really good thread, plenty of sensible debate and respectful arguments from both sides of the spectrum.
True enough. Soundbites have always been part and parcel of election campaigns (Labour isn't working, Back to Basics etc) but one of the shadows New Labour cast that still looms large is the idea of spin. It's quite sad the age of the off the cuff soapbox speech is dead, in place we have carefully crafted ones delivered via auto queue.
and legions of well paid 'advisors'
Regardless of what you think of the politicians, there are at least 30 people on this site that appear to be voting that way. You calling other members scum isn't going to end well, even if it is done in jest. Tone it down please
The Esk
Player Valuation: £70m
The fact that it has stayed open is a testament to the contributors to the thread who in the main have argued politics rather than with each other and generally in good spirit. Hence making this one if the best threads on GOT.
As we run up to the election and things hot up, it would be good if we can all maintain previous standards
daylightrobber
Player Valuation: £15m
From the BBC this morning.
Food banks used by 'more than one million people' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32406120
More than one million people sought emergency help from food banks in the last year, a charity has said.
The Trussell Trust said 1,084,604 people received supplies in the last financial year, an increase of 19% over the previous 12 months.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Rachel Reeves said the "shocking rise" showed the "Tory plan" was failing.
A Conservative spokesman said their "long-term economic plan" would ensure economic security for more people.
The Trussell Trust said almost 400,000 children were among those receiving at least three days' worth of supplies from the charity's 445 food banks across the UK in the past year.
It said "record numbers" of people were seeking help.
The figure does not include other food banks run by small charities and churches.
'Listen to people'
Problems with benefits was the main reason people visited food banks and there had been an increase in those on low incomes seeking help, the trust said.
Food bank managers reported dealing with people struggling with insecure work, low pay and high living costs.
Trussell Trust UK food bank director Adrian Curtis said the charity's facilities were increasingly hosting additional services including debt counselling and welfare advice.
"The Trussell Trust's latest figures highlight how vital it is that we all work to prevent and relieve hunger in the UK," he said.
"It's crucial that we listen to the experiences of people using food banks to truly understand the nature of the problems they face."
The new figure does not include other food banks run by small charities and churches
Carmel McConnell, chief executive of the Magic Breakfast charity, which delivers food to schools, said there had been an increase in the number of requests for urgent deliveries.
Oxfam head of UK poverty Rachael Orr said the figures were "extremely worrying".
Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey said the news figures revealed a "scandal of epic dimensions".
'A family too many'
"Something has gone grotesquely wrong when so many people, in and out of work, have to turn to charity to feed their children," he said.
"One family failing to make ends meet each month is a family too many," a Conservative spokesman said.
"The best way to help families provide for themselves is cut taxes and to get more people into work and there are already two million more people in work since the election."
Labour's Ms Reeves said: "David Cameron's failure to tackle low pay, the bedroom tax and delays in benefit payments have led to over a million people depending on emergency food aid.
"Labour has a better plan to raise working families' living standards so fewer people depend on food banks to survive."
Do they really expect us to believe this nonsense when tax cuts aren't a solution for those on very low pay, people are in lower paid work than ever and benefits have been slashed? This is a problem in the here and now. A solution needs to be delivered immediately. We can't hope that a plan will work which might make things better a few years down the line.
Food banks used by 'more than one million people' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32406120
More than one million people sought emergency help from food banks in the last year, a charity has said.
The Trussell Trust said 1,084,604 people received supplies in the last financial year, an increase of 19% over the previous 12 months.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Rachel Reeves said the "shocking rise" showed the "Tory plan" was failing.
A Conservative spokesman said their "long-term economic plan" would ensure economic security for more people.
The Trussell Trust said almost 400,000 children were among those receiving at least three days' worth of supplies from the charity's 445 food banks across the UK in the past year.
It said "record numbers" of people were seeking help.
The figure does not include other food banks run by small charities and churches.
'Listen to people'
Problems with benefits was the main reason people visited food banks and there had been an increase in those on low incomes seeking help, the trust said.
Food bank managers reported dealing with people struggling with insecure work, low pay and high living costs.
Trussell Trust UK food bank director Adrian Curtis said the charity's facilities were increasingly hosting additional services including debt counselling and welfare advice.
"The Trussell Trust's latest figures highlight how vital it is that we all work to prevent and relieve hunger in the UK," he said.
"It's crucial that we listen to the experiences of people using food banks to truly understand the nature of the problems they face."
The new figure does not include other food banks run by small charities and churches
Carmel McConnell, chief executive of the Magic Breakfast charity, which delivers food to schools, said there had been an increase in the number of requests for urgent deliveries.
Oxfam head of UK poverty Rachael Orr said the figures were "extremely worrying".
Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey said the news figures revealed a "scandal of epic dimensions".
'A family too many'
"Something has gone grotesquely wrong when so many people, in and out of work, have to turn to charity to feed their children," he said.
"One family failing to make ends meet each month is a family too many," a Conservative spokesman said.
"The best way to help families provide for themselves is cut taxes and to get more people into work and there are already two million more people in work since the election."
Labour's Ms Reeves said: "David Cameron's failure to tackle low pay, the bedroom tax and delays in benefit payments have led to over a million people depending on emergency food aid.
"Labour has a better plan to raise working families' living standards so fewer people depend on food banks to survive."
Do they really expect us to believe this nonsense when tax cuts aren't a solution for those on very low pay, people are in lower paid work than ever and benefits have been slashed? This is a problem in the here and now. A solution needs to be delivered immediately. We can't hope that a plan will work which might make things better a few years down the line.
Milk
Udderly delicious
Just so that you voters lucky enough to have a choice outside of mainstream ......... or indeed those who have seen the light, may I point you in the direction of your "X":
Official Monster Raving Loony Party Candidates for Parliamentary & Local Elections, May 7th 2015.
Parliamentary
Those with sharp eyes will note that unfortunately I could not raise the Wonga to stand myself as times are hard and I couldn't find 10 signatories but my policies would have been appealing to all (if I had any).
VOTE LOONY
Official Monster Raving Loony Party Candidates for Parliamentary & Local Elections, May 7th 2015.
Parliamentary
- Howling Laud – Uxbridge and South Ruislip
- Baron Von Thunderclap – Mid Sussex
- Johnny Disco – Wythenshawe and Sale East
- Peter E. Hill – Louth and Horncastle
- Nick the Flying Brick – Doncaster North
- Nicholas Robert Blunderbuss Green – Kenilworth and Southam
- The Dame Dixon – Hove and Portslade
- Mad Max Bobetsky – North East Hampshire
- Mark Beech – Aldridge and Brownhills
- Ann Kelly, The Mid Bed Minx – Mid Bedfordshire
- Baron Barnes Von Claptrap – Gower, South Wales.
- Mad Hatter – Oxford East
- Mad Mike Young – Sittingbourne and Sheppey
- Hairy Knorm Davidson – Faversham and Mid Kent
- Baron Von Magpie – Islwyn
- George Ridgeon – Gloucester
- Howling Laud – Also standing in his home town of Fleet, Hampshire, for a District Council Seat, to go along with his Town Council one!
- Baron Von Thunderclap – Bolney Parish Council [unopposed]
- Lord Cameron of Roundwood – Northenden Manchester – Local Council
- Baron Fullstop – Wickmanford Ward – Wychaven Dist Council, Worcestershire. Also Childwickham, Worcs – [Unopposed]
- Mad Mike Young – Minster on Sea [Unopposed]
- Chris Worfolk – City and Hunslet, Leeds.
- Mad Max Bobetsky – Hart District, Elevetham, Hants.
- Adam Gzunder Campbell – Brunswick and Adelaide Ward, Hove.
- Sir Oink-a-Lot – Sharston, Manchester
- Martin Hogbin – Limpsfield Parish, Oxted, Surrey
- Nick the Flying Brick – Kirk Ireton Parish Council [unopposed]
- Peter E. Hill – Great Carlton Parish – Lincolnshire
- Roger Monksummers – Gillingham, Dorset.
Those with sharp eyes will note that unfortunately I could not raise the Wonga to stand myself as times are hard and I couldn't find 10 signatories but my policies would have been appealing to all (if I had any).
VOTE LOONY
Clint Planet
Utter Cad.
Regardless of what you think of the politicians, there are at least 30 people on this site that appear to be voting that way. You calling other members scum isn't going to end well, even if it is done in jest. Tone it down please
For what it's worth, I was referring specifically to those in the press who were attempting to smear Sturgeon but I take the point and happily apologise to all concerned.
You've made you fair share of "ironic" and "wind-up" posts on this thread, Bruce.
Aye, and I know they're very much in the spirit of GOT. Things can easily get lost in translation in a thread like this though as nerves seem a little more fraught than on more lighthearted threads.
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