The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[1966efc]

Because, as has been mentioned above, the elderly tend to vote a lot more than any other age group. No political party really has the courage to take them on, which is why even the small changes to retirement age have been so difficult to achieve.

Courage is in short supply. I've yet to hear a single politician from any party tell the truth about public services or social security benefits, including pensions.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

difficult they conned people into adding years to their state pension, and then announced the change i 12 months later how was that con difficult?

There were old folks naked. Makes it hard in anyones book. Good to see they had the decency to wear sandels though.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Courage is in short supply. I've yet to hear a single politician from any party tell the truth about public services or social security benefits, including pensions.

Indeed. I think it was Esk that posted several pages back about the cuts per department that were made. Having certain politically combustible areas ring fenced (particularly the NHS and pensions) makes it so much harder on other areas, especially as the ring fenced parts represent such a large part of the overall budget. Not especially fair really, and you suspect it was done for political reasons rather than anything practical.

 

[The Esk]

Indeed. I think it was Esk that posted several pages back about the cuts per department that were made. Having certain politically combustible areas ring fenced (particularly the NHS and pensions) makes it so much harder on other areas, especially as the ring fenced parts represent such a large part of the overall budget. Not especially fair really, and you suspect it was done for political reasons rather than anything practical.

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

 

[The Esk]

Not especially fair really

Why is it not fair to protect the Health Service, Education and overseas development?

 

[daylightrobber]

So why if Old age pension takes up 75% of welfare do they attack the sick, and disabled in a massive cost to private firms like ATOS they have packed in and IDS has fetched in a more scandalous firm from the USA with an awful record of financial accounts!?

https://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/maximus-are-the-new-atos-destroy-maximus/
The company has a history of ending lawsuits against it in the USA by making out-of-court settlements costing millions of dollars, with the most notable plaintiffs being the US government in a case involving falsified Medicaid claims, and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in a case involving disability discrimination.

Claimants of sickness and disability benefits in the UK are deeply distressed that their government should be insensitive enough to hire such a firm

I'm sure you'll all remember these.......

How on earth Gideon got away them I do not know.

They're not actually that bad an idea, but not splitting pensions (or indeed all benefits) out is very very naughty in my book. This government has done more than its fair share to stigmatise welfare recipients, making out that they are nothing but a drain on the public purse.

These propaganda leaflets were even paid for out of our taxes ffs. No shame whatsoever.

 

[Joey66]

There were old folks naked. Makes it hard in anyones book. Good to see they had the decency to wear sandels though.

They were stripped of private pensions thats why they are hiding their privates!

 

[Milk]

They were stripped of private pensions thats why they are hiding their privates!

Think I preferred the face sitting protest .........

 

[Bruce Wayne]

They were stripped of private pensions thats why they are hiding their privates!

It was the funnest picture I could find. I'm sure there are plenty of photos of state pension protests

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Why is it not fair to protect the Health Service, Education and overseas development?

In the sense that other departments saw larger reductions in their budgets to compensate.

 

[Joey66]

In the sense that other departments saw larger reductions in their budgets to compensate.

So after all these cuts the national debt has nearly doubled growth is worse tha 2010 - The deficit as only come down for a third when the coalition promised it would be cleared - the police force is at breaking point , the armed services may reduce to 60-80,000 the same numbers as the Boer war! Yes the economy is that good the polls are neck and neck!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

So after all these cuts the national debt has nearly doubled growth is worse tha 2010 - The deficit as only come down for a third when the coalition promised it would be cleared - the police force is at breaking point , the armed services may reduce to 60-80,000 the same numbers as the Boer war! Yes the economy is that good the polls are neck and neck!

As with any decision though, you have to look at the opportunity cost. What would anyone else have done any differently? You might well argue about the strength of any economic growth, but Britain is growing faster than any other European country.

As an example, France has a socialist government, yet their economy has fared much worse than ours over the last five years. Our unemployment rate is roughly half that of France, our youth unemployment rate is 10 percent lower than theirs, and their debt to GDP levels are 6 percent higher.

So sure, our government might have been able to do a lot better in many areas, but I'm not sure this automatic assumption that a Labour government would have done better really holds much water.

 

[chewee]

So after all these cuts the national debt has nearly doubled growth is worse tha 2010 - The deficit as only come down for a third when the coalition promised it would be cleared - the police force is at breaking point , the armed services may reduce to 60-80,000 the same numbers as the Boer war! Yes the economy is that good the polls are neck and neck!

The tories are very lucky this election is so soon after the referendum in Scotland, any other era and they'd be a long way behind. The ugly nature of the no campaign has left a bitter taste in the mouth of the Scots, even those against a split in the union have turned against Westminster.

 

[Whistlin' Dixie]

I'm sure you'll all remember these.......

How on earth Gideon got away them I do not know.

They're not actually that bad an idea, but not splitting pensions (or indeed all benefits) out is very very naughty in my book. This government has done more than its fair share to stigmatise welfare recipients, making out that they are nothing but a drain on the public purse.

These propaganda leaflets were even paid for out of our taxes ffs. No shame whatsoever.

Absolutely! Aided & abetted by the dailys heil & excess.

If the bullingdon club beauts get in again we can expect to see it going this way.......

Roughly translated: "60,000 Reichsmarks is what it costs the community throughout the lifetime of a disabled person. That's YOUR money"

EDIT: Dunno why the picture is on there at the top

 

[1966efc]

View attachment 8511


Absolutely! Aided & abetted by the dailys heil & excess.

If the bullingdon club beauts get in again we can expect to see it going this way.......View attachment 8511

Roughly translated: "60,000 Reichsmarks is what it costs the community throughout the lifetime of a disabled person. That's YOUR money"

EDIT: Dunno why the picture is on there at the top

Are there no prisons?'' asked Scrooge.

``Plenty of prisons,'' said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.

``And the Union workhouses?'' demanded Scrooge. ``Are they still in operation?''

``They are. Still,'' returned the gentleman, `` I wish I could say they were not.''

``The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?'' said Scrooge.

``Both very busy, sir.''

``Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,'' said Scrooge. ``I'm very glad to hear it.''

``Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,'' returned the gentleman, ``a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?''

``Nothing!'' Scrooge replied.

``You wish to be anonymous?''

``I wish to be left alone,'' said Scrooge. ``Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.''

``Many can't go there; and many would rather die.''

``If they would rather die,'' said Scrooge, ``they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population".

Charles Dickens