Leader or Loser ?

[observer]

Well Gordon has backed down over the 10p tax debacle; but perhaps too late to placate some angry voters. The whole thing shows a lack of thought out policy (like their non-policy on immigration); where they continually fail to assess the probable results of their knee jerk actions. Their obsession with child poverty for example; has meant ?millions being thrown at feckless single mothers, who now make a career out of having kids by multiple partners for the child allowance, and because it's cash, there's no guarantee the money isn't spent on booze,and fags, rather than the kids. Far better, to subsidise the needs of THE KIDS via free school meals, school uniforms etc - but that seems to appear toooo simple.

[asperity]

Gordon is incapable of doing "simple". To help the poor the simple solution is to take them out of the tax net altogether, but instead Gordon prefers to tax them first and then give some of it back in the form of credits. Of course this has the effect of people thinking they are being given something for nothing while the reality is that they are only being given their own money. New Labour thus has ensured that it has a loyal electorate because they only have to suggest that the nasty tories will stop the nice tax credits to keep them loyal. Con artist Gordon.

[Peter T]

What is "Child Poverty"?

Seems to me that those on benefits are better off than those prepared to work.

[observer]

I'm presuming that "child poverty" refers to an inability to have adequate food, warmth, clothing and housing etc; and doesn't refer to a lack of designer trainers or a cell phone. Asp is right; it would be simple to lift the tax threshold altogether, thus taking the poor out of paying any tax at all. Also, rather than giving feckless parents more spare cash, it would be better to subsidise those commodities and services deemed essential to every child.

[Bazj]

rather than giving feckless parents more spare cash, it would be better to subsidise those commodities and services deemed essential to every child.

 

But feckless parents would think it essential that little Chantelle and Christiano have the latest laptop, Playstation3 and designer clothes just like their mates at school whose parents decided to work for their luxuries.

[observer]

Ah BUT; IF ALL schools had a school uniform only rule; everyone could wear their cheap uniform without being made to feel poor or inadequate. Plus a ban on mobile phones etc - sorted.

[Windy]

Come on you have to feel sorry for Gordon. He does not know how to spin and is stuck with all of the lack of substance TB had.

 

TB stitched him big time.

[Paul Kennedy]

But Mr Brown pushed for the job...that he is not capable of doing. Indeed I understand for the last few years of Mr Blair's premiership, the first thing Brown said to Blair in meetings was "when are you going". Brown has got all that he deserves....alas to the detriment of our country...until May 2010. Unfortuntunately the damage he has, and is causing will take some years to put right.

[Windy]

Paul,

 

I am not so sure that Tony was so good - I think that Brown was part of the power behind him but he is coming to reap what Tony sowed. Sadly for us due to Blairs three terms he will always be a hero to Labour and those rose tinted glasses will stay on.

 

I am not really convinced that Dave is any better than a blue Blair.

[Peter T]

But Blair was a RED Tory, so where does that leave things apart from confused.

[asperity]

To be honest just about anything would be better than the sham government we have at the moment. Joke doesn't begin to describe it.

[observer]

Seems personal emnities come before Party loyalty (nothing new about that! ); the Bliarites are now busy with a scorched earth policy to wreck Brown's tenure; so losing the next election isn't a consideration it seems. The latest knife in Gordon's back, comes in Lord Levy's memoires! Also, throwing the brown stuff around in sufficient quantity, ensures that it will stick. Plus half baked policies invented by Uni grads with no practical experience of life, couple with Gordon's indecisivness. The latest poll of Marginal Constituencies, shows about 135 New Labour MPs will be unemployed in 2010 - so it's goodbye to little red riding hood then!

[Paul Kennedy]

Seems so:

 

http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/

 

 

search under vulnerable seats.

[Windy]

Well even if 120-130 Labour MPS lose their seats they still get their redundancy payment and their pension don't they, Don't think many will be on the poverty line.

 

Maybe those inmarginals will be claiming more expenses from now on!

[observer]

Probably right Windy; think they'll spend their last couple of years on a binge!

[muttzy]

leader or loser? thought you were talking about your old mate PF in Wigan Obbsy, I see he is now a former Councillor If only he had taken my advice about his campaigning style.

[observer]

Errm nope; think we're talking about the transition of Mr Brown to Mr Bean - soon to be Mr Has Been!

[Chrissy]

I don't know anyone who doesn't feel totally let down by 10 years of Labour rule. Instead of giving people the means to provide for their own families they have continued with the Tory idea of a dependency culture. If people have decent jobs and have enough to live on they have freedom and autonomy. Pay them a pittance and make them apply for top up credits and you make them dependent on the state and thereby easier to control.

Couple that with the paranoid over-centralisation of almost every imaginable service and you end up with with something that is rapidly beginning to resemble a democratic dictatorship!