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Anyone else remember how bad it was under the last Tory government.
Comments
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Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind. - Albert Einstein.
“The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.”-
Orwell.0 -
Erm, Annie, did you read the article you linked beyond the first paragraph?
Below is the rest of the page, maybe you forgot to scrolll down.
PMs judged on their failures
From: P Rhodes, Colton, Leeds.
Where Tony Blair has succeeded as Labour leader and as Prime Minister is in reforming the Labour Party and making it electable, winning three General Elections with big majorities.
Tony Blair has remoulded British politics and helped the move towards power-sharing in Northern Ireland. But the British people will always remember the Prime Minister for Iraq.
All Prime Ministers are judged and remembered for the wrong things. Margaret Thatcher was remembered for the poll tax, John Major for Black Wednesday. Gordon Brown will be remembered for pensions.
Catalogue of damage
From: KJ Wilkinson, Mallinson Oval, Harrogate.
Blair's Britain is a nation divided by devolution, facing renewed calls for complete independence for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Blair's Britain is a nation mired in political correctness and struggling to escape the rising tide of spin, crime, sleaze, and gang culture.
Blair's Britain is a nation with no secure borders and no legal right to prevent any member of the EU from working or settling in Britain. Blair's Britain is a nation left with an alien system of government, where policy is executed at "arm's length" through the use of agencies, assemblies and other unelected bodies. Ministerial incompetence is widespread and has been allowed to assume the status of an art form.
Britain now needs a leader who is both willing and able to put in place measures designed to repair the terrible damage that Blair and his ministers have done to this once great country.
Enough of vain posturing
From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.
Now that we are approaching the hour when we can see the back of the present Prime Minister, may I express one hope; apart that is from observing the chosen date as a national holiday henceforth?
It is to be hoped that once he has left office, we are spared detailed and boring reportage of his doings as a private citizen and attempts to polish his image.
Personally I have had my fill of his vain posturing and windy speeches about "saving Africa" and "bringing peace to the Middle East" and other fantasies.
This individual who pretends he is just an "ordinary guy" is contemptuous of the democratic process and has done more to undermine it than any previous holder of the office.
Enough is enough.
Will Brown be even worse?
From: John W Hemingway, Hartshead, Liversedge.
I believe Tony Blair's legacy will be failure. He has failed on every front, whether that be education, transport, foreign policy or law and order. I suppose he has achieved one apparent success – in Northern Ireland – but only time will tell if it is a real success. Even so, that is greatly overshadowed by his failure to ensure our troops were properly equipped and supported in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At home, he has demotivated teachers and NHS staff by imposing his targets, when sensible managerial practice is to encourage and motivate staff, who will set their own targets and meet them if given the chance and the authority to do so.
The country is less confident, less well-off and less safe.
Ministers never resign honourably from his government and he fails to dismiss them when they fail.
The fear we must all have is that pensions-raider Brown, so fond of stealth taxes to fund rather silly spending schemes, will be even worse. The sooner they both go the better.
Terrible waste of opportunity
From: Philip Smith, Copandale Road, Beverley.
When I think of Blair's legacy the words that come most to mind are "huge disappointment" and "betrayal". This is a seemingly bright man that came to power in 1997 following on from John Major, one of the worst prime ministers we've ever had. It was therefore easy for Blair to look good. There was a mood of optimism.
He has singularly failed to effect a reform of the House of Lords so it is fully elected by the people for the people. As for Blair's mantra of being "tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime", he has done neither. Now that the prisons are full, largely due to his social policies, criminals are let loose who the majority know should be locked up.
Despite the billions thrown at the NHS, most people have noticed no improvement. Many surgeries are no longer open on Saturday mornings, and private medical insurance is as important as ever if you don't want to risk being on hospital waiting lists for months.
The relaxation of the drinking and gambling laws simply shows how cynically uncaring Blair is.
He and his Chancellor have worked out that they can collect more tax than it costs to police, lock up and deal with the extra alcoholism and gambling addiction that his policies will inevitably cause.
Blair took us to war on false premises. Then when our soldiers are killed by "friendly fire", he refuses to confront his "friend" President Bush about the Americans' refusal to hand over vital information to our coroners.
Finally, Blair hangs onto power so long that he leaves his post untrusted, unwanted and as a significant failure.
Blair is a man who has betrayed his principles, his country, his party, his friends and even those who have have been prepared to die, and have died, for their country.
What a terrible, terrible waste of 10 years.
Real help for the people
From: Les Brotherton, Caroline Street, Saltaire, Shipley, West Yorkshire.
Politics are about people. The effect on people, nationally, regionally and personally.
As Prime Minister, Tony Blair has seen the nation enjoy 10 years of growing prosperity, low interest rates, consistent growth, high employment, with over two million more Britons employed.
Although violent crime prospers, the government has provided more than 40,000 extra policemen. The NHS has been refinanced, with extra well paid staff, resulting in tens of thousands of Britons still living who would have perished under the previous administration.
Our children are better educated, in better schools, with well paid teachers, and more attaining university status.
We no longer have three million unemployed, 15 per cent interest rates, tens of thousands losing their homes and businesses, government for the affluent, privilege for the few.
We no longer have poor schools sharing books, even pens, and computers for well-off children only.
Mr Blair has done more for ordinary people in this country than any Prime Minister since Asquith.
Tony Blair has matched the achievements of Clement Attlee, although he does not have Attlee's superior Cabinet.
Well done Tony, your achievements are manifold, may you enjoy a long and happy retirement.
Pensioners bear brunt
From: Louis Dawson, Church Street, Burton Pidsea, East Yorkshire.
WE definitely feel much, much worse off in the last few years. As a retired person we seem to be taking the brunt of all Labour's mistakes.
We have no confidence in the country or the present administration, and I think that also other countries have no confidence in us any more.
The present Prime Minister has broken every promise he every made to us and particularly has let down our farmers and our fishing industry.
Pensions have just failed to keep pace with anything like the cost of living.
In the village, we have lost our bus service and we haven't a train service so we are forced to keep a motor car.
His total failure in Iraq will be his defining legacy.
Three words for 10 years
From: Sheila Brierley, Wilson Road, Mirfield.
MY views on the past decade of Tony Blair's government can be summed up in three words: chaos, hypocrisy and deceit.
Chaos – this government has brought in more new laws and regulations than any previous administration, and do we feel safer on the streets? Are things running more efficiently? No.
Hypocrisy – Blair boasted his government would be whiter than white. Sex scandals, cash for honours, bad news cover-ups – just a few of the sleaze-ridden issues over the past decade.
Arrogance – the number of times Mr Blair has said "We don't accept" is beyond belief.
Iraq's shadow
From: Mr PM Watson, Pye Avenue, Applewell, Barnsley.
I think Blair's 10 years have been OK. I think he's kept his word on education, he's made the health service better, much better.
The railways have improved, but I feel as though he's made a huge mistake with Iraq and he ought to give a date for Britain to leave.
Iraq will cloud his achievements.
Points
Guilty sleep
From: Marion F Riley, Hull Road, York.
Britain has changed and not for the better in all areas. The Iraq tragedy gets more and more appalling, and I wonder how Blair can sleep at night.
Worst of the lot
From: Holgate Illingworth, Mount Pleasant Farm, Bossall, York.
I always thought, Great Britain was truly great until Tony Blair took over. He will be known as the worst Prime Minister Britain has ever had.
Wage victory
From: Mr V Gordon, Hugh Street, Castleford.
What we must not forget is that Tony Blair introduced the minimum wage – albeit 40 years late. The Tories voted against it, maintaining their reputation of being the nasty party.
Legacy of blood
From: Malcolm Naylor, Grange View, Otley.
Tony Blair leaves a trail of blood behind. Thousands of deaths in five wars, social inequality, loss of liberty, expansion of capitalism and betrayal.I'll have some cheese please, bob.0 -
Erm, Annie, did you read the article you linked beyond the first paragraph?
Below is the rest of the page, maybe you forgot to scrolll down.
PMs judged on their failures
From: P Rhodes, Colton, Leeds.
Where Tony Blair has succeeded as Labour leader and as Prime Minister is in reforming the Labour Party and making it electable, winning three General Elections with big majorities.
Tony Blair has remoulded British politics and helped the move towards power-sharing in Northern Ireland. But the British people will always remember the Prime Minister for Iraq.
All Prime Ministers are judged and remembered for the wrong things. Margaret Thatcher was remembered for the poll tax, John Major for Black Wednesday. Gordon Brown will be remembered for pensions.
Catalogue of damage
From: KJ Wilkinson, Mallinson Oval, Harrogate.
Blair's Britain is a nation divided by devolution, facing renewed calls for complete independence for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Blair's Britain is a nation mired in political correctness and struggling to escape the rising tide of spin, crime, sleaze, and gang culture.
Blair's Britain is a nation with no secure borders and no legal right to prevent any member of the EU from working or settling in Britain. Blair's Britain is a nation left with an alien system of government, where policy is executed at "arm's length" through the use of agencies, assemblies and other unelected bodies. Ministerial incompetence is widespread and has been allowed to assume the status of an art form.
Britain now needs a leader who is both willing and able to put in place measures designed to repair the terrible damage that Blair and his ministers have done to this once great country.
Enough of vain posturing
From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.
Now that we are approaching the hour when we can see the back of the present Prime Minister, may I express one hope; apart that is from observing the chosen date as a national holiday henceforth?
It is to be hoped that once he has left office, we are spared detailed and boring reportage of his doings as a private citizen and attempts to polish his image.
Personally I have had my fill of his vain posturing and windy speeches about "saving Africa" and "bringing peace to the Middle East" and other fantasies.
This individual who pretends he is just an "ordinary guy" is contemptuous of the democratic process and has done more to undermine it than any previous holder of the office.
Enough is enough.
Will Brown be even worse?
From: John W Hemingway, Hartshead, Liversedge.
I believe Tony Blair's legacy will be failure. He has failed on every front, whether that be education, transport, foreign policy or law and order. I suppose he has achieved one apparent success – in Northern Ireland – but only time will tell if it is a real success. Even so, that is greatly overshadowed by his failure to ensure our troops were properly equipped and supported in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At home, he has demotivated teachers and NHS staff by imposing his targets, when sensible managerial practice is to encourage and motivate staff, who will set their own targets and meet them if given the chance and the authority to do so.
The country is less confident, less well-off and less safe.
Ministers never resign honourably from his government and he fails to dismiss them when they fail.
The fear we must all have is that pensions-raider Brown, so fond of stealth taxes to fund rather silly spending schemes, will be even worse. The sooner they both go the better.
Terrible waste of opportunity
From: Philip Smith, Copandale Road, Beverley.
When I think of Blair's legacy the words that come most to mind are "huge disappointment" and "betrayal". This is a seemingly bright man that came to power in 1997 following on from John Major, one of the worst prime ministers we've ever had. It was therefore easy for Blair to look good. There was a mood of optimism.
He has singularly failed to effect a reform of the House of Lords so it is fully elected by the people for the people. As for Blair's mantra of being "tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime", he has done neither. Now that the prisons are full, largely due to his social policies, criminals are let loose who the majority know should be locked up.
Despite the billions thrown at the NHS, most people have noticed no improvement. Many surgeries are no longer open on Saturday mornings, and private medical insurance is as important as ever if you don't want to risk being on hospital waiting lists for months.
The relaxation of the drinking and gambling laws simply shows how cynically uncaring Blair is.
He and his Chancellor have worked out that they can collect more tax than it costs to police, lock up and deal with the extra alcoholism and gambling addiction that his policies will inevitably cause.
Blair took us to war on false premises. Then when our soldiers are killed by "friendly fire", he refuses to confront his "friend" President Bush about the Americans' refusal to hand over vital information to our coroners.
Finally, Blair hangs onto power so long that he leaves his post untrusted, unwanted and as a significant failure.
Blair is a man who has betrayed his principles, his country, his party, his friends and even those who have have been prepared to die, and have died, for their country.
What a terrible, terrible waste of 10 years.
Real help for the people
From: Les Brotherton, Caroline Street, Saltaire, Shipley, West Yorkshire.
Politics are about people. The effect on people, nationally, regionally and personally.
As Prime Minister, Tony Blair has seen the nation enjoy 10 years of growing prosperity, low interest rates, consistent growth, high employment, with over two million more Britons employed.
Although violent crime prospers, the government has provided more than 40,000 extra policemen. The NHS has been refinanced, with extra well paid staff, resulting in tens of thousands of Britons still living who would have perished under the previous administration.
Our children are better educated, in better schools, with well paid teachers, and more attaining university status.
We no longer have three million unemployed, 15 per cent interest rates, tens of thousands losing their homes and businesses, government for the affluent, privilege for the few.
We no longer have poor schools sharing books, even pens, and computers for well-off children only.
Mr Blair has done more for ordinary people in this country than any Prime Minister since Asquith.
Tony Blair has matched the achievements of Clement Attlee, although he does not have Attlee's superior Cabinet.
Well done Tony, your achievements are manifold, may you enjoy a long and happy retirement.
Pensioners bear brunt
From: Louis Dawson, Church Street, Burton Pidsea, East Yorkshire.
WE definitely feel much, much worse off in the last few years. As a retired person we seem to be taking the brunt of all Labour's mistakes.
We have no confidence in the country or the present administration, and I think that also other countries have no confidence in us any more.
The present Prime Minister has broken every promise he every made to us and particularly has let down our farmers and our fishing industry.
Pensions have just failed to keep pace with anything like the cost of living.
In the village, we have lost our bus service and we haven't a train service so we are forced to keep a motor car.
His total failure in Iraq will be his defining legacy.
Three words for 10 years
From: Sheila Brierley, Wilson Road, Mirfield.
MY views on the past decade of Tony Blair's government can be summed up in three words: chaos, hypocrisy and deceit.
Chaos – this government has brought in more new laws and regulations than any previous administration, and do we feel safer on the streets? Are things running more efficiently? No.
Hypocrisy – Blair boasted his government would be whiter than white. Sex scandals, cash for honours, bad news cover-ups – just a few of the sleaze-ridden issues over the past decade.
Arrogance – the number of times Mr Blair has said "We don't accept" is beyond belief.
Iraq's shadow
From: Mr PM Watson, Pye Avenue, Applewell, Barnsley.
I think Blair's 10 years have been OK. I think he's kept his word on education, he's made the health service better, much better.
The railways have improved, but I feel as though he's made a huge mistake with Iraq and he ought to give a date for Britain to leave.
Iraq will cloud his achievements.
Points
Guilty sleep
From: Marion F Riley, Hull Road, York.
Britain has changed and not for the better in all areas. The Iraq tragedy gets more and more appalling, and I wonder how Blair can sleep at night.
Worst of the lot
From: Holgate Illingworth, Mount Pleasant Farm, Bossall, York.
I always thought, Great Britain was truly great until Tony Blair took over. He will be known as the worst Prime Minister Britain has ever had.
Wage victory
From: Mr V Gordon, Hugh Street, Castleford.
What we must not forget is that Tony Blair introduced the minimum wage – albeit 40 years late. The Tories voted against it, maintaining their reputation of being the nasty party.
Legacy of blood
From: Malcolm Naylor, Grange View, Otley.
Tony Blair leaves a trail of blood behind. Thousands of deaths in five wars, social inequality, loss of liberty, expansion of capitalism and betrayal.
Copy and paste no nothing.Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind. - Albert Einstein.
“The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.”-
Orwell.0 -
-
islandannie wrote: »Give us some figures .
LOONY.
Abuse reported and OP added to my ignore list.0 -
However bad it actually was under the Tories, what we must remember is that it was worse before them and it's also now worse after them, so presumably it can't have been that bad.0
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Ok. Oldie here, knackered but still need to work. Grandad, born in the 1800 hundreds, early Labour member. Dad, born in 1909, very Labour and very trade unionists. Me born, 1949, very Labour card holding activist. Left in the 80`s when I could see what was happening. The party was being taken over by middle class, arm chair socialists. Very good at debating but rubbish at getting anything done. I am getting to the point of thinking that party politics are over. Yep nice if you can be a politician, great perks, money and pensions. However if you think that they really care, other than lining their own pockets and getting into power again you could be deluded.
I find all of this upsetting. I used to believe that Labour had great morals. Look where the party was created. From working class roots. Helping to better the working man. I would debate that is the case now.
My feelings are that Nu Labour has been a failed experiment for many reasons. It has done little more than carried on Thatchers policies.0 -
15% mortgage rate.
Surely the Tories can`t even beat or match that?Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind. - Albert Einstein.
“The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.”-
Orwell.0
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