question for bulls and bears

Radiantsoul

I think the Tories are more ideologically linked to the benefits of home ownership and have offer policies such as MIRAS and right-to-buy deliberately to encourage home ownership.

Whereas I think that Labour places less store in the benefits of homeownership. The fact is the dominant economic ideology over the last few years has been to control consumer prices, but not asset prices. There was not really, in my opinion, a strong reason to engineer a soft landing of housing prices. I am pretty sure that either party would have allowed house prices to soar.

[Deleted User]

Snooze, is that comment just a bit of a snipe because I'm thinking of voting Labour this time around (i.e. supporting the wrong side) or is there anything in particular that you'd like to expand upon. I genuinely am interested in hearing peoples thinking on the pro's and con's of the various parties.

Whether or not he's right, and whether or not you agree with him Dopester's post was interesting and thought provoking. Can you pull anything of similar quality out of the hat or do you only do one-liners?

Pete111

Deleted_User wrote: »

Well I guess that theory fits me to a degree. I see buying and making money out of property to be a fantastic opportunity (NOTE that I say 'opportunity' and not god-given-right). I'm sure in the distant future the time will come when that opportunity ceases to exist and that will be a big loss in my opinion.

I always voted conservative, as did my parents before me. The thought of a labour government horrified me (e.g. in Neil Kinnock's day). But I have to say that since the Tony Blair government I've been quite happy for Labour to be in power. Labour now seem to be pretty much more balanced version of the conservatives. Labour ARE the new conservative

For the first time in my life I'll probably vote labour this time around.

We're now in a situation where we own two houses outright and we have money in the bank (partly due to inheritance). One of those houses will be sold shortly. My husband and I run our own business that brings in more than enough to live on but not so much that we pay a great deal of tax. Living expenses are very low. We've recently moved to an area where unemployment is high. There is a regeneration program underway and obviously it's in our interest that this continues.

So from a completely selfish point of view a Labour government will probably put more money in our pocket than a conservative one. If any conservative supporters think I'm wrong please persuade me - I tend not to keep up on politics enough!!!

EDIT: I also think that whoever gets in power it's best that it's a decent majority so that they can actually get on and do something!

Hang on....

So you voted Tory throughout your voting life (even in 97 and the the early noughties when they were a complete and total shambles) but you think that now is the time to ditch them and back Labour???

Interesting timing to say the least. No doubt the reasons above go some way to explaining this but if you think the next 5 years under labour will be a picnic I fear you may be sadly mistaken as simply put, they have run out of cash to play with.

[Deleted User]

Back then I was horrified by the thought of the alternative - a socialist government. But Labour have actually been OK since the time Tony Blair came into power. I'm not ashamed to admit that I don't really keep up on the nitty gritty of what's going on, but nothing they do particularly grates on me....except perhaps the 'nanny state' tendencies.

But sure, I accept they might have run out of cash to play with. Maybe they have managed to keep lots of people happy by spending cash they don't have. Maybe under the Tories we'd be in a better position now. But then again this was a WORLD recession - can it be blamed on the Labour government and will the Torries do a better job of recovery. I want to be convinced either way so keep the arguments and explanations coming!

Snooze

Deleted_User wrote: »

Back then I was horrified by the thought of the alternative - a socialist government. But Labour have actually been OK since the time Tony Blair came into power. I'm not ashamed to admit that I don't really keep up on the nitty gritty of what's going on, but nothing they do particularly grates on me....except perhaps the 'nanny state' tendencies.

But sure, I accept they might have run out of cash to play with. Maybe they have managed to keep lots of people happy by spending cash they don't have. Maybe under the Tories we'd be in a better position now. But then again this was a WORLD recession - can it be blamed on the Labour government and will the Torries do a better job of recovery. I want to be convinced either way so keep the arguments and explanations coming!

:rotfl:

R

JonnyBravo

Deleted_User wrote: »

But sure, I accept they might have run out of cash to play with. Maybe they have managed to keep lots of people happy by spending cash they don't have. Maybe under the Tories we'd be in a better position now. But then again this was a WORLD recession - can it be blamed on the Labour government and will the Torries do a better job of recovery. I want to be convinced either way so keep the arguments and explanations coming!

Sounds like you've swallowed a few too many Labour soundbites already.
You just missed out "uniquely placed".
You'll not be voting Tory no matter what anyone says will you?

Pete111

Well I can't say I have personally done badly out of the last decade so from that perspective I sort of know where you are coming from re the Blair years.

However I do feel that we have:
a) borrowed far far more than we should have.
b) spent far too much on mismanaged or ill conceived ventures (inc social engineering)
c) saved sod all (and yes, this has put us in a dodgy position compared to other G20 nations in the 'global' crisis)
d) begun to approach the point when our creditors start to take a dimmer view on our ability to pay money back.

The historical view (rightly or wrongly) is that Labour spends the cash and the tories are - ironically - more prudent (ie Conservative!) in addition, the Markets increasingly need to see we have proper plans in place to deal with the debt or our credit rating will plummet. From what I'm reading/watching few commetators think Labour are nearly as interested in sorting it out in the short/medium term as the Tories are.

As such I'm happy (and fortunate enough to be financially insulated enough) to take the medicine now to ensure more security for the country a bit further down the line. Labour have always been more 'jam today' than 'jam tomorrow' but the problem is they have no more strawberries...

System

I find the prospect of Ca-moron in charge no less scary than Broon.

StevieJ

Not sure that there is much difference between the Blair Labour party and the Tories Although I would be very worried
about the damage this new bunch of bungling Tories could do after the election (just a feeling).

Pete111

Joeskeppi wrote: »

I find the prospect of Ca-moron in charge no less scary than Broon.

Fair enough.

Why exactly?