Darling warns of toughest cuts for 20 years - The Times

Old_Slaphead

Snooze wrote: »

It's all moot anyway as Labour will be booted out in a few months and (hopefully) will never see the light of day again.

Unfortunately there's plenty of people with vested interests in getting Labour back in ie public sector workers, benefits claimants, the sick & the old and the Tories have to win by a clear 7% to form next gov't

Might come down to LibDems as kingmakers.

treliac

Old_Slaphead wrote: »

Unfortunately there's plenty of people with vested interests in getting Labour back in ie public sector workers, benefits claimants, the sick & the old and the Tories have to win by a clear 7% to form next gov't

Might come down to LibDems as kingmakers.

A fair number of their 'core' supporters don't bother/manage to vote though.

StevieJ

treliac wrote: »

A fair number of their 'core' supporters don't bother/manage to vote though.

I think you find they will be queuing up this time

bo_drinker

Doctor Who star Tennant begs voters to snub David Cameron or face miserable future


By Mark Jefferies 9/01/2010




David Tennant has urged people not to vote Tory, warning that life under David Cameron would be a "terrifying prospect" for the future of Britain.

The Doctor Who star branded the Conservative leader a phoney who jumps on every bandwagon going and insists Gordon Brown is the man best placed to look after the interests of all Brits, not just a privileged few.

In an emotionally charged interview, Tennant said: "Clearly, the Labour Party is not without some issues right now and I do get frustrated. They need to sort some stuff out, but they're still a better bet than the Tories.

"I would rather have Gordon Brown than David Cameron. I would rather have a Prime Minister who is the cleverest person in the room than a Prime Minister who looks good in a suit.

"I think David Cameron is a terrifying prospect. I think he's a regional newsreader who will jump on whatever bandwagon flies past.

"I get quite panicked that people are buying his rhetoric, because it seems very manipulative."

Britain's best-loved actor Tennant is a long-term Labour supporter who appeared in a party political broadcast in 2005.

Advertisement - article continues below »



But while some voters are wavering, the stage and screen favourite made it clear he has never felt more strongly about backing Mr Brown in a bid to avoid a return to the dark days of Tory rule.

And he urged fellow actors to vote Labour. Tennant said: "It's weird that you can work in the arts - which tends to be about empathy and understanding and, hopefully, feeling some kind of sympathy for your fellow man - and vote Tory. I find that inconceivable.

"I still don't get it when you meet actors who buy the Daily Telegraph and talk about this terrible wave of immigrants. You just think, where did that come from? Have you read King Lear? Have you read Hamlet?"

The 38-year-old made his comments in the latest Doctor Who magazine as he bowed out of the show to make way for new Timelord Matt Smith.

His comments echo Doctor Who's outgoing executive producer Russell T Davies, who has also spoken of his support of Labour.

He fears people could lose the BBC as we know it because the Tories will get rid of the licence fee.

Davies, who has been living in the States, said: "I'll come back and fight them at the barricades. I feel a bit like Alan Bennett, who said his favourite things about Britain were the BBC and the NHS.

"It's going to be appalling. Shadow Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has absolutely attacked the licence fee and then suddenly, a few weeks ago, he back-tracked and said, 'Oh no, we won't interfere with the charter'.

"They want the votes but once they get in they are going to be absolutely vicious."

1984ReturnsForReal_2

prowla wrote: »

That idiot has helped create the mess we are in, so I don't see what he's got to be so "upbeat" about!

:rolleyes:

I was under the impression it was of Brown & Blairs making...

Correct me if I am wrong...

1984ReturnsForReal_2

toughest spending cuts for 20 years

That could mean "we are going to slash money like never before in the last 20 years" OR " we are going to slash spending for 20 years"...

Old_Slaphead

StevieJ wrote: »

I think you find they will be queuing up this time

Maybe but I hope those who have to pay the bill will be forming a bigger queue

dandy-candy

“My priority is to get borrowing down. Once recovery is established we have to act,” the Chancellor said.

That's a bit vague though isn't it - shouldn't this be happening ASAP? I was under the impression that we are looking like a sinking ship to everyone else, what with stories of our doomed AAA rating, unwanted gilts etc. I know any cuts will be unpopular (and painful) but don't we need to act quickly? Brown seems to be bumbling along with a fixed grin and in his own world whenever I see him on tv, I don't fancy trusting him to pick the "right" moment to kick the plan into action

Radiantsoul

dandy-candy wrote: »

“My priority is to get borrowing down. Once recovery is established we have to act,” the Chancellor said.

That's a bit vague though isn't it - shouldn't this be happening ASAP? I was under the impression that we are looking like a sinking ship to everyone else, what with stories of our doomed AAA rating, unwanted gilts etc. I know any cuts will be unpopular (and painful) but don't we need to act quickly? Brown seems to be bumbling along with a fixed grin and in his own world whenever I see him on tv, I don't fancy trusting him to pick the "right" moment to kick the plan into action

Our ship is a lot less sunk than many other nations.

kabayiri

Even if A.D and crew wanted to attack the deficit in earnest, how easily could they?

They have become addicted to spending since 2000. Like an addict, it's hard to wean yourself off using the UK credit cards.

Also, why on earth should Labour's core finance source - ie the Unions, support Labour in reducing spending? It will affect their members big time, and it's a bit like Turkeys voting for Xmas. Tories are far more used to scrapping with Unions.