It's not like it were in my day....

Lakelady_2

When David and George became leader and shadow chancellor things really were on the up for the conservatives. I`m amazed how they have wasted the opportunity.
Maggie on her platform had vision for the future and many many people believed her. You don`t get that style of politics now - everyone is fighting for the middle ground. Can you name one truely visionary policy by any of the parties?
I suppose we are all too comfortable to fight for anything and that can be dangerous.
I like Gordon Brown and he`s less in the media mire now Mandelsons around. But politics is all spin and hype I suppose alot of us would just like the truth good or bad.

Did that answer the question?

amcluesent

>Qualitatively I don't think there is the same depth of feeling against Brown as there was against the other three<

Cobb*ers. It makes me sick that Clown is alive. His politics of spite and envy has seen money stolen from every member of my family and then pi**ed up the wall on 'seekers', chav single-mothers, dole-scroungers and every other member of the client-state bought with our money. I've said it before, my dearest wish is to live to spit on his grave.

The blessed Margaret saved this country from communists like Scargill who were agitating for the overthrow of the government and freed us from the bumbling mandarins who thought their job was to manage the orderly decline of England.

In 13 awful, wasted years Nulabour threw away the best economic position for generations, feather-bedded the numpties in the public-sector, sold out to Brussels, lost control of our borders (deliberately), wrecked savings, wrecked pensions and have seen health and schooling standards tumble, all the while suppressing freedom of speech and setting up the apparatus of the Police State while lining their own pockets with other people's money.

vivatifosi

My total frustration with Brown is based on the fact that he wasn't just some back-room guy for the past 13 years, waiting, patiently for his chance to follow in Blair's shoes and being stiffed several times in the process. He was, let's not forget, the person who had in his control the nation's purse strings for all that time.The one who raided our pensions, the one who removed the 10% tax rate, the one who told us there would be no more boom and bust... I just don't buy this whole he's inherited the mess and is a genuinely likeable chap stuff.

Plus, and I'm afraid this is a personal dig but it drives me mad, I can't stand the way he breathes in through his mouth and seems to be sticking his tongue up into the roof of his mouth at the end of every sentence.

partlydave

Generali wrote: »

Just a thought.....

I can recall 3 Prime Ministers being defeated and so effectively being forced out of power either by losing a election or by being so incredibly unpopular that their own party commits 'regicide'*.

Callaghan: presided over the Winter of Discontent, his Chancellor had to go to the IMF while Wilson was PM, unions ran the country. Weak and incompetant.

Thatcher: Probably always hated by the majority of voters. Broken by the Poll Tax.

Major: Could do nothing right despite seeming to me to be a decent man (Currie-gate not withstanding). Was mocked by the newspapers and TV at every turn. Despised as weak and petit bourgois (frozen cheese etc).

Now Brown. Is he really despised in the same way? I mean truly hated by the populace. I don't think he is, or that's what I see from a distance. Qualitatively I don't think there is the same depth of feeling against Brown as there was against the other three and as a result I think Brown has a good chance of victory given the advantage an incumbent has and the electoral (current) bias in favour of Labour.

I'd be interested to know the thoughts of those closer to the action.










*I know it's not really regicide but it's a great word

And there was the 3 day week in the reign of Ted Heath, where you had to go to the high street to check in the Electricity shop which days of the week you would have power on. No midweek evening footie games were allowed to conserve energy supplies.
Can you imagine today not have electricity for 4 days a week?

shaven-monkey

Brown didn't get elected.
As mentioned, he was in charge of the economy under Blair.
He's not demonstrated a great deal of long term thinking aside from introducing stealth taxes. He has in many ways done great things for those less well off in this country and world wide. It won't win him any votes though.

Cameron appears too much of a public relations hound. He is trying to be Blair.

Why not vote for an independant who may actually represent you instead of someone who has to be whipped into line by a higher up with a browner nose!

Butterfly_Brain

Not forgetting Ted Heath who thought he could win against the power of the working class

Generali

shaven-monkey wrote: »

Brown didn't get elected.
As mentioned, he was in charge of the economy under Blair.
He's not demonstrated a great deal of long term thinking aside from introducing stealth taxes. He has in many ways done great things for those less well off in this country and world wide. It won't win him any votes though.

Cameron appears too much of a public relations hound. He is trying to be Blair.

Why not vote for an independant who may actually represent you instead of someone who has to be whipped into line by a higher up with a browner nose!

Strictly speaking, no PM is elected by the British People. You vote for a representative and the PM is the one that he can persuade a majority of MPs to put through a budget (Finance Bill) for him/her.

I'm very in favour of more independent MPs. I'd ban political parties if I had the chance.

lemonjelly

Generali wrote: »

Strictly speaking, no PM is elected by the British People. You vote for a representative and the PM is the one that he can persuade a majority of MPs to put through a budget (Finance Bill) for him/her.

I'm very in favour of more independent MPs. I'd ban political parties if I had the chance.

Whilst a lot of people may not like it from economic perspectives, I personally hope that thousands of independents stand in the next election, & hope they get voted in, to really 100% send a proper message to the devils who have been troughing constantly.

I mean, isn't anyone else amazed at the sheer number of MP's who "have decided to step down" at the next election?

Balderdash!

Getting out whilst the going is good is what they're doing. Or taking the money & running.

kennyboy66_2

lemonjelly wrote: »

Whilst a lot of people may not like it from economic perspectives, I personally hope that thousands of independents stand in the next election, & hope they get voted in, to really 100% send a proper message to the devils who have been troughing constantly.

I mean, isn't anyone else amazed at the sheer number of MP's who "have decided to step down" at the next election?

Balderdash!

Getting out whilst the going is good is what they're doing. Or taking the money & running.

To be honest, who'd want to be a MP ?

Unless you make it to a decent cabinet post, the pay is rubbish, as are the working conditions and expections. If you are back bencher you may get a couple of votes a year when you count.

No surprise that most Tory MP have second jobs, or that Labour ones tout themselves as lobby fodder.

The few MP's that I have time are those who sit on scutiny committees and try to hold the executive to account. Sadly, few newspapers bother reporting this.

fedupfreda

lemonjelly wrote: »

Getting out whilst the going is good is what they're doing. Or taking the money & running.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Many a true word spoke in jest, LJ.

TBF though, how many of us could honestly say we would not do the same in their position??:o I'll agree a few are probably thinking twice about the job now - particularly as whoever gets in this time, is going to be handed a poisoned chalice - and they certainly aren't going to be allowed the same opportunities for filling their own back pockets as previously.

However, there are still many opportunities for 'selling' ones connections to lobbying organisations And how many other jobs offer such a great pension scheme??? Or such an unprecedented level of job security (I'll defy anyone else to name a job that has the same job security - other than The Queen, or The Pope. Most of the rest of us are lucky to last it out to the end of the month, ATM)

No, there'll still be plenty of the same mugs going for it. I just hope this time everyone votes for the independents. Then we might see a difference. Otherwise it will be more of the same old, same old, I fear.