Petrol Threat To Cons Chances

DecentLivingWage

DecentLivingWage wrote: »

Another rocketing price hike next month (£1.42 by Easter say papers) This really will be the final straw that breaks the camels back for most of us! One neighbour is giving up her kids childcare and her job! (Cheaper to lose her income by staying home, interacting with kids herself, shop locally and save petrol!) Another friends hubby has decided to stay overnight one night on Weds midweek to save at least one 80 mile motorway round trip. Social media is full of furious posters! As for our family, theres just nothing left to cut, we stopped using the car for non essential trips months ago.

PS I suppose theres always the faint hope Osborne can do something in the budget, but he has now tied his own hands and has no room to manouevre - so we won't hold our breath!

wotsthat

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Too many people benefited from Browns welfare credit system.

What matters to most people is their own finances not the UKs as a whole.

By this measure Labour bought millions of votes and should have won the last election.

The fact is that you can only buy votes if, after giving out the money, the recipient then gets out of bed to go and vote - they don't.

I was told a story by a labour canvasser that knocked on a door at around 11am on a weekday. The door was answered by a young lady unhappy to have been dragged out of bed. Asked if Labour could rely on her vote the reply was "F off. I'm voting Conservative - my benefits were late last week". The truth is she probably didn't turn up to vote anyway. This was 2010 - I bet the recession's still passing her by.

People do vote based on the money in their own pocket but if you're going to buy votes you should target those who are likely to turn up to vote in the first place.

Devon_Sailor

DecentLivingWage wrote: »

Say what you like about them, but they sure knew how to close that one down quick as lightning! They had the political savvy to know voters expected help with petrol costs.QUOTE]

When Labour came to power petrol was about 60p/ltr. By 2010 it was comfortably well over the £1.20 mark.

Yes, they sure knew how to handle it.........

Devon_Sailor

Moby wrote: »

In posh boy's case his background is important because it defines him as a person. QUOTE]

Moby,

I think that is a very dangerous attitude to take, particularly as it is all a question or perspective. To many, the fact that you went to Oxford too would label you as, most definitely, "Posh" in their eyes ( a label which I can imagine you would vehemently deny! :rotfl:).

The point being, yes, background, life experience and influence in the round IS important, I quite agree. I would argue that focussing entirely on social background matters less, particularly when it comes to governing. As alluded to by other posters, I dont particularly care about the "poshness" factor of our leadership, only that they can get the job done or not.

There are plenty of lying, cheating, egotistical incompetent scumbags at all levels...from posh boy to council estate lad. That is human nature!

Devon_Sailor

Moby wrote: »

There would be no need for class warriors if there was equality of opportunity. Agreed people are good, bad, lazy etc in all classes. That's not the point though. Some of us believe the class system is unfair, just as the caste system is unfair in India. I believe in breaking through the prejudice of ignorance and denial about this! Its a journey.......historically slavery, racism etc was accepted....now we've moved on, then we had feminism, gay rights etc....there is a conservative tendency to resist this progression. That's why plebgate hit the tory so hard. The actual truth didn't actually matter.....the point was it hinted at the privilege that lies behind their values and how they see themselves compared to others. When I was in Oxford....there was a clear demarcation of class between students....that was based on background etc. Someone encapsulated it like this:- ...if your parents had to buy their own furniture...you were lower class.I'm not making this up.......class division, privilege and the distribution of power based on that is alive and well. Some of us choose not to ignore it and call it for what it is!

I think the biggest "myth" is that it is the Left/Liberal side of the spectrum that is the great mover of social change, not the Tory Party. Look at their list of achievements?!

- Abolition of the Corn Laws: stripped away power from vested landed interest, opened up the markets to free trade and drove the price of food down.

- Passing of the Great Reform Act: established in law the principle of every man's vote being equal.

- Passing the Abolition of Slavery Act.

- Supplying the first Prime Minister of Jewish origin (Disraeli).

- The first female MP to take her seat (Lady Astor).

- The first female Prime Minister.

And, most recently, equalising marriage for gay couples.

Not really a bad record for the "Nasty Party".

DecentLivingWage

Dont forget that when petrol goes up, so does everything else that is moved by road, food, goods,building materials, diy products, white goods - everything! Result - uncontrollable inflation - we have lost control as we have to buy in dollars.

Generali

DecentLivingWage wrote: »

Dont forget that when petrol goes up, so does everything else that is moved by road, food, goods,building materials, diy products, white goods - everything! Result - uncontrollable inflation - we have lost control as we have to buy in dollars.

Yeah but we can't trust those posh idiots in the Labour party to solve anything. They're too busy attending £500/head champagne parties while you're making cheap jokes about children being raped.

grizzly1911

DecentLivingWage wrote: »

Dont forget that when petrol goes up, so does everything else that is moved by road, food, goods,building materials, diy products, white goods - everything! Result - uncontrollable inflation - we have lost control as we have to buy in dollars.

As much as I hate being shafted by inflation, especially when it is in part being centrally driven, I wouldn't say we have lost control just yet. It does make you wonder how much more the average Joe can tolerate before pressure relief valves start popping.

Remember the early 80s?