Manifest Stupidity: Labour Condemned by their Own Words

Generali

Labour released their manifesto today so I thought I'd start a series on some of the very, very stupid promises parties are making for the next five years.

http://www.labour.org.uk/page/-/BritainCanBeBetter-TheLabourPartyManifesto2015.pdf

Planning to increase the minimum wage is quite interesting as an idea given the current deficit. How many hospital cleaners, street sweepers and dinner ladies make more than minimum wage? There will be a fair few semi-skilled employees such as drivers who make more than minimum wage but less than the new improved minimum wage that will be caught up in this.

On top of that, they are going to spend more on infrastructure, a Green Investment Bank (Greenman Sachs?), cut taxes on small businesses, subsidise credit unions, increase legal aid spending, cut tuition fees, pay for everyone who is young and unemployed for a year to get a job, pay for extra regulation of energy and water firms (the energy price freeze is back plus a new watchdog), pay for a new watchdog on transport pricing, subsidise employers that pay a 'living wage', provide guaranteed apprenticeships and introduce a network of regional banks (apparently Britain needs more bankers).

On top of that, 31,000 more health staff will be employed by the NHS (apparently an 'investment' although it says a lot that Labour don't understand the difference between capital expenditure and spending).

Then a whole new system of exams for thick people/non-academic people, reduce class sizes, almost double the amount of 'free' childcare, allow people to continue to live in subsidised houses far larger than they need without any co-payment.

1,000 new border staff, doubling paternity pay (lots of state employees get that).

10p tax is back in having been both introduced and abolished by the last lot of Labour Governments. Make up your minds lads!

All of that while 'guaranteeing' that the budget will cut the deficit every year.

stator

To be honest they could put anything in their manifesto, I will vote for them because they are the only alternative to the current evil coalition.

purch

Well, thanks to Gen at least one person has actually read their manifesto.

If more than 10 people do before now and 7th May I'd be surprised.

chewmylegoff

Given that the minimum wage is already projected to be more than £8 by 2020 at current rates of increase maybe labour are actually funding all of their plans by slowing the rate of increase. Not that there are many public sector workers who are actually paid minimum wage mind you...

Generali

purch wrote: »

Well, thanks to Gen at least one person has actually read their manifesto.

If more than 10 people do before now and 7th May I'd be surprised.

Worse, I've committed to reading a load more over the next few days. :eek:

kabayiri

Stuff the manifesto, I'm getting my name down for the Labour car.

I can't wait to see the specs :

200mpg with the acceleration of a 911
SUV roominess with the ability to park in a SmartCar space
Plants it's own trees as you trundle along - can't miss those green credentials
Built in the UK but will retail for a smidgeon under £100 per month (interest free of course)

Sounds great on paper. It's just such a shame we don't drive on paper.

Fab

purch

I started reading..............but gave up once I got to the picture of Millibore

I salute your stamina, if not your choice of how to fill your spare time.

chewmylegoff

kabayiri wrote: »

Stuff the manifesto, I'm getting my name down for the Labour car.

I can't wait to see the specs :

200mpg with the acceleration of a 911
SUV roominess with the ability to park in a SmartCar space
Plants it's own trees as you trundle along - can't miss those green credentials
Built in the UK but will retail for a smidgeon under £100 per month (interest free of course)

Sounds great on paper. It's just such a shame we don't drive on paper.

Fab

It sounds quite like the Tory car what with their £gazillion savings from unidentified welfare cuts by 2020 in addition to their £gazillion extra funding from the NHS from thin air all whilst eliminating the deficit (again).

The last Labour govt are often accused of becoming like the Tories but these days the Tories are starting to look rather Blairite albeit with a couple of marquee policies tacked on to convince people in the Home Counties that they are still against Northerners...

purch

Malcnascar wrote: »

I'll stick to what I have always done, read all the manifestos decide that no one party shares all of my views and wishes. Decide which I feel will better enrich my life. Make my decision and vote for that parties candidate, if standing, and finally accept the collective decision of my fellow voters.

I thought you were just a mythical creature

I can't believe it, you actually exist :eek:

Generali

purch wrote: »

I started reading..............but gave up once I got to the picture of Millibore

I salute your stamina, if not your choice of how to fill your spare time.

The Milliband pic was on about page 3!

Luckily I can speed read to an extent so I can rip through this stuff.

I'm looking forward to the Green and Nationalist manifestos. They'll be a laugh a minute.

Loughton_Monkey

I would imagine that an extra 50 pence an hour on minimum wage puts £1 onto 'Living Wage'. In turn, slightly skilled workers will be getting £2 an hour extra, while office workers will get £5. When the middle managers get their £15 an hour extra, the top managers will be after another £10K a year minimum. This leaves the directors to add, say, £50K and trouser a similar amount in bonuses.

.... large gin & tonics all round....:rotfl: