Reviewing the Coalition

Generali

antrobus wrote: »

So many subscriptions being cancelled.

And will presumably be 'cancelled' again next time the Indie says something nice about the Tories:money::money::money:

MumOf2

We're what I'd suppose you'd call middle class from working class stock (mining and scrap metal, working in service, etc.) not living in the home counties. We both benefitted from the class mobile education system of the 1960s and 1970s but we both hold onto our working class roots with an iron fist. Our children will never forget what their grandparents went through to give us the future we're now building for the next generation.


Where we live, the success of the last government is before your eyes everywhere. Everyone has benefitted. It's a mixed area economically and socially, but the building work that's going on (business and domestic), tradesmen's vehicles outside houses (you can't get an electrician or plumber for love or money), new or nearly new cars (and these aren't fleet), people improving their homes, taking the most amazing holidays. And not on tick - this recovery isn't built on debt.


Personally our salaries and those of our (many!) children have gone up and up. We've been able to put more and more money back into the local economy which can only be for the good of everyone. Smaller shops round the corner are flourishing and the local mood is buoyant.


So what do you hear in the media - that people don't feel that they're benefitting. Well, you can say anything for the camera, you can 'feel' anything you like. But the reality is there for all to see.


And what's going to happen in this ultra marginal? All predictions are that a Labour candidate will be returned to boot out the Conservative MP. I know that each person has their own story and democracy rules but memories are so short and people seem to have forgotten the profligacy of the last Labour government.

Generali

MumOf2 wrote: »

And what's going to happen in this ultra marginal? All predictions are that a Labour candidate will be returned to boot out the Conservative MP. I know that each person has their own story and democracy rules but memories are so short and people seem to have forgotten the profligacy of the last Labour government.

I've just got a feeling that White Van Man is going to tip back to the Tories when the curtain is closed and it's just him, his voting slip and his pencil for all the reasons you state.

IveSeenTheLight

IronWolf wrote: »

The only thing you can really fault them on is not eliminating the deficit

What about tuition fees trebling?

Do you agree with a 300% rise?

somethingcorporate

People that vote labour must have such a short memory.

kabayiri

somethingcorporate wrote: »

People that vote labour must have such a short memory.

Possibly, and maybe there is more to it.

We all want the magic bullet solution. It's a bit like the American blockbuster, where everything gets resolved in the last 10 minutes.

"Anti Austerity" is a bit like a magic bullet, in the way it's being sold.

Suppose we defer deficit reduction for the next parliament. Do you think the voters in 2020 will be thanking us for dumping an even bigger debt on them? I suspect they too will be looking for the magic bullet solution!

michaels

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

What about tuition fees trebling?

Do you agree with a 300% rise?

Except it has basically changed from being a tuition fee to a graduate tax.

I was thinking the other day that perhaps the 9k cap was the mistake, with no cap rather than all the unis going to a single price as a herd they woudl probably actually have had to set prices based on the perceived value of the courses they run and then of course market forces would combine what they could sell the courses for and what they cost to run and make sure that the courses available and the prices met what was most suitable for the country.

IveSeenTheLight

MumOf2 wrote: »

Where we live, the success of the last government is before your eyes everywhere. Everyone has benefitted. It's a mixed area economically and socially, but the building work that's going on (business and domestic), tradesmen's vehicles outside houses (you can't get an electrician or plumber for love or money), new or nearly new cars (and these aren't fleet), people improving their homes, taking the most amazing holidays. And not on tick - this recovery isn't built on debt.

All this since you moved from Scotland to England?

Why wasn't this so evident where you used to live?

P.S., you may be surprised to know that the debt has increased more in the last 5 years than the previous 5 years

kabayiri

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

What about tuition fees trebling?

Do you agree with a 300% rise?

The increased pricing of University education is finally making some people seek an apprentice-based alternative.

This is a *good* thing. We can not pretend that University is suitable for every one and assume we can afford it.

IveSeenTheLight

kabayiri wrote: »

The increased pricing of University education is finally making some people seek an apprentice-based alternative.

This is a *good* thing. We can not pretend that University is suitable for every one and assume we can afford it.

So, you believe that University should be on the basis of affordability rather than ability?

I'm all for apprenticeships, I completed one myself and gained my degree whilst working through the Open University.

I still prefer that the University is based on ability though.

The government reap the rewards of education through higher income tax receipts, why do they need to additionally receive through tuition fees and restrict access not based on ability?