Inequality in Britain

[Odyssey]

Loz Wrote:

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> I've not seen that. Do you have a link to some

> announcement or is this just speculation on your

> part?

This is speculation on the part of politicians and some people in the media as well as to the way that it will go. Busy GPs are not going to have the time to take on this role effectively, so they will form private companies to do the work.

It came up on Question Time. I'll see if I can find a link.

[Loz]

Ladymuck Wrote:

>

> So you honestly don't believe that the LDs have

> breached your trust? At all?

>

> Hmmmmmmm...interesting...

I'm pragmatic enough to know that all governments will disappoint sooner or later, but 'breached my trust'? No, not in the least. In fact, they've rather impressed me at the deal they struck. The coalition has a majority if about 350, of which 52 are Lib Dem MPs, so if the LibDems have more that about 15% influence on government they will be doing their job. So far, I think they are doing better than that.

In fact, the way the coalition came together was really rather impressive. Both sides sat down and thrashed out a deal with some pretty grown-up politics. Yes, there are things in the manifesto I don't like, but there are lots of things in there that exist because of the Lib Dems.

And if good enough voting reform goes through then the whole exercise will be invaluable.

So, I think you should think about it this way: would you prefer:

a) Brendan to punch you in the face, or

b) Brendan to punch you in the face and give you ?100?

The Tories were always going to do what Tories do, and had there been a second election they would probably have gained majority (mainly as they were the only ones with enough money for a second campaign) so all the bad stuff would have happened anyway. This way, at least we get some LibDemness in to offset the pain.

So have they breached my trust? No, they are just making the best of what they can and giving the UK a stable government - uncertainty is a killer for markets and economies. They've had to stand up in public and back things that, yes, they probably do through gritted teeth, but that's not a lot different to what the Brownites and Blairites have been doing or the Labour left wingers (some cabinet members) have been doing throughout the New Labour years.

[Ladymuck]

Are you on the Stella too Loz?:))

*curled up laughing*

[Ladymuck]

Actually, what you are really telling me is: The Future Ain't What It Used To Be (Meat Loaf).

[Loz]

Nope, LM. Champers for me tonight. B)

[Ladymuck]

Seize The Night (Meat Loaf)! Though VAT per bottle will be around a fiver :-S

[Odyssey]

Loz Wrote:

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Do you have a link to some

> announcement or is this just speculation on your

> part?

Scroll forward about 26m.

[Ladymuck]

So, is another financial crisis looming? According to Aditya Chakrabortty of The Guardian, it could well be.

[DJKillaQueen]

Very good article and underlines what I have been argiung that there are fundamental flaws in our economies that need to be addressed. We need to put stability before inflated growth.

Post that link on the social housing thread too LM because the point made about the middle-classes and borrowing is an important one. We don't talk about the middle classes very much but they more than anyone have been shafted by ridiculous house prices and are the one's who really pay the most when it all goes wrong.

[Ladymuck]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

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> Post that link on the social housing thread too LM

> because the point made about the middle-classes

> and borrowing is an important one.

Consider it done.

[Ladymuck]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

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>We don't talk about the middle classes very much but they more

> than anyone have been shafted by ridiculous house

> prices and are the one's who really pay the most

> when it all goes wrong.

Tell me about it! Many middle income earners are being hit pretty hard at present - our household has been significantly affected - as have many of my neighbours'. The future doesn't exactly look rosy either.

*sticks head in sand*

[MitchK]

Comrades, did you see this in the Guardian? A call to arms from Tony Benn. I hope some of you will be attending. If so, give my regards to Bob Crow.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/04/time-to-organise-resistance-now

The Guardian, of course, urged its readers to vote Lib Dem so they should be happy with the government, surely. Went to the same school as Nick Clegg, did Tony Benn. Thoroughly solid chap.

[DJKillaQueen]

He's right about the unfairness but on the surface it looks as though he's proposing union disruption and good old fashoined general strike mentality to I guess force the coalition to capitulate. In reality that won't achieve anything that helps the economy and the poorest within it (who depend on public services)......as we've seen before.

[Ladymuck]

*in fits of laughter*

MitchK dear Comrade, your facetiousness/flippancy is completely forgiven...you are too, too funny. As a reward for your unique style of entertainment, I have today ordered you a nice new T-shirt from the Politburo - no less.

*in stitches*

TO ARMS...

Nice to see Caroline Lucas there too...

[Ladymuck]

MitchK Wrote:

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> The Guardian, of course, urged its readers to vote

> Lib Dem so they should be happy with the

> government, surely.

Well, most LD voters I know are NOT happy with the government - so there! Ner...

In fact most people I know (irrespective of the party they voted for) are not happy with the government...

[DJKillaQueen]

That's because most people DIDN'T vote for the government.....whihc makes it....errrrr..... rule of the masses by minority......so democratic.

[Ladymuck]

Exactly...the happiest are the Tory voters.

MitchK, you happy? LOL

[MitchK]

Actually, 32.4% voted Conservative and 22% voted Lib Dem. That constitutes a majority. Although I do accept that probably half of the Tory voters are anti-EU hangers and floggers (like myself) and half of the Lib Dem voters are to the left of the Labour Party.

But I, for one, think the coalition is doing a pretty good job.

[Ladymuck]

So you are happy.

[DJKillaQueen]

No Mitch, no party recieved a majority of the vote.

Did tory voters vote for a coalition?

Did lib Dem voters vote for a coalition?

Was there a referendum on it?

No there wasn't.....

And in fact the party that came THIRD....got power with no democratic right to govern in any form.....if anything the coalition should have been Labour/ Tory...if you truly believe in democracy that is.

[Ladymuck]

Yep.

No.

No.

No.

Yep.

Yep...Yep...Yep (but thank God NO!)...and Yep.

[MitchK]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

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> No Mitch, no party recieved a majority of the

> vote.

>

> Did tory voters vote for a coalition?

>

> Did lib Dem voters vote for a coalition?

>

> Was there a referendum on it?

>

> No there wasn't.....

>

> And in fact the party that came THIRD....got power

> with no democratic right to govern in any

> form.....if anything the coalition should have

> been Labour/ Tory...if you truly believe in

> democracy that is.

I before E except after C, DJKilla Queen. I know under Labour everyone was given an 'A', but under the Tories, you won't get away with spelling it recieve.

Sorry for being a pedant.

On your other points: sure, no one voted for a coalition but plenty of people are getting the policies they believe in enacted. Sure, that means some compromise, but that is the age we are in.

Things will hot up for them once Labour vote for a new leader.

[Ladymuck]

Yes, but are you a happy pedant dammit!?

[DJKillaQueen]

lol....dang, my spelling is slipping......

I don't think plenty of people are getting what they voted for....and plenty does not equal majority. Effectively it is a minority government propped up by the party that least people (of the three main parties) voted for.

At the moment most of it is ideas anyway and has yet to pass through parliamentary debate and where a change in law is required is a long way from getting there, if indeed it does.

In a years time when we start to see the impact of cuts on employment and public services the mood will be different. And if nothing is done to regulate banking (bonuses and profits are already almost back to previous levels) the anger really will begin to set in.

It amazes me that the two things that are responsible for the mess we are in - the housing market and banking - still continue to be protected from any kind of meaningful regulation (although the FSA have mooted proposals on curbing mortgage lending).

[????]

er, two things? how about adding unsustainable, fantasyland public spending by Gordon Brown to that list