Hahahaha: Cameron says sorry to mums headline in tomorrow's papers

[WilfShelf]

'Sorry. We somehow forgot to mention we were removing the one benefit which universally protects women and children from some of the many financial inequities they face. But hey, we're elected now for five years and there's fuck all you can do about it...'

'But don't worry, as long as you haven't had the shame and disgrace of being abandoned to care for your kids by someone who refuses to pay his way, you'll be able to claw back a few quid a year in tax just so long as you get married. And those of you who do earn HRT, you can get EVEN MORE back...'

'I think you'll all find that's fair, no?'

He lied. What did you expect? Are you Tory, LibDem voters happy now?

[NotanOtter]

It's quite a biggy to 'forget'....

Good ole Dave - at least he's FAIR

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

urgh

I hate his stupid pink shiny face

[mummyofexitedprincesses]

It should be illegal to lie like this. I think he was cheating, lying to win the election. Can he be disqualified from the election? I wonder if so many people would have voted for him if they'd known about child benefit. I agree cuts have to be made but I think there are so many areas where money is wasted and feel that children and families are taking the brunt of it all.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

But we're all in this together, don't forget.

[Unprune]

You CAN'T be surprised, it isn't ALLOWED to be surprised

[NotanOtter]

agree

People did not sign up to this

He didn't even win the bloody election - there would not have been a snowball in hells chance if THIS were his campaign

[sharbie]

they lied.pure and simple.last years' conference (when obv they were trying to get elected) they categorically stated 'we will not touch child benefit'.
keep digging dave.

[DuelingFanjo]

he's a smug twat.

[WilfShelf]

Think they're prob gonna talk about MN on Day in politics or whatever it's called... They hinted in opener. I SOOOOO look forward to Dave arranging another cosy webchat so he can apologise to us in person

[mamalino]

Yes well anyone who didn't know they would do this sort of stuff is naive at best or thick as pigshit at worst.

[Unprune]

Oh god really? It's just embarrassing that government reads this site.
Nothing meant against any contributors, but it's not how I want policy to be decided by my elected representatives.......

[Aitch]

am actually genuinely interested in how the libdem voters feel about this...

[Unprune]

I think that should be voter (singular) since the last Cleggwebchat

[Northernlurker]

I expected the Tories to lie. I didn't expect them to be quite so thick as to try to enact a change which is so hugely unfair. I think last time they did that there was a riot or two...........
Am hugely thankful I followed my conscience and voted Labour.

[DuelingFanjo]

"Yes well anyone who didn't know they would do this sort of stuff is naive at best or thick as pigshit at worst"

which is why most people didn't vote for them, I imagine.

[Northernlurker]

And that's whats so annoying isn't it - NOBODY elected any of them to do this.

[sharbie]

EXACTLY.

[legostuckinmyhoover]

in the guardian it quotes him as saying: "Fairness means giving people what they deserve ? and what people deserve depends on how they behave"

Now, what is fair to do to him I wonder?

he says ''sorry'' for not putting it in before he was elected!!!??? Is he taking the piss .

[Aitch]

they've let this out so that we all start pointing the finger at winter fuel etc etc etc and then we won't riot when it happens in a fortnight.

[Unprune]

Hating the Tories gives me energy
I had almost forgotten

[legostuckinmyhoover]

yes, and don't forget that 8k we should all have saved up [well, those of us who made the RIGHT choices] for our retirement...I wonder if that is meant to start next weekend? maybe they forgot to mention it sooner? hey ho!

[animula]

[WilfShelf]

People in universities are walking around in a state of permanent doom, waiting for the axe to fall on October 20th. Slash and burn.

God, I DO hope one of the parties has the balls to start talking about increasing taxation soon. A really progressive new politics would be managing wealth creation AND progressive taxation. Blue skies thinking?

[TottWriter]

The interesting thing is how even the other conservatives are pissed that "he" (well, someone in the top rank) has done it.

As a LibDem voter, I feel let down by the leadership, but not the party. It's clear to me that what the people in Downing Street want and what the rest of the parties want (both LibDem and Conservative) are two very different things, despite the happy LibDem newsletters that drop into my inbox on a regular basis, still trotting out that old 'fair change' motif. (Well, probably. I haven't actually bothered reading them in a while.)

It is incredibly wrong that the coalition is going against the core principles of both parties manifestoes - particularly when they make this one of the first cuts. If it came when all other methods had been tried, it might be more palateable. But no, first up on the chopping board are the disabled and children. That's quite a low blow, even for the tories.

Aitch - the trouble with being a LibDem is that (like any party) there are supporters and then supporters. Some agree with this aspect, some with that, but often they don't overlap completely. I voted LibDem because I agreed with the manifesto, and I believe that we need voting reform. However, I don't agree with what now appears to be Nick Cleggs vision, which has a bit of a tory slant. I accept that the nature of coalition is compromise, but this doesn't mean that LbDems need to pretend to agree with the compromises they've been forced to make. To me, they are doing their party (I'm not a member) a big disservice by pretending to be fine with it all if they aren't. I'd rather they were honest and said "We don't agree with this 100%, but we do feel that by compromising here we can advance our ideals in XYZ issue". The fact that they haven't isn't so great - either they do agree with these nuts policies, or they're under the illusion that "stability" means trotting out a false picture of unity, or they're so desperate to get that one chance at voting reform that they'll sacrifice everything else for it. If its the latter, I think the plan will backfire badly; people will only see the mess that this government has made of a coalition, not the full potential as displayed elsewhere in the world. But they probably realise now that the LibDems are finished as a political contender for a long time now, so some of the less scrupulous may be going for it while they can. Not the best timing in the world, tbh.

Actually I wouldn't be surprised if Labour conspired with breakaway tories and LibDems to get that no-confidence call at some point before the five years is up. If it's still anywhere near the 55% (can't remember) they could concievably do it given the number who seem displeased at best with their own parties.

[sharbie]

yy i agree i can't see them in for five yrs i just can't see it happening