Page 19 | Who was PM during the best of times for you?

verdantverdure · 2023-03-29T21:44:26+00:00

Me? Blair. Brown, first bit of Cameron. On paper I earn more money now but everything's tits up isn't it? From the economy to shit on beaches to being able to get access to the NHS when needed.

WestwardHo1 · 30/03/2023 16:09

They were voted out for a reason.

A large part of that reason is because Brown's relationship with the (Tory) press barons collapsed. In his own words "I couldn't fight them".

winningeasy · 30/03/2023 15:40

@Lastnamedidntstick what legacy will the Tory's leave behind? Blair did a lot for public services whereas every single one is in the gutter right now.

This government will be remembered as fascists and self serving crooks.

GreenLeavesRustling · 30/03/2023 15:21

Blair

Education education education

RampantIvy · 30/03/2023 15:20

Giggorata · 30/03/2023 13:48

Harold Wilson.
The world felt full of possibilities and colour. There were jobs and money for leisure, education, the arts and innovation.
His government got rid of capital punishment, worked to take Britain into Europe and established the Open University.
Good egg, was Harold.

From all accounts he was well liked as a PM. He and the queen had a good relationship.

Blossomtoes · 30/03/2023 15:16

I wasn’t in my 20s when Blair was in government @Lastnamedidntstick, I’m exactly the same age as him so I was 44 when he came to power. It was the best era since 1945 to 50 for public services. They weren’t even decisively voted out, the Lib Dem surge cost them that election, what shame that Clegg decided to turn right instead of left. That was a real Sliding Doors moment.

beguilingeyes · 30/03/2023 15:04

Giggorata · 30/03/2023 13:48

Harold Wilson.
The world felt full of possibilities and colour. There were jobs and money for leisure, education, the arts and innovation.
His government got rid of capital punishment, worked to take Britain into Europe and established the Open University.
Good egg, was Harold.

And he said no to Lyndon Johnson and kept us out of Vietnam. What a great decision that was.

maddy68 · 30/03/2023 14:46

Blair undoubtedly

Badbudgeter · 30/03/2023 14:15

Blair. Renting in a flat share and had lots of spare cash from a very normal job. How the fuck people survive doing the same nowadays I have no idea. On paper I’m richer I own a house (money pit), drive a car (money pit) I take home about 3.5k a month including maintenance. I don’t think I should feel poor but I do. Life is just so much more expensive.

Londre · 30/03/2023 14:10

Cameron/Theresa May. My life was great during those times. I feel like the country has just got worse since then.

Lastnamedidntstick · 30/03/2023 14:08

winningeasy · 30/03/2023 13:50

Can this thread be a reminder not to vote Tory please?

Or perhaps not a blanket instruction but a suggestion that people actually check policies and promises before voting?

voting for/against an entire party because historically you think they were useless seems a bit daft. Just because some people look back fondly on their 20’s under Blair doesn’t mean the govt did everything right. They were voted out for a reason.

I don’t particularly agree with the current government, but then as I’ve been saying I thought labour were pretty shite as well, and set the NHS on the path to destruction. What I’ll probably end up doing is reviewing my actual MP candidates and voting for the individual I feel best represents us.

winningeasy · 30/03/2023 13:50

Can this thread be a reminder not to vote Tory please?

Middletoleft · 30/03/2023 13:50

For my entire working life successive governments have buggered it up and I include all colours and stripes.

Any savings I've had or pension pots haven't done as well as they could have, and now I'm old enough to consider retiring they've moved the goalposts (again) and the cost of everything is going through the roof. Again.

They're all as bad as each other.

Giggorata · 30/03/2023 13:48

Harold Wilson.
The world felt full of possibilities and colour. There were jobs and money for leisure, education, the arts and innovation.
His government got rid of capital punishment, worked to take Britain into Europe and established the Open University.
Good egg, was Harold.

Tweezeme1 · 30/03/2023 13:48

Tony Blair

RestingMurderousFace · 30/03/2023 13:45

Blair.

I was in my early 20s though and full of optimism and hope. Of course the world felt full of possibilities.

winningeasy · 30/03/2023 13:45

Blair all the way

Blossomtoes · 30/03/2023 13:45

soddingspiderseason · 30/03/2023 13:17

For those talking about the Iraq war, Google 'Halabja massacre'. Saddam Hussain was an absolutely vicious dictator who committed atrocities against his own people, including the use of chemical weapons to murder thousands of Kurds.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human rightssin SaddammHussein%27s_Iraq

I'm glad Blair had the guts to step in. I wish we'd done the same with Syria. And I'll never forgive Ed Milliband for abandoning the Syrian people to chemical attacks and atrocities by Assad.

This. And Michael Howard said regime change was a good enough reason to go to war and he’d have done exactly the same as Blair. He just happened not to be sitting in the hot seat.

https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/howard-under-fire-over-iraq-7247839.html

Howard under fire over Iraq

Michael Howard was put on the defensive over Iraq today after saying he would have gone to war even if Saddam Hussein had no weapons arsenal.

https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/howard-under-fire-over-iraq-7247839.html

Blossomtoes · 30/03/2023 13:42

Blair, closely followed by Brown.

TooBigForMyBoots · 30/03/2023 13:41

@Lastnamedidntstick, now our NHS sends people who can part fund themselves, to foreign countries for operations. Paying flights, insurance and accommodation for the patient and a companion.

Original poster

verdantverdure · 30/03/2023 13:38

WestwardHo1 · 30/03/2023 13:37

Maybe.

2012, looking back, does seem in my imagination like part of the Labour years. Maybe because Labour did all the work to get the Olympics and Paralympics. They seem like a distant dream.

But I do think seriously that once the Coalition was gone, the Tories were able to unleash themselves fully. Clegg and Co reined them in to an extent.

I'd agree with all of that.

OP posts:

Original poster

verdantverdure · 30/03/2023 13:38

Notonthestairs · 30/03/2023 13:37

We didn't immediately feel the impact of Austerity - particularly in regards to infrastructure.

Yeah, it took time for things to go to pot.

OP posts:

Notonthestairs · 30/03/2023 13:37

We didn't immediately feel the impact of Austerity - particularly in regards to infrastructure.

WestwardHo1 · 30/03/2023 13:37

Maybe.

2012, looking back, does seem in my imagination like part of the Labour years. Maybe because Labour did all the work to get the Olympics and Paralympics. They seem like a distant dream.

But I do think seriously that once the Coalition was gone, the Tories were able to unleash themselves fully. Clegg and Co reined them in to an extent.

Original poster

verdantverdure · 30/03/2023 13:32

WestwardHo1 · 30/03/2023 13:25

Another vote for Blair/Brown - and early Cameron was ok, before it all turned to shit.

This is why I don't understand the LibDem/Clegg scorn and hate. There's a reason why the early Cameron years were ok.

Yes yes, tuition fees....but enough people are saying Blair while acknowledging Iraq was unfortunate.

The Olympic excitement carried us through the first couple of Coalition years maybe?

OP posts:

WestwardHo1 · 30/03/2023 13:25

Another vote for Blair/Brown - and early Cameron was ok, before it all turned to shit.

This is why I don't understand the LibDem/Clegg scorn and hate. There's a reason why the early Cameron years were ok.

Yes yes, tuition fees....but enough people are saying Blair while acknowledging Iraq was unfortunate.