To not know any of Labour's policies apart from VAT

I think anyone who can look at the current Tory front bench and then describe the Opposition as 'incompetent' can safely be ignored.

I quite enjoy it, but then I love the smell of Tory desperation.

Interesting précis of Labours top ten policies. Slightly worried that the financial issues of government are so low down the list since the top 3 in the list are all reliant on good accountancy.

Two policies worry me. The first VAT on education, not the VAT but the emphasis on the mental well being of teaching staff. Are they suggesting mental health breaks for staff over increased income or better working conditions? I suspect providing mental health support is likely to be the cheapest option.
We’ve had a lovely poster at work (NHS) reassuring us that our mental health is important with a list of resources. Typical compliance material.
Secondly the blaze way they think they can fix red tape in NHS primary care. The new GP contract combined with CQC created the biggest waste of NHS time in history. It is our version of Ofsted and takes up far too much time and budget with little benefit to the service. It has standardised practice but seeing colleagues lose the will to live or carry on in service has been heartbreaking.
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/comment/designed-fail-care-quality-commission-warning-quango-cullers

I am on the fence with regard to the up coming general election. As I’m now semi retired and have moved into the private sector I’m likely to vote with whoever promises the best deal for pensioners. I don’t think you can be rigid with your support through life. At each stage of life your needs change.
If a Labour government results in higher inflation and interest rates I will benefit. I’m in that little group who are child free, mortgage free with very modest lifestyle. It’s very much about risk assessment.

I have also lived through some of the worst Labour periods of government in history, watched how Thatcher got the country back on its feet then got carried away and failed us. I lost faith in Labour during the Blair/Brown years. The two Labour politicians who I had any faith in never made it to Prime minister .

Like many women I struggle to engage with the current bunch of clowns who have yet to work out what a woman is. This gender issue may backfire on them since the current new batch of voters, 18-20yr olds, the Covid cohort are a cynical bunch who have not fallen for the gender issues. Isolation during Covid has diluted the whole “cult-like” movement. I say this after my Dniece fell down the gender hole, her younger sister and my DS have a healthier attitude to gender, more on the lines of “you do you and I’ll do me” they have respect for choice but have no time for indoctrination.

Hasn't Starmer said they won't have any money to do anything that we actually care about.

So VAT on school fees is his only card and it's a vote winner.

They are very quiet on their proposals to deal with immigration and I suspect that is because a large number of voters won't like it.

I anticipate that they will also increase income tax on 'rich' earners

Did they think Dover wasn't a port ? Did they think Ireland was part of England ? Did they think Rwanda and DRC are the same country ?

I remember the last Labour government - it was an amazing time

I do wonder what your take on the 'quality' of the current government and their leadership - since it matters so much - I mean they have done such a good job - obviously the public agrees!

Personality matters in politics, and Starmer’s particular combination of incompetence, self-regard and ignorance would be bad for the country even if there were people of quality behind him - which there aren’t.
it’s one of those times when the tories have been in for an eternity and the electorate has had time to forget how crap Labour is and deludes itself they’ll be better. I’m old enough to recall the last bout of this; this one will be worse. Blair, though wrong about many things, wasn’t a fool.

Cheap sneers rarely cause people to change their minds.
If you are happy with the Tories losing and Labour taking their rightful place leading the country, then sneer away.

Honestly - sneer away if it helps dull the pain of defeat - I'm not his biggest fan but I'm not voting for HIM I am voting for a party, which he leads but isn't a dictator, and the policies they stand for. I don't really do 'personality politics' it's a bit shallow.

As for grammatical errors I'll take them over the economic butt fuck of 14 years of Tory mishandling and get rich schemes for their mates thanks.

Anyone complaining about cheap sneers is clearly unfamiliar with British politics. In any event you better get used to it, I’m far from the only person to find Starmer a risible figure.

Well, if the Tory fangirls on here are already resorting to cheap sneers (because they have nothing else) then I'm going to take that as an encouraging sign for a GE.

The local election results do give a clear indication of what the General Election outcome will be so, I intend to enjoy the distress that is so evident in our right wing friends. If it lasts for months, well they only have Sunak to blame.

We mustn’t sneer at little Keir!
Mumsnet thinks it’s naughty.

Nope, quite happy I got the right target here - though you’re not alone

I think you quoted the wrong poster.
God.

To be clear, I was criticising the OP, not the 'great man', or 'little Keir' as you so patronisingly call him

little Keir

Oh dear. We are going to have months of this now.

The conspiracist mindset is strong on the left these days. Anyone criticising the great man must be a shill, or acting in some kind of coordinated way. The possibility that people may independently and quite genuinely think he’s a bit shit cannot be allowed to exist.

That depends @changewashing. Do you care what Labour's policies are? Do you live in a ward or constituency that stands Labour candidates? If the answer to these questions is "yes" then YABU.

Read the education one again.
Interesting approach to the concept of « tax break » too. It seems anything that isn’t taxed is benefitting from a tax break. Presumably the default position is everything should be taxed unless little Keir generously decides it shouldn’t be. God.

Marj heard the whistle.

Can you point out a typo? I've read it and can't find any.

So? The election's not been called yet and frankly I know of very, very few people who vote on the basis of what a party's manifesto says.

We should be gentle to them, the have had a nasty shock.

I think that's it from Labour. VAT on private schools and the rest of the time they'll just be sitting around doing nothing.

That will certainly be better than a lot of the awful policies the current government are implementing.