If there was a GE today who would you vote for?

ill admit the only thing i know about the green party, is that there a different party. ill do more research in future before suggesting a party.

The Green Party is being taken to court for bullying out of the party, members, who believe in material biology and women’s rights to dignity and safety. Google Shahrar Ali to see how badly he and others have been treated by the Greens.

why not then try the green party ?

And you think you’ll get one with Labour?

Glad to have stumbled on this area and thread as this is the question I ask myself, and I haven’t got an answer.

It’s not a matter of Labour announcing policies which can be stolen - it’s about them having, or rather not having, any sense of principle or vision around which they and we can rally. The big issue has a nice summary of recent Starmer u-turns. I’m not seeing much of a difference between this and the videos of Johnson’s u-turns and ready abandonment of principles before he was voted in. I remember New Labour all too well, as the time of betrayal of both Labour principals and of working British people, and I have no faith in British politicians left. https://www.bigissue.com/news/politics/keir-starmer-broken-promises-tuition-fees-nationalisation-u-turn/

Toomanylosthours

Surely, you wait for them to publish their manifesto like you would at every other election, rather than deciding you will spoil your ballot before they've even published it. Or before we're even in an election cycle.

I know this feels like the longest election campaign ever but it hadn't even started, unfortunately.

Ive always voted blue but think it will be red this time round. needs a complete fresh change!

Thank you for assuming my lack of understanding!

I'm pretty clear on the oppositions remit. My point was very much.... how can you be so certain you can vote labour when you have no idea on their policies. I additionally aired some points that I feel are important to me At the moment it's selecting the best of a bad bunch.

Why would Labour put forward their policies now? Everytime they've done that in the past the Conservatives steal them. It would be incredibly naive. They could be 12 months plus out from an election, a lot can happen in that time.

I dint get why people don't understand what the role of opposition is - it's scrutiny, not policy.

Tories shifted to the left? Are you kidding me? 😂

I understood Labour weren't going to outline their policies until closer to the GE. I believe starmer said he wants to understand the state the tories are left the country in before committing policies.

This is why Labour will not receive my vote... they've hidden behind excuse and hindsight, we need a party to step forward, place clear policies on the table, identify with all struggling earners, get the idle back to work, realign the NHS, stop putting victims rights as a last priority and for the love of God a party who understands that women want to feel safe. A party who understands why women carry their keys in their hands whilst walking home at night with one key gripped and protruding between their fingers!

A spoilt vote is on the cards for me

The tories have shifted to the left not far right ffs. Hence the benefit burden and high tax rates.

Taxing people who work for a living while they promise to abolish inheritance tax - yeah, SOOO left wing!

Labour are central. With extremist tendencies which resemble fascism.

I don't diagree, but it's not like they're the most fascist option. Compared to the ones who are criminalising peaceful protest and gerrymandering the electoral system, while stirring up social division to shore up support for it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66919416

It’s easy to distinguish if you look closely enough but most people don’t look. For example, the school my DS goes to sponsors a state primary but most people wouldn’t know that unless their children attended either of the schools. The charitable status only has a minimal tax benefit to the school and it has absolutely nothing to do with being VAT exempt. I specifically chose a charitable status school because the idea is that any money made is put back into the school, rather than going into the hands of investors. That seems like a much more sensible approach and ensures that funds aren’t taken out to the detriment of the school. In my opinion all private schools should be run as charities.

Given as you say many private schools exist perfectly well not being charities, and it is probably difficult to distinguish those that aren't charities from those that are in terms of the contribution they make to the wider community, what exactly is the argument that some should maintain a competive advantage over the others?

VAT and charitable status are two completely different things. Many private schools are not charities but they still don’t pay VAT because education is VAT exempt. That includes tutors, music lessons, swimming lessons, nursery fees, uni fees…is VAT going to be charged on all of these things as well?

Also a bit tired of the lack of understanding ofleft wing and right wing.

The tories have shifted to the left not far right ffs. Hence the benefit burden and high tax rates.
Labour are central. With extremist tendencies which resemble fascism.

‘Firstly in the grand scheme of tax revenue £1.7 billion pa is bugger all.’

no, it’s £1.7 billion which if channelled back into schools
could maybe, oh I dunno,
maybe help replaced unsafe crumbling buildings?

But even if they took the extra money and pissed it up the wall - private schools are businesses catering towards some not the most privileged people in the U.K. and beyond. Not charities. So shouldn’t be given tax breaks that are meant for genuine charities.

Thing is labour have recently sent a Councillor in Brighton and Hove for re-education because she like twaw posts. How can they possibly govern? Lisa nandy was nearly the leader and says rapists should be in women's prisons if they want.
Kier said out loud it is wrong to say only women have a cervix.
Even if you do think twaw, can you really see these sorts of authoritarian right think types being able to run a country if they are so scared of lobby groups they will not only deny reality but punish people who believe in reality?
If your female child is non conforming and wants to play with cars and get a short haircut will labour encourage their reception teacher to ask if they are a boy? This is already happening and labour and the greens and lib dems have been actively pushing this for nearly 20 years.
Labour even removed anyone gc from party membership so they can't have any say in leadership of the party.

Two headline stories :

A) Labour to introduce VAT on private school fees raising up to £1.7 billion

inews.co.uk/news/politics/labour-vat-plans-hit-private-schools-next-year-starmer-prepares-immediate-rollout-2640753

Firstly in the grand scheme of tax revenue £1.7 billion pa is bugger all.

Secondly out of 10 million pupils in all schools, 544k (or 5%) are in private education. So let's assume out of these 10% (or 55k) feel they can no longer afford the fees and switch to state.

At an average funding of £7,460 per state pupil this will cost £410 million, meaning the move only raises £1.3 billion.

So this is not about raising tax revenue but about being seen to punish the "rich". And I believe Labour are only proposing VAT in school fees because they believe (probably correctly) that it is a vote winner rather than a worthwhile tax generator.

B) Conservatives plan to abolish inheritance tax at a cost of £7 billion. Currently only 4% of estates pay inheritance tax - ie the richest 4%.

amp.theguardian.com/money/2023/sep/24/sunak-considering-inheritance-tax-cut

Far better to use the money to raise tax thresholds in line with inflation to stop this fiscal drag benefiting more income earners.

amp.theguardian.com/money/2023/mar/18/jeremy-hunt-income-tax-rise-basic-higher-rate-tax-cost

I believe the Conservatives are only proposing abolishing inheritance tax because they believe (probably correctly) that it is a vote winner rather than a good use of Gov money.

Labour - despite being in the ‘high earning’ category I believe we should have decent health care for everyone, good education for everyone, social services for everyone and worry about climate change

Liz Truss was dull, in the sense of lacking brightness...

Is quite like a dull prime minister

@Cattenberg "Is this how we ended up with Boris as PM? He behaved badly, but he wasn’t dull. At least he was a laugh, LOL."

I blame HIGNFY.

🙄