So I just joined the Labour party...

Problem is...we diligent voters (or lazy non-voters) ignorantly assume governments can solve ALL issues at a stroke. Get real! It is the rich multinationals and bigwigs in corporate enterprise that have the undemocratic say-so which ever gov is in power. Because - they have the shekels-to-shake that, potentially, pays for it all. ?These men in dark suits? (at home and abroad) literally, hold governments to account! Moral: Be more discriminatory as to where you put your savings and where you generally spend your pennies domestically and otherwise. If nec buy gov bonds or stuff yer wads under the mattress. That said?Going for Labour is Always The Right And Moral Choice among ?a discredited lot? despite present difficulties. Stop prevaricating and VOTE LABOUR!

Also, because you can't find the 'right party' is a bad reason for joining Labour! They are in disarray!!

Good job I joined the Conservatives then, that cancels you out! x

I think you have done a great thing. I saw Tony Benn speak and he said that he still loved what the Labour Party stood for and despite Iraq and the move to the right, he still believed in the party. He believed in change from inside and felt that the party would move back towards the left again.

Mmmm could I just point out to a few people on here that Harold Wilson inherited a 800 milliom quid deficit from the Tories in 1964 and haned a 800 million quid surplus back to them in 1970. We can all mine bits of history to suit our argument!!

I'm an LP member too ButterPie. Welcome! You've done the right thing, easier to have your say on policy etc from the inside!

thank you flock ;0) you seem to be the first lol

Agree, tisfedup. I will be voting for the party that can get the economy back on its feet. If the economy isn't working, nothing else will work.

(regardless of whether they are all the same, i agree mostly)

The conservatives do have a historic track record of rescuing our economy from labours track record of destroying the economy,

all the public sector employment relies on good fiscal management, wealth creation, etc etc... and if we havent got that then there will be no public services,

so for me it is not who cuts what where for me it is who is more likley to stabiblize our economy and create wealth.

They're all as bad as each other when they've been in power for this length of time.

BecauseImWorthIt..google

Public v private sector pay

BecauseImWorthIt..... sorry Im not quite sure how to create links, but you will find a vast choice of information from different veiw points.

for Gold. please google, gordon brown gold,

for Pensions Google Gordon brown pension fund.

For Debt google UK national debt, same with deficit. and or gordon brown uk debt.

for Banking google, gordon brown banking regulation.

google, how many UK laws passed 1997 - 2009

the list goes on, but easliy found, if their is some thing specific feel free.

I also make a point of listening to debates in full (sad i know) but most MSM will cut, and portray their own interpretation to fit theirs, their bosses agenda,

While I'm a Lib Dem and intensely opposed to large swathes of Labour policy/attitudes I also say good for you. More people should get involved, definitely. Having been an activist myself (I would be still if I hadn't moved abroad) it just seems like a really natural thing - if you can make more of a difference in the direction you want things to be (and you can, always) then why not?

I actually went from not even voting LD - had previously voted both Tory and Labour - to signing up and getting involved in local party in the space of about two weeks. It was post-Iraq war and I just wanted to DO SOMETHING. It was time well spent and I miss it - have done the odd bit of phone canvassing via skype from over here, but it isn't the same.

And I ask because you make some interesting arguments, but I'd like to see the figures for myself before making an informed, rather than prejudiced, decision about who to vote for.

Can you provide the evidence for these assertions, tisfedup?

So your so against the Tories, because...

Labour have been in power for the last 12/13 years, our country is bust, it was not just global factors that has bought us to our knees and a trillion debt, (different from deficit).

We have large areas that could ignite in social unrest, a very large number of long term benefit claimants uninspired, a public sector who's pay and pensions exceeds a vast majority of the private sector, our country's income generators.

it was gordon brown as chancellor that mismanaged our finances, interfered with fiscal regulation, sucked up to the bankers, spent spent spent with no real noticable change, sold our gold at rock bottom prices, destroyed pensions, and Labour with it's non existant immigration policy, 1000's of new laws most of which were ill thought out. dodgy dossier, era of spin and smear. is it a good idea to become a member of the labour party, ? you tell me.

I know I will vote Tory because as history proves, Labour always (with good intentions in the past, not now, they are only thinking of their selves and their perks) spend spend spend and destroy our economy,

and the Tories (toff..people with money)always have to be the baddies come in and put our finances right, but that always means 'cuts' ... at some point people will have to realise that if we dont live within our means we will lose everything we hold dear to our society, we are spending more than we are generating the intrest alone runs into billions.

libs all very nice but not very practical at this time.

labour lies, spin and statistics please dont be fooled by this bunch, at least in the past Labour had some honesty and integrity.

Eh? When were taxes ever the peoples' money?! They have always been collected by the state (the monarchy or government). And it's money to be used to run the country.

Why on earth would you want it to be any different? And how would it work if it was?

Oh good for you.

Cameron was at Jeremy Clarkson's NYE party - what a horrible self-congratulatory bash that would have been.

I've just renewed my Tory membership to balance this out.

But well done for standing up for what you believe in.... even if it is excess state interference in all aspects of life, gratuitous wastes of public money at every possible opportunity, believing that tax is the governments money not that of the peoples and illegal wars.

Sorry - I just can't stand New Labour.

Great to see this. I am a member too. Just been to the MPs Christmas gathering. Nice to see quite of number of new young members their to join the people who have been there for ever.

I recommend a mixture of patience and perseverence! Lots of people expect a magic wand and there isn't one so it can take longer to bring about change than people think, but the reasons why you joined are worth fighting for.

Personally I think politics will change a lot in the next few years. Interesting times. The Labour party have brought in many key pieces of legislation that make it much easier for people to influence policy, and the growth of Social media is changing everything. We have the tools now, we just need to learn how to use them effectively.

If you get a chance to get involved in canvassing this is a good thing to do. Talking to people on the door step, or on phone canvassing, gets you in touch with the real issues people face in their lives, and it will also put you in contact with the most active members in your party.

I have only been a member for a few years, but got stuck straight in to learning how to change policy. See if your constiuency runs open forums, or listening panels. If not have a go at setting them up. Quite a few of the ideas being brought out by Dept of Energy and Climate change, and by the department of Health relating to social care are ideas that I have worked out with my MP as a result of some of the open forums we ran together.

If you want to message me you are welcome to do so. I am very willing to help in any way I can.

You will find that there is a very lively interchange of ideas on Twitter. if you look at some of the people I am following there it will connect you to plenty of key people.

Good luck to you.

Good for you its great to hear that you are getting more involved ! I Would like to join too can any one tell me how much it cost as i am a stay at home mom so not earning.
Also has any one else been watching can gerry robinson fix dementia care homes ?I have found it incredibly moving ,depressing, but offering hope that we can improve these peoples lives.

I think GB is being a right bloody hero at the moment, between the Tobin tax proposals and his determined campaign to get developed countries to pay more (and commit to greater cuts in emissions) at Copenhagen. I might just join myself...

Nothing like the prospect of a Tory government to get lapsed Labourites back into the fold.

If you haven't already read it, I recommend John O'Farrell's book 'Things Can Only Get Better'...

Good on you for making the effort to go with what you believe, morepeople should get involved

(and I am a member of a different party, I just respect actual doing uyswim)