I can't tell you how much I hope the Conservatives win the election.

Sorry, TRD - I don't understand your post! Where should I look/whose response?!

because see below. and the response was 'honestly'.

Be afraid - be very afraid - this is the kind of person you will be voting into power if the conservatives do get in

And you begrudge paying prescription charges? (To pick up on just one of your points) Be my guest and pay for your medicine without a state subsidy! You have no idea how much medicine costs!

Yes, I can't wait till friday morning when the Conservatives kick GB out of 10 Downing street and he runs back home to Scotland with his tail between his legs.

Yes, I do agree that many posts in support of Labour also mention things that people don't want to lose. ANd who can really blame them, Gordon has created a culture of dependency where people are grateful to be given their own money back as a benefit

"Why will you family be stuffed? - not being awkward, would generally like to know. "

Yes, me too. Curious to know.

Well put Expat.

well that is one point we can agree or disagree on, and actually a rather minor one in the grand scheme of things. I don't really care, although it wouldn't apply to me anyway!

You must realise that his actions have an impact on our ability to weather a financial crisis like this though.

The thing is, we have been spending money we have not got. No one on MN would advise a family to do this, nor should a country.

and I'm sure raising inheritance tax is a great way to help pay back the deficit

sorry, I mean no reserves left to meet the global recession

OP - I concur!

No, the global financial situation happened

we have no reserves to meet them, as Gordon Brown did not do what most chancellors would do and save some money during a boom. In fact he continued to borrow at a rate no one had ever done before.

He even sold the gold reserves. That is it, they are gone now. He sold them at a stupid time too and in a pretty stupid way.

Do you not think that our GOvernment makes any kind of difference in these matters?

sorry can someone explain to me how the global financial situation, in the main created by Tory voting rich bankers, is the fault of the Labour government

Whichever party inherits the fiscal disaster created by the current labour government has created will be short lived.
Labour have sone some good,but the financial disaster they have created (and the longevity required to deal with it)is something we will all be paying for-for many years to come....

I'm hoping for a Tory win Antoinette, millions of us are.

actually I am expecting my life to get worse as I work in a public service

If Gordon Brown had stopped borrowing when we were going through a boom and saved for the bust we wouldn't be in nearly such a bad state.

Oh I forgot, he ended boom and bust

well all I am hoping from the conservatives is that they make the first steps to rescue us from the appalling financial mess we are now in

that probably means they will only stay one term, as they WILL become unpopular due to cuts and economy measures, but ANY incoming government would have to do the same

I also think that a change is necessary. I voted for Labour in 97. It was time for a change then, it is time for a change now.

I also really really really dislike Gordon Brown.

Just about sums up Tory voters really. The attitude of 'I'm voting tory because they will make my life better for me.' As opposed to the majority of Labour voters who vote Labour because they believe they will make life better for the majority of people in our society.

I hope they don't use the NHS then, Dueling.

The people who want a tory government probably won't really be effected badly by their policies, that's why they are so keen for them to win.

Do you honestly believe you're going to 'get' more out of your taxes on £40k/annum?

Or is this just about making sure others you perceive as getting more go to the wall?

Snap, Jackie!

'I'm hoping they win because at the moment DH and I (who earn around 40K per year - lots by many people's standards, and not much by others' standards) pay out all the time and receive nothing in return.'

You get a peaceful society with a superb infrastructure that allows you to go outside your door without fear of getting kidnapped for ransom or sold into slavery, to log onto a computer or flip a light switch anytime you like, fly out of an airport and basically go about your business unmolested.

That we've gotten to the point where so many believe paying taxes for such things is a penalty unless they get some material reward they can hold in our hands and spend valuable energy getting worked up over what someone got that they didn't like a bunch of 5-year-olds is one serious case of fuckedupness.

I guess, Antoinette, that this isn't the place or time to point out that the Conservatives introduced the National Curriculum, together with a great many other centralising measures.
I would say going on past experience that UK conservatives tend to believe in the small state only from an economic viewpoint - socially they tend to be at least as authoritarian as Labour (unfortunately).
I agree though that if they get rid of ID cards that will be one good thing.