When was the last time you felt the UK was in good hands?

[honeybeetheoneandonly]

I watched the debate yesterday and while I think one person would probably make better decisions for the general public than the other, I wouldn't entrust the country to either.
Looking across Lib Dem, Brexit party or Green there is nobody, I feel, who would make the country a better place.

This made me think, when was the last time you felt a government in charge made things significantly better and left the country better off than it was before?

1997 was the first time that a party I'd voted for won an election and they did alright for a while.

I also supported the Con/Lib coalition as anything that stops the Cons from having unfettered power over the country is a good thing.

Ah yes Labour formed the SLC tuition fees, the slippery downwards slope of increasing Tuition fees to what the current government now think is acceptable and rebranded as education tax.

I’ve put simple comments under the memes such as, how? Or, interesting where can I find out more? To silence.

1979 to 1990.

1997

I agree they stuck religiously to the conservative spending plans for 2 years.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2002/blair_years/1959858.stm

Just as in 2010 the Cons stuck religiously to Labours spending plans.

This is exactly the grey area that those who are loud on social media, lack any political knowledge and treat it as a team sport lack.

It's a combination of MSM and dumbing down of political discussion from those lacking any form of critial thinking is why we have the shit show of not only our government but the opposition.

Gordon Brown.
Not overly keen on him but he was a grown up. We need grown ups.
I think Theresa May was a grown up in a ball pit.

Not having tuition fees is a big gimme to rich people. The poorer in society who pay tax pay the fees but they never went to university. If you benefit, you pay. It’s enabled many to go to university so the fees have not been a bad thing for ordinary families whose DC deserve a place at university. If we go back to no fees, tax payers pay. All of them. Including the least well paid. Is that fair. The coalition was right about this.

Of course people wanted nice things in the 70s! Well I did! I always had my eye on nice things and it drove me to do well at work.

I think Theresa May was a grown up in a ball pit I agree we agree on so much bellini it's scary PS don't spoil your ballot paper
I'm actually quite weepy today about the whole thing.

1997-2003, from the election of the New Labour government until the decision to invade Iraq.

I was a Labour activist back then, in a key Midlands marginal seat. We all worked bloody hard to get our party elected, and we all truly believed in what we were doing. I met TB on several occasions, and I also met Prescott, Straw, Cook etc and I had real confidence in these people and their ability to change the country.

We all understood that radical left-wing Ideology and policies were a complete waste of everybody’s time and energy untill you actually win. It is a tragedy that since 2015 Labour has forgotten that lesson.

Even though I was an idealistic teenager who protested against her.....I'm going to say.....Thatcher (if we ignore the crazy poll tax idea and downright madness towards the end).

I'm knocking on 50. I reflect back with different views to how I saw things then.

I watched the series of documentaries by historian Dominic Sandbrook called the 70's and the 80's. Opened my eyes to a LOT of things I was unaware of or naive to as a teen. Highly recommended.

@Justanotherlurker I think every government will have tough decisions to make that will be unpopular with some. I didn't mean which party did everything right. It's just been a long time since I felt curious or really positive about a politician or party and even longer since it's paid off.

The few times I heard Macron speak he made a good impression.
Angela Merkel is probably not someone to get excited about but I think she did well for the Germans.
Obama was a very exciting time. I remember the election coverage and I so wanted him to win.
I have no doubt there will have been many negative decisions made by all of them.

It's not about "back in the day" as much as there is no-one to believe in.

Like a pp said it's more about who will mess up the country less say the moment.

Not overly keen on him but he was a grown up. We need grown ups.

Brown declared we had done away with boom and bust and instead of making businesses pay, decided to implement WTC that let businesses of the hook and by the back hand introduced the magic 16 hours and the rise of 0 hour contracts.

It's funny how you say grown up, it's touching on the stereotype of labour supporters wanting a paternalistic government rather than personal responsibility.

Tony Blair before we knew he was a war criminal.

John Major actually was the best PM of recent times. Handed over the country in an incredibly positive financial state, was a moderate conservative who came from humble beginnings and was a grammar school boy. Unfortunately, as per the letter left on the Chancellors desk when Labour lost power that wasn't the case when they left!

"It's funny how you say grown up, it's touching on the stereotype of labour supporters wanting a paternalistic government rather than personal responsibility."

I'm not a Labour supporter and as a general prepper, personal responsibility is rather what I do.
So fuck off.

Blair in 1997

Still believe that labour government did a lot of good but that is all overshadowed by the war

Such a feeling of optimism

Tony Blair and I'm not even a Labour voter. It felt like he can along at the right time. It's a shame how it ended but it never does seem to end well as pp have said

think every government will have tough decisions to make that will be unpopular with some. I didn't mean which party did everything right. It's just been a long time since I felt curious or really positive about a politician or party and even longer since it's paid off.

It wasn't at you as such, more the rose tinted glasses theme, you did frame the OP as when was the UK in good hands, it's a loaded question that ignores the grey areas of before and after.

The few times I heard Macron speak he made a good impression.

That's the problem with UK political discussion, Macron was retrospectively held up as a left leaning (look how bad the UK is) politician, not many threads about him now he is a true neolib that is more akin to Cameron and Thatcher with his policies.

There is a reason why Brexit has caused divisions, why Blair, Milliband has been written of as red tories and why there is a life long eurosceptic leading the oppostion. It isn't because of right wing media, it's far more nuanced and there was no good hands, being idealistic does not equate the country being in good hands.

Such a feeling of optimism

Remember back in '97 everyone singing "things can only get better"?

The late 60s seemed optimistic. I was born '55.

Same as lots of people. 1997. i was so excited. And actually they did do an awful lot of good things that tend to get overshadowed. I'd love a New Labour government now.

1997. Shame it all ended so badly. . I haven't met any French people who like Macron. And the gilet jaunes are still active.

I was born in 1979, so I only remember the end of the Thatcher years (and as a child), but looking back now I think there were some sensible decisions there. However, I really disagree with selling off council housing and privatising so many industries without stricter controls on them.

I think John Major was a very good prime minister, I have a lot of respect for him and I suspect he's probably more to the left than some of the Labour Party.

Early days of Blair were good, but the spending did get out of hand. Lots of it was great, such as more money for schools, children's centres etc, but then things like Child Tax Credits being available in your child's first year on incomes up to £60k were just ridiculous. I also got a £190 'healthy pregnancy' grant that was available at any income!

I'm naturally just to the left of centre, so I am struggling with my vote this time. I cannot vote Conservative ever, I've lost my love for the Lib Dems despite having once been a member, and I don't agree with a lot of Labour's proposals. On balance I will probably vote for our Labour MP though as he is amazing locally and is very anti Brexit.

I haven't met any French people who like Macron. And the gilet jaunes are still active.

There is a majority of people who support macron hence why gilet jaunes are still active 2 years later, what was skewed in the british press was that he was a left wing triumph because le pen was alternative.

Macron transplanted into the UK frame would be considered a cameron conservative at best and thatcher con at worst. It plays into many grey areas of neolib, globalisation and our own brexit shit show.

Tony Blair...before it all went wrong. I liked Gordon brown too.