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Original poster

To think that no one will ever vote conservative again

544 replies

rogersmellyonthetelly · 09/08/2012 09:40

At least in anyone in living memory of the current government and their immoral targeting of the most vulnerable members of society.
I voted conservative at the last election to my eternal shame, I won't make the same mistake twice.

OP posts:
headfairy · 09/08/2012 21:09

dammit, I knew I should hide this thread... now I'm going to get sucked in again :o

sparks1 damn that EMA for encouraging people to educate themselves. Much better for the poor to remain ignorant eh? Hmm

dryu · 09/08/2012 21:12

You get a loan to cover the fees though so you don't have to pay anything upfront. Given that graduates earn approx 100k more than non-graduates on average, taking out a loan which has very favourable terms of repayment is no problem and is a sound investment.

If people don't apply because of this then more fool them, they clearly lack ambition.

Denise34 · 09/08/2012 21:12

EMA didn't encourage anyone to educate themselves. If payments were linked to results, you might have a point. But it wasn't, it was linked to people showing up and getting their names signed off.

MadBusLady · 09/08/2012 21:12

I trust none of the people here railing against tuition fees vote Labour? You know, what with them having introduced them and all? Hmm

headfairy · 09/08/2012 21:12

and saying yes they did, not they didn't, yes they did, no they didn't to the argument as to whether Labour bankrupted the country is getting us nowhere.

Unless someone can come up with documentary evidence signed by The Queen, countersigned by Princess Diana, Mother Theresa and Nelson Mandela that Labour bankrupted the country going back and forwards over that argument isn't going to solve anything.

It doesn't matter who did what when... can we deal with the here and now. This government. In power now. What are they doing to solve the problems who ever caused them ? Not a lot as I see it.

Sparks1 · 09/08/2012 21:12

sparks1 damn that EMA for encouraging people to educate themselves. Much better for the poor to remain ignorant eh?

You should want to educate yourself regardless.

Fuck me, do you want payments to motivate people to feed themselves?

Jesus christ, this money doesn't just appear. People with families who work their arse off provide it.

headfairy · 09/08/2012 21:15

dryu would you be happy to take on £60k debt? Don't lie now

Denise34 · 09/08/2012 21:17

I'd be happy to take on a £60k debt if it was to do a worthwhile degree that had a very good chance of landing me a well-paid job. I wouldn't take on a £60k debt to go to uni just for the sake of it.

dryu · 09/08/2012 21:17

Yeah, as I said before it's a sound investment given the income differentials between graduates and non-graduates. Also the figure will be closer to 40k for most graduates with certain exceptions such as doctors (who will far outearn the vast majority of non-grads).

headfairy · 09/08/2012 21:18

sparks I don't know why people should feel unmotivated towards education. Maybe they grew up in a world where education was viewed on with suspicion. Maybe they grew up in an environment where kids were beaten up for being the swot. Maybe they grew up surrounded by gangs who did their best to recruit the kids from junior school and told them they didn't need education, cos they could earn more money running drugs for them. Hell I don't know. There's a lot of shit in the world. If £30 a week kept a young lad off the streets and going to college, even if it was just to sign in, then I for one am happy to fund it. Maybe, just maybe something in that positive environment might just rub off on him and lead him to think "you know what, I can do better than my parents"

usualsuspect · 09/08/2012 21:18

What are they doing for the million young unemployed? Answer that question please

headfairy · 09/08/2012 21:20

I'd be happy to take on a £60k debt if it was to do a worthwhile degree that had a very good chance of landing me a well-paid job

But Denise in a recession prolonged by the current governments policies there is a very strong chance you won't get that well paid job. (To all the naysayers I do realise you don't start paying the loan off until you earn above a certain threshold - but you've got to get to that threshold first)

Denise34 · 09/08/2012 21:20

Trying to turn the economy around so that there will be jobs for them at some point. What did Labour do for young people, other than preside over a housing boom and allow mass immigration to keep competition for jobs high and keep wages and working conditions low?

FrothyOM · 09/08/2012 21:21

"What are they doing for the million young unemployed? Answer that question please "

proposing to stop them being entitled to housing benefit so they can sleep on the streets!

Sparks1 · 09/08/2012 21:22

What are they doing for the million young unemployed? Answer that question please

Trying to not sell them the BS that some forth class degree will earn them a living.

One of the most criminal acts of labour.

My industry is crying out for skilled vocational workers. And they're often paid better than the management.

Can you find them, can you hell.

headfairy · 09/08/2012 21:22

Denise how are they trying to turn the economy around please? In simple words of one or two syllables for the hard of understanding (me in case you're wondering?) because so far I fail to see what they're doing.

But I'm no economist.

carernotasaint · 09/08/2012 21:23

Also i heavily resent overweight people being allowed to claim this

My husbands aunt became very overweight after being very slim all her life. Why? Because of steroid treatment due to MS.
Now to look at her the weight was visible but as she was sitting in a wheelchair no doubt people like you would have thought it was her weight. Unless she verbally told people she had MS people wouldnt know.
Hey perhaps she should have worn a sign around her neck. Do you think that would stop your type of prejudice.

Sparks1 · 09/08/2012 21:25

Sparks I don't know why people should feel unmotivated towards education. Maybe they grew up in a world where education was viewed on with suspicion. Maybe they grew up in an environment where kids were beaten up for being the swot. Maybe they grew up surrounded by gangs who did their best to recruit the kids from junior school and told them they didn't need education, cos they could earn more money running drugs for them. Hell I don't know. There's a lot of shit in the world. If £30 a week kept a young lad off the streets and going to college, even if it was just to sign in, then I for one am happy to fund it. Maybe, just maybe something in that positive environment might just rub off on him and lead him to think "you know what, I can do better than my parents"

Fair enough. But as far as i'm aware no one ever proved EMA had such an effect. Which is presumably why it was shelved.

headfairy · 09/08/2012 21:30

But it did get people to college. Hell I don't know if they bunked straight off again, I don't know if they sat there texting all day long. But they got there (because they wouldnt' have qualified for EMA otherwise). That's the first part of the battle won. For some people just getting them through the door is the hardest part. Then of course you've got to win them over once they're there, but you're not going to if they dont' even cross the threshold are you?

Vagaceratops · 09/08/2012 21:32

But for many people, EMA paid for them to get to college.

carernotasaint · 09/08/2012 21:35

Back in February this year Chris Grayling fell over himself on Channel 4 news insisting that the press had got it wrong and that the work placements on the Work Programme wernt/arent mandatory even though Channel 4 news was able to produce proof that they were.

Yet when the Daily Mail and friends wrongly report DLA as an out of work benefit i dont see any ministers or anyone from the DWP going on tv or radio to correct this. Disabilism in action!

Sparks1 · 09/08/2012 21:45

But for many people, EMA paid for them to get to college.

Complete rubbish. Subsidised transport was in place for students who needed it years before EMA.

usualsuspect · 09/08/2012 21:46

You didn't get EMA just for turning up. It was linked to course work.

usualsuspect · 09/08/2012 21:47

My DS got no subsidised transport.

headfairy · 09/08/2012 21:51

It wasn't just about subsidised transport though was it? It was about buying books, pens, note books, lunches at college etc.

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