SorryToDisturbYou
This has nothing to do with "Broken Britain". I voted for Labour in 1997 and despite people's later anti-Tony Blair rhetoric, I think they were a great government. They poured money into the NHS, education, social services. They tried to tackle social exclusion, they funded childcare. They tried to improve things. They were absolutely brilliant. And from 1997 - 2007, the economy was fantastic. We had pots of money to put into the country and we did! It was one of the best decades the UK has ever had.
And as soon as 2008 came, it all collapsed. All the improvements in every institution reversed themselves immediately. Productivity collapsed. Efficiency collapsed. The NHS is back to the bad old days. Schools are crumbling. People are literally starving. The prior Labour govt might as well not have existed.
And that's the point: Labour proved that pouring money into these institutions cannot lead to long term change. It won't create a productive efficient workable sustainable nationalized health system, like those we desire in Europe. It won't create a functioning education system like that in Germany that actually fixes our productivity problem. Increasing benefits doesn't actually move families out of poverty. It makes them happier in poverty but it will never actually change the demographics of the UK in any meaningful way. We can pour billions into it and as soon as the economy turns, they will collapse.
And the UK is facing a demographic time bomb - the costs of funding pensions and healthcare will skyrocket over the next few decades. (Ironically, it's in a much better position than rest of Europe because of Thatcher's cuts to public pensions). It's also going to face much more competition from an increasingly educated global middle class. Do you really think we can compete? Do you really think we can adapt?
What 2008 showed people is that our fate is tied to the fate of the global economy, not how much govt welfare is spread around. Because it makes no fucking difference. It would be nice if we could all know that voting for more Sure Start centres would mean we could depend on having a pension in 30 years but it's not true. The NHS is unaffordable. It won't exist in the same form in 30 years no matter which govt is in power. The rhetoric from the left is useless. We have no power over the global economy. We don't have the ability to even stop energy rises in our own country! Look at all the handwringing and backtracking over an energy cap.
What 2008 showed people is that if you want to secure the future of your own children you have to do it yourself. It destroyed the faith people had in these institutions to protect them and their families. You think people are being selfish. I disagree. They support the Tory cuts, not because they hate disabled people or "benefit scroungers" but because they are hoping that the tory cuts and welfare reform will actually accomplish what people prayed that the Labour spending would accomplish - it will fix these institutions so we can have faith in them again.
I think UKIP voters (who I've spoken to) have seen enough to believe that the country and its institutions are in deep crisis and the future does not look good and they are trying to push back against it. They want to protect what little they think we have left, from europe, from foreigners, from whoever. I think if you offered them another way then they would listen.
Labour are arguing that they will reverse Tory cuts and take us back to 2005 basically. Great. Except we know what comes after 2005: 2008. We already know that this won't work.
If Ed Miliband had stood up and said: Look. We know the country is in crisis. Our infrastructure is a joke. Our education system and productivity is a mess. The NHS is unaffordable and if you are under 30 you should be playing the lottery if you want a pension. We can't spend our way out of this. We have to do better. The tories have offered reform and change. But their's is the wrong change. We have a responsibility to protect and value the dignity of each person in this country no matter what. And the tory reforms have failed to do that. What they have done is despicable and wrong. Here is what we will do: grand plan that fixes country! This will not be easy. We are going to have to be disciplined and we are going to have to make tough choices. But we are in this together. I promise you that this government will never turn on any sector of the population. We won't name call. We won't demonize. And we will make sure that every burden and every hardship is shared equally and fairly. We will restore your faith in this great country and be worthy of your trust.
etc etc gets a bit flowery but you get the picture. And it would have to be radical changes. That's the message and you stick to it. The point is that not only would people have voted Labour but many many UKIP voters would have too. This is not about 12bn or immigration checks. This is about trust and hope. This is about the future of Britain and the safety, security and life chances of our children's generation and the next generations to come. Please tell me someone in Labour HQ gets that!