To ask I if anyone has changed their voting preference?

[bertiesgal]

I started off thinking I'd vote SNP but I've definitely settled on Labour.

I'm not pretending that any if the available options are perfect but I feel like every time Theresa May talks about Brexit and "stands up" to Europe (our closest ally and trading partner ffs), it's a bit like cringing as a racist out of touch relative starts spouting off at a party and praying to God they don't say anything too damaging for the sake of the family's reputation.

As for strong and stable....

However, I can't pretend that Labour are much better, I just know that their view of society chimes more closely with mine.

I don't want to start a bun fight, I just want to gauge how dramatic this Tory landslide is going to be or if there's still some hope....

Dons hard hat and awaits flaming!

Why would you believe the Tories are the best party to control the national debt, when it has increased so dramatically under them and borrowing it at an all time high?

They didn't even put any figures in their manifesto, so it's not like even they have a clue how they're going to handle the economy.

And yyy re Brexit. May is utterly deluded with her fantasy about sitting across the table and negotiating a 'good deal' with Europe.

I am in a Labour safe seat and always either voted Labour or abstained because the Tory candidate was a nobody. This year dh and I have already voted Tory by postal vote. No contest. No way we can agree with JC's stance on income tax.

Garden there's a lot of interesting stuff from the IFS about debt & deficit. If I've understood it all correctly, The deficit is currently falling but the debt is increasing at a huge rate. It's the highest in absolute terms ever and as a % of GDP it hasn't been this high since the post war program of investment in the NHS and housing.
Now George Osbourne advocated a 'household management' approach of owing nothing and living within our means which I think economists agree is no way to run a country.
I think the approach McDonnell is taking is a tried and tested method of investing to drive growth that is the opposite of 'household management'. It's a very normal thing to do and not terribly radical.
The debt exploded (as did the deficit) to hold banking together following the GFC. It should have stabilised. But from 2010 it has carried on rising, growth has been minimal

The ' there isn't any money left' argent doesn't really stand up.

It's true that it's not in health, education and other public services. It's also true that it's not in the bank.

One look at the growth in wealth of the richest few % shows exactly where it's gone and will continue to under another Tory government.

No way we can agree with JC's stance on income tax.

Im alright jack

Tory all the way for me. I could never vote for Corbyn. The thought of him ever leading our country absolutely terrifies me. Just really hope that when Labour loses, which they will, that Corbyn does the decent thing and resigns. I've voted Labour in the past and it saddens me to see Labour brought to it's knees by this man.

gardengeek, so leaving aside the head teacher who wanted a huge office for. A moment, do you think the thousands of heads who are describing the current funding crisis are making it up then? That they've actually got wodd of cash, but for some reason believe that they can't afford to replace staff who leave, can't afford books, paper, pens, playground equipment, to repair or replace anything broken?

Ditto the health service.

Other than ideology, what:s the reason behind the year on year pay freezes for public sector workers?

I've just read that Amber Rudd will be taking part in the BBC GE debate instead of May.

I am genuinely worried that the partying don't trust May to handle a TVs debate-how on earth is she meant to handle Brexit negotiations?

Garden, as a frontline NHS worker my perspective couldn't be more different to your perspective.

The NHS is statistically one of the most cost efficient services in the world (www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2011/aug/07/nhs-among-most-efficient-health-services).

There is always room for improvement but just because you are seeing investment in a particular area, doesn't mean lots of other areas aren't suffering .

Glad we can debate it though (unlike our PM ).

Apologies for my many typos. I need to remember to preview. My phone and my fat fingers are betraying me!

Labour hasn't been brought to its knees by Corbyn at all. Milliband was offering austerity lite, and it was never going to win. Blair was Thatchers 'greatest achievement'. The membership has increased hugely under Corbyn. He is closing the gap in the polls and labour members have voted him in twice. He has a mandate and more support than milliband ever did. People flock to see him, he addresses huge crowds in the street. If you genuinely believe in tory policy that is fair enough but all these voters who say they have no choice but to vote tory and its corbyns fault sicken me. Have the balls to own your decision. You could have gone green, lib dem, spoiled ballot, but you made your choice to go blue and should accept the consequences of your actions. These kind of voters will be the first to moan when they get presented with a bill at their doctors surgery or their childs school trips get cancelled from lack of funds.

GardenGeek I am also concerned with the debt, which has reached the same tipping point (%) which Greece were at when they got downgraded and sent them into the spiral they are currently in.

Sorry, but that is not true. From the graph that you yourself posted, the UK national debt is 89% of GDP. The EU average is around 85%, so we are only slightly above that. By way of contrast, Greek national debt is 177% of GDP.

We are not even remotely close to Greek levels of debt, and I'm afraid you've fallen for right-wing, pro-austerity propaganda in believing that.

Can't believe Amber Rudd is stepping in. They should have empty chaired her, leader or nothing. I think this says everything you need to know about TMs arrogance and distain for the public and I think it will badly backfire on her.

I've always voted Labour, apart from when I lived in Brighton for a few years and voted Green. I'm in Scotland now and am considering SNP, but only because Labour are not strong in my constituency.

It's beyond arrogance that TM hasn't the courtesy to participate in the usual Leaders' debates on TV.

How she can expect anyone to believe that she'll be able to ' negotiate' with Europe if she won't even face opposition leaders is really beyond me.

Silkybear; I have made my decision to vote Tory on their policies. I'm working class, but comfortable working class; nice house, nice holiday, nice car, and although not wealthy, we are comfortable financially. Unfortunately though, people like me are the ones who will suffer if Corbyn and his policies get in. That's why I've often changed my voting over the years because we are the ones who are often penalised the most by the majority of the mainstream parties. None of Corbyns policies appeal to me, or will benefit me many way, plus I really, really don't like him. I like TM, and although not happy with all her policies, she is the person I trust most to be in number 10. It's all very well to say not to base your decisions on the person themselves, and just focus on their policies, but you also have to like and trust the leader on some level to vote for them.

livelivevehappy, surely you will be the one to suffer (like us all) with no NHS, little care for our mental health, and an outdated and underfunded school system which only seems to favour the wealthy or gifted? What is right for the country is a system of equality which does support those who, through no fault of their own, don't have the wherewithall to fund it themselves. If you vote only for your current personal circumstance surely that is very short termist?

I am genuinely worried that the partying don't trust May to handle a TVs debate-how on earth is she meant to handle Brexit negotiations?

She doesn't do negotiation, she's blindly dogmatic and inflexible.

She seems unable to engage in conversation with people and can only manage soundbites and she can't manage a non scripted public appearance. It is genuinely worrying that someone this lacking in basic communication skills has managed to become prime minister.

livelove do you not use the NHS? Do you not, or are not planning to, have children that go to school? Are you sure you will never be old or disabled?

Labour will protect the NHS it created, provide 10 thousand more police that TM has slashed, and properly fund schools.

The cut backs are real and they are already happening. They are set to get worse under a leader who u-turns so much on her policies she is practically pirouetting and doesn't have the decency or guts to debate leaders of the opposition on television. Austerity has failed. Tories have tripled the debt. Investing in people and skills fuels the economy not austerity.

Her and lying Boris are hardly the prime candidates to discuss an EU settlement. At least labour have Keir Starmer human right lawyer to face the EU, now that is real steady hands.
I genuinely don't understand people who say they will be better off under tories unless they are the super rich. It is literally untrue.

Live, I have to agree with squeegle. Funding the building blocks of society (healthcare/education/policing etc etc) benefits all of us. If you're part of the 1% then you can afford to pay for these things (and a gated community) while the rest of us live with the consequences.

We all suffer if children aren't educated/prisons are overcrowded/ police are stretched/the NHS is in crisis.

Even if we don't use the services we suffer from the consequences of an unequal and unhappy society.

I honestly believe that if we all muck in, life is better for all of us.

I don't have the luxury of escaping to Monaco when the riots start (okay i'm exaggerating but hopefully you get the idea).

Squeegle: I'm not even sure Corbyns promises are doable. On the NHS, he promises so much, and it looks good on paper, but he hasn't convinced me about how he plans to pay for it. The manifesto he presents is pretty much the same as Labour's previous manifestos, and the NHS is just something they always over promise on as they know its very important and emotive for the majority of us. And most people do vote on what benefits their own current personal for circumstances. That's what people base their votes on. Saying there is going to be no nhS under the Tories is scaremongering, as TM has never said in her manifesto that she intends to faze out the NHS. I'm pretty confident that the NHS will continue under the Tories.