Tuition fees were charged as, after research, the followed the advice about the best time to help children was when they were young. So they introduced Sure Start and free nursery places, to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children. They found the fund both ends, so low is tuition fees were introduced, but were still free to those with low incomes.
Hers a lust if the good thing she did. Not mine but lifted from Twitter. After 15 years of hideous horrible endless bastard Tory governments we were desperate
for change.
Labour moves to the centre, we will be indistinguishable from Tories.
I mean, there might be a few small differences, like how a centre-left Labour government lifted 600,000 children and 1 million pensioners out of poverty.
But otherwise Tory.
Oh yeah, and a centre-left Labour government doubled funding for every pupil, and added 36,000 extra teachers and 274,000 teaching assistants, transforming education and giving a better future for millions.
But apart from that, basically Tory.
And sure, a centre-left Labour government won 3 elections back-to-back, giving it time to train and employ 85,000 more nurses, cut NHS waiting times by 82% and get in-patient waiting lists down half a million.
But really: just Tory.
Oh, and they introduced minimum wage, created 1.8 million new jobs, cut long term unemployment by 75%, doubled the number of apprenticeships, and introduced right to 24 days holiday and 2 weeks paternity leave.
So there's that minor difference from Tories.
And yeah, ok, so they had the longest period of low inflation growth since 1960, created an independent Bank of England, and wrote off debt for dozens of poor nations.
Which I grant you, is a bit different from Tories. But only a bit. Not proper Labour.
And they delivered peace in Ireland, added 14,000 extra police, cut crime by 35% and increased criminal justice (court) spending by 21%
And opened 2,200 Sure Start centres, brought record literacy, record numeracy, and free nursery places.
But otherwise: pure Conservative
And they doubled overseas aid, which isn't exactly Tory.
And created GiftAid.
And brought in devolution for Scotland and Wales
Banned fur farming
And brought Human Rights Act into UK law
And the cleanest rivers, beaches, water and air since industrial revolution
But Tory, basically. Just Thatcherism.
Pretty much.
Except for 26% increase in child benefit, introduction of winter fuel payments, improvements to 1 million social homes, child Tax Credits, and creation of 3 million child trust funds.
Oh yeah, and they Scrapped Section 28 and introduced Civil Partnerships, the Tory scum.
And banned fox hunting, I'll grant you.
And free TV licenses to over 75s
And free entry to museums and art galleries
And a smoking ban, to annoy Nigel Farage
But apart from that.
Oh shit, I forgot.
Free eye tests and bus travel for over 60s
Heart disease deaths down 150,000
Cancer deaths down 50,000
Free breast screening for 50-70 year-olds
And created NHS Direct.
Just like bloody Tories would. Probably.
And it's true they created less debt than the Tory government before them and the Tory government after, even though they had to bail out the banks after a global crash.
So I guess being better at economics than Tories isn't exactly Tory.
Anyway, as I was saying.
The last thing Labour should do now is move to the centre, cos even if we do win elections we are basically the same as Tories.
I mean, sure,I might have identified a few tiny, insignificant differences.
But apart from that.
Anyway: I think I've made my case.
Stay where Corbyn took us: historic defeat, but Purity Of Essence.
Cos that definitely helps the country more than implementing all those terrible things I listed above. Who needs all that shit?
- Twitter user @RussInCheshire