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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To call for a general strike to force a snap general election?

128 replies

TheDCDeserveBetter · 05/11/2023 07:50

I think the state of our country is getting really serious, and I wonder - if we called a general strike, could we force a general election before Christmas?

For context, my GP surgery and local hospital is in struggling badly, so that my own health is now in big trouble.

My DS's secondary school is so short-staffed that my DS, who is super-smart, but has a dual diagnosis, has been having panic attacks and has dropped out. I'm not well enough to home school him, and there are not enough special school places to get him help.

We have had endless trouble with low grade criminal activity in volunteer organisations over the years and no help, because the police are under-funded. This means that our community involvement has dwindled to nothing and he has no social support outside school and our house.

We have enough money, but I have started posting our spare food on freecycle and I get desperate people coming to collect it and asking if we have anything else surplus. I know that at least one of my DS's friends is short of food.

Nothing much is being done about climate change.

Now they're making it illegal to give tents to homeless people?!

Can't we just force a general election now?

The conservatives could organise a snap general election easily enough if they thought it would get them a bigger majority,

I think they should do the morally right thing and call one now to get us a better government.

Posting this in trepidation, because I know AIBU is fierce. What do you think though?

OP posts:
AlltheFs · 05/11/2023 07:55

Short answer is No.

Any change in government would take two terms to make any noticeable difference. Almost none of what you mention can be changed quickly.

pilates · 05/11/2023 07:57

No. This is not a short fix. Do you think a different government will come in and wave a magic wand and make it all better. It will be a couple of years before things start improving.

MikeRafone · 05/11/2023 07:59

Elections don’t work like that, we have a few more months to wait

Spendonsend · 05/11/2023 07:59

It would be very nice to have a less corrupt government that was aiming to help the majority of the population, rather than make rich people richer.

But i think people also need to be realistic about what the blnext government it goung to achieve, and how quickly. Its going to inherit a total mess, but inherit it in a poor economic situation too.

Dolphinnoises · 05/11/2023 08:02

General strikes are illegal.

And even if they weren’t, I don’t think our public services have the capacity to bear them.

Newrumpus · 05/11/2023 08:03

I’m not sure how it would help

chopc · 05/11/2023 08:11

If you think the Labour govn will make things better, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise. They have no strong policies and no backbone. They will spend the next four years blaming the tories for their shortcomings

Pumpkinspie · 05/11/2023 08:12

chopc · 05/11/2023 08:11

If you think the Labour govn will make things better, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise. They have no strong policies and no backbone. They will spend the next four years blaming the tories for their shortcomings

This

oviedo · 05/11/2023 08:13

chopc · 05/11/2023 08:11

If you think the Labour govn will make things better, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise. They have no strong policies and no backbone. They will spend the next four years blaming the tories for their shortcomings

This

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 05/11/2023 08:14

Labour is in in Wales. As above really. No one seems to be able to manage any service any more.

Throwhandsupintheair · 05/11/2023 08:14

Even if we did hold a general strike, it’s highly unlikely we would get a pre-Christmas election.

Nevertheless, I 100% support your sentiment. I pray for a quick end to the dystopian nightmare we’re in with this twisted version of the Tory party.

You can see from Sunak’s fanboying of Elon Musk, at the AI Summit, what more they have in store for us. Musk told us that the future will be a dystopian one, where our children will have no jobs, and Sunak sat grinning.

He also plans to unveil more as to environment policies.

They must leave, and leave soon.

Evaka · 05/11/2023 08:15

chopc · 05/11/2023 08:11

If you think the Labour govn will make things better, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise. They have no strong policies and no backbone. They will spend the next four years blaming the tories for their shortcomings

Have you read their plans for govt? Would you like to set out the plans you think are particularly weak and why?

Evaka · 05/11/2023 08:16

Throwhandsupintheair · 05/11/2023 08:14

Even if we did hold a general strike, it’s highly unlikely we would get a pre-Christmas election.

Nevertheless, I 100% support your sentiment. I pray for a quick end to the dystopian nightmare we’re in with this twisted version of the Tory party.

You can see from Sunak’s fanboying of Elon Musk, at the AI Summit, what more they have in store for us. Musk told us that the future will be a dystopian one, where our children will have no jobs, and Sunak sat grinning.

He also plans to unveil more as to environment policies.

They must leave, and leave soon.

Agree. Another year will be incredibly damaging.

Throwhandsupintheair · 05/11/2023 08:18

You will get Tory HQ on here attempting to increase apathy with their ‘give up!, they’re all the same!’ etc etc but it won’t work. The voting population know how high the stakes are. This country simply won’t survive another Tory administration.

maddening · 05/11/2023 08:21

Tbh your proposal would cause a lot of financial costs to ordinary people - the stability of the economy would have a similar impact as the truss situation - I would expect interest rates to shoot up etc - a calm planned election is needed, civil unrest and political melt down would be a disaster imo

Thebestwaytoscareatory · 05/11/2023 08:23

chopc · 05/11/2023 08:11

If you think the Labour govn will make things better, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise. They have no strong policies and no backbone. They will spend the next four years blaming the tories for their shortcomings

Think you're a bit confused my friend, you've just described the last 13 years of a tory government.

Vegetus · 05/11/2023 08:25

There's no magic money tree whoever gets in cannot alter the decline in public services.

VikingVolva · 05/11/2023 08:26

You can't just call a general strike.

Each union needs to ballot its members over the specific grievance at issue, to authorise strike action in that dispute. This is typically pay/conditions inc pensions or safety issues.

These don't happen simultaneously.

So there is little possibility of a general strike

(secondary action and flying pickets have long been banned)

Vikina · 05/11/2023 08:28

chopc · 05/11/2023 08:11

If you think the Labour govn will make things better, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise. They have no strong policies and no backbone. They will spend the next four years blaming the tories for their shortcomings

I agree. People are deluded and think it will be like waving a magic wand. If we want better public services we need to accept that we need to pay more.

Elvis1956 · 05/11/2023 08:28

Evaka · 05/11/2023 08:15

Have you read their plans for govt? Would you like to set out the plans you think are particularly weak and why?

Show quote history

I'm a Tory voter, but this incarnation of the party is in its death throws. Can you please let me know where I can read up on Labour's policies so I can make a decision when we next vote?

Thebestwaytoscareatory · 05/11/2023 08:29

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 05/11/2023 08:14

Labour is in in Wales. As above really. No one seems to be able to manage any service any more.

They're somewhat hamstrung by tory fiscal policy and the absolute mess of the economy they have made, as are all devolved parliments.

Pumpkinspicelattetime · 05/11/2023 08:32

No election will happen in November or December no matter what is happening in the country. And labour aren't magically going to fix anything.

RudsyFarmer · 05/11/2023 08:34

I’m not denying our government is terrible BUT you are seeing a slow breakdown of society that won’t be solved by a change of government sadly. It’s a global issue.

Thebestwaytoscareatory · 05/11/2023 08:35

Elvis1956 · 05/11/2023 08:28

I'm a Tory voter, but this incarnation of the party is in its death throws. Can you please let me know where I can read up on Labour's policies so I can make a decision when we next vote?

Show quote history

Sure, just bookmark this page https://labour.org.uk/. Once the tories have finished asset stripping the country to line their own pockets and actually call for an election, you'll find the other parties will publish their manifestos on their websites. Until then you'll have to make do with the more vague "this is what we stand for / this is our mission" type literature.

Surprised someone who has apparently participated in previous elections doesn't understand how campaigning works.

The Labour Party

https://labour.org.uk/,

piscofrisco · 05/11/2023 08:40

@Dolphinnoises general strikes are illegal. But who sets the law in the first place? They are illegal because they are disruptive and perhaps disruption is what is needed. Because every time I think this government can't get worse they manage it:

Covid enquiry evidence-awful incompetence and the way they all behaved as if they were Gods and didn't really give a shit- but is anyone really surprised?

Failing to vote at the UN for a pause in fire in the Middle East because we can't upset America. How can you justify abstaining in those circumstances?

Sleaze current and past

Rishi sucking up to Elon musk and thinking that's good optics (I mean where is your judgment even? -Elon musk is a clear nutter)

Suella and her racist rhetoric

Billions of quid spent on ridiculous headline grabbing schemes that come to nothing

The degradation of all areas of public life and services to the point where I can't think of anyone thing that works effectively any more.

Floods every time it bloody rains because despite having the knowledge we haven't applied it to climate change or even sensible planning.

For the first time in my life I would happily move from this country if I could. And I say that as someone who has been lucky enough to live abroad and still wanted to come back. Not anymore.