To finally be looking forward to a GE?

[Cadela]

The past election/PM changes have been horrendous. The visceral disappointment was awful each time.

I can’t wait to actually celebrate this year. I know, I know, Labour are going to set fire to the economy and tax everyone £3mil each and it’ll cost you 4 trillion a month to send you kid to private school, and all women will perish immediately because only Tories know what a woman is

But finally! It’s been a long fucking time coming.

Moving won't do them any good in many areas as the best state schools around me aren't based on catchment.

It won't affect our children at all.

Are you serious? Private school parents are paying for a service they don’t use.

These photos from another thread say it all. But don’t let facts cloud the issue eh.

.. totally pointless endeavour. Taxing education. Harmful to all, in fact

Is anyone here from Wales ? Wales has had 25 years of a Labour Govt. Their education results (if you look at PISA scores) are worse than England, their NHS waiting lists are worse than England. I suppose the answer will be they don't get enough funding from England - where is all this extra money going to come from for Wales, defence (Labour and the Tories support increasing funding to 2.5 % GDP), education, NHS, welfare, environment, nationalisation of rail and possibly water ?? Labour are not going to inherit an economy that can support this - the worldwide increase in inflation (covid borrowing worldwide, Ukraine war) and subsequent worldwide increase in interest rates has seen to that. Whichever party gets in next, and it will be Labour, have got a job on their hands to stick to their commitments to not raise taxes and stay within their economic rules - I don't understand how their plans add up. I'll wait for the manifesto. Hopefully Labour will also commit to women's rights and safety. But I'm not encouraged by their stance that 99.5% of women don't have a penis 😳

This is parallel universe territory. Complete denial of reality.

Absolutely this isn’t 1997. The poison chalice the incoming government will inherit is going to take a decade to repair. I’ll probably be dead by the time it’s achieved but does anyone seriously want a continuation of the last 14 years of carnage to public services and three million child in poverty? Why would anyone want that?

Actually 'no' @PeaceLikeThis

I vote 'for the many, not the few' as @scoobysnaxx has said.

There have been many reasons over the years why I could have voted Conservative, but I refuse to vote for a party which is all about small state, 'everyone for themselves' policies, rather than putting in place those which will help us all and, especially, those who have less and need more help.

You are right to ask as it’s easy to list less so to fund

The VAT so far which will be a very small amount compared to the education budget even.

Maybe they’ll get to funding at some point

Things won’t instantly change overnight due to the mess the Conservatives are leaving behind 😡

Both dh and I feel politically homeless, what will Labour do that's different to the Tories? I need an idiots guide!

Could you link to those polls @Lifesd or are you just parroting the Tory spin?

Hello Everybody

Let's not be hasty.
In the words of that chappy Toby Blair
"Things can only get better."

I know it may not look like that BUT
surely things can't get any worse!!!
Can they?
😱

@Pin0cchio

Unfortunately the problems with your schools run so much deeper than merely funding issues.

There are so many different aspects that need tackling and raising up.
I'd be very hopeful for instance if labour said it would tackle literacy issues and have several different types if reading schemes to assist with this.
Or throw support and money at the primary years, smaller classes and so on and more specialist secondly schools.
Unfortunately I have no faith in labour reforming school at all because they don't seem to care about what's there in the state system.
All we hear is this absolute obsession with private schools.
There are many different types of private schools.
Some like the big hitters, Eton, Harrow and Winchester really are beacons of privilege.
They will make your child well connected, give them a tremendous start in life and so on.

But the smaller private schools don't necessarily do that at all and many parents are at their wits end trying to help dc many with mild sen that cannot be looked after in our state system.
Many who don't need lots of money throwing at them just understanding and simple strategies.

Eg how much money would it take to get a secondary school teacher to simply let a child with adhd out of class when they present a card : given to them by a Senco?

The Senco gives it, it's all sanctioned and allowed but unfortunately the teacher in that particular class will not let it happen?

@BIossomtoes i don’t want a continuation and don’t know anyone who does but I also know people don’t feel they have a choice. Had I remained in the UK I would have spoiled my ballot as I don’t support either of the main parties.

Nothing will change. There's no money for Labour (or any government) to do anything meaningful sadly. The pandemic saw to that and the world's economy is still going simply because more money is being printed which is not sustainable. Everything the politicians say from now on will be pointless. I see how hopeful and excited people are on this thread about Labour getting in; when Labour do they will be a disappointment. They always are. Having voted positively in many elections over the years I've never been so dispirited. I will definitely vote, as women died so we could vote but I'm minded to spoil my ballot paper. Which depresses me even more.

You see it's this:

I think the majority of independent school parents (or prospective parents who maybe are now reconsidering) will move into the catchment of the best state schools, do everything they can to get their children into the selective grammar schools and supplement their children’s education with a lot of extra tutoring.

... is actually at the nub of it, and is thinking that characterises the Tory voter. The inherent belief that state schools are poor, and only the grammar system (in lieu of paying for a private school) is good enough. Also behind why the Conservative government will not fund the state system properly.

So again, a choice for the (selective) few, rather than thinking about what every child might benefit from.

Be my guest, if you want to pay for your education, but recognise that it's privilege that you're paying for. And don't try and moan about not being wealthy if you are paying for it. (At least @ComeAlongPeggy has admitted that she is relatively wealthy).

Oh, and why do private schools patronise (in all senses of the word) other entities and (sometimes) other schools? Because they're not allowed to make a profit.

that comes with years of specialist training and enormous pressure and responsibility

Thank you for denigrating my entire NHS career in one sentence. I also have a degree and 'years of specialist training'. I also have enormous pressure and responsibility at work. I also have years of experience. And I also get paid a pittance for it thanks to your Tory government. A completely ignorant attitude from someone claiming to work for the NHS, clearly with no clue as to some of the jobs roles incorporated within.

"Characterises the Tory voter". That one style fits all approach is pretty defunct these days. I'm not sure you can lump people in one category as a typical Tory voter. Everything has been flipped on its head after 2019 and the collapse of the Red Wall. Many northern Tory voters are nothing like the cliché you describe.

Having said that, I think many Tory voters who have always voted Tory won't be this time. But they won't necessarily vote Labour. Starmer was Corbyns man, much as people might like to pretend he wasn't.

If Sunak had any integrity and sense of shame he would call an election in July...

Rather than being in complete denial and trying to hand around until the last minute.

We urgently need to restore a sense of hope in this country and stop the decline.

Labour, or a Lib Dem/Labour coalition if needed, will have to be very honest from the start though: they need to make it clear and public that the Tories have basically left very little money in the coffers, a huge amount of debt and have underfunded services for so many years that there this is going to be a long and difficult journey back to recovery.

@ComeAlongPeggy
''I’m actually hoping the tories stay in. I know, I know. But I don’t think Starmer is a good leader. Don’t @ me. Also, for very good reasons my children are in independent schools.Actually I wouldn’t have voted Tory (Starmer or no Starmer) if the tax on independent schools hadn’t been proposed. But it will be a disaster for us as a family.So yeah. This doesn’t feel like 1997 to me.''

It is not just about you...it is about improving the lives of the majority of people in this country.

Going to an independent school is for the privileged few. And I was privately educated by the way so this is not 'envy'...

I am more concerned about the general state of regular schools in this country and people who can't afford to buy food, pay their bills and mortgage/rent because of the cost of living than whether little Hugo and Jemima can afford a nice public school.

You don't think Starmer is a good leader, so you think Sunak/Truss and Johnson have been great leaders? seriously?

True @Anuggetofpurestgreen - there's also the whole 'Little Englander' views of the Brexit-voting Tories.

... and I realise, of course, that many Labour voters will also have shared those views!

Re the private school argument, everyone walks in their own shoes through life and voting is their own business. Most people will vote the way that best reflects their own opinions and what is best for themselves and their families because everyone is just trying to get through life as best they can. I do find it objectionable how some people have an opinion on the way other people vote and denigrate them for it. We live in a democracy. If people don't understand how voting in a democracy works, they shouldn't participate.

Check out the link @JessS1990 posted at 7.50 this morning on this thread.

I'm assuming you also write for the Guardian with those lazy views.

@ComeAlongPeggy just generally many are expecting more, whereas you will be paying more, if you stay in the same schools.

It’s no hardship to expect more of course, but the policy that affects you, but raises very little, goes down well for other reasons. I feel for dc who get caught up in the politics

It's hard to believe an NHS doctor doesn't think of others isn't it? Quite the disconnect.

Even that tory mp who is a doctor couldn't face the shame and resigned the party last week.