To think that the next election will be Reform v Greens and we need hard hats to survive?

[Noras]

I just want a stable country and would take any political party with middle of the ground policies. I wish that KS had been left to get on with things. I did not like some policies eg NI increases and additional taxes on rental income but so be it. As long as the economy could be stable and grow we can overcome that. Instead we have a party that had a large majority now in Civil War. KS can only give away but not reduce spending and as a consequence, taxes have risen hugely eg via fiscal drag or on non working (investment) income tax .

I want to see a government with a clear plan to increase productivity and make us more successful as a country.

instead Reform and Greens offer none of that but this is our future, shudder!

Actually, quick correction, it wasn't an article it was a submission in the letters to the editor in which she claimed that racism experienced by those who are black is experienced 24/7 and compares the discrimination faced by Jews as in the same category as redheads.

www.theguardian.com/theobserver/commentisfree/2023/apr/23/success-for-women-not-same-as-for-men-letters?hl=en-GB

What about a Lib/Lab election pact, with both parties committing to a referendum on rejoining the EU? Making it the best of 3.

If you're happy to wait a while, Streeting will ensure you don't have to. Another shot in the foot for a joke party.

Not all the country voted. People do vote differently in Council elections.
Labour got a bloody nose. But they didn’t get in with a massive amount of the electorate voting for them anyway.
If Reform do win the next election there will be fast and significant buyers remorse. Anyone considering voting Reform needs to ask about detail in regard to their proposals. How will health based insurance work ? How expensive would it be for your family. Who would own the company.
How would they get rid of the state pension ( they intend to have an Australian style- where if you have assets ( but not declared how much ) you don’t get one.
Things like this need to be clear and transparent.
How would they stop the boats. Without annoying the French so much they stop buying our goods ?
Nationalism can become very ugly very fast.And always people assume that by supporting it those in power will like them in turn. And look after them. Nothing like that is guaranteed.

Great if they want to make a mockery of democracy.

The Scots wouldn't agree with you.

Reform are putting themselves forward as the party for the working people. That used to be Labour they very much now seem to be the party for benefit claimants, not workers.

Streeting is employing a populist tactic. Promise to get us back into the EU to topple Burnham's chances. Labour are getting better at their low blows.

There will be a new Labour leader/PM by then.

None so far are inspiring with a comprehensive vision of a future. As I said, although Trump is far right ( in my opinion) he had a plan for the US economy. We need someone that has a vision to create growth and from that to create greater support. Everyone seems in the doldrums at present. Even when the economy did better than expected last quarter, people seem beaten.

I would take dull as ditch water with a consistent plan. personally I do t have an issue with KS even if I am paying more tax under his leadership if it translated to growth.

I’m in an interesting position of having a significantly disabled adult son (most likely needing supportive living level) and a self employed well paid DH so I straddle the political middle for obvious reasons. The one thing that I would like is stability and clear finanacial planning. I think that some reform is needed with PIP/ carers allowance based on what I have witnessed (99.99% claimants genuine but there are a scant few taking the Michael) but even with doing our best, our son will always be dependent on the state for care ( so the State needs to survive) but at the same time I know from DH how flipping tough it is at the coal face when you need to have stability and not getting that. As a consequence houses are not being built and jobs are not being created.

The only thing I mig have done differently is postponed lifting the child cap for a few years until we had actual decent economic growth. I would also have allowed more gas drilling even if it’s traded on the World market and used the taxes from that to pay for growth / jobs.

I voted Labour last time as I was promised none of these games and just straight forward stability. Industry / business will do the rest. I feel disappointed.

Thank you.

Was not aware of that comment by Diana but it doesn’t surprise me based on other things she has said in the past that are stupid.

Where do you see the growth coming from?

Are you on the right thread ?

Yes, I'm replying to the poster who was asking about Diane Abbott and her anti-semitic comments. Although, I did forget to tag the poster

I'm hoping both parties are at their peak as PP has indicated. Lab/Lib coalition maybe. Hopefully to get us closer/back into the EU.

Apologies ! Can see now.

No worries, I was being tardy.

I think Reform will end up losing MPs throughout the parliament, whether they kick them out or if they resign so even if they scrape a majority I don't think they could hold it for 5 years. I can't see Kemi doing a coalition with them, maybe confidence and supply until we all see what fruitcakes they are.

I can't see Kemi doing a coalition with them either. It would destroy the Tories as while they would gain more votes on the hard right, it would scare off all the more moderate Tory voters.

Because the current Tories are the right of right, Kemi Badenoch was a supporter of Brexit, the Lib Dems want to re-join Europe.

Why is re-joining the EU a low blow, leaving along with austerity has caused most of the rise of the extreme right as we all know that populism thrives on poverty!

Because Streeting has already secured his seat and can throw a bone to the membership, Burnham has to appeal to the constituency he is running in (pro-Brexit) Makersfield and to the membership. By even talking about Brexit, Streeting has forced Burnham to piss off one or the other at the outset, and by trying to straddle the gap he looks as indecisive and weak as Starmer. Well played Streeting.

Like Margaret Thatcher?

Thatcher was too right wing and was eventually ousted for a more centrist PM, John Major.

I can’t conceive of why anyone with any intelligence at all coukd vote Green. They are astonishingly stupid.