Westministenders: Promises, promises

[BigChocFrenzy]

We should see the party manifestos soon
in 2017, that changed the election

So far, Tory and Labour have been competing for who can offer the most spending on the NHS

Labour have been giving tantalising glimpses of free dental care and free broadband

The Tories have been hinting at tax cuts, as well as public spending

The polls suggest the public like all of the above,
but also that Brexit is the most important issue

25 days to go, still all to play for

Westministenders' Abbreviations:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/eu_referendum_2016_/3492426-Westministenders-Abbreviation?msgid=84503730

I just wish they'd all come out and say it plainly. JRM back pedalled and masked it. Patel was thinking it but didn't say it.

I do know people who do come out with it exactly - who sound off about Food Banks, and if people learnt to cook it would be so much better and they wouldn't need them. I didn't bother to point out to this person that I doubt very much whether Boris Johnson or Jacob Reed-Mogg have the first idea about preparing a meal, or shopping for food, because being moneyed they are cushioned, but what is the point?

It was Rees Mogg who said food banks were a good thing. They’re a bunch of heartless bastards.

I know someone who is a Conservative councilor and we had a conversation about the NHS a while back where he was completely candid with me. Said outright that if they could they'd do away with it tomorrow and the only reason they don't is because the public wouldn't accept it. So instead they'll do it little by little, slowly slowly catchy monkey.

Anyone who believes they want to look after the NHS is deluded.

So instead they'll do it little by little, slowly slowly catchy monkey.

Are doing, not will do. Worst of all, stuff is still branded as NHS so people don't realise that a particular service has been flogged off.

Peregrina: I do know people who.... sound off about Food Banks, and if people learnt to cook it would be so much better and they wouldn't need them.

I think you must know my sister!

Patel didn't say all of what she was thinking but it seemed her premise was that a particular person's poverty isn't the government's fault.

Whereas a particular persons success is ?

You can't have it both ways. If the government isn't responsible for poverty, it can't be responsible for wealth either.

It's amazing how many things the government "isn't responsible for" (crime is another) that it somehow has the secrets to fix. But only in the future for some reason.

Is it OK for an MP to do this? As a result all critical/questioning posts are disappearing and all that remains are ones that praise him.

Is it a personal account ?

I've a feeling that the outcome of this general election is going to be worse than Brexit whatever way you have voted.

Bah Humbug!

The upside is that there will be another GE next year! Yay!

I've set up 3 different facebook accounts - not sure if this is OK.

Although people do do this on FB (often for gaming purposes so they can have a separate one for personal stuff), it isn't allowed. If you are caught your accounts will be disabled.

Is it OK for an MP to do this? Yes, he can block/delete any comments he dislikes.

Johnson will not have overall control. It's like the public want him to be punished?

This doesn't solve the problems facing the UK though. It's head in the sand politics.

They're also not currently "MP" accounts as there are not currently any MPs

My MP renamed his account when Parliament was dissolved and made it clear that any references to "MP" in the account pre-dated the dissolution.

I saw the same statement being used on Kirsty Blackman's account, as I also follow her.

DG Rossetti - it's not a personal account no. Also I have been posting on all of the Tory MPs FB pages - none of them are personal accounts.

When they post about schools - I reply with my point of view. When they post about the NHS the same thing etc

I had 2 accounts initially because I suspected something was odd and wanted to see whether my posts were still there when I logged in as someone different. I added the 3rd account when they started to block me. Most of the (Tory) Mps are doing this now.

It's weird. When you look with account 1 your posts are there, but they're not there when you look through the other accounts. And I'm definitely not missing them because although lots of people seem to be replying there aren't many replies to look through.

Does this make sense?

This started to happen about a week ago. I don't know if it's Ok for them to do this, but they're blocking freedom of speech. It feels wrong.

Johnson will not have overall control. It's like the public want him to be punished?

I sincerely hope that this is the case, or better still that he loses his seat. But, it's "Be careful what you wish for." Each Tory PM is more horrible than the last - Cameron - bad, May - worse, Johnson - diabolical.

If you are caught your accounts will be disabled.

Oh I didn't realise it wasn't allowed. Thinking about it - I think they must be circulating all the replies and different people are getting to see different things ... I don't know.

Our local MP (not my own, but next door constituencey) is definitely deleting everything he doesn't like though ... oh well.

Thank you.

@placemats, I can't decide if I want that outcome or not! It would be entertaining and rage-inducing at the same time.

I think the UK is going through a sea-change and we have a few more ugly years ahead of us.

I am going through the Greens, Labour and Lib Dem manifestos ATM. Away from the fluff, there are some good ideas in both. Awaiting the Conservative manifesto on Sunday (?) before commenting.

Anyone listening to Corbyn?

Regarding the MPs FB account ...

we're straying into a similar situation as Trump got involved in when he started blocking people on Twitter ... US courts held that as he was POTUS and operating an account as POTUS (so in his capacity as a state official) he was subject to the constitution. Especially the 1st amendment prohibiting the state abridging free speech which is what he was doing by deleting unfavourable replies.

The problem is the UK has no such constitution, no such construct, and no real political will to support anyone who feels aggrieved.

knightcolumbia.org/cases/knight-institute-v-trump

Personally, I think that if Facebook et al want to play with the big boys, then they need to have certain obligations to go with the privileges of an "approved" account. And one obligation is the presumption that all comments must be left public. It's one way to earn your blue tick.

However, historians will call this the "heads you lose, tails I win" era in politics, where asymmetry grew to eventually consume itself. Because that, my friend, is how you prime a revolution. Something you'd think the Americans would know, really.

Speaking of shady Twitter tactics, heeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeee'sssssssssssss Priti

twitter.com/ToryFibs/status/1197452853784252416

Oooh. Thank you DG Rossetti -

I thought someone would have an interesting take on it here.

My gut feeling is that it is wrong. When they put lies up on facebook saying how wonderful schools are and how much money they're putting into them - I want to say 'well that's not my experience' similar with the NHS etc. I'm not as articulate or knowledgable as perhaps I should be so I want to counter their stretching of the truth with links to articles/research. But they won't let me.

Social media gives us a voice. By silencing it they are again manipulating the outcome of the election - aren't they?

When you look with account 1 your posts are there, but they're not there when you look through the other accounts

That's because the MP or whoever had hidden your posts, which means only you cannot see them. There's a choice to hide, delete posts, or block the poster. Try and see it from the opposite PoV, if you have someone posting things you don't like on your FB wall and they have made other accounts to get round you being blocked, then they have every right to report your accounts and block you at every turn.

Sorry I got that arse backwards - if your post is hidden you can still see it but no-one else can. Sneaky.

Oh thank goodness a Conservative Party leaflet has landed on the mat. Just in time as I need a liner for my cat's litter tray.

I don't know if it's Ok for them to do this, but they're blocking freedom of speech. It feels wrong.

It might feel wrong but as there's no special 'MP FB account' where every comment has to remain and can't be deleted/hidden, then they have every right to remove your comments. You are being (in their view) an annoying troll and they will (rightly or wrongly) report you!

That's because the MP or whoever had hidden your posts, which means only you cannot see them. There's a choice to hide, delete posts, or block the poster.

It shouldn't be possible for MPs to block constituents on official social media accounts (unless they are abusive). U.K. law needs an overhaul in this respect. If an MP uses social media as a private individual they can do what they like, but official accounts need to be accountable to constituents.