Why are you dreading a Tory government?

[Swedes]

Social mobility under Labour has fallen to the levels experienced in the 1950s. That means if you are born poor, you remain poor and if you are born wealthy, you stay wealthy.

I heard this morning on R4 that the NHS is experiencing the worst funding crisis in its history.

I could go on but I'm sure you get my drift.
Labour have had over a decade to fulfill their promise that "things can only get better". It's time for a change.

Can you please give me a few good reasons why Labour should remain in office?

An interesting indication (not at all surprising though) of where Cameron's Tories might be heading: they currently sponsoring the Employment Opportunities Bill, which would effectively scrap the minimum wage. (The date on that link is May, but they tried it again this Friday.) It won't get through, but it's an indication of what they're planning.

I've long suspected they'd do this. It's one of the few areas in which there does seem to be clear blue/red water between Lab and Con.

It doesn't say that you would in the Bill, no. Don't know whether the top-ups would happen automatically - I've a feeling the Tories are planning tax credit shake-ups as well.

report of Tory policy wonk's remarks re. tax credits He specifically says that they don't like the idea of government subsidising low wages, so...

wonderful quote TMMJ.

Trouble is that Murdoch will decide who wins. That is why Blair kept and empty chair at cabinet for him.

NuLabour has done badly apart from MAJOR blunder with Iraq. Trouble is the Tories supported them on this one, whatever they say now.

The antiIraq vote should go to Cleggover

Chope's private member's bill isn't conservative party policy. He is backed by about 10 other MPs. David Cameron has spelled out his commitment to the minimum wage legislation but he has voiced concerns that the current min wage pay rate has grown much faster than inflation.

I haven't heard a whisper from them about tax credits.

Tax credits is a terribly inefficient way of helping the less well off - it would seem far more efficient to address the possibility of taxing them less in the first place.

I do think people have a duty not to pass on untruths about politics.

Swedes- i think GB did introduce low tax bands as well as tax credits. Tax credits need to be simplified but the last time GB tried to do that he did things in the wrong order and upset lots of people and damaged his own record on helping the poor and child poverty

Sorry Swedes, it wasn't a deliberate untruth. To be fair, it's difficult to tell what Tory policy is, so I'm trying to read the runes. Where has Cameron spelled out his commitment to the minimum wage?

And all 11 MPs sponsoring the Bill are Tories, so it's hardly a huge leap to point to it as evidence of the kind of thing Tory MPs propose.

happywomble yes, same boots, different path. You said: "Those on middle incomes are paying higher rate tax for other people on lower incomes to go back to work and have their childcare paid. Yet we have to also pay the full rate for our childcare." This is a real stumbling point for me. Especially when a lot of the mums getting help from the government don't take work seriously. I see them dropping off their kids and then calling in sick - while I'm rushing off to work. And they complain because they work 16 hours a week, pay for 25 hours of childcare (like me), and only take home £400 a month at the end of the day. I work 22.5 hours a week and take home £50. In order not to go mad I have decided that my tax money pays for one specific child's nursery as her mother works really hard and is doing a part time OU degree. If I think of it going to subsidize any of the others, I go crazy.

LeninGrad - 40K is a lot, but only if housing is affordable. It's not up here where we live if you want a decent (not great, but decent) school. At 3x salary you need about 100K to get into the area with the best state schools here.

I agree with Swedes, tax credits are a ridiculous system. I'd far rather increase the non-tax allowance & allow spouses to transfer it then fuss around with tax credits. You should be able to do something with this (perhaps changing tax thresholds) so that people end up with around the same amount of cash and then it's not a credit or a handout but earned income. Obviously there'd still need to be some help for single parents with childcare costs though.

From what I can see, Cameron has been extremely vague about the minimum wage.

Tax legislation under Labour has become ridiculously complex. I'd like to see a much much bigger tax free allowance £15,000 per annum for each individual over 21. And then a flat tax rate thereafter. And I'd like to see communities brought together whereby successful and wealthy individuals in a community could sponsor and mentor less fortunate individuals in the same community. There is no sense of community any more, lots of mistrust on both sides of the railway and everybody is the worse off for it.

So I suppose there is something to be said for devolved governments!
I'm grateful in this instance that Scotland voted 'yes' for devolution - I may not be able to escape ALL of David Cameron's politics but the main things like scottish education and health shouldn't concern him too much!

Not that I think the SNP are the greatest!.....but really, it's the lesser of two evils....

'Labour's plans for minimum wages, the Social Chapter and large increases in spending and taxes would send unemployment straight back up.'

21 February 1996

'The Labour Party opposed each and every one of our reforms. Even today they would burden business with the minimum wage, the Social Chapter, and trade union privileges.'

24 April 1997

'Labour would spend and tax, restore union privileges and burden business with the minimum wage and the Social Chapter. Mortgage rates, prices and unemployment would rise ? as they have under every previous Labour Government.'

25 April 1997

As opposed to one quote in favour, dating from 1995:

'I think the minimum wage has been a success, yes. It turned out much better than many people expected, including the CBI.'

The Observer, 18 December 2005

mildmannered unless the spouse makes too much - in which case the carer gets nothing. I am very aware that my personal contribution to the family is not financial at the moment. I couldn't even pay for the petrol to fill up our car after I pay childcare. Why is it so important that some women get a personal income and others, who also work, don't? Your arguement doesn't hold for me.

But I like the idea of raising the minimum wage - even though that wouldn't help us at all.

MPs supported Labour's war in Iraq on the basis of what they were told in Parliament, assuming it was the truth. It is completely fair enough that they should now criticise the basis for war. btw I was always anti the war in Iraq, even when the dossier was assumed not to be dodgy/sexed up.

Policywonk - Those negative quotes re minimum wage are all over 12 years old. And the positive comment is at least the most recent.

Yes, fair point re. the quote dates.

Here's another story Daily Mirror saying that an unnamed aide to Cameron had said that the Tories would effectively allow the MW to melt away by not raising it in line with inflation.

I don't know for sure what the Tories will do with the MW, cos they seem to have gone to great lengths not to tell us. But I don't think it's a disgrace for me to come to the conclusion that they're agin it.