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?

PW - I assume, reading between the lines, that they plan to link any MW increase to inflation.

Really? That's the opposite of what the 'senior Tory source' said in that Mirror piece: 'It would be foolish to continue hiking up the minimum hourly rate by the rate of inflation every year.'

I have just written to my (Tory) MP to ask him about the Conservatives' commitment/plans re the MW. Because I agree it's not entirely clear.

x-posts Go for it. I tried emailing the international development shadow's office but got brushed off!

PW - Apparently the MW has been increased by more than the rate of inflation since its inception. So maybe that quote was in that context? And maybe there would be some sort of catch up in order to re-callibrate it to its original rate using inflation as the measure against which it should have risen?

But I dunno.

Hoochie, Kinnock was one of the worst labour leaders ever. I remember listening to him at Parliaments question time blowing every opportunity he had against Thatcher but going on and on and failing to nail her. he used ten words when one would do. A terrible opposition leader. Who remembers the labour confedrence whne they were all celebrating as they thought they were all due to win the next election but lost (again!)

Policy and Swedes - you guys are quite clued up and sound passionate about politics , if I may say so. Perhaps you should field a few MN candidates

BigGitDad - still a good quote whatever you think about Kinners?

Thanks Tough Swedes does actually have a Grand Plan involving MN candidates in all electoral seats.

I am not dreading a Conservative government. I have been waiting for it since 1997!

Footnote to my comment above: I am very glad that Obama won but it was noted that in the Democratic primary all special interest groups seemed to vote for their man apart from women. So

Tax Credits are also used to eiver extra benefits- we get some of theboys benefits that way; for poor people with sn kids (or kids) TC's can at some stages be more than tax.Ours are, as we have a statrt up bsiness and 2 disabled chidlren.

TC's are amazing for us, they have amde the difference between keepingthe home we have,surviving post redundancy and ending up in transition housing.

Oh sorry and yes leningrad the PAYE thing- they tried it when they brought in TC's but the businesses were against the administration as they said it was an extra burden, which I can understand really

have jumped on this a bit late but I just wanted to point out that the NHS was in a parlous state in 1997 - 18 month waits for routine operations were not uncommon. To their credit the labour government significantly ramped up spending but they, as I believe any government would , have struggled to improve efficiency in the NHS, much lessing the impact of the additional funding.

The funding crisis is infact a combination of two factors: the ongoing need for increased funding given we are an ageing, fatter, more demanding nation, and the problems with efficiency.

NO party is brave enough to really get to grips with the latter - its a vote loser, so they will keep on pumping money into the bankrupt system until it explodes.

I dont see that the tories are proposing on doing anything different on the NHS hence better the devil you know.

There was a v good article in the Sunday Times yesterday about public sector spending and productivity. In the period 1998 - 2007, productivity in the private sector has increased by some way and in the public sector it has fallen by some way. The article also gives more flesh to Andrew Lansley's "off grid" comments about Tory spending cuts I really like Osborne's idea of an Office for Budget Responsibility - it sounds so sensible and obvious.

Swedes, the drop in productivity in the public sector is a major scandal that has been ignored imo.

quite honestly though i think expecting career politicians to get to grips with productivity is pure fantasy.

I read a stat yesterday that in the highest claim areas about 12% of people claim TC's Lenin, I would hazard a guess that's way below entitlement.

I know I come rom and live in aprticularly low wage areas headed from bridgwater to SE Wales) but the wages here are pretty much impossible to not qualify for TC's on. Dh tried to get local job for ages, but the wage cut from Bristol to here was £6+, about a third!.

I think TC's are a good thing, they enable people to have liveable wages whilst taking the immediate burden for that off business; I read an article about them- can't remember where, might even have been good housekeeping (sorry)- that stated part of the aim was to enable the MW to be set at a level that business should be able to manage and yet allow poeple in manya reas to earn enough for the housing costs. fter all, in manya reas (again typically those I end up in- Somerset, this village, as wella s palces like Cornwalla nd the channel islands) the cost of housing and earnings are simply not inked due to retired people, holiday homes etc.

btw do remember that the other people benefitting from TC's as well as the lowwages dualearners and single apents are carers forced to live on one or even less incomes, and the working disabled who get top ups to encourage them to remain in work espite extra complications (eg travel isues, needing part time hours for treatments etc).

It also backs up student parents- the ones who are trying to change things for themselves

Society doesn't divide into have or have nots, despite what politics would ahve us believe for simplicity: it divides into have nots, haves, can't haves (carers etc), trying their best to haves, and coudlnt be arsed to have if it means getting out of beds.

Only one of those groups amkes me go , the rest IMVHO deserve a bump up and a pat on the back

After all, behind every successful bsuiness person with kids there is a childcare resourcxe working slightly longer hours to cover travellinga s well; usually on a low or minimum wage. Pull out that layer (and the paid carers, TA's, shop assistants) and force them into higher paid or no work to pay the bills and many other peoples resources collapse as well.

wasn't the NMW brought in due to EU regulations? so would any party have the power to abolish it (as oppose to tinker with it, not increase it in line with inflation etc).