Depressed lefties - what now, is there any hope?

[electra]

I hate what this government are doing. All the sh*t about 'if you're poor/disabled' we'll look after you - yeah right, by designing a test which tries to make people who are disabled look like they're not. Everything else too.

Do you think Ed Miliband will lessen the chances of us being stuck with the tories for another 5 years? I can't bear them.

When feeling positive, I think of EM as equivalent to Michael Howard in terms of the recovery of the Labour party. When less positive, I think of him as the William Hague.

You've got to be realistic - we are stuck with the coalition for this term, then the Tories for another term AT LEAST. Don't you listen to what people say/said/were saying before the election?

oh yes I know we're stuck with them for at least a term but most people I know who don't always vote for the tories did so this time because they just couldn't see another alternative / didn't like GB. The conservatives are getting their agenda through but they didn't get enough support to win outright so hardly have the whole country behind them. And a lot of people I know who voted for them are now regretting it!

Not too sure about Ed yet, I need to see him in action a bit before I judge. However, regardless of who leads Labour, I am pretty sure the condems are digging their own grave.

Let's not forget that the Tories failed to win the election, despite the unpopularity of Labour and GB. Once people see the effects of the cuts, once they see front-line staff lose their jobs in schools/hospitals etc, I think a lot of people will realise the horrible truth about these truly nasty people who are leading us now.

At the moment it's all nice and cosy, with sanctimonious people believing that'scroungers' etc are getting their dues. The real effects are about to be felt and a lot of people are going to have a very rude awakening.

Despite what they say, most people do actually like having public services and once they see them crumbling they will soon be back to Labour.

I also have doubts that the coalition will survive, I can see it imploding as I can't believe many Liberals are happy with the policies they're having to support.

Two terms electra. Minimum. [stern]

And they don't need the whole country behind them. Admittedly they really need a majority, but they'll get that next time IMO.

Why do you think that though maktaitai? My personal experience would suggest otherwise but perhaps it depends what area you are in (I'm in the midlands)

I didn't vote for EdM but have some hope. I see the Coalition as one term, and then I think we'll have a fighting chance - dependant of course on whether Labour get their acts together in the meanwhile.

I know too many people who hate Labour with a passion. There's quite a few on here; they are everywhere I go. Admittedly I'm in the south east. However, I work in the public sector (well, I used to - currently a student). IMO a lot of students associate Labour mainly with tuition fees. most rural areas down here turned against Labour in 2001 with foot and mouth, or with the hunting ban, or the smoking ban killing off pubs. Supercasinos did for quite a few of my nonconformist/religious friends. Iraq did for plenty of others. Labour fixed the long educational tail, which was a big issue when I was in school, but people forget that that was ever a problem, and worry about high achievers in school now, rightly or wrongly. Then there are plenty who blame the financial crash on Labour, some who voted Labour in 1997 because of the 1992 ERM crash under the Tories, and some who don't believe in the sort of redistribution that I think was genuinely happening. Some who seem both to hate rampant property prices and also any prospect of masses of housebuilding in the southeast. Do you not hear people saying this stuff? I started hiding my Guardian in public in about 2004

I sound like a Tory but I'm not, though I do wish that Labour hadn't been quite so clotheared when dealing with issues affecting rural communities, and I don't think any government should have stayed in power after Iraq, though I do think that the Tories would have joined the invasion too.

Labour could look quite ship shape quite soon from an internal point of view, but IMO governments tend to lose elections rather than oppositions win them, and we're a long way from that.

Honestly no - I don't have to hide my guardian interesting though - I think maybe it does depend upon where your live.

I just wanted to come and feel the love before the tories come to tell us how wrong we all are

Students are going to hate the coalition now, surely?

One term.

Please.

That's what I thought - we're going to go back to a time where only the children of well-off people become doctors or lawyers - because nobody else will be able to fund a 5 year course if the proposals go ahead.

It's SO depressing I have quite lost the will to live.

I can't see us having this coalition for another term. Hardly anybody is going to vote LibDem next time, and those votes are highly unlikely to be transferred en masse to the Tories (though some will). And this time round, a number of voters flirted with voting Tory (having eg talked to Cameron on MN) and are suitably horrified. I know obviously some are really happy but they have to recognise that they're not in the majority, and as the next 4 years wear on the feeling of not being in the majority is going to increase.

Where's Claig? We need Claig to come and tell us how very wrong we all are.

And then we need BeenBeta with his apocalyptic visions of the hell that is ahead of us. They always cheer me right up.

I did vote for Ed and feel very optimistic.
The bonkers cuts (I do agree that some benefits needed desperately to be revised, but the CB is going to be for DC what the Poll Tax was for la Thatch) are going to alienate the very people who were to be heard saying they weren't going to vote Labour last time and so moved over to the (mainly) L* D**s. Who are obviously never ever going to be regarded as electable or even votable ever again (or at least until an entire generation has forgotten NC selling his soul for his 15 mins of fame)

And Nancy66 to tell us we're all moaning about something we're not actually moaning about.
And Xenia to offhandedly make us all out to be ridiculous.

I've made up a bingo sheet at home for the politics threads.

And then DP to make left and right feel like sisters under the skin....

What I can't bear is how thick people are and how they act and vote against their own interests.

WHY isn't basic politics and economics taught in schools? Oh I know, cos the Tories would never get in again.

If I hear one more person say look at the mess the Labour Party got us in and we need to make cuts, it's just like a household budget etc etc I swear I will take up my axe.

And schools. Look at the schools plans. And the NHS. And jobs. And benefits. But you know what, old Dave is all right because he's got four kids and pretends to drink guiness.

I hate George Osbourne with a vehemency inexpressible.

When they got in, someone reminded me that culture flourishes under the Tories: protest songs in the top 40 (god is there still a top 40? I have no idea!

electra - if it is any consolaion I am a depressed 'rightie'.

It wouldn't be so bad if the Coalition were actually doing what they promised in cutting thd budget deficit. They are already backing away from that and dribbling out cuts in spending over 4 years by chipping away here and there in an incoherent fashion in ways that deplete politcal support and result in them implementing policies in unfair ways that are annoying sensible Tory party members and MPs.

Does that mean Ben Elton will have a revival? And that bloody Rik Mayall. Now I am depressed.

I am Abandoning Hope. The one glimmer of light is that at least my children won't have the option of university, if their schools are ripped to shreds, so I'll save there....no, it's too awful.