Labour

[EverythingAllatOnceAllTheTime]

No questions the Tories were bad, but Labour are on another level.

Are you still happy you voted them in? Be honest now, you are having your doubts aren’t you?

If not, you really should be.

Which recession have we had in recent years was worse than the 2008 recession?

I don't think the question was aimed at me, but I'd like to say something. I was a young adult in 1970, in work. I'm not sure how many changes of government there were by 1979, but Labour were in in 1979, until the General Election. Was that Labour government bad? I didn't think much to them because they couldn't afford to employ people they'd trained in earlier times. I spent some time from 1975 doing temporary work and seasonal work and a bit of time signing on, in between. I was close shopped into the union in order to take the seasonal job. The unions had a lot of power. I went to a union meeting out in the open, in the yard, where everyone could see what everyone else was voting. It wasn't about pay. There were old grudges in that workplace about old strikes. Perhaps the then Labour government was intending to make voting private but if so, it didn't as far as I know. Correct me if i have it wrong.
I cannot give exact examples of it all without spending hours googling first, but my impression of those days is that in the great power balance between unions and governments, the unions had too much power in those days and needed their wings clipping by someone. Union leaders can be self-indulgent little tyrants, just as anyone else can, sometimes more interested in their own political agendas than really representing their members. Also, as far as I recall, the government was in a financial mess and kept pottling off to the International Monetary Fund for more dosh, until told 'No'. So we had a General Election and a Tory government came into being. I have heard someone on radio, some years ago, say that Margaret Thatcher came into power because she promised, in the manifesto, to sell people their council houses. I didn't read it so I don't know but I do know that there are usually umpteen reasons for anything and one of the reasons why the Tories got in was because people were well cheesed off with the other lot. (The words 'total fuckeration of the other lot' suggested themselves to me, but I kept the previous sentence nice.)
I was sometimes one of Maggie's three million unemployed, between temporary work. I do not believe that she created that three million. The ball was already rolling that way and it worsened at the start of the Tory administration. I don't see her as a wonderful heroine or as a monster. She did some useful things and some that were not at all useful.

Took me ages to type it all !

@upinaballoon

I was sometimes one of Maggie's three million unemployed, between temporary work. I do not believe that she created that three million. The ball was already rolling that way and it worsened at the start of the Tory administration. I don't see her as a wonderful heroine or as a monster. She did some useful things and some that were not at all useful.

There were some statistics showing that more mines had closed and more miners made redundant BEFORE Thatcher than during her reign!

Similar with the railways, shipyards, steel works, car manufacturers, etc. All heading downwards during the 70s before Thatcher.

I think she got blamed for far more than she actually caused. UK industry and manufacturing was already on a downwards spiral. Some would argue part of that was because of the constant strikes, poor industrial relations, high wages for unskilled manufacturing work, and the massive double whammy of far cheaper manufacturing starting to take off in the East alongside cheap international transport.

Interesting thanks. I was a child/teenager during that time and not at all political. Thatcher changed that!

Voted Labour.

Very happy.

You do know we can see your original post?

I'd like to dispel the myth that all privately educated children are from wealthy families - they are not. I'm now retired (and losing my WFA but that is fine as I gave mine to charity last year) but sat the 11+ and was awarded a place at a private school (no grammar schools where I lived). My parents were poor - didn't even have an inside loo and the local council paid for my uniform. I did well. Couldn't afford to buy a house in London so moved out to a much cheaper place which still has a terrible reputation. Had 2 children - state educated until 11 where the local comps were dire. Eldest got a generous scholarship to a private school a few mikes away. Youngest didn't but we gave up everything non- essential to give her the same opportunity - no holidays, drove old bangers etc. Both returned to state education at 16 as there was a good 6th form - yes there were some rich kids there but most were just trying to give their children the very best that they could. If there had been grammar schools where I live, they would have gone there. Do you think that parents who can afford to buy a house in an area with brilliant schools should be penalised - good schools push house prices up.

When was the original post? I didn't see it.

As for your question about my background-this is an anonymous forum. You are a new poster. I'd rather not share any more personal info with you.

You show me your credentials, I'll show you mine.

I think they're referring to their post at 15.13

Thanks. Two different posts but I suppose they both express similar sentiments about posters on this thread.

@PandoraSox

"The Tories got rid of hundreds, maybe thousands, of older, experienced Whitehall civil servants and I think that had a detrimental effect."

I think "got rid of" is perhaps too strongly worded.

The Tories in their aim of reducing Whitehall civil servant numbers offered generous voluntary redundancy or early retirement, which obviously the older experienced staff grabbed with both hands. And often then came back as very expensive private consultants.

Totally agree. It's creeping towards a dictatorship. I didn't vote for them and I'm normally a Labourer voter but I've never trusted KS and it looks as though my gut feeling was spot on.

Yeah, there is some truth in that. A good example of Tory incompetence!

That is very vague and could mean anything!

Currently, I have a background in being a cat slave.😽