The Queen's Speech - Newsnight would like to know what we think of it

[JustineMumsnet]

Good morning Mumsnetters,
Newsnight's Michael Crick is coming to visit and wants to know about what we all think of the government's plans as to be revealed (but of course already heavily trailed) in the Queen's Speech Today.

Here's a helpful summary from the BBC.

So what are your thoughts please?

I could also add the Tories stance on Europe to my list of worries making how I feel about the next election:

Tax credits - need to stay.

Surestart, the NHS, the BBC and the Royal Mail left alone.

Primary school rankings/SATs plainly barking and divisive - get rid.

Europe - needs to be engaged with properly.

Taxes - need to be targeted at the rich/big business, tax avoidance needs to be stopped.

Flexible working - needs to be men as well as women if we are to get anywhere at all.

We need more council housing and a proper policy on immigration that leaves no room for the BNP.

I would vote for the Tories if they promised all these things...

My opinion hasn't actually been swayed by anything locally. I have seen no party political broadcasts. I have met no MPs, and have had no leaflets. The only conclusions I can form is that my vote does not matter.

Aubergine, I take your point. In this instance was hoping that the T's would be nudged into signing up before that point though.
Hmm. I am also slightly going lalala to the argument around whether targets encourage a focus on those who hover around the target, at the expense of those even further in pov.

Notwithstanding the results of the MN poll suggesting a fairly even split between Labour and Conservative voters, I think any threads dealing with politics and current affairs on this sirte tend to be dominated by those of a laftish persuasion. Maybe they're just a bit more vocal here.

As a mother, I don't see "family and children" issues as a primary concern dictating my voting intentions in the next election. I'm interested in education, sure, but less so in paremtal leave and childcare. I'm afraid every time I see new initiatives in those areas my first thought tends to be "how much will all that cost?". What I am interested in is the economy, civil liberties, Europe (still fuming about GB sloping into a back room to sign the Lisbon Treaty), immigration, pensions, crime, poverty, social mobility and welfare dependency.

I'm far from convinced by the policies put forward by either of the main parties regarding any of these issues. I am, however, 90% certain to vote Conservative at the next election in view of GB's terrible economic management, and the fact that I haven't yet noticed any improvement in any of those policy areas during the last 12 years. So, for me, it's picking what I see as the lesser of two evils, rather than a positive vote in one direction. I suspect many voters feel the same way, regardless of who thay finally decide to vote for.

Sorry about the types above!

(Note to self: Must preview next time before posting.)

Typos

I'd be interested to hear what the C's propose wrt childcare tax relief. Maybe tomorrow?

colditz - if you're not a swing voter in a marginal, the truth (at one level anyway) is that your vote doesn't matter.

Yes, I agree, the tax WFTC and CTC are vital to so many of us being able to remain in the workforce. If it is removed, then it will be back to being on the dole for many. Not a good outcome, surely?

I'd like to echo Colditz that she hasn't seen any local MPs or had any local info.

Yes, MPS and canvassers are probably going to get flack on expenses but that's tough.

Rather than just wait for the General Election, I'd like to see my local politicians out and about more locally - and trying to keep in touch with me - on a more regular basis.

To be brutally honest the tories have the next election in the bag anyway. The whole debate strikes me as somewhat of an irrelevance given that the only question remaining is the size of their majority, and that will be decided by a selection of marginals across england.

Unless you're one of the lucky ones who lives in, say, Harrow East, Redditch, Gloucester or Sefton, Gordon and his chums couldn't give a toss about you.

The Labour party are currently engaged in a scorched earth policy to make life as difficult as possible for Cameron and co after the election. By enshrining targets in law, they can tie the Tories up in knots in court and point to their callous lack of consideration when unrealistic targets are met.

The whole thing is a sickening display of short-termist politicking and makes a total mockery of Labour's pretensions to be the party of social justice. The sooner these cretins get thrown out, the better.

I hope whoever gets in does not remove tax credits. If they do I will turn against them in the next vote, and will actually get off my arse to vote them out.

I'm yet to be convinced of any of the parties being effective enough to be worth voting in, TBH.

I'm with Colditz, inasmuch that the abolition of tax credits is an absolute vote loser, and they need to get their act together about what they will replace it with pdq.

I'm not entirely convinced that they do have the election in the bag. Granted, it's likely that they will get in but I think there are still an awful lot of people out there can't/won't allow themselves to vote Tory.

I think whether or not young(er) people get out and vote will be quite key.

Are they right to think you're swing voters?
I am, but only between Labour and the Lib Dems. I live in a Tory heartland and a Labour vote may well be a wasted one.

Have you decided who you'll vote for yet?
No.

Do you think it is crucial that Labour or the Conservatives make families and child care central at the next election?
No. I am insulted if anyone imagines that I care more about free nursery places than foreign policy or the NHS. I do think that Labour need to get the message out on how much things have moved forward regarding families and child care under Labour rule. They are failing in that and I think that we have forgotten just how bad things used to be.

Does this Queen's speech seem very political to you?
Highly. Buying votes (but who can blame them...) Where is the funding coming from?

Are you convinced by the Conservative Party?
No. Cameron has charisma, charm and can sound convincing, but I don't see any depth. Also, I remember the last time the Tories were in power (disastrous for the region I grew up in) and I have seen nothing that proves that the party as a whole has changed.

Thanks for asking, Newsnight!

My generation of working poor very clearly remember leaving school to work for £1.51 per hour. That's £60 a week for a full time job.

This was 1996, by the way, not the 1960s. There was no minimum wage. Employers had young people by the bollocks, as far as wages were concerned.

Then suddenly, there was a minimum wage, practically as soon as labour got into power. Suddenly, there seemed to be a point in getting a job! Small businesses hissed and bitched that it would put them out of business, and they would have to sack everyone, but this not in fact happen. They were simply forced to pay a dignified wage. Until they were forced to, many wouldn't and didn't.

It was the Labour government, it was Tony Blair, who forced this change. It was the Labour government who yanks many of my peers out of unlivable slave wages, into the land of feeling like a human being who is paid for labour rather than a donkey who is fed for donkey work.

And my peers remember that. That's why they 'seem' to have a block about voting for the Conservatives - the Conservatives were quite happily leaving us to fucking starve! They didn't give a CRAP about us.

And we are scared of the same thing happening again if the Conservatives get in. We are still mostly working poor, but now we have families and houses to run. Are the Conservatives going to pop the lifeboat Labour gave us in the form of the minimum wage and tax credits? They were happy to see us sink before, what would stop them this time?

Well said, Colditz.

Actually, it has just struck me that this thread should be/should have been stickied as a Chat thread...

Most of us ranters regular posters on these matters will pick it up, but presumably lots of people (who are the real swing voters) will have hidden the politics topics from Active Convos and/or will never venture in the Topic heading?

ye-es good point wilf..

Re Flood & Water Management and giving councils more power for said management - this is a real bugbear and the councils already have the power yet through sheer laziness mismanagement people are subjected to enormous upheaval and distress. What would it take to coax the council workers out of their warm vans and attempt to unblock drains etc?
Sorry but the jaded old 'climate change' excuse is a bit tired now.

(Sorry- in the middle of entertaining toddler with hand paints and glitter....)

Are they right to think you're swing voters? Have you decided who you'll vote for yet?

I don't know how the MN census stats compare to the national average for swing voters so impossible to say how critical "internet mums" are to Lab, Con or Lib Dems. My experience of MN is that people have very strong views one way or the other - not necessarily well-informed, but strongly felt.

Do you think it is crucial that Labour or the Conservatives make families and child care central at the next election?

I'd struggle to say that childcare issues are more important than healthcare issues, or banking issues, or national security issues. Yes, childcare and family strategies warrant serious consideration by all the parties, but the job of Government is to look at the big picture. If I were a swing voter, I'd look at the competency in dealing with all issues, rather than just those that directly affect my day to day life. I think most people would.

Does this Queen's speech seem very political to you?
Well yes. Isn't that the point?
Are you convinced by the Conservative Party? No.

Colditz

I just wish someone would get rid of the Queen, the old hag. And we wonder why we have such inequality in this country, when we have an apparent acceptance of an entire family of freeloaders of the highest proportions. Join to politically oust the arseholes here: www.republic.org

On the politics - yes - way too political - she should not be even here, never mind trying to influence politics - God help us should jug ears ever get in, with his arrogant and short sighted views.

I am not a swing voter either - anything to keep the toffs out, which currently would be someone who is honest and himself (GB) despite everyone trying to tell me in the media that he is an animal of some kind.

A question for Newsnight - why do you never discuss how the media control news and agendas - indeed why would you not discuss rumours that Cameron has done a deal with Murdoch? Why won't you ask him? Why won't anyone criticise Murdoch?? He is just an old narcissistic alcoholic after all.

well said Colditz