I won't be voting Labour because

[PanicMode]

next year they will be spending more on debt repayments than education, and that's just one example.

From a £6bn deficit in 1997 to £167 bn now....

Oh, and the only new idea (reduction of stamp duty) came from the Tories in the first place.

All those thinking of voting Labour, please read Squandered or The Rotten State of Britain before letting these financially illiterate numpties back in.

despite being a tree hugging leftie from forever I saw for NULabour for what they were from near the start
in 97 and since then I have voted lib dem not for ideology but exasperation

I'm with scaryteacher, Needle and 101damnations; your earlier posts (page 2, I think) were wonderful.

This current govmt seems to be spending money in education, doing statistical studies about the results of their policies, which in turn are used to justify continuing said policies. They claim they are succeeding . . . but isn't social mobility lower today, while truancy rates at an all time high?

This govmt contemptuously ignored the Cambridge Review, which offered some ways forward to fix the issues in the current educational system. They didn't even bother to read it, I'm sure, as they responded to the huge thing the same day it was released.

I'm following what they are doing in education because these issues affect me now with needing to make decisions about my dc's schooling. This govmt doesn't appear to pay attention to reality or research in any of their policy making in this area, and I have to extrapolate this behaviour to other areas as well.

It seems that Labour policies are designed to homogenise everyone, and eradicate innovation, individuality and responsibility. It's an agenda. And they spend a lot of money to accomplish this.

I just read the LibDems education policy which is everything I could hope for. I love the sponsored school idea.

I read Needles post about social housing with interest...until I realised her household income was (it seems) well in excess of £150k a year, and that really what she was saying was '...let them eat cake..'.

Easy to judge people and 'decide' we should do away with social housing, when you never expect to be in need yourself.

Re unemployment figures being massaged by disability, carer's etc. I dont think skihorse was implying anyone is not a carer.

What she is saying that the stats are not comparing like with like, because, if in (eg) 1995 you would have been given unemployment benefit but now you would be given disability, then looking at a graph comparing unemployment recipients over time is misleading. You either have to go back and restate the prior numbers or adjust the current ones.

......but then things would look a lot worse.

I don't vote Labour because I'm not a socialist (and Labour are socialist through and through, I disagree with Little Silver on this one. Control freaks for whom the end always justifies the means, and a lot of the time they don't appear to think very hard about whether the means are going to work, either).

I don't vote Tory because I'm not a conservative, and can't identify with Tory finger-pointing at scroungers etc.. It doesn't take a conservative party to implement sensible policies - just a party that isn't imbued with a socialist mindset.

I vote Lib Dem because I'm a liberal and I like the people.

could waffle on more, but that's what it comes down to...

Arctic she's had a go at me before but I apologise for biting I should know better. Sorry.

It's not "having a go at you" to state that you are "economically inactive". It's a fact. [confuse]

No, I probably bit becuase of other conversations we have had and I apologise for that (I am Peachy, I think you probably know that but maybe not).

But economically inactive sounded like a judgement to me. Whereas it's not the only thing that matters, or the only way to be of value to society.

I'm sorry, I don't recall having spoken to you before (either name).

Of course it's a fact/judgement and of course people make judgements. You yourself have just judged me to have made a judgement - do you not see the delicious irony of making such a statement?

We all judge and anyone who says they doesn't is a bloody liar or simply totally fucking deluded.

Of course I judge. But that doesn't mean I like to be judged- who does? Esp. for things they cannot change.

And yes we have spoken many times. But sometimes on personal things which I will not link to here.

Clarissimo - I didn't twig you'd changed your name.

For the record as the Tory OP - in my book, there is a MASSIVE difference between being economically inactive by choice - (I remember watching the Secret Millionaire once and one of the people the SM met in the pub saying that there's no point getting a job because his 'giro comes every week and I do alright' which REALLY p'd me off because I'm paying for his beer, fags, council house and ultimately his indolence), and the army of carers who do the most amazing job and have to manage on so little. I do think that we need to pay carers far more for the 'work' that they are doing - they may not be net contributers to the country's coffers, but without them we'd be even worse off.

This is the trouble - people know that there are people out there like you mentioned panicmode BUT they tend to lump everyone in the same category which is wrong.

This govt should have encouraged the long term jobless into the labour market rather than allowing unfettered immigration. If they'd done it when we were in 'boom' tather than 'bust' it would have worked.

Maybe then there'd be more money in the pot for the people who really NEED it.

You know PM whilst In wouldn obviously like more I know the country can't afford it so am happy with what we get, in fact we choose not to claim some we are entitled to aqs we can get by atm. And I am trying to swet up a sibling support group for asd affected famillies which I hope will give something back.

But if I could get the £50 for that rather than as a handout I would feel better.

And I can sasure you I am as grrrrr at those who choose not towrk because of laziness as anyone- probably kore so becuase I hate the way their activity reflects on me. We don't pay shedloads ion tax atm (DH's business still in startup phase really, as was a hobby before redundancy) but we take pride in contributing what we can.

Clarissimo;

Just read up on the Greens...

Interesting, as I didn't really know much about them before...(other than they were "green")

..However, now that I know abit more, I would never vote for them.

Good, I am glad you have made an informed decision.

I probably won't vote for them either in fact but I have found aspects of their policy 9and little things like the fact parts are costed- what a plus!) inspire some of my own ideas.

Yeah well, always good to be politically informed..

I think a massive fight is gonna break out on the catholic threads...words like "nazi" are being used abit too much..

....I'll stay here..

Labour has created huge debt for this country and massive problems. We need a Conservative Government to get the country back on track. However many Conservative supporters , two thirds, over 11 million supporters are concerned about the possibility of repeal of the Hunting Act 2004 which bans hunting with dogs if we have a Conservative Government who have pledged to put it to a free vote for MPs only.

I am a Mum in my forties with two children and I recently lunched www.conservativesagainstfoxhunting.com in January 2010 to represent this majority of Conservative supporters who are against fox hunting. Please look at the site for further information and the chance to write your message to David Cameron if you are concerned about repeal in our message box facility on the web site. Email addresses are not published on the internet.

Ah I am not on those threads DP, I don't like what I see in the news but still, nastiness solves nothing

No, and people just get hysterical....I've learnt when to walk away...(it's taken me almost 2 yrs)....I just haven't got the patience for alot of it now.....and tbh, I don't really give a toss what some looney thinks of catholics...

I am 'economically inactive' as well Riven, but I boost the Belgian economy and the UK one by spending in both places.

I am not a generator of tax revenue; perhaps that's what it means.

I think one owuld have to be dead or living on a desert island to be 'economically inactive' these days.

Tax Burden as % of GDP by Country

As a NATION we pay less tax than France and Italy, about the same as Germany and much more than the US.

How this is split between Corporate/Personal tax etc. will of course vary.

DP/Skihorse et. al. - Withdrawing support for SureStart/Other family support things. The problem is that you will not be harming the feckless layabouts you disapprove of, but their children who are blameless. So 'maybe mothers would look after their own children then eh' is not an answer because some people won't.