Nah it's you that has obviously missed the point. Or more likely deliberately ignoring it.
And the point is that unlike 13 years ago the majority of the electorate won't be fooled into believing austerity is a necessary bitter medicine.
Both labour and tories are promising austerity
Show me where Labour are telling voters that we need to implement "austerity" in the same way David Cameron and Nick Clegg claimed it was necessary.
One example - labour are refusing to remove the 2 child benefit limit - despite the scots government having done so for years on a fixed budget.
Plenty of labour policies have been dropped on grounds "it cannot be afforded" Obviously false as the Scots government have shown it can be done on a fixed budget
Thats austerity by other names and yes - they have fooled the electorate or think they have into believing this austerity is needed. Its exactly the same as Cameron and Osbourne
The leader has been emphatic about prioritising “financial responsibility” over reckless spending as the party seeks to reassure voters it can manage the economy.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jul/16/labour-keep-two-child-benefit-cap-says-keir-starmer
TJ, are there any policies that limit spending that you would consider sensible, rather than classed as austerity?
Edit - the reason I ask is that your example of the 2 child rule seems to me to be entirely reasonable and could perhaps free up funds for other spending that benefit other members of society. Ultimately every party has to strike a balance and that 2 child rule is somehting that can be 'planned for' so to speak.
There are other issues that face us all that we have less control over - all kids should be getting a great education would be one such example. Starmer would take away charitable status for private schools and use that cash for the greater good. I think Labour are being cautious rather than 'conservative'.
One example – labour are refusing to remove the 2 child benefit limit – despite the scots government having done so for years on a fixed budget.
No that isn't an example of Labour telling voters that we need to implement “austerity” in the same way David Cameron and Nick Clegg claimed it was necessary.
Why isn't the word "austerity" even mentioned? David Cameron and Nick Clegg didn't have any problem at all using the word.
There goes another thread…
It's ruined now isn't it?
Does that mean that you won't bother clicking on it anymore?
No, I’ll keep reading in the hope that someone other than the same few noisy voices have some news or something to say about Sunak.
Fair point, I’m not one of the noisy voices but did get drawn into the austerity bit. Easy done just picking up at the end of long threads
have some news
You don't think Labour on 50% and the Tories on 25% in the latest opinion poll is news?
You sound even more positive than me.
Anyway, Sunak. OH was working at Wensleydale Show today and apparently the little fella was flitting around as fast as his little legs could carry him from one photo op to the next. Literally quick word, smile, photo and off to the next one.
I’m sure we’ll soon be treated to his man of the people routine on social media once his PR team have sifted through the images and found the ones where nobody is giving him the V’s behind his back
Did he arrive by helicopter?
Mad Nad has finally got round to resigning saying in her resignation letter that Rishi Sunak had put her personal safety at risk by “whipping a public frenzy against her” and disclosed that police had visited her home last week, warning her about a threat to her security
Did he arrive by helicopter?
She didn't see one but it was probably parked at his house which isn't very far away.
The deckchairs are being rearranged on the deck of the Titanic. Grant Schapps (or whatever his name is this week) is now defence secretary 😂
https://twitter.com/guardian/status/1697164039921520988?s=20
Grant Schapps (or whatever his name is this week) is now defence secretary 😂
Tomorrow he will announce that the recruiting crisis has been solved by the cunning plan of giving each soldier four different personas.
Is anyone donating to Sunaks crowdfunder now they have cancelled the helicopter contract?
Although given its going to be supported by other means possibly no need. Would be amusing if they start flying him around in the gunners seat in an apache when nothing else is available.
Would be amusing if they start flying him around in the gunners seat in an apache when nothing else is available.
Not seeing anything amusing about that dickhead being near something capable of 1000 rounds a minute....
This is Shapps 5th cabinet position in 12 months 😳
Summed up nicely by Huffpost
I keep forgetting that Shapps is the cousin of Mick Jones from The Clash.
Will he stay, or will he go?
I see we're at the 'Bring Back National Service' stage of the Tory drain-circling.
https://twitter.com/NicholasTyrone/status/1697220616481390966
A little earlier than expected, if I'm honest. I hope they've left enough time for Shapps the spiv to complete his full set of ministerial appointments, he still has to bag Education, Health and Chancellor of the Exchequer.
I keep forgetting that Shapps is the cousin of Mick Jones from The Clash.
Will he stay, or will he go?
With these career opportunities coming along so regularly, why would he quit?
This is Shapps 5th cabinet position in 12 months
Or Michael Green, or Corinne Stockheath, or Sabastian Fox? I'm sure the MOD will be well pleased to have an ex-photocopier salesman with at least 3 dodgy pseudonyms in charge...
what was the bad thing ?
https://twitter.com/DmitryOpines/status/1697171314656628927?t=tW4mBoLnEfK2-974_-Jvbg&s=19
But if Jez is Secretary of State for Defence, then who’s Mark?
Rishi is definitely Johnson
ive just realised
https://twitter.com/ChrisKimberley/status/1697369353841262845?t=nDPLtCD3yfOdBae5136sRw&s=19
Everyone worries about AI taking over the world, but imagine if Conservative politicians achieved self-awareness?
Everyone worries about AI taking over the world, but imagine if Conservative politicians achieved self-awareness?
There's a strong argument that they haven't failed. They've paid themselves a lot of money and directed lots of public money to their friends and donors.
That's their sole measure of success. Have they personally profited from what they've done? Have they had opportunities (like TV appearances) they wouldn't have had otherwise?
Yes?
Success.
Tories are just like all the shit managers being described on the ", unreasonable requests" thread. The health of the company (in this case UK plc) is of no real interest to them, it's simply a method of getting paid.
Yes it's the Guardian so it was never going to be complimentary but that's quite the evisceration.
I've just got around to reading the Nads resignation letter. Wow, that is some unhinged shit right there.
Why is it that we have had five Conservative prime ministers since 2010, with not one of the previous four having left office as the result of losing a general election?
Well Nadine, Cameroon resigned becasue he lost a referendum, May lost significant amounts of support, (that you were part of stirring) after trying to do the impossible, and resigned, Johnson was caught in too many scandals and was forced to resign, and Truss tried to destroy the economy. I mean, I know she has a bookie-wookie to sell, but is that ring wing Tory politics now then? conspiracy theories unmoored from reality?
I’ve just got around to reading the Nads resignation letter. Wow, that is some unhinged shit right there.
If thats how batshit crazy her resignation letter is, just imagine how absolutely hatstand her book is going to be, given that its her tinfoil-helmeted, gin-addled account of 'The Assassination of Boris Johnson', working title 'The Plot'
I see that the publishers have put the release date back on legal advice. I would imagine that particular legal advice was delivered in a form like "are you out of your ****ing mind? You can't publish that shit!"
I see we’re at the ‘Bring Back National Service’ stage of the Tory drain-circling.
You almost have to applaud the awe inspiring stupidty though.
"Young people overwhelmingly don't vote for us, what shall we do?"
"Bring back National Service?"
"Any other ideas?"
"No"
There was some Tory thinktank dweeb on Five Live this morning - obviously where this latest nonsense came from.
He was adamant that it was a more modern version of 'National Service' and wasn't about guns and marching or any of that type of thing. When asked what it was would actually involve instead, he didn't appear to have a clue. They hadn't got that far...
They really are just bumping along the bottom, aren't they?
It would be more useful if, rather than idiot policies aimed at young people who would rather poke out their own eyes than vote Tory, they created an obligatory course for the over 60's that taught them critical thinking skills, and how to spot the obvious propaganda in The Mail, and why the statement "Not everything you read on Facebook is the truth" might come in handy. Course failure means you get less pension.
He was adamant that it was a more modern version of ‘National Service’ and wasn’t about guns and marching or any of that type of thing.
Maybe by more modern they mean like community service, litter picking, cleaning up graffiti, that kind of thing.
The kind of thing criminals currently get sentenced to do because the jails are too full and underfunded.
Two birds with one stone in the tory play book.
an obligatory course for the over 60’s that taught them critical thinking skills, and how to spot the obvious propaganda in The Mail,
Oh they'd never do that, the Mail, Express, Telegraph etc is just the media wing of the Tories.
Had a discussion the other day at work about this, a few colleagues saying how their parents had started reading the Mail etc and how it drew you in gradually by being just a nice paper, British values, a good TV guide and so on. And then the drip drip drip of right wing anti-immigrant, anti-EU sentiment creeps in via what, on the face of it, are harmless stories about a good plucky Brit farmer somewhere struggling against EU imports or a happy British family who've been on the council/hospital waiting list for years with just a suggestion that immigrants might be getting those places instead.
Absolutely don't want people to be applying critical thinking skills to that.
Dumb down education, keep the people thinking that the enemy are arriving in small boats rather than private jets and limos. Distract a bit, divert some blame elsewhere and then point out the failures of society (avoiding any notion that you might have had anything to do with that!) and tell the oldies that the way back is some good old fashioned discipline and a bit of British spirit.
Maybe mention the war a bit.
The irony is that the last people to take part in National Service in the UK were born in 44-45. So no-one under the age of 78 has ever done it but the Daily Mail reading populace who are thinking "this would be a great idea!" would be the first to shit their pants on a parade ground or cry for mummy when put through a bit of escape and evasion.
Oh they’d never do that, the Mail, Express, Telegraph etc is just the media wing of the Tories.
you know it's been a bad week for the tories as the fail is running "Di tapes", the usually tactic of just not covering thestories isn't going to cut the mustard.
The irony is that the last people to take part in National Service in the UK were born in 44-45. So no-one under the age of 78 has ever done it
Bit like he numpties who bang on about ww2 but their only experience was watching the 70’s war movies.
They really are flailing around trying to come up with stuff.
I just find the use of the term ‘National Service’ when it is actually not,a bit of a con, as a kid in the 70’s you’d’ hear the oldies bang on about how they should bring back National service for the youth of the day. It’s almost some cliche.
Still easier to throw the words ‘national service’ around than er actually do anything.
I see we’re at the ‘Bring Back National Service’ stage of the Tory drain-circling.
I've said previously that I reckon they're going into the next election with Capital Punishment as their key manifesto pledge - they're following the Republicans / Abortion 'strategy'.
Still easier to throw the words ‘national service’ around than er actually do anything
We are the Conservatives. We firmly believe in the small state and not getting involved in peoples lives...apart from forcing young people into some Stalinist People's Army to please pensioners and the editors of the Telegraph . Obvs
I reckon they’re going into the next election with Capital Punishment as their key manifesto pledge
Aye, given the mandatory irony bypass for all prospective tory candidates they'll campaign for it on the back of an asylum seeker suicide bomber :/
they created an obligatory course for the over 60’s that taught them critical thinking skills, and how to spot the obvious propaganda in The Mail
My 83 year old dad, who hasn't driven for 10 years, was up in arms about ULEZ and the war on motorists today.
I expressed concern that as a motorist I wasn’t aware of anyone being at war with me, and I asked who was after me and what were they doing to me. He didn't appear to know. Even my equally right wing nutter mum called a truce and suggested we leave the cafe.