Current Affairs 2017 General Election

[rascal]

That is a fair comment. The problem I have is I live somewhere where a Tory has been voted in easily in the last couple of elections and there is no chance he will lose next month. My vote won't matter unless I can vote a few thousand times.

This is the problem with FPTP. It isn't very democratic.

 

[peteblue]

Well, what a horrific state of affairs we find ourselves in.

I ask of anyone reading this, look at the 2015 leadership debates. Nobody was willing to offer anything substantial, other than Corbyn.

We, as a party, cannot simply revert to the supposed "silver bullet" of the Third Way.

There needs to be a greater emphasis on communicating our policy (of which I firmly believe is excellent, despite our polling/performance) through a language that resonates with an electorate.

Regardless of how slim, we have a chance in June to take control of this country and create a society of which works for everyone - not just a elite few.

Why do you think that the majority of the voters vote for an 'elite few' to benefit. Have you ever thought that these little slogans and myths that you have grown up with are not actually true. People vote for a wide variety of reasons, just not the ones you mention........

 

[ToffeeTim]

Rebuild into what, may I ask?

Credible party of government which focus on right issues of making work pay, create as much employment as possible. We should protect our vulnerable and I always hope we do. But Labour should firstly seek to provide, well labour, for those who would like it.

Nuclear weapons, student protest rallies, may day marches, Palestinians, crippling IHT to punish hard working folk who are unlucky to live a costly area and want to pass their home to their kids. None of those are labour ideas to me.

Employment Family Community and Country as Kinnock said earlier. Is a party with them three clowns Corbyn McDonnell and Abbott in charge a viable party of government??? At least May, for all her failings, will sack off likes of Boris from her next cabinet. Corbyn seems to have alienated anyone with any pedigree so is promoting half wits AOTS.

 

[Number_25]

Why do you think that the majority of the voters vote for an 'elite few' to benefit. Have you ever thought that these little slogans and myths that you have grown up with are not actually true. People vote for a wide variety of reasons, just not the ones you mention........

Not actually true?

I have family, all of whom work by the way, having to use food banks to sustain themselves.

I have friends that haven't worked since they left school in 2009. If they're "fortunate" enough to work on ZHC, they earn just enough money to commute back and forth to work - often living at home; entirely dependent on their parents.

I'm straddled with tens of thousands of pounds in student debt, because I was audacious enough to work toward an education.

And you have a government, slashing taxation on the rich, working toward the reversion of comprehensive education that only benefits a select few, doing everything in their power to ensure that the NHS is unsustainable as a public asset in the future, cutting social provisions that have a direct impact on the people of my community - and yet people still can't see the reality of contemporary conditions here in the world's 6th richest country.

I emphasise reality, because I deal in reality. The reality that most people face up to.

 

[Tree13]

Not agitating in the slightest, so don't worry.

The chances are tremendously slim, I'm under no illusions to the reality that we find ourselves in.

But I'm also aware of the fact that this might be the only chance in my lifetime to really change things for the majority of the people through radical reform, the same sort of reform that rebuilt this country after the second World War.

I understand this position, and in many ways I respect it.

What I don't understand is how Labour expect to achieve a decent showing at a General Election with Corbyn and Abbott in senior positions. Are they genuinely regarded within the Labour party as having some sort of appeal to the portion of the voting public who are currently undecided?

 

[Number_25]

I understand this position, and in many ways I respect it.

What I don't understand is how Labour expect to achieve a decent showing at a General Election with Corbyn and Abbott in senior positions. Are they genuinely regarded within the Labour party as having some sort of appeal to the portion of the voting public who are currently undecided?

I believe that to be the case.

Turnout in this country has been declining for god knows however long - because people no longer feel that politics works for them.

Despite his vast (and I mean vast) issues, at least Corbyn stands for empowering every single person in the country.

 

[JonS]

Credible party of government which focus on right issues of making work pay, create as much employment as possible. We should protect our vulnerable and I always hope we do. But Labour should firstly seek to provide, well labour, for those who would like it.

Nuclear weapons, student protest rallies, may day marches, Palestinians, crippling IHT to punish hard working folk who are unlucky to live a costly area and want to pass their home to their kids. None of those are labour ideas to me.

Employment Family Community and Country as Kinnock said earlier. Is a party with them three clowns Corbyn McDonnell and Abbott in charge a viable party of government??? At least May, for all her failings, will sack off likes of Boris from her next cabinet. Corbyn seems to have alienated anyone with any pedigree so is promoting half wits AOTS.

Ridiculous to call Corbyn a clown IMO. And regarding the others he would have had more choice of MPs for his shadow cabinet if they hadn't refused to support him.

 

[peteblue]

This is the problem with FPTP. It isn't very democratic.

It's only a problem when your party doesn't win.......neither major party wants to change it, only the minor parties and the unelectable.

UKIP received the same number votes as the LibDems and the SNP combined, yet they had 1 MP compared to the 64 of the other two parties......

 

[Tubey]

That West Midlands Mayoral vote is a disaster for Labour. Truly terrible.

 

[Tree13]

I believe that to be the case.

Turnout in this country has been declining for god knows however long - because people no longer feel that politics works for them.

Despite his vast (and I mean vast) issues, at least Corbyn stands for empowering every single person in the country.

So do you expect the Labour party to significantly better in June, under Corbyn's leadership, than they have done yesterday and today? And why has today gone so badly for Labour?

 

[Number_25]

Credible party of government which focus on right issues of making work pay, create as much employment as possible. We should protect our vulnerable and I always hope we do. But Labour should firstly seek to provide, well labour, for those who would like it.

Nuclear weapons, student protest rallies, may day marches, Palestinians, crippling IHT to punish hard working folk who are unlucky to live a costly area and want to pass their home to their kids. None of those are labour ideas to me.

Employment Family Community and Country as Kinnock said earlier. Is a party with them three clowns Corbyn McDonnell and Abbott in charge a viable party of government??? At least May, for all her failings, will sack off likes of Boris from her next cabinet. Corbyn seems to have alienated anyone with any pedigree so is promoting half wits AOTS.

Thank you for responding, I really appreciate respectful dialogue with fellow forum members.

I feel that you're misled as to what exactly the Labour Party is standing for in the next general election.

Regarding the concerns you put forward:

Making work pay

• An end to exploitative zero-hour contracts.
• Raise the national minimum wage to £10 per hour.
• Ban unpaid internships.
• Maximum pay ratios of 20:1 in the public sector.
• End the public sector pay freeze.

Employment / Protecting Employment

• Repeal the Trade Union Act.
• Double paid paternity leave.
• Only award public contracts to firms that recognise trade unions.
• Abolishment of employment tribunal fees.
• Enforce trade union representation at work.

 

[Tree13]

It's only a problem when your party doesn't win.......neither major party wants to change it, only the minor parties and the unelectable.

UKIP received the same number votes as the LibDems and the SNP combined, yet they had 1 MP compared to the 64 of the other two parties......

This is something that keeps getting overlooked. If the last GE had taken place under a proportional representation system, UKIP would have got 60 to 80 seats.

 

[Number_25]

So do you expect the Labour party to significantly better in June, under Corbyn's leadership, than they have done yesterday and today? And why has today gone so badly for Labour?

I doubt that things will improve, but I'm not going to completely write off our chances.

We've been unable to frame the questions, whereas the Tories have capitalised on Brexit and made it the key issue in this election - despite the fact that most, if not all, of the public sector is in chaos.

 

[rascal]

It's only a problem when your party doesn't win.......neither major party wants to change it, only the minor parties and the unelectable.

UKIP received the same number votes as the LibDems and the SNP combined, yet they had 1 MP compared to the 64 of the other two parties......

And that is wrong.

 

[peteblue]

Not actually true?

I have family, all of whom work by the way, having to use food banks to sustain themselves.

I have friends that haven't worked since they left school in 2009. If they're "fortunate" enough to work on ZHC, they earn just enough money to commute back and forth to work - often living at home; entirely dependent on their parents.

I'm straddled with tens of thousands of pounds in student debt, because I was audacious enough to work toward an education.

And you have a government, slashing taxation on the rich, working toward the reversion of comprehensive education that only benefits a select few, doing everything in their power to ensure that the NHS is unsustainable as a public asset in the future, cutting social provisions that have a direct impact on the people of my community - and yet people still can't see the reality of contemporary conditions here in the world's 6th richest country.

I emphasise reality, because I deal in reality. The reality that most people face up to.

In respect of your student debts, its saddled not straddled, you should demand your money back.......