Dennis the Menace and Beryl the Peril next door.

Doodledog

GardenofEngland

At least we knew what to expect from the Tories but this 'labour' the party for the working class is certainly making an almighty mess of everything. I don't trust any of them Starmer is far worse than Boris or Rishi. And the 3 witches Reeves, Rayner and Philipson are way out of their skill levels. I just hope we have a better choice at the next election.

Why do you think that the Labour party is 'for the working class'? How are you defining 'working class' there?

If you mean people 'who go to work' then they have seen the minimum wage rise, workers' rights increased, commutes to and from work eased and the NHS moving towards being more quickly accessible. More people who are not working are now being expected to do so, which is not a bad thing, IMO - particularly at a time when so many people seem to want to stop immigration.

If you don't mean 'people who go to work' when you say that Labour is 'for the working class', who do you mean?

AFAIK Starmer and Reeves could not agree on a definition of the ‘working people’ for whom they professed to stand. We knew that could never mean pensioners, and so it has proved. They don’t give a damn about pensioners.

Obviously farmers are not working people. Those who run other businesses, small or large, are not working people. They can only mean wage slaves, but some of those earn huge salaries. I remain mystified.

M0nica

The problem is we had no choice at the last election. The Conservatives had become so incapable of governing that they really were the very worse option, but like it or leave it, Labour was the only other party in contention.

I have never voted for either of the big parties. What keeps me going is the knowledge is that no matter how incompetent this shower are, and my oodness they are! The Conswrvatives would have been even worse.

The last election was won on a 'we must do what we can to get the Tories out' and most people felt that Labour really was the only option, we definitely need to try and get rid of all extremist politicians and give the lesser parties a chance.

GardenofEngland

At least we knew what to expect from the Tories but this 'labour' the party for the working class is certainly making an almighty mess of everything. I don't trust any of them Starmer is far worse than Boris or Rishi. And the 3 witches Reeves, Rayner and Philipson are way out of their skill levels. I just hope we have a better choice at the next election.

Why do you think that the Labour party is 'for the working class'? How are you defining 'working class' there?

If you mean people 'who go to work' then they have seen the minimum wage rise, workers' rights increased, commutes to and from work eased and the NHS moving towards being more quickly accessible. More people who are not working are now being expected to do so, which is not a bad thing, IMO - particularly at a time when so many people seem to want to stop immigration.

If you don't mean 'people who go to work' when you say that Labour is 'for the working class', who do you mean?

Heavenlyheath if your income is high enough why wouldn't you pay tax like some one younger with the same income.

How childish. Don't you know their actual names or are you really that silly?

They are picking on the pensioners we have the same high costs of living but no thought for us. I for one single occupant (69) with all that entails and is still paying tax.😤

At least we knew what to expect from the Tories but this 'labour' the party for the working class is certainly making an almighty mess of everything. I don't trust any of them Starmer is far worse than Boris or Rishi. And the 3 witches Reeves, Rayner and Philipson are way out of their skill levels. I just hope we have a better choice at the next election.

Reeves has said today that she plans to ‘go further and faster’ in balancing tax receipts with spending (sounds like she’s dealing with her housekeeping money) and she has refused to rule out a further budget in the spring despite having committed to one budget a year and a spring statement. It doesn’t sound good.

I am old enough to remember Shirley Williams and her 15p loaf of bread. 15p - what is it now nearly £2.

I really wanted Labour to succeed and I am usually a Conservative voter but they could not carry on behaving as they were. The budget has however been horrific for us being in a small business. We won’t be taking on new staff and we will be spending our money rather than reinvesting it hoping to avoid a large inheritance tax when we die. It seems wrong that we are being encouraged to behave like this after years of saving and investing and providing local work. I am not sure how Labour think the country can grow when business is so discouraged. I also think when we are in such a precarious financial state they should have started in their own back yard and cut jobs in a bloated public sector. I might have more faith if they didn’t seem to be just the same old labour of tax the rich until they sell up and leave the country. Sadly they are opening the door up to Reform.

I agree the Tories were doing a dreadful job but it did appear that the economy at least was going in the right direction. - I cannot agree with that. It was going in the direction of dividing the nation and that is a dangerous route to follow. And please do not forget Truss - her economic actions could hardly be described as the "right direction."

It has become a cliche to regard the Tories as the only party that can govern in a financially responsible way regardless of the facts.

I agree the Tories were doing a dreadful job but it did appear that the economy at least was going in the right direction. I didn't vote for labour even though I was disillusioned with the conservatives and I'm glad that I didn't. They spent a long time in opposition and said they were ready to go in govt but obviously found it more difficult than they expected and are doing a very poor job so far.
When I saw the headlines that KS was supporting RR my first thought was to wonder if it was similar to football managers when no sooner had similar words been uttered than the manager would be sacked.

What we haven’t ever experienced in the UK is the horror show that a far right populist party would be like in power. The US are about to find out with Trump who even before moving back in on the 20th is breaking all his promises to his voter base. No one in their right mind would think Reform is trustworthy or would have normal peoples interests at heart because by their very nature it is not what they want power for. Despite their current up tick in popularity they are in a mess. Farage has fallen out of favour with his fan base and backers, they are a not centrist enough for this country to stomach. Some of that is due to a pretty good level of education attainment in the UK that ensures voters are capable of spotting nonsense and false prophets. Meanwhile we have an imperfect but adult party in power during the worst global economic era that can only get worse with climate change so buckle up, it’s a rough time to be alive

Kate1949

I was hoping this would be a nostalgic thread about comics. How disappointing,

So did I

Didn't vote for Starmer and I'm disgusted that he's gone back on everything he stood for when in opposition. Caring about elderly keeping warm, reducing or making uni fees free, to name just two. Also there's his time in the CPS where serious cases were not prosecuted. The UK is stagnating due to businesses leaving or folding under the NI employers rise. Soon I predict a recession. Also farmers family members face inheritance tax if they sell their farms, robbing the dead. Building on green land policies coming I'm sure. And he's done nothing at all to stop the boats, so the cost to UK rises. And more people will die. Including pensioners who are just under the PC limit with no savings.
His latest trick is to spend billions on AI. Unbelievable.

When a prime minister is forced to defend his chancellor in the manner in which Starmer was, his claim she has his full confidence means she is for the chop. Place your bets. She’s out within a fortnight.

When a Minister starts to become a liability, not an asset, then I agree.
Starmer is more ruthless than he looks and I don't think Reeves will last the course.

Again, I agree mostly with what you’re saying Luckygirl. Labour have a huge majority so they can be bold. But I too think they’re running in the wrong direction.

And re Reeves?
When a prime minister is forced to defend his chancellor in the manner in which Starmer was, his claim she has his full confidence means she is for the chop. Place your bets. She’s out within a fortnight.

To be replaced by McFadden. Reeves is looking increasingly stressed.

If they/we're not careful it will be Reform at the next election

What I want of Labour is for them to be radical - to take some steps to get us out of this elitist rut and truly take some fundamental steps towards social equality.

This involves risks - and I think they have taken their political risks in the wrong ways in these first few months. I am not afraid of spending (national budgets are not like domestic budgets) and think they need the courage to say that we cannot have an equitable society without spending money - that this spending will reap rewards in the long term. We always hear that austerity will reap rewards but those rewards go to a small group of people and leave others in poverty, which inclines towards breakdown in law and order, health costs etc.

I wish they would grab some of this by the balls and stride out with conviction. I am feeling disappointed in this tinkering. But I still think they are streets ahead of their predecessors.

Just weeks after taking office, Labour agreed a deal with the previous Mauritian government to give away the strategically placed archipelago in the Indian Ocean.

Under the pact, UK taxpayers would pay Mauritius a reported £9 billion over 99 years to lease back Diego Garcia, the site of a key UK-US airbase.

Starmer &Lammy want this signed off and the deal done before Trump’s inauguration next Monday 20th January!

In some ways I agree with you Luckygirl. SureStart was a great innovation and most people would think it a good idea to see it reintroduced. However Starmer has told all his departments to dramatically cut budgets wherever they can. Austerity Mk 2? So I can’t see SureStart up and running any time soon.

The country is in a mess financially. I don’t envy Labour to be honest trying to fix it.

But then why unilaterally just give away the Chagos island to Mauritius with money up front too? Now is surely not the time. Or even wise?

Voters went for “anyone but the Tories”. I don’t think that was any kind of endorsement for Labour per se but they reaped the benefit naturally.

I didn't vote for either Conservatives or Labour but I'm willing to give Labour a chance as Keir Starmer is much more a voice of reason than any Conservative.. It's very early days and very difficult Global times to also contend with.. I think they will have to replace Reeves though..

Happy to "lighten up" - but am becoming tired of threads that simply diss/make fun of parties/people without proper consideration.

Here is my take on the situation:

- It was very important that we got rid of the last government because of their corruption, dishonesty and incompetence and worse still their scorn for democracy and parliamentary process. The presence of people like Johnson and Truss who almost treated their position as a joke could not have continued and was both insulting to the electorate and damaging to our international relations.
- Labour was the only credible alternative and I voted for them and have no remorse about this. I have not voted for them before. In the main I have usually voted for whichever party might oust the Tory incumbent in my constituency.
- I recognise that Labour have inherited a chaotic and disastrous situation and feel that it is far too early to be judging them.
- However I do think that they have failed to "read the room" and have not fully understood why people voted for them (apart from a desire to be rid of the Tory government). People voted for them because they wanted to see some integrity at the top (I think we have this now - no political party is perfect and pressures towards corruption are rife in government, but I do feel more secure on this with Labour than with the Tories).

People wanted to see a government that had a secure ethos of equality and might consider the lot of those less fortunate. I think that the present government's' emphasis on financial responsibility makes sense as they want to convince the voters that they can be trusted with the economy. But the places in which they have chosen to target their actions are unfortunate: winter fuel allowance, IHT on small farms etc. These are politically suicidal and not necessary at this stage.

I am also disappointed that their investigation into the care system is not more broadly based to encompass health and care services as one entity - this false division is a very basic part of the problem.

They have barely arrived in office so it is not fair to make blanket judgements at this stage and I am hoping that they will settle down and feel they do not have so much to prove but can get on with some long term thinking and planning.

I am hoping very much that they will take a proper look at child poverty and consider bringing back Sure Start.

Basically I would like to see them being more radical in the direction of social equality. I do not think that tinkering round the edges is going to do the trick.

All indications suggest a swing to the Right and there seem to be numerous articles about the end of Liberalism. It's everywhere.

Sorry PMs not MPs.