ivanhoe
I think I gather (with difficulty) that you might dress to the left rather than the right.
You don't seem to have posted on any other topic other than politics.
Are you here purely to try to convert any of us (if any) to vote for labour rather than conservative?
Myself, I follow pythagorous .
I abstain from beans!
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The reality behind the deficit cutting.
(128 Posts)The Deficit is being used as an excuse for the Tories to reduce the role of the State and cut jobs, and welfare.
Initially our three main political parties made a great deal about the deficit, before, including and after the TV debates, and Gordon Brown got the blame, how very convenient.
The truth is that the deficit was brought about by the former New Labour Government continuing the right wing low income tax agenda from the former Thatcher/Major years. But not one political party had the guts to admit this, before, on or after the three TV debates. The media never challenged this either, because Britain has been a low income tax nation since the 80s, while most of our wealth goes abroad.
All we heard in the debates was about how best to reduce our deficit, and now the Tories are using the deficit as a cover to reduce the role of the State and everything connected with it, to cut jobs and create even more welfare dependency than there has been since the 80s and the free market was introduced. The Tories are a low income tax, small state Government.
Now, the British Tory voter has put the Tories back in the perfect position to cut services to the bone over their five-year term of office, because the free market needs a vast number of unemployed people to make it work, while also controlling the economy, hence the Tory cuts straight away, creating mass unemployment, and the British Tory voter this time round, actually voted for these cuts.
From a personal view, I never imagined that the Tories would beat New Labour, albeit to form a minority government, following the 18 years of Thatcher and Major. I can now assume that the British do indeed have very short memories because factually Gordon Brown and Tony Blair did help out the pensioners and give help to low-paid workers via tax credits. The Tories would never do this, it is their sole aim to help their own. So I have to ask why did so many people vote for the establishment party, the Tory party, at this general election ?
I make no bones about it when I say that our politicians are now playing politics with people's lives and livelihoods, because who knows where the budget cuts will fall over this five-year term ?
Who knows how many people will lose their jobs and won't be able to pay their mortgages and will end up homeless while our politicians remain in their ivory towers, feeling not one millionth of the insecurity felt by the vast majority of the people in this country who struggle to keep body and soul together, to keep a roof over their heads. The politicians call what they do, 'hard choices' when in truth the cuts to come are nothing short of barbarism.
I'm not really warming to your arguments, Ivanhoe and I have never bought a Daily Mail in my life (nor even half-inched one.)
POGs, the Daily Mail is a right wing middle class rag.
Britain is in a recession due to over 30 years of right wing Tory rule in this country creating a massive rich and poor divide, this was enhanced by the former New Labour Government embracing Thatcher's right wing deregulated free market under Tony Blair and Grdon Brown.
Britain doesnt have a free press. It has a largely right wing press that prints what it feels its readers wish to read.
Uh, oh! Ivanhoe - there's the perennial hornet's nest. 
Yeah POGS I second the lame Daily Mail comment the ultimate recourse for those who don't like the poster's particular stance, lazy bloody riposte!
Ivanhoe
I thought you might be a bit more of a challenge but I see you have used the
usual comment re Daily Mail readers. It always get's used by those who can only result to insulting those who dare to view an opinion they don't like or can't hack. It shows a little lack of imagination too.
Absent
In part, yes. A point Labour have gotten away with, with the media and the country placing the blame solely on the Bankers. Labour made a mistake in selling off our gold reserve. Labours PFI schemes are coming to haunt this country hence the financial headaches our schools, hospitals and councils are suffering.
The fact the financial services were 'courted' by Labour and manufacturing was left out to dry didn't help either. I am not enamoured with the coalition either so I am not being partisan. I just think there comes a time defending the indefensible is just plain wrong.
Oh how I wish we had an elected parliament full of Independants, no tribal politics or parties.
We will never be broke when we can fight wars in the middle east, and uphold third world countries.
Im thinking that there are some Daily Mail readers on here, believing everything they read.
Might have had something to do with bailing out the banks POGS don't you think? However, lack of control over banks – so called light touch – was a major failing of the Labour governments from 1997.
Ivanhoe
"There's no money left. "Who told you that then"
It was Labours Liam Byrne who left the letter stating just that and was picked up by David Laws when Labour lost the last election. I don't think I have to tell you that I am sure you know perfectly well.
You also know perfectly well because you are obviously a political minded person that Labour too would have had to make cuts. The difference is they refuse to say where and how until the next election. They hypocritically state the reason being "We don't know what state the finances will be in until then". No arguement from me there but that is exactly what happened to this government and they were told from the horses mouth (BYRNE) we were broke.
Budgets are allocated to departments, including the War Office Department of Defence, regardless of whether there are troops "advising" in Mali or not. Part of that budget – in fact, most of it – is being allocated to purchase a new Cold War missile that the UK will be unable to use without American permission and no one wants to use anyway.
Ivanhoe, I must explain, I have only been living in the UK for 12 years and I am still trying to get my head around the politics. I agree with moved a lot, and I don't have the answers either.
The Tories are a low income tax, small state, ultra right wing Government. This is why the cuts are being made, for ideological reasons and nothing more.
But surely apart from Mali all these things are a hangover from the previous government, not the current one?
Well said wisewoman. Apparently military spending in this country is the fourth highest in the world. Presumably the countries that spend more than the UK are the USA, China, and probably Russia – what does that say? The Cold War ended in 1991, so why does our Government still have this Dr Strangelove mentality?
Actually, it's even worse. Soldiers in Mali – how reminiscent is that of 19th-century "send a gunboat"?
Again I say that these cuts are ideological, they are not about saving money.
The Tory's have a loathing of the role of the State and the welfare State.
This is the truth behind the cuts.
hear hear!
* Movedalot* Get rid of Trident! There is one place that cuts could be made.
Yeas it was Mr D.
I would like,just for once, someone to tell us all where the cuts should be made. Every cut has people up in arms but if there is no money left then cuts must be made somewhere but I can't find anyone who will suggest where. OK we get told ad nauseum about the rich but if they paid all their salaries in tax it would be a drop in the ocean. No I don't have the answers myself
Wasn't it Mr Darling who left a note on his desk after the election saying there was no money left?
There's always plenty of money to fight wars in the far east, and uphold third world country's.
The Tory's are using the deficit as a cover to roll back the State in favour of privatisation and charities, and there are plenty of charities helping now as food banks are opening across Britain helping people who cannot afford to buy food due to this coalitions ideological driven stringer cuts in welfare.
Wasn't it Liam Byrne?
Grannyknot, ""There-is-no-money"".
Who told you that then ?
Given the country's massive debts, where should the savings be made? There-is-no-money.
Ana, I prefer the Robin Hood theme myself.
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