David Cameron's speech

www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/oct/07/camerons-assault-on-poverty-pledge-undone-by-new-figures

Shame his speech was rubbish. It would be nice if he actually did what he said.

Whatever you think of Jeremy Corbyn, the drift of DC's speech is proof that JC has changed the British political environment. I can't believe that he would have made that speech if Liz Kendall had won the Labour leadership election.

Bizarre window dressing at that, considering the benefit cuts that his government are pushing through.

The cutbacks impinge on the poor disproportionately and they are the least able to withstand it. It is not a fair or caring policy, and does not reflect a concern for those who are disadvantaged. If he wanted it to be fair he would be clobbering the rich, the offshore accounts and the tax avoiding criminals, and bolstering services to the poor.

I need some evidence that the content of his speech is more than cynical window-dressing.

To my mind, it isnt supposed to be only the poor that take the rap, but everyone, ie he is not out to have policies to "help", but to have policies that dont make lots of things disappear altogether.

Whether he is achieving that, is obviously a matter of opinion.

I am not sure that anyone very much is clapping in the current economic situation. But that is sort of the idea to those who are trying to curb spending.

To my mind, lots of things went downhill once we lost manufacturing in general.
Once many things are made in China or whereever that is not Britain, then as a nation, we lost a lot of revenue.
Less revenue for Britain has meant years later, less services.
blah blah. I think people can understand what I am trying to say, all be it rather badly.

There are conflicting theories about getting out of recession soon - one is that you should borrow and spend because this improves infra-structure, services, employment and in its turn generates a more bouyant and healthy economy. The other is that you cutback and let the poor take the rap. Both are respectable researched theories with learned economists to back them up.

I think that DC has gone down the second path - and I cannot help feeling that this demonstrates his absence of feeling towards those who are disadvantaged.

Thank you for at least trying to answer my question, but I would like to hear of a policy that has helped the poor over the last 5 years. A policy that caused one sick, mentally ill, poor, disabled person to say: thank you Dave!

I havent read the entire thread.
And I havent heard DCs speech.

Luckygirl. I could be wrong here, but here goes.
The country cannot afford to carry on spending a lot more money than it receives, year after year after year.
Therefore the Tories are supposed to be cutting back on spending across the board.

So by cutting everything it helps all of us not to be in a dire situation financially.

hth. But I think there have been many many threads on all of this on gransnet[years of them I assume]. Let alone the rest of the media etc etc.

Message to jingl - sorry I converted your 'getting' to 'kicking' my iPad has been playing up and wouldn't reload any previous GN page unless I was prepared to wait for the thin blue line which was creeping across the top of the page at 1mm per hour. For some reason I had the GN format which is on my mobile on my iPad and it was not having any of it!

I had to rely on my memory (not a good idea I agree) of your post so all I can say is 'mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa'

Personally, I take the promises made at party conferences with a pinch of salt! Whichever party it is, they WANT to believe what the speaker is spouting about. However, DC's comments on his commitment to enforcing the law regarding forced marriage and FGM made me shout at the TV screen.
Forced marriage has always been illegal in the UK! Betrothals can be arranged anytime from birth, and to break this agreement is almost unheard of. Apart from the child's lack of freedom, she can be married (I prefer the term sold) to a man she has never met and/or one that is many years older than herself. She can expect to be raped upon marriage. FGM in the UK has been illegal since 1985 and can be carried out on children from 6 months upward. It is not a religious custom. If you would like to know more I suggest you log onto the Orchid Project website. So far, there has only been one prosecution - last year - so what were you doing about these problems in the last 5 years Mr Cameron? It's no good asking him - you'll only get more blah! blah! blah! - have you ever heard any politician give a straight answer?

Personally, I take the promises made at party conferences with a pinch of salt! Whichever party it is, they WANT to believe what the speaker is spouting about. However, DC's comments on his commitment to enforcing the law regarding forced marriage and FGM made me shout at the TV screen.
Forced marriage has always been illegal in the UK! Betrothals can be arranged anytime from birth, and to break this agreement is almost unheard of. Apart from the child's lack of freedom, she can be married (I prefer the term sold) to a man she has never met and/or one that is many years older than herself. She can expect to be raped upon marriage. FGM in the UK has been illegal since 1985 and can be carried out on children from 6 months upward. It is not a religious custom. If you would like to know more I suggest you log onto the Orchid Project website. So far, there has only been one prosecution - last year - so what were you doing about these problems in the last 5 years Mr Cameron? It's no good asking him - you'll only get more blah! blah! blah! - have you ever heard any politician give a straight answer?

Me too nightowl.

It is a golden opportunity for those who support DC to defend him. Why is no-one taking this up?

Just the one whitewave - GN. No, not cross with your question. As previously stated, everyone is entitled to an opinion and this is the right forum to portray them, but, there is a fine line with expressing them and going hell bent on verbal abuse because another has differing ideas on politics and politicians. I can understand why oldbony got so defensive - it affected me that way also, hence my post supporting the comments.

Indeed. But I fear that after all the rhetoric about being the party of "hard working families" etc etc there are a lot of (hard working) people who voted for DC who are going to be a bit fed up when they realise they are worse off after the adjustments to tax credits etc. The statistics clearly show that there will be many losers. How could there not be after such swinging cuts.
This is a quote from the Telegraph:
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said that 13 million families will lose an average of £240 a year, and three million families will lose £1,000 a year, when their entitlement to Working Tax Credits is slashed next April.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2015/10/08/cameron-the-joy-of-tax-and-optimism/

Going back a bit now, but I do think your remarks to Luckygirl were particularly rude oldbony. It is out of order to refer to anyone as 'a drag' just because you don't agree with their views, and not a good way to enter a forum as a new poster (sorry if I've got that wrong but I haven't seen your name before).

I do wish someone would answer your question *Luckygirl'.

No chance lucky no-one ever defends Tory policy.

I wonder if anyone might be able to tell me what DC's government has done over the last 5 years to improve the lot of the poor and the sick.

Perhaps taking the trouble to answer that question might convert me to the right-wing cause - who knows?

Knocked off his pedestal.Fatally.

I'm afraid so!

You don't mean....?

Oldbony, I understand what you mean, but this isn't real life, just a forum,
And many people can do without a verbal fight, I agree with you and cupcake1 though.Corbyn has been greeted with awe in some quarters and dismay in others ( the latter by most Labour MP's!)Personally speaking, I don't think he will be around by the next election anyway.

All I can say is that DC frequently "wants to do" things, but rarely do they happen and nobody bats an eyelid. If the years in coalition with the libdems didn't make these wonderful things happen, with their tempering influence, then why would it now? I don't believe that people are that stupid. The tories will spend the next 4 years eliminating HM's opposition and will probably win a landslide victory in 2020. Who will stop them?

cupcake you can be both I think? You sound a bit cross at my question to bony?

Well said oldbony! My thoughts and views exactly! I agree with your sentiment about most GNetters being left wing - worries me that so many think Corbyn will rise up and save the world! I literally shudder at the thought. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but some posts are beyond rude if not in agreement with their left wing views NO I am not from MN I am a fully fledged GN member.

oldbony hello are you new to GN?