Jeremy and the future

That would be good, daphne, Keir Starmer taking over from Andy Burnham.
He might only have been in parliament for 18 months, but he has vast experience in that field.

Yes the German psyche is completely different to ours, as are other countries to each other; that's why one size cannot fit all between EU countries, that's why the weaker countries in the end have to give way to the stronger, that's why I believe we're in the long term better on our own. For me it's not immigration, but the overbearing bullying EU.

Nice to see new people posting on here, like parliament it's good to hear different ideas and,attitudes being freely aired and discussed. Although I am not a Labour supporter, I do feel like you Carolpaint that we do need a strong effective opposition to the government of the day whoever that government might be. This is sadly lacking and clearly will be for the foreseeable future, which is so bad for democracy. FGS, this lala land approach is very commendable but totally unrealistic in today's world, it was in the 1970's but today is almost weird! How can it be done overnight or even inside five years? What's to pay for it?!!,!

I don't think people are hiding racism by being concerned about the numbers of immigrants Daphne. I think that is what they are accused of when simply raising the question. I think there is concern about how to house them, how to get them school places, how to give them good health care. With the best will in the world, surely some control over numbers must be considered. I don't see that you can have a free for all without having the resources to support and pay for them. If we are struggling to provide housing, schools are full and the NHS struggling, how are we in a position to help these people.? I am not a racist by the way, I have a Latvian daughter in law and a lot of Italian friends. Basically I'm just asking can the system cope?

As a Labour voter, Labour meaning working for our keep, am bereft at Corbyn being reelected, I just feel angry that such a shabby bunch are busy braying their inane ideas, no more Labour Goverment ever, anti fracking, pacifist, vegetarian codswallop. I am now disenfranchised. I now switch off whenever he or his toadies come on the radio or television, we need to maximise our strengths not keep shoring up all the special cases, have zero tolerance for practises that are abhorrent, look to the future, yet more years of Tory absolute rule.

The German psyche is completely different from the British one and they have a different attitude to work, debt and trade unionism.

What works for them is unlikely to work for us.

Our mortgage was at one stage the same as yours Jalima, and yes we managed through some very difficult years. No tax credits, no family allowance for the first child, anyone else remember that? only for second and subsequent children. I had my trusty Pressure cooker, an evening job and a veg patch! Also a lot of lovely friends, loving parents, and a devoted DH,plus two affectionate children, something we got there, so to speak. There was less to have of course,so maybe it was easier to be contented.

There are reports that Keir Starmer might be appointed as Shadow Home Secretary after Andy Burnham resigns. I think that would be a positive move - maybe the next Labour Party leader (?)

I am thinking that the communities to which daphne refers to can't wait to give Corbyn a bloody nose in the next general election.

Also, how do you discourage people from wanting the latest gadget, persuade them that the car doesn't need changing every three years, that last year's, even the year befores soft furnishings have still got a lot of wear in them? The all important foreign holiday, endless outings for children, the latest smart phone, clothes, the garden that has everything, replaced of course on a regular basis? the list is endless in the 'me' society and I don't see how you alter that. The more there is to have, the more people demand often as a right! The horror and indignity of turning down the heating and putting on a jersey or thermals! I just can't see it happening for all JC's fine words, a bit like world peace, fine ideal, but totally unrealistic.

I am totally opposed to grammar schools and will lie in the road if that comes in.
Redheaded please don't do that round here, some of the rather pushy aggressive mums will mow you down, whilst yelling at you to get out of the way more quickly!

Thankfully, Corbyn is not in power, so is in no position to do anything at all.

and before you ask how we managed to get a mortgage, yes we did, we had had one before and the building society was quite happy to lend us more!!

How much did you pay for housing? I bet it was a lower percentage of your income than younger people currently pay. ddil not sure about other people but at one point our mortgage was 2/3 of our income when the interest rate was 15%.
I honestly don't know how we got through it, but we did, and no tax credits etc to help.
I am not saying that people nowadays should have to pay out the same before I am challenged!

Roses, I do agree with you .

I have visions of someone trying to get people to vote for free movement when they do not want more immigrants in their area - more money will be given to your area to take more immigrants. Or if they fear stronger unions - it works in Germany

daphne,you cannot lecture people and how many roughly do you think have worked in Germany? Trying canvassing and keeping people on the door whilst you tell them about unions in Germany .

Yes I keep on speaking of canvassing but this is how parties gets votes

You cannot remove people's concerns over powerful unions by telling them - it works in Germany.

It is easy to say in a post on GN, try on the doorstep

Yes, you can have a Socialist Party with a Socialist , and pacifist Leader but the one problem is that not enough voters want it , plus they don't trust Corbyn with the economy, or the safety of the country either.His ratings, when asked of the general public are extremely low, ( when asked if they see him as our PM.)
It's a moot question really , but does he really want to be PM or even think he is in with a chance? He really only wants to bring the Labour Party over to the far left,IMHO but in bringing this about he is content to see his party in disarray , or even breaking up.

Most interviewed person where?

I think you'll find that quite a few people have had experience of working in Germany (and other countries) and have witnessed industrial relations for themselves. If they haven't, they should be told how it works. They might begin to understand why Germany has a healthier manufacturing sector than the UK.

I agree McCluskey is a bit of a dinosaur. It's a shame that leaders of the scores of other unions and Frances O'Grady from the TUC don't get much prominence.

In the not-too-far distant past we were paying 33% in income tax. We got a good NHS and social services, we could provide decent rentable housing for those who could not afford or did not want to buy and we didn't see people begging in our streets.
Then we got Maggie Thatcher. Taxes came down (most for the better-off) and God help you if you hit a problem you couldn't cope with on your own.
I was brought up in a working class household to buy when I could afford to, not when I wanted on the never-never, and not to get into debt. Now it's all about debt. We are encouraged to spend and spend yet at the same time told to save for our retirement. Your savings are worth less every year and with negative interest rates spreading across Europe that will get worse. A recent report by PWC (Price Waterhouse Coopers, a leading accountancy firm)says the average UK household will owe close to £10,000 in debts such as personal loans, credit cards and overdrafts by the end of 2016 - that's close to 40% of the national average salary.
I haven't voted Labour for many years but I will do now. Yes let's bring back socialism and have a real opposition, a real Labour Party not just a Conservative No 2 Party. Discourage people from feeling they have to have the latest version of everything. If that means putting up taxes (Oh Horror!) then let's do it and really give all our citizens a chance at a decent life.
I live on a pension but I will happily pay more tax to provide decent services to everyone. I realise I'm probably thinking wishfully but if Jeremy can get even some people thinking along similar lines, I'll vote for him.

No idea, Floradora, but it's a good aspiration to have. It's better than 'Let's wage war!'

But, Annie, that's what Corbyn is trying to do. There are areas of the country (such as Boston in Lincs), which are affected by the number of EU immigrants, just as other areas, such as Thetford, Hoddesdon (Herts),Bedford (which I know about) and some of the northern ex-mill towns have been in the past. People were imported to do low-skilled, low paid work. Of course, there are pressures on local services, so Corbyn is saying use the extra wealth these people generate to build more schools, GP surgeries, etc. Where immigrant pay is undercutting local pay rates, he's saying use existing legislation to enforce the minimum wage and working conditions. More powerful unions could help with the latter.

Politicians have pussyfooted about the issue of immigration for too long. I think it needs to come out in the open and be discussed rationally. Otherwise, the Britain First (etc) yobs will turn people's legitimate concerns into something far more sinister. Let's find out how many are racists, once legitimate concerns are addressed.

I think that JC fully intends to do just that annie if you look at you text of his speech he absolutely recognises the need to acknowledge and tackle the concerns felt by various community's about immigration.

I think the point being that the speech gave broad headlines as to the way forward for the Labour Party. It is up to the PLP now to work together to achieve, develop and produce policies that have a broader appeal and that the ordinary punter can recognise and vote for.

At the end of his speech he said that they would bring peace to our country , how exactly are they going to do that ?

Daphne, the third most interviewed person after McDonald and Corbyn is McCluskey , people fear unions with too much power, fact, they don't care what happens in Germany

@foxy

Those people concerned about immigration, but not affected by it, should be asking themselves why they're so bothered. It couldn't be that they're just a teensy weensy bit racist/xenophobic, could it? Maybe they're hiding behind the 'numbers' argument.