Should I vote Conservative

Mayhem lied about workers income, too. Last year the national minimum wage was going to reach 60% of median hourly income. Now it's just going to be in line with it.

"Theresa May has unveiled new protections for employees including a commitment to further increases in the national living wage. But Labour said the small print revealed the planned hikes were being watered down.

The party claimed the changes would leave the average full-time worker on the minimum wage £2,283 worse off by 2020. It said plans for the wage to reach 60% of median hourly earnings had been changed to “in line with median incomes”, which would mean lower payments."

Actually Iam64 my post was not a criticism of Hebden Bridge - I love the place. My first in-laws lived there and we spent many happy times there. I was merely commenting on its size.

Hebden Bridge is in the Calder Valley constituency, one of Labour's target seats. I worked with one of the candidates - I won't say which one as my vote won't be heading that way! I was sorry not to be able to go and hear Corbyn speak today. The crowds certainly turned out for him both in Leeds and in Hebden.

This is how Mayhem voted on benefits.

Not why you should, but should you. Slightly different, Iam64. You can say why you shouldn't.

Did anyone watch May meet her first proper member of the public today?
This is why you shouldn't vote for her.

kittysjones.wordpress.com/2017/05/15/theresa-may-euphemises-savage-cuts-to-pip-when-confronted-by-an-angry-disabled-person-demanding-democratic-accountability/

Hebden Bridge is also a great place Ana, it might be small but it's a joy. Its population includes many free thinkers, artists, writers and it wouldn't be an obvious place for Mrs May to feel at home.
It's also the area in which Happy Valley is filmed.
It's where many of my friends moved in the late 60's.

I do wish the political threads weren't dominated by sniping. Mind you I do apologise. I realise I've posted on a post asking why we should vote Conservative.

Ana.

Well, Hebden Bridge is only a small place.

Corbyn gave a speech in Hebden Bridge today.
He had to give it twice because there were so many people they couldn't all hear it at the same time.

I shared the paramedics letter on Facebook, so thanks for the link durhamjen. I suspect I'll be preaching to the converted amongst my group of Facebook friends but who knows, shared enough it may reach people who are undecided about their vote.
The information on what constitutes "employment" in Eloethan's post caused me to feel both sad and angry.
As for the way in which any kind of public service has been demeaned, devalued and demolished by the Conservative governments, I'm at a loss to understand why there has not been more public opposition to this. The mantra that public servants have it easy, get 'gold plated pensions' without paying in, are cosseted, lazy and need to get into 'the real world' seems to have won the day. That, along with the immigration/public service bad - no immigration/private sector good must be easier for some to understand that the complexity of Real Life as experienced by so many public sector workers. Paramedics, doctors, nurses, health visitors, midwives, social workers, police officers, teachers to name but a few. Those groups of workers are often accused of being left wing loonies. Ask yourself, could it be anything to do with the Real Lives they are exposed to on a daily basis.

Thanks Maizie. It is so easy for governments to hide the truth within figures isn't it.

It is perhaps interesting to add that I heard someone comment on a programme this morning (so not confirmed) that 50% of pensioners do not pay tax and 30% are living in technical poverty (I expect many of them they manage but that is really not the point).

Well, GG2, I already posted yesterday that 23 million employed people didn't earn enough to pay income tax (2014 figures) that was about 33% of employed people.

I would love to see the stats on exactly what percentage work in jobs where they earning enough to live on. The complete acceptance of "the market" by the Conservatives means that some businesses exploit us, the public, and use our tax money to top up wages while governments do little or nothing to help small businesses.

The paramedic's letter was particularly poignant for me, as a neighbour died in the night over the weekend. His wife called 999 and we tried to revive him taking instructions by phone, whilst waiting for the paramedics to arrive. It was too late, but they were amazing. So professional and caring. And they get paid how much????? What a disgrace!

Agree with you Jess, Eleothan what an eye opener (for those who will see). I will spread the definition further too if that's OK.

Eleothan that is a brilliant post.
I will be using your information more widely. Thank you.

That paramedic's letter was gut-wrenching. I agree with his analysis that unless people are employed by money-making organisations then they seem to count for very little in this society.

There seems to be a growing number of people either engaged in or aspiring towards jobs such as personal trainer, life coach, spinning instructor, event organiser, marketing executive, public relations officer, etc. etc. etc. Yet there are fewer and fewer people actually making things or doing jobs that are vital to a healthy, happy and well educated society.

As for the statement further up-thread that unemployment is at its lowest ever, I would say it depends how the word "employment" is defined. A House of Commons research briefing entitled Understanding Statistics on Employment, Unemployment and Earnings says:

"Employment in the UK is measured by the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and counts people who, in the week before the survey:
 Did any paid work as employees or self-employed, or were temporarily away from paid work;
 Undertook some form of work, work experience or work-related training as part of government supported training programmes and employment schemes
 Did unpaid family work (this consists of individuals who work in a family business and do not receive a formal wage or salary but benefit from the profits of the business)."

It will be noted that there is no reference to hours worked or an indication as to whether there needs to be a minimum number of hours worked in order for a person to be deemed to be employed. It is my understanding that however few hours a person may work, he or she will still be counted as "employed" and will therefore not be part of the unemployment statistics. So casual work or "zero hours contracts" are very helpful in disguising the significant underemployment and financial insecurity that many people are now experiencing.

Lots of good reasons not to vote conservative.
We don't want more people like this.

kittysjones.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/conservatism-eats-itself-by-deborah-talbot/

I'm looking forward to the Conservative manifesto, to find out what exactly Theresa May is going to do, in her strong and stable way.

This is interesting. I sign up to a website called thinktank review. They put a review on every week.
Today's says they need a break, which means that there is no review. They will be back on 21st. But the last information about thinktanks was listed on 7th.

Do you think the thinktanks have come up with problems for the tories?
Labours ratings have gone up according to the latest polls.

If they are going to be away for the next week, that's when all the manifestos come out.

Yes I have just seen that. I am not surprised.

The problem is getting people to watch it, GracesGran.
Have you noticed that nurses are going to ballot for strike action because of low pay?

That's a good one, too, FarNorth.

That is both sad and iniquitous Jen. When did this country decide that those who help us have a better society should get such little reward. I am ashamed of my fellow countrymen who see no value in doctors, nurses, paramedics, cleaners, teachers, etc., etc., but think they must all be part of a money making schemes for those who are already rich.

Here's a cute little video on why to vote Conservative:

m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=WZrxI-_ufz4

Voting conservative means voting for a continuation of policies like this.

kittysjones.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/desperate-underpaid-nhs-paramedic-tells-theresa-may-ive-seen-things-no-one-should-have-to-witness/