Have we changed to being Communist China without me noticing or do right-wing one party states just use the same rethoric?

You have noticed. Too many people haven't

Any dictatorship whether Left or Right uses the same language.

Deedaa

Any dictatorship whether Left or Right uses the same language.

Sadly I am sure you are right. So what do we make of our current government using that language?

PippaZ

Deedaa

Any dictatorship whether Left or Right uses the same language.

Sadly I am sure you are right. So what do we make of our current government using that language?

Somebody knows that the English for "Volk" is people. A certain Herr Goebbels was very fond of the word.

I need to confirm, but I also read that the new electoral reforms to correct a problem which did not exist, namely voter fraud, will accept OAP travel passes as identity for voting, but not young people/students cards.

It is all so utterly depressing.

Whitewavemark2

It is all so utterly depressing.

It maybe but we have general elections every 5 years, so there is always change.

Apparently Frost has just told the Lords that he intends to dismantle the GDPR - data protection scheme and other regulations.

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2

It is all so utterly depressing.

It maybe but we have general elections every 5 years, so there is always change.

The point is that the rabble we have now are determined to do everything that they can by gerrymandering, de-franchise as many young as possible and other such nefarious actions in order to remain in power.

They already have a compliant media, and of course Dorries will do her level best to ensure the BBC are too cowed to be anything other than compliant.

Democracy is creaking.

And given the stranglehold the Tories have on the media (makes sense, capitalism benefits the MSM) and the public's seeming lack of ability to look beyond the lies that are peddled, it seems unlikely that anything is going to change in my lifetime.

Whitewavemark2 I think it’s high time that the opposition parties nailed their colours to a particular mast in order that the electorate actually know what they stand for and what they would have/would do under these current circumstances.

The electorate are becoming disenfranchised with politicians/politics as it is predominantly negative campaigning which is no good for anyone knowing what they wouldn’t have done.

gg13 I agree.

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2

It is all so utterly depressing.

It maybe but we have general elections every 5 years, so there is always change.

Johnson will have an election when he wants it. Haven't they talked about getting rid of the Fixed Term Parliament?

The fact that they are working towards more FPTP elections worries me. It seems to build on the idea of winners and losers. That idea did the country so much harm (and still is) when it came to Brexit.

I can only think of it as the dissolution of yet more of our democracy. Democracy is not about winning and losing; it is about the representation of the whole electorate. Some of the electors may have fewer people to represent their views and some more. Of course, this government knows that appealing to base instincts of winning and losing will get them votes.

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2 I think it’s high time that the opposition parties nailed their colours to a particular mast in order that the electorate actually know what they stand for and what they would have/would do under these current circumstances.

The electorate are becoming disenfranchised with politicians/politics as it is predominantly negative campaigning which is no good for anyone knowing what they wouldn’t have done.

Do you know more about when the election is coming than we all do GrannyGravy? I think the opposition parties will let you know their policies when it suits them and their supporters. Why would they want to give those who are Tory through and through the chance to manufacture more lies as they have done in recent elections?

The level of disenfranchisement of the electorate has a lot more to do with the lies of the party that now holds a majority. Far more than it does with the next election and on what platform others are standing.

(I know saying they lied sounds negative; it is of course. Even more so because it's the truth.)

PippaZ I like most have no idea when the next GE will be called however, it would be nice to know what the opposition stand for .

I seem to remember that the Labour Party loved using ‘Peoples’ this and that when it suited them.I don’t think it’s exclusive to any one political Party.
Since we have had a FPTP for a long time I don’t see that the UK is any less democratic either.

There are umpteen different versions of democracy. I wish it weren't treated as a sacred cow.

GrannyGravy13

PippaZ I like most have no idea when the next GE will be called however, it would be nice to know what the opposition stand for .

You will - but in their time not yours. My guess, for what it is worth, is that unless we have a really bad winter Covid-wise, the parties will start to feed out more succinct information soon. They have policies already but they will simplify them, I'm sure.

I do notice GrannyGravy that you don't seem to have commented on the cringeworthy "People's Priorities".

All well and good PippaZ but there are a lot of the electorate who are politically homeless at the moment, these could be hoovered up and converted to the opposition parties long before the next GE.

As it stands we are heading into a situation whereby folks will continue to vote as they have in the past and could see another majority Conservative Government and yet another ineffectual opposition.

I don’t think anything will change until we have effective opposition. It was the same in the eighties - the Labour Party had a series of inept leaders and we ended up with around 18 years of tory rule. Then came new labour for 13 years because the tories were chopping and changing leaders, making them just as bad. Not good for the country.

PippaZ

I do notice GrannyGravy that you don't seem to have commented on the cringeworthy "People's Priorities".

Didn’t realise it was a compulsory section of your OP.

As I seem to recall Labour had quiet a penchant for throwing peoples this that and the other around last time they were in power

Pammie1

I don’t think anything will change until we have effective opposition. It was the same in the eighties - the Labour Party had a series of inept leaders and we ended up with around 18 years of tory rule. Then came new labour for 13 years because the tories were chopping and changing leaders, making them just as bad. Not good for the country.

That is how I feel, as someone who has voted Conservative I am seeing nothing from the opposition to tempt me onside, as it stands I will in all probability spoil my ballot paper (unless our constituency MP lifts their game)

PippaZ, Of course, this government knows that appealing to base instincts of winning and losing will get them votes.

Exactly. But as long as we have a populace that believes the lies, there isn't much that can be done. I do wonder WHY people continue to believe the lies. But as long as so many people take at face value what is pumped out to them, RATHER than looking at the actual evidence, what can be done?