Do those of us who are not Tory supporters have a duty to keep remembering the mistakes (to put it politely) of the Tory government.

State pension changes were set to be phased in gradually. Nick Clegg accelerated it, by years, possibly gaining Brownie points along the way in the coalition with Cameron. I remember reading all about it at the time and fuming. I said to Himself ‘he’s not only upset the students now with their extortionate fees but the pensioners too”.

In my view it’s vital that government lies and misdemeanours are exposed and constantly brought into the public domain. The day we say ‘just forget all the wrongs and move on’ is a sad day for a country. Look at world history - this is how corrupt leaders have operated. The UK deserves better. In an open democracy, leaders and those who govern should be held accountable for their words, deeds & actions, no matter how long ago they occurred. We don’t ignore some of the horrors of the past just because they ‘happened a long time ago’ or because we are ‘bored by them’. We learn from them!

It's not only that we have a duty to remember, but more how could we forget?

I think there are a generation of children who will never vote tory. They've missed birthday parties, but know the conservatives had parities. They've seen their parents struggle to pay back student loans or pay for basic needs like heating.

The lack of integrity is stunning. Even a child can see it.

The Opposition and the media has a duty to expose deficiencies of Government. Whether or all non-Tories have such a duty do likewise, experience of GN shows the most partizan will.

I doubt whether James O'Brien was shocked by the number of arrows shot at Boris Johnson. O'Brien would have known there were plenty to fire before asking the question. He is hardly unbiased.

An interesting piece turned up in the Telegraph this morning headed 'EU rules may treat 'political criticism' as hate speech.' Hopefully, this will now not apply to the UK or we all may end up before the beak.

For the record, I do not tie myself to any party or politician, preferring to make up my own mind. I became a Eurosceptic in 1970 and, to date, nobody has convinced me that a future within an 'ever closer union' is appropriate. Of course, my view is influenced by the concept of sovereignty, something that James O'Brien once described as nebulous. For me, sovereignty is something people take for granted until they lose it and then it becomes the most important matter on the agenda.

Urmstongran

State pension changes were set to be phased in gradually. Nick Clegg accelerated it, by years, possibly gaining Brownie points along the way in the coalition with Cameron. I remember reading all about it at the time and fuming. I said to Himself ‘he’s not only upset the students now with their extortionate fees but the pensioners too”.

Yes! We need to remember the damaging things they all do. All the posh boys have no understanding of, or empathy for how others live their lives. They have never had to just get by.

We certainly need a break from the Eton, Westminster overgrown public schoolboy leaders. It's made worse because too many of them (and the alternatives in the other parties0 represent constituencies in the South East.

Doesn't every voter have a responsibility to be aware of what any government does and vote accordingly?

Or is there something special about non-Tory voters?

Personally I could never believe he would be elected for Lord Mayor of London and was staggered when he became PM. The voters of the UK apparently like their little joke.

Comment on radio

"If you marry a mass murderer, you've got to expect there's a chance you'll be murdered." Classic line from caller talking to
@mrjamesob
about anyone who voted for Boris and is now outraged by his morally corrupt behaviour”

AreWeThereYet We didn't have a great choice when we voted in Dec 2019.

Many had their fingers burnt when Clegg turned tory. Hell will freeze over before I trust the LibDems again. The only other choice was the then Labour leader. I chose to spoil my ballot.

The only jokers IMO are the lazy sods who don't vote and then bitch about the government they get. We need to make voting compulsory at general elections. We would need to have a 'none of the above box'

Marmardoit I’d love to see voting made compulsory, but I fear it’s introduction would be hampered by shouts of ‘you’re taking away our rights by making it compulsory!’
I can’t prove that any other government would have managed the pandemic better, but I think the best thing this government has done is made it certain that public scrutiny of what ministers of whatever political party they belong to will be much sharper and focused in the future.

GillT57

I think Urm you will find that the increase in women's retirement age was proposed under John Major in 1993 with advanced warning that the changes would begin to be implemented from 2010. 2010 was Tory LibDem coalition.

I definitely got a letter to say about the pension changes going up to 66. So did my peers and I clearly remember have a conversation about it as it was being bumped up from 60 - 63 - 66.
Also we have a great local Tory MP, she getting my vote again.

Mamardoit No we didn't have a great choice - I wonder why we have so many politicians that are just 'the best of a bad lot' and so few we really have faith in. Not that we would all have faith in, or trust, the same people of course. Rhetorical musing only - I don't expect anyone to have an answer ?

I used to have to visit the House of Commons to represent an NGO when there were reviews of issues that were of interest to the NGO. On a number of occasions I was impressed by the diligence and hard work put into the review, with the MPs concerned (all 'minor' MPs, as in not ones that were in senior positions in the Government, and from all parties) really doing their homework and questioning responses from all parties. Sad that they weren't the ones that made their way up the ranks.

I think all of the electorate have a duty to remember the mistakes and lies told by all governments, whether they be the current cohort or any of the previous ones, whether they be Conservative, Labour or any other party.

? another massive lack of judgement on Johnson’s part.

“We are the country of Shakespeare, Keats, Wordsworth, Chaucer, Constable, Turner, Hardy, Austen, Dickens, Orwell, the Brontës, Tolkien, Woolf, Ishiguro, McEwan, Lessing, Eliot, The Beatles, Milton, Dench and Bassey. How did we end up with Nadine Dorries as Culture Secretary?”

Nick Robinson R4.

In 2009 Labour made preparations in case of a pandemic, laying down the foundations to fight at the time an unknown virus with stores of PPE etc.

During the next decade the Tories did nothing except allow all the preparations to be laid waste.

CNN

Britain whose PM frequently talks of being world beating is a world beating laughing stock