Tory Party Conference

I think they’re the people that are worried about regulations (building?)being lifted, green belts and flood plains being built on, fracking: worried about inhumane farming methods, overuse of pesticides….so I think that includes me.

Me too! The proposed new ‘investment zones’ sound horrendous - no planning permissions; no accountability for environmental destruction & pollution; no tax; no workers’ rights. NOT IN MY NAME TRUSS!

Petera

RichmondPark1

Who is this Anti-Growth Coalition she's invented? Are they not people who live in exactly the same world as her? A new enemy to blame for her own party's failings.

She really is an appalling speaker.

Actually, the Anti-Growth Coalition might be me. I will of course defer to MaizieD if she comes along and blows my primitive understanding of economics out of the water. But…

... isn't relying eternally on growth just some kind of economic Ponzi scheme? There may be quite a lot of scope for it left, and of course locally we can always grow at the expense of the global, but will we not hit the buffers at some point? Should we not be planning for a steady-state economy?

It's alright, Petera, I'm not going to blow anything out.

As I see it we need growth, because we need well paid employment for everyone who can work (note 'well paid') but it needs to be sustainable growth. There's plenty that could be done on the 'Green' front, renewable energy, insulation, air source heating etc.. to create jobs and new industries, but I agree, we don't need to be using up the world's resources. We need to be looking to replace plastics, develop new materials for building and infrastructure, recycling and upcycling. I'm sure there's plenty to go at.

But it isn't going to happen without state investment. We've made the UK so unattractive that I can't see much investment coming from other sources.

For example, MOnica was saying the other day about our brilliant researchers and scientists. They must clearly be the people developing new' sustainable materials etc. But they're not going to be able to achieve much if the state doesn't put anything into education.

GrannyGravy13

As a SME I always look for our turnover and more importantly our profit margin to grow, year on year.

Isn’t that what all businesses want?

Make a profit, expand and increase the amount of employees.

Surely that’s a win win?

I don't think that many people would argue with that, GG13.

It's the way in which Truss thinks she can promote growth that is the issue.

MaizieD

GrannyGravy13

As a SME I always look for our turnover and more importantly our profit margin to grow, year on year.

Isn’t that what all businesses want?

Make a profit, expand and increase the amount of employees.

Surely that’s a win win?

I don't think that many people would argue with that, GG13.

It's the way in which Truss thinks she can promote growth that is the issue.

Yes. During times of economic crises, ever since the 30s and Keynes it has been accepted practice to a greater or lesser extent that the state takes some responsibility to kick start economic growth by investing in infrastructure etc. promoting growth and jobs, enabling businesses to thrive in the expansion.

Truss is turning that on its head. Government is going to step back and leave it entirely to business.

Boz

I salute all the people who have managed to sit through this rhetoric which has been written by the spin-doctors to try and boost her standing in the Party. The Party is over Mrs.T. Get real; resign and retain a little bit of respect.

If you didn't listen to it then it would be difficult to comment.

Anyone would think that the dire state of the UK has nothing to do with the Tory government of the last 12 years. Governments which Liz Truss has been part of.

Durr..
The use of Moving On Up as introductory music for the prime minster has left its creators "livid" and frustrated.
Liz Truss walked on to M People's 1993 hit before addressing the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham earlier.
The Manchester group's founder Mike Pickering said he hoped Ms Truss took note of the lyrics, as it was "about, 'go and pack your bags and get out'".
BBC News.

Casdon

I asked my son what song he thought would be best for Liz Truss, he said
Oasis - Don’t Look Back in Anger.
We will be doing.
Interesting that it’s a smaller hall, with only half an audience there. More aren’t there than are.

"I Believe in Miracles" might be appropriate.

How to alienate Drakeford, Sturgeon, Putin, possibly the Chinese and every other political party in the UK in one statement.

It takes some doing ?

The use of Moving On Up as introductory music for the prime minster has left its creators "livid" and frustrated
It was quite amusing as I think may of us were singing the rest of the lyrics

You've done me wrong, your time is up
You took a sip from the devil's cup
You broke my heart, there's no way back
Move right out of here, baby, go on pack your bags

Callistemon21

^The use of Moving On Up as introductory music for the prime minster has left its creators "livid" and frustrated^
It was quite amusing as I think may of us were singing the rest of the lyrics

You've done me wrong, your time is up
You took a sip from the devil's cup
You broke my heart, there's no way back
Move right out of here, baby, go on pack your bags

She must have had a premonition!

I've just found this on twitter. I was out when Truss was making her speech. Did she really say this?

'I grew up in the 1980s, which were characterised by boarded up shops, people with no hope turning to drugs, families struggling to put food on the table. And that's why we need to get back to Thatcherism' - Liz Truss

Isn't she going to get a bit of a surprise when she finds out who was PM in the '80s?

Who on earth writes her speeches?

GrannyGravy13

So all of her statement regarding first is erroneous?

I don't really understand your question GG13

Truss said she was the first prime minister to have gone to a comprehensive school.

She is not.

MaizieD

GrannyGravy13

As a SME I always look for our turnover and more importantly our profit margin to grow, year on year.

Isn’t that what all businesses want?

Make a profit, expand and increase the amount of employees.

Surely that’s a win win?

I don't think that many people would argue with that, GG13.

It's the way in which Truss thinks she can promote growth that is the issue.

I'm not going to argue with this either, but I would ask if there might be another way.

We ran a successful business. Successful in that everyone who worked there was paid well, enjoyed the work, felt rewarded and loved being part of a motivated, skilled team. We didn't expand. We didn't have ambition other than to do a brilliant job for good people and for all involved to use and improve their skills and have a good quality of life. We had reliable, steady customers who knew they could rely on us to do the job better than they expected and were happy to pay well for the service. We had client waiting lists, could have charged more, could have expanded and worked all hours, but none of us wanted that. If the company had been together enough to have a motto it would have been ça suffit.

We all made enough money this way to retire in our 50s having decided we had enough. How much more did we need? We didn't want flash cars in double garages or fancy homes, just contentment.

It was only a small business run by us (hippies really), but it was a joyous experience and thrived. Life was satisfying, healthy and good.

I don't know if that translates to an economy, but have to question if growth is the be all and end all, especially when we know resources are so limited and that past experience of 'growth' has left so many in society on the sidelines?

Petera

GrannyGravy13

So all of her statement regarding first is erroneous?

I don't really understand your question GG13

Truss said she was the first prime minister to have gone to a comprehensive school.

She is not.

What’s not to understand?

She stated that she was the first PM to go to a comprehensive school, she isn’t so her statement is erroneous.

GrannyGravy13

Petera

GrannyGravy13

So all of her statement regarding first is erroneous?

I don't really understand your question GG13

Truss said she was the first prime minister to have gone to a comprehensive school.

She is not.

What’s not to understand?

She stated that she was the first PM to go to a comprehensive school, she isn’t so her statement is erroneous.

It was the insertion of 'regarding first' that threw me. Mea culpa. Maybe she should have said:

"First prime minister since Boris Johnson to have gone..."

No problem Petera I should have made my post clearer, trying to multi task as per normal and failing miserably.

Just donated to Greenpeace….

A poll in the Times to-day asked;

Would you vote Conservative in a GE.

7l% no
29% yes

The country is now being run by a neo liberal cult. They have no mandate for what they are doing and Truss is determined to push through these policies while she has the chance. Nothing matters to these fanatics, not people, not the environment and certainly not public services. The only thing that matters is financial gain for the few. Labour needs to step up, and step up quickly.

But what can Labour do? There’s no election in sight.All we can hope for is some element of decency emerging from the Conservative Party. It was always going to be dangerous having a government with that sort of majority.

GrannyGravy13

Petera

GrannyGravy13

So all of her statement regarding first is erroneous?

I don't really understand your question GG13

Truss said she was the first prime minister to have gone to a comprehensive school.

She is not.

What’s not to understand?

She stated that she was the first PM to go to a comprehensive school, she isn’t so her statement is erroneous.

Surely she is?

I don't understand why it is erroneous.
Other Prime Ministers were educated in state schools but they were all selective at the time they attended.

She gets a lot wrong but she's correct in this.

Or have I missed something or someone?

Daisymae

The country is now being run by a neo liberal cult. They have no mandate for what they are doing and Truss is determined to push through these policies while she has the chance. Nothing matters to these fanatics, not people, not the environment and certainly not public services. The only thing that matters is financial gain for the few. Labour needs to step up, and step up quickly.

YES!

Callistemon21

GrannyGravy13

Petera

GrannyGravy13

So all of her statement regarding first is erroneous?

I don't really understand your question GG13

Truss said she was the first prime minister to have gone to a comprehensive school.

She is not.

What’s not to understand?

She stated that she was the first PM to go to a comprehensive school, she isn’t so her statement is erroneous.

Surely she is?

I don't understand why it is erroneous.
Other Prime Ministers were educated in state schools but they were all selective at the time they attended.

She gets a lot wrong but she's correct in this.

Or have I missed something or someone?

Theresa May without having to go even further back

MayBee70

But what can Labour do? There’s no election in sight.All we can hope for is some element of decency emerging from the Conservative Party. It was always going to be dangerous having a government with that sort of majority.

Maybe work with other parties who have a shred of humanity about them? Put on a strong and determined opposition. Be credible. The alternative is genuinely frightening. Two years of dismantling the NHS, cutting a swathe through public services, trashing the environment, desperate poverty.

I think they showed themselves to be incredibly credible at their party conference. Isn’t it up to those of us that oppose this government to get behind Labour and not constantly find fault with them? I’m sure that, when parliament sits again Labour will be picking holes in Truss’s policies.