The 7th rebrand in 18 months - is this one any better?

It seems to me that the Conservatives are cornered rats and thus dangerous to people in this country who need to be cared for by the State. I think they will 'please' their committed section of the electorate by draconian policies that will hurt certain vulnerable members of the public - and not only do I believe they do not care, I think they actively want those people to go off and die - which they will, either fairly quickly, through malnutrition, or more slowly through debilitating depression, leading to chronic disease etc. There is too much talk of 'benefit cheats' which is the usual rallying cry of committed Tories. I am not bothered about these 'cheats' nearly as much as I am about the many millions cost to the tax-payer by misbehaving bankers. I have a personal stake in this as my youngest son is autistic and unable to work, even though he seems very fit - I can see a case being made to take away his benefit, which will put even more pressure on me, at 73, and still working full time. So, to answer the question, the rebranding, depending on its nature (which I know nothing of) could work a little bit, if it further consolidates the usual hard-liners. I doubt if Labour will be any better, anyway. I don't get the impression that kindness and care for the vulnerable are high on the public agenda anywhere - but then that is just 'my impression'.

GSM just because something has been talked about for years doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a good thing. Politics swings right and left over time; the intrinsic rights of human beings should remain constant and consistent, and should be a collaboration of many differing voices. I believe any country that turns away from this does so in order to ‘silence’ those differing voices. A very dangerous act!

Starmer is quite right not to be precipitate in revealing Labour plans at a time when the Tories, bereft of ideas and leadership and saddled with some extreme crackpot MPs, are desperate to steal any good ideas. If he's a Blair copy that may indicate he can win three General Elections in a row (and Blair was popular enough to win even after being vilified by the Left over Iraq). Bring on the GE.

We should be proud of the ECHR. Winston Churchill was one of the prime motivators, post WW2. British lawyers were key to drafting the text in 1951-53. Hardly a liberal lefty start.

Unlike impressions later created, it is not related to the EU.

The organisation Liberty can put it far better than me, with examples. Brief and to the point.

www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/5-ways-the-european-convention-on-human-rights-makes-the-uk-a-better-place/#:~:text=2.,“everyone%20within%20their%20jurisdiction”.

Yes, I strongly believe that we should leave the ECHR. Having our own ‘bill of rights’ has been talked about for years but nothing has happened. Human rights laws are an albatross around the country’s neck.

But, if they were to publish what they really want to do it would scare those who are 50/50 about voting Labour

More likely, the Tories would steal the ideas - as they have already done with several of Labour’s proposed initiatives. Role on the GE so all parties can publish their manifestos and there can be no more stealing of ideas.

MaizieD
I hear what your saying, Re plans for the economy are timid
But, if they were to publish what they really want to do it would scare those who are 50/50 about voting Labour.

Dread the next election - there is not one person/party in Parliament - of whatever colour, that I want to vote for. All the fanciful talk pre election, self before Country. Just imagining who would even be a suitable candidate,should those who want a Republic ever got their way (ambiguous question I know, before the slings and arrows descend!!)

I do wonder if GSM says this to provoke or if she really believes that's a good idea. If so, why?

Also, still waiting for a list of all the wonderful things that, apparently, have happened in the last few years.

.
Mmm. They would say that, wouldn't they?
Doesn't mean that they believe them or would carry them out.
It's just a typical manifesto of any Party.
.

Germanshepherdsmum

No, they won’t. We need to leave the ECHR but Starmer was a human rights lawyer - nuff said.

Are you actually serious??

We need to leave the ECHR

What! GSM, you want us to join the Russia / Belarus club?

LizzieDrip, good one.

Why do we need to leave the ECHR? How will that help the four Nations of the UK?

The economy is a bit different because after the crash in 2008 things were difficult, and then followed on by Covid a few years later

With respect maddyone, there were 12 years between the 2008 global economic crash and Covid. During that 12 years the Conservative government implemented ‘austerity’ - measures which have been shown to be largely unnecessary and certainly went on for far too long. Indeed, austerity has never really stopped - at least Cameron’s government was up-front about it, unlike Johnson / Truss / Sunak. So, jumping from the economic crash to Covid ignores 12 years of Tory ‘achievement’.

I agree that the vaccine programme was a success but so it was in most countries around the world. It can hardly be credited to the Tories. Also, its actual implementation relied on thousands of volunteers - hardly the government.

Regarding the energy handouts the government had to give … agreed they did so. However, perhaps if Cameron hadn’t decided to ‘cut the green crap’ many years earlier, the Uk wouldn’t have been so reliant on Russian gas. Also, if energy companies had not continued to pay their shareholders billions of £s, that money could /should have been used to reduce bills - rather than the taxpayer footing the bill, while billionaire energy moguls got richer and richer. The government could have addressed this, as governments in other countries did.

I know hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the negative outcome of many of these issues were in clear sight at the time. A government is charged with having foresight!

Where will the money come from for the projected policies? Good question. Maybe Sunak will donate some to the common good as he retires, hopefully soon? How much profit did he and Mrs Sunak make last year, as they climb higher up the Rich List? Was that anything to do with government contracts being given to Infosys?
Maybe not 'keeping to the topic' but it grabbed my attention this morning.

No, they won’t. We need to leave the ECHR but Starmer was a human rights lawyer - nuff said.

I don't have huge confidence in Labour, I think their plans for the economy are timid and shortsighted, but, I think that a leader who has managed to stamp his authority on the party (however bad some might think that has been) generates more confidence than the current PM who is very much driven by the far right of his party and appears to have no political nous.

It is evident that Sunak is failing to enthuse the greater part of the electorate.

The Tories can’t even police our streets properly. They can’t control the outpourings of hate being levelled towards our Jewish citizens. They can’t stop those who openly advocate for Hamas and other terrorist groups. Even ‘Our’ BBC, our ‘National Broadcaster’, can’t be directed to call a spade a spade! ‘Our’ NHS (which according to Jeremy Hunt makes us proud to be British!) can’t be told to sack those who seek to harass whistleblowers. All these egregious wrongs should be within the remit of a strong government to control. To ask them to actually defend this country is expecting far too much! But I wonder if Starmer and his motley crew will be any better?

Everyone working pays for education whether they have children or not

Can we change that to 'everyone who pays tax'. Unless you live completely off grid and are self sufficient we all pay tax in one way or another.

I get a bit tired of working people thinking that they are the only people who pay tax.

Mt61

I don’t think labour will be any better on stopping the boats landing on our shores or better still being taxied across by the lifeboats

I think it’s clear that they won’t stop the boats. I heard a Border Force officer being interviewed about Labour’s plans. He was very disparaging and he, more than most, is surely in a position to know.

paying to educate your child privately is entirely a parents choice

It is Cossy and I for one hope private schools remain if (when) Labour are in a position to form a Government.

I don’t think labour will be any better on stopping the boats landing on our shores or better still being taxied across by the lifeboats

nanna8

Just thinking that parents of private school children pay the normal amount of taxes don’t they ? So they are paying for state schools as well as forking out extra because they want a good education for their own children. I don’t think they should be punished for that double whammy.

Private schools still maintain charitable status based on one or two annual bursaries and scholarships. They are not charities!

Everyone working pays for education whether they have children or not and paying to educate your child privately is entirely a parents choice.

LizzieDrip

Well, call me gullible or whatever you like, but I absolutely support Labour and want them to form the next government - not simply because ‘they’re not the Tories’ but because, I believe, Labour will change this country for the better. I think they’ll give hope back to people.

I pray that they can! For many now their own personal situations are becoming more and more untenable and most of us have had more than enough of this set of Tories. Many of us are financially, mentally and emotionally worse off.

Sunak just needs to grasp the realities of his situation and call a GE asap.

Then, whatever the outcome, we can all hopefully start to move forward.

IMO the turnout won’t be low.