Anybody else who doesn't know who to vote for?

I have never supported either Johnson or Truss. Johnson is an inveterate liar but I don’t like to see all Conservatives tarred by association. Truss was a truly appalling choice by party members and she wreaked great damage on the economy but she is long gone though of course the consequences of her actions will linger for a considerable time. Again, the current government ministers should not be tarred by association.

I'm personally OK with paying a bit more on my threshold income tax to give the NHS/care system a chance. Problem with a lot of UK thinking is that somehow you can have good services like in Sweden without paying for it. It doesn't add up.

Oreo of course we not in court. I just mean reasons and the proof to back that up, even if someone just said, “it’s my gut reaction”, at least that would be some kind of reason. To just keep saying “I don’t trust Starmer” is just meaningless.

Germanshepherdsmum

I have never supported either Johnson or Truss. Johnson is an inveterate liar but I don’t like to see all Conservatives tarred by association. Truss was a truly appalling choice by party members and she wreaked great damage on the economy but she is long gone though of course the consequences of her actions will linger for a considerable time. Again, the current government ministers should not be tarred by association.

It’s inevitable though Germanshepherdsmum. People are still harking back to Tony Blair for goodness sake, and he left office 16 years ago. Johnson and Truss will be stamped on the collective memory for decades to come.

Cossy

Nicenanny3

I don’t trust the Tories. I don’t trust them because they’ve lied (Partygate), they screwed the mortgage rate/housing market (Truss), they allowed people to die needlessly during Covid (throwing care home residents out of hospital, failing to act quickly enough at the beginning to stop large events, “eat out to help out”, nurses and PPE), I don’t trust them with finance because they’ve spent ££££ in “wasted” schemes (track and trace, money given to the French, the entire Rwandan debacle), they’ve backtracked on climate change.

These are just a few of the many many examples of why I won’t be voting Tory ever again (yes many years ago I supported them and voted for them!)

It’s great we are a democracy, able to choose who we want to trust, who we vote for and the freedom to debate and express views/beliefs/ethos on sites like this.

I respect your right to your own opinions, I’m simply asking “why”?

Because I don't trust them mainly on immigration, I personally can't stand Starmer, Rayner or Vyette Cooper. I actually support Reform but am thinking of voting Conservative now. So no evidence to present just a gut feeling they would not be fit to govern.

Labour have promised £28 billion of green investment per year by the second half of the next parliament. £20 billion of this would be ‘additional’.

Cossy

Oreo of course we not in court. I just mean reasons and the proof to back that up, even if someone just said, “it’s my gut reaction”, at least that would be some kind of reason. To just keep saying “I don’t trust Starmer” is just meaningless.

If you don’t trust Starmer ( or anyone else) then it is a gut feeling.

I have posted a graph showing the difference in income tax between the UK and Sweden. They pay a lot more tax than we do. ‘A bit’ won’t cut it. I think it’s well known here that I have paid a lot of tax over the years and I am not willing to pay more than I currently do. I certainly don’t trust Labour not to increase personal tax burdens, and strongly suspect that a wealth tax would be on the cards at some point, though of course at present that would be hotly denied.

It's interesting that the GE will take place just before the first plane to Rwanda takes off. Rishi Sunak's claim that 15 EU countries are now also going to implement a similar scheme is just another misleading statement. It's true that other countries are considering outsourcing asylum applications to a 3rd country but this is not the same as the Rwanda Agreement. He wants us to believe that the UK is going to be world leader. Again...

Was just asked by someone a-political "why such a quick election". I think avoiding facing the Rwanda issue is high on the list.

I agree we cant be a "Sweden" btw, was giving it as an example of how our mindset in the UK works. Massive grumbling about service provision but not willing to pay even a bit more.

Germanshepherdsmum

I have posted a graph showing the difference in income tax between the UK and Sweden. They pay a lot more tax than we do. ‘A bit’ won’t cut it. I think it’s well known here that I have paid a lot of tax over the years and I am not willing to pay more than I currently do. I certainly don’t trust Labour not to increase personal tax burdens, and strongly suspect that a wealth tax would be on the cards at some point, though of course at present that would be hotly denied.

So effectively you’re content with the tax you pay and you accept the level of public services we have?

Well I guess Conservatives are the party of low taxes, private enterprise (not worked too well with our water services, in some cases energy, and some of our rail services) and less reliance on the state. So that all fits.

Nicenanny3 Fair enough, thank you. I’m guessing you won’t be voting Reform so not to split the Tory vote? Tactical voting.

Heaven help us if the majority of people vote on a “gut feeling

Definitely Reform.

Germanshepherdsmum

I have posted a graph showing the difference in income tax between the UK and Sweden. They pay a lot more tax than we do. ‘A bit’ won’t cut it. I think it’s well known here that I have paid a lot of tax over the years and I am not willing to pay more than I currently do. I certainly don’t trust Labour not to increase personal tax burdens, and strongly suspect that a wealth tax would be on the cards at some point, though of course at present that would be hotly denied.

What’s wrong with a wealth tax? Why, in a civilised country, should the very wealthy not be prepared to support those in poverty? If this tax went along with a radical welfare reform, say for example following the lead of some EU countries, if someone is offered suitable work, which they were capable of doing AND make them financially better off and then turned it down without an extremely good reason, part of their benefit would stop? I’m all for those who can work and support themselves should do so, though tbh this is a very simplistic approach and works in theory, in practice there are insurmountable barriers for many. The jobs need to be in a reasonable distance from where one lives, DWP current state within 90 mi utes travel time, each way, door to door.
Jobs need to be a single to match skills and experience of the candidates (and a massive new training programme set up to train the unemployed to fit the skills to the jobs in their local area), childcare places, and costs, are currently both a huge issue, the amount subsidised by the govt for an individual child doesn’t match nursery costs.

So much needs to be done, it’s Herculean in this area alone, then bring in the public services, teaching, nursing, GPS, etc etc it’s really a very steep curve.

Whitewavemark2

Heaven help us if the majority of people vote on a “gut feeling

I won’t be!

Cossy, I paid higher rate and additional rate tax for years. I have done my bit, and some.

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JudyBloom

Definitely Reform.

What are they all about please? I know I could google but would like to hear from a supporter. Thanks

Blair? Far too late for that argument. We invited the Windrush generation in to do the jobs no one else wanted to do. You're a bit late with the comments, Enoch Powell beat you to it.

Germanshepherdsmum

*Cossy*, I paid higher rate and additional rate tax for years. I have done my bit, and some.

Fair enough.

Cossy

Germanshepherdsmum

Cossy, I paid higher rate and additional rate tax for years. I have done my bit, and some.

Fair enough.

It’s not though. Those of who were high earners and savers live comfortably in retirement too, yes, we paid more tax, but we are still the lucky ones. I’m happy to pay more tax now if it results in better public services for those who haven’t been, and will never be as fortunate financially as I am. I think millions of others will feel the same way. It’s time for the UK to become a more altruistic society.

Cosy I too am keen to know why people say they ‘don’t trust Keir Starmer’. No-one appears to be able (or willing) to come up with an answer to, what is, a reasonable question. All I hear is a repeat of ‘don’t trust him’ … but please tell us why. I genuinely want to understand people’s thinking!

It’s time for the UK to become a more altruistic society

Casdon 👏👏👏👏

Casdon I just meant it was fair enough for GSM to have that view. I too was a higher rate tax payer prior to having children, after which I worked in more local jobs thus taking a pay cut. Even now though I too would be prepared to pay more in taxes to support more vulnerable members of our society. We too live a comfortable (not luxury) retirement and count ourselves extremely lucky to do so.