Labour……I really tried but have now given up!

Thank you for that thoughtful post, Maerion.

Given how extraordinary the last week was, and that we are in parliamentary recess, I find an O/P (which includes misinformation) seriously saying "I've given them a fair chance" extraordinarily disingenuous.

Is it not that some people have a line in the sand, for some it might be the winter fuel allowance for some people it might be control of speech, some people will tolerate a fair amount because they support the overall aims of the party, for others there may be one issue that they cant overlook, it's possible that issue may come quickly in a government's term.

I'm not sure what you mean by "control of speech", Galaxy.

If last week has shown us anything, it's the complexity and dangers of social media networking, but I'm not aware of any new measures beyond the 2023 Online Safety Act.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-act-explainer/online-safety-act-explainer

(worth a quick look to see what it covers, quite readable)

I am predicting what my line in the sand might be. So I can therefore understand if someone elses line in the sand is the response to winter fuel allowance or care home fees. It's more to do with peoples 'lines' than the length of a governments term. Presumably if Starmers government decided to introduce compulsory hat wearing tomorrow that would be too much for some people and the fact he had only been in government for a month wouldnt be the issue.

Drawing any lines in the sand now is only for people who gamble on what type of sand it is in my opinion. It’s way too early to draw conclusions about what this government will deliver.

I do understand what you are saying about everyones line being personal, not querying that, it makes sense.

My question what you were referring to when you wrote "Control of Speech" was genuine as I don't know what you meant and dont wish too speculate or assume.

Starmer is saying he will look further at social media, if he does introduce further controls such as the harmful but legal clause as I think its referred to, I wouldnt be able to vote for them again. It's as fundamental to me as say a party announcing they would roll back gay rights.

Casdon

Drawing any lines in the sand now is only for people who gamble on what type of sand it is in my opinion. It’s way too early to draw conclusions about what this government will deliver.

Yes it is.

Early days and they've had a lot to contend with so far.

.

Galaxy looking at the `Online Safety Act and your concerns (this has been an uphill learning process to me so I checked out "harmful but legal" and found that these clauses have been altered (still in 2023) to

"19. The adult safety duties (‘legal but harmful’ provisions) have been removed from the Bill"

www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-bill-supporting-documents/overview-of-expected-impact-of-changes-to-the-online-safety-bill

I appreciate you are talking about not limiting freedom of speech.

However the last week do make me feel appropriate restrictions on incitement to violence and hatred need looking at

(just as the law concerns itself already with hate speech and incitement)

(for interest generally, much of the act is for the protection of children)

petra

Siope

How will local authority and housing association allocation processes be changed by this alleged change? Will they still retain autonomy to respond to local need and set their own criteria? If not, who will?

A while ago I was in the housing office.
This is the conversation I heard.
A Young asylum seeker was at the counter with an interpreter.
He showed his documents to show that he had been given leave to stay.
The housing officer told him it was his responsibility to find his own accommodation.

As with so many others looking for a home, they are given the same message.

Yes I know what the act involves, the rumour is that he may reverse the removal of legal but harmful clause. He may not of course but that would be my limit.
In order to introduce that kind of control someone would need to define harmful. Generally the people who would have that kind of power are the last people you would want to have power over speech.
Alistair Campbell for example is currently campaigning to get various people arrested for misinformation. It's almost impossible to differentiate between reality and parody anymore.

I think nearly all governments are disappointing in one way or another. I can’t remember a really good one, at least not since the 1970s. Left, right or in between . I’m always optimistic about Labor and always disappointed, every time. Good ideas, no commonsense. As for the others - bad ideas but better financially. Joe Blow can’t win.

nanna8

I think nearly all governments are disappointing in one way or another. I can’t remember a really good one, at least not since the 1970s. Left, right or in between . I’m always optimistic about Labor and always disappointed, every time. Good ideas, no commonsense. As for the others - bad ideas but better financially. Joe Blow can’t win.

Most governments end in failure they promise the earth and then can’t deliver on the promises, lacking common sense?, certainly lacking realism, raising hope of voters then running out of the money to deliver improvements.

Thatcher made a lot of changes that needed to be done but then went too far and dismantled our core industries, with Blair, deregulation was good until there was no regulation and banks took big risks, ending in the global collapse.

Austerity with Cameron bumbled along until the Brexit vote, May , Johnson, Truss and Sunak all could not control the economy, now we are back to austerity with Starmer at least for a while, we can only hope that prosperity will return

I agree David49
I just hope this new Labour government doesn’t go too far down the Draconian route, or the Austerity route either.
For me it hasn’t been a good start.
I think that Starmer wants to show he’s no Corbyn but the things either being introduced or talked about or done seem more tory based than the Tories!

Lines in the sand get washed away when the tide comes in.

I've not seen much on so-called Operation Scatter. It was first mentioned in The Times, I think. It reflects a desire expressed in the Labour Manifesto to achieve a more equitable distribution across the country.

Grantanow

Lines in the sand get washed away when the tide comes in.

I've not seen much on so-called Operation Scatter. It was first mentioned in The Times, I think. It reflects a desire expressed in the Labour Manifesto to achieve a more equitable distribution across the country.

And thats all it is to date, part of a manifesto. It's been pushed and headlined by Reform on X and repeated as new "news" when no plans have been as yet drawn up. All the speculation on detail upthread is just that -speculation.

I've persevered longer to get used to a new bra, let alone a new government.

Callistemon213

^Thing is scrapping the winter fuel allowance for those not on benefits means money freed up to pay junior docs^

No it doesn't.

It doesn't work like that.

Why not Callistemon? I’m not saying you are wrong but would like to understand why you are saying this.

But if after a few weeks your new bra continuously played the theme tune to coronation street whenever you entered a room, presumably a couple of weeks of that would be enough

What a thought!

I'd prefer that to Steptoe and son, I suppose.

Galaxy
^ Presumably if Starmers government decided to introduce compulsory hat wearing tomorrow that would be too much for some people and the fact he had only been in government for a month wouldn't be the issue.^

Substitute mask for hat and we’ve already seen the result, even here on GN. 🤣🤣

Wyllow3

Thank you for that thoughtful post, Maerion.

Given how extraordinary the last week was, and that we are in parliamentary recess, I find an O/P (which includes misinformation) seriously saying "I've given them a fair chance" extraordinarily disingenuous.

I find it quite hilarious! Whoever was in govt would have achieved very little in their first six weeks. I remember doing new roles, in different premises, with the aggro of having to also move house, I honestly don’t think I was terribly productive in the first 6 weeks, as I was still feeling my feet.

MissAdventure

I've persevered longer to get used to a new bra, let alone a new government.

😂😂😂😂😂😂

Galaxy

But if after a few weeks your new bra continuously played the theme tune to coronation street whenever you entered a room, presumably a couple of weeks of that would be enough

If it was a very comfortable bra I’d ignore the music

.. and now I read there is a proposition to tax our pension at 8%.