Political Parties.

No I think you've summed it up.

All parties now feel 'centre/right of centre' with no 'left' options!
I think that combative politics inevitably leads to the point scoring election campaigns.. I might be tempted to vote for the party that did not slag off any others but just gave a clear manifesto message and demonstrated how they were going to do it.

But that requires honesty and openness

Also when elected a party should have to publish a user friendly 'action plan' to show what they are going to do when and how it relates to the manifesto! we could enforce penalties if they miss targets...like schools/hospitals etc!
Chancellor and Sec of Stare for Education both missed targets recently but apparently that's OK !

The problem with party manifestos is what Harold Macmillan described as 'Events, dear boy, events'.

Having promised to pursue certain policies, the economic or social or other circumstances change and other things become more important or the financial situation changes adversely, at the extreme wars or natural disasters happen.

Looking back on our own lives. Could you say definitely what you will definitely do for yourself or your family in the next five years? When I had job interviews and that silly question 'Where do see your self in five years time?' came up, my answer was always, 'I do not know because I have no idea what events may impact my life in the next five years'. Political manifestos are stuck with the same problem.

If you think politicians shouls stick like glue to their promises, no matter what, contemplate the situation of Greece. Political parties competed in wild promises to the electorate which, if elected they implemented without any consideration of whether they could be afforded, or were national damaging. As a result Greece is the basket case of Europe. Government spending, on welfare and benefits in Greece have been cut so much parents are putting their children in orphanages and people are dieing from want. Our welfare cuts are insignificant in comparison.

We get the party manifestos we deserve. If we didnt make voting decisions on what party offers us most in their manifestos and if we put the needs of the country ahead of personal advantage we would get more thoughtful and considered manifestos and fewer promises of immediate benefits and changes that are later impossible to implement.

Good post Flicketyb.
I think I am right in saying that Cameron did not outline his plans for the health service in his manifesto. gnash.
I thought Milliband's party conference speech indicated a shift to the left compared to Blair. Which. I admit, is not difficult.

I was reading an interesting article about Denmark yesterday. It talked about all the good things, social mobility, education, smallest gap between earnings of richer and poorer citizens. It also pointed out that income tax is at fifty per cent and that people moan, but accept that it must be so.

Good post, flickety. Realism has to have some effect on what politicians can do, regardless of their promises and ideals.

flickety, I'm not sure that many voters support candidates at a general election on the basis of party manifestos. Elections are decided on a relatively small proportion of 'swing' voters who may or may not have read the promises made by the major parties but more likely are fed up with 'this lot' and 'lets see what the others can do'. Apathy also plays a part, with huge numbers not voting at all. All too many vote for the party they (or their parents, or their husband) have always voted for.
Who could have foreseen, 19 months ago, the destructive policies of Andrew Lansley and Michael Gove?

Very interesting article about Gove, by Peter Wilby in today's Guardian; especially on the (mis)use of international comparisons.

Well replied Flickety B - a lot of common sence in that one .

The band I went to see last night which were always very left wing now say they support the 'no party, party'. I was also having a discussion with someone yesterday about Donald Trump and the amount of influence he has with the SNP. Not sure if any of our northern members can enlighten me about this. The amount of power her seems to have in his part of Scotland sounds beyond anything.

Mamie, thanks. I have now read the article about Gove. I think he is a dangerous ideologue but isn't being reined in at all within the coalition - one of may reasons why I am leaving the Lib Dems.

I was just so glad to see an article where a journalist had bothered to read and evaluate the evidence. When I hear about Gove being given money to squander on yet more Free Schools that are completely unnecessary, it makes my blood boil. I just don't know how they are allowed to get away with it by the press.

Donald Trumpet (as in 'blows his own') has a vastly inflated ego and sense of his own importance. He and his publicity machine portrayed a 'special relationship' with Alex Salmond when things were going his way and he got planning permission to build his Golfing Resort at the Menie Estate - no special favours involved - 90% of local council and the public were in favour of the development. Now that approval has been given for an off-shore wind farm, which will be visible from parts of the Golf Course, Trump declares that the First Minister is out to get him, and that he [Trump] is apparantly THE world expert on the dangers of wind farms as well as being the potential saviour of the Scottish Tourist Industry, which has actually managed quite nicely, thank you, without him.

The bottom line in all this, using common sense, if the truth be told (to coin a few cliches ) is that even Hampden Park could not hold the combined egos of these two men. Trump can bluster, malign, threaten to withdraw as much as he likes but AS DOES NOT NEED HIM. Salmond holds all the cards.

Gove is a nightmare. This journalist has got him sussed.
G talks through his backside and gets away with it.
As I posted elsewhere - how dare they say they are creating new school places with the money? They are not. They closing LA schools and opening them as academies and calling them new school places. etc etc etc
The only good thing about his "bring back the o level" plan is that it will be dropped at the next election if the tories lose it. Like they did 2 yrs ago with the 14-19 diploma. In the meantime lots of money will be wasted on development.
I think I am going to have to join the labour party...

Yes I shall have to re-join. Stephen Twigg needs to do and say a bit more tbh. Are you following @HeadsRoundtable on Twitter? It is very good and includes that inspirational head from Educating Essex.
I read somewhere the other day that people were saying that Local Authorities weren't checking on Academies. How ignorant is that!

Hi folks, I'm new on here.

Regarding our main parties being the same. The issue here is that the former New Labour Government we had between 1997 and 2010, basically continued Margaret Thatcher's low income tax deregulated free market agenda throughout their years in office.

We British have'nt had a traditional Labour Government since the 70's.

Ivanhoe

Nor does it look very likely in the foreseeable future Ivanhoe.

absent, Britain has had ultra right government's running this country since the 80's.