General Election 2015

[Herr Tubthumper]

Don't be depressed HT

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Why does it?, we live it, you don't........ I can tell you that I am not depressed about the economic figures, the employment figures, the inflation rate, the interest rates,........ I do get depressed about people telling me how I should live my life, especially if they dont even live in this country ...........

Also. I don't vote for my own circumstances, I never have. I'm white, male, have my health and a roof over my head and consequently and probably unfairly get by because of this. It makes no difference to my personal circumstances who is in charge. So it's not correct to say "I don't live it" as I have never voted on this basis.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

A good job really, given your premonition of Labour romping to election victory seems about as likely as the Albion romping to the Premier League promised land this season.

Number 10 Ready?

 

[Greyrun]

You understand it well, HT. There has been an explosion of zero-hours, contract work, and other forms of precarious labour, although it's most certainly not restricted to the period of the Coalition government. That said, it has accelerated subsequently.
What has happened under the Coalition is that many of the unemployed have been forced to register as self-employed, which has been the category that has grown the most during this parliament. These self-employed are barely scraping a living, and this, alongside massive tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance by the uber-rich, has resulted in substantially reduced (income) tax receipts for the Treasury.

Zero hour contracts under 700,000 self employment up 570,000 since 2010 Partly due to increase in over 65s going self employed, figure below EU average.

 

[somerset]

I have reworked my premonition to just "Ed being in number 10."

I think Labour re-engaging Campbell as their press relations officer again, may work against them,.....his rant on 5live this morning about the TV debates was so pointed and vitriolic, that listeners would have been turning to another channel (and party allegiance possibly) in double quick time........and I did chuckle when the presenter asked him why the u-turn considering he always advised Blair not to do them.......foot well and truly shot.

 

[Machiavelli]

I think Labour re-engaging Campbell as their press relations officer again, may work against them,.....his rant on 5live this morning about the TV debates was so pointed and vitriolic, that listeners would have been turning to another channel (and party allegiance possibly) in double quick time........and I did chuckle when the presenter asked him why the u-turn considering he always advised Blair not to do them.......foot well and truly shot.

You're living in cloud cuckoo-land if you want to turn this against Labour. It's Cameron that's screwing up, and big time. Let's just say that his 'final offer' won't be a final offer, and I will willingly donate £100 to the Tory party if it is, on the condition that you donate £100 to either the Green Party or the Labour Party if it transpires that it's not his final offer. Mind you, you've pointed out on this forum so many times that you and your friends are comfortably off, I'm sure £100 is well within your reach.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Zero hour contracts under 700,000 self employment up 570,000 since 2010 Partly due to increase in over 65s going self employed, figure below EU average.

As [MENTION=28490]Machiavelli[/MENTION] hinted at, once you get to the end of six months of JSA you are 'encouraged' to become self employed - doesn't matter what doing - at that point you are bribed to do this but of course it gets you off the unemployed figures and increases the self-employed figures.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think Labour re-engaging Campbell as their press relations officer again, may work against them,.....his rant on 5live this morning about the TV debates was so pointed and vitriolic, that listeners would have been turning to another channel (and party allegiance possibly) in double quick time........and I did chuckle when the presenter asked him why the u-turn considering he always advised Blair not to do them.......foot well and truly shot.

I would prefer a justification for your "don't live it" comment. That comment was unfair in my opinion.

 

[Machiavelli]

Zero hour contracts under 700,000 self employment up 570,000 since 2010 Partly due to increase in over 65s going self employed, figure below EU average.

Yes, this is the point I'm making: it's the self-employed category that has grown the fastest during this parliament. That zero hour contract is almost certainly grossly under-estimated, because their method of calculation is still in its early stages.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

As [MENTION=28490]Machiavelli[/MENTION] hinted at, once you get to the end of six months of JSA you are 'encouraged' to become self employed - doesn't matter what doing - at that point you are bribed to do this but of course it gets you off the unemployed figures and increases the self-employed figures.

Quite.

 

[Brovion]

The SNP are far from a single issue party. And yes they will have some self-interest but it will tempered by the negotiation of a coalition. IMHO coalitions work very well when you have like-minded/overlapping parties and I feel this will be the case with Labour and the SNP.

Yes they are! They want what's best for Scotland, up to and including full independence. That is their raison d'etre. And fair play to them, they could be in a very strong position after the election and they will be absolutely right to maximise their bargaining power. But to say that a Labour/SNP coalition would be a good government for Britain as a whole is pushing it - although admittedly I can think of worse combinations.

 

[somerset]

You're living in cloud cuckoo-land if you want to turn this against Labour. It's Cameron that's screwing up, and big time. Let's just say that his 'final offer' won't be a final offer, and I will willingly donate £100 to the Tory party if it is, on the condition that you donate £100 to either the Green Party or the Labour Party if it transpires that it's not his final offer. Mind you, you've pointed out on this forum so many times that you and your friends are comfortably off, I'm sure £100 is well within your reach.

I live a lifestyle commensurate with the EFFORT I have put in, both with my education, and my 34 years if unbroken employment. I have never inherited any assistance, I have never claimed a penny in any sort of benefits other than what you get as standard for two kids. I lived most of my childhood in the UK in a council house....... so £100 is within my reach yes, but I will never give any of it to lame ducks.....so sorry no.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I live a lifestyle commensurate with the EFFORT I have put in, both with my education, and my 34 years if unbroken employment. I have never inherited any assistance, I have never claimed a penny in any sort of benefits other than what you get as standard for two kids. I lived most of my childhood in the UK in a council house....... so £100 is within my reach yes, but I will never give any of it to lame ducks.....so sorry no.

Good for you. How about a £100 to a charity then?

That said, if Ed is not in number 10 come May I will have to go to ground for some considerable time.

 

[Ernest]

Cameron frightened to go head to head with Ed Miliband, why ? I thought Miliband was completely useless, can't eat a bacon buttie and nobody in Doncaster has heard of him. It can't be that Cameron is scared to debate with him and the general public can it ?

 

[somerset]

Good for you. How about a £100 to a charity then?

That said, if Ed is not in number 10 come May I will have to go to ground for some considerable time.

I won't no, its not a subject that gets my gambling juices flowing.....

If Ed isn't PM, I shall be pleased because economic continuity will be maintained......... but more importantly, I will have a chuckle to myself as I imagine your discomfort whilst munching on your Fruhstuck on the morning of the 8th May.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Cameron frightened to go head to head with Ed Miliband, why ? I thought Miliband was completely useless, can't eat a bacon buttie and nobody in Doncaster has heard of him. It can't be that Cameron is scared to debate with him and the general public can it ?

A PM scared shitless to face his opponents. Some leader.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

A PM scared shitless to face his opponents. Some leader.

I'm certainly not a fan of Cameron, as he's far too eurosceptic for me, but I suspect he's not scared shitless - it is more that he has been advised that it could well be a vote loser for him.

So he's being merely being tactical with the election looking to be a close one.

Not a fan of these TV debates at all to be honest, all a bit 'red-buttony' for me.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Not a fan of these TV debates at all to be honest, all a bit 'red-buttony' for me.

I agree with this.

 

[Machiavelli]

I'm certainly not a fan of Cameron, as he's far too eurosceptic for me, but I suspect he's not scared shitless - it is more that he has been advised that it could well be a vote loser for him.

So he's being merely being tactical with the election looking to be a close one.

Not a fan of these TV debates at all to be honest, all a bit 'red-buttony' for me.

This is the way I see it too. But Cameron was pivotal in getting the debates off the ground for 2010, so he's looking incredibly suspect ducking them at the next available opportunity.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I'm certainly not a fan of Cameron, as he's far too eurosceptic for me, but I suspect he's not scared shitless - it is more that he has been advised that it could well be a vote loser for him.

So he's being merely being tactical with the election looking to be a close one.

Not a fan of these TV debates at all to be honest, all a bit 'red-buttony' for me.

Then IMHO his advisers are wrong. I'm around 60% likely to vote UKIP, I could be won over by the Tories but CMD refusing to debate certainly makes me think I might not wish to vote for them as quite clearly they don't want open and honest opinions to be shown.