General Election 2015

[Bold Seagull]

It's a ****ing ridiculous idea. We need more HA, not less. And all this will do is move a lot of social housing stock into the private rental market as the last round of right-to-buy did. Crazy.

Reading between the lines, it sounded like what they were suggesting is that HA's could sell off their properties that had grown in high value areas, then buy up some replacement stock in a cheaper areas. Sound suspiciously like social engineering to me.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Reading between the lines, it sounded like what they were suggesting is that HA's could sell off their properties that had grown in high value areas, then buy up some replacement stock in a cheaper areas. Sound suspiciously like social engineering to me.

Agree. And it goes against key worker policies. Everything has a price with the ****ing Tories doesn't it?

 

[Yoda]

400,000 new houses over 5 years seems like quite a good idea to me.

But losing up to 1.3milllion Association Housing in the process, yet more of a shortage for those in need.

 

[beorhthelm]

I'm loving "clusterfudge" I'm stealing that for my own use.

The truth is people are currently being exploited, a party that at least recognises this and is seeking to address it is better than one that refuses to acknowledge the issue. IMO, like.

the issue is the exploitation in the contracts - zero hours or otherwise. address that, not something that is bloody useful for employee and employer alike. when you recall NHS, Dept of Education, Labour councils and unions all use zero hours contracts, and have done for decades, you have to wonder why its made a fuss of now.

 

[Titanic]

But losing up to 1.3milllion Association Housing in the process, yet more of a shortage for those in need.

Won't those 'people in need' now be owning their own homes? Or are you suggesting forcing them out of their homes so other 'people in even more need' can move in to them??

 

[spring hall convert]

the issue is the exploitation in the contracts - zero hours or otherwise. address that, not something that is bloody useful for employee and employer alike. when you recall NHS, Dept of Education, Labour councils and unions all use zero hours contracts, and have done for decades, you have to wonder why its made a fuss of now.

Because they are not being used for the purpose that they are intended for. The "student" argument is totally is a complete red herring, no one is saying if you want to be on a zero hours contract you can't be. However, if you are, in effect, working a full time job for a set period of time, there should be some obligation on the employer to offer you more secure contractual terms. Large employers are abusing them and this Government is letting them.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Won't those 'people in need' now be owning their own homes?

Possibly. But not everyone wants or can indeed afford or undertake the risk/burden/responsibly etc of home ownership. And mortgages are tougher to get these days so maybe they won't have access to a loan. And, remind me, wasn't the recent recession started in the US by vulnerable people being sold houses they couldn't really afford? Haven't we learnt anything? And haven't we learnt anything from the last sell off?

 

[spring hall convert]

Haven't we learnt anything? And haven't we learnt anything from the last sell off?

The lesson appears to be that in the absence of any reasonable policy offering, BRIBE.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

NHS, Dept of Education, Labour councils and unions all use zero hours contracts, and have done for decades, you have to wonder why its made a fuss of now.

Do you wonder? I don't.

 

[beorhthelm]

Because they are not being used for the purpose that they are intended for. The "student" argument is totally is a complete red herring, no one is saying if you want to be on a zero hours contract you can't be.

i'm pretty sure they are saying that. after 12 weeks you have to move to formal hours. the policy as stated in the manifesto will not address any exploitation, just this 12 week period. in those 12 weeks you can still apparently be barred from other work, required to turn up without promise of any work, at short notice, and have to accept wildly varying hours. in practice, in week 11 you'll be told you are no longer required. those that want to abuse the system will continue, those that benefit will be unable to.

 

[spring hall convert]

i'm pretty sure they are saying that. after 12 weeks you have to move to formal hours. the policy as stated in the manifesto will not address any exploitation, just this 12 week period. in those 12 weeks you can still apparently be barred from other work, required to turn up without promise of any work, at short notice, and have to accept wildly varying hours. in practice, in week 11 you'll be told you are no longer required. those that want to abuse the system will continue, those that benefit will be unable to.

That's valid. Is your supposition that the Labour policy is window dressing or just bad policy?

 

[ROSM]

So tory party manifesto includes promise for a free vote in government time in allowing returning of hunting.

I suppose after killing off elderly, poor and disabled it's only natural they turn to animals next

 

[Titanic]

So tory party manifesto includes promise for a free vote in government time in allowing returning of hunting.

Well, the current policy is an utter shambles, so it does seem a reasonable (if rather unimportant) thing to address.

 

[spring hall convert]

So tory party manifesto includes promise for a free vote in government time in allowing returning of hunting.

Nice to see they've got their finger on the pulse of what matters to the average Briton.

 

[ROSM]

Well, the current policy is an utter shambles, so it does seem a reasonable (if rather unimportant) thing to address.

Its way way way down the priority list. However decimating the social housing supply with no plans for replacing is a bigger concern for me.

 

[spring hall convert]

Have I tuned into the UKIP manifesto launch by mistake?

Dave's really into the persecuting brown people vibe at the moment.

 

[beorhthelm]

That's valid. Is your supposition that the Labour policy is window dressing or just bad policy?

it looks like both. its a headline grabber that doesn't address the issues claimed to be a problem. when was the length of a zero hours contract ever the problem with them? it gives wiggle room to deliver a watered down law, which has implications worse than current zero hours. it may be rectified in drafting the legislation, i would bloody hope so, but right now its a fig leaf promise.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

So tory party manifesto includes promise for a free vote in government time in allowing returning of hunting.

I suppose after killing off elderly, poor and disabled it's only natural they turn to animals next

What an odd priority. They're a joke.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Have I tuned into the UKIP manifesto launch by mistake?

Dave's really into the persecuting brown people vibe at the moment.

This manifesto is exactly the work of a weak leader trying to appease all the elements of his party instead of leading the party. The tail is wagging the dog. Cameron is a joke.

 

[Bozza]

A massive pledge to help young families - great to see from the party of the working family:

The big announcement of the Conservative manifesto is a promise of 30 hours a week of free childcare for three- and four-year-olds. The Conservatives are doubling the existing provision, saving parents £5,000 a year.