The General Election in the United Kingdom

[Max Power]

7 hours ago, RecklessAbandon said:

Do you tend to accidentally shake hands with foreign diplomats of hostile nations and forget about it a lot?

I don't move in those circles that much these days. 

[The Voice of Reason]

Just had a very brief look at the “non manifesto” manifesto of the Reform party. The “ contract”

Seems a bit of a curates egg.

Leaving the ECHR, yes the UK is more than capable of enshrining human rights in its own legislation. We don’t need an amalgamation of other countries telling us what we have to do to maintain or improve human rights in our own back yard. Or have them diminish the human rights that we want to guarantee for our citizens. 
It’s very much like the sovereignty argument that won the Leave side the Brexit referendum.

Halving foreign aid budget. Not something I would like to see. If anything I would rather it were doubled but understand that’s probably not economically possible, at least  in the short term

At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter too much.  The  end of Tory rule finally seems to be all but guaranteed so it’s a bit churlish to imagine you can get everything you wish for.

Lets just celebrate that on July 4th.

[manxman1980]

14 hours ago, The Voice of Reason said:

Leaving the ECHR, yes the UK is more than capable of enshrining human rights in its own legislation. We don’t need an amalgamation of other countries telling us what we have to do to maintain or improve human rights in our own back yard. Or have them diminish the human rights that we want to guarantee for our citizens. 
It’s very much like the sovereignty argument that won the Leave side the Brexit referendum.

I hate this idea whether it is from Reform or the Tories.  Leaving the ECHR would mean that the UK joins Belarus & Russia as the only European countries not a member.  I would like to think those two countries are not ones that the UK would seek to align itself with. 

[RecklessAbandon]

Got a Reform leaflet through the door last night and a Labour one.

The Labour one listed out how they plan to tackle schools, crime, local business, cost of living etc

The Reform just had "IMMIGRANTION" in big bold letters all over the place, talked about boats, restricting IMMIGRATION, and other immigration related nonsense.

One is at least attempting to highlight actual issues, the other is just a poorly masked dog whistle.

[RecklessAbandon]

Do Reform UK’s election claims on tax, immigration and environment add up? (msn.com)

What a bunch of pie in the sky, uncosted, wishlisting nonsense.

Just the kind of stuff gammons will be eating up.

[Albert Tatlock]

13 minutes ago, RecklessAbandon said:

The Reform just had "IMMIGRANTION" in big bold letters all over the place...

Shocking isn't it? The number of N's in the country now outstrips the total number of UK born residents.

[Albert Tatlock]

What a disaster the UK is.

While most of Europe seems to be sliding toward right wing politics, the UK seems to be about to vote in a socialist government with a massive (probably record breaking) majority on not much more than 40% of the vote and with little critique of their policies - simply because the other mob have screwed things up. With 60% of the population getting nothing at all but a small handful of seats - and thus virtually no representation.

It's what Labour are not saying that people need to ask about...NI changes (and the current £44k threshold), Council Tax, Property taxation, Pension taxation, Savings taxation, Corporation taxation and Green taxation)...and more.

What we need to be worried about on the island, given we have already had one major tax rise so far, is how the IOM Government might follow some of these taxes - Corporation and Pension Taxes for example - and see some easy options to tinker with them here. The current Tynwald have already demonstrated that they have no intention of 'cutting their cloth' and will be looking for easy money and excuses to raise taxation - and Labour will likely give them those opportunities.  

 

  

[RecklessAbandon]

27 minutes ago, Albert Tatlock said:

...the UK seems to be about to vote in a socialist government... 

Erm, I would say Labour is more Centrist compared to the Centre Right of the Tories and Hard Right of Reform.

Being slightly left of the Tories or Reform is not exactly socialist.

[Albert Tatlock]

6 minutes ago, RecklessAbandon said:

Erm, I would say Labour is more Centrist compared to the Centre Right of the Tories and Hard Right of Reform.

Being slightly left of the Tories or Reform is not exactly socialist.

That's the front end facing bit...just wait till the 150 lefties that will come with them in a predicted landslide get their say in parliament!

Shitstorms are approaching.

[HeliX]

5 minutes ago, Albert Tatlock said:

That's the front end facing bit...just wait till the 150 lefties that will come with them in a predicted landslide get their say in parliament!

Shitstorms are approaching.

Is it comforting being this far removed from reality?

[Albert Tatlock]

1 minute ago, HeliX said:

Is it comforting being this far removed from reality?

At my age - having worked through 3 major recessions, experienced several Black Friday's, Mucky Mondays, Twatty Tuesdays and 'Where's my money Wednesdays', and having to pay 15% interest on my mortgage - I think it is not I that is not facing up to reality.

I've seen all this hope and all these promises many times before.

Politicians rely on people's memories to fade. 

[HeliX]

4 minutes ago, Albert Tatlock said:

At my age - having worked through 3 major recessions, experienced several Black Friday's, Mucky Mondays, Twatty Tuesdays and 'Where's my money Wednesdays', and having to pay 15% interest on my mortgage - I think it is not I that is not facing up to reality.

I've seen all this hope and all these promises many times before.

Politicians rely on people's memories to fade. 

Starmer has been systematically removing anyone even notionally left wing from the party, whilst accepting right wing defectors from the Tory party, and you're convinced it'll be a socialist Government...

[Albert Tatlock]

2 minutes ago, HeliX said:

Starmer has been systematically removing anyone even notionally left wing from the party, whilst accepting right wing defectors from the Tory party, and you're convinced it'll be a socialist Government...

It is the members that vote who is the leader and leaders can change in a few years. We've had 5 different prime ministers since 2010.

It's only 4 years ago since Corbyn was Labour leader - elected by the members. If things don't go Starmer's way in the first two years and people see no demonstrable improvements in the NHS etc. - watch out! 

[manxman1980]

1 hour ago, Albert Tatlock said:

What a disaster the UK is.

While most of Europe seems to be sliding toward right wing politics, the UK seems to be about to vote in a socialist government with a massive (probably record breaking) majority on not much more than 40% of the vote and with little critique of their policies - simply because the other mob have screwed things up. With 60% of the population getting nothing at all but a small handful of seats - and thus virtually no representation.

The electorate were offered the opportunity to move away from FPTP and to move to the Alternative Vote but it was rejected.  The two major parties don't want it as it would mean that they would be unlikely to remain in power and would result in more coalition Governments.

1 hour ago, Albert Tatlock said:

It's what Labour are not saying that people need to ask about...NI changes (and the current £44k threshold), Council Tax, Property taxation, Pension taxation, Savings taxation, Corporation taxation and Green taxation)...and more.

That sounds like the Tory line and not much evidence of this being the case. 

1 hour ago, Albert Tatlock said:

What we need to be worried about on the island, given we have already had one major tax rise so far, is how the IOM Government might follow some of these taxes - Corporation and Pension Taxes for example - and see some easy options to tinker with them here. The current Tynwald have already demonstrated that they have no intention of 'cutting their cloth' and will be looking for easy money and excuses to raise taxation - and Labour will likely give them those opportunities.    

More likely that Labour will target the Isle of Man's status as an offshore finance centre.

[Albert Tatlock]

Just now, manxman1980 said:

That sounds like the Tory line and not much evidence of this being the case. 

More likely that Labour will target the Isle of Man's status as an offshore finance centre.

Don't confuse common-sense with the tories. I'm not supporting the tories, but it's my line too - there are no specifics in the Labour manifesto on these issues (in fact they are refusing to answer questions) and the doors are thus open.

Not so sure about them attacking the island, we got through what could have been a difficult time for us during the Blair/Brown period. I think the island will raise some corporation taxes on the basis that 'our differential percentage' is being maintained).