(18 Apr 2017, 1:00 pm)mb134 wrote Can't see anything other than a Tory landslide in this election.

Hopefully the Conservatives win seats from the SNP, as Labour sure as hell aren't going to. As much as I like Corbyn and his policies, there are too many people that believe absolutely everything certain newspapers print.

Regrettably, I have to agree with everything you've said here. I don't think Theresa May would have called an election unless she was sure of securing victory and, while I don't think it will be a massive landslide, I do think it will be an increase of the majority David Cameron secured back in 2015. As for Corbyn, I like both him and his policies, but reluctantly I do have to concede that his performances have been less than inspiring at the despatch box and in the media in general. While he may well be a victim of media-bias, public image is unfortunately important in how politics is presented in this country and I think he needs to be a lot more polished and media-savvy.

Also, Labour have not recovered from the infighting which has plagued the party for the last two years. I fear that some within the party may use this election to cement the justification of removing Corbyn rather than focussing on winning the election.

Would it be fair to say that

1. If Labour do really bad in Scotland again, the only outcome of the General Election is Tory win

2. If the SNP take the few remaining Westminster seats North of the Border that will put the Fishwife in a better position for a 2nd Referendum

Also could Brexit be scrapped if May is defeated at the polls or are we past the point of no return for stopping Brexit?

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(18 Apr 2017, 12:47 pm)Jamie M wrote I fear the letter "a" is going to be cut from the english alphabet due to excessive printing costs.
T lest we hve 25 others left.

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Eh?

(18 Apr 2017, 1:00 pm)mb134 wrote Can't see anything other than a Tory landslide in this election.

Hopefully the Conservatives win seats from the SNP, as Labour sure as hell aren't going to. As much as I like Corbyn and his policies, there are too many people that believe absolutely everything certain newspapers print.

Unfortunately, I have to agree. It is a sad state of affairs when in an age of information, people struggle to read beyond the headlines or listen beyond the soundbites.

Please for the love of god, don't vote Michael Gove.

(18 Apr 2017, 4:33 pm)MrFozz wrote Would it be fair to say that

1. If Labour do really bad in Scotland again, the only outcome of the General Election is Tory win

2. If the SNP take the few remaining Westminster seats North of the Border that will put the Fishwife in a better position for a 2nd Referendum

Also could Brexit be scrapped if May is defeated at the polls or are we past the point of no return for stopping Brexit?

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If Labour play the game right and make concessions' or agreements with the Scottish voters, there may be a swing.

Quite how it is done, whilst appealing to voters this side of the border...

(18 Apr 2017, 6:16 pm)Michael wrote Please for the love of god, don't vote Michael Gove.

I'm not sure we have many members living in Bagshott or other parts of Surrey


Seriously though, vote tory and you get the likes of Gove having a say in how the country is run. Scary.

Saw this earlier. It made me chuckle.


https://twitter.com/ThePoke/status/854395358641782785

(18 Apr 2017, 6:24 pm)Andreos1 wrote If Labour play the game right and make concessions' or agreements with the Scottish voters, there may be a swing.

Quite how it is done, whilst appealing to voters this side of the border...


I'm not sure we have many members living in Bagshott or other parts of Surrey


Seriously though, vote tory and you get the likes of Gove having a say in how the country is run. Scary.

Saw this earlier. It made me chuckle.


https://twitter.com/ThePoke/status/854395358641782785

hahahaha, wonder what UKIP's would be?

Ye so please, those who live down south, don't vote Michael Gove...

(18 Apr 2017, 11:07 am)Michael wrote It'll be either Labour or Tories who'll win, then will give us 4 years of cuts.

Going to be interesting how it has an effect on us leaving the EU.

You would not get four years of cuts with a Corbyn led Labour. 

(18 Apr 2017, 11:15 am)Andreos1 wrote Interestingly, Labour have been promoting policies over the last few weeks promoting more public spending, such as free school meals.

I think we will see more of the same old with the tories. They have a  historic reputation of forcing cuts through

If you add the Easter Policy blitz to the 10 point plan, then you have the foundations for a fantastic manifesto. The MSM however are not our friends, but as a party we've done fantastically well with the Easter breakthrough, and getting an extremely positive MSM and public reaction as a result of the policy blitz.

http://www.jeremyforlabour.com/pledges
https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/pol...ort-jeremy

Where's all the money going to come from for all that?

So Corbyn wants to stand up for small businesses, who are the single biggest support of the economy, by upping corporation tax and a £10 minimum wage? 

If nothing else, he's funny.

I would be interested to see what parties put in there manifestos to support small business, down to what help could be given to start up's as my Mrs wants to open up her own Nail Bar and Salon and would be interested to know if there is anything going to be outlined regarding helping new businessesas an election pledge

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(18 Apr 2017, 7:12 pm)Michael wrote Where's all the money going to come from for all that?

Renationalising the railways at the end of franchises. 
Reversing Conservative tax cuts. 
Ending 'Sweetheart Deals'.

There's three sources of income that were in the list I assume you're referring to.

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(18 Apr 2017, 4:33 pm)MrFozz wrote Would it be fair to say that

1. If Labour do really bad in Scotland again, the only outcome of the General Election is Tory win

2. If the SNP take the few remaining Westminster seats North of the Border that will put the Fishwife in a better position for a 2nd Referendum

Also could Brexit be scrapped if May is defeated at the polls or are we past the point of no return for stopping Brexit?

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A lot of Scotland depends on who actually goes out to vote. Everyone that is passionately pro-independence will go and vote SNP, however those that want to stay in the UK are less likely to go and vote at all, from what I've gathered. 

If we look at this realistically, only Labour stand a (slim) chance of coming close to winning out of the other parties, and they don't plan on scrapping Brexit. So it looks like Brexit is happening regardless of what happens in the election, just the people negotiating it could change.

(18 Apr 2017, 7:12 pm)Michael wrote Where's all the money going to come from for all that?

Fit and proper taxation, that doesn't just penalise those that can't afford it. For example the free school meals money is coming from forcing private schools into VAT taxation, whilst they're currently exempt. The extra money for those caring will come from reversing the inheritance tax cut.  

(18 Apr 2017, 7:40 pm)James101 wrote So Corbyn wants to stand up for small businesses, who are the single biggest support of the economy, by upping corporation tax and a £10 minimum wage? 

If nothing else, he's funny.

With policies such as stopping large enterprises from using small businesses for interest free loans? Massive concerns driving small businesses out of business, by deliberately withholding money from the small businesses that supply them. 

Corporation tax is not the greatest tax in the world, but it should never have been cut in the first place. Labour's policy is to simply reverse that change. It can never be justified to have a tax giveaway, when you're funding it with further austerity to public services, cuts to disability benefits, and by creating a social care crisis. 

£10 minimum wage will mean up to a £4,500 for some, and that kind of boost has been a long time coming. the IFS predict that households will be up to 20% worse off by 2021 at the rate we're going, so what is the alternative? Same old Government with their fingers in their ears?

I wouldn't call it funny - perhaps sad would be a better description? And I'll not even get on to homelessness.

(18 Apr 2017, 7:49 pm)MrFozz wrote I would be interested to see what parties put in there manifestos to support small business, down to what help could be given to start up's as my Mrs wants to open up her own Nail Bar and Salon and would be interested to know if there is anything going to be outlined regarding helping new businessesas an election pledge

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In recent years the tories have pushed through employer's NI discounts of up to £2000 for small businesses and a reform of business rates which has increased the amount of small businesses who are exempt from paying rates. The re-doing of rateable values last year meant most business rates went down, only really those in London and the south east went up. They've also capped the amount that business rates can go up whilst also making changes so councils can soon keep 100% of the revenues generated by business rates, currently 50% goes to central government. 

I'm not saying I'm voting Tory by a long way, but they trump Labour on small business all day long.

(18 Apr 2017, 8:14 pm)James101 wrote In recent years the tories have pushed through employer's NI discounts of up to £2000 for small businesses and a reform of business rates which has increased the amount of small businesses who are exempt from paying rates. The re-doing of rateable values last year meant most business rates went down, only really those in London and the south east went up. They've also capped the amount that business rates can go up whilst also making changes so councils can soon keep 100% of the revenues generated by business rates, currently 50% goes to central government. 

I'm not saying I'm voting Tory by a long way, but they trump Labour on small business all day long.

The whole political landscape disinterests me no matter who runs it. Nobody can create a set of sensible policies that they can live up to. I doubt we'll see any genuine important people leading our lives again.

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(18 Apr 2017, 8:14 pm)James101 wrote In recent years the tories have pushed through employer's NI discounts of up to £2000 for small businesses and a reform of business rates which has increased the amount of small businesses who are exempt from paying rates. The re-doing of rateable values last year meant most business rates went down, only really those in London and the south east went up. They've also capped the amount that business rates can go up whilst also making changes so councils can soon keep 100% of the revenues generated by business rates, currently 50% goes to central government. 

I'm not saying I'm voting Tory by a long way, but they trump Labour on small business all day long.

If I did that [vote Tory], my ancestors would rise from the dead and haunt me and disown me

My great granny hated the Tories so much that she once said she would have patted the Brighton Grand Hotel Bomber on his back if the IRA had killed Thatcher in 1984 and would say 'The only good Tory is a dead one' because of how they treat the Miners and her beloved Scargill, while I dont share or condone that kind of extreme opinion(She was a nasty bogoted old woman at times)...I am unsure who I will vote come June 8

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(18 Apr 2017, 8:26 pm)MrFozz wrote If I did that [vote Tory], my ancestors would rise from the dead and haunt me and disown me

My great granny hated the Tories so much that she once said she would have patted the Brighton Grand Hotel Bomber on his back if the IRA had killed Thatcher in 1984 and would say 'The only good Tory is a dead one' because of how they treat the Miners and her beloved Scargill, while I dont share or condone that kind of extreme opinion(She was a nasty bogoted old woman at times)...I am unsure who I will vote come June 8

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Many people in out region do vote Labour because that's what their family has always done. Sad situation such as Hartlepool Council then occur where by the council leaders are hit by scandal after scandal, including criminal activity, but they're never ousted because they're Labour. Equally sad is I don;t know what the alternative is.

(18 Apr 2017, 6:28 pm)Michael wrote hahahaha, wonder what UKIP's would be?

Ye so please, those who live down south, don't vote Michael Gove...

This one.

Sinking without a trace.

(18 Apr 2017, 8:11 pm)Adrian wrote Fit and proper taxation, that doesn't just penalise those that can't afford it. For example the free school meals money is coming from forcing private schools into VAT taxation, whilst they're currently exempt. The extra money for those caring will come from reversing the inheritance tax cut.  


With policies such as stopping large enterprises from using small businesses for interest free loans? Massive concerns driving small businesses out of business, by deliberately withholding money from the small businesses that supply them. 

Corporation tax is not the greatest tax in the world, but it should never have been cut in the first place. Labour's policy is to simply reverse that change. It can never be justified to have a tax giveaway, when you're funding it with further austerity to public services, cuts to disability benefits, and by creating a social care crisis. 

£10 minimum wage will mean up to a £4,500 for some, and that kind of boost has been a long time coming. the IFS predict that households will be up to 20% worse off by 2021 at the rate we're going, so what is the alternative? Same old Government with their fingers in their ears?

I wouldn't call it funny - perhaps sad would be a better description? And I'll not even get on to homelessness.

The late payment story was created by Corbyn's team using reports from Experian, who have since responded saying Labour have interpreted the data incorrectly.  There is an issue with late payments, but that particular story was all but made up.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39564284

RE minimum wage - every business, including mine, has a labour budget. Ours is a fixed % of turnover, it can't just go up and down on a whim. If minimum wage goes up, there's still only the same amount of money to spend, so we can't afford to employ as many staff. There's not just entry level staff on minimum wage to consider, as skilled employees on higher wages will need to have an increase in line with the minimum increase to reflect their skill level. Suddenly I've got 60 staff that need paying 30% more? Simply not possible. Business closes, 60 people unemployed. I've got no issue with paying a higher wage (the minimum our staff get paid is 10p above living wage anyway), but the money has to come from somewhere. There's better ways to protect employees than upping minimum wage by a ridiculous amount. That will only lead to reductions in voluntary employee benefits  and jobs being moved off shore.  

There's no guarantee that employees will get to keep the extra they earn as many will be pushed past the tax threshold and be disqualified from working benefits.

Out of interest, how does one go about standing in a General Election???

Or any Election for that matter

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(19 Apr 2017, 9:49 am)MrFozz wrote Out of interest, how does one go about standing in a General Election???

Or any Election for that matter

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http://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/el.../standing/

Corbyn speaking extremely well. Watching the whole show is like a pantomime. Tories just screaming and laughing like a bunch of kids... it's stupid.. these are decisions that affect us all.

Mr speaker is also being the above. In disbelief.

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522 to 13, as MP's vote for 8th June General Election. George Osbourne quitting as MP.

(19 Apr 2017, 2:28 pm)LeeCalder wrote 522 to 13, as MP's vote for 8th June General Election. George Osbourne quitting as MP.

Was always going to be a massive win for the Election...

Did our skirted cousins north of the border abstain as expected???

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I would love to stand as an Independent MP...

Shame I aint got a Monkey to put down for the deposit I would most likely lose anyway, I think I could put some good ideas together for the area I would stand in, either Bishop Auckland or Easington

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(19 Apr 2017, 4:04 pm)MrFozz wrote I would love to stand as an Independent MP...

Shame I aint got a Monkey to put down for the deposit I would most likely lose anyway, I think I could put some good ideas together for the area I would stand in, either Bishop Auckland or Easington

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I would never discourage anyone from standing, but Easington would be a task beyond most. It has been a Labour stronghold for years, and the current majority is almost 15,000 votes...

(19 Apr 2017, 4:04 pm)MrFozz wrote I would love to stand as an Independent MP...

Shame I aint got a Monkey to put down for the deposit I would most likely lose anyway, I think I could put some good ideas together for the area I would stand in, either Bishop Auckland or Easington

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Howay then Rt Hon Mr Fozz MP. What would your policies be?

(19 Apr 2017, 2:28 pm)LeeCalder wrote 522 to 13, as MP's vote for 8th June General Election.  George Osbourne quitting as MP.

More locally, MP for Hartlepool Ian Wright has also announced he will not be running after holding the labour seat for 13 years.

(19 Apr 2017, 6:36 pm)Andreos1 wrote Howay then Rt Hon Mr Fozz MP. What would your policies be?

It would be based around more opportunities for kids/YP better public transports links and stuff like that...looking to improve things llike the care system and Childrens Services in general

I just dont know how to put it into a language fit for a political manifesto 😕😕😕

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(19 Apr 2017, 6:58 pm)MrFozz wrote It would be based around more opportunities for kids/YP better public transports links and stuff like that...looking to improve things llike the care system and Childrens Services in general

I just dont know how to put it into a language fit for a political manifesto ???

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You need a good campaign manager, who can communicate and pass on your message clearly.
Maybe even smearing the opposition.

(19 Apr 2017, 9:22 pm)Andreos1 wrote You need a good campaign manager, who can communicate and pass on your message clearly.
Maybe even smearing the opposition.

I love 'In the thick of it' and 'In the loop', both are horrifyingly and hilariously real. 
Peter Capaldi at his finest.