General Election

This election looks as though its going to be a nasty, and dirty one, that will combine some truth, lots of exaggeration, and even more misleading comments and lies. This is from all parties, however large or small.
It'll be a shame if we all believe, or not, every comment made as it will show that we are being taken in by the bullshit which may include the odd fact. Personally, I only believe what the leavers say (  ). I know its rubbish from all the parties, and recognise that the process of GE is slowly moving on to its own conclusion, irrespective of who says or promises what, like a giant mudslide.
As I said earlier, its on with the bullshit deflectors, and just sit and wait. I try not to get wound up by all of this, but have to admit its like a drug needing me to keep up with it all. 
I see the Green party have declared that they will spend £100bn pounds on whatever. I wonder where that will come from. Liberals have promised £50bn. Labours plans have been costed at anything from £billions to £trillions. And so it goes on. 
Roll on December 13th when we can breathe a sigh of relief, one way or another, and look forward to Christmas.

gloswhite wrote:
I see the Green party have declared that they will spend £100bn pounds on whatever. I wonder where that will come from. Liberals have promised £50bn. Labours plans have been costed at anything from £billions to £trillions. And so it goes on. 

The Green party have specifically said they will cancel Trident to save £110 billion.
The Lib Dems have said they will cancel Brexit and spend the £50 billion that saves (the Remain bonus) on public services etc.
Labour have said they will raise taxes to pay for the spending.
The Tories have said they will increase expenditure whilst cutting taxes and pay for it by further borrowing so that the next generation will have to worry about the interest and repayments on our national debt.

A national debt that is at its lowest for 17 years, and a tool used by all governments'
I see that the speech being given by John McDonell in Liverpool this morning pledges £250Bn. Apparently, this is on top of earlier promises, and, according to the commentator, the final bill will come to £400 Bn. All paid for by the richest 5% of the country, and the average man in the street doesn't need to worry about a thing. 
Be honest, does anyone really believe this?

gloswhite wrote:A national debt that is at its lowest for 17 years, and a tool used by all governments'

French national debt under a trillion.
German national debt:

I read earlier that both main parties see that the historically low interest rates mean that they are both going to borrow much more if they get into power. Trouble is who owns the magic money tree now?

gloswhite wrote:A national debt that is at its lowest for 17 years, and a tool used by all governments'
I see that the speech being given by John McDonell in Liverpool this morning pledges £250Bn. Apparently, this is on top of earlier promises, and, according to the commentator, the final bill will come to £400 Bn. All paid for by the richest 5% of the country, and the average man in the street doesn't need to worry about a thing. 
Be honest, does anyone really believe this?

Yes of course! 

If the rich paid their fair share of tax everyone in the world would be rich. 

And then everyone in the UK would be paying the top rate of tax. Thus the economy would be booming.

Personally I don't think Labour's spending plans have been costed properly but it's hard to tell as they've kept very quiet about it apart from taxing the super rich.
That said there are a few super rich who could do with a bit of taxing. I was just reading about Crispin Odey - remember him? He's the guy who is in Rupert Murdoch's pocket (former son-in-law) who was sent to Downing Street to tell Boris what to do. Apparently as one of the architects of Brexit, he personally made £220 million by betting against the pound - the very pound he and his cronies devalued. I for one would like to see that back - along with the billions that the other hedge funders and asset managers who instigated Brexit for personal gain made.

What Labour have said is that their £60 billion outlay on the warm homes programme will save £169 billion on reduced energy costs but I don't see how that filters through to the Government. They also said that the tax increase on the top 5% of earners would directly pay for bolstering the NHS and social care including the new "National Care Service" for the over 65s - I'm all for that.
Labour's main costs would be in renationalising the railways and energy companies - but that's difficult to cost given market values. No doubt those services are crap but could they do any better?
All good ideas IMO but are they really do-able?

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

gloswhite wrote:A national debt that is at its lowest for 17 years, and a tool used by all governments'
I see that the speech being given by John McDonell in Liverpool this morning pledges £250Bn. Apparently, this is on top of earlier promises, and, according to the commentator, the final bill will come to £400 Bn. All paid for by the richest 5% of the country, and the average man in the street doesn't need to worry about a thing. 
Be honest, does anyone really believe this?

Yes of course! 

If the rich paid their fair share of tax everyone in the world would be rich. 

And then everyone in the UK would be paying the top rate of tax. Thus the economy would be booming.

I like the logic
I'm assuming that the Labour Party will get all the money from the billionaires in the first year or so, because after that, they will all bugger off to another country, and take all their money and investments with them. 
I regard such an approach as having the same foresight as Lemmings.

Labour always say they will raise the living wage to £10. Good idea but why only 10.

Why don't they make it £300ph and then everyone will be rich.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Labour always say they will raise the living wage to £10. Good idea but why only 10.

Why don't they make it £300ph and then everyone will be rich.

...but a loaf of bread will be £40.

wanderlust wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Labour always say they will raise the living wage to £10. Good idea but why only 10.

Why don't they make it £300ph and then everyone will be rich.

...but a loaf of bread will be £40.

It won't be. Labour have plans to nationalise restaurants that would provide food for all at a reasonable price. 

Corbyn has said he wishes to eradicate billionaires so everyone can be "wealthy."

Wealthy imo is earning over 80k a year.

So for everyone to wealthy the minimum wage will have to be 80k.

I will vote for that.

gloswhite wrote:A national debt that is at its lowest for 17 years
Be honest, does anyone really believe this?

Well they shouldn't because you are totally wrong! You are confusing annual government borrowing with the national debt. In fact the national debt has nearly doubled after 10 years of Tory management. Look at the graph WL provided!

You should be more careful about what you believe glos.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Labour always say they will raise the living wage to £10. Good idea but why only 10.

Why don't they make it £300ph and then everyone will be rich.

...but a loaf of bread will be £40.

It won't be. Labour have plans to nationalise restaurants that would provide food for all at a reasonable price. 

Corbyn has said he wishes to eradicate billionaires so everyone can be "wealthy."

Wealthy imo is earning over 80k a year.

So for everyone to wealthy the minimum wage will have to be 80k.

I will vote for that.

So you're voting Labour then?

An example of what I hate about politics. The dreaded photo opportunity.

boltonbonce wrote:An example of what I hate about politics. The dreaded photo opportunity.

Can't diagree with that.

They ALL have something going on with fish and chips they are pictured with too!

wanderlust wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Labour always say they will raise the living wage to £10. Good idea but why only 10.

Why don't they make it £300ph and then everyone will be rich.

...but a loaf of bread will be £40.

It won't be. Labour have plans to nationalise restaurants that would provide food for all at a reasonable price. 

Corbyn has said he wishes to eradicate billionaires so everyone can be "wealthy."

Wealthy imo is earning over 80k a year.

So for everyone to wealthy the minimum wage will have to be 80k.

I will vote for that.

So you're voting Labour then?

Oh yes.

I'm promised wealth and a 4 day week. Who wouldn't?

The bastards. They're playing dirty.

Boris has gone viral this morning after an incoherent rambling press interview in which he said (amongst other things) that Northern Ireland has got a great deal as they have freedom of movement. I’m assuming he was pissed.

wanderlust wrote:Boris has gone viral this morning after an incoherent rambling press interview in which he said (amongst other things) that Northern Ireland has got a great deal as they have freedom of movement. I’m assuming he was pissed.

He is clearly an idiot and a serial liar but will it do him any damage with the kind of people who vote Tory?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-50344110

xmiles wrote:

wanderlust wrote:Boris has gone viral this morning after an incoherent rambling press interview in which he said (amongst other things) that Northern Ireland has got a great deal as they have freedom of movement. I’m assuming he was pissed.

He is clearly an idiot and a serial liar but will it do him any damage with the kind of people who vote Tory?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-50344110

Probably not but maybe some "undecideds" will see what a f****** dogs dinner he's made of it. Obviously hasn't rehearsed his lines and I can just see Murdoch saying "I gave him one job to do....one f****** job...."