The next general election.

[Ivanhoe]

The reason is because at least they have given the pensioners help, and regarding the Lib-Dems, they are a waste of vote, but they could put the Tories back into power at the next general election.

[Papaumau]

Ivanhoe said:

The real problem in British is our class system.

And it was Tony Blair that reitorated that Britain is now a classless society.

He was wrong of course and as long as we have snobs and elitists influencing what happens to the general population the class divide is not only going to continue but it is going to grow until the barrier between the have's and the have not's will grow so wide that it will be impossible to narrow this gulf again.

[Ivanhoe]

////////And it was Tony Blair that reitorated that Britain is now a classless society.

He was wrong of course and as long as we have snobs and elitists influencing what happens to the general population the class divide is not only going to continue but it is going to grow until the barrier between the have's and the have not's will grow so wide that it will be impossible to narrow this gulf again/////

Brilliant.   And then bingo, Britain return's to victorian squaler in a modern setting.

[Hugh]

Who ever brought in percentage rises did the poor no favours. The gap between the rich and poor is increasing all the time. I believe this was the idea of the labour party once again. I may be wrong, so I expect some one will correct my mistake. 

[Ivanhoe]

//////I believe this was the idea of the labour party once again/////

Im amazed you dont know.

[Hugh]

It was when Wilson was PM the true labour party and the conservative party were not going to change it while the well off were getting richer, and when the next conservative party got into power (NEW LABOUR) they were not interested. So who are you going to vote for Conservatives party 1 or party 2 as libs as you say a wasted vote. As a true blooded  labour party supporter you have a problem Ivanhoe.

[Ivanhoe]

I believe in traditional Labour values, I do not support or believe in Thatcher's right wing values of greed and self interest ect.

I dont need to be told I have a problem, I "know" I have a problem.

[Hugh]

Labour values don't make me laugh. The only thing I remember about the old labour party they were controlled by the unions who looked after their own, and for ever going on strike for higher wages, taking inflation spiralling out of control. Certain industries were rolling in money leaving my father who was in the wrong industry very poor and getting poorer. The labour party were the worst for creating the Divide between rich and poor. They made things worse by bringing in thousands of immigrants from across the pond to fill low paid jobs. My Mother and Father never had a holiday a day trip every now and again was there lot. M. Thatcher changed things for me, my wife and I have work very hard we now own our own home and quite comfortable in retirement. I have M. Thatcher to thank, not the so called labour party.
I know people who were in certain industries will always hate her but to me she was an heroine. I came from a very poor family and every thing we have we worked for.

[Ivanhoe]

///// I came from a very poor family and every thing we have we worked for////

Well bully for you.

[Ivanhoe]

///////////Labour values don't make me laugh. The only thing I remember about the old labour party they were controlled by the unions who looked after their own, and for ever going on strike for higher wages, taking inflation spiralling out of control. Certain industries were rolling in money leaving my father who was in the wrong industry very poor and getting poorer. The labour party were the worst for creating the Divide between rich and poor. They made things worse by bringing in thousands of immigrants from across the pond to fill low paid jobs. My Mother and Father never had a holiday a day trip every now and again was there lot. M. Thatcher changed things for me, my wife and I have work very hard we now own our own home and quite comfortable in retirement. I have M. Thatcher to thank, not the so called labour party.
I know people who were in certain industries will always hate her but to me she was an heroine. I came from a very poor family and every thing we have we worked for. //////

May I be bold enough to ask his highness what Thatcher did that improved his person fortune ?
 

[Hugh]

NO Lets start with you, what as labour done for you to give them so much loyalty? You almost know my life story but you have shared nothing with any one. Even your age is a secret. But you still want more from me. All I will tell you is we inherited nothing and we have won nothing and we are in are own home and owe nothing, and it was M. Thatcher and the conservative party which made it all possible. Work it out for your self because you are getting nothing more from me.

[Ivanhoe]

Oh, they gave me and the whole country the NHS, the welfare state, minimum wages, long term jobs, nationalised industries and utilities, all of which were destroyed by the Thatcher/Major Tory government's.

[Hugh]

The idea for the NHS 1944 under a coalition government. Labour came to power in 1945 hence taking credit for forming NHS and getting it running by 1948.
Minimum wage was it a good idea in theory yes, but now a lot works as gone abroad
leaving a couple of million people out of work who would be glad of any income.

[Hugh]

Advent of state welfare
Lloyd George did not therefore invent the welfare state. As we have seen it was already very much in existence. But he did, along with a young Winston Churchill, refine the concept and drive it forward into the arms of the state - surprising for a Liberal politician. But we have jumped too far ahead in our story.

Labour idea??

[Ivanhoe]

The Welfare State was introduced by Atlee’s government after their election victory in 1945, in response to the Beveridge Report of 1942. The Welfare State was created by the Labour government to end poverty and look after everyone "from the womb to the tomb" or the "cradle to the grave".

Thatcher destroyed the lot.