The next general election.

[Papaumau]

I do not think it can be denied that after New-labour morphed into some kind of an ersatz Tory party that it has done many things that even Thatcher would have baulked at.

The greatest amount of the electorate know this and that is why New-Labour are facing defeat at the next GE.

More and more of these disenchanted voters are now looking for a third way as they are sick to the back teeth of two parties trying to con us that either of them give a fig for the ordinary people of Britain.

Brown is a busted flush and Cameron is a man of no substance and a man who cannot deny his Etonian roots as he too tries to con us that he cares about us.

I think that the electorate are just not buying it and if the floating voters don't float away from the polling booths completely they are going to be registering protest votes that will see the big two getting what they deserve. At least I hope so !

[Ivanhoe]

Papaumau, Ide like to think you are wrong, and I honestly believe you are ,because pensioners will suffer under another Tory government, the benefits will go.

I feel that either New Labour will win, or there will be a hung Parliament, I would like to see the Lib-Dems in government with a whopping majority, but pigs cant fly so there you are.

[Hugh]

They cannot possibly get any worse than your beloved G, Brown Labour party who are at this moment changing workers contracts of employment to save money. To give pensioners £2 rise total just before an elections is not very bright when you know your self they could give more. If Cameron makes a good PM or not we will just have to wait and see. Roll on 6 May

[Papaumau]

Papaumau, Ide like to think you are wrong, and I honestly believe you are ,because pensioners will suffer under another Tory government, the benefits will go.

I feel that either New Labour will win, or there will be a hung Parliament, I would like to see the Lib-Dems in government with a whopping majority, but pigs cant fly so there you are.

I honestly cannot see a New-Labour win at the next GE for all of the reasons already discussed, BUT...I also cannot see The Tories getting enough votes to manage a majority big enough to form a government with as they are slipping in the opinion polls every day.

A "hung" parliament means that neither of the big two are going to have enough seats to form a government and the next most powerful party - probably the Liberal Democrats - will be the party that will be the power-brokers.

As it is almost certain that the Lib Dems will not get enough seats to form a single government either, I can see a tripartite government coming that will have to behave itself much better than the big two have done in the past twenty or more years.

I guess that only time will tell about that ! 

[Ivanhoe]

Papaumau, Yes indeedy.

[avalonmpk]

Political debate over pensions will always have shortcomings for some sections of the population: young paying for old and vice versa, those who were prudent and in most cases still are, paying for the less prudent. Today we have a prime example the proposed introduction of a 'Transaction Tax' - good for headlines - not so good for pensioners this tax will come out of the pension pot of those still contributing pensions  to give to those who won't stand on their own two feet!
If you bring children into this world you look after them.
The old maxim is the best: Educate the young, Look after the old and the infirm and everyone else stands on their own feet.

[Papaumau]

I mostly agree avalonmpk !

The only difference I see is that the pensioners have earned a guaranteed state pension just by living long enough to have worked all their lives and already contributed by what they have done to keep the economy running.

As this is - or should be -  something that is already earned it should be found from the total pot that goes to the treasury WITHOUT trying to make the pensioners feeling guilty for living long enough to claim this pension.

After that money has been - at the outset - put aside from the total pot THEN the rest of the government departments can haggle over what is left.

I guess it is all about what is priority-spending and what is not and as far as I can see it the comfort of the people who HAVE worked all of their lives should be the government's number one priority.

If these same people want to have a level of comfort well above the poverty level then they can voluntarily pay for a higher pension if they so choose and they can afford it. This level is negotiable but the basic state pension should not be.

[Ivanhoe]

Papaumau, Yes, I could not agree more.

[Ivanhoe]

/////If you bring children into this world you look after them.////

What makes you think people arent ?

[avalonmpk]

/////If you bring children into this world you look after them.////

What makes you think people arent ?

Six members of Social Services  in Birmingham, children allowed to starve to death in Britain!!! etc etc

[Ivanhoe]

/////Six members of Social Services  in Birmingham, children allowed to starve to death in Britain!!! etc etc////

With apologies, I thought you were implying something else.

[Papaumau]

Just so that we can keep an awareness of how the British state pension compares with the mass of the comparable countries in Europe, here is a repost of Ivanhoe's graph showing Britain right at the bottom of this league:



I hope you don't mind me reposting this graph Ivanhoe ?

[Ivanhoe]

Papaumau, No, not all all.