The next general election.

[Ivanhoe]

Who will you vote for at the next general election ?

[John]

Ivanhoe:

Who will you vote for at the next general election ?

[Ivanhoe]

New Labour, because they are the best of a bad lot.

Having copied Thatcher's right wing policies, they have at least given more help to the elderly, than the Tories ever did when in government.

[John]

I will be voting for any party or person other than New Labour.

Lies and spin have underpinned this Labour Government.

Help to the Elderly? Removed the 10 pence Tax Band, raided their
pension funds and made sure they have to bite into any savings.

To state that one government gave more help to the elderly then another
would need some cast iron examples after 13 years...

[Ivanhoe]

Easy, the Thatcher government broke the state pensions link to national average wages in 1980, and brought in the means testing of pensioners on a wide scale, the Thatcher government also abolished minimum wages for UK workers.

What New Labour have at least done is bring in Pensions Credit for pensioners, and"non" means tested benefits like the annual winter fuel allowance paid per household, and for workers the means tested tax credits, which have replaced a much higher minimum wage.

None of this I approve of due to believing in the values of "traditional" Labour.

But at least what New Labour have done is much more advanced to what another Tory government would do, ie abolish the lot.

I would add at this point that I truly would like to see a Lib-Dem government, but that wont happen due to our present first past the post voting system, Britain needs P.R. then we would have real democracy.

[John]

29 years ago. Were those the days when everyday words and dangers such as 'mugging' ' anti social behaviour' and another 'druggie' crime were unknown?

Pension Credit is new name for National Assistance, means tested. Available 29 years ago.

The 5% VAT on fuel more then pays for an heating allowance. This government failed to get enough gas storage built so that supplies could be bought when the price was low. It is difficult to believe sometimes that water,electric and gas are still regulated (by government quangos). Given price rises at a whim.

The minimum wage is European. It must make some people wonder who are close to this and work hard and those who stand around for a few pence less, but will get the wage whatever they do.

[Ivanhoe]

Thatcher abolished minimum wages, pensions to earnings, council housing building, proper funding into all our vital services, she and Major closed 3,500 post offices during their premiership, she introduced privatisation, Major privatised the railways in 1992 because it was always right wing policy to privatise, other than nationalise.

New Labour have continued where she left off, albeit with the extra trappings I mentioned, and the Lib-Dems are waiting in the wings to take over, "I wish".

[charlie gracie]

I personally will not be  voting for any the three main parties,Most of these politicians Are out of the same mould.
As we all have seen, While decent honest people are losing their jobs, homes, and in some cases
families  breaking up due to all the stress. Thousands of pensioners, struggling to make ends meets.
All the while these Thieves, liars, and cheats. have been living the life of luxury.
And now they have been caught out, fiddling, all we are getting is whinging and whining,
Cameron is making his shower of xxxx. pay the money back.with interest i hope.
We should all remember, its these people that we elect to govern this country with honesty, and integrity "I ask myself" why should i vote to put a person into a plumb job, so they can impose laws and rules on me, that do not apply to them?!! I may be old @71 but  i aint senile.

[Ivanhoe]

The reason why all this is happening under New Labour is because New Labour have continued Thatcher and Major's monetarist policies to lower inflation by the creation of ongoing unemployment via the free market.

If you recall 3 million maybe more people were thrown on the dole through the former Thatcher years, New Labour are continuing her policies.

[radar41]

At present I will probably vote Lib Dem.

Ivanhoe raises some good points regarding New Labour and the Conservatives. Can anyone really see any difference in the two parties. Both are following right wing fiscal policies.

[Ivanhoe]

Precisely.

[radar41]

The reason why all this is happening under New Labour is because New Labour have continued Thatcher and Major's monetarist policies to lower inflation by the creation of ongoing unemployment via the free market.

If you recall 3 million maybe more people were thrown on the dole through the former Thatcher years, New Labour are continuing her policies.

But you have stated you will be voting New labour. Surely your vote should go to any other party than Labour or Conservative. I really feel the Lib dems will make a big breakthrough in the next election. The country surely cannot suffer nore years of right wing policy.

[Ivanhoe]

True enough, but voting Lib-Dem could put the Tories back in by default.

[radar41]

A hung parliament could be a likely scenario.

[Ivanhoe]

I bloody hope so.