Can you explain the failure of LW politics previously please?
For me I think I would like to see some real improvement in public services as a priotity and that includes the water industry. Priotritise people of the uk
Economy needs sorting because the above doesnt hapien without that.
An area I would like addressed and I know it wont happen is cleaning up politics and getting rid of the current attraction of politics to those that only get into it for personal gain. There’s a lot cleaning up of external influences I’d like gone too.
Proportional representation in the future too perhaps.
Is the current government they doing a good job?
Mixed bag to be honest, they’re kind of at the extreme ends of getting some really good stuff started while making a complete hash of other stuff.
The jury remains out.
My real fear is that we lurch back to the right. I fear this because of who these people that sit on this side are. They are, at best populists, some are corrupt and thieves.
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I can do by a PM if you so wish, but I think we both know that we will end up agreeing to disagree.
Thank you for an honest response.
I completely agree about the Water industry, they have been getting away with things for too long and are now all in debt, asking to hike prices, etc. Is it a priority in terms of resources to sort it out, I’m genuinely not sure.
I personally think the Government needs to focus on areas that don’t need a radical change and where their ideas can be implemented with little fuss. Don’t waste resources on taking control of one of the few successful Train operators, i agree with renationalising but this is not a priority.
The idea of centralising authorities, although it could be a great idea, is in my opinion over complicating something that is currently working to a degree. It is potentially opening a can of worms, which could create more issues than it solves.
Take quick/easy wins, if the Government sort out the simple problems it would give them more room. If you build a house you have to have a good strong foundation and a reliable structure before you start being fancy with the rest of the design.
One idea I would like someone’s input into as I am no economist and have no understanding as to how tough it is for the Government to implement its ideas and the potential knock on effects.
Is the idea of the Government clearing all councils debts, whether this is wiped clean or on a loan basis with better interest. I believe Government bonds are <5% where as councils are paying 8% (reserved figure) plus.
Surely it is easier and more cost effective for one big department to manage this debt on a National basis than numerous councils?
This would require stricter controls and management being put in place. However, I would rather a controlled cost of extra staff who manage properly than save money on personnel costs and be hit with unforeseen costs due to bad decisions being made due to excessive workload.
My review on the Government so far….
I think they have good ideas and principles but need to walk before running. People don’t want to be promised fancy things when the basics aren’t happening.
Mistakes in my opinion;
The inheritance tax on farmers, an unwanted distraction with little to gain. Shows a complete lack of understanding about the sector and it will be a noise that won’t disappear.
Rachel Reeves ruling out further Tax increases, this is going to bite Labour in the backside. She hasn’t given herself enough leg room, tell us how it is or at least what you want us to think. Tell us the worst case scenario and over deliver rather than pacify us and under deliver.
The Freebies scandal, for fucks sake, Labour spend the whole campaign pulling up the Tories on Freebies and then blow any credibility in the first couple of months. We all know it happens but it is such easy ammunition for the opposition.
As I have mentioned, I do not care who is in power as long as they are successful. To be successful you need to lead, this involves having a plan, making big decisions, balance reality with reassurance and what could be. People need to believe and my concern is that Starmer does not do this and this includes his back bench. I am happy to be proved wrong.
On a general note, relating to your last point. The issue I have is the willingness of people to dismiss/reject ideas on the fear/premise that they are Left or Right wing politics and so don’t align with their on political views. Not every LW idea is 100% socialist and not ever RW idea is 100% corporate/fascist. It’s a very wide spectrum one that needs to be balanced because we need both for the world to function.
I saw a comment along these lines the other day and it did make me chuckle.
On a serious note why is this? Is this because Labour are too nice and want to uphold this image, like Ed Milliband, or is it because their policies are out of touch. I do believe there is a hesitation about Labour.
Regarding the Tories, they are accustomed to being hated and maybe this works in their favour.
Just a question, do you all really think nationalisation of key services like transport etc the only way to go or itd just because the private companies are doing such a suck job?
I personally don’t think nationalisation or privatisation work better over one another, because to me it’s about what system is in place to hold accountable regardless of any options. A system where meeting KPIs are rewarded and if not, punitive measures. In Singapore we have a hybrid, government owns the infrastructure and assets like the buses and private companies tender to operate the lines, with fares determined by a council and rewards and penalties for not meeting service levels. Hiccups definitely but by and large it has worked ok for us.
Biggest issue for labour is thror messaging is properly crap. And also their policy plans are off the mark.
They could have easily tweaked the farmer inheritance thing and had they got the messaging right it would have gone through with little issue. But they screwed that up and the RW press got their teeth into it. I know a couple of farners and the crap theyve posted up about this is way off the truth. They, their familiescand farms will be ok if they organise thrmselves a bit.
Meanwhile labour missed the real people you want to hit in the land hoarders and grouse moor owners. Then again we cant tax the royal family now can we?
Yes and no. Rail and water are particularly problematic as a private contract service because they are natural monopolies.
So labour are doing the right thing in taking them back in when the contract expires.
But another area i’d like to see addressed is public procurement. It is an absolutely royal shit show of a mess that is overly complex to prepare (by several country miles), utterly stupid and rigid tender processes and contracts that are just hopeless at delivering what you actually want. As a result they cost a bomb, and deliver crap.
And yet it was the RW press that completely ignored the ways the farmers could work round the legislation and gave a platform to Jeremy Clarkson.
It was this crap that the farmers i know were quoting.
And I repeat Labour completely screwed up their messaging on it. They are not without fault. Rw press however can fuck off. The damage they have and continue to do to the UK is immeasurable
Miliband (and Corbyn’s) policies were popular. Have a look at Labour’s 2019 manifesto. Every single thing in it would have made normal people’s lives measurably better.
But the billionaire oligarchy could never let that happen so he was destroyed in a manufactured antisemitism row. Same happening around the world. All with the aim of moving more public money to the mega rich
I don’t disagree except that the idea that the antisemitism problem was manufactured. Blown out of proportions, yes. But to argue that there wasn’t an antisemitism problem in the Labour Party is just denial.
I would also question the claim that the 2019 manifesto was popular. From what I remember feedback to MPs campaigning on doorsteps during the election, particular in the northern seats was that there was little in there that addressed the issues they had.
It can also be evidenced by the rush of announcements that Corbyn made for further spending after the manifesto had already come out.
I don’t know about the former claim, but I remember the rush of announcements then being followed by the complaints that they were uncosted. They were obvious attempts to throw red-meat at the base, and if I remember correctly revolved around nationalising things that weren’t natural monopolies. I remember this because I was thinking at the time how daft it was, abandoning a costed manifesto to make wild promises that feed in to the perception that Labour is fiscally irresponsible.
The government has granted ‘emergency’ approval of bee-killing pesticides for four years in a row. This January, the Labour government must say no to another temporary approval and fully commit to a complete ban.
I saw a comment along these lines the other day and it did make me chuckle.