The 2005 general election is nearly upon us. Which way will you vote, and you reasons why. Here is a brief list of the potential contestants, please add your own.


More tax!
Less tax!
Dont know!
Death to all infidels!
Who gives a shit?

The great pretender.

My goodness!

Prepare to handbagged micky!

mickey

The obvious reply: if Chamberlain had been born a woman, we wouldn't have needed Churchill!

Eric

I am only young, and inexperienced in the general way of the world, but allow me to demonstrate my opinions on the forthcoming election.

Liberal Democrats - a party that likes to sit between two sides as much as possible in order to find its position on an issue. 'What do you think Tony? and you Michael? Right, well, I very much think it's a case of compromising.' Great, right up until you're leading. Then how do you find your position? I agree with the principle of raising taxes on the highest earners - those who disagree are entitled to their opinion, but in my view when you are earning that much you can afford to give a little to people worse off than yourselves. Nonetheless, I don't think the Lib Dems have the ability or strength for effective leadership.

Conservatives - where to begin? A party that seems to consist entirely of rich self-serving egotists. The statistics from previous Tory governments speak for themselves. As for cutting tax, this is a joke. Our public services are already underfunded, so where exactly is the spending going to be cut? At the moment, their answer to this question is 'we'll cut out all the middle managers'. Well, that's great and all, but as a long term cost-cutting exercise the flaws are fairly obvious I presume. Perhaps their plan is to continue that greatest of ideas, privatisation. After all, look how successful it was for the transport system. Hang on, it's in a ruinous state. The Conservatives have a proven track record in messing things up. A party that cannot even find itself an appealing new leader, and instead resurrects a semi-fascist Thatcherite, is hardly going to run a country very well. The party is in chaos. Expect Howard to be replaced as soon as the Tories lose in May; if he is not replaced, then the Conservatives are in an even worse state than it seems even now.

Labour - smug, spin-oriented, but look at the figures. This is an effective government. Stable economy, record employment, a successful scheme in the New Deal and the minimum wage (that the Tories opposed because of the dangers to the economy - I think we'll all admit that was yet another Conservative mistake). The downside to Labour seems to come from their forcing through of bills; however it is my opinion that this is more down to hugely ineffective opposition than as a result of any untoward leadership. I do not agree with every policy and bill that they draft, but I almost invariably find their position to be far superior to that of the ramshackle opposition parties.

The solution? Keep labour in, with a lesser majority. Luckily this is almost certainly what will happen.

Just a couple more points:
- Watching prime-ministers questions is always hilarious. It demonstrates how good Blair is at argument, and how inept Kennedy and Howard are. Watching this every week makes me more and more sure that of the three, he is the only viable option as a leader of our country. So he's stubborn? Good. I want the leader of my country to be able to stand his ground.
- Some may consider speeding fines to be a stealth tax but there's a simple solution. Don't speed. It is after all illegal. Would you complain about a fine for any other criminal offense? I doubt it. Either continue speeding and accept that you get caught, or don't speed anymore. You know the fines that can be imposed when you get in your car.
- Petrol prices had better bloody well be going up. Because there isn't that much left.

Thanks if you got to the end of this, and good luck with your investments. Personally I began investing only 1 month ago, I'm happy to report a 70% profit so far.

Adios

kshammas: after that nonsense, I suggest you retire and you can talk about your success as an investor for the rest of your life! EWR

maxk,

terrific header!


Mickey,

Bit near the mark!


Eric,

post 51, superb reposte!

It would be nice to have a government of any persuasion who put more emphasis on the quality of life than they do on 'growth'. Perhaps we should become more like the civilised Northern Europeans and less like the violent Americans?

Eric, with all due respect, what part of my nonsense did you particularly disagree with? Am happy to be enlightened by more senior people on politics, but in my 21 years of life, I can only comment on what I have seen. I have a great deal of respect for you after following many of your comments on SEO and ASC in recent weeks, so am keen to hear your in-depth opinions on the matter!

Also, 70% was not a boast, I realise I will almost certainly lose most of it!

Regards
Kevin.

On the final day the day we vote, you know whats going to put the party in power pure greed because as humans we always resort to that. The NHS, Schools, social services , crime etc it all goes through the window.

Its whos going to let you earn more dosh and keep most of it. It as to be Labour, yes we hear the ramblings of Howard and well er, well er, well er' well er, sorry dont know any of the conservatives, harping on at how they will cut back taxes in TIME, yes IN TIME, but just who for?????????????.

The top 10% of people in this country.

YOU JUST CANT TRUST THE TORYS.

GF.

goldfinger - from your comments I assume that you've never tried running a business under labour lol!

Have done for the last two governments and no problems at all. Dont know what the fuss is about. Youd only blame the torys the same way.

GF.

Great stuff! Keep it up chaps-pity more female input isn't forthcoming but like your comments Eric. Where are you girls???

kshammas.
Could have saved yourself a lot of time.....you should have just said 'vote for duplicitous Tony'.

All great G'mnts have been led by great leaders. Some have been perceived to be a great leader and been proven wrong. The trick is, knowing who would achieve greatness. That of course is an impossibility. Only history is the judge of greatness. Tony of course will fail the test.
But the problem as seen by many who would vote Conservative,is, Michael Howard.
Sadly, I don't think Michael will achieve greatness. A good technocrat is about all one can say. He doesn't inspire though. Tony did. And blew it.
So who instead of Michael? Hague? Fantastic orator who was force reared far,far too soon. Nobody likes a lippy youngster. His time might come again when memory has faded a bit.
No. My choice would be David Davies. A hard working self made man from the lowest rungs of the social scale. He knows what life is all about.
Not mouthy.Quiet and with well constructed arguments. A hint of hardness there that is shown when he has the chance at the Despatch Box. He doesn't shout but lets the other man hang himself.
Look him up. You'll find him with Google. Great? Only time will tell.

what a great thread!

very entertaining and certainly strong views expressed on both sides.

The problem with Blair is that he is a Liar. I simply do not trust the man. I am a conservative at heart and acknowledge that their leadership right now is up the swanny but the labour leadership is a lapdog to the US and is a master of (barely) stealth taxation.

The reality is that these days, as with the US, most parties are just left or right of centre. i just want a leader that i, as a citizen, can trust and have faith in. I do not with the current leadership.

when it comes to the iraq war i agree saddam should have been deposed but look at the way that plan was executed....all based on lies. at least go through the official channels for more time and then declare war. idiots.
we all know its about oil and we all know its about control in the middle east so bloody well acknowledge that fact. I don't see 100billion being spent trying to avoid the next genocide in Africa! they are all such hypocrites.

Anyway, i have seen the other side...Singapore. It is a nanny/police state following a supply side economic policy. heres the other part - 22% income tax, no CGT/IHT and VAT of 4%. Massive govenment surplus and 30 degrees all year round. lived there for 5 years so i can see how good it can be. if i have any wise cracks about "go back and live there then" all i will say is Blighty is home and always will be because that is where my family is.

So, a few views from me - for the record i would like no CGT, abolish the ridiculous IHT and make up the money by raising cigarettes to 20 per pack. Oh, and as for the PM...my vote goes to Mickey Skint's Mother in Law! Legend.

pop.
some good points..........don't know about mickys m-in-law. Is she tall and curvacious? Photo micky?

Taxation. It has been proven over and over again: Reduce taxation and more tax is gathered.
Over-tax the high earners and we will have a repeat of what happened the last time Labour tried it......brain drain.
IHT. A bearly acceptable tax that has been taken to it's limits.
CGT. Ditto. Why do they screw the people with ingenuity SO much?
State Pension.The New Zealand way is very attractive. After ten or more years in NZ, everybody gets the same pension. Worked or not. (The mothers who have reared the children 'haven't worked', but rightly get the same.)
The massive gain? 95% of the people who used to run the greatly overstaffed
pension dept are found USEFUL work.

Must go. Just had a call to do some bloody work! Sod.

Standber, you seem to have gone from a Capitalist to a Communist...........

"State Pension.The New Zealand way is very attractive. After ten or more years in NZ, everybody gets the same pension. Worked or not."ENDS

If thats the way of your thinking one as to question why you dont see workers and non workers all getting the same income. A very strange remark from a torry.

Anyway back to pensions here, you can bet your bottom dollar good old Gordon as given the pensioners a tenner extra in the budget today to secure their votes come election day. NICE.

Vote Labour, YOU CANT TRUST THE TORYS AND DRACULA.

GF.

EWRobson,

in message 53 you said that kshammas message 52 was nonsense.

In fact, it was a quite balanced view compared to some of the posts on this thread which are totally 1 sided & refuse to see the faults in the party that they support.


mickeyskint in message 42

You said

"What a sad state of affairs it's all come to. Not one politician or party we can trust..."

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THAT!

We need a written constitution that specifies constant monitoring of the politicians. This is the only way to keep them in line.

We have a right to know what they are doing.

Any voter without a criminal record should be able to find out anything so that politicians can be forced to abide by very tight constitutional anticorruption laws.

It should be illegal for a politician to benefit from anything unless specifically permitted to do so by legislation.

Politicians love secrets.
Secrets should not be permitted, the only thing that should be allowed is a delay of public release of information because it would compromise a current operation but they should have to prove that in a closed court if a voter requests the information.
As soon as the operation is over, further delay should be illegal as specified by a written constitution.

i am also an advocate of paying politicians significantly more than they earn now. that way the best and brightest would be attracted. pay an MP 250/- a year and some industry stars may be attracted. contravertial but i have seen this work around the world. stops corruption and brings in the brains. that wage bill in nothing versus treasury income.

just an idea and then we wouldn't have to put up with the current bunch of "leaders"

What a fantastic Budget from Gordon Brown, like I predicted the 'Grey Vote' now secured and just look at the investment in enterprise Sir Alan Sugar was overwhelmed.

It certainly was a budget for the family and in paticular middle Britain.

Gordon was at his very best what a great chancellor he is, I filled up when he gave details on the spending on the Queen Mothers Memorial a shrewd investment this for the Foreign Travel Industry.

Yes he was brilliant and Im still shivering at all the effort and passion he put into his speech very much unlike the ravings of his opposite number today dracula who I would have mistaken for a football yob were it not for the suit he was wearing. And there behind him was good old Oliver Leftwing ....... tit, anyone recognise that handle from advfn?. As usual looking like the little mole he is. Strange how all the torys look the same, they all appear to have their eyes half closed, I suppose its inbreeding that as done that.

Anyway my conclusion, Labour will now go on and walk the next election, still a big majority will be maintained.

REMEMBER you cant trust DRACULA AND THE TORYS.

GF.

You could be wrong GF--people know when they're being bribed and a lot of the promised goodies don't materialise. Promises promises and poof they disappear!
Yes Gordon does seem to be the most sincere one among them but all these handouts have to be paid for either by borrowing which he has done massively or taxing hard working middle England. ie US! My father always said he was labour in his heart but knew we couldn't pay for their policies-so Tory in his brain! You will never ever reach the point that all people are on the same income it is a fact that the top leaders in industry etc create the wealth for this country to support the not so able. Tax these people to the hilt and they find ways of avoiding it, move their money off shore, relocate the business abroad or simply leave the country altogether. We are getting near the point when people and businesses are suffering like Dyson cleaners now made abroad, and call centres moving to India etc. crunch time is approaching and 3 months of every tax payers earnings are already earmarked for the government coffers so June is your tax earning freedom date--that's without all the indirect taxes we pay! Tory or Labour I think that's enough of my income supporting the tax credits and whatever 40% and spend it wisely. There's not much evidence to convince me it is being spent wisely!! How much income extra to this would you be prepared to have taken from you before you too would want to leave the country-it's 40% and no more for me!!
This is a great thread because no one ever calls to my front door for me to air my views, I live in on Dartmoor. Stay there and shut up do I hear you say?
cheers MP

GF

Sounds like you want to have Gordon's babies.
Take those blinkers off.

It's not all rosy but on balance the economy looks as if it will remain stable.

Brown has got a good track record & every year, the Tories & the international economic organisations say that his budget is bad or even disasterous.

Every year they are proved wrong, & the economy keeps on steadily growing.
Almost the whole world went into recession last time but we didn't.

I don't want the Tories to screw it all up AGAIN but I will have to put up with an ARSEHOLE called Blair for the sake of a stable economy.

Blair is a right wing ARSEHOLE but Howard is an even bigger ARSEHOLE & even more right wing.


Give me a hung parliament because that gives them less power.


Your comment about trust is rather superfluous.

Like I said before.

Trust & Politician!

Those 2 words just don't belong together.