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Stef N · 27-03-2025, 04:46 PM

What on earth is Reeves doing? Starting austerity part 2 on the people worse affected by austerity part 1. Going after people with very little to give is not going to fix the rotten economy and apart from anything it is really awful politics. She's basically handed over the upcoming local elections to other parties, mostly Reform, sadly.

Really poor and I didn't vote for these regressive and cruel ideas.

Goldcrest · 27-03-2025, 05:51 PM

(27-03-2025, 04:46 PM)Stef N Wrote: What on earth is Reeves doing? Starting austerity part 2 on the people worse affected by austerity part 1. Going after people with very little to give is not going to fix the rotten economy and apart from anything it is really awful politics. She's basically handed over the upcoming local elections to other parties, mostly Reform, sadly.

Really poor and I didn't vote for these regressive and cruel ideas.

Nor me. They've become the Tories (pre - Johnson). On the plus side, she's consistent and has set her two rules and is sticking to them. The world has definitely changed and defence has been a casualty for a long time. I don't blame her for increasing taxes generally because that is what's been needed for a long while to build infrastructure and especially to pay for care services and local government. But, the burden is not on the super rich but on the most vulnerable.

I understand in part the need to take a hardline in some areas of entrenched employability (I used to run schemes that supported people into work with a special focus on those at the greatest 'distance' from work). So many people need pre employment intervention (aimed at changing attitudes to work). It was so often a 'tough' kind of support...nothing namby pamby! I haven't seen much from the government about this kind of work to get folk becoming economically productive. Just a blunt attack on benefits. A lot of people will support these kinds of cuts.
...and I recall the mess under Gordon Brown when every single gap in the 'safety net' was filled by different rules and benefits. Whilst in a way it was an attempt to help many disadvantaged people it led to so much administrative waste and complexity - all of which didn't then help people escape benefits through work. It was easier to stay unemployed. I know this from being on the frontline of services.

You have to worry about what will happen regarding increasing crime rates in neighborhoods (already happening anecdotally).

It's supposed to be a 4/5 year plan but I fear there's too big a hill to climb and external events will make the hill even steeper.

Goldcrest · (This post was last modified: 12-04-2025, 05:21 PM by Goldcrest.)

Very encouraged by the British Steel special measures bill having been approved and potential nationalisation. But...I'm really disappointed by the lack of backbone in supporting Port Talbot. Listening to Plaid today had me nodding in agreement with every word.
I suppose the world has changed by Trump in the last couple of weeks and has made UK far more inward looking....yet it indicates a lack of long term strategy. Different arguments (or versions of) being used for Scunthorpe.
Pretty much annoyed about it overall - one set of rules for one region....

Stef N · 12-04-2025, 06:57 PM

(12-04-2025, 05:19 PM)Goldcrest Wrote: Very encouraged by the British Steel special measures bill having been approved and potential nationalisation. But...I'm really disappointed by the lack of backbone in supporting Port Talbot. Listening to Plaid today had me nodding in agreement with every word.
I suppose the world has changed by Trump in the last couple of weeks and has made UK far more inward looking....yet it indicates a lack of long term strategy. Different arguments (or versions of) being used for Scunthorpe.
Pretty much annoyed about it overall - one set of rules for one region....

It doesn't look fair at all and I can fully understand the Welsh grievance. Party politics with upcoming local elections sure played a part in the decision and, as you say, Trump causing havoc may have focused minds a bit.

A slightly amusing story comes thanks to the non-entity Badenoch trying and failing to claim a bit of credit for the decision. Apparently she started the whole ball rolling but with no details to back it up.

Stef N · 02-05-2025, 05:31 AM

Well done Labour. Annoying your voter base and pandering more to the right wing/Daily Mail reader really worked out for you and the country. Idiots.

Goldcrest · (This post was last modified: 02-05-2025, 07:13 AM by Goldcrest.)

(02-05-2025, 05:31 AM)Stef N Wrote: Well done Labour. Annoying your voter base and pandering more to the right wing/Daily Mail reader really worked out for you and the country. Idiots.

I'm unsure whether Labour are not just Tory lite in many policies. The winter payment decision wasn't the best strategic move either. And now, a lot of pandering to the US.
Still think Reform could be a future force as it looks like they'll take Conservative votes too. Making Britain great again is the growing call. Another vacuous meaningless slogan that cannot be delivered - no doubt to become something for people to cling on to.

And we will see ever more YouTube channels proliferating which will also become more influential in 'news' (unedited or independently checked of course). You can see how this plays out I think. Just depends on how strongly. Labour look doomed for sure.

Stef N · 02-05-2025, 04:08 PM

Luckily the LibDems have done well so it's not as depressing as it was looking. The Tories are done. Other than get rid of Badenoch I'm not sure what else they can do. Labour will be if they carry on the way they are going.

Goldcrest · 02-05-2025, 05:00 PM

(02-05-2025, 04:08 PM)Stef N Wrote: Luckily the LibDems have done well so it's not as depressing as it was looking. The Tories are done. Other than get rid of Badenoch I'm not sure what else they can do. Labour will be if they carry on the way they are going.

Yep. Pleased for the LDs. I seriously think they are to the left of Labour. Davey has had a good line on the US, on social care, health service and so on. I think too, albeit Reform are carving up political space, that the LDs could take from Labour AND the Tories. Too early to call but it might be that the next election facilitates more of a chance for the LDs to take more seats. With the Greens perhaps we will end up more in a 5 party system. A continuum with Reform at the right end and Green at the left.

Stef N · 13-05-2025, 05:43 AM

That went well.

https://bsky.app/profile/samfr.bsky.soci...yvhsmmqs2f