UK Elections

[GhostFingers]

Isn't that a bit over the top, so what the conservatives won, the country isn't going to turn into nazi Germany or anything and the poor aren't going to be cast out onto the streets?

Well, you would say that, you already admitted to voting tory. Also, poor homeless people have been around since before politics, so that's one thing we actually can't blame on the tories... unless the situation gets worse.

The country will suffer for 5 years now, that's a fact. Just how much we do remains unseen, hopefully it's nothing too sinister but juding by his previous actions, we're all f*cked.

Actually we can see what will happen.

Spoiler

The Tories plans for eliminating the deficit by 2018 will mean swingeing cuts to Government spending across many areas.

Health will be protected if the Tories keep their promises but local council spending, transport and defence spending will be decimated.

Welfare payments will be slashed
One of the most controversial parts of the Conservative manifesto was to cut benefits for the working age poor by £12 bn over the next three years. But during the campaign they only said where £2 bn of these savings would come from. That leaves £10 bn still to find. Some experts think the only way they can close that gap is by means testing child benefit – with millions of families losing out.

There will be tax cuts for those in work and those who die
The Tories will increase the threshold at which the 40p rate of tax becomes payable to £50,000 by 2020.

They haven’t said so but it is also likely that at some point in the next five years they will abolish that 45p rate of tax altogether for the highest earners.

They also want to increase the effective inheritance tax threshold for married couples and civil partners to £1m.

There will be an in/out EU referendum in 2017
The next two years are going to be dominated by the prospect of a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. First off David Cameron has the daunting task of negotiating a deal with other EU leaders an acceptable deal that he can sell to his party so he can go into the referendum campaigning for a ‘yes’ vote. This may be unachievable and it is possible that the Tories may end up arguing to leave.

Opinion polls show Britain is divided on EU membership, one poll this year showed 51% said they would opt to leave compared to 49% who would vote to stay in.

There will be more privatisation of the NHS
Having won the election the Tories now have a mandate to go further and faster reforming the NHS. In order to make cost savings there is likely to be greater private involvement in running services, while some hospital smaller hospitals may loose services they currently provide like A&E and maternity units.

There will be many more free schools and traditional state schools will become a thing of the past
The Tories plans to create 500 new free schools and make 3,000 state schools become academies. They will also carry on reforming the Department of Education and remove more powers from local authorities over how schools are run.

On shore wind farms will be a thing of the past and fracking will be the future
Government spending on renewable energy is under real threat now the Lib Dems are no longer in power with the Tories. Subsidies are likely to be slashed for off-shore wind farm and other green energy supplies. Meanwhile there will be generous tax break for fracking as ministers try and incentive the industry to drill for onshore oil and gas.

There maybe more free childcare – but not necessarily
In the campaign the Tories pledged to double the amount of free early education for three- and four-year-olds from 15 hours a week to 30. The extra hours would only be offered to working families where parents are employed for at least eight hours a week. However they have not said where the money will come from to fund the pledge.

Workers' rights could be reduced
The Tories want to slash business regulation, merge regulator and cut costs. The Lib Dems stopped them from reducing the employment rights of workers in power – but these are now under threat.

 

[Rainbow Cloud]

Well, you would say that, you already admitted to voting tory. Also, poor homeless people have been around since before politics, so that's one thing we actually can't blame on the tories... unless the situation gets worse.

True, I did vote conservative so I'm happy with result as it's the one I voted for but I don't think everything's going to be perfect though as they do have their flaws. However I also don't think they will competely destroy everthing like everyone says as it's not in their interest or the country's.

Whether it had been Cameron/Tories or Miliband/Labour who came to power I don't think either of them would do anything deliberate to damage the country or hurt people. They believe in different things about how the country should be run but I don't think either of them are bad people/parties who are out to inflict misery on people.

 

[GhostFingers]

Whether it had been Cameron/Tories or Miliband/Labour who came to power I don't think either of them would do anything deliberate to damage the country or hurt people. They believe in different things about how the country should be run but I don't think either of them are bad people/parties who are out to inflict misery on people.

Did you not see what i put in spoiler tags? *Cutting welfare, cutting worker's rights, fracking, and NHS privatisation absolutely hurts the country and the people. Cameron is indeed working for his own interests (= read 'money') and not what benefits everyone else.

* There is more to the welfare situation than i found in that article, as this one demonstrates:

The other bills Cameron promised in the Queen’s speech later this month include:

• Reducing the annual benefits cap by £3,000 to £23,000 and removing housing benefit from under-21s on jobseeker’s allowance.

• Taking out of income tax anyone working 30 hours a week on minimum wage by linking the personal allowance to the national minimum wage.

• New education bill to “force coasting schools to accept new leadership”.

• A housing bill to extend the right to buy to 1.3 million housing association tenants.

• A bill to double free childcare for working parents of three- and four-year-olds.

All this does is screw the poor and elevate the rich even more than before.

 

[dig]

The poor are historically worse off when a conservative government are in power.Instead of going after businesses not paying enough tax, they attack the poor guy on benefits to re-coup £26 over 4 years rather than £26M from Amazon or any other huge mulch-national. Granted that big business still needs a reason to come to the UK, but that they should also be responsible for paying a reasonable tax rate instead of the ridiculously low rates many businesses do. The poor are going to be worse off for the simple fact that it's easier to demonise and attack the poor than it is to take wealth from the so-called job creators. Poor people don't vote for Tory, so Conservatives don't have to risk losing low-income voters over harsh policies because they simply don't exist. You can't be for benefit slashes whilst collecting some income from benefits.

The next five is going to be hard on the majority of British people.

 

[Treacle]

Business as usual for NI then... Not a single non sectarian, neutral party representative elected... Sick of tribal voting.

 

[The Infidel]

So, there's riots.

Great democracy we live in; the voice of the people speaks and then people riot because it's not what they want.

Exactly didn't see anyone rioting when Tony Blair won on 35%

Please note: I'm against riots but not peaceful protests. This is a riot, people were hurt, stuff vandalized and there was no organization with the police that is required by law.

It wasn't a riot. It was a protest that was on the whole, peaceful. The media show isolated cases of individuals who acted inappropriately and in showing us that everyone thinks that the whole crowd is just there to cause trouble. It's yet another conceited attempt to belittle the left wingers and lable them as for want of a better word 'scum'. Part of democracy is having the right to protest and get your voice heard so I see no problem with it. Obviously I don't support violence, abuse in order to get your voice heard but tha majority of that protest was peaceful. The Tory party won because the system is flawed. They got 37% of the over all vote giving them the majority in the current system. That means 63% of people who wouldn't dream of voting them in power now stand to face 5 years of dictation by an unscrupulous government.

That's not true at all, 13% of that was UKIP which is aligned ideologically much closer to the Conservative party, and was likely a coalition partner in the event of a hung parliament. Then you've got the 8% of Lib dems, which traditionally 60% favour Labour, the other 40% of which favour the tories. Then you've got the other parties like DUP, UUP, one of which is always drawn up as a potential coalition partner, the other, had an official electoral alliance with the Tories. In this election, the left wing was far far from the majority.

Make no mistake, he will ruin lives, he will cause even more people to commit suicide. He may not ruin the NHS completely but he will continue to make it into a shell of what is once was. The country will suffer for 5 years now, that's a fact.

You forgot the part where he orders the killing of the first born, the rivers dry up, he summons the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse and we are all consumed in hellfire.

Overall I am very pleased with the result of this election. I always believed the Cons would win a majority right up until about the last week when the polls had refused to move. We now know they were very wrong.

I am glad, that people chose the politics of hope and aspiration over the politics of fear.

The left like to portray the Tories as this sort of demonic force unleashing hell, and this was the reason why they made huge gains in 2010 but not enough for a majority because there was some doubt cast in the public's mind. The past 5 years has shown the public that all the fear mongering by Labour, as evidenced by Crackfox above, is simply not true.

The Tories have turned the UK around from economic basket case on the brink of default with rapidly rising unemployment, into the fastest growing economy in the developed world and over 2 million new jobs. Long may it continue!

 

[GhostFingers]

I am glad, that people chose the politics of hope and aspiration over the politics of fear.

The left like to portray the Tories as this sort of demonic force unleashing hell, and this was the reason why they made huge gains in 2010 but not enough for a majority because there was some doubt cast in the public's mind. The past 5 years has shown the public that all the fear mongering by Labour, as evidenced by Crackfox above, is simply not true.

The Tories have turned the UK around from economic basket case on the brink of default with rapidly rising unemployment, into the fastest growing economy in the developed world and over 2 million new jobs. Long may it continue!

You're kidding, right? I voted for hope and still wound up with fear. I've never been more afraid for the future.

Labour didn't need to resort to fear mongering, the Tories did that all by themselves.

2mil new jobs? Really? Do you have any idea about the quality of jobs used in those statistics? Firstly, there are more people living in this country, so as a direct proportion, the amount of employed people hasn't decreased the amount of unemployed all that much. Secondly, the workers have very few rights; part-time hours, zero-hour contracts, unpaid/slave wage "apprenticeships". Thirdly, that still doesn't help the millions of unemployed, who will now be punished even further branded 'lazy dole scum', and a reduction to the benefits of those most vulnerable: the young adults. Let me tell you that the way to encourage someone to get a job is not to cut them off at the knees.

 

[Sword Master]

I am glad, that people chose the politics of hope and aspiration over the politics of fear.

The left like to portray the Tories as this sort of demonic force unleashing hell, and this was the reason why they made huge gains in 2010 but not enough for a majority because there was some doubt cast in the public's mind. The past 5 years has shown the public that all the fear mongering by Labour, as evidenced by Crackfox above, is simply not true.

The Tories have turned the UK around from economic basket case on the brink of default with rapidly rising unemployment, into the fastest growing economy in the developed world and over 2 million new jobs. Long may it continue!

Well said!
5 more great years and hopefully The Conservatives win In 2020

 

[The Infidel]

I am glad, that people chose the politics of hope and aspiration over the politics of fear.

The left like to portray the Tories as this sort of demonic force unleashing hell, and this was the reason why they made huge gains in 2010 but not enough for a majority because there was some doubt cast in the public's mind. The past 5 years has shown the public that all the fear mongering by Labour, as evidenced by Crackfox above, is simply not true.

The Tories have turned the UK around from economic basket case on the brink of default with rapidly rising unemployment, into the fastest growing economy in the developed world and over 2 million new jobs. Long may it continue!

You're kidding, right? I voted for hope and still wound up with fear. I've never been more afraid for the future.

The fact you are afraid is not the Tories fault. When Labour come out with these completely made up scare stories of "Tories will sell off the NHS, tories will sell off the BBC," it's bound to make people afraid.

Labour didn't need to resort to fear mongering, the Tories did that all by themselves.

2mil new jobs? Really? Do you have any idea about the quality of jobs used in those statistics?

Yes I do but I expect you don't as I have actually looked into it rather than just believe the scare stories I am told.

Firstly, there are more people living in this country, so as a direct proportion, the amount of employed people hasn't decreased the amount of unemployed all that much.

Well first off you sound like you've been listening to UKIP too much if you think we've had 2 million migrants in 5 years, secondly the unemployment rate has nearly halved from 8% to 5%, (bear in mind that most economists agree there will always be about 3% unemployment from people rich enough not to work, people in between jobs, etc)

Secondly, the workers have very few rights; part-time hours, zero-hour contracts, unpaid/slave wage "apprenticeships".

The vast majority of jobs created (80%) are full time jobs. Zero hours contracts account for only 2% of the new jobs created, and the majority of people on them are students like myself who actually welcome the flexibility they provide. Mine helps fund me through university, while allowing me to fit work around study and exams, when Labour said it'd ban them, that was my degree they were threatening as I wouldn't be able to continue here without one.

When you talk about low pay, the government have taken everyone earning under £11,000 out of taxation altogether, so they keep more of the money they earn.

And you must be the first person ever to think an apprenticeship is a bad thing. When the Tories took power in 2010 many young people were forced to take unpaid internships to get experience for work, and for many education was not suitable for them and they wanted to go and work. What apprenticeships do is they provide young people with training and experience and a fairly safe path into a career after. Yes you don't get paid as much as someone fully qualified, but that makes sense because duh, you're not fully qualified, and you are effectively getting all the training expertise and skills for free, while still earning some money to get by.

 

[Lysson]

I am glad, that people chose the politics of hope and aspiration over the politics of fear.

The left like to portray the Tories as this sort of demonic force unleashing hell, and this was the reason why they made huge gains in 2010 but not enough for a majority because there was some doubt cast in the public's mind. The past 5 years has shown the public that all the fear mongering by Labour, as evidenced by Crackfox above, is simply not true.

The Tories have turned the UK around from economic basket case on the brink of default with rapidly rising unemployment, into the fastest growing economy in the developed world and over 2 million new jobs. Long may it continue!

You're kidding, right? I voted for hope and still wound up with fear. I've never been more afraid for the future.

Labour didn't need to resort to fear mongering, the Tories did that all by themselves.

2mil new jobs? Really? Do you have any idea about the quality of jobs used in those statistics? Firstly, there are more people living in this country, so as a direct proportion, the amount of employed people hasn't decreased the amount of unemployed all that much. Secondly, the workers have very few rights; part-time hours, zero-hour contracts, unpaid/slave wage "apprenticeships". Thirdly, that still doesn't help the millions of unemployed, who will now be punished even further branded 'lazy dole scum', and a reduction to the benefits of those most vulnerable: the young adults. Let me tell you that the way to encourage someone to get a job is not to cut them off at the knees.

I have to agree with you completely. I'll admit, I did not vote Tory despite planning to. I had a horrible feeling they'd mess up everything. Some good will come out of it but I'm utterly pissed off after seeing the fact they want to re-apeal the barbaric 'sport' that is called Fox Hunting. I will not have the 'vermin' card pulled on me as it is not an excuse for cruelty!

*hint hint everyone sign this hint hint*

Also please note: I am not a Tory hater, I have no favourite party.

 

[dig]

Moving on, found this image pretty interesting:

Not surprising that Scotland is mostly unchanged, but pretty disappointing see such large amounts of non-voters South of Scotland and NI, but again not surprising - I think Scottish voters/SNP had the most to gain from this election, whilst for the rest of the UK it seems like it was just another election.

And on the topic of SNP, as the third biggest party they get to make an appearance on Question Time, which is going to be interesting the BBC to balance Conservative vs two centre-left parties, at least with Lib Dems it was fairly clear that they stood between Tory and Labour.

 

[Lysson]

SNP are now half-baes. Don't want to re-appeal the fox hunting act but don't want to vote on English matters.
Naw Scotland, you can vote on this. Do it, you know you want to.

 

[dig]

I'd hope SNP would vote against fox hunting, but I honestly don't know if they will.

 

[Lysson]

I'm honestly quite shocked at what I'm now seeing. I read the Tory manifesto and was quite 'meh' with it but there's loads of crap surfacing now.

Like this: The Tories' new DWP minister wants to bring back capital punishment - UK Politics - UK - The Independent
I'm neither for or against capital punishment. I'd rather repeat serious offenders, terrorists and serial killers were kept life long in prison simply because of their family. I did not see in the manifesto any sign of them wanting to re-introduce the death penalty.

However I do not hate the electorate like is now happening. It was their choice and they probably didn't know about any of this stuff, like myself. I thought the Tories would make the economy and crime rate better... they may, but at what cost?

 

[GhostFingers]

The Conservative party itself says they will privatise more of the NHS.

I meant to say internships not apprenticeships.

When you talk about low pay, the government have taken everyone earning under £11,000 out of taxation altogether, so they keep more of the money they earn.

This clearly isn't true. EVERYONE pays some amount of tax, whether they can afford to or not.

The figures from the unemployment rate are very skewed, reflecting only those claiming benefits. This doesn't take into account the sick, homeless, or those on the opposite end of the scale who are wealthy enough not to need benefits but who don't work. My point is that statistics can be manipulated into making someone look good.

 

[dig]

When you talk about low pay, the government have taken everyone earning under £11,000 out of taxation altogether, so they keep more of the money they earn.

This clearly isn't true. EVERYONE pays some amount of tax, whether they can afford to or not.

Just so we're all clear, we all pay VAT on products, even if you're six years old buying a freddo. I earn under that amount but I obviously still pay tax on items with VAT.

 

[GhostFingers]

I meant all forms of tax that aren't necessarily income-based. (i.e. Council tax)

 

[The Infidel]

I'm utterly pissed off after seeing the fact they want to re-apeal the barbaric 'sport' that is called Fox Hunting. I will not have the 'vermin' card pulled on me as it is not an excuse for cruelty!

This will not pass. Most tories don't want it but a fringe element does. (Just like how a fringe opposed gay marriage) Cameron has said it will be a free vote thus meaning it won't be repealed as the majority of Conservatives want the ban in place

Anti-hunt campaigners say they'll work with sympathetic Tory MPs to stop David Cameron legalising fox hunting - General Election 2015 - UK Politics - The Independent

80% of the public and 70% of Conservative supporters support the current law, which is enshrined in the Hunting Act.

The Conservative party itself says they will privatise more of the NHS.

Well that implies some of the NHS has already been privatised and again that is completely false. The NHS is 100% state owned and it will remain 100% state owned.
When lefties tell you the NHS is 6% private owned they are purposefully misleading.

Every time you get a prescription or medicine off the NHS, that medicine was made by a private company. The NHS has never made its own medicine, it buys the medicine off private companies. Then Labour, had a good idea that it could extend that to other sorts of medical provision such as scans and tests etc. If there was a special form of treatment that the NHS was unable to provide, then it would pay a private company to provide the service. It's still completely free for the patient. When Labour left office this accounted for 4% of NHS spending, under the Coalition this went up to 6%.

Yes there are those who say there should be no profit, but someone will always profit, doctors don't work for free and medicine has always been privately bought. What this system does, and its a labour system, is it allows the NHS to provide even more services to people. If your family member needs treatment and the NHS says it can provide treatment what do you care who the NHS pays the bill to at the end of the day. Would you deny the treatment if it went to a private company?

When you talk about low pay, the government have taken everyone earning under £11,000 out of taxation altogether, so they keep more of the money they earn.

This clearly isn't true. EVERYONE pays some amount of tax, whether they can afford to or not.

NO NO NO, everyone has a personal allowance which is the amount you earn before you pay tax, the Coalition put this up to £11,000 so if you are earning £11,000 or less you pay 0 tax! This is not debateable this is well known facts by anyone with a job.

The figures from the unemployment rate are very skewed, reflecting only those claiming benefits. This doesn't take into account the sick, homeless, or those on the opposite end of the scale who are wealthy enough not to need benefits but who don't work. My point is that statistics can be manipulated into making someone look good.

Yes there we go, ignore the facts, if it doesn't fit into your narrative. Carry on spouting about how bad unemployment is then when your shown it's going down, just say well the stats are wrong, because you obviously know more about the country than the Independent Office of National Statistics.

Unemployment in this country has nearly halfed, and 2 million more people are in work, and the government has plans to create another 2 million more. We create more jobs in this country last year than the rest of Europe combined! The county of Yorkshire last year added more jobs than the whole of Socialist France.

If you want a job, Britain is the place to be.

EDIT: "

When you talk about low pay, the government have taken everyone earning under £11,000 out of taxation altogether, so they keep more of the money they earn.

This clearly isn't true. EVERYONE pays some amount of tax, whether they can afford to or not.

Just so we're all clear, we all pay VAT on products, even if you're six years old buying a freddo. I earn under that amount but I obviously still pay tax on items with VAT.

"

Um no, we don't pay VAT, the business pays the VAT (I've worked in accounts and been in charge of making sure we make our VAT payments)
Yes putting up VAT means the business will likely charge more but not necesarily, but YOU and ME don't pay VAT.

 

[Lyrebird]

Okay guys remember to keep calm. I know when it comes to politics we totally get into it but let's not go too overboard and let's tone it down so we don't accidentally get heated and say stuff we don't mean. Let's also not attack anyone as well, let's be calm or measured.

 

[GhostFingers]

This clearly isn't true. EVERYONE pays some amount of tax, whether they can afford to or not.

NO NO NO, everyone has a personal allowance which is the amount you earn before you pay tax, the Coalition put this up to £11,000 so if you are earning £11,000 or less you pay 0 tax! This is not debateable this is well known facts by anyone with a job.

Why then do i get a council tax bill every year? I'm getting about half of the lower limit (£11k as you say). Oh, right because i'm unemployed and have been for some time, therefore i don't deserve my money or whatever. Disregarding, of course, that unter the same coalition you're praising, the housing benefit got cut too. For those under 35 the maximum is about £60 per week, and there are no places to live that cost that low. I live on £30 per week after rent. Do you really think i can afford council tax too? Why is it that someone ages 34 is entitled to keep less money than someone ages 35? Needs are needs no matter how old someone is.

The figures from the unemployment rate are very skewed, reflecting only those claiming benefits. This doesn't take into account the sick, homeless, or those on the opposite end of the scale who are wealthy enough not to need benefits but who don't work. My point is that statistics can be manipulated into making someone look good.

Yes there we go, ignore the facts, if it doesn't fit into your narrative. Carry on spouting about how bad unemployment is then when your shown it's going down, just say well the stats are wrong, because you obviously know more about the country than the Independent Office of National Statistics.

I think it's you who is ignoring facts, about what those statistics really represent. You may know countrywide statistics, but i know the benefits system and long-term unemployment - and it's not though lack of trying.

As for the NHS issue, read what i put in the spoiler some posts above. That info was taken from an article in the Guardian, so if my info is wrong, blame them.