[Archived] The General Election 2015

[Al]

Sorry but if anybody asked me any questions on the last two pages I am away on holiday and have not had time to read them. See you in a fortnight and please don't tax my flights.

[Gav]

These all had a hand in writing the now infamous letter praising the Conservatives stance on corporation tax.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11507586/General-Election-2015-Labour-threatens-Britains-recovery-say-100-business-chiefs.html

The executives who have signed the Telegraph letter belong to retail companies including Primark, Iceland, Ladbrokes, Costa Coffee, Ted Baker, Mothercare and LK Bennett.

Consumer brands represented include Kingsmill, Cobra beer, Robinsons, Tango and London Pride.

Well-known signatories include Bob Dudley, the CEO of BP Plc, Tidjane Thiam, the CEO of Prudential Plc, and George Weston, the CEO of Associated British Foods, which own Primark, Silver Spoon, Kingsmill and Ovaltine.

So i assume now Gav that you won't use any of these brands? Difference is there are alternatives to these brands however if you are in a union you have no choice but to donate to the Labour party.

Take a look at Unison's (the union representing LCC) fees for joining their union,hardly a fair sliding scale.Why aren't they hammering the top earners? Isn't that the Labour mantra?

http://www.unison.org.uk/for-members/joining-unison/how-much-does-it-cost/

With all due respect bacup it was you that refused to join the union because they donate to labour, not me, I was just asking if you applied the same principles to the Tories?

[Sandiway Blue]

With all due respect bacup it was you that refused to join the union because they donate to labour, not me, I was just asking if you applied the same principles to the Tories?

Nope,i did vote for the Tories in the last election partly because of the principles and partly because of our MP Jake Berry.He has done a good job and is always available to help any problems constituents may have.His predecessor Janet Anderson who was our (Labour) MP for 18 years and did bugger all for Rossendale and Darwen and wasn't seen in the borough from one month to the next.

[Gav]

Good points, can't argue with any of that.

[jim mk2]

Nope,i did vote for the Tories in the last election partly because of the principles and partly because of our MP Jake Berry.He has done a good job and is always available to help any problems constituents may have.His predecessor Janet Anderson who was our (Labour) MP for 18 years and did bugger all for Rossendale and Darwen and wasn't seen in the borough from one month to the next.

And what principles would they be ?

I also assume from your anti-union stance that you turn down any pay offers and improvement in working conditions that it negotiates for you ?

[Sandiway Blue]

And what principles would they be ?

I also assume from your anti-union stance that you turn down any pay offers and improvement in working conditions that it negotiates for you ?

Do you mean the 1 per cent per year pay rise we've had for the last 3 years? Or the alternative shift allowance we had taken off us that they gallantly fought to keep (not!)? Remind me to send them a thank you card....

[jim mk2]

You should belong to the union. Besides government figures show that show union members get paid a hefty 15.6% more than non-unionised workers, unions also offer their members advice, support and representation if they are having a problem with their employer. Belonging to a union is about taking part and getting involved in the workplace.

Now what principles led to someone from Bacup voting for the party of fox hunting, hedge funds, billionaires, tax evaders and the south ?

[Sandiway Blue]

You should belong to the union. Besides government figures show that show union members get paid a hefty 15.6% more than non-unionised workers, unions also offer their members advice, support and representation if they are having a problem with their employer. Belonging to a union is about taking part and getting involved in the workplace.

Now what principles led to someone from Bacup voting for the party of fox hunting, hedge funds, billionaires, tax evaders and the south ?

You forget Jim, the days of workers not having rights are long gone.Unions are a thing of the past and have no power whatsoever.All they are fit for is lining the union bosses (current and ex) pockets.Care to comment on Scargill's cushy little pad? glad to see somebody came out of the miner's dispute ok because it certainly wasn't the poor buggers brainwashed by him and his ilk.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/arthur-scargill-ordered-to-pay-rent-as-he-loses-fight-to-have-union-pay-for-london-flat-for-life-8428774.html

[Mike E]

You forget Jim, the days of workers not having rights are long gone.Unions are a thing of the past and have no power whatsoever.All they are fit for is lining the union bosses (current and ex) pockets.Care to comment on Scargill's cushy little pad? glad to see somebody came out of the miner's dispute ok because it certainly wasn't the poor buggers brainwashed by him and his ilk.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/arthur-scargill-ordered-to-pay-rent-as-he-loses-fight-to-have-union-pay-for-london-flat-for-life-8428774.html

Teaching Unions are worth their weight in gold for the protection they offer against accusations from children and staff alike.

Not from my experience but the experience of easily 20 colleagues in 5 different schools in the last 2 years.

[Gav]

I was involved with a local union rep some years ago, he was brought in to negotiate our pay increase when a stalemate had been reached, I was acting on behalf of the lads in my dept after the shop steward had been involved in punch up with the works manager!

When this chap came in the company had offered 1.6% and 5 redundancies, when he left he'd negotiated 2.3% and 12 redundancies! To cut a long story short!

I was just out of my apprenticeship so didn't really have much of a say, but that was scandalous and I've never been in the union since.

True story.

[Sandiway Blue]

I was involved with a local union rep some years ago, he was brought in to negotiate our pay increase when a stalemate had been reached, I was acting on behalf of the lads in my dept after the shop steward had been involved in punch up with the works manager!

When this chap came in the company had offered 1.6% and 5 redundancies, when he left he'd negotiated 2.3% and 12 redundancies! To cut a long story short!

I was just out of my apprenticeship so didn't really have much of a say, but that was scandalous and I've never been in the union since.

Similar story to me Gav.for years i worked in shoe factories and as they started to close we were urged to join the Footwear union "To protect ourselves" They charged us a weekly fee and the companies still closed and we got no more than what we were entitled to.The union boss got a nice cushy number with a bigger union though.My experience is that unions are out to feather their own nests (Literally!).Some of the salaries that the union leaders are on are scandalous!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10176757/Union-leaders-enjoy-bumper-pay-hikes-and-golden-goodbyes.html

Hypocrisy at it's worst...

[jim mk2]

You forget Jim, the days of workers not having rights are long gone.Unions are a thing of the past and have no power whatsoever.All they are fit for is lining the union bosses (current and ex) pockets.Care to comment on Scargill's cushy little pad? glad to see somebody came out of the miner's dispute ok because it certainly wasn't the poor buggers brainwashed by him and his ilk.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/arthur-scargill-ordered-to-pay-rent-as-he-loses-fight-to-have-union-pay-for-london-flat-for-life-8428774.html

Britain has some of the harshest anti-trade union laws and weakest workers rights in Europe - and it won't get any better under this govt. It's also no coincidence that productivity in this country is low, which is connected to low wages and the weakening of union power. You might be interested to know that union membership has been rising for the past 2 years in both the public and private sectors.

Unions have been fantastic in my particular trade; we have always been relatively well paid with good conditions and that is down to the power of our union. The union also been very effective in fighting for workers who have been bullied by bosses and it has won cases through the courts. I would never work in any organisation without the protection of a union.

Now what principles led to someone from Bacup voting for the party of fox hunting, hedge funds, billionaires, tax evaders and the south ?

[Steve Moss]

Didn't IS come about as a consequence of discontent following the war in Iraq? A conflict caused by Tony Bliar on the back of the non existent 'Weapons of Mass Destruction'? Many believe that he was trying to recreate the 'Falklands Factor' which swept Margaret Thatcher to power and a massive majority for a second term. Certainly difficult to argue with.

btw food bank usage up? The word has simply got out about free food.

Here's an article which I think is pretty good on the WMD issue:

http://dailycaller.com/2015/05/18/stop-it-liberals-bush-didnt-lie-about-iraq-having-wmds/

Whatever one says about Bush, Blair, etc., I think they were right to go into Iraq and Afghanistan.

[Sandiway Blue]

Britain has some of the harshest anti-trade union laws and weakest workers rights in Europe - and it won't get any better under this govt. It's also no coincidence that productivity in this country is low, which is connected to low wages and the weakening of union power. You might be interested to know that union membership has been rising for the past 2 years in both the public and private sectors.

Unions have been fantastic in my particular trade; we have always been relatively well paid with good conditions and that is down to the power of our union. The union also been very effective in fighting for workers who have been bullied by bosses and it has won cases through the courts. I would never work in any organisation without the protection of a union.

Now what principles led to someone from Bacup voting for the party of fox hunting, hedge funds, billionaires, tax evaders and the south ?

I voted for a party that encourages people to work,encourages low taxation to let the economy grow ask any business leader which party they want in power and the majority will say conservatives.

I also voted for a party that wasn't going to increase my council tax every bloody year for the sake of (btw if we had kept Labour in power we would have been paying an extra £250 per year!).

Now about your opinion on the likes of Scargill and his comrades with their snouts in their union's coffers...

[jim mk2]

I voted for a party that encourages people to work,encourages low taxation to let the economy grow ask any business leader which party they want in power and the majority will say conservatives.

I also voted for a party that wasn't going to increase my council tax every bloody year for the sake of (btw if we had kept Labour in power we would have been paying an extra £250 per year!).

Now about your opinion on the likes of Scargill and his comrades with their snouts in their union's coffers...

Labour is the party of work - the clue is in the title. Business leaders generally want the Tories in power for entirely selfish reasons - they clamp down on workers rights and trade unions enabling them to pay themselves grotesque salaries while keeping workers' wages as low as possible.

I hope you enjoy your £250 lower council tax but don't expect essential public services to be there when you need them or expect to have to pay for them when you do. I had a graphic illustration of this recently when a Tory council pushed up day care centre charges from £3 to £50. If £250 is enough to sway you it proves you cannot see past the end of your own nose.

The reason people think Tory voters are inherently selfish individuals stems from Tory party policy. It is undeniable that Tory party policies over the last five years have massively favoured the rich, whilst loading the burden of austerity onto the backs of the poor and ordinary.

Thanks to Tory economic policies the wealthiest 1,000 families have literally doubled their wealth since the economic crisis, whilst ordinary working people have suffered the longest sustained decline in the value of their wages since records began.

Unless you're one of those daft people who think that voting Tory is going to make them rich your reasons for voting for them don't make any sense.

[den]

I voted for a party that encourages people to work,encourages low taxation to let the economy grow ask any business leader which party they want in power and the majority will say conservatives.

I also voted for a party that wasn't going to increase my council tax every bloody year for the sake of (btw if we had kept Labour in power we would have been paying an extra £250 per year!).

Now about your opinion on the likes of Scargill and his comrades with their snouts in their union's coffers...

Lower taxes under the Tories? How much has the rise of VAT to a record level cost you bacup? I think you're getting confused with lower taxes for millionaires, not for everyone else.

Another Cameron lie.

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/01/raise-vat-tax-tories

[Sandiway Blue]

Labour is the party of work - the clue is in the title. Business leaders generally want the Tories in power for entirely selfish reasons - they clamp down on workers rights and trade unions enabling them to pay themselves grotesque salaries while keeping workers' wages as low as possible.

As previously demonstrated Labour haven't acted in the interest of the working man since the 70's.Workers rights haven't deteriorated under the coalition and they won't do under direct Conservative rule.Third time of asking: Care to comment on Scargill and his cronies?

I hope you enjoy your £250 lower council tax but don't expect essential public services to be there when you need them or expect to have to pay for them when you do. I had a graphic illustration of this recently when a Tory council pushed up day care centre charges from £3 to £50. If £250 is enough to sway you it proves you cannot see past the end of your own nose.

Deterioration of public services started under Labour.Under their watch we went from having our bins emptied weekly to once a fortnight.There is a raft of road repairs being carried out right now in Rossendale due to years of neglect under the last Labour government.Had Labour not opened the doors to let half of Europe move in regardless of whether they work or not there wouldn't be such a strain on public services!

The reason people think Tory voters are inherently selfish individuals stems from Tory party policy. It is undeniable that Tory party policies over the last five years have massively favoured the rich, whilst loading the burden of austerity onto the backs of the poor and ordinary.

Had Labour not wasted money like it was going out of fashion during their term in office,we wouldn't be in as much of a mess in the first place!

Thanks to Tory economic policies the wealthiest 1,000 families have literally doubled their wealth since the economic crisis, whilst ordinary working people have suffered the longest sustained decline in the value of their wages since records began.

Unless you're one of those daft people who think that voting Tory is going to make them rich your reasons for voting for them don't make any sense.

Please explain how Labour would make me better off financially?

Every time you post Jim you remind me of 'Jilted John' - a bitter man derived of something that should be rightfully yours...

https://youtu.be/LTKORcr1jhY

[adopted scouser]

Every time you post Jim you remind me of 'Jilted John' - a bitter man derived of something that should be rightfully yours...

https://youtu.be/LTKORcr1jhY

Gordon WAS a moron

[jim mk2]

As previously demonstrated Labour haven't acted in the interest of the working man since the 70's.Workers rights haven't deteriorated under the coalition and they won't do under direct Conservative rule.Third time of asking: Care to comment on Scargill and his cronies?

Deterioration of public services started under Labour.Under their watch we went from having our bins emptied weekly to once a fortnight.There is a raft of road repairs being carried out right now in Rossendale due to years of neglect under the last Labour government.Had Labour not opened the doors to let half of Europe move in regardless of whether they work or not there wouldn't be such a strain on public services!

Had Labour not wasted money like it was going out of fashion during their term in office,we wouldn't be in as much of a mess in the first place!

Please explain how Labour would make me better off financially?

1. If you don't think the Tories aren't planning to clamp down on workers' right look up what Wes Brown-lookalike Sajid whatisname is planning

2. Public services were revived under Labour after 19 years of Tory misrule. I think you'll find road repairs have been postponed for the past 5 years because of austerity cuts.

3. The old saw of Labour spending - shown to be wrong time and time again.

4. Better public services that you don't have to pay for; as a public sector worker you might get a decent pay rise too.

I don't use the word "deluded lightly but you haven't got a clue.

On a lighter note, this is wonderful

http://www.hortweek.com/anti-conservative-garden-centre-goes-viral/retail/article/1346513

[Sandiway Blue]

1. If you don't think the Tories aren't planning to clamp down on workers' right look up what Wes Brown-lookalike Sajid whatisname is planning

2. Public services were revived under Labour after 19 years of Tory misrule. I think you'll find road repairs have been postponed for the past 5 years because of austerity cuts.

3. The old saw of Labour spending - shown to be wrong time and time again.

4. Better public services that you don't have to pay for; as a public sector worker you might get a decent pay rise too.

I don't use the word "deluded lightly but you haven't got a clue.

On a lighter note, this is wonderful

http://www.hortweek.com/anti-conservative-garden-centre-goes-viral/retail/article/1346513

5th time of asking: Scargill and chums? Cherry picking posts again John?

[jim mk2]

Just had a look at your link: obviously wrong. Does it matter ? Trade union officials in my experience are hard working people like the rest of us. They do a great job in my union and earn every penny of their not very large salaries.

[Sandiway Blue]

Just had a look at your link: obviously wrong. Does it matter ? Trade union officials in my experience are hard working people like the rest of us. They do a great job in my union and earn every penny of their not very large salaries.

From an independent site.Although it was published 2 years ago you get the gist.

http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/low-skilled-jobs-trade-unions-david-goodhart

[Baz]

You'll certainly welcome George Osbornes proposed July Budget then.

From the Guardian....."Osborne will say in the budget that the Conservatives intend to adopt a fair and balanced approach to deficit reduction, and that the package will include ringfencing spending on the NHS while cutting £13bn from other Whitehall departments. The budget will also include a fresh crackdown on tax avoidance designed to raise £5bn."

Now I might have missed it but I'm rather surprised you haven't praised this move to high heaven because you have been banging on about bringing people to book tax avoidance and tax evasion for bloody years.

The thing is Theno, Osborne has been talking at every single budget about his soon to be announced tax avoidance policies, after 5 years Im doubting his enthusiasm.

[ABBEY]

OUR Gordon WAS a I IS A moron

HEE HEE

Trade union officials in my experience are hard working people like the rest of us. They do a great job in my union and earn every penny of their not very large salaries.

HERE HERE

[thenodrog]

So you're unwilling to join a union because they donate to Labour, don't blame you, do you adopt the same principle to Tory donors?

I guess so gav...... you aren't in the Tory donors union are you Bacup?

You can't teach an old dog new tricks ultrablue

Cameron was hauled over the coals regarding food banks by Paxman, had no answers and basically refused to answer any questions about it, doubt you'll get his supporters to acknowledge they even exist.

Told you before I'd ban em. There is no need for such cos proper food is 'cheap as chips'. imo they are just a political invention.