Your response to Labour’s manifesto

Comment by Arthur Complainer on April 12, 2010 at 2:40 pm

Labour lost the plot the minute they abandoned Ken Clarke’s fiscal policies. Ken Clarke is King of Cool – we want to see more of Ken Clarke, he’s one of the few statesment left in British politics.

Comment by Paul Brooks on April 12, 2010 at 5:14 pm

What is most startling is the fact they have identified the fact they have wasted money and now have the temerity to ask the British people to trust them again with the economy. If it was a business, they would be sacked for incompetence.

Comment by Bryn Towns on April 12, 2010 at 6:21 pm

Labour’s biggest issue is credibility – or rather, the lack thereof. Having promised a referendum on the treaty and reneged on that issue alone, how is anybody to believe anything in their latest manifesto?

Socialism is a failed philosophy and the sooner Britain moves away from this lilly-livered, limp-wristed leftist approach, the sooner it will get back on its feet.

Looking at the average Labour supporter I am struck by the number that have bought into the victim mentality that socialism under Labour has propogated – eg the 13 stone 10 year old who’s mother declares on tv that ‘the government didn’t tell me if I fed him pizza all day he would get fat’. It is this type of rampant stupidity that socialism promotes – total abdication of responsibility and, incidentally, something Labour is good at – problems are always ‘Global Problems’ or some other such obfuscatory nonsense.

Despite all declarations by Labour to the contrary, socialism isn’t ‘enabling’, indeed it is a pernicious and destructive belief system that slowly erodes away personal responsibility and promotes dependence on – guess who – the state.

In steps Labour telling all their brainwashed followers how it is right to redistribute wealth to make society ‘more even’ and other such nonsenses. Take from those better off than you – a desperate appeal to the lowest common denominator in society – envy. How pathetic.

What we should be doing is fostering the entrepreneurial spirit in everyone and investing in the establishment of small businesses. This would be a far better use of time and funds than the current wasteages on fat cat civil servants – government stooges that spend far too much time doing – not too much from what I have seen in the local NHS foundation trust.

The reality is that the Civil service is not an income generating body, indeed it is purely a drain on the public purse being dependent on tax revenues for its existence.

Sucking increasing numbers into civil service jobs is just another ploy to make as many people as possible state dependent and a covert attempt to shore up votes for Labour – how ridiculously obvious this has become.

The true value creators in society are private sector businesses – small, medium and large.

Entrepreneurs that elect not to become state dependent dummies but stand up and be counted.

It is time to empower people to be self-sufficient, have self-belief, some national pride, act and make things happen.

Let’s stop majoring in mediocrity, throw off the victim mentality stand up and be counted – VOTE CONSERVATIVE!

Comment by Tanya Headley on April 12, 2010 at 8:02 pm

I have noticed one thing, there isn’t a forum like this one over at the labour party website. I guess they are too frightened of what people will say.

Had them around my door campaigning today, and they couldn’t tell me if they would help someone like me who is trying to help themselves but has big obstacles in their way.

Comment by Jon Garrett on April 12, 2010 at 10:07 pm

The picture of the family looking over the fields, with the city deep in the background says a lot for me.

A rural Britain. Without farmhouses, barns, or sheds; without tractors or combine harvesters; no farmers or people working in the fields.

Labour’s vision of rural Britain is one without agriculture, and without any other form of rural industry. Without jobs – just there for weekend jaunts of city dwellers.

How out of touch are they with rural life?

And as for that blue field!!!

Comment by Ian on April 12, 2010 at 11:31 pm

Greg I’m not sure you can blame a global recession on Labour, and pin it as a broken manifesto promise. Come on….

The horrible national debt is the real issue, and the underlying desire for relentless growth, even if that growth is unsustainable and costly for future generations.

I’ll be interested to see if this comment gets posted. Like Tanya says there isn’t an open forum on Labour’s website, but this is of course a moderated comment board…Lets see.

Comment by Andrea Caron on April 13, 2010 at 12:02 am

What is really striking about their manifesto is their “promises” n the economy. I could not read a single plan of action in order to recover from this recession we are going through. Everything they propose is so vague.
I am Italian and I have been living herefor the last six years. I am voting Conservative!

Comment by Nick Entwistle on April 13, 2010 at 7:07 am

I am sick and tired of Labour refering to people as ordinary and I am sick of them refering to themselves as “the political class”, we are all in it together and nobody is ordinary!

Comment by William Carver on April 13, 2010 at 8:08 am

I’m just about to sit down and read it properly but flicking through I did notice that, with the usual ineptitude of government when it comes to IT policy, they’d got megabytes and megabits confused. THe net result is that they’ve promised 16.8 mb/sec connections to everyone in the country by 2012, one hell of a pledge given that most copper wire connections will struggle to get beyond about 1.5 – 2. Is this Labour secret spending project to replace the entire telephone system for the whole country in 18 months????

PS Greg, the very best of luck in the election, I was a constituent of yours until recently and was very impressed by the way you handled yourself.

Comment by Bill Fox on April 13, 2010 at 8:59 am

The real issue is the continuing belief from Labour that the economy means the state. They are so wound up in protecting the public sector that they are content to let the real economy pay/suffer/contract. Mind numbing.

Comment by Ben on April 13, 2010 at 9:39 am

It is ok publishing this manifeso, but do we really believe in what Labour say in this? Will they actually do these things? I think not.
And another thing is, who voted for Gordon Brown? NOBODY! So why is he in power? I think that is a massive reason why we shouldnt vote for Labour! There should be some law for changing prime ministers. I have always been a conservative voter and will be voting again!
And in response to “Tanya Headley” about them coming round your door. I emailed our local Labour MP and too he couldn’t help me, so he decided to email me their manifesto so i could read about the other things Labour has to offer.

Comment by James Mac on April 13, 2010 at 9:44 am

I am disappointed that we have allowed Gordon Brown to get away with his outrageous claim that the banking crisis is a global problem which has hit every country in the G7 and G20. That is patently untrue!

The reason the UK has been hit so badly is because Brown removed regulatory control from the Bank of England and handed it to the FSA who were manifestly ill-equipped/inexperienced on banking matters. In contrast other major countries, notably Canada kept regulatory control with the Bank of Canada. As a result, and I quote:

“Canada has the world’s soundest banking system, closely followed by Sweden, Luxembourg and Australia, a survey by the World Economic Forum has found as financial crisis and bank failures shake world markets.”

You may also like to refer to Stephanie Flanders’ review which pointed out that the “Goody Two-Shoes” of the Western World is Canada where the domestic banks have not needed to borrow even one cent from the government.

I am in the fortunate position of having two children who are now Canadian citizens. They both have young families. They have absolutely no problem in getting a mortgage or a loan for business purposes. Mortgage terms are of course very old-fashioned such as offering no more than 70% of house value and no more that four times income.

I have worked in banking and, for a time, on secondment to HM Treasury so I feel reasonably confident in asserting that the reason for the banking crisis and the country’s mountain of debt is largely down to Brown’s monumental blunder in taking regulatory control away from the Bank of England.

I trust that David will not miss the opportunity to make this clear in the forthcoming debates.

Best wishes

James

Comment by Anthony Reading on April 13, 2010 at 9:49 am

The Labour Government have claimed for 13 years that our tax pounds were/would be used efficiently. This was trumpeted when Gordon Brown destroyed the pensions of thousands in his first budget.
We are now being told that they can save the economy by making efficiency savings, either they have lied for 13 years about being efficient or they are lying now.

Comment by Paul Mateo on April 13, 2010 at 10:07 am

Labour’s manifesto allows voting age to be reduced to 16 and it is very annoying so we want the voting age retain at 18. Labour’s manifesto on the economy recovery is killing the entire british people and Gordon Brown is too old and out of touch. Also the current Labour logo is a red background on a white rose would damage Labour’s chances of winning this election.

Comment by Gary on April 13, 2010 at 10:38 am

I cannot beleive the labour party who, can argue have not directly created the recession, but did not prepare us for any downturn. Its like a business not putting any money aside for a rainy day. But even worse when the rain comes, they just keep spending as if nothing is going wroing.
I also struggle with this notion put forward by the Labour party that not raising NI will take £6BN out of the economy, a sentance repeated several times by Gordon Brown. Why does the £6BN disappear if it isnt given to the government in tax. Surely the businesses retaining this money will reinvest it in their business by buying goods and services and therefore promoting the economy. This clearly demonstrates that Gordon Brown sees the only economy being the Government and not everyone else. Never mind the fact that business will invest and spend this money many times more efficiently than any government

Comment by Simon on April 13, 2010 at 10:42 am

What scares me most about the Labour Manifesto for 2010 can be evidenced by their new ASBO Scheme to deal with social problems that the community feels aren’t being dealt with “quick enough” by the local authorities and Police.
That which I reference says that individuals should have the right to private legal aid, SUPPORTED BY PUBLIC MONEY, to seek an alternative to managing social problems through the local authorities and Police. The major problem with this is that instead of tackling the problem with the local authorites and Police that exist, the Party want to offer an expensive solution/scheme that seeks to postpone the problems our local authorities and Police may currently be enduring. It’s a frivolous waste of money … and has no long term benefit.
It again shows that the Labour government puts fairness and equality BEFORE society – which is absurd! We wouldn’t have a society with which to make fair and equal if there is no money to support it. They should fix the problems they’re creating instead of creating Aunt Sally/Strawman solutions that “distract” voters away from their incompetency … And this is not an isolated practice. It seems to be their fundamental and essential method of implementation and practice.
“Vote for Change” – Vote Conservative, I say.

Comment by Steve Read on April 13, 2010 at 11:18 am

Whilst I support the other comments, I am surprised at the lack of comparison that is being published with regard to how Ken Clark left this country’s finances in such a strong position and the dismal state of the finances that Gordan Brown has achieved.

History showing the comparison between the Conservative achievements and the Labour waste must be a very powerful argument.

Reminding the nation of the way in which Gordon Brown sold the gold reserves, raided the pensions and wasted money is a clear message that more time with Gordon Brown in office will be a fiscal disaster for us all.

There is now a clear correlation between his increased expenditure and the cuts now essential to return the economy to health, and the electorate need to be clearly told who is responsible.

Comment by Jonty H. Campbell on April 13, 2010 at 1:40 pm

Is it just me or does the cover of New Labour’s Manifesto have an uncomfortable CCCP or creepy Brave New World undertone to it?

Comment by John Pratten on April 13, 2010 at 1:44 pm

Government Waste – I received in the post today a double glossy folder, which cost goodness knows how much, entitled ‘The Compact on Relations between Government and the Third Sector in England’. I hope, when the Conservatives are in power, you will seal the fates of this Quango and many others that are wasting taxpayers’ money?

Comment by Eddie on April 13, 2010 at 2:14 pm

Agree with most comments here. Are the conservatives going to stop abuses like this ?

“The Davey family’s £815-a-week state handouts pay for a four-bedroom home, top-of-the-range mod cons and two vehicles including a Mercedes people carrier.
Father-of-seven Peter gave up work because he could make more living on benefits.
Yet he and his wife Claire are still not happy with their lot.
With an eighth child on the way, they are demanding a bigger house, courtesy of the taxpayer. ” in todays mail

Comment by Peter Gardner on April 13, 2010 at 4:49 pm

We have had 13 years of labour and the joker Brown only what he has done for this country is tax the british worker to pay for people such as The Davey family. David says time for a change I sincerly hope that the change would apply to famlies such as the above claming benefits. I will be voting for David Cammeron because I know that he will restore my faith in this country. LETS BOOT OUT LABOUR ON THE 6TH OF MAY

Comment by Peter Taylor on April 13, 2010 at 5:23 pm

The Tories handed labour an economy in pretty good shape, (banks were at least at a proportionate size for the economy). Labour had lost the argument and had to commit themselves to Tory spending plans to get elected. Labour have now buggered it up again – (debt!)

So how does the Labour spin machine get away with persuading the public it’s the Tories who can’t be trusted with the economy??

Comment by Peter Taylor on April 13, 2010 at 5:31 pm

The biggest problem the Tories face is the coordinated lying of Labour ministers – every one of them repeating the same scripted misinformation until it sinks into the public consciousness. Labour’s improvement in the polls seems to have coincided with the return to the scene of Alistair Campbell!

Comment by Gregory Hudson on April 13, 2010 at 6:49 pm

1.

My Invitation

Thank you to Mr Cameron for his kind invitation having been a labour supporter for the last 19 years I find myself in a postion to choose who I want in government not someone that was offered the job from a friend who destroyed the country sold us down the river then made his millions giving speaches about problems that he turned his back on. So the conservatives seem a viable choice or so I am led to believe been a gay man I’m told to be wary of the “tories” even though they are promises of gay support but is all this just a call to get votes and then we are stuck with a government for 5 years. My main question for anyone seeking my vote is “what are you going to do to tackle the real issues that concern people?”

Leeds has high unemployment most residences struggling coping with debts most been asked to survive on £64.30 a week with no chance of claiming for duck houses while bankers and MP’s are complaining for pay increases and more bonuses. So I ask myself the question why should I respond to the call of arms to beat labour and will the conservatives do any better my experiences have taught me a great deal the waste of space of staff in job centers the lack of help and support for people in real need and dispare and as I seek other peoples views I find I am not alone so I make this challenge to The Conservative party and Mr Cameron show me you mean business stand by what you say fight for the rights of the disadvantaged help build the broken communites not by posh words but by action. I’m sure I speak for several of the people of leeds who live below the breadline bring the banks to heal stop them charging extortionate fees sort the benefit and cut the red tape allow people to speak to someone face to face. like someone said to me I will help them if they help me and that is true of most of us.

Comment by J Richmond on April 13, 2010 at 6:51 pm

Its simple I want to be proud of the intelligence and statesmen like qualities of the government who represent us on The Foreign stage. I never want to see a Deputy leader hitting someone in the street again regardless of the provocation, equally I want a return to feelings of individual responsibility and being tough on crime and health policy should mean we return to discretion by our Police officers and Doctors to use their expertise not focus on paperwork to please the bureaucrats. We will crticise whatever goverment gains power as to clear the debt its going to be tough. I wait with baited breath for the debate ,however what I am hoping is that Mr Brown shows his temper as usual and the dignity and determination of Mr Cameron will again shine through. Labour have crimiinalised our young people and abandoned our pensioners. We need a Government to lead by example for a change and I believe that is Conservative.

Comment by Garry Clarke on April 13, 2010 at 7:02 pm

Thank you for allowing me to read some of the interesting comments by respondents . I for one tend to agree with the concept of fairness and equality before society, any society should have enshrined in its belief system the importance of those principles for all within that society . I for one would hope to have equal rights,protection and responsibilities towards that society that help it to flourish and if fairness and equality are absent in its constitution then i would not want anything to do with it !

Comment by Phil on April 13, 2010 at 8:08 pm

The labour government throw the word “billions” around without so much as a by-your-leave. Let’s get down to brass tacks. In the financial year just ended their borrowing was £167billion – yes they they spent £167billion more than their income for the year – or £457.5million per day – or £19m per hour – or £320k per minute – £5300 per second. Every minute of every day this tawdry government spent £320k more than it received in income. What incompetence! For every £3 of income they spent over £4. It has got to stop! Thankfully the British public will realise this and will put a stop to this – starting on 7th May. They will show “BORN DO WRONG” (anag Gordon Brown) the door. At least we have to admit that Brown was right – though perhaps he misplaced the punctuation – he said he would bring “an end to BOOM and, (low and behold) we are BUST”. Go on George (Osbourne) sock this message to them. The Labour party try to portray you as not having the experience – so show you are made of the same stuff as Kenneth (Clarke) and that you will reintroduce his fiscal policies and put the Great back in Great Britain.

Comment by Tom I Balmain on April 13, 2010 at 9:11 pm

What we should be making loud and clear this country is in a mess because we have had 13 years of a socialist government under Tony Blair and now under Gordon Brown.

We should have more police on the beat rather PCSOs and get rid of 95% of form filling and hand down proper sentencing. I agree we should have the power to sack the Chief Constable and the Head Master and I would put hospital wards under the control of Matrons and get rid of these unelected Health Trusts who waste money which should be spent on the patients.

Some Thatcher medicine would go down a treat just now

Comment by Nab Battersea on April 13, 2010 at 10:30 pm

The Labour Party Manifesto is nothing but a joke. Thanks to this Govornment Party, which is the Labour Part Britain has believed that they had it so good. But this has not lasted for a very long, and that has been proven just in the couple of years that has passed. People now should start to believe in reality and not fantasy and to stop trusting the Labour.

The Labour party has said that he will help the youth back to employment. He had 13 years to do that but failed. Youth crimes in gun crimes knife crimes as risen since they came to power. The immigration has gotten out of control. This country has had a real record high of unwanted immigrant. Also the banking system has been a real disaster. No control in borrowing which i call binge borrowing has lead the country to a complete disaster. Taxes and council taxes has risen, house prices has not just double but has exceed it the limit. Now young people cannot get into the property ladder thanks to all this. The policing is a real major concern. So many police officers that had not the real professional and good training. Waisting times in arresting inoncent people and letting the criminals going out free.

The Labour has said nothing about trying to change how policing should work in this country.

The Labour has said nothing about cutting taxes or council tax etc.. Instead they have decided to raise Taxes in fuel and spirit

I think Britain need a real big change and cannot trust the Labour party to take the country for another 5 years disaster.

Comment by Paul Griffiths on April 13, 2010 at 10:54 pm

A labour supporter since getting interested in politics during school. I stood on the miners picket lines in 1984.

Not any more Mr. Brown. The British public have had enough of being sold down the river, ripped off and lied to.

The worm has turned and the conservatives have my vote now. And how refreshing to hear Mr Cameron talk today of a new approach to politics. Inclusive and all encompassing. Well done.

Comment by Julian Davies on April 13, 2010 at 11:53 pm

I wsatched the speech by Gordon Brown at the launch of the Labour manifesto on Monday. I could not believe that in front of Gordon Brown was a sign that read A Future Fair For All. That statement and Gordon Brown do not go together, if we retained a Labour government after May 6th there would be no future. We need a Conservative government to halt the rot and put this country back on track to prosperity. David, You Have My Vote for sure

Comment by Hannah Courtney on April 13, 2010 at 11:58 pm

I am a mother of two children , studying for my degree with the ou and work ing as a teaching assistant . I have always taken a interest in politics from a distance , but i am so concerned and totally amazed that the polls don’t seem to be showing a clear lead to the conservatives that i feel compelled to speak out . I am hoping that people realise how many new and imaginative ideas the conservatives have . I was involved in guding for many years and other charity orgainisations and they really do make local society form and work and being involved as a young person made me realise how giving of a small amount of time can be so helpful to others and rewarding to myself ,I sincerely hope that people stop and think about the ideas behind the big society campagin and i hope more than anything that people realise that it seems David Cameron could be a Prime minister who has a modern approach with some amazing new ideas ,but who wants to use the best of proven traditional society building ideas and values aswell .Good luck to all and i hope for the future of this country and my family that everyone votes conservative on May the 6th .

Comment by David on April 14, 2010 at 1:16 am

I will not vote for the labour party, or Gordan Brown who put him self as prime ministers with out one vote from the Public, after Tony Blair and bush add taken us all in to a war we did not need, now with about 300 men Dead and you want to be voted back in, no way it is time for a change, my vote is for the Conservative party and Mr David Cameron.

Comment by David Knight on April 14, 2010 at 11:14 pm

I agree totally with the comments so far and I hope more and more people give serious consideration to all the excellent points raised. I particularly welcome comments from life long labour supporters who are coming over to the conservative side. We desperately need a government by the only party that has a TRACK RECORD of cleaning up a socialist dogs dinner and that is the conservative party. Good luck to DC tomorrow…he would do well to read some of the wise comments in this blog as preparation.

Comment by Nick Murphy on April 16, 2010 at 10:26 pm

For all the noise about NI increases and the state of the UK’s Finances – one of the most important issues to the maintstream is that of Council Tax. This has more than tripled under labour and the Libdems appear to have forgotten about it. If you really want to win this election then a promise to change this unfair tax would be a winner – by the way I get Council Tax relief so it make littel difference to me but I hear what others opinions are. Get some “Brownie” points

Comment by toc toc mamta on April 18, 2010 at 6:10 pm

Well I suggest to have a good law to protect the British teams in a whole .When we see what is happening to Liverpool F.C. .The British have the legitimate right to be afraid of their teams .As a Liverpool fan I urge Mr D.Cameron to have proper laws set up.One cannot buy something for nothing and make collosal amount of money out of British tax payers…

Comment by Mike Houston on April 19, 2010 at 11:40 pm

I believe that GB has not been held to account for the massive government deficit before the banking crisis happened. UK’s problem was we where running a 4% of GDP deficit before the recession hit and GB has just spent like crazy ever since. Every labour MP saved will have cost the British taxpayers Billions of £’s plus interest. That is the real scandal not people flipping there houses