08-08-2020, 02:30 PM
102
Re: Miriam's Opinion of Boris
Originally Posted by The Artful Todger
->
OK, what did Labour and then Militant / Labour achieve that was so laudable?
New labour greatly improved the infrastructure of the country, with huge healthcare and schools investment. Improved conditions for teachers, nurses and doctors. Suddenly the country was thriving, we were "Cool Britannia" with increased creativity and new inward investments. They introduced the national minimum wage and improved working conditions. In terms of the world of work there was a whole new era of sweeping change to old fuddy-duddy establishments and a new increased efficiency. So they must have freed up the market. The country became a global competitor again.
Can they be blamed for the collapse of Lehman brothers and the subsequent outfall? Well we may not have been impacted so greatly had we not freed up the market for financial services, but it's hard to say. Thatcher deregulated the industry. Blair didn't reverse that. They just didn't do complex. It was more light touch adjustments, details were out of fashion. But those who criticise didn't complain when they saw nice fat pensions and investments.
08-08-2020, 05:00 PM
103
Re: Miriam's Opinion of Boris
Blair broke Britain. Brown broke the economy. Those old fuddy duddy establishments provided the safety measures that ensured government responsibility for the health of sterling and government liability. Blair exploited PFI's that had been introduced as an emergency solution to provide the neglected infrastructure that the Thatcher government faced and as for the minimum wage, that has been counterproductive in spades. Then there was the traitorous failure to defend the part of the UK on the island of Ireland. That alone is unforgivable. There was NOTHING that New Labour under Blair and Brown did that was worth the horrendous cost. And what did they leave behind.A broken nation and a massive debt.
08-08-2020, 06:50 PM
104
Re: Miriam's Opinion of Boris
Originally Posted by The Artful Todger
->
Blair broke Britain. Brown broke the economy. Those old fuddy duddy establishments provided the safety measures that ensured government responsibility for the health of sterling and government liability. Blair exploited PFI's that had been introduced as an emergency solution to provide the neglected infrastructure that the Thatcher government faced and as for the minimum wage, that has been counterproductive in spades. Then there was the traitorous failure to defend the part of the UK on the island of Ireland. That alone is unforgivable. There was NOTHING that New Labour under Blair and Brown did that was worth the horrendous cost. And what did they leave behind.A broken nation and a massive debt.
You misunderstood what I meant by fuddy duddy establishments. If you have ever watched the life and times of reginald Perrin, that's the type of organisation I was talking about. Sunshine Desserts sums up what was wrong with British business. Thatcher sold off everything and then had money for nothing. Who created the recession of 1991? Not Blair.
Financial controls were removed by Thatcher. Blair simply didn't reinstate. That was the mistake of New Labour but who could have imagined the mortgage securities fiasco would leave the world bankrupt. PFIs were created by Major, Blair just expanded them. PFIs look like a great solution to people who have absolutely no understanding of financial risk. (or if they want a quick fix). Some PFIs are ok, but many were negotiated by people who had no clue about what they were agreeing who disappeared with a fat cat cheque before the dust settled.
So these were all Tory projects/ Tory mistakes. NB the Tories didn't stop new PFIs after they came to power. It's like interest only mortgages. They look good for the short term but cost twice as much in reality.
I'm sure a number of private pensions are supported by some of these PFI arrangements.
Ref NI are you talking about the Good Friday agreement? Beyond my knowledge so perhaps you could explain? Although it's helpful that the IRA are no longer bombing civilians here.
08-08-2020, 06:57 PM
105
Re: Miriam's Opinion of Boris
Originally Posted by The Artful Todger
->
Blair broke Britain. Brown broke the economy. Those old fuddy duddy establishments provided the safety measures that ensured government responsibility for the health of sterling and government liability. Blair exploited PFI's that had been introduced as an emergency solution to provide the neglected infrastructure that the Thatcher government faced and as for the minimum wage, that has been counterproductive in spades. Then there was the traitorous failure to defend the part of the UK on the island of Ireland. That alone is unforgivable. There was NOTHING that New Labour under Blair and Brown did that was worth the horrendous cost. And what did they leave behind.A broken nation and a massive debt.
Well said.Yes, I too lived through the BLiar and Brown years, and can attest to everything you say.
Of course, some responsibility must lie with the loony lefties who voted them into government. Thankfully, they now seem to be a dying breed. Sadly, it takes the thickos a long time to realise!
08-08-2020, 07:03 PM
106
Re: Miriam's Opinion of Boris
Originally Posted by JBR
->
Well said.Yes, I too lived through the BLiar and Brown years, and can attest to everything you say.
Of course, some responsibility must lie with the loony lefties who voted them into government. Thankfully, they now seem to be a dying breed. Sadly, it takes the thickos a long time to realise!
08-08-2020, 07:11 PM
107
Re: Miriam's Opinion of Boris
Originally Posted by AnnieS
->
Steady on. They were hardly loony left. The loony left was in the 80s and more recently with Momentum .
How would you describe the left-wing union leaders? People like that idiot by the name of Scargill (embarrassingly, a Yorkshire man) who, through his actions led to the eventual closure of all British coal mines. They've done as much as anyone to drag the country down, and I'm afraid that they still haven't gone away.
08-08-2020, 07:11 PM
108
Re: Miriam's Opinion of Boris
You and I will NEVER agree where politics are concerned. For one thing I am a free market capitalist and believe firmly that the only responsibility government has is to try to ensure that the essentials of life are provided to those in real need - and nothing more.08-08-2020, 08:36 PM
109
Re: Miriam's Opinion of Boris
Originally Posted by JBR
->
It depends on who you call the loony left.How would you describe the left-wing union leaders? People like that idiot by the name of Scargill (embarrassingly, a Yorkshire man) who, through his actions led to the eventual closure of all British coal mines. They've done as much as anyone to drag the country down, and I'm afraid that they still haven't gone away.
08-08-2020, 08:37 PM
110
Re: Miriam's Opinion of Boris
Originally Posted by The Artful Todger
->
You and I will NEVER agree where politics are concerned. For one thing I am a free market capitalist and believe firmly that the only responsibility government has is to try to ensure that the essentials of life are provided to those in real need - and nothing more.
|
|
