General Election 2015: Voting intentions & general discussion

[Osem]

They don't like being reminded of the oil price and just how far in the mire they'd now be if they'd won the referendum either. Can't think why...

[richard s]

Are the Tory's proposing to cut 2000 Nurses from the NHS!

The Tories are proposing to increase NHS spending by £8 billion over the next 5 years. It's hard to see how they would be looking for those kinds of staffing cuts at the same time.

Where have you heard that particular rumour?

Originally Posted by Media Boy

What about them not voting (Like me)?

Fine! Just don't come here whinging about who does get into power.

[nomadking]

If the Scots are that interested in the welfare of England, perhaps the outdated and flawed Barnett formula should be scrapped.

What is wrong with basing funding the same way as done with the English counties? That still factors various things in related to needs. Of course that would leave the Scots will one or two billion less to spend.

[richard s]

Originally Posted by Chris

The Tories are proposing to increase NHS spending by £8 billion over the next 5 years. It's hard to see how they would be looking for those kinds of staffing cuts at the same time.

Where have you heard that particular rumour?

The Daily Mirror.

[denphone]

Tories still ahead of Labour in latest Guardian/ICM poll.

The Guardian’s latest projection of all polls, updated to include today’s ICM, sees Labour and the Conservatives still virtually tied (Miliband’s party is on 271 seats, Cameron’s on 270). The SNP are projected to win 55 of Scotland’s 59 seats, the Lib Dems 28 and Ukip four seats.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...rdian-icm-poll

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by Chris

Just heard Martha Kerney taking Stuart Hosie (SNP) apart on WATO. Very entertaining.

They reply don't like being reminded that education and health spending in Scotland has grown more slowly than it has in England since 2007.

Didn't think Martha played hardball enough though as Hosie was definitely uncomfortable. Probably that left wing sympathy at the Beeb stopped her going for the jugular.

Originally Posted by richard s

The Daily Mirror.

About as reliable as the internet rumour mill then.

Let's see: Ed "Two kitchens" promises thousands of nurses but only £2.5m a year. DC promises £8m a year but you believe there'll be nurse number cuts under a Tory government because the Mirror says so.

[denphone]

l think we have to take what most newspapers say with a pinch of salt and form our own opinion and views based on thought out rational thinking.

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by denphone

l think we have to take what most newspapers say with a pinch of salt and form our own opinion and views based on thought out rational thinking.

Quite so. Unlike (we are assured ) broadcasting media that is supposed to be party neutral, newspapers on the other hand, support particular parties or ideologies and some others flip-flop between parties. To rely upon a single publication is to get a very narrow perspective.

Whilst I buy a popular red-top (mostly for its entertainment value) and sometimes quote from it doesn't mean I swallow its editorial stance without question. After all it was full gung-ho when Hague wanted to bash Syria and I was completely opposed to that.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

About as reliable as the internet rumour mill then.

Let's see: Ed "Two kitchens" promises thousands of nurses but only £2.5m a year. DC promises £8m a year but you believe there'll be nurse number cuts under a Tory government because the Mirror says so.

Got it in one!

I continue to be amazed by those who keep saying the NHS is not safe with the Tories when it was Labour who oversaw Mid Staffs and tried to surpress the information. It was Labour who 're-negotiated' the doctor's contracts without thinking about the patients, resulting in the A&E crisis because patients can no longer get surgery appointments when they need them. It was Labour who went for the PFI initiative which has crippled hospitals with ridiculous maintenance payments (have you seen what they charge to change a light bulb?). It was Labour who said David Cameron's proposal to increase spending on the NHS was 'irresponsible' at the beginning of this Parliament.

Whereas, David Cameron is still committed to putting in £8 billion to the NHS, far exceeding anything that Labour is proposing, he has taken out a whole layer of bureaucracy that was the Primary Care Trusts and put it into doctors and nurses and when things go wrong at a local level, it gets addressed rather than swept under the carpet. He is pledging 7 day opening of surgeries. That will reduce A&E waiting times substantially.

And yet you cannot shake people from this old fashioned and no longer relevant belief that the NHS is safer with Labour.

What tosh! If Labour get back, I can't think how the hospitals will deteriorate under them. I'm guessing that drinking water out of vases might be the least of the controversies! Will they still be able to afford vases under Labour? They will be drinking out of toilets if the vases disappear.

I know who I trust, and it ain't Labour, who have run out of ideas and the ability to care. All they seem to worry about is tick boxes and increasing bureaucracy when they should be concentrating on improving medical services for people.

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Whereas, David Cameron is still committed to putting in £8 billion to the NHS, far exceeding anything that Labour is proposing, he has taken out a whole layer of bureaucracy that was the Primary Care Trusts and put it into doctors and nurses and when things go wrong at a local level, it gets addressed rather than swept under the carpet. He is pledging 7 day opening of surgeries. That will reduce A&E waiting times substantially.

Do you not find it weird that the Tories have sudden promised £8 billion more for the NHS, haven't said where it's coming from, whilst Labour aren't promising to match it? I am dubious about that £8 billion. It just seems to have been conjured out of no where out of a panic that they're not moving ahead in the polls.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Osem

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...as-claims.html

The BBC commissioned ICM and didn't know the details or just refused to confirm them? Has ICM come up with any answers? Does ICM always get the job? Maybe the perceived 'bias' was due to all the Tory supporters in the audience having nothing to cheer about because DC stayed well clear...

Just found this in the Mail:



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz3XqcW3aCh

Funny thing is I have left wing persuasions but am wavering towards voting conservative. Depends how selfish I feel on polling day as they definitely offer me the best deal for right now, if not I'll go green. Says a lot for the other parties that I can't find a socialist party to vote for. In fact it's been that way since I turned 18 having never voted labour.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

Funny thing is I have left wing persuasions but am wavering towards voting conservative. Depends how selfish I feel on polling day as they definitely offer me the best deal for right now, if not I'll go green. Says a lot for the other parties that I can't find a socialist party to vote for. In fact it's been that way since I turned 18 having never voted labour.

I don't think you are alone. I think Labour have lost their way, and people are beginning to realise that without a buoyant economy, you can't afford the socialist ideals they espouse (and fail to deliver).

---------- Post added at 16:19 ---------- Previous post was at 16:16 ----------

Originally Posted by Damien

Do you not find it weird that the Tories have sudden promised £8 billion more for the NHS, haven't said where it's coming from, whilst Labour aren't promising to match it? I am dubious about that £8 billion. It just seems to have been conjured out of no where out of a panic that they're not moving ahead in the polls.

Not really, Damien, they have protected the NHS up to now by improving the economy and cutting back bureaucracy and the crazy benefits system. They have proved they can make savings and the scale of the problem is now much reduced. Add to that the benefits of growth, and you've got it.

Labour under their present leadership are economically illiterate and really don't have a clue because they just don't know how to manage an economy efficiently. They say they will take longer paying off the deficit, which means the debt we have to pay back will increase substantially, so there will be no money to make things better under their stewardship.

The current Labour leadership is shameful and the sooner they get their acts together to be able to promise people genuinely better public services, the better. They have a long way to go.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

Didn't think Martha played hardball enough though as Hosie was definitely uncomfortable. Probably that left wing sympathy at the Beeb stopped her going for the jugular.




About as reliable as the internet rumour mill then.

Let's see: Ed "Two kitchens" promises thousands of nurses but only £2.5m a year. DC promises £8m a year but you believe there'll be nurse number cuts under a Tory government because the Mirror says so.

Less so I'd say - talk about a rag.