UK Politics

The younger generation have no idea what the real world is. They think they do, wait till they have the wisdom of decades of life under their belt. You don't see the cultural problems facing Europe in the next generation, where countries lose their identities, it won't affect you as you are one of the older generation.

 

So what is your proposed alternative? You’re great at dismissing everything as useless but never come up with ideas for anything better. What would your idea of a good political party/government look like?

Labour tried the radical approach under Corbyn and got hammered for it. It’s now trying the cautious approach in order to make sure it gets elected and going for gradual improvements rather than big bang stuff. I’d rather they were somewhere in the middle but I can perfectly understand why they’re doing this. All the while the Tories are in power they will continue to run down our nation infrastructure and all our public services while enriching themselves and their friends. The most important thing is to get them out as soon as possible, with the biggest majority possible to ensure a second term, as that will be needed to create any meaningful change. If that means being ultra cautious for now then so be it.

 

But what you are missing is that ‘countries losing their identities’ is a much bigger deal for older people than it is for most of those born from the eighties onwards. They have only ever experienced living in a much more racially and socially mixed world than we grew up with, so it doesn’t freak them out like it does many older people. This is also why so many younger people are so angry about Brexit. They see it as the older generation trying to go back to the country of their youth whilst depriving them of the opportunities to live, work and move seamlessly between Britain and the continent.

 

You're obsession of the 'older' people is weird, do you not care what the following generations will have to deal with ...?

 

I dismiss them all as useless because they ARE all useless. Not one of them cares a jot about me, nor you either but you seem oblivious to that. I accept the Tories at this moment are the worst party I've ever seen but then I posted how bad Blair and Brown were with the PFI hospital builds yet you chose not to reply to that and I knew why. Cos it didnt fit your narrative as Labour being this party of the people. Just another pair of puppets keeping their paymasters in wealth. Because believe it or not, I want a fair and honest system more than you will ever do. Just that my 50 years on this planet tells me it doesn't exist. Cos at the end of the day we're just numbers on a sheet to those in power.
And thats why my mantra is and always has been looking after number 1. Cos no one else will.

 

Just because someone has a different view to you doesn't mean they are freaking out. I'm pretty sure you envisage me as a frothing at the mouth Brexit gammon the way you reply to me sometimes. And how you are dismissive of those who don't have the same views as you and your mates. I guess I have a more diverse set of friends as they don't all hold the same views as me yet they do seem to be receptive to others views

 

No, I don’t envisage you that way at all. I wasn’t referring to you when I used the freaking out expression.
It’s very clear to me that many of my generation and older are freaked out by those of a different colour and/or culture to them. They find them threatening, wish to have as little as possible to do with them and would rather that they weren’t here (even if they were born here). If you don’t see that, fair enough, but I do.

 

Yes, PFI was undoubtedly a big mistake. I would never disagree with that and never have. And I agree that there were many missed opportunities in the Blair years to make more changes for the benefit of ordinary people, given the massive majority that they had. But they were still a hundred times better than the Tories have been, until the bankers crashed the world economy and caused them insurmountable problems.
Where I do disagree is that the Labour Party doesn’t care a jot about you or me. I think that’s just cynicism. Labour absolutely wants to repair the Tories’ damage to our health and other public services and to improve our economy - all to the benefit of you or me. I’m puzzled why you would think otherwise.

 

The colour thing means little to me, skin pigmentation means knack all when your on the mortuary slab. Culture I do have an interest in, I take pleasure in finding out as much as possible about it when abroad or when I'm in the presence of someone from another country. Helps broaden your mind.

 

I agree entirely. Which is one reason why I don’t regard you the same as some of the much more socially conservative types on here, who want to take us back to the 1950s.

 

Says the climate change denier

 

Warmer rain....what's not to like ... ?

 

You’re spot on about the Tories. They are tearing themselves apart, both in Parliament and outside. Their membership is is largely comprised of the people who thought Liz Truss was a good choice as leader and who would happily put Braverman or Badenoch in place of Sunak, or bring Truss back, blissfully unaware that this would be even more disastrous than Sunak has been. He’s a dead man walking in charge of a party and a membership that is way to the right of him.

Labour - not so much. Starmer has done a fantastic job of kicking out all the far left headbangers who joined under Corbyn, who have no place in a modern social democratic party - many of them ex Militant Tendency, SWP and CP members. Many others have left of their own accord. I’ve seen this locally in the Baildon Labour Party where several of the unreconstructed socialist idealists have resigned rather than swallow the discipline needed to win a General Election.
What’s left is a largely united party, with nearly 80% supportive of Starmer and focused on winning the GE. Confidence within the party is high, which translates into active members campaigning to maximise the vote. This contrasts starkly with the utterly demoralised Tories, who are struggling to motivate their ageing membership to get out and campaign. This process will be accelerated when they lose huge swathes of councillors in the May local elections. Councillors are key leaders in local politics and their removal will decimate local Tory Party campaign effectiveness.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/apr/01/four-in-five-labour-members-back-keir-starmer-showing-rout-of-the-corbynites?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

There is no doubt this generation of Tories are finished. The country should be viewed as one huge business yet the Tories have completely ignored everything in this business that isn't tied into corporate London. As you know I'm not particularly politically motivated and hatred is a strong word but I despise them with a passion. I do hope than when Labour do get their chances they have actually banished the loony sect of the party that continues to make them in my opinion a hard party to vote for.

 

Most of them have already gone.

 

My worry is, everything that the tories make a mess of, Labour want to go even harder at.

This country is a mess. Its f*cked, and there's a very real chance we'll be in a major war in the near term. My emigration plan is in full effect, and I'm 90% certain I'll be an expat within 2 years.

 

Fear not, @Offcomedun reckons when all over 50's are dead, the country will be a far better place for our children and Grandchildren. We just have to battle on until then.

 

I wouldn't blame you. Far better countries to live in for hungry and ambitious people. Also better bang for your buck with things like houses, education and healthcare.