UK General Election 2015

[The Camel]

Arbboy you are such a condescending nob.  

You seriously can't believe the utter bollocks you type.  

I don't expect people like you to agree with me.  Equally i don't expect to be called a nob.  I appreciate you have different views to me.  I don't call you a nob because of that.

Yep, you're offside here Kmac.

[BorntoBubble]

Arbboy you are such a condescending nob.  

You seriously can't believe the utter bollocks you type.  

I don't expect people like you to agree with me.  Equally i don't expect to be called a nob.  I appreciate you have different views to me.  I don't call you a nob because of that.

I don't think anything i have said today is anything other than factual.  You might not agree with it but that is your choice.  Hard working people who are willing to bet their entire net worth deserve everything they get when they make great investment decisions and create thousands of jobs in areas which are full of unemployment.  It is very easy to sit on your arse all your life and take no risks and moan.  I prefer to celebrate people who take huge risks and are huge exporters to this country like bet365 are and pay huge amounts of tax towards the nhs.  It doesn't fund itself.

Kmac this thread has been a great place for learning and debating without arguing dont ruin it with one day to go. Politics is such a hard topic to get right in discussions as some people are very set in there ways. For people like me - 24 years old, no ties to a party, dont vote for a party just because my parents do/did etc this thread has been a goldmine of information for me to make a much more informed decision tomorrow than I would have been 6 weeks ago.

Some things I agree with some things I dont but this thread and blonde in general has a way of not being offensive to people when differences in opinion happen.

No need for the personal attacks

[scotty77]

Click to see full-size image.

Couple of things.

One million people using foodbanks is a myth.  It is one million parcels  I donate monthly to my local foodbank and believe it is an extremely vital cause that not only fills in the obvious need for food but I am of the opinion that a lot of people who are having rough times just need someone to have a cup of tea and a chat with.  But I do not believe the PR they put out.  Remember that the vast majority are run by religious groups.

The debt was always going to rise.  When Labour left office they were running a deficit of £160bn.  It would have been impossible for any government to reduce the debt.  This won't go away until the deficit is turned into a surplus.

One of the reasons why I hate social media is graphics like that.  Bullet point sound bites that have zero basis in reality.

I don't know enough about the other points tho so they could be fair.

[BorntoBubble]

Oh, and while im here ive not posted much but ive tried to read everything I would like to thank everyone for posting so much good content in here. Facebook, TV, papers etc have done my head in but this thread has been a breath of fresh air. - Especially Tighty

I thought I would add this to the mix.

This "trend" was started by a really close family friend of mine, i dont agree with her politics but it is a proud day for her as her face became a number one trend on twitter!

https://twitter.com/natashahodgson

Click to see full-size image.

[arbboy]

Imagine how much better off this country would be with another 200 firms like 365 who export their market leading product to most countries around the world and pay all their taxes in the uk?  Would the lefties be happy with all the tax loot to fund the nhs and education?  The money doesn't fall out of the sky lads it has to come from somewhere.  Unless you encourage these investors to gamble their rollzzzz these firms will never happen and the nhs will never be funded by proper money rather than debt.

[kukushkin88]

Click to see full-size image.

Couple of things.

One million people using foodbanks is a myth.  It is one million parcels  I donate monthly to my local foodbank and believe it is an extremely vital cause that not only fills in the obvious need for food but I am of the opinion that a lot of people who are having rough times just need someone to have a cup of tea and a chat with.  But I do not believe the PR they put out.  Remember that the vast majority are run by religious groups.

The debt was always going to rise.  When Labour left office they were running a deficit of £160bn.  It would have been impossible for any government to reduce the debt.  This won't go away until the deficit is turned into a surplus.

One of the reasons why I hate social media is graphics like that.  Bullet point sound bites that have zero basis in reality.

I don't know enough about the other points tho so they could be fair.

Good evening all,

Good to see the civilised debate continuing to the end.

Scotty,

Just to check...are you aware of the reasons why running a surplus would be a terrible idea?

[scotty77]

No I don't. 

But surely if we are continually adding to the debt, then it will never be reduced with interest constantly being added?

And the interest payments that we have to make will never find their way to the poorest of society.

The rich are able to stay rich as they invest their wealth in things such as loaning government money.

So surely as long as the country is in debt, we just keep making the rich richer so the gap just keeps on widening?

BTW I realise that a nations finances isn't as simple as that, but I don't think anyone can argue that a £160bn deficit every year is a good thing?

[DungBeetle]

Click to see full-size image.

Couple of things.

One million people using foodbanks is a myth.  It is one million parcels  I donate monthly to my local foodbank and believe it is an extremely vital cause that not only fills in the obvious need for food but I am of the opinion that a lot of people who are having rough times just need someone to have a cup of tea and a chat with.  But I do not believe the PR they put out.  Remember that the vast majority are run by religious groups.

The debt was always going to rise.  When Labour left office they were running a deficit of £160bn.  It would have been impossible for any government to reduce the debt.  This won't go away until the deficit is turned into a surplus.

One of the reasons why I hate social media is graphics like that.  Bullet point sound bites that have zero basis in reality.

I don't know enough about the other points tho so they could be fair.

Good evening all,

Good to see the civilised debate continuing to the end.

Scotty,

Just to check...are you aware of the reasons why running a surplus would be a terrible idea?

Just to check you are aware why saying "debt higher than labour" is an idiotic point?

[StuartHopkin]

Click to see full-size image.

Couple of things.

One million people using foodbanks is a myth.  It is one million parcels  I donate monthly to my local foodbank and believe it is an extremely vital cause that not only fills in the obvious need for food but I am of the opinion that a lot of people who are having rough times just need someone to have a cup of tea and a chat with.  But I do not believe the PR they put out.  Remember that the vast majority are run by religious groups.

The debt was always going to rise.  When Labour left office they were running a deficit of £160bn.  It would have been impossible for any government to reduce the debt.  This won't go away until the deficit is turned into a surplus.

One of the reasons why I hate social media is graphics like that.  Bullet point sound bites that have zero basis in reality.

I don't know enough about the other points tho so they could be fair.

Good evening all,

Good to see the civilised debate continuing to the end.

Scotty,

Just to check...are you aware of the reasons why running a surplus would be a terrible idea?

I would be interested if you could explain.

I have an ideal situation in my head where everything runs smoothly, and we have a surplus to lend to people so that we receive billions in interest rather than pay it.

I'm assuming this is a very naive ideallogy?

[DungBeetle]

Click to see full-size image.

Couple of things.

One million people using foodbanks is a myth.  It is one million parcels  I donate monthly to my local foodbank and believe it is an extremely vital cause that not only fills in the obvious need for food but I am of the opinion that a lot of people who are having rough times just need someone to have a cup of tea and a chat with.  But I do not believe the PR they put out.  Remember that the vast majority are run by religious groups.

The debt was always going to rise.  When Labour left office they were running a deficit of £160bn.  It would have been impossible for any government to reduce the debt.  This won't go away until the deficit is turned into a surplus.

One of the reasons why I hate social media is graphics like that.  Bullet point sound bites that have zero basis in reality.

I don't know enough about the other points tho so they could be fair.

Good evening all,

Good to see the civilised debate continuing to the end.

Scotty,

Just to check...are you aware of the reasons why running a surplus would be a terrible idea?

I would be interested if you could explain.

I have an ideal situation in my head where everything runs smoothly, and we have a surplus to lend to people so that we receive billions in interest rather than pay it.

I'm assuming this is a very naive ideallogy?

Well you can run a deficit forever as long as gdp grows enough so that total debt is a manageable percentage of gdp.  Effectively you are just investing money today and the economy growth will pay for it and everyone wins.  The problem is if you let total debt become too high a percentage and the costs of maintaining it never mind paying it off become a drag on the economy.  Personally I think we are at that point.  Others will argue there is more capacity.

[DungBeetle]

Click to see full-size image.

Couple of things.

One million people using foodbanks is a myth.  It is one million parcels  I donate monthly to my local foodbank and believe it is an extremely vital cause that not only fills in the obvious need for food but I am of the opinion that a lot of people who are having rough times just need someone to have a cup of tea and a chat with.  But I do not believe the PR they put out.  Remember that the vast majority are run by religious groups.

The debt was always going to rise.  When Labour left office they were running a deficit of £160bn.  It would have been impossible for any government to reduce the debt.  This won't go away until the deficit is turned into a surplus.

One of the reasons why I hate social media is graphics like that.  Bullet point sound bites that have zero basis in reality.

I don't know enough about the other points tho so they could be fair.

Good evening all,

Good to see the civilised debate continuing to the end.

Scotty,

Just to check...are you aware of the reasons why running a surplus would be a terrible idea?

I would be interested if you could explain.

I have an ideal situation in my head where everything runs smoothly, and we have a surplus to lend to people so that we receive billions in interest rather than pay it.

I'm assuming this is a very naive ideallogy?

Well you can run a deficit forever as long as gdp grows enough so that total debt is a manageable percentage of gdp.  Effectively you are just investing money today and the economy growth will pay for it and everyone wins.  The problem is if you let total debt become too high a percentage and the costs of maintaining it never mind paying it off become a drag on the economy.  Personally I think we are at that point.  Others will argue there is more capacity.

And before anyone points out I appreciate we can create our own currency but that is separate issue.

[Kmac84]

Arbboy you are such a condescending nob.  

You seriously can't believe the utter bollocks you type.  

I don't expect people like you to agree with me.  Equally i don't expect to be called a nob.  I appreciate you have different views to me.  I don't call you a nob because of that.

Yep, you're offside here Kmac.

I don't think I am for the vast majority of what he has posted I disagree with but this nonsense today and the matter of fact attitude that comes along with it is so tilting.  

There is plenty wrong with the british left, which I am happy to discuss, but I wouldn't entertain any of what Arb has said today, using words like factual.  lol.  

[BigAdz]

As someone that has been on the end of an Arrboy name calling tirade, I think he has a cheek in complaining when he gets called one.

However I don't think anyone should be called a nob for having a perfectly valid opinion Kmac.

[kukushkin88]

Click to see full-size image.

Couple of things.

One million people using foodbanks is a myth.  It is one million parcels  I donate monthly to my local foodbank and believe it is an extremely vital cause that not only fills in the obvious need for food but I am of the opinion that a lot of people who are having rough times just need someone to have a cup of tea and a chat with.  But I do not believe the PR they put out.  Remember that the vast majority are run by religious groups.

The debt was always going to rise.  When Labour left office they were running a deficit of £160bn.  It would have been impossible for any government to reduce the debt.  This won't go away until the deficit is turned into a surplus.

One of the reasons why I hate social media is graphics like that.  Bullet point sound bites that have zero basis in reality.

I don't know enough about the other points tho so they could be fair.

Good evening all,

Good to see the civilised debate continuing to the end.

Scotty,

Just to check...are you aware of the reasons why running a surplus would be a terrible idea?

I would be interested if you could explain.

I have an ideal situation in my head where everything runs smoothly, and we have a surplus to lend to people so that we receive billions in interest rather than pay it.

I'm assuming this is a very naive ideallogy?

Well you can run a deficit forever as long as gdp grows enough so that total debt is a manageable percentage of gdp.  Effectively you are just investing money today and the economy growth will pay for it and everyone wins.  The problem is if you let total debt become too high a percentage and the costs of maintaining it never mind paying it off become a drag on the economy.  Personally I think we are at that point.  Others will argue there is more capacity.

And before anyone points out I appreciate we can create our own currency but that is separate issue.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/01/15/osborne-budget-surplus-rule-panned_n_6476552.html

[dakky]

looking up my local polling station because I haven't even received polling card (though I got the letter confirming I was registered here to vote?) Anyway there is a candidate from "the peace party". I have barely heard of them and they seem very small. Surely if they are fielding a candidate here then we should have at least had a leaflet through the door?!

I am in a massive labour stronghold fwiw