UK General Election 2015

[MintTrav]

My personal view is there are far too many untalented women in both the cabinet and the shadow cabinet who are there as part of a numbers game for PR reasons and not because they are the best person for the job.  No one will admit this but i am pretty sure it is the case.

That's gonna get a few pages of attention 

Do you agree though woodsey?  i know it will ruffle feathers but that is not the intention.  It is my view and has been for a few years on both sides of the house.

The mask slips. Maybe we could pay them a bit less than the men and make a saving? You've gotta like that.

[arbboy]

I just want the best possible people running the country.  Whatever sex/race/education background.  I don't believe in giving people jobs in any industry to make up numbers on race/sex/educational backgrounds just to tick PR boxes.  I am pretty certain this happens in politics because it is a vote winner. 

[mulhuzz]

absolutely com that people still believe the absolute lie that the tories have 'got us out' of recession. you can pick literally any metric and it isn't true.

if it wasn't so frightening it'd be hilarious.

@arb - if you want the best people running the country, don't vote tory.

[Woodsey]

My personal view is there are far too many untalented women in both the cabinet and the shadow cabinet who are there as part of a numbers game for PR reasons and not because they are the best person for the job.  No one will admit this but i am pretty sure it is the case.

That's gonna get a few pages of attention  

Do you agree though woodsey?  i know it will ruffle feathers but that is not the intention.  It is my view and has been for a few years on both sides of the house.  It is well known i am Maggie's biggest fan so i can hardly be called sexist.

I've honestly never given it a second thought to have an opinion really mate.

[redsimon]

My personal view is there are far too many untalented women in both the cabinet and the shadow cabinet who are there as part of a numbers game for PR reasons and not because they are the best person for the job.  No one will admit this but i am pretty sure it is the case.

Plenty of untalented men too.

[MANTIS01]

Yep ideology cos we can't afford it. Going and borrowing money from China to sustain public spending beyond our means is a recipe for financial ruin. And that's exactly what happened. The Tories are building a sustainable economy where we live within our means. Seems sensible.

The work they have done means they can freeze taxes and normal working people will keep more of the money they earn. Not sure what's hard to grasp about why that appeals to generally self interested people. Labour will take more out of your pay packet to pursuit ideology they simply cannot afford.

I am sorry to laugh at Ed but I just imagine him coming up against Putin at the negotiating table. Cameron has demonstrated he is prepared to fight for Britain in Europe and has promised a referendum on what will be a major issue in the next parliament. Ed won't let people decide. I think the Tories offer more scope for self determination and so really more freedom.

Don't think Cameron has shown any fight at all. It's the reason why this campaign is so close. If there was one standout candidate (A Thatcher or a Blair) they'd abs piss this election.

Absolutely this - the present Tory cabinet are simply 3rd rate/borderline incompetent. 

@Mantis You do realise that our deficit is higher than France and Spain?  You do realise that the governnent has doubled the national debt?  You do realise that productivity is lower than 2006?

When I look at France and Spain I see the highest unemployment since records began. When I look at Britain I see the lowest unemployment since records began. The Tories have created more jobs in the last parliament than every other country in Europe put together, and most of those jobs are full time permanent. I have also seen inflation and interest rates remain at consistently ultra low rates across the parliament. What's more I have seen taxes remain stable allowing people the freedom to choose how they spend their money and in fact corporation tax has fallen which is stimulating industry.

These factors have meant that anybody wishing to get on in life have all the conditions they need to do exactly that.

I do agree there are inconsistencies about deficit figures and how they are illustrated. That said I wonder how ambitious additional public spending, as the left propose, will help address the national debt? Even with heavily criticised austerity measures the beast still rages out of control. What I do know is the Tory economic plan has attracted praise from the Germans today, which is never a bad thing when we talk about efficiency, and Christine Lagarde said "The UK has done a very good job in recent years and has a very good plan for the future". Any social spending plans are linked directly to economic growth and economic stability which is exactly what the Tories are providing. This has allowed them to continue investing heavily in our NHS for example.

We were the fastest growing G7 economy last year! Which has given the business world confidence to invest in us. Lagarde goes onto say whilst global growth is clearly not good enough Britain has been "holding strongly". Not sure what Labour's true economic plan is cos they're hoping to get into bed with a party that wants to break up our country.

What I do know is they don't accept they over-spent in the last parliament which reminds me of the Mrs when she comes in from a shopping trip carrying about a thousand bags.

[Doobs]

absolutely com that people still believe the absolute lie that the tories have 'got us out' of recession. you can pick literally any metric and it isn't true.

if it wasn't so frightening it'd be hilarious.

@arb - if you want the best people running the country, don't vote tory.

Let's choose economic growth.  Just checked, and we are out of recession.  And that is exactly the correct metric to measure recessions.  No lie involved and no reason to sneer at those who believe it.

[doubleup]

absolutely com that people still believe the absolute lie that the tories have 'got us out' of recession. you can pick literally any metric and it isn't true.

if it wasn't so frightening it'd be hilarious.

@arb - if you want the best people running the country, don't vote tory.

Let's choose economic growth.  Just checked, and we are out of recession.  And that is exactly the correct metric to measure recessions.  No lie involved and no reason to sneer at those who believe it.

how about per capita GDP?  That's still lower than 2008

[arbboy]

absolutely com that people still believe the absolute lie that the tories have 'got us out' of recession. you can pick literally any metric and it isn't true.

if it wasn't so frightening it'd be hilarious.

@arb - if you want the best people running the country, don't vote tory.

Let's choose economic growth.  Just checked, and we are out of recession.  And that is exactly the correct metric to measure recessions.  No lie involved and no reason to sneer at those who believe it.

how about per capita GDP?  That's still lower than 2008

Too many illegals in 7 years on bringing down the average (NAP)

[Doobs]

absolutely com that people still believe the absolute lie that the tories have 'got us out' of recession. you can pick literally any metric and it isn't true.

if it wasn't so frightening it'd be hilarious.

@arb - if you want the best people running the country, don't vote tory.

Let's choose economic growth.  Just checked, and we are out of recession.  And that is exactly the correct metric to measure recessions.  No lie involved and no reason to sneer at those who believe it.

how about per capita GDP?  That's still lower than 2008

Comparing to 2008 isn't how you measure recessions.

[BigAdz]

absolutely com that people still believe the absolute lie that the tories have 'got us out' of recession. you can pick literally any metric and it isn't true.

if it wasn't so frightening it'd be hilarious.

@arb - if you want the best people running the country, don't vote tory.

So Mull, do you REALLY think ED MILLIBAND IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST PERSON TO RUN THIS COUNTRY?

[mulhuzz]

absolutely com that people still believe the absolute lie that the tories have 'got us out' of recession. you can pick literally any metric and it isn't true.

if it wasn't so frightening it'd be hilarious.

@arb - if you want the best people running the country, don't vote tory.

So Mull, do you REALLY think ED MILLIBAND IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST PERSON TO RUN THIS COUNTRY?

No, but I think he's better than the realistic alternatives by absolute miles.

[arbboy]

absolutely com that people still believe the absolute lie that the tories have 'got us out' of recession. you can pick literally any metric and it isn't true.

if it wasn't so frightening it'd be hilarious.

@arb - if you want the best people running the country, don't vote tory.

So Mull, do you REALLY think ED MILLIBAND IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST PERSON TO RUN THIS COUNTRY?

No, but I think he's better than the realistic alternatives by absolute miles.

Better than his brother?

[Teacake]

The most talented politician in the UK is a woman and it's not even close.

[mulhuzz]

absolutely com that people still believe the absolute lie that the tories have 'got us out' of recession. you can pick literally any metric and it isn't true.

if it wasn't so frightening it'd be hilarious.

@arb - if you want the best people running the country, don't vote tory.

So Mull, do you REALLY think ED MILLIBAND IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST PERSON TO RUN THIS COUNTRY?

No, but I think he's better than the realistic alternatives by absolute miles.

Better than his brother?

Yeah, his brother isn't a realistic alternative. Given he's not a sitting MP nor standing for election.