Re: Bedroom Tax - A Solution ? : Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:18 am  

Rock God X wrote:

... Would that someone would provide a real, viable alternative to the two main parties.

In which case, what happens if everyone who says and believes this actually votes Green, say?

Re: Bedroom Tax - A Solution ? : Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:20 am  

Mintball wrote:

In which case, what happens if everyone who says and believes this actually votes Green, say?

That's similar to what people said at the last election about the Lib Dems

Re: Bedroom Tax - A Solution ? : Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:24 am  

Chris28 wrote:

That's similar to what people said at the last election about the Lib Dems

The aim then, I think, being electoral reform.

Looking at their policies, though, would you really see the Greens clambering into bed with the Tories?

On the other hand, they might, if they had a big leap forward, be able to form a coalition with Labour. Which would be interesting.

Re: Bedroom Tax - A Solution ? : Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:26 am  

A slight move away from the core subject: government wants to have ex-soldiers trained as teachers (skipping the usual teacher training process, which rather makes a mockery of claims it's not tough enough). But: "Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said Labour supported re-training troops as teachers but said the government had been too slow to do it." After Michael Portillo lost his seat, the Morning Star lobby correspondent at the time observed that Twigg was more right-wing than his predecessor. Looking at the situation we're currently in, it's not difficulty to see the truth of that, and more widely than Mike was describing at the time.

A slight move away from the core subject: government wants to have ex-soldiers trained as teachers (skipping the usual teacher training process, which rather makes a mockery of claims it's not tough enough). But: "Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said Labour supported re-training troops as teachers but said the government had been too slow to do it." After Michael Portillo lost his seat, the Morning Star lobby correspondent at the time observed that Twigg was more right-wing than his predecessor. Looking at the situation we're currently in, it's not difficulty to see the truth of that, and more widely than Mike was describing at the time.

Re: Bedroom Tax - A Solution ? : Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:51 am  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22801980 "Bedroom tax' failing, says housing associations' report"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22801980 "Bedroom tax' failing, says housing associations' report"

Re: Bedroom Tax - A Solution ? : Fri Jun 07, 2013 12:18 pm  

El Barbudo wrote:

He's right about the stimulus ... not sure about the billions.
But even the IMF reckon that the UK could borrow 10bn for growth with little impact ... but oooh no, borrowing is what got us into this mess (total rubbish, the banks got us where we are) and we mustn't borrow ... ever.

But we wouldn't be borrowing anything at all , we'd be selling things, government bonds to be exact. 50-99 year bonds at 3% to cover the cost of construction, suitable land is already owned by central and local government. If there's not enough available, then we simply allow local government to purchase agricultural land, give itself planning permission and flog half off to private developers, that should cover the construction of the council houses.

The means are there, it's only the political will that's absent

Re: Bedroom Tax - A Solution ? : Fri Jun 07, 2013 12:37 pm  

Mintball wrote:

The aim then, I think, being electoral reform.

From a personal perspective, I felt (at that point) that the LDs did offer something slightly different, as well as the above, to the other 2 main parties. At the end of the day though, many people apparently didn't follow through on the opinion poll thoughts and we all know what happened. Sell out city. Unfortunately, schmucko supremo here fell for it

Looking at their policies, though, would you really see the Greens clambering into bed with the Tories?

On the other hand, they might, if they had a big leap forward, be able to form a coalition with Labour. Which would be interesting.

On the former, not a chance, but like you, if Labour move away from their current blue tinted shtick, the latter would be interesting.

Re: Bedroom Tax - A Solution ? : Fri Jun 07, 2013 1:38 pm  

cod'ead wrote:

But we wouldn't be borrowing anything at all , we'd be selling things, government bonds to be exact. 50-99 year bonds at 3% to cover the cost of construction, suitable land is already owned by central and local government. If there's not enough available, then we simply allow local government to purchase agricultural land, give itself planning permission and flog half off to private developers, that should cover the construction of the council houses.

The means are there, it's only the political will that's absent

Stop talking sense.

Re: Bedroom Tax - A Solution ? : Fri Jun 07, 2013 9:40 pm  

Mintball wrote:

In which case, what happens if everyone who says and believes this actually votes Green, say?

That's probably what I'll end up doing.

[Kosh]

Re: Bedroom Tax - A Solution ? : Sat Jun 08, 2013 11:59 am  

For those condemning Milliband's speech out of hand, an interesting piece here: http://www.leftfootforward.org/2013/06/ ... n-welfare/

For those condemning Milliband's speech out of hand, an interesting piece here: http://www.leftfootforward.org/2013/06/ ... n-welfare/