Are politicians really all the same? Whose side are you on?
Published previously by Liam R Carr
When you get involved in local politics one thing you hear is “It doesn’t matter who I vote for, you lot (politicians) are all the same”
Right now we can see clear differences in policy between the two parties that has not been seen since Thatcher was in power. Politicians for too long have tried occupy themuddy centre ground. New Labour stuck its flag firmly in the centre and won elections, Lib Dems have fashioned careers out of wriggling into the tiny space between the two main parties, they are still trying it now, claiming that they should be the party in a never ending coalition government because they make the Tories nicer and Labour meaner. Cameron came to power after reforming his Party, into Compassionate Conservatives; how quickly the mask slips.
When times are good the detail of economic policy is something that you can read about in the FT if you are that way inclined. During a recession however, every detail is front page news. The priorities, of both government and opposition, are laid bare.
On health the government are on the side of private healthcare providers. The health and social care act which allows private companies to get a slice of the NHS budget, is one of the few acts that Labour will repeal.
On education the government priority has shifted to academic qualifications in traditional subjects and values memorising facts over skills development. There is a choreographed split between Clegg and Gove on free schools, which not not change the implementation of a policy which Clegg could have voted down had he chosen to oppose it when it came before Parliament.
On welfare the line is less defined, with Labour and Tories alike trying to be “tough on benefits.” The divide however can been seen in the approach; with Labour guaranteeing a job people who are out of work for 2 years. Under Iain Duncan-Smith the DWP are sanctioning more job seekers than ever before. The job-centre stop payments then give the person being sanctioned directions to the local food bank. This is the poor feeding the poor; many donations come from pensioners who have memories long enough to remember a time before the welfare state.
Rising prices and falling wages are the battle lines on which the 2015 general election will be fought. Energy prices are spiralling out of control and David Cameron has persisted in stubbornly staying firmly the side of the big energy companies. A Tory will always say that market forces must to be interfered with, but when the market is rigged it will not sort itself out, only a government can fix it. The public, the Labour Party and even John Major agree that now is the time to act – something needs to be done.
All political parties from Cameron’s Conservatives to Mao’s Communists will claim to be on the side of ‘hard working people’ However decisions like selling the Royal Mail off cheap show how clear it is that the Tories are still a party of rich men, paid for by rich men, implementing policy which protects the interests of rich men. Under the Leadership of Ed Miliband the Labour Party is developing policies that really will benefit the many and not the few.http://liamrcarr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/which-side-are-you-on.html?
Think Left 
Have to disagree with this. Labour have softened their language recently, but the differences between the two parties are pretty minimal and within very limited parameters. Both parties are committed to austerity, privatisation and welfare to work. There are some differences on a micro level, but overall, these are two right wing authoritarian parties with little to offer the majority of people. We need radical change. Labour are offering a bit of tinkering.
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Reblogged this on kickingthecat.
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Ed Miliband’s labour party seem to be emerging from behind the parapets, albeit somewhat nervously, having been previously paralysed with fear of the right wing media. Time will tell, of course, as to whether they have the collective, commitment, vision and insight to make it work. And of course the Cojones…
Britain is ready, the collective rage is astounding when you talk to people in the street. No-one buys the ‘market knows best’ narrative any more, people want state regulation meaningfully enforced. People want justice.
The Energy market initiative was brilliant, if a little premature, and a perfect example of how the Tories can be wrong-footed. £2bn wiped off shares in a day! tell me the markets don’t think a Labour Government isn’t possible in 2015!
The important thing about that move was that it took the fight to the Tories front door. The ability to seize the narrative will be the deciding factor. The Labour Party must change not just the thrust of politics, but its very language… it’s honestly not that difficult.
Instead of standing hand-wringing on the edge of the debate about workers v shirkers, for instance, point out that our dole queues are full of people who have worked all their lives, perhaps 30 or 40 years in some cases, (often doing poorly paid jobs that would kill your average MP inside a week) until some greasy little spiv decided to outsource to the third world.
If anybody knows Ed M by the way tell him to get in touch… I’ll give him ten vote winning ideas a week for the cost of a living wage! I’ll even pay my own train fare to London…
Oh, and tell him not to do ANYTHING about HS2 until he’s spoken to me first!
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