Anti-austerity campaign

[Tangled up in Blue]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-33210014

The anti-austerity movement are on the march in London and Glasgow today.

Are you for or against?

 

[OldBlueLady]

I've already had an argument with someone on FB over this. We have JUST had our democratic say in an election and the party now elected in their own right has barely had time for their feet to touch the ground. I think any campaign such as this, and certainly a march, so early is just wrong. Once we're well into the term, well, then, fair enough, but not yet.

 

[RHB]

I've already had an argument with someone on FB over this. We have JUST had our democratic say in an election and the party now elected in their own right has barely had time for their feet to touch the ground. I think any campaign such as this, and certainly a march, so early is just wrong. Once we're well into the term, well, then, fair enough, but not yet.

The thing about democracy is that at any time the electorate and those that don't vote but do moan can openly protest about anything including austerity. It's not always tidy and nailed down, but it's what we have. The alternatives are not particularly nice, ask inhabitants of parts of Syria/Iraq for a view on it.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

People should be encouraged to voice their opinion.

 

[Blueronron]

Problem is the true meaning gets lost, when dicks like Russell Brand speak, looked a total tool on question time and similar when trying to flog his book
The worse kind of person a champagne socialist or as I think a sham socialist

 

[Benfleet A1]

People should be encouraged to voice their opinion.

They had that opportunity last May, if they didn't take it then tough.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

They had that opportunity last May, if they didn't take it then tough.

People should feel free to express opinions more than once every five years.

 

[Benfleet A1]

People should feel free to express opinions more than once every five years.

I agree, but the ballot box is one of the best ways to force change and those who failed to take that opportunity have only themselves to blame.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

They had that opportunity last May, if they didn't take it then tough.

I agree, but the ballot box is one of the best ways to force change and those who failed to take that opportunity have only themselves to blame.

Less than 25% of the electorate in the UK voted Tory.That's hardly a ringing endorsement for austerity.

"The Conservatives won just over one third of the vote – 37% – but more than half the seats – 51%. The turnout was 66%, with the result that the Tories achieved an overall majority with the backing of only about a quarter of the eligible electorate".

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/08/conservative-win-britain-constitution

 

[RHB]

Less than 25% of the electorate in the UK voted Tory.That's hardly a ringing endorsement for austerity.

"The Conservatives won just over one third of the vote – 37% – but more than half the seats – 51%. The turnout was 66%, with the result that the Tories achieved an overall majority with the backing of only about a quarter of the eligible electorate".

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/08/conservative-win-britain-constitution

There is nothing new about that. As long as we practice 'First past the post' that will always be a possibility. The only way to make FPTP fairer would be to make it compulsory to vote, which I doubt will ever happen in this country.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Less than 25% of the electorate in the UK voted Tory.That's hardly a ringing endorsement for austerity.

"The Conservatives won just over one third of the vote – 37% – but more than half the seats – 51%. The turnout was 66%, with the result that the Tories achieved an overall majority with the backing of only about a quarter of the eligible electorate".

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/08/conservative-win-britain-constitution

Who gives a monkey's? It suited Labour well enough over what was it? Three campaigns? It's thanks to Labour, and Blair in particular, that the Tories are forced to make the decisions they are. Labour seemed to take Viv Nicholson's words on board as an anthem and the country is now paying the cost.

 

[Benfleet A1]

Less than 25% of the electorate in the UK voted Tory.That's hardly a ringing endorsement for austerity.

"The Conservatives won just over one third of the vote – 37% – but more than half the seats – 51%. The turnout was 66%, with the result that the Tories achieved an overall majority with the backing of only about a quarter of the eligible electorate".

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/08/conservative-win-britain-constitution

Then my original point stands.

 

[Benfleet A1]

There is nothing new about that. As long as we practice 'First past the post' that will always be a possibility. The only way to make FPTP fairer would be to make it compulsory to vote, which I doubt will ever happen in this country.

Agree with that. Isn't it Australia that has compulsory voting?

 

[RHB]

Agree with that. Isn't it Australia that has compulsory voting?

Yep, Australia does. The full list is:

Austria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Fiji, France (senate only), Gabon, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nauru, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland (province of Schaffhausen), Thailand, Turkey and Uruguay.

 

[Neil_F]

Everyone is entitled to voice their opinion and protest. Equally, everyone else is perfectly entitled to ignore them.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

When saying 'anti-austerity protest', do we actually mean a procession of crusty scroungers upset at the prospect of having to do an honest day's work in order to procure their smart phone, cigarettes and strong lager?

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

When saying 'anti-austerity protest', do we actually mean a procession of crusty scroungers upset at the prospect of having to do an honest day's work in order to procure their smart phone, cigarettes and strong lager?

No, quite a mixture of different types of people.

 

[KAB]

I've already had an argument with someone on FB over this. We have JUST had our democratic say in an election and the party now elected in their own right has barely had time for their feet to touch the ground. I think any campaign such as this, and certainly a march, so early is just wrong. Once we're well into the term, well, then, fair enough, but not yet.

The protest was organised before the election and could easily have been directed against Labour, who had their own spending cuts.

 

[Bielzibubz]

It's economics 101 surely. In it's simplest terms you don't spend what you don't have, it really is that simple. And if you do (which Labour did big time for years) sooner or later your going to have to pay the price and tighten your belt to bring things back onto an even keel.

Credit, whether on a personal level or on a national one, is fine if your generated income is more than your monthly/annual outgoings. If it's not that deficit being accumulated will only get worse until you find yourself in the situation this country did and why the austerity measures laid down by this democratically elected second term government are paramount to help bring this great country up off it's knees and stand tall once again.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

It's economics 101 surely. In it's simplest terms you don't spend what you don't have, it really is that simple. And if you do (which Labour did big time for years) sooner or later your going to have to pay the price and tighten your belt to bring things back onto an even keel.

Credit, whether on a personal level or on a national one, is fine if your generated income is more than your monthly/annual outgoings. If it's not that deficit being accumulated will only get worse until you find yourself in the situation this country did and why the austerity measures laid down by this democratically elected second term government are paramount to help bring this great country up off it's knees and stand tall once again.

The last government also spent what they don't have. A different approach would be to tighten up the way tax is collected and get Amazon, Google, Uber etc etc avoid taxes that their rivals pay. Not selling off Royal Mail, RBS, housing stock - for less than their actual value would also help. It's not the concept if bringing finances into line that is the issue it's the methods used.
Yes we are in a democracy which is why people can highlight issues in this way.