Beginning of the end of the Labour Party?

kav

Years ago the elections went thus: You had some who would always vote Conservative; some who would always vote Labour; and some who were the don't knows, or the "swingers." Hence the BBC's electoral swing-o-meter. The swingers held the balance of power. Which way the swingers went would be whether it would be Labour or Conservative getting in. Now things are getting a bit more complicated. People tell pollsters one thing and vote another, there's a lot more smaller parties around and I think there are fewer people who will vote a particular way for life. Years ago jobs were for life and so was your politics. I might listen to the programme in the link.

krish

Perhaps it's also because nowadays the political parties occupy a comparatively middle ground in comparison to the past when the difference between conservative and liberal policy was more stark.

EarthRod

Later called floating voters, who may or may not have pampas grass in their front gardens.

krish

Ah, like a hot tub in the back garden and pampas grass in the front.

RiceRocket

The only party of interest to them is a key party.

EarthRod

Corbyn is really lagging behind Don't know
                                                                       

gizlaroc

Well, the lack of discussion on this shows how far Labour have fallen. And also seems to show the left wing has taken control of policy to the detriment of a party that used to support at least some aspiration.

I saw this on the BBC and thought you should see it:

Corbyn promises free primary school meals for all - Corbyn promises free primary school meals for all - BBC News

This policy seems pretty bonkers.

Essentially they are going to tax education to provide free school meals to the children of the better off.

No assessment of the impact to independent schools, nor any plan to deal with the potential for some to close and lead to even more demand on the public sector.

Also worth noting that far from private schools being "subsidised" it is actually the parents who use them that are paying more. They pay their fees AND pay their taxes that fund the public sector.

It's a sad day for Labour that sees it throw away any pretence of appealing to the moderate centre in politics.

gizlaroc

I agree.

The introduction of free school meals is a sound social policy.

Funding it by introducing VAT on private school fees is daft and another sign Labour are scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas.

gizlaroc

School fees should be tax deductible, state school fees have gone over £5,000 per year for each student now, if someone saves the country £5,000 a year by going private the fees they pay should be non taxable, not taxing them more.

Labours policies so far have once again hit anyone who wants to work and worse than that, reward anyone who doesn't.

The Tax Credit system needs to go, it is being abused on a scale that will crush this country.

gizlaroc

Let's also get some perspective on private schooling, the few mates I knew who went private were not wealthy at all, their parents drove around in old bangers, lived in the small terrace house while we all lived in nice big 4 bed places etc.

They went without for years to scrape enough money together to put their kids through a decent education, to tax people like that is shameful.

Sort the corporation tax out on large companies and pay for it that way.