Posh Boys in trouble?

[jean]

Meanwhile...the Green party has excellent policies on most of these, so in the meantime you could just vote for them.

[french frank]

The scrambled note of a desparate man I'd say.

What if he'd taken a little more time to write ..."Dear chief secretary, After bailing out the banks and the country's foreign adventures, I'm afraid to tell you there's no money left." ?

More truthful and less dramatic surely

In Liam Byrne's defence, I think it was intended as a joke between men in the same line of business, on the assumption that it would be undestood as such. Laws presumably has no sense of humour and made political capital out of it.

As for the voters, their intelligence presumably covers the range from idiot to genius. Most are consistent in their voting record, but the significant floating vote has a short memory and an inability to exercise consistent, rational thought on issues. Under FPTP, they rule. Okay?

[amateur51]

In Liam Byrne's defence, I think it was intended as a joke between men in the same line of business, on the assumption that it would be undestood as such. Laws presumably has no sense of humour and made political capital out of it.

As for the voters, their intelligence presumably covers the range from idiot to genius. Most are consistent in their voting record, but the significant floating vote has a short memory and an inability to exercise consistent, rational thought on issues. Under FPTP, they rule. Okay?

Such cynicism in one so young

[amateur51]

Meanwhile...the Green party has excellent policies on most of these, so in the meantime you could just vote for them.

I voted for Greens in the London Mayoral election and Ken didn't get in with Jenny as his deputy - another bright idea gorn West

[french frank]

Such cynicism in one so young

A non sequitur, try harder. People decide to 'vote for a change', without realising that they are just alternating the same options.

I think it highly likely that the Green Party would be unable to accept a coalition with Labour, which is why they would remain powerless on the back benches. Cui bono?

[jean]

In Liam Byrne's defence, I think it was intended as a joke between men in the same line of business, on the assumption that it would be undestood as such. Laws presumably has no sense of humour and made political capital out of it.

I'm sure it was a intended as a joke.

And that Laws probably did realise it, but made political capital out of it anyway.

[amateur51]

A non sequitur, try harder. People decide to 'vote for a change', without realising that they are just alternating the same options.

I see that David Laws is not the only one without a sense of humour

I think it highly likely that the Green Party would be unable to accept a coalition with Labour, which is why they would remain powerless on the back benches. Cui bono?

Ken had made it quite clear that he would like to make Jenny Jones (Green Party) his deputy had he won and she had agreed because she always found him to be trustworthy

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

you convince me not to vote any more at least not for any current political party ..... all are beholden if not to Murdoch then certainly to Finance, the real enemy of us all .... their other corruptions and failings are minor in comparison ...

[french frank]

I see that David Laws is not the only one without a sense of humour

It's the way you tell them, am51 .

[amateur51]

It's the way you tell them, am51 .

Cut me, and do I not bleed?

[Lateralthinking1]

I think we have to remember that Ken's GLC was so popular in London in the early 80s that Thatcher had to abolish his power base and then launch an attack on one of his primary identifiers through section 28.



Well that was in part because Ken got re-elected, not once but twice and so demonstrated that being seen as 'prgressive on race and sexuality issues didn't lose you votes on balance. The Tories only came around to it after 30 years however.

He was the first white mainstream politician to be 'cool' about people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communites such as Irish people, lesbians and gay men and disabled people. It was part of his 'brand' and it didn't stop after the speeches - he was as good as his word, better than most mainstream politicians at least. He's still remembered with huge fondness here in Brent by those for whom he fought as a councillor, an MP and as Mayor. the sad thing for Ken is that they are a dwindling minority because like him they've got older and fewer.

I'll miss him and seriously hope that he does stay around to be involved at least in political punditry. We need someone with his experience of being a winner against all that the establishment (public and private) can throw at you.

Cheers Ken!

For sure he did good things, am51, but what did he do financially to help the poor and those on average income? Yes, lower the fares, but then what? I suggest little more than Boris and Boris has hardly done anything. He's simply kept down council tax. But there it is and there are more current matters of concern. Unfortunately, the Greens probably wouldn't be very different either!

[french frank]

He's simply kept down council tax.

Most councils have. The government pumped extra money into them so that increases wouldn't be necessary. Those who increased the tax anyway didn't get the money.

[Flosshilde]

Most councils have. The government pumped extra money into them so that increases wouldn't be necessary. Those who increased the tax anyway didn't get the money.

Indeed - Council Tax was a con from the start. Only a small part of local government expenditure was covered by Council Tax (I think about 25%), so even if councils increased it it had little impact on the total amount they had to spend, & with successive centrally-imposed 'caps' on it, & claw-backs if they did increase it, Councils didn't really have any control over it. So even if people wanted to vote for higher tax & better services, they couldn't.

[amateur51]

For sure he did good things, am51, but what did he do financially to help the poor and those on average income? Yes, lower the fares, but then what? I suggest little more than Boris and Boris has hardly done anything. He's simply kept down council tax. But there it is and there are more current matters of concern. Unfortunately, the Greens probably wouldn't be very different either!

I'd argue that he got renovation of the London Underground going as a priority after decades of Tory neglect, increased the numbers of bus routes, and buses on the daytime service and transformed the night bus service for poor Londoners doing night shifts & office cleqaning (as well as those partying away into the wee small hours ).

His congestion charge initially led to far fewer cars on inner London's roads. That meant that buses were tremendous value for money because they got ariound faster and even Black Cabbies liked the CG because journeys took less time so they could pick up more fares in a day and collect the intial basic fare, luvvly jubbly

On top of all that he actually travelled on LT regularly, He still does! ;smiley:

[Lateralthinking1]

I'd argue that he got renovation of the London Underground going as a priority after decades of Tory neglect, increased the numbers of bus routes, and buses on the daytime service and transformed the night bus service for poor Londoners doing night shifts & office cleqaning (as well as those partying away into the wee small hours ).

His congestion charge initially led to far fewer cars on inner London's roads. That meant that buses were tremendous value for money because they got ariound faster and even Black Cabbies liked the CG because journeys took less time so they could pick up more fares in a day and collect the intial basic fare, luvvly jubbly

On top of all that he actually travelled on LT regularly, He still does! ;smiley:

Yes, true. I'm still looking forward to a Labour bod sticking £2,000 pa on the top two or three council tax bands. The money all to be allocated to new social housing in Walworth, Peckham, Camberwell and the Elephant. This would be a refreshing change from half-tearing the existing monstrosities down, replacing them with posh pads for bankers and shipping 90 years olds off in Nazi style cattle tracks to the far side of Timbuktu. I may though have a long wait through many mayoral Egon Ronay awarded dinners.