Labour’s policy review needs to win the generation game

Strange how currently policies are targeted at those most likely to vote. Young people will only gain an equitable voice if they vote. The Australian solution might be the one to copy. But clearly that’s likely to face resistance from those that benefit most from the status quo and actually vote.

I’ll give you a clue. Avoid trite slogans like ‘generational grand bargain’ which will strike the average voter as BS and go for the core issue, policies suiting those who vote, because that provides a long term solution that doesn’t require constant tinkering.

Well done, Mr Clarke. If you go on thinking that way you will make sure you don’t win the next election, or only get another hung Parliament.

I am an oldster myself, but luckilly, I am comfortable, so this isn’t me thinking about myself, but there are a great number of older people who have trouble each year paying energy bills, and they are set to rise again this autumn. Prices continue to go up in the supermarkets,  and we hear each year from Age Concern that many elderly people have to choose between eating and heating.and what do you suggest doing?. Hit the very people who are more likely to vote. Let’s be frank about it, not all younger people are like you and interested in politics. They don’t watch or listen to political programmes. Ken said he would reintroduce the ESA in London – but I don’t think this bought younger voters out to vote  even though Johnson completely rejected the idea.

It is about time Labour came up with some new original ideas, not just rejigging policies that have been knocking about for years, some taken over by the coalition, and some that some of you will no doubt just want to tinker with if/when you return to office.

“like the Tories – only nicer” is not a winning slogan or stance.

The enviromental problems for the future, BTW deserve an article by itself. Sadly the human animal has been depleting the natural resources for an aeon, and while we can certainly educate those coming along now, But everyone young and old are paying the enviromental price now – it is hardly fair to expect one section of society to foot the bill

Oh, great! Somebody from the left trying to trigger another demonisation of a minority. Aren’t irrational and unprincipled witch hunts for lead-swingers amongst categories of citizens such as the unemployed, sick, disabled, single parents – pretty much anybody claiming some kind of top-up or out of work benefit – enough to slate the disgusting blood-lust of the tabloids without gunning for the retired, elderly and pensioners as well?

You can just imagine the tabloid headlines: “Our young pay so that the old can play.”

And such like.

Lovely.

We don’t need MIRAS back or any other kind of help to help first time buyers. What we need is much more housing! The reason accommodation is so expensive is because demand vastly outstrips supply. If we built a lot… and I do mean a LOT!… more housing every year (private, social and council) house prices and rents would fall like a stone. 

What we really need are policies today.

The richest 1,000 people in the UK, who make up only 0.003% of the population, have made £155bn extra over the past three years, in the depths of the worst recession in 100 years. If these individuals paid off the nation’s entire deficit, as is, they’d still have £30bn left to lavish on themselves. 

This elite group’s combined wealth is the highest in history, i.e., a mere 1,000 individuals own £413bn between them, i.e., more than a third of Britain’s GDP.

Their increase in wealth has been £315bn over the past 15 years. Capital gains tax on this at the current 28% rate would yield £88bn, i.e., 70% of the entire deficit! And yet it’s the poor and the struggling who are actually being soaked with 77% of the budget deficit being clawed back by the double whammy of public spending AND benefit cuts;  only 23% is pencilled in to be raised from tax increases and half of that is from VAT, which we all pay and which hits the poorest hardest.

Not one of the Coalition’s tax increases is aimed at the super-rich specifically. Maybe that’s an area Labour should be looking at as far as raising taxes goes rather than from the elderly’s pensions and benefits.

Osborne repeatedly saying “We’re all in this together” is a masterpiece of sustained irony.