The Successes of our Labour Government

[Titanic99]

Did I say it’s worth nothing? No! Stop reading what you want to read and listen to people.

 

 

This is what you put exactly:

 

"What exactly makes up the majority of this supposed wealth. House prices, which are across the board therefore mean NOTHING, zip, nil."

 

So which is it to be then, do they mean something or nothing.

 

Of course the answer is something, to the person who owns it they have a valuable asset that can be cashed in at any time and to those who don't own one then it makes it more expensive if the value is high.

 

Can I take it you aren't prepared to hand over your worthless asset to a charity of your choice then.

[Titanic99]

Let me answer this one as it shows your incompetence on the matter or your utter unquestioned loyalty to the labour party.

 

Schools - Failing

Hospitals - dirty, waiting lists fudged, staff paid pittance. Burger King restaurants now inside hospitals!

Government buildings - SOLD OFF to companies in tax havens, meaning the government cannot even claim back the VAT on the rent

Roads - One of the worst in the EU requiring billions to repair.

Parks - Listed, therefore worth nothing.

Museums - Again listed, so you have no access to the money.

 

Come on try and stay on topic, I made the point about the country being worth considerably more and that it offers your lot an opportunity to make a few bob.

 

Are you suggesting these things aren't worth more now, or that your beloved party shouldn't sell some of them off.

[Titanic99]

Titanic - why do you continually refer back to the same article? You are like a stuck record and all it shows is you don't have a grasp of real world application of economics.

 

Just giving people a reality check, there's so much focus on the debt and not enough on the wealth.

[mj.scuba]

Come on try and stay on topic, I made the point about the country being worth considerably more and that it offers your lot an opportunity to make a few bob.

 

Are you suggesting these things aren't worth more now, or that your beloved party shouldn't sell some of them off.

 

Titanic - you seem to think rapid house price inflation has been a good thing becuase it has supposedly created wealth. What it has done in reality is price most young working people off the housing ladder. Well done Labour!

[Titanic99]

Titanic - you seem to think rapid house price inflation has been a good thing becuase it has supposedly created wealth. What it has done in reality is price most young working people off the housing ladder. Well done Labour!

 

No I understand that the wealth of the country is considerably more now than under the Tories.

 

It's the people obsessed with the debt that disturb me, I'd have thought that both issues are equally important.

[mj.scuba]

No I understand that the wealth of the country is considerably more now than under the Tories.

 

It's the people obsessed with the debt that disturb me, I'd have thought that both issues are equally important.

 

But the majority of hard working young people forced to rent when they aspire to own their own home are not acumulating any equity wealth though are they? Instead it's the minority (landlords) that gain. I suppose the situation does fit the Labour master plan; keep the majority down and hopefully they'll keep voting Labour, who cares if a minority are gaining the most, they'll vote Tory anyway.

[Bedders]

I know it's fashonable to hammer this government on the Sheffield Forum, but I am sick and tired of hearing the cynics, the Tories & liberals, and the media constantly undermining the success story of the Labour Government’s record over the past 13 years. I am afraid people have very short memories and perhaps it is time to remind ourselves as to the achievements of the government since they came to power in 1997. Here's just 52 Labour Achievements;

 

Employment

 

1. A rising National Minimum Wage - Annual rise for 1 million people, now £5-80 per hour. Remember the £1-20 per hour when they took power - opposed by the Tories and business

 

2. In Europe we signed the Social Chapter and introduced measures including: four weeks’ paid holiday; the right to parental leave; extended maternity leave; a new right to request flexible working; and the same protection for part-time workers full-time workers. – opposed by the Tories

 

3. The New Deal has helped over 2 million people into work – opposed by the Tories

 

4. A million people are benefiting from real tax cuts to boost their income this year

 

Health

 

5. Massive investment in new hospitals buildings - The shortest waiting times since NHS records began.- remember the condition of Wards back in 1997 with peeling paint and leaking roofs

 

6. 3 million more operations carried out each year since 1997, doubling the number of heart operations

 

7. Over 44,000 more doctors

 

8. Over 89,000 more nurses

 

9. Health Centres - Over three quarters of GP practices now offer extended opening hours for at least one evening or weekend session a week. In new a vastly improved facilities and clinics

 

10. All prescriptions are now free for people being treated for cancer or the effects of cancer, and teenage girls are offered a vaccination against cervical cancer

 

11. The NHS can now guarantee that you will see a cancer specialist within two weeks if your GP suspects you may have cancer

 

12. Whatever your condition, you will not have to wait more than 18 weeks from GP referral to the start of hospital treatment – and most waits are much shorter than this.

 

Elderly

 

13. A million pensioners benefiting from increased Winter Fuel Payments over 60’s £250 if you live alone, £400 over 80

 

14. 900,000 pensioners lifted out of poverty

 

15. Free TV licences for over-75s

 

16. Free bus travel anywhere in England for over-60’s and disabled people – remember the Tories stopping Sheffield’s cheap bus fares with free travel for pensioners

 

17. Launched the Swimming Challenge Fund to support free swimming for over 60s and under 16s – opposed by Lib/Dems in Sheffield and Hull

 

Children & Families

 

18. 500,000 children lifted out of relative poverty and measures already in train will lift around a . further 500,000 children out of poverty. £20 per week, 1st child - £13-20 subsequent

 

19. Over 3 million Child Trust Funds have been started.

 

20. A free nursery place for every 3 and 4 year old.

 

21. Nearly 3,000 Sure Start Children’s Centres opened, reaching 2 million children and their families.- Tories promising to end Sure Start

 

22. Doubled the number of registered childcare places, over 1.5 million, 1 in every 4 children under 8

 

Education & Schools

 

23. New Schools - Over 3,700 rebuilt or significantly refurbished schools; including new, improved classrooms, laboratories and kitchens, most with new Sport Facilities – remember the old leaking roofs

 

24. Over 42,400 more teachers and 123,000 more teaching assistants than in 1997

 

25. Increased school funding to support the delivery of higher standards. In the last 11 years, total funding per pupil has more than doubled. In real terms, an increase of 110%

 

26. In 1997 over half of all schools saw less than 30% of pupils gain 5 good GCSEs. This has dramatically improved with a guarantee that no school should fail this mark after 2011

 

27. A massive investment in University & college buildings, more young people attending university than ever before

 

28. More than doubled the number of apprenticeships starts, with figures for 2008/9 showing 234,000 started compared to 75,000 in 1997.

 

International

 

29. Peace in Northern Ireland

 

30. Cancelled up to 100 per cent of debt for the world’s poorest countries – opposed by the Tories

 

31. More than doubled Britain’s overseas aid budget. UK aid helps lift 3 million people out of poverty ever year. Led efforts to agree a new international convention banning all cluster munitions.

 

32. Introduced the first ever British Armed Forces and Veterans Day to honour the achievements of our armed forces – both past and present.

 

33. In the last 4 years Labour’s work overseas has helped over 7 million people in sub-Saharan Africa access clean water and sanitation

 

34. Devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. – opposed by the Tories

 

Environment

 

35. The UK is now smoke free, with no smoking in most enclosed public places.- opposed by the Tories

 

36. The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions are now 21% below 1990 levels, beating our Kyoto target.

 

37. Britain now has more offshore wind capacity than any country in the world. Wind last year provided enough electricity to power 2 million homes

 

38. Banned fox hunting – opposed by the Tories who promise to bring it back

 

Housing, Neighbourhoods & Safety

 

39. Over £20 billion in bringing social housing to decent standards – every council house being modernised

 

40. Launched the £1.5 billion Housing Pledge to speed up the delivery of new affordable housing and embarked on the biggest program of council house building for twenty years - remember the state of our housing sock after years of neglect

 

41. Rough sleeping has dropped by two thirds and homelessness is at its lowest level since early 1980s

 

42. Since 1997 overall crime is down 36 per cent; domestic burglary is down 54 per cent; vehicle related crime is down 57% and violent crime is down 41 per cent.

 

43. A new flexible points-based system to ensure only those economic migrants who have the skills our economy needs can come to work in the UK.

 

44. Police numbers up 16,000 since 1997, alongside over 16,000 Police Community Support Officers

 

45. Every community now has its own dedicated neighbourhood police team, easily contactable by the people living in the community and working to agreed local priorities dealing with all concerns.

 

Equal Opportunities

 

46. Equalised the age of consent and repealed Section 28 – apposed by the Tories

 

47. The introduction of civil partnerships, Labour has given legal recognition to same-sex partners. Gay couples now have the same inheritance, pension and next-of-kin rights as married couples.- apposed by the Tories

 

Culture Sport & Leisure

 

48. Free admission to our national museums and galleries.

 

49. The ‘Right to Roam’ the CROW act opening up acres of moorland for the walkers and families – apposed by the Tories and Land Owners

 

50. Created a new right of pedestrian access to the English coast, so that every family has the opportunity to enjoy the length and breadth of our coastline– again apposed by Tories and land owners

 

51. Created 4 new National Parks at Loch Lomond, New Forrest, the Cairngorms and the South Downs

 

52. Led the campaign to win the 2012 Olympics. Today the programme remains on time and on budget with over 40% of the construction programme completed and all major venues under construction.

 

This government has seen through the largest Public Capital Building programme ever carried out in the history of this country, whether it be in Education, Health, House Modernisation, Culture and Leisure, a magnificent achievement, surely the most successful Labour government ever!

 

Don’t let them destroy it. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to protect this. This election is winnable and if we can get Gordon to combine it with the local elections in May giving us around a 70% turn out we will take back most of the big cities as well.

 

So get out there and fight!!!

 

I'll be out there 'fighting', as you put it, to make sure we don't get another Labour government!!

 

Yeah & don't forget a benefits sytem that makes people sat on their arses making exuses, better off than some of us that are working. Disgrace & that's why i won't be voting Labour!!!

 

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/posts/view/130613/Jobless-and-pregnant-mother-of-seven-picks-up-42-000-benefits-a-year/

 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/165246/Prisoners-being-paid-millions-in-benefits

 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/164813/Foreign-benefits-scandal

 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/163365/Benefits-1-85bn-mistakenly-overpaid-

 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/158400/Fury-at-mum-on-100-000-a-year-benefits

 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/157423/Benefits-families-better-off-by-not-working-

 

I could fill pages with these! Lending money to people who cannot afford it (toxic debts) has bankrupted the banks & the same will eventually happen to the welfare state with people who have never paid into the system only taking out. This is not what the system intended when it was set up in 1948. The idea was to help people back on their feet during hard times, not a life on the dole paid for by the suckers out there slogging there guts out!!!

 

You also forgot to add, as a class warrior that you sound like, the introduction of paying your own tutition fees in 1997 for University education. A move that doesn't hurt the rich but hammers the less well off.

[Titanic99]

But the majority of hard working young people forced to rent when they aspire to own their own home are not acumulating any equity wealth though are they? Instead it's the minority (landlords) that gain. I suppose the situation does fit the Labour master plan; keep the majority down and hopefully they'll keep voting Labour, who cares if a minority are gaining the most, they'll vote Tory anyway.

 

Totally agree with you, if any Party suggested a scheme that imposed a tax on people whose property had increased in value significantly and used this money to help young people get on the property ladder then they would get my support.

 

I have to point out though that to an extent Inheritance Tax does this and the Party you favour want to remove this which kind of means you are arguing against the policies of your own party.

[Berberis]

Come on try and stay on topic, I made the point about the country being worth considerably more and that it offers your lot an opportunity to make a few bob.

 

Are you suggesting these things aren't worth more now, or that your beloved party shouldn't sell some of them off.

 

I'm sorry I was replying YOUR post and it’s me going off topic?

 

Please do elaborate on how the government buildings that have been sold off are in some way an asset for the country when they are owned by Banks and holding companies residing in tax havens?

[Tony]

Totally agree with you, if any Party suggested a scheme that imposed a tax on people whose property had increased in value significantly and used this money to help young people get on the property ladder then they would get my support.

 

Ah, but it has already happened. Gordon Brown has increased the stamp duty land tax rate by a staggering 500% since '97.