Off Topic General Election Special

[TheCasual]

Good, scrap them - as a member of that generation with large student debt, most of us with pay **** all towards them, and you have to be earning a pretty decent wage to even start paying it anyways.

I imagine that the government isn't getting massive amounts of money back from them regardless. If I'm wrong, fair enough, but from my experience, very few people I know are actually paying anything towards theirs.

Part of the Student Loan Company has been privatised. From memory Deutsche Bank owe part of the loan book and so do other banks.

 

[Mr Hatem]

Jo Swinson has a local connection.

After graduating from the London School of Economics, Swinson moved to Yorkshire and worked for Ace Visual and Sound Systems in Thorne, before becoming a marketing and public relations manager for Hull-based commercial radio station Viking FM from December 2000,[13][14] and media company Space and People.[15]

At the age of 21, Swinson stood unsuccessfully in the Kingston upon Hull East constituency in the 2001 general election, but gained a 6% swing from John Prescott, then the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In 2003, she unsuccessfully contested Strathkelvin and Bearsden seat in the Scottish Parliament election, finishing third with 14% of the vote. Wikipedia

 

[Amin Arrears]

It's a good question but the circumstances are different. When students incurred their debts, they at least knew full well that was the deal. When WASPI women were paying taxes and building up their pensions, they had no idea that their pension age would be shifted years/decades later, with no recourse (up to now, at least).

Weren’t the waspi women told way back in the early 90’s their pension age would be going up?

I don’t really know what happened around that but it had to happen to some age group?

 

[AlRawdah]

I am genuinely enjoying this thread, and hoping it may generate a bit more light than heat in view of recent mod activity. Most of my friends in real life and on social media have similar views to me, so I don't get the chance to have a proper political discussion with people who hold different opinions. I try and take the view that we all want the best for ourselves, each other and the country but may disagree on what form that may take and on our priorities and on how to achieve it.

Regarding politicians, I take all of them with a pinch of salt, but I have heard some in the flesh and some come over much better than others. For example, both Graham Stewart and Emma Hardy seem to know their constituencies very well, work hard to promote them in Westminster and make themselves available/accountable to their constituents. I've been happy to have them as my MPs when I've lived in their constituencies. To answer a previous poster, I attended a husting at a previous election, and Graham Stewart was far and away the best of the lot, to my disappointment as a natural Labour voter. I can only presume that Beverley & Holderness is such a solid blue that the other parties only put up a token fight and save their high quality candidates for other places.

The quality of candidates really is something that needs emphasising. My current MP has, in the last two years done two things:

1. Tried to claim the work of the local council, who are trying to find ways to reduce congestion on a busy arterial road, as his own.
2. Consistently vote down a Brexit deal that would have put an end to the current nonsense.

He has literally done nothing else for the constituency, despite living locally.

His opponent on Thursday has achieve more in the last six months as a candidate, than he has as an MP for the last two years. Things like that really need to be taken into account on polling day.

 

[Mr Hatem]

The quality of candidates really is something that needs emphasising. My current MP has, in the last two years done two things:

1. Tried to claim the work of the local council, who are trying to find ways to reduce congestion on a busy arterial road, as his own.
2. Consistently vote down a Brexit deal that would have put an end to the current nonsense.

He has literally done nothing else for the constituency, despite living locally.

His opponent on Thursday has achieve more in the last six months as a candidate, than he has as an MP for the last two years. Things like that really need to be taken into account on polling day.

Most people in the UK vote as if it were a Presidential election.

 

[Amin Arrears]

The quality of candidates really is something that needs emphasising. My current MP has, in the last two years done two things:

1. Tried to claim the work of the local council, who are trying to find ways to reduce congestion on a busy arterial road, as his own.
2. Consistently vote down a Brexit deal that would have put an end to the current nonsense.

He has literally done nothing else for the constituency, despite living locally.

His opponent on Thursday has achieve more in the last six months as a candidate, than he has as an MP for the last two years. Things like that really need to be taken into account on polling day.

Better than mine. He lives in the south of France!!

Thankfully he’s retired now. But his party parachuted in one of their yes men from Oxford to take his place.

Rotten.

 

[Quill]

Most people in the UK vote as if it were a Presidential election.

Agreed.

Way too many people vote not only on personality over policy, but also vote based on the whole nation rather than their actual local constituency.

I think a lot of people don't really know how FPTP works either.

 

[AlRawdah]

I don’t really know what happened

Fair point.

The women were between 40 and 45 years old when the changes were made. They had been working and paying taxes for years and decades. No similar changes were made to any mens' pension entitlements, incidentally.

 

[Amin Arrears]

Fair point.

The women were between 40 and 45 years old when the changes were made. They had been working and paying taxes for years and decades. No similar changes were made to any mens' pension entitlements, incidentally.

No, women’s retirement age was lower than men’s and it was moved to be the same. That was the point. It’s not like they didn’t have time to plan for it they were given 20-25 years notice?

 

[Heimdallr]

A fair answer, and nice to see someone saying something without having to resort to acting superior or being vindictive about someone on here or elsewhere.


This thread is much better now [NAME REDACTED] isn't posting on it.

It's been a surprise for many campaigners, scientists and other nation's politicians, who have often been diametrically opposed to his actual politics, how actually good Gove has been in his current/former job. He's been efficient, forward thinking, innovative and extremely efficient at his job, working way beyond the usual remit and pushing his department along. Apparently genuinely enthusiastic, 'listens to experts' and hugely successful in his role, working with a zeal - the opposite to how he was deemed when secretary for education. Many will be sorry to see him go.

Rewilding of countryside, reintroduction of species, animal protection, ocean preservation, beach cleans, plastic recycling, countryside mess, building waste regulations, international climate negotiations, clean energy - he's even been held back from above from forcing supermarkets to reduce packaging drastically.

Who would have thought it after stabbing Cameron in his back over the EU. Maybe it helped as he's had something to prove.

 

[originalminority]

Weren’t the waspi women told way back in the early 90’s their pension age would be going up?

I don’t really know what happened around that but it had to happen to some age group?

Everyone's pension age went up, mine will go up from 65 to 67 and my wife's from 60 to 67, neither of us will ever be compensated. Mother in law never worked/paid tax after she got married yet got her pension at 60, wife has always worked yet will get 7 years less pension. Selective compensation of pension age and student debt for certain groups of people could lead to resentment from others.

 

[Ric Glasgow]

It's a good question but the circumstances are different. When students incurred their debts, they at least knew full well that was the deal. When WASPI women were paying taxes and building up their pensions, they had no idea that their pension age would be shifted years/decades later, with no recourse (up to now, at least).

Can anyone explain why the big fight is over WASPI women and why Labour plan to part with £58 billion to compensate them?

Surely every single woman was dumped on in terms of retirement age i.e.:-60?

 

[Amin Arrears]

Everyone's pension age went up, mine will go up from 65 to 67 and my wife's from 60 to 67, neither of us will ever be compensated. Mother in law never worked/paid tax after she got married yet got her pension at 60, wife has always worked yet will get 7 years less pension. Selective compensation of pension age and student debt for certain groups of people could lead to resentment from others.

But you don’t pay into ‘your’ pension. People in work now are paying the pensions of the current pensioners. Nobody has lost anything?

 

[Heimdallr]

Could you expand on that? When I think of environmental issues, I think of fracking - the recent moratorium was not a ban as such, and gave me the impression that it was just to get us past the election before it starts up again.

Hi, covered a bit in my previous post. UK doing incredibly well with renewable energy, much better with recycling and looking after countryside. Beavers back in rivers etc and the lynx expected to be reintroduced during next decade.

 

[originalminority]

It's been a surprise for many campaigners, scientists and other nation's politicians, who have often been diametrically opposed to his actual politics, how actually good Gove has been in his current/former job. He's been efficient, forward thinking, innovative and extremely efficient at his job, working way beyond the usual remit and pushing his department along. Apparently genuinely enthusiastic, 'listens to experts' and hugely successful in his role, working with a zeal - the opposite to how he was deemed when secretary for education. Many will be sorry to see him go.

Rewilding of countryside, reintroduction of species, animal protection, ocean preservation, beach cleans, plastic recycling, countryside mess, building waste regulations, international climate negotiations, clean energy - he's even been held back from above from forcing supermarkets to reduce packaging drastically.

Who would have thought it after stabbing Cameron in his back over the EU. Maybe it helped as he's had something to prove.

I like Gove, very articulate.

 

[Cortez91]

This thread has definitely confirmed my opinion about certain posters on here so it's been of some use

Made you realise just how amazing I am? Or just confirmed that fact?

 

[Ric Glasgow]

Everyone's pension age went up, mine will go up from 65 to 67 and my wife's from 60 to 67, neither of us will ever be compensated. Mother in law never worked/paid tax after she got married yet got her pension at 60, wife has always worked yet will get 7 years less pension. Selective compensation of pension age and student debt for certain groups of people could lead to resentment from others.

Sorry,we've posted at the same time but both make the same valid point.

 

[Quill]

This thread has definitely confirmed my opinion about certain posters on here so it's been of some use

Glad I was finally able to convince you what a massive bellend I am

 

[Mr Hatem]

Hi, covered a bit in my previous post. UK doing incredibly well with renewable energy, much better with recycling and looking after countryside. Beavers back in rivers etc and the lynx expected to be reintroduced during next decade.

Don't mention beavers on here, they are a bunch of pervs, especially Mr Hacker.

 

[Cortez91]

Glad I was finally able to convince you what a massive bellend I am

We didn’t need a thread for that?