Not defending Labour, but firstly (like Will Still) it is early doors - 1 year into a 5 year term/plan. Secondly, the correct way to govern is to make all these tough choices now, so that by the time the GE comes about, you have made a difference. As I said, not defending them, but I will judge them towards the end of the term, not the beginning. *I reserve the right to go mental after the budget and I am fleeced for tax
I'm sorry but they've had over a year and it's a complete train wreck of a government. And when taxes rise, which they inevitably will because that's what Labour does, they'll be a lame duck government because that will be the last straw for the public - being lied to is something that will not be forgotten or forgiven.
Confirmation that Labour will make themselves as popular as a turd in a punch bowl if they go through with this.
A Reform government led by Farage will be the equivalent of MAGA led by Trump and every scary thing that is happening in the US at the moment could start to happen here once they taste a bit of power. The far right (or far left) should never lead this country.
Have you tried to check your NI contributions/State pension entitlement - I did recently, and you have to scan a current photo, your driving license or passport via an government ID check app. Maybe, just maybe consolidating all of them into one UK ID system will improve costs/bureaucracy. Your info is already in so many databases it is probably better that once consolidated that best cyber security practices could better or more easily updated. Now it is easy for me a 'normal white male' to say I do not have any civil liberty issues as I am not being stopped by the police every time I walk down the road - but on the whole I have no issue with the principle of an ID system. I do think the current justification to tackle illegal immigration/black economy is more to do with appeasing traditional Labour voters who have swung to Reform and this is my main concern, rather than fighting the racist idealism they are trying to appease the gulliable.
I would suggest we are in a period of media induced hysteria, and not a nightmare at all. The Tories broke the country and are now quietly stepping over inti Reform so they can fix the problems they created? I would suggest people just let Labour have their 5 years and see if any progress has been made.
Imagine voting for a party which is in bed with American Christian Ultra Nationalists Turning Point UK. It will be a vote against women’s rights.
Even on the rare occasion the labour leadership try something sensible such as addressing the crippling welfare issues their own MPs block it. Whilst I don't think they are the answer to the problems facing the country, reform are not just a rebranded version of the Tory party, at least not the one of the past 15 years. People will lazily claim they are because of a handful of Tory MPs defecting to reform, but looking at their policies and manifesto, they are drastically different to the current Tory party.
Thankfully this country isn't as insanely religious as the states and things like cracking down on abortion would never wash here.
If we let American rightwing politics get normalised here then don’t count your chickens on that one.
That doesn't work. They stop you now and ask for details and you can refuse to give them details, at which point they warn you if you will not give them your details they will have to arrest you and get you to provide them at the police station!
Labour (as predicted) are turning on their own and what the Tories were ridiculed for (internal battles) has run at turbo speed inside of a year to the point now that we are just past that year Burnham is openly stating his ambitions and his supporters are taking big pot shots at Starmer and McSweeney! Early doors it may be but there could end up being the dreaded "back me or sack me" scenario and a hastily called GE if we end up in stagnation unable to gte anything at all done. They won;t be able to cling on hamstrung by their own people for 3 years!
Its a BS excuse to bring it in though. Genuine employers already ask for photoID from even their English employees! Even when we were in the EU factory workers from the EU had to supply their passports to be kept on file by the employer which ended up meaning loads of Brazilians on fake Portuguese passports ended up on the run round the country........(bear in mind these passports had got them through EU and UK border control!!!) Those that employ people with no right to work in the country will continue to do so. The card quite simply only affects those that are legal and those that are illegal will continue to do what they do! So you have to dial down into what is the real reason for this seeing as we already have in place laws on legal and illegal working!
I wouldn't be so certain of that. The internet has made right wing American politics massively influence the right here. Where do you think all this 'Christian country' stuff comes from. I doubt anything would actually pass but I can definitely see it coming up as an actual discussion in the not too distant future.