I don't know if I can agree with that
the Tories generally take a line that favours the rich over the poor. That'll shaft you if you're the wrong side of the line, but their policies have had quantifiable benefits to the economy and they have reliably fixed problems the Labour party has caused. Labour have been in power three times within the last thirty or so years and each time there's been a significant recession. Each time the Tories were subsequently voted in, the economy improved.

I don't have any faith in Labour being capable of fixing the economic problems we currently have. The Tories have form in this area.

Incidentally, I don't like saying this. If I'm anything, I'm broadly old Labour in political leanings.
( Kroney, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 12:55, 2 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Do you really think the bankers who caused this recession are Labour voters?
Wouldn't you query the motives of the 100 top companies' CEOs when they support Cameron? When Rose - who is/was GB's highest earning exec - attacks Brown don't you think it is entirely out of self interest?
( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:07, Reply)

Of course, but like it or not, business is the powerhouse of the economy

Labour has tried to grow the economy by increasing the size of the state to an enormous percentage of overall GDP, but this approach is limited and consequently we are now burdened with an enormous bill to pay for it.
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:12, Reply)

Yes but greedy and thoughtless business is the ruination of us all.
See: Bankers.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:15, Reply)

It doesn't matter who they vote for
they did what they did after Labour relaxed the rules.
( Kroney, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:13, Reply)

"Each time the Tories were subsequently voted in, the economy improved".
Apart from that slight blip in the mid 80's and later the 90's when unemployment shot up to record levels, traditional industry was royally fucked over and interest rates hit 15%, forcing thousands of homeowners to have their properties reposessed as they could no longer afford to pay their mortgages.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:11, Reply)

Tories like high interest rates, and it would be one of their first tasks.
If you had investments or capital earning 0.1% that's what you would do. Of course, if you've got a mortgage on a shitty ex-council house higher interest rates hurt. Guess who the Tories listen to?
( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:15, Reply)

I own an ex-council flat and I earn well more national average wage,
a massive interest rate rise would wipe me out. It's not always the lowest earners who get screwed.
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:20, Reply)

Nobody is more pissed off than I am that my ISA is effectively worth fuck all at the moment.
But there's a balance between sensible interest rates and ones that are affecting ordinary people's quality of life to the point where they may have no roof over their heads.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:23, Reply)

Echo.
Please bear that in mind when making your mark.
( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:32, Reply)

Then again I own my home outright
So don't give a shit about interest rates.

I'm kidding, of course. Whilst it would be very nice for my savings to be returning a decent investment for me, current low rates are not impacting on my general quality of life. I could be a bit less skint at the end of the month, but the debt I am paying off just now is of my own making and I am doing without stuff in order to get it paid off as quickly as I can. On balance, I'd rather have this situation than one that sees ordinary people being squeezed left right and centre.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:40, Reply)

I'd be fucked by a big interest rate rise
I almost was a few months back anyway.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:43, Reply)

I've been trying to think about how to respond to this
I was pretty young at the time, so my memory's a bit vague. But didn't this coincide when industry and unions were dismantled? In a post higher up I've given my opinion on this, I think.
( Kroney, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 13:40, Reply)

Yeah
but it was still the result of Government policy decisions. Personally I'm of the opinion that this sort of thing is cyclical; for Brown to have claimed that there would be no more periods of boom and bust was utterly laughable, of course there fucking will be. It keeps bloody happening.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 14:02, Reply)