Life in post-Labour Britain
- Thread starter Sankari
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Man of Honour
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It's a bit early to gauge accurately how things have changed but there's quite a bit of uncertainty in the public sector at the moment with job losses in progress, a load of hire bikes have appeared in London, ID cards have been scrapped and there is a website where you can nominate laws that you'd like to see repealed.
All in all plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose for most I'd think but maybe in another few years we'll be able to more accurately judge how the Coalition Government has affected the Country. How's life in Australia?
All in all plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose for most I'd think but maybe in another few years we'll be able to more accurately judge how the Coalition Government has affected the Country. How's life in Australia?
It's all a little bit of history repeating. When Nu Labour came to power they blamed the Torries for everything for 12 years. Now the co-allition is in power, they are blaming labour for everything.
I think a lot of politicians would get a lot more credit if they put half as much effort into solving the countries problems rather than constantly spouting rhetoric about the MP's on the other side of the bench.
I think a lot of politicians would get a lot more credit if they put half as much effort into solving the countries problems rather than constantly spouting rhetoric about the MP's on the other side of the bench.
Associate
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Apart from the number of jobs, especially graduate entry/training jobs in my industry being non-existant now and having to see David Cameron's smug face on the news...
...not much has changed yet.
...not much has changed yet.
Weren't PFIs invented by the last Tory government, under a different name ? PPP IIRC.
M
Soldato
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Yes I have noticed it, my girlfriend works for a PCT and a lot of their staff are justs going. My line of work has been hit hard by funding cuts at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and to the defense budget. Even the work annual Christmas party has been cancelled this year!
CHRISTMAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED!
CHRISTMAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED!
Soldato
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Yes I cannot believe how much this has just dried up. Nobody can afford the risk anymore, nobody is willing to invest in the future, everybody is just sitting tight, cutting as much as they can get away with until the ball starts rolling again (if).
Soldato
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Big cuts at work this year, and even bigger cuts looming next year. To be honest it needed to happen the amounts being wasted were unbelievable.
However I am worried that I'll be made redundant next year.
However I am worried that I'll be made redundant next year.
Life continues as it was and we are finding out about the “wonderful” legacy Labour lumbered us with. It’s really too early to say. Let’s wait for the autumn budget, the VAT increase, jobs cuts and ask next March.
How are things in your neck of the woods?
How are things in your neck of the woods?
Man of Honour
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Terrible isn't it.
Although the last couple of places I've worked (private and public sector) have not had Christmas parties except those you sort out yourself.It is indeed unfortunate for people just starting out although the idea of not risking anything may prove to be shortsighted in the extreme, as Erica Jong said "If you don't risk anything you risk even more.". It may mean for those that did squeak in before the shutters came down (to be a bit melodramatic) there's a lot of potential when the economy expands again and money starts flowing because there'll be an undersupply of those qualified and experienced enough to do the jobs meaning those who can do it will be in high demand. And so the cycle begins again...
Soldato
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I think I can count myself as one of the lucky ones who got in before the shutters and I ca imagine it must be terrible for anybody starting out. Redundancy is always in the back of my mind and the consequences aren't really worth thinking about. I would more than likely have to leave my rented accom and more back in with the parentals. Now that isn't a happy thought.
We're gaining our freedoms back, which is worth some of the economic pain.
The coalition is proving far more honest and realistic than Labour ever was, and Labour are about to commit electoral suicide with their leadership contest.
Not noticed the effect of budget cuts yet, but then everything was so bloated we probably won't really, unless you're one of the people who should never have been employed by the state in the first place
The coalition is proving far more honest and realistic than Labour ever was, and Labour are about to commit electoral suicide with their leadership contest.
Not noticed the effect of budget cuts yet, but then everything was so bloated we probably won't really, unless you're one of the people who should never have been employed by the state in the first place
such as?
Thanks for all your responses. You're right, it's too early to talk about significant changes, but I was wondering if the Tories had taken any action on the spending cuts and public service reductions they'd talked about during the election. Great to hear that ID cards have been scrapped! That's a terrific saving already.
Life's treating me well. I recently completed a business-related vocational qualification, and might be going back to finish my uni degree (think I only have 6 units to complete; just waiting to see what my academic transcript says). Haven't been able to find a new management position, so I've taken a warehouse job to keep the money rolling in. It's not much, but it pays the bills and mortgage.
There's a Federal election coming up very soon (polls open next weekend) and competition is fierce, but I think Labor will win. I hope they do, because they're currently in the process of rolling out a 1-gigabit national broadband network using FTTH, which will cover 93% of the population. Incredibly, the Opposition has threatened to scrap the scheme if they are elected. So I have my fingers crossed for Labor.
Remember Numpty Bub? She's growing up fast!
Apologies for the low-quality images; I think they were taken with a phone.
Life's treating me well. I recently completed a business-related vocational qualification, and might be going back to finish my uni degree (think I only have 6 units to complete; just waiting to see what my academic transcript says). Haven't been able to find a new management position, so I've taken a warehouse job to keep the money rolling in. It's not much, but it pays the bills and mortgage.
There's a Federal election coming up very soon (polls open next weekend) and competition is fierce, but I think Labor will win. I hope they do, because they're currently in the process of rolling out a 1-gigabit national broadband network using FTTH, which will cover 93% of the population. Incredibly, the Opposition has threatened to scrap the scheme if they are elected. So I have my fingers crossed for Labor.
Remember Numpty Bub? She's growing up fast!
Apologies for the low-quality images; I think they were taken with a phone.
Tax breaks for film productions in the UK are still in effect so its looking good for my industry, however I believe the torries cancelled some hopeful looking tax breaks for the games industry, which us a bit of a bummer!
Oh and the whole London cycle hire fiasco!
Oh and the whole London cycle hire fiasco!
Man of Honour
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Great to hear that ID cards have been scrapped! That's a terrific saving already.
It might not actually save that much in monetary terms or not for quite a while as there are presumably costs to be incurred should we renege on contracts. I'm happy enough they're gone for ideological reasons but it's not necessarily going to be a big money saver when large portions of the project will probably be re-used and decommissioning the project will cost money. I suspect it'll be more of ongoing savings that will be of benefit.
Glad to hear things are going well for you.
I must have missed this, what particularly are you thinking of? I'm sure there have been problems but since I've not been using the bikes I haven't noticed too much.
Completed
National ID card scheme gone.
National identity register gone
Contactpoint gone
RIPA clampdown
Speed cameras funding withdrawn
In progress
Consultation on laws that should be removed
Libel law reform
Regulation of CCTV
Improved safeguards around use of terrorism legislation
Ending storage of email and internet records without good justification
Improved protection against unjustified storage of DNA records
Law changes so historical convictions for homosexual behaviour are removed
More protection against the proliferation of unjustified criminal offences
Outlawing schools taking children's fingerprints etc without permission
Source
All sounds very much like progress for me after 13 years of authoritarian nutcases in power, especially as the bulk of those are repealing or altering laws that were created by the previous government.