Rachel Reeves is portraying herself as the new Thatcher and promising an economic "take off" like 1979, but Thatcher delivered recession, inflation, and unemployment.
I’m just thinking of a couple of singles that came out in the early 80s - UB40 One in Ten and The Specials Ghost Town. Later in the 80s there was Heartland by The The. Pretty much summed up the state of the country under Thatcher. I really like my Labour MP but, as a political party, I am quite disturbed by what they are doing now.
I married a Geordie. He hated Thatcher with a passion and helped turn my political views to the left. He died in 2011. I’m almost glad he’s not here to see what’s happening. Anyway, gan canny, bonny lad and have a stottie for me.
I assume they're trying to walk a line with retaining their 'core vote' - who will vote grudgingly 'not Conservative' whilst appealing to the softer Tories who think the current leadership is not delivering.
But I think there's a very real danger of doing that in that you end up with an apathetic voter core who are aren't actually inspired to 'turn out' for you, or campaign or express their overt support, and feeds very much into disenfranchise and voter apathy.
Which might win an election, but it might do so at a CONSIDERABLE enduring cost.
Whule I was a nipper (8 in 1979) on Merseyside (and stil here) I enjoyed the pink and new wave scene.
But I'd have traded it for a decent,or at least a better standard of living, instead of the abject poverty them bastard tories imposed on me and my family.
I don't actually understand how we got here. I mean, I'm assuming it's some sort of backlash against Jeremy Corbyn, in that he was clearly _not_ a 'red tory' and had some serious grass roots support.
But still, didn't 'deliver' at the ballot box despite that. (Although I don't think that was entirely his fault, but whatever).
So they're slewing to the opposite extreme - e.g. not bothering to invigorate the core demographics who traditionally support Labour, because they feel they can count on their votes anyway as a 'not the Conservatives' vote. I know plenty of people who will be grudgingly tactically voting for this very reason.
But I think that's a very dangerous game, because when your 'core vote' are demoralised and disenfranchised, they're much less likely to 'turn out' on the day, as they're not really passionate about doing that.
And your 'newly wooed' voters ... also aren't particularly passionate, they're just thinking that on balance maybe it's worth switching colours.
That means it doesn't really take much negative publicity in the weeks before the election to cause a huge drop in the very turnout you REALLY need to stand a chance.
There was a concerted attack on Corbyn. Lots of money went into it. Then as he was pro Palestine being a state, the Israel lobby lost their shit and said he was an antisemite.
I suppose with a bit of work on her hair, voice coaching and a handbag upgrade she could pass as AI Maggie cyborg v.2. I'm going to struggle to vote Labour at the next GE which is worrying. As I've said before on this platform via AAV's kindly provided comments section - where do leftwing- and/or Green non-Tories now realistically turn? Is there any point in even voting? We are now in the realm of 'lesser evils.' Is a abstaining from the vote now the best (or least evil) option? Old Anarchist friends used to think so but they had few alternatives other than very small scale grassroots initiatives.
Thatcher destroyed my life, I lost not just my career in the Electricity supply industry, but my home as well. It was on the market during the biggest ever slump in the housing market. My redundancy package barely covered the loss. Any fool who espouses Thatcherite policies should be culled and Reeves is a FOOL.
Honestly kinda mind blowing that a senior Labour figure would ever venerate Thatcher. I mean, in terms of being the party in the first place, but also surely it's a 'bold move' electorally too?
I'm pretty sure the people who really liked Thatcher won't ever be voting Labour, and a lot of the core vote ... well, aren't going to be more positive about a Thatcherite Labour either.
I mean, I guess trying to steal Conservative voters is the name of the game, but I'm pretty sure the reason Labour did very badly in historic elections was in positioning as 'soft conservative' being a losing strategy.
All the people who want conservative vote for the Conservative party, and those that don't... well, aren't really inspired to turn out and support the party that's told them that 'hey, at least we're the Lesser Evil, vote for us!'.
Just don't see how that's an election winner no matter how much you believe it.
Challenging the narrative and leading the way might. But 'what they said, but not as much' just looks weak.
I’m just thinking of a couple of singles that came out in the early 80s - UB40 One in Ten and The Specials Ghost Town. Later in the 80s there was Heartland by The The. Pretty much summed up the state of the country under Thatcher. I really like my Labour MP but, as a political party, I am quite disturbed by what they are doing now.
I turned 13 in 1979 when Thatcher got in. She destroyed my future but encouraged some damn good punk bands and hatred of Tories so not all bad...
PS I'm from Newcastle, which has always been Labour, but I will not vote for Thatcher lite
I married a Geordie. He hated Thatcher with a passion and helped turn my political views to the left. He died in 2011. I’m almost glad he’s not here to see what’s happening. Anyway, gan canny, bonny lad and have a stottie for me.
I assume they're trying to walk a line with retaining their 'core vote' - who will vote grudgingly 'not Conservative' whilst appealing to the softer Tories who think the current leadership is not delivering.
But I think there's a very real danger of doing that in that you end up with an apathetic voter core who are aren't actually inspired to 'turn out' for you, or campaign or express their overt support, and feeds very much into disenfranchise and voter apathy.
Which might win an election, but it might do so at a CONSIDERABLE enduring cost.
Whule I was a nipper (8 in 1979) on Merseyside (and stil here) I enjoyed the pink and new wave scene.
But I'd have traded it for a decent,or at least a better standard of living, instead of the abject poverty them bastard tories imposed on me and my family.
*WHILE & PUNK
(Not "Whule & pink - bloody tiny phone keyboard 😕)
Reeves is not the brightest button in the box, and should be on the back benches.
Labour truly are just red Tories. They have no clue beyond following the thoroughly disproven ideology of neoliberalism.
I don't actually understand how we got here. I mean, I'm assuming it's some sort of backlash against Jeremy Corbyn, in that he was clearly _not_ a 'red tory' and had some serious grass roots support.
But still, didn't 'deliver' at the ballot box despite that. (Although I don't think that was entirely his fault, but whatever).
So they're slewing to the opposite extreme - e.g. not bothering to invigorate the core demographics who traditionally support Labour, because they feel they can count on their votes anyway as a 'not the Conservatives' vote. I know plenty of people who will be grudgingly tactically voting for this very reason.
But I think that's a very dangerous game, because when your 'core vote' are demoralised and disenfranchised, they're much less likely to 'turn out' on the day, as they're not really passionate about doing that.
And your 'newly wooed' voters ... also aren't particularly passionate, they're just thinking that on balance maybe it's worth switching colours.
That means it doesn't really take much negative publicity in the weeks before the election to cause a huge drop in the very turnout you REALLY need to stand a chance.
There was a concerted attack on Corbyn. Lots of money went into it. Then as he was pro Palestine being a state, the Israel lobby lost their shit and said he was an antisemite.
I suppose with a bit of work on her hair, voice coaching and a handbag upgrade she could pass as AI Maggie cyborg v.2. I'm going to struggle to vote Labour at the next GE which is worrying. As I've said before on this platform via AAV's kindly provided comments section - where do leftwing- and/or Green non-Tories now realistically turn? Is there any point in even voting? We are now in the realm of 'lesser evils.' Is a abstaining from the vote now the best (or least evil) option? Old Anarchist friends used to think so but they had few alternatives other than very small scale grassroots initiatives.
The graph above appears to show inflation low and GDP rising at 4% a year during the Thatcher period.
And what the hell is this drivel about patriotic economics?
Thatcher destroyed my life, I lost not just my career in the Electricity supply industry, but my home as well. It was on the market during the biggest ever slump in the housing market. My redundancy package barely covered the loss. Any fool who espouses Thatcherite policies should be culled and Reeves is a FOOL.
She's a bloke.
Honestly kinda mind blowing that a senior Labour figure would ever venerate Thatcher. I mean, in terms of being the party in the first place, but also surely it's a 'bold move' electorally too?
I'm pretty sure the people who really liked Thatcher won't ever be voting Labour, and a lot of the core vote ... well, aren't going to be more positive about a Thatcherite Labour either.
I mean, I guess trying to steal Conservative voters is the name of the game, but I'm pretty sure the reason Labour did very badly in historic elections was in positioning as 'soft conservative' being a losing strategy.
All the people who want conservative vote for the Conservative party, and those that don't... well, aren't really inspired to turn out and support the party that's told them that 'hey, at least we're the Lesser Evil, vote for us!'.
Just don't see how that's an election winner no matter how much you believe it.
Challenging the narrative and leading the way might. But 'what they said, but not as much' just looks weak.