Am i the only who beleves labour MUST change their ways? after the tory whitewash over kent here i will put my thoughts.
1. They need younger peolpe within the party both nationally and locally, as it stands the labour party does not appeal to younger voters , hence why cleggymania took over.
2. They should get rid of the driftwood that is within the party, to many pen pushers not enough action .
3. This could possibly be the best thing to happen to labour, time for a fresh start , get new faces in, more younger people with more energy to get out there and make themselfs known.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Melissa, you are right in so much that you state that for thirteen years Labour have slept!
Do you really think it's time for them to wake uo now!
They are to ignorant to the younger generations. Without causing offence look at the ages of most of the party? Get younger people in.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Melissa
I agree but its difficullt getting younger people involved because normally they don't have the time or money to spare to devote to the party.The Labour party have done more for the young,the unemployed and poorer families than any other party but more needs to be done.Maybe adopting politics into A level curriculum would be a start in the right direction.
I also think there is a large section of the young (binge drinkers,drug takers,bone idle and downright yobs)that couldn't give a toss about politics or politicians.They'd rather blow there heads off with waccy baccy,speed,cocaine,crack or anything thats available rather than engage in a discussion about the state of the nation.
We need more women politicians,more ethnic MP's and of course younger brighter free thinkers in the Labour party that are not tied by traditions and Trade Unions.We need to scrap nuclear weapons,we need to lead the world in abolishing third world debt,invest in greener energy.Revamp the benefits system,build more social housing in brown field areas so folk can walk to work.Re-privatise water,gas and electric so its affordable for all and not a profit making utility for the very few.
The NHS should be taken out of government control and run by a non political organisation to ensure that we do whats best for the patients and staff and not just do what we think we curry favour and catch votes for a particular party.
Build new and better schools that teach trades as well as the classics.Give pupils more power to decide at the age of 14 if they wish to study history geography maths etc or if they would prefer to learn a useful trade brickie plasterer hairdresser sales tourism agriculture etc.We need to start thinking outside the box.
Now is a good as time as any to implement some radical changes.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
With all due respect Marek, there's nothing radical listed there, maybe a few loony suggestions but all within the typical socialist box. Bluntly speaking, they are so unrealistic as to be the sort of thing only Labour or the Communist Party would consider.
As for the young, I can agree with some of your comments, but, generally, they see the procrastination, avoidance of answering even the simplest question, pig-headedness of supporters and a sea of old faces, and think, "this ain't for me", and who can blame them?
In addition, all three main party leaders in this Election specifically avoided answering the one question the country wants answered. They blabbed about change, stability, trust and all that tosh, but ALL failed to tell us how bad it's going to be and what they would do to ease that pain. I don't accept at all Barry's defence that it would be political suicide because even I have an idea of we face and what to do, and I'm no politician. It's no secret that, thanks to Labour, once again we're deep in the sh1t financially. An outline and considered view would have been helpful and would probably have avoided the hung parliament we have now.
Words fail me to describe the lemmings who still thought it made sense to vote Labour after 13 years of dismal failure. Obviously none, or very few of them ever bothered to read and remember what a Labour manifesto included. They are a useful record of lies told to get votes, nothing more.
Melissa, David Blunkett said almnost the same as you, and his honest opinion, the only one on election night, does him much credit. Until his message sinks in it could be a very long time indeed before Labour become a threat. By the way, don't forget Tony B Liar rigged selection proccesses to get the diversification of candidates you wish for, but what did they deliver?
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
I'm not sold on the idea that Labour - or any political party for that matter - need younger people on board. It's about adhering to the beliefs of Labour supporters that will mark an improvement in the party's fortunes. New Labour became more Tory than the Tory Party, unrecognisable from traditional Labour values and beliefs. When it becomes possible to view Labour as the Labour Party instead of some watered down quasi-Tory party, then supporters can rally round values they understand and support.
It's about ability, not age.
True friends stab you in the front.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
you are sounding very much like a sore loser sid, you have answered your own question about why the "lemmings" voted for the red. people still remember the nasty party.
were the voters that kept the blue in for 18 years also lemmings.
you might do well to remember that only 37% voted for the blues, 63% voted against them.
They may well have been Howard. So many people vote for the same party for the wrong reasons. Voting percentages mean very little, but your statement implies that 100% of folks voted, which isn't the case of course.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
you are right sid, our vote in gods own dover was quite high, but still over two thirds of people over the country voted.
if it was compulsory to vote, then the reds and yellows would garner even more votes, all recieved wisdom shows that blue voters would walk through fire to vote, hence low turnouts suit them.
the blues held power for many years only because the left of centre vote was split.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Mel,I am a Labour Councillor and I have done my little bit for youngsters,I am a pen puher at work but not politically,and although I am not young I have as much energy than some people half my age.I have 3 daughters aged 20 20 and 22 and my first granchild born 3 weeks ago.I think I should slow down so you can catch me up!
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
john
you are sounding more like our susan every day.
in your school days in sandwich, did you have to cart buckets of stagnant water for miles at the crack of dawn each day so that the family could share a bath?
No, they waited for it to rain and then jumped in the puddles.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,699
Labour needs to get back to the core values that it used to stand for - social equity, collectivism, internationalism etc. At the same time these should be reviewed to ensure that they are pertinent and relevant to current society.
What else should they change? Certainly multi-culturism should be dropped in favour of assimilation; electoral reform should become policy as it is clearly needed (even though the current election would have left them with less seats), devolution of power from the centre to local level takes policy back to where the party started; the benefit system in line with the last set of recommendations from Frank Field.
Only by making a political party relevant to today's society whilst maintaining the links to the past and being true to their principles will political parties be attractive to the electorate.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Sad t osay Ross I think you will be disappointed as Tony B Liar changed the dynamics of winning elections forever.
Listening to Radio 5 in the early hours of the morning, there was an American journalist talking about the complete lack of coverage and interest in the USA about the whole election, who also said that if any of the three leaders had stood in Times Square you would be pushed to find anyone recognise any one of them.
Frankly, whilst we are all getting in a tizz over the whole thing, I don't think that the rest of the world gives a toss!
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
words of wisdom there bob,who these days gives a toss about anything.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,699
How tedious Sid that you resort to the hackneyed anagram of Blair's name.
I think with DC we are going to end up with "A Damn Divorce" between him and the Tory grass roots, due to the "Random Advice" he is receiving from his supporters and the fact he "Romanced Diva" Clegg.
See we can all play the silly anagram game
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Labour have needed to wake up for the last several years. They have endlessly refused to listen to people and now they will pay for it.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,699
Indeed exactly like the Tories did 13 years ago
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Ross it may be hackneyed, but also a little reminder that Anthony Blair is a liar. If the head of a party is rotten, then it is quite likely the party will be too.