Labour lead slashed to one point.

[Lonnie]

I haven't put this up as a question, just a possible debating point.

For myself, I couldn't be more pleased.

http://newsbox.msn.co.uk/article.aspx?as=adima rticle&f=uk_-_olgbtopnews&t=4023&id=6596353&d= 20071004&do=http://newsbox.msn.co.uk&i=http:// newsbox.msn.co.uk/mediaexportlive&ks=0&mc=5&ml =ma&lc=en&ae=windows-1252

[cambus]

I'm with you Lonnie.
I just can't wait for this caring, sharing, Tory party, to come to power.
They are the true party of the people and will inspire England to rise up and be great again.
Not so sure about Wales and Scotland though.

[starmack]

There will have to be an international campaign to bring back Spitting Image if the Tories come to power.

Christmas Image Special on TV - The Ghost of Christmas Past - Thatcher hovers in the mens toilets as the Cabinet suddenly goes dry, in fear of her. Was there ever a better moment in satire?

[Lonnie]

cambus,
And i'm with you, I think Wales also, but not Scotland,
The Last general Election, Labour lost in England and Wales, it was the Scottish vote that put them back in, and i'm afraid, unless the SNP take the votes, history may well repeat itself.

starmack,
Even though I think Margaret Thatcher was our best post war PM, (we all have different views), this Tory party is not the same, same as Bliars and Browns so called Labour party is not the same as its predecessors.

[ruby27]

Lonnie

as I am probably at the opposite end of the political spectrum to you, the thought that an even more right wing party than Labour can be elected, fills me with dread.

[Lonnie]

Hi ruby,
Its always good to see your views, and yes, we are politically opposite, makes for good debates.

Personally, I don't think thet the this Tory party is that much more right wing,

Traditionally, they should be, and I think they've moved a little more to the right, and are claiming back the ground they lost pre '97', and i'm all for that.

[Sweep2k]

The Tories are the party of 'I'm alright, Jack'. Which is fine. It comes down to what matters to you.

They'll drastically cut funding for the poorest in society by winding down initiatives that help the long-term unemployed to get training, that help disabled people to find work, that pays for the poorest children to buy books and get the school bus, that help single mothers to find work - amongst many others. Not the high profile initiatives that you read about in the papers, but the ones that help the very poorest in society.

For most of us, the Tories will look after the things that mattter most in our insular lives. Lower tax, less immigration, fewer youths hanging around.

So there is still a left/right divide between the two, although it's smaller than it was.

If you want to look after number one, then you choose the Tories. Thankfully, not everyone can live with that.

[Lonnie]

Sweeps,
This present goverment, I'm assuming your a Labour fan, is slowly taking away our civil liberties, plundered pensions, done away with border controls, sold off half our gold reserves at a loss, brought in how many stealth taxes.
And thats only part of it.

No other goverment, Tory or Labour, has done so much harm to this country.

But,if what you've written is your unshakeable view, keep with it.

[Sweep2k]

Thanks for your permission there, Lonnie. It means a lot.

Incidentally, I'm far from being a Labour fan. I can't forgive the erosion of civil liberties and their handling of Iraq and I think they've damaged the way politicans interact with the electorate forever.

But sadly I can't stomach the alternative. I'd rather see a government care for the poor than chum up with the fellow members of the Bullingdon Club. I'd rather see one that has a more mature approach to Europe than the la-la-la fingers-in-the-ears approach of Little Englanders. And I'd rather swallow my own head than tick the box for veiled bigotry against foreigners, gays and the unmarried.

(And I love the Tories standing up for freedom and liberty when what they're really concerned with is the freedom of the wealthy to keep their precious money away from the tax man - and by extension, those who really need it. But hey, that's right wing politics for you).

Still, if what you've written is your unshakeable view, you have my permission to keep with it.

[China Doll]

Here's the thing....

Currently all I hear are complaints regarding the current goverment. One of those complaints that they're more right wing than the tories.

That being the case... why would the right wingers vote tory?

[Lonnie]

Nice one China.

Sweeps, thanks also for your permission, but in reality, we can only vote on what the parties promise to do, and if elected, hope that they will keep to them.