I thought this narrative had fizzled out. Austerity wasnt forced because of Labour. The financial crash of 2008 was a global crash following dodgy sub prime mortgages in the US packaged with fraudulent credit ratings packing as CDO's that were worthless. The bubble burst and it led to a tightening of credit ratings across Europe with banks realising the safe mortgages they bought were worthless so a decrease in lending (credit crunch) and shortage in liquidity. We had to bail out the banks to the tune of 500 billion. The tax payer footed the bill with 10 years of austerity and Labour/immigration took the blame.

Public services slashed; the NHS brought to its knees through underfunding; police, fire and nursing numbers cut. Libraries closed down. A record number of foodbanks opened and used; record numbers of homelessness; record numbers of in-work poverty (that is people who are in full-time employment, working every hour they can, and still having to claim benefits and use foodbanks); we’ve heard a headteacher in Morecambe break down as they tell us about children scavenging in bins in schools for an old apple core, because they are that hungry (look it up).

Four million children in poverty in the 5th richest economy in the world. Food bank use in 2009 was at 47,000. In 2018 that figure stands at 1.6 million. 1.6 million! 4 million children in poverty. Incredible! We are all one accident away from falling on tough times. Meanwhile, we have seen the biggest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich that we have ever seen. How can that sit right with anyone?

Global scientific consensus tells us we have 11 years to reverse climate change before it is too late. And yet we have a prime minister who could not be bothered to debate it. At the last leaders debate on ITV, climate change was never even brought up! Fritnin!

I see a lot of crap thrown at the way of Jeremy Corbyn. For whatever you think of his leadership or his policies between him and Alexander Boris De Feffal Johnson who has the interest of the working class at heart? Pissed off at the personal attacks on Corbyn who is - if nothing else - a genuine, compassionate man, full of integrity, who has stood up for the most vulnerable in society his entire life. He has fought racism of every kind (including anti-Semitism) his entire life.

By comparison, and in the last 10 years alone, Boris Johnson has called gay men “tank top wearing bum boys”, he has called Muslim women “Letterboxes” and “bank robbers”, he has called black people “picanninies” with “watermelon smiles”. He said that the city of Liverpool was full of people always wanting to be the victims (about Hillsborough). He has been sacked twice for dishonesty. He is a serial adulterer. He is on record arranging for a journalist to be beaten up. He has banned the Daily Mirror from his tour bus. Refused to take part in certain debates. Dodged the Andrew Neil interview. Expelled members of his own party for voting against him. In the words of Basil Fawlty "otherwise okay?".

Political correctness has gone too far. I'm not a fan of the far left. I believe you can still be liberal and have common sense. Some of Corbyn's shadow cabinet I'm not dancing for joy at (like Diane Abbott) but with what is front of you ask yourselves this; Who really has the interest of the working class at heart? I have not found it difficult to choose which party to vote for when faced with that question.

Our politics are obsessed with Brexit. This is the Brexit election. Corbyn has been absolutely played on this. He should have passed the withdrawal bill and then had an election. If memory serves didn't parliament pass the withdrawal bill through to its second reading (on it's way to becoming law) and then Johnson called an election? Now why did he do that?

Because Brexit is the Lynton Crosby dead cat strategy. Without it (and if you park it from your mind) the horrific tenure of this Conservative government is left hopelessly exposed. They don't have a leg to stand on. Nurses numbers, police numbers, education, the NHS - all public services, their policies are ripped to shreds. They are now. From the ridiculous nurses recruitment through to the policing numbers through to the number of hospitals built. Day time TV anchors have done damage there. It is why Johnson will not stand up to scrutiny of Neil & co and yet it doesnt matter because Brexit is the fallback, the scapegoat.

If you could comprehend it would be a big help - so I will spell it out in simple terms that even you and your mummy will be able to understand.

How many attacks have we had in the country from the Jewish community? How many attacks have we had from the Muslim community? Which branch of religion do you think offers the greatest threat of physical injury to the population of the UK?

So would you say a fear of Islam has more tangible substance than a fear of Judiasm? I ask again why are Labour so scared of the Jews.

As for funding - the Labour party draws most of its funds from pretty hard left trade unions who are currently mobilising followers to disrupt political gatherings - democracy isn't something Labour really want.

I never the financial state that the Tories inherited from Labour was caused by Labour - just the Tories inherited it and something needed to be done. That involved controlling the one thing they could - public spending - do you think they took great pleasure in that a definite vote loser?

4 million children in poverty - what do you determine as poverty - poverty is what you see in Africa. These kids come from low income families where benefits top up their income to agreed levels. When you read about nurses earning £30k+ using food banks it does make you question?

Climate change can only be tackled on a global basis - yes we can do our bit - perhaps if we didn't buy Chinese products until they have cleaned up their act then it might make a difference. Fracking has reduced carbon output in the US yet we don't want to endorse it here.

The idea that the Labour party cares about the working class is simply not born out by their actions - Labour is now a north London elitist party controlled by Momentum and its cheerleaders like Owen Jones and Ash Sakar. It is now a party that lacks any kind of substance or gravitas.

Boris has simply learned from the mistakes made by May last time and his opponents this time - all he is trying to do is not screw up - Corbyn would do the same if he were in power and protecting his position. I doubt he will ever be interviewed by Neil again.

Corbyn is an agitator and always has been - he has a nasty temper on him when challenged - a defender of extreme organisation with whom he appears to have significant empathy.

Starting salary for a nurse is £23k, healthcare assistants earn around £18k.

The average rent is £926pm (£11k pa) in England and £1,665 (£20k pa) in London.

But sure, poverty only exists in Africa

And how many of these nurses earning £23k live in accommodation that costs £926p/m - its the same as how many people will actually gain the whole £6,700 Labour is promising?

So what constitutes poverty?

Hundreds in Leeds - the city is full of bars and pubs, its like you can go 50 yards with seeing one - that is despite beer being £6 a pint.

Pubs fail because of a few key factors - smoking ban, cheap off sale alcohol, dinking/driving etc nothing to do with the Conservatives.

So why are the Tories so far ahead in the polls? Perhaps its you that is way off knowing what real people think - perhaps rather than signing of their payroll you need to go out and speak to some of them - but then you would have to stop looking down on them from your lofty perch.

Haven't the Tories shown a significant increase in the national minimum wage £2/hr - a 33% increase. Combine that with increases in personal allowances of £6k - surely these policies positively impact the poorly paid.

So given the financial situation the Tories inherited what do you think they should have done?

The idea that Corbyn is negatively impacted by the press needs to be offset by the strength of Labour with social media - who actually buys a newspaper these days? Far more people read/use Twitter so its just a spurious excuse because we don't want the state to own all our businesses and Labour's message simply doesn't stack up to scrutiny.

McDonald showed the angry side of Labour on Marr today - lost his cool and the argument.

Quote: Sal Paradise "Haven't the Tories shown a significant increase in the national minimum wage £2/hr - a 33% increase. Combine that with increases in personal allowances of £6k - surely these policies positively impact the poorly paid. So given the financial situation the Tories inherited what do you think they should have done? The idea that Corbyn is negatively impacted by the press needs to be offset by the strength of Labour with social media - who actually buys a newspaper these days? Far more people read/use Twitter so its just a spurious excuse because we don't want the state to own all our businesses and Labour's message simply doesn't stack up to scrutiny. McDonald showed the angry side of Labour on Marr today - lost his cool and the argument.'" I agree with the first 2 points that you make, which are offset by the younger workers and the dreaded zero hours contracts - £2 and hour more, if you lose 3 or 4 hours of work may still be a reduction ?? and of course you dont mention those who, for a multitude of reasons, cant work and should we gloss over child poverty, crime and massive increase in foodbanks, all as a direct result of austerity cuts And, just to show the utter contempt that the Tories have for the poorest people in the country, their candidate for Broxstowe, tells people, rather than use foodbanks, they should take out payday loans https://universalcreditsuffer.com/2019/ ... yday-loan/ As long as his conscience is clear Is this who we should vote in on Thursday ??

Quote: Sal Paradise "Haven't the Tories shown a significant increase in the national minimum wage £2/hr - a 33% increase. Combine that with increases in personal allowances of £6k - surely these policies positively impact the poorly paid. So given the financial situation the Tories inherited what do you think they should have done? The idea that Corbyn is negatively impacted by the press needs to be offset by the strength of Labour with social media - who actually buys a newspaper these days? Far more people read/use Twitter so its just a spurious excuse because we don't want the state to own all our businesses and Labour's message simply doesn't stack up to scrutiny. McDonald showed the angry side of Labour on Marr today - lost his cool and the argument.'" I agree with the first 2 points that you make, which are offset by the younger workers and the dreaded zero hours contracts - £2 and hour more, if you lose 3 or 4 hours of work may still be a reduction ?? and of course you dont mention those who, for a multitude of reasons, cant work and should we gloss over child poverty, crime and massive increase in foodbanks, all as a direct result of austerity cuts And, just to show the utter contempt that the Tories have for the poorest people in the country, their candidate for Broxstowe, tells people, rather than use foodbanks, they should take out payday loans https://universalcreditsuffer.com/2019/ ... yday-loan/ As long as his conscience is clear Is this who we should vote in on Thursday ??

On the issue of austerity and public finances and said it was a myth that the Conservatives would not invest as much in public services as Labour.

The financial crisis hit in 2008 and tax receipts crumbled and the budget deficit jumped up to 9.9 per cent of GDP. At this point the Tories saw electoral advantage in making the deficit their key campaigning point and so they started to say Labour had been spending too much for years and that's why the public finances were such a mess. It would have been more credible if in 2007, they had made a big deal about the 2.6 per cent deficit and said we need this to be zero so we would reduce spending, but when you campaign on 'we will match Labour's spending' and then subsequently claim Labour's spending was too high, you can see this was based on political opportunism not economics.

As for how to reduce a budget deficit

Well nearly all nurses starting out will be renting as they are very unlikely to own property so the vast majority will be paying somewhere close to the national average rent.