The bribes have started early.

[Workingman]

Clegg got in first with free meals for primary school pupils. Labour are now going to ensure those same pupils have childcare from 8am to 6pm. There is no mention of any change to tax credits or Child Benefit, so we can assume they we remain largely the same.

So who benefits the most? Well, obviously those with children, the more the better. And which group(s) might be having the most babies? Statistically it will be the unemployed, the working classes and immigrants.

There are a number of problems here: 1. The country needs fewer people, not more, and these bribes will only encourage an increasing birth rate. 2. Who is going to pay for all this government largesse? Where will the tax come from or will it be funded by borrowing?

[Suff]

As Blair proved. It's easy to promise and so long as things are going relatively well, people will let them go on promising but not delivering.

Delivering is a different proposition. Clearly the Lib Dems and Labour think the economy will be enough back on track to pay for these things without further borrowing.

But, then again, how are we going to pay back all the debt we currently have? If we don't curb borrowing and reverse the trend to positive income for the government.

How quickly people forget that we are still in an utter mess. OK not so much of a mess as we were, but that falls into "Damning with faint praise" in my lexicon....

These are just vote winners. Things they do not expect to deliver on.

[pederito1]

Does anyone ever actually believe any politician`s pre election promises?

[cromwell]

I see Comrade Miliband is now proposing to have primary schools open from 8.00 am to 6.00pm for "childcare", thus confirming the metamorphosis of primaries from education to state child minding facilities.

Btw - does anyone think of the effect on a four or five year old infant, to have a ten-hour day at school?

[Workingman]

... does anyone think of the effect on a four or five year old infant, to have a ten-hour day at school?

Or the staff, or the fabric of the buildings?

It has got even worse since my OP. Red Ed has been on his soapbox and is determined to micro-mange the economy as well. He wants some sectors of the economy to pay more than others - finance, IT and construction. It's all very Marxist in my book.

[cromwell]

Considering his upbringing that's not surprising.
I think it's the sons and daughters of middle class parents who are, maybe unknowingly, so vastly arrogant as to absolutely know that they have all the answers to all the questions; and that no-one else can ever be right in any circumstances.
A psychiatrist would have a field day in the HoC.

[TheOstrich]

Does anyone ever actually believe any politician`s pre election promises?

Absolutely not. Cameron's EU referendum pledge before the last election was a defining moment for me.

[Workingman]

The man has lost it.

He now wants large companies to train a new apprentice for each skilled worker they hire from outside the EU. His figure is 125,000 high quality apprenticeships.

So, for each new apprenticeship we have to take on a new immigrant.... and probably their extended families as well.

[Suff]

Absolutely not. Cameron's EU referendum pledge before the last election was a defining moment for me.

How so? I'd like to get that out in the open. Love or Hate Cameron he has done what he said he would do. In fact he's done more.

1. He promised that IF and ONLY IF, Brown had not signed the UK up to the Lisbon Treaty, then de would hold a referendum.
2. He promised that he would create an act which forced a referendum for any new powers to be transitioned to Brussels (or Strasbourg),
3. He promised to ring fence the NHS from Austerity cuts
4. He promised to recover the economy
5. He promised to cut government debt
6. He promised to deal with the impact that benefits are having on our economy
7. He promised to have a referendum on a different voting structure

Now, Brown DID, in fact, sign us up to the Lisbon Treaty. Therefore Cameron had no referendum to give us. Brown saw to that, not Cameron.
Cameron DID give us an act which delivers a referendum for any new powers to be handed to Brussels
Cameron DID ring fence the NHS. For all the good it has done
The Economy IS back on track and growing
Government debt IS reducing as a % of the economy, if not as a whole. However the overspend continues to decline. The first steps on a very looooong road to mending the damage Brown did to the economy.
I see benefits as his major failure. He really has done very little about it, due to Lib Dem government suicide threats. But again I'm not surprised. I predicted that.
Cameron DID have a referendum on changing the election structure and the people said NO....

Cameron DID veto the transaction tax. Standing up for British business and the British economy.
Cameron HAS done something he never promised. He in process of supporting a legislation for an IN/OUT referendum on Europe in the next parliament, no matter who gets into government.

Hate Press aside, someone please tell me what fundamental thing he has not done, that he promised.

Because I tell you now he did NOT promise a referendum on whether the UK would be in the EU or not. Yet he IS in the process of delivering it.

[TheOstrich]

Hate Press aside, someone please tell me what fundamental thing he has not done, that he promised.
Because I tell you now he did NOT promise a referendum on whether the UK would be in the EU or not. Yet he IS in the process of delivering it.

http://www.brugesgroup.com/eu/cameron-i ... keyword=23

That's what I believe. And as far as I am concerned, the man is proven untrustworthy, Suff - sorry ....