OK Ian, I have a few moments now to reply properly.
I don't buy all this "believe what I'm told to believe" nonsense. There are certainly many who think like this but I'm not one of them - a) I'm a floating voter and choose my vote carefully every time b) I'm cynical of everything and think it through for myself. So, point accepted but not relevant in this case. And the question is: Is the Tory Party a centralist one?
We can all point at things that need improvement and you choose the NHS and young people. I'll address both of these in due course. However my main point is that we have to look at the whole in order to make broad categorisations like this. Is the Tory party trying to do good for the whole population? I think it is; you may not agree with their approach - that's your prerogative - but I think that they are trying:
- Large scale tax reforms to stop the middle/wealthy avoiding tax. Examples: Buy to Let tax changes; Dividend Tax reform.
- Addressing big business tax avoidance. For the first time a UK government is taking on the Googles and Amazons and forcing them into a position to pay UK tax. This isn't a new problem - Labour had plenty of opportunities to address this and did nothing.
- Corporation Tax reduction. Interesting one this... their philosophy is that by reducing corporation tax it will bring more companies and more taxable revenue to the UK. It will also bring more jobs which may typically be lower income. Again you may disagree with the method but their intention is clear.
- National Living Wage. Again interesting - it's about the best way to bring greater wealth across the population which is debatable but again the intention is clear. The Tories are trying to make work far more attractive than benefits. If they can get more people into work it reduces government expenditure and may actually lead to greater tax revenue - allowing further tax cuts and more investment.
- HS rail and greater investment in the North. This is a very long term game but a genuine attempt to even out the wealth across the country.
The choice between a more centralist Labour and Conservatives is now one of the better way to achieve equality of opportunity. Do we tax high and give money out or do we tax low, provide opportunities and coax people into doing what is better for themselves and their families?
Now to pick up your two points:
- The NHS. An emotive point and a problem re funding for a very long time - this is not an issue that is unique to this term or the last. I can see that they have increased funding; set up a new NICE sub-committee to try and get more effective drugs available; facing up to the unions to try and get a full 7 day service (and compromised to the satisfaction of negotiators only to be rejected at the vote). These are all in intent positive moves. In my opinion some party at some time needs the balls to fully address the inefficiencies in this organisation but the Tories are shying away from it as did Labour presently. But doubtless if they ever do the unions will again flounce about and people will use it as a stick to beat them with - but it is what needs to be done. I write from personal experience when my Mum has been ill and also from a close family member who works in the NHS.
- Young people. I think that the plight of young people is almost entirely the fault of Labour and the EU. 1) It has become almost mandatory for anyone with ambition to go to university and to gain debts of £50k for the privilege. It was Labour that expanded higher education and introduced loans. I don't think it's appropriate for people to have a degree in tourism; hotel management; media studies... it's the kind of training that should be covered by paid apprenticeships and the Tories are pushing this agenda. I'd also prefer a graduate tax if we must charge for education as it spreads the cost more fairly. More to come from the Tories on this I'm sure. 2) House prices are obscene and that's driven by supply and demand. Free movement has seen 350k net immigration pa - driving up demand at a pace that we cannot (and don't want to) meet with new builds.
However, compared to almost everywhere else in the world our young people still have it good - youth unemployment is way lower than almost everywhere else as is our economy. It's all very well stating that things could be better - that's always true. But when we look at how the UK has performed since 2010 it's far better than most and that puts it into perspective.
For me, one of the major differences between the far left and the centre is one of temperament. The left is always so bloody negative about everything: everything is crap; there is a psychological need to blame everything on the Tories and be negative. However I prefer to judge things as they really are: we can always improve but how are we doing against what is practically possible? Ignoring the hatred, which party is actually doing something to help?
