Rightfield

[eFestivals]

These numbers are obviously made up but highlight scenarios

yep, they highlight that you think there's no point pursuing murderers, cos there's no money in it.

That's where your morals sit. Unless you think that criminals should be pursued as a matter of principle?

With your lovely little justifying tax fraud scenario, nothing of morals and right and wrong comes into your thinking.

Money is everything to the right, as you've just proven.

[eFestivals]

Ok so where do you think you lie on a scale of 0-100 in relation to the political stance of UK citizens. Where 0 is left wing and 100 is right wing.

-ZHD I'd guess.

[sjseabass]

I don't think people were saying that about socialsm, more those posting here who fly the socialist banner (or who are certainly vehemently anti-right wing).

[formed a band]

At least I had the good grace to reflect and apologise for my offensive outburst. I think there are a lot of people on here who would like to see you apologise or be threatened with a ban for labelling ALL police c***s, which is as equally offensive, misguided and a form of labelling one area of society in a derogatory manner. Where's the difference?

This is why it hard to take on board and consider the views of some people on here, who otherwise would make some good arguements for debate but then come out with vile hatred towards certain areas of society. Russy like it or not, you are no different from a racist, homophobe etc

[eFestivals]

I see you're choosing to ignore the success of the NHS, too.

Aren't you listening to him, the right have all the answers.

So we all desperately want to pay twice as much for our healthcare and get worse service and worse health outcomes as well - as the USA gets to prove.

[mrtourette]

Virtually every piece of major academic work reviewing British politics over the new Labour period places them as more right wing than the Conservative party at the time. Or that was the case up until 2 years ago anyway, it may have changed. Defining it as published work in any of the major journals, or in any of the major textbooks used to teach at Russell Group or Oxbridge.

[ukdaasfan]

The government has spent the last year singing deals with off shore tax havens. Including signing deal with british crown territories.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/may/02/tax-haven-strategy-george-osborne

So to say the government isn't trying to crack down on tax evasion doesn't entirely hold up.

Avoidance....well that is a different thing and as my parents have setup a trust for the assets to avoid inheritance tax (which I partly run) I best stay out of that argument. ;-)

[ukdaasfan]

Aren't you listening to him, the right have all the answers.

So we all desperately want to pay twice as much for our healthcare and get worse service and worse health outcomes as well - as the USA gets to prove.

[russycarps]

Ok so where do you think you lie on a scale of 0-100 in relation to the political stance of UK citizens. Where 0 is left wing and 100 is right wing.

[thesecretingredientiscrime]

Dude that's still a very very vague claim with litle to back it up. Very flimsy. The Labour goverment were more right wing than the Conservative party for the entire period they were in power? No way Jose. Certainly they adopted right-wing stances or at least moved that way and maybe in certain areas they could be considered more right-wing, but not overall. I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you and virtually every piece of major academic work reviewing British politics over the new Labour period published in any of the major journals, or in any of the major textbooks used to teach at Russell Group or Oxbridge. For what it's worth.

Edited May 14, 2013 by thesecretingredientiscrime

[russycarps]

Avoidance....well that is a different thing and as my parents have setup a trust for the assets to avoid inheritance tax (which I partly run) I best stay out of that argument. ;-)

[siblin]

Ok so where do you think you lie on a scale of 0-100 in relation to the political stance of UK citizens. Where 0 is left wing and 100 is right wing.

[sjseabass]

Dude that's still a very very vague claim with litle to back it up. Very flimsy. The Labour goverment were more right wing than the Conservative party for the entire period they were in power? No way Jose. Certainly they adopted right-wing stances or at least moved that way and maybe in certain areas they could be considered more right-wing, but not overall. I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you and virtually every piece of major academic work reviewing British politics over the new Labour period published in any of the major journals, or in any of the major textbooks used to teach at Russell Group or Oxbridge. For what it's worth.

[russycarps]

mode, mean or median? left and right are usually entirely useless terms, as they are a) relative and too simplistic.

Calling someone a communist because they may believe that theres an imbalance in current politics and public opinion doesnt help the argument.

[mrtourette]

That's fair enough, but its a virtually blanket accepted idea, throughout nearly all of politics, and most elements of the Labour Party, which is why I was surprised at you and Teddington opposing it. I can't speak for inner groups of the Conservative party but I know most Conservative academics don't look upon their opposition period as the height of their right wingness.

[siblin]

I agree with this. The Tories had Michael Howard in charge for four years during this period, for crying out loud. I don't think the Conservatives have ever been the the left of Labour. Why do you think the Lib Dems positioned themselves to the left of Labour before 2010 (or certainly before Clegg became leader)? Because no-one else was in that ground.

[mrtourette]

Calling someone a communist because they may believe that theres an imbalance in current politics and public opinion doesnt help the argument.

[Big Vern]

Of course you are right wing. You are fortunate to be born into a life of priviledge.

Why would you want to lose what you have in order to benefit others?

It's the right wing way.

[bombfrog]

But thats an idea that the right don't like, so it doesnt count.

[wilko8]

To those complaining that socialism is simply screaming 'c*nt' at right-wingers and their ideas while having none of their own:

We have almost totally socialised healthcare in this country (or at least did until Lansley got his hands on the Department of Health). It has amongst the best cost effectiveness and patient satisfaction in the world.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/aug/07/nhs-among-most-efficient-health-services

I'm not sure you could say the same about our privatised public transport, utilities, etc etc.

Now taxation. Scandanavian countries have considerably higher marginal taxation rates than the UK, used to fund largely democratic socialist-minded governments. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland have the lowest rates of child poverty in the world, amongst the highest level of equality between rich and poor (double that of the UK) and are all in the top 12 for quality of life (the UK is 29th).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/sep/11/child-poverty-statistics-uk-countries

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality-of-life_Index

But socialism doesn't have any answers. OK then.

[russycarps]

Because every person that believes in free markets is a massive fan of tax evasion?

Do the left really believe this kind of bollocks or is it carefully calculated propaganda?

[siblin]

I don't think he's calling Neil a communist becuse of that, probably more because of the vitriol and hatred with which he speaks of nearly anything associated with right wing politics. Doesn't make it true of course, but let's not misrepresent.

[sjseabass]

This is the same Sweden that has the highest rate of income tax in the world, 25% Vat, subsidised unemployment and a history of forcible sterilisation of families (parents & children) judged by the government to be "racially inferior".

Sounds lovely.

[Trotter Fist]

It's a left wing, liberal festival, run by a left wing family, with left wing acts and a left wing philosophy for lefty leaning, liberal punters. The only right wing thing about the festival is the price of the burgers near the Pyramid stage and the watery lager. What do people expect? It's Glastonbury not a young Conservatives meeting.

All those not happy should start a Facebook campaign and boycott the festival in protest. Better still, start your own festival - it's a free market after all. This constant whinging from the right is so boring.

[Big Vern]

A serious question for Neil, Russy and others with admirably strong political views. Have any of you ever attempted to run for local council?