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[Yamor]

But read this.

[Ruthie]

The Coalition government has been in power for 7 months, so any thoughts on its performance so far?

"As the parliamentary recess beckons, Matt Chorley assesses the Conservative Prime Minister, Liberal Democrat Deputy PM and new Labour Leader of the Opposition – and analyses the challenges ahead."  [Independent on Sunday, 19 Dec]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/topsyturvy-the-year-politics-was-turned-on-its-head-2164318.html

thanks for posting this Aileen.  Re Cameron it raises the interesting question of what is meant by a  good PM.  He certainly appears to have taken to the role like a duck to water.  But personally I fear that his (and Osborne's) policies are going to create great hardship and undermine our public services.  I'm rather doubtful that Clegg can ever fully recover from the row over tuition fees - certainly not with young people  many of who voted Lib Dem in the Election.  I think Miliband is still finding his feet. I always thought it would take him time but he's not being helped by the backbiting among other Labour MPs and a hostile media.   But I think he has the potential to transform the Labour Party into a direction I'm happier with than in its New Labour form.  But I guess I'm biased!

[Ruthie]

David Cameron has an extremely difficult task over the next year or so and, with all the changes this coalition has had to cope with in grappling with the country's appalling financial situation, he is hardly likely to be too popular for some time. What the outcome will be I wouldn't like to even guess - all I hope is that there is a reasonable amount of success to justify the stringent measures which are being taken. Sorry, Ruthie, I know your political persuasion but I feel they could accomplish better things than any form of Labour Gov could do. It's all 'wait and see' really isn't it? As for Ed Milliband - he hasn't been the leader for long enough to assess him. Politics is not my favourite subject tbh, although I certainly follow the parties in general.

Don't worry Jan - we can agree to differ on politics. My own view is that such stringent measures are not justified economically and will be counter productive as well as harmful.  At least we can agree on the tennis!

[Aileen]

I'm not exactly a political animal, but I voted Lib Dem, not because I thought for one minute that they'd get into power, but because I hoped that, if a coalition were to be formed, it would be with the Tories as I felt the country needed a bit of fresh air, and I hoped the LDs might keep the extremer policies of Cameron and Osborne under control.  Sadly, it seems that Clegg has turned into a political lightweight and that that bit of fresh air could be turning into a potentially destructive gale, although Cameron has turned out to be a better PM than I thought, give or take the odd gaffe, like apologising publicly to the American people for the release of the Lockerbie Bomber - something which was none of Westminster's business.  I do, however, fear the trouble which could come when all the swingeing cuts start to bite.

Clegg's greatest disaster so far has undoubtedly been the U-turn on tuition fees.  Whilst I accept that in coalitions something has to give, I think he could have done much to mitigate these huge hikes in fees.

The LD's big embarrassment now has to be revelations made, in private admittedly, by Vince Cable.  Whilst I detest the methods of creepy undercover journalists, people in positions of authority really should be careful what they say anywhere within public earshot, and it certainly begs the question of just how Mr Cable can wriggle out of this unscathed.
 

[Aileen]

Jan makes a lot of sense.

The Tories were left.....a mess. A mess is a kind word for the situation left behind by Labour. So it is going to be hard to fix.

I don't agree with all the cuts...but they are much better than spending like crazy. We need some responsibility when it comes to spending....thats something Labour did not give us!

I think the coalitions plan will lead to future prosperity for the nation. I hope so.

One thing is for sure.....PM Cameron is better than PM Brown. And we know nothing about Ed Miliband....he seems to have no plans!

Trouble is, Tommy, that the electorate are, on the whole, unwilling to accept the severe cuts necessary to redress the huge deficit caused by Labour's constant spending spree and the irresponsible bankers.   I'm not convinced that bringing so many cuts in so soon is the best idea - it's going to be a huge shock to the system, and that's why I fear trouble.  We've already had rioting students, and the Trade Unions are threatening major strikes next spring, so who else might jump on the same bandwagon?  Scary!

However, on the subject of Labour throwing money around like sweeties, I was less than impressed by the government agreeing to give Ireland £7bn, and that in addition to money that country will get from the EU, in order to bail it out of its financial woes, spouting nonsense like "helping a friend in need".  (a) Since when were Britain and the Irish Republic that friendly, and (b), more importantly, just where is this vast sum of money being conjured up from?  Charity begins at home, where, at the moment, it is desperately needed.

As for Miliband - at the moment he inpsires as much confidence as a plate of cold porridge, but I realise he has to be given time to find his feet.  Also Gordon Brown had his faults, but I think he was under-rated as a PM and as a person.  I absolutely loathed Blair, along with creepy "Prince of Darkness" Mandelson!

[Joe]

Which I read somewhere is close to our debt or deficit...don't get this one

My main problem with some of the cuts is how they are being made, as pointed out before, within weeks of winning the election the story of the financial crisis changed from 'the bankers did it' to 'it's all the fault of our welfare system, damn those layabout slobs that don't have jobs'.

I'm not saying benefits didn't need an overhaul, but it was another repeat of shifting the blame from the rich and powerful and blaming it on the poor

We're still seeing senior bankers receiving huge bonuses, companies and individuals who have offshore accounts to avoid tax are still being schmoozed by the government that said it would stand for such behaviour, and these same people are then putting money in the Tories pockets and being favoured by them; and you wondered why I don't trust them or believe they have much moral or ethical fibre

I bet there's a big interest charge on that £7bn!

The Tories have always been the party of the vested interests. The rich making themselves richer.
If I hear David Cameron, who is reportedly worth around £30m, say that 'we're all in this together' one more time, I may hurt someone.
You may pay a bit more tax, Dave, but you'll still have your millions to get by with - no mortgage to worry about, no food expenses, still nice little holidays without needing to worry about the cost.

[Littlebuddha]

This government is out to destroy the public services.  It will hit hard come the new year. We have seen it all before when Thatcher was in power. Is'nt it funny that all the ideas for new taxes and job loses are usually tried out in Scotland.  The tories have one seat in Scotland the scottish people know full well about cuts.
She destroyed all the heavy industry up here there is only one or two shipyards that remain open.There are not enough new jobs to take up the job loses from the public sector.  My own son a graduate spent more than a year looking for a job.  He eventually got a part time job and thinks himself very lucky. NO WONDER THE TORIES ARE STILL REGARDED AS THE NASTY PARTY IN SCOTLAND.