hypochondriac

Yeah it has. If you read what I wrote then I wasn't the one claiming that about older people. It was the likes of Tim saying it about his mum, I don't believe it to be the norm except in a few cases.

Eh? I know they do but it appears that the younger generations aren't afflicted as badly with the swallowing whatever the paper tells them gene if the experience of posters on here is anything to go by. Given time this should mean that this apparent influence will diminish.

Of course media has an influence and I have never pretended it didn't. But some on here are vastly overestimating the influence of the media and suggesting that the majority are a bunch of gormless idiots unable to formally any opinions for themselves. I don't believe that is true and I don't believe that people voted conservative because the paper told them to.

That's the typical left wing response and one I reject. It's easier to pretend that the majority of the British public are brainwashed and easily influenced by the media rather than the truth which is that the majority of the British public simply don't want what the left are selling currently. The idea of a passive audience died out for advertisers a long time ago- maybe those who blame the media when people vote conservative should do the same. If only the media hadn't existed then ed would have won by a landslide right?

The good news is that even if there are this mass of geriatrics voting the way the mail tells them, it appears that the young aren't afflicted with the same gullibility so hopefully it will die out in time.

I expect most people will realise it's a silly comment and deliberately exaggerated to make a political point. I really doubt many people genuinely believe that corbyn hates Britain merely because Cameron gets it written for him in a speech just as I don't reckon he knows what the great British bakeoff is but that didn't stop them trying to capitalise on that popularity either.

I really don't think the public are as thick as those on the left would believe. I simply don't believe that the majority vote a certain way because a paper tells them to. People tend to buy things that already mirror their ideas. I'm sure there are some gullible older people who swallow lies or exaggerations but I doubt it's that high a percentage. The way some of you go on it's like the sun and the rest of the mainstream media have brainwashed the nation. I give the public more credit than that.

Not everyone shallows everything they read in this manner.

Jesus Christ! Van Dijk is the greatest defender of the last 15 years after 4 games and now this. Bloody hell...

Making up things again soggy. It's your favourite pastime.

I'm not sure the comparison is valid here. It's terrible that she has had to go through so much. Doesn't mean some people haven't acted like nutters on here. You can of course have sympathy for the victim whilst discussing the case and the possibility that his appeal will succeed. Calling those who question a verdict rape apologists is as idiotic as labelling everyone who voted conservative heartless monsters.

I'm not sure of the relevance and you are arguing semantics now. It was only when labour came back to the centre that they were successful. A left wing (not centre left) government will not be voted for by the British public.

Some people read up on the details of the case and came to the conclusion that there appeared to be some inconsistencies about this particular case. When this was pointed out they were accused of being rape apologists both on here and in the media. If an appeal is now successful then hopefully those people will reflect on jumping on the bandwagon so soon and labelling people simply for questioning the judgement of the court (which everyone agrees is not infallible.)

They were but that isn't what he said. He said that the British public won't vote for a party that is perceived to be left wing. Tony Blair's labour were centre left not left wing.

Of course but it's a bit rich from certain people screaming rape apologist at those who simply pointed out that there appeared to be more to this case than met the eye.

So they were closer to the centre which is the exact point he was making. They weren't extremely left wing or at least were never perceived to be

Yeah probably. My guess is that would be a very high percentage.

So what percentage do you think were just normal people who believed the tories were best for the country at the moment?

So as a percentage of tory voters, how many do you reckon that is? Best guess?

It's idiotic in the format proposed by the government- ie a blanket rate whilst keeping everything else such as hourly nursery rates the same. As I said in that exact post the numbers don't stack up. By all means introduce a living wage but it's idiotic not to raise the rate for nursery hours accordingly.

I agree with you there, it's a silly policy. He whole living wage thing makes a good headline but as always with these things it's an unworkable policy unless you are going to properly fund it.

Was Tony Blair's labour perceived to be left wing by the majority of the British public?

So you are really labelling everyone who voted conservative as indecent? Really??? That's a big claim. I'm sure that many people would argue that the poorest would be in a worse situation had labour been able to enact some of their disastrous economic policies and the economy collapsed again.

I condemned it because I am aware of the current level of hourly childcare rate paid by the government. I said that I supported the living wage as long as the government raised the hourly rate so that it was affordable for nurseries. As I consider it unlikely that the government will raise this rate properly it is my view (and the view of many others within the sector) that a number of nurseries will be forced to close as it will no longer be financially viable for them.

Exactly. Many current labour supporters seem to believe that this is because either those who voted tory were stupid, they went for the easy option, are overly influenced by the media or are heartless and selfish and only care about themselves. The real answer is that most people are generally decent people who didn't buy what labour were offering and they don't want a left wing government who bow down to the unions and are anti business. Characterising all Tory voters in this way (as labour voters like to do) doesn't help the debate and certainly isn't going to persuade them to change their vote in the future. Labour need to start offering something that people want other than "we are nicer to vulnerable people and the disabled." of course that's a good thing but unless they do something else other than say how despicable the tories are then they won't win an election.