Smirking_Saint

It was spend spend spend and a lack of regulation of the banks too, lets not gloss over the points, the economy fell apart under their watch, thats an irrefutable fact Im afraid. As per the IFS' analysis of the tories plans this is the IFS that show that labour wish to borrow a further 90 billion in order to achieve their plans.

Whats the alternative a vote for a labour I fail to trust with the purse strings ? They effectively got us into this mess in the first place, would Labour have done any better at all ? Very doubtful

No idea, though Id imagine they are being careful with the housing market, too many new houses would reduce house prices, which could cause issues with private investment and possibly inflation, im just speculating though Id hold my hands up and say Im no economist. As for opening up brownbekt land, no idea. That said its difficult investing in housing whilst tackling a deficit

Just open up brownbelt land for a time and get some houses built, itll provide more supply and help with local jobs. Whats not to like about that ? Tenants should be able to have the security of longer tenancy contracts IMO, but I still dont think caps will work as such

Exactly, it works twofold 1. Its an undecided vote winner 2. It avoids what the actual issue is

Which was done in order to keep them afloat and so to avoid making the catastrophe the happened not become apocalyptic. Its not a fair system, but its what we have and unfortunately capitalism works (it has its onvious failures) because wealth creation in turn creates more wealth creation, inmovation and delivery of service. You cant remove a banking system yet still keep money as motivation, who controls things then ? The only way to remove babks would be to create a system that means service and materials are paid via service and materials which would easily make the rich richer and more than likely kill the poor. If I have no materials and no skills to provide I service I have nothing. Those that own the materials would be infinately richer and the disparity between rich and poor would be a lot wider.

I agree with Tim Christ

Unfortunately I fear you are correct

But whats the alternative ? Part of my job is keeping the lights on for want of a better way of saying it by working in the power distribution industry. How do you plan to keep me providing that service without the banking system ?

With respect Pap, because I like you, this really needs its own thread as there is literally no point it being debated with here. Its just never going to work is it ? What do you propose we go to instead of the banking systems we use now ?

How do you propose the debt is written off ?

Im all for hitting the banks, but again that will hurt us all, you cant just wipe out a significant level of debt. We all saw what happened the last time the banks took a battering. And we are all still feeling the pain. Unfortunately its us that pay, not the fat cats. Secondly, that cannot happen without hurting homeowners, and should too many homeowners fall into arrears, hell, even landlords then again you risk a housing market crash (see above) I agree, the current system isnt perfect, but socialism doesnt have all the answers either, it doesnt work effectively anywhere. But I digress, the answer is to build more houses, plain and simple

The landlord falling into arrears due to the rent cap ?

Honestly ? I think the right to buy scheme was an excellent policy that should have been implemented better afterwards. 28 billion into the treasury and how much was ring fenced to build more social housing ? It is largely a redundant arguement though, we have had labour and tory governments that have failed since to rebuild the public assets we had back then. If someone would have acted then rents probably would have been unlikely to have risen as fast as they have.

I am with you on that, I think its been a pretty disastrous campaign from a tory perspective. Where so in the clear at the beginning of play but ultimately lost ground as Milliband has turned out to be a lot better than everyone originally expected. Id like to see the tories attack with something more than the lazy SNP scaremongering. We all know its dangerous to have the SNP anywhere near the UK parliament, but why bang the drum over and over. Just to confirm my place on the rent cap issue, I fully support the minimum contract, I think its a great idea, but Id would say implementing a rental cap is destined to fail.

No it doesnt need to hit an outstretched arm, but it needs to be a deliberate action, and considering it was visibly neither means you cannot say it was handball. Id also say that if you genuinely believe he 'guided the ball with his elbow' you are giving him far to much credit. It was a freak goal, and realistically Kelvin could have done better and Steve should have made an attempt to cut out the cross

How is that going around in circles exactly ? A lack of social housing is of course a lack of supply, and naturally that lack of supply will push up prices. Private landlords have of course hoovered up many of these properties, rightly or wrongly. But thats unnovoidable unless you wish to create some socialist heaven which prevents private investment into the housing market... Thats never going to happen. So the answer is to build more houses. How will these rents be controlled exactly ? Or are you expecting a situation within which the rental value falls below that of the value of the house itself ? Which of course is fiscally madness. Its a great idea but explain to me how it can be effectively introduced ? As I said, longer tenancy agreements and an increase in housing will go someway to help. But unfortunately we live in a capitalist society, and by nature that will mean its effected by market forces, none more so than housing and rents.

I like davis but he was poor yesterday and hasnt been up to his usual standards recently. He was more wasteful in possession then usual, poor defensively and of course missed at best 2 golden opportunities.

Then he doesnt have to, but I think he should be given the option. Im pretty sure that its easy enough to say that tenants must be offered a 3 year contract. But lets face it why wouldnt you accept it ? I would, it gives the tenant the security of fixed abode for 3 years. Typically there would likely still be a notice period should they wish to terminate early

But its not tackling the root cause is it ? Its effectively burrying their heads in the sand over what the issues actually are. Both the rent crisis and energy price can be summed up simply buy a higher demand than there is supply. Or, to put it more pertinantly, not enough surplus of supply. Both these issues are controlled by market forces. And both needed to have the incumbant government to actually act. And I blame both the tories and labour for it. We have needed more housing and more power stations for years, yet every government is happier to point the fingers at the big six and landlords rather then tackling the real issues. 3 year rental contracts are a good thing, trying to control rent is unfortunately, IMO, destined to fail.

Im fully in support of the minimum 3 year contract. Ive never been in rented accomodation but surely this day and age there is something very wrong about not allowing people to have security of accomodation. The landlords are making enough out of the situation, at the very least tenants should be awarded security

My bad, thought you said Chelsea dont play with a big man You win this time gadget.... This time

Everything It shows when their 'big man' is out they play another 'big man' to help them hold the play up

This really, he had his arms tucked to his chest, it hit a forearm and freakishly went in. It wasnt really handball tbh

What is everyones thoughts on Labours proposed rent caps ? Personally I see it as a potential 'vote swinger' that in reality is destined to fail long term. I just dont see how you could possibly control it. Its similar to the energy price freeze policy that they championed for so long. All in all its just a load of political blustering of which IMO is destined really to fail miserably. We are already seeing what a think will be a reduced spend on network infrastructure at least over the next 2-3 years to try to claw money back that would potentially be lost. And lets be honest, we all know whats coming after the freeze