UK Politics
General Discussion for politics in the UK.
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With Reform neck and neck with Labour, not a chance. The UK's first past the post system means every lost vote for Labour is a vote for Reform. Labour voters aren't going to risk a Reform government. Of course, the next election is many years away, and much can happen in that time.
Good point. I guess there's no strong unified opposition within Labour on this doing anything at the moment?
They have a far left contingent but they don't have much leverage right now. I think the reality is that the UK's high spending, high historical debt, and already high taxes don't leave much room for pet projects and populist spending. If they increase the deficit they risk credit downgrades and much higher cost of debt servicing, exacerbating their issues during their tenure. If they increases taxes even more, they suppress what little economic growth they're likely to see during their tenure, and risk recessions. Their only realistic path here is very centrist: rein in spending to focus more on infrastructure and R&D. Especially the energy grid, which is fucked. If they plunge the country into recession or make things even worse, they guarantee a Reform government in 2029.
There is a ray of sunshine. I'm seeing really promising legislative changes re planning and zoning. Removing a lot of the red tape and disallowing councils from blocking new developments will allow far more housing to be built. This is arguably the single biggest quality of life issue for Brits. Bringing rent and the cost of ownership down could cement Labour as the next winners.
Isnt the main issues that voters have the cost of living, failing nhs, landlords?
Planning regulations aren't going to see any wins, nor is improving energy girds, important as those things are.
Its been shown that increases in housing stock has minimal effects on rent prices. A very cheap solution to this is rent control, it literally costs nothing. They could also build social housing if they wanted to invest money in something useful.
The NHS needs money, there is no getting around this unfortunately. All the fat trimming has been done.
Cost of living is obviously more complicated and i won't pretend to understand that level of macro. But you seem to be concerned that increases in deficit ie borrowing would cause debts to increase. This always happens when any government does anything remotely left wing, look at how the USA treats cuba. The political fact is that to be left wing you have to accept USA aligned countries making it more expensive for you to borrow. If Corbyn had won we would have been battered by this, but the trick is to nationalise the economy and become independent.
I can sympathise with some of what you're saying,but you make it out as if néolibéral policy is capable of doing those things as well as positioning it as the only route possible, which is disingenuous. You're making a political statement, not a descriptive diagnosis.