Grade the coalition in the following areas:

 

Economy

Civil liberties

Crime

Tax/Welfare/Employment

Health

Education

Immigration

Political reform

Edited August 20, 201014 yr by Danny

ECONOMY

Disaster. Pulling the plug on economic support when we're still perilously close to recession is ridiculously reckless. Their obsession to reduce the deficit will probably be counter-productive, as their slashing of jobs will increase the amount of money they have to give out in welfare, and decrease the amount of money they get in tax receipts. The banking reforms also don't go anywhere near far enough, and leave the possibility of another financial crash too prominent.

Grade: F

 

 

CIVIL LIBERTIES

A welcome reversal of all New Labour's terrible proposals like ID Cards, National Identity Register and long pre-charge detentions for terrorist suspects, as well as child detention centres. The scrapping of all exonerated people from DNA databases, if it happens, will also be good, and I'm glad the Tories seem to have shelved their desire to scrap the Human Rights Act. However, I'm not sure how this proposal to hire "bounty hunters" to check up on benefits claimants fits in to their agenda...

Grade: B+

 

 

CRIME

Finally, signs from Ken Clarke that we're moving away from the ridiculous obsession of locking people up for longer and longer. I'm glad there's signs that this government will use community service as a justice mechanism rather than prison sentences by default. However, the big cuts to policing numbers will probably cancel out any effects the new justice policies will have. The idea to elect police commissioners could be a good idea, though it should be trialled rather than just introduced everywhere within years.

Grade: B-

 

 

TAX/WELFARE/EMPLOYMENT

Complete fail. Cameron has said his number one target is "scroungers", despite the fact tax evaders cost this country about 20 times more - instead, they've employed a known tax evader to help crack down on the vulnerable. The crisis in youth unemployment will only worsen as around 1.5m jobs from the public service get cut, with absolutely no signs at all that the private sector is creating any. Cuts to housing benefit and jobseekers' allowance are sadistic.

Grade: F

 

 

HEALTH

The proposed restructure sounds crazy, could threaten to either destroy or privatise the NHS. Thank God it looks like the Lib Dems have finally grown some balls and will put a stop to this particular proposal.

Grade: F

 

 

EDUCATION

The pupil premium sounds like an excellent idea, although it remains to be seen whether it'll actually be implemented with this cuts fetish. I'm strongly in favour of devolving powers for education, but it should be devolved to local authorities so that all schools in a town can co-ordinate, not devolved to each individual school like this government is doing with their Academies Bill. This "set up your own school" thing sounds hilariously bad aswell.

Grade: D

 

 

IMMIGRATION

An arbitrary "cap" on immigration. Already there's reports that Universities are having to scramble to find new lecturers because they couldn't employ foreigners who they wanted, because the University had already surpassed their "quota" of immigrants. Pointless and pandering to the gutter press.

Grade: F

 

 

POLITICAL REFORM

I welcome voting reform, although AV won't make all that much difference, and it's very debateable whether the referendum will even pass. In favour of fixed-term parliaments, although 5 years is too long, and they made themselves look like idiots with the attempted "55% rule". Strongly opposed to their attempt to fix constituency boundaries.

Grade: B-

 

--

 

Overall: F

A few scraps of quality can't take away from the government's disastrous economic policies.

ECONOMY

Disaster. Pulling the plug on economic support when we're still perilously close to recession is ridiculously reckless. Their obsession to reduce the deficit will probably be counter-productive, as their slashing of jobs will increase the amount of money they have to give out in welfare, and decrease the amount of money they get in tax receipts. The banking reforms also don't go anywhere near far enough, and leave the possibility of another financial crash too prominent.

Grade: F

CIVIL LIBERTIES

A welcome reversal of all New Labour's terrible proposals like ID Cards, National Identity Register and long pre-charge detentions for terrorist suspects, as well as child detention centres. The scrapping of all exonerated people from DNA databases, if it happens, will also be good, and I'm glad the Tories seem to have shelved their desire to scrap the Human Rights Act. However, I'm not sure how this proposal to hire "bounty hunters" to check up on benefits claimants fits in to their agenda...

Grade: B+

CRIME

Finally, signs from Ken Clarke that we're moving away from the ridiculous obsession of locking people up for longer and longer. I'm glad there's signs that this government will use community service as a justice mechanism rather than prison sentences by default. However, the big cuts to policing numbers will probably cancel out any effects the new justice policies will have. The idea to elect police commissioners could be a good idea, though it should be trialled rather than just introduced everywhere within years.

Grade: B-

TAX/WELFARE/EMPLOYMENT

Complete fail. Cameron has said his number one target is "scroungers", despite the fact tax evaders cost this country about 20 times more - instead, they've employed a known tax evader to help crack down on the vulnerable. The crisis in youth unemployment will only worsen as around 1.5m jobs from the public service get cut, with absolutely no signs at all that the private sector is creating any. Cuts to housing benefit and jobseekers' allowance are sadistic.

Grade: F

HEALTH

The proposed restructure sounds crazy, could threaten to either destroy or privatise the NHS. Thank God it looks like the Lib Dems have finally grown some balls and will put a stop to this particular proposal.

Grade: F

EDUCATION

The pupil premium sounds like an excellent idea, although it remains to be seen whether it'll actually be implemented with this cuts fetish. I'm strongly in favour of devolving powers for education, but it should be devolved to local authorities so that all schools in a town can co-ordinate, not devolved to each individual school like this government is doing with their Academies Bill. This "set up your own school" thing sounds hilariously bad aswell.

Grade: D

IMMIGRATION

An arbitrary "cap" on immigration. Already there's reports that Universities are having to scramble to find new lecturers because they couldn't employ foreigners who they wanted, because the University had already surpassed their "quota" of immigrants. Pointless and pandering to the gutter press.

Grade: F

POLITICAL REFORM

I welcome voting reform, although AV won't make all that much difference, and it's very debateable whether the referendum will even pass. In favour of fixed-term parliaments, although 5 years is too long, and they made themselves look like idiots with the attempted "55% rule". Strongly opposed to their attempt to fix constituency boundaries.

Grade: B-

 

--

 

Overall: F

A few scraps of quality can't take away from the government's disastrous economic policies.

I don't see much point in really doing my own when you've taken everything I would've said :lol: I'd give the new government an E for Education though thanks to the huge cuts to uni places and Willetts' obvious anti-student bias (he calls them 'a drain on the taxpayer' :/ Crazy Chris logic if ever I heard it!) with only the pupil premium as a saving grace. I'd give them an A- for Civil Liberties...and a token C for ENVIRONMENT for scrapping the third runway.

Oh, and have you heard the rumours? Allegedly three sources have claimed that Kennedy and five other Liberal MPs are about to defect to Labour before the end of the month...

Oh, and have you heard the rumours? Allegedly three sources have claimed that Kennedy and five other Liberal MPs are about to defect to Labour before the end of the month...

I'm not going to say that story isn't true because I don't know. However, Labour are still largely defending their anti-civil liberties policies which I would have expected to be a major stumbling block for the likes of Charles Kennedy. Alan Johnson's response to Ken Clarke's very sensible remarks on sentencing policy still give me good reason not to support Labour.

I'm not going to say that story isn't true because I don't know. However, Labour are still largely defending their anti-civil liberties policies which I would have expected to be a major stumbling block for the likes of Charles Kennedy. Alan Johnson's response to Ken Clarke's very sensible remarks on sentencing policy still give me good reason not to support Labour.

I'd say the economy being wrecked is likely of bigger importance than civil liberties - which most of the current leadership candidates seem to be shunning anyway.

Economy

 

Cuts this year? And not safeguarding eductation? Milk-snatcher-2k10?

 

U

 

Civil liberties

 

One of the most backwards people ever to be in politics is the 'minister for equality', it'd make Hitler blush. And an end to speed cameras? How thoughtful of them -_-.

 

D

 

Crime

 

No disasters here, yet.

 

C

 

Tax/Welfare/Employment

 

Every person earning under 50k seems to be a scrounger.

 

U

 

Health

 

De-centralising the NHS? This could cause a huge variety in the quality of treatment available - it's not perfect, but imo the NHS should remain centralised

 

U

 

Education

 

The 'academy' system could cause state schools to become entirely selective and elitist. Why doesn't this gov't just stop being so lazy and run something themselves?

 

U

 

Immigration

 

The cap is ludicrous, and somewhat pointless - since net non EU immigration actually fell for 2009.

 

U

 

Political reform

 

A referendum on AV isn't a bad thing, although the Tories will probably fight against it. Fixed term parliaments also give security - but do we want five years of this?

 

C

 

Overall: U

Edited August 20, 201014 yr by PuffStaxxx

I'm not going to say that story isn't true because I don't know. However, Labour are still largely defending their anti-civil liberties policies which I would have expected to be a major stumbling block for the likes of Charles Kennedy. Alan Johnson's response to Ken Clarke's very sensible remarks on sentencing policy still give me good reason not to support Labour.

 

Ed Miliband is calling for the party to accept the Coalition's restoration of civil liberties, and obviously Diane Abbott has a history of opposing Labour's policy there. David Miliband and Ed Balls have basically been avoiding the topic altogether, which I hope means they'll be pragmatic enough to quietly let the New Labour civil liberties agenda slip away. Andy Burnham is the only one who's been staunchly defending ID Cards and the like (although I've been impressed with his economic policies).

 

I actually would prefer it if Kennedy DOESN'T defect to Labour (not yet anyway). I want to see him bring down Clegg from within. Kennedy, Cable and Simon Hughes are the three men who would have the clout to call on Clegg to resign and withdraw from the Coalition, so I want all three to stay in the party for as long as possible. One of the biggest tasks for the new Labour leader has to be to court those three - which will obviously involve a shift from Labour on civil liberties. Hopefully then, Labour will go into an electoral alliance with the Lib Dems, or if not, they'll be well-placed to take most of the pissed-off Lib Dem supporters themselves.

Economy B - Every day there seems to be good news regarding the economy, yesterday there was a spectacular rise in retail sales for the last month which was 3 times that forecast, goods are flying off the shelves atm, the economy is growing, so despite the patient having to take some pretty unpleasant medicine it is in surprisingly good health

 

Civil liberties A+ - Speed cameras being scrapped, elf n safety jobsworths being done away with, the ghastly "peace camp" in Central London dispersed, just 3 examples of excellent conservative policy

 

Crime D - Very disappointing performance so far, police budgets being slashed, no new prisons being built, soft sentences for offenders, we are meant to be the party of law and order but Clarke has been just a bleeding heart do gooding liberal so far

 

Tax/Welfare/Employment C - Large numbers of jobs are being created and there are some promising signs of welfare reform but the welfare reform doesn't go far enough, plus no promise of tax cuts when the deficit is sorted, potential but could do better

 

Health C - The health budget has been ringfenced when there is huge amount of waste in the NHS, several layers of management that are not needed for example, the government needs to take a machete to NHS waste

 

Education C - Doing ok but there is not enough emphasis on sport in schools, every child should do at least 5 hrs of sport a week, keeps kids healthy, promotes competitiveness and teamwork, makes them fitter thus hopefully saving the NHS money over time, this thing of people setting up their own schools is just bizarre

 

Immigration D - It is all the well discouraging people from outside the EU from coming here and I fully support severe toughening up the rules of who can come here but Cameron is making things even worse long term by being the chief cheerleader for the ridiculous idea of Turkey joining the EU which will swell Britain up by many times the immigrants he is keeping out by the non EU crackdown, the influx of Poles and Romanians ? ain't seen nothing yet when millions of turks descend on Britain.

 

Political reform C The changing of the constituencies to boost the conservatives is a good thing, long overdue but promising the Lib Dems a referrendum on AV was an outrage, if it gets through then we could be out of power maybe for the rest of my lifetime so while I am certain AV will never happen I am not happy about Cameron playing Russian roulette with this

Edited August 20, 201014 yr by I ❤ JustinBieber

Awarding anything over a 7/F for the economy is sheer loonacy. That moron Osbourne is about to send ours down the $h!tter.

Awarding anything over a 7/F for the economy is sheer loonacy. That moron Osbourne is about to send ours down the $h!tter.

 

There is too much emphasis on promoting bad news and not enough on promoting good news

 

It is a national trait to talk Britain down when Britain should be talked up.

 

Take Afghanistan for example, every day we hear of dead soldiers and doom and gloom but why is there never any mention of good things ? 3 soldiers dying in a roadside bomb makes the news yet how often do the achievements of the soldiers make the news ? why is there never any mention in the media or on the news of "British soldiers killed 150 taliban today", its always focus on the negative aspects

 

Same with the economy, spectacular rise in retail sales yesterday, barely generated a whisper in the media, when there was a spectacular fall in unemployment recently again it was barely mentioned, gets irritating when all the focus is on negativity instead of achievement.

Those figures are the trickle effect from Labour, we won't really see the damage that the Tories have caused until the Q3/Q4 results come out.

 

It's a well known fact that employment is the worst way to gauge economic performance as it is MONTHS behind the rest of the economy.

 

 

Darling was far from acceptable as someone in charge of the economy, but he is aproximately 406871467871432765678646346874368436184368187694176541941267129721761297213718374524651.3548464853 times better than Osbourne.

Those figures are the trickle effect from Labour, we won't really see the damage that the Tories have caused until the Q3/Q4 results come out.

 

It's a well known fact that employment is the worst way to gauge economic performance as it is MONTHS behind the rest of the economy.

Darling was far from acceptable as someone in charge of the economy, but he is aproximately 406871467871432765678646346874368436184368187694176541941267129721761297213718374524651.3548464853 times better than Osbourne.

 

I am not an Osborne bummer at all, if I feel him/Cameron screw up I will rip into them but I think what they are doing is the right thing, there are several areas where I feel they have not gone far enough too, if they screw up I will be the first to criticise them on here but so far I feel they have done the right thing in putting the destruction of the deficit first

Economy B - Every day there seems to be good news regarding the economy, yesterday there was a spectacular rise in retail sales for the last month which was 3 times that forecast, goods are flying off the shelves atm, the economy is growing, so despite the patient having to take some pretty unpleasant medicine it is in surprisingly good health

 

Civil liberties A+ - Speed cameras being scrapped, elf n safety jobsworths being done away with, the ghastly "peace camp" in Central London dispersed, just 3 examples of excellent conservative policy

 

Crime D - Very disappointing performance so far, police budgets being slashed, no new prisons being built, soft sentences for offenders, we are meant to be the party of law and order but Clarke has been just a bleeding heart do gooding liberal so far

 

Tax/Welfare/Employment C - Large numbers of jobs are being created and there are some promising signs of welfare reform but the welfare reform doesn't go far enough, plus no promise of tax cuts when the deficit is sorted, potential but could do better

 

Health C - The health budget has been ringfenced when there is huge amount of waste in the NHS, several layers of management that are not needed for example, the government needs to take a machete to NHS waste

 

Education C - Doing ok but there is not enough emphasis on sport in schools, every child should do at least 5 hrs of sport a week, keeps kids healthy, promotes competitiveness and teamwork, makes them fitter thus hopefully saving the NHS money over time, this thing of people setting up their own schools is just bizarre

 

Immigration D - It is all the well discouraging people from outside the EU from coming here and I fully support severe toughening up the rules of who can come here but Cameron is making things even worse long term by being the chief cheerleader for the ridiculous idea of Turkey joining the EU which will swell Britain up by many times the immigrants he is keeping out by the non EU crackdown, the influx of Poles and Romanians ? ain't seen nothing yet when millions of turks descend on Britain.

 

Political reform C The changing of the constituencies to boost the conservatives is a good thing, long overdue but promising the Lib Dems a referrendum on AV was an outrage, if it gets through then we could be out of power maybe for the rest of my lifetime so while I am certain AV will never happen I am not happy about Cameron playing Russian roulette with this

I don't know if you noticed but we already HAVE a fairly sizeable Turkish population in the UK. They haven't exactly been stopped before, and if they wanted to come they could've by now - it's not like with Poland where they weren't able to get in at all before 2004.

 

I don't see how Ken Clarke realising that prison doesn't work most of the time turns him into a 'do-gooding liberal'? :/ Sending women to prison for stealing clothes from shops tends to institutionalise them rather than teach them a lesson and put them into a life of crime in the majority of cases. Community service doesn't.

I am not an Osborne bummer at all, if I feel him/Cameron screw up I will rip into them but I think what they are doing is the right thing, there are several areas where I feel they have not gone far enough too, if they screw up I will be the first to criticise them on here but so far I feel they have done the right thing in putting the destruction of the deficit first

Oh but they really haven't.

 

 

Not one thing that they have come out with has inspired me with confidence. IF they get a full term this country will be in ruins by the end, no doubt about it.

I don't know if you noticed but we already HAVE a fairly sizeable Turkish population in the UK. They haven't exactly been stopped before, and if they wanted to come they could've by now - it's not like with Poland where they weren't able to get in at all before 2004.

 

I don't see how Ken Clarke realising that prison doesn't work most of the time turns him into a 'do-gooding liberal'? :/ Sending women to prison for stealing clothes from shops tends to institutionalise them rather than teach them a lesson and put them into a life of crime in the majority of cases. Community service doesn't.

 

Those type of people should not be going to prison (shop lifters, unless they have previous convictions and show no signs of reform) but prison should be automatic for violent offences, ABH/GBH, mugging etc etc, day after day I read in the papers of violent criminals being released with not even a day in prison and that is wrong.

 

Criminal justice should have a sizeable rehabillitation/reform element to it but even more so there should be a punishment element to it aswell.

Coalition Programme

 

 

Economy This is the biggest subject for this government and one that will dominate all things. A very unassuring start. There seems some understanding of the issues but intense denial of the magnitude of the situation (http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/government-urged-to-reveal-true-national-debt-of-4-8trillion-tele-90432ba7b93d.html) and a lack of ability to sort it out. The planned increase in VAT from next year is likely to tip the economy back into recession even without considering likely recession in other countries, especially the US - our largest trading country. Opportunities have been missed to reduce defence spending, reduce bank liability, reduce NHS spending, reduce pension spending, stop Bank of England devaluing money (an issue preventing much investment). There are reviews underway but no obvious political weight to make tough decisions. More problems are likely ahead in many areas. It adds up to an awkward economic outlook for several years ahead, where the UK is being blown around by the tides. Downgrading of credit rating looks likely in the future. Let's hope that finally means p*ssy footing defence cuts actually happen in this parliament.

Grade: D

 

Civil liberties - The most refreshing government change in civil liberties. The 1984 scenario of the previous government, is being turned around at last. Has a way to go, but huge changes so far. Civil liberties take a battering under a poor government, clearly there is some way to go yet especially if the economy can't swim to shore. Promising start anyway.

Grade: A-

 

Crime - Some really good stuff here especially in police reform, but more required,. "We will ensure that people have the protection that they need when they defend themselves against intruders.". What I'd like to see brought forward now is the end of the litigation culture, the 'No Win No Fee' stuff and let people take responsibility in a balanced way.

Grade: B+

 

Tax/Welfare/Employment - Capital gains and income tax getting into balance, but a mistake to reduce corporation tax. The Welfare and Employment reforms seem sane.

Grade: C

 

Health - Basically not doing anything but a spending review at the moment. Unsure until thing become clear, but massive saving can be made here.

Grade: C

 

Education - Reforms going on are very good. I have a number of close contacts in various situations in education and despite the totally differing situations the feedback has been superb. Teachers, heads and other educators have widely accepted a positive move in the right direction.

Grade: A

 

Immigration - The cap is stupid as it can't include European citizens, but I think that policy was politics anyway. It's the economy that effects immigration numbers the most. Thankfully our dire economic situation will mean that things will improve here. The coalition seems a bit empty on ideas in this area.

Grade: C-

 

Political reform - Perhaps the most amazing thing to come out of a government for centuries. Set parliament times. 1 in 1 out bills. An AV referendum. It would be an A+ if it was not for issues around constituency sizing.

Grade: A

 

Others:

Devolved areas and local government. Grade A-

Consumer protection: Grade B

Culture and media: Grade B

Defence: Grade F

Energy and Environment: Grade C

Europe: Grade B

International development: Grade B-

Spending Challenge initiative: Grade A+

 

Conclusion

Strengths: Full of ideas, lots of potential.

Weakness: Unsure start on the economy

Easily the best 100 days by any government in my lifetime.

 

Overall Grade: B-

Those type of people should not be going to prison (shop lifters, unless they have previous convictions and show no signs of reform) but prison should be automatic for violent offences, ABH/GBH, mugging etc etc, day after day I read in the papers of violent criminals being released with not even a day in prison and that is wrong.

 

Criminal justice should have a sizeable rehabillitation/reform element to it but even more so there should be a punishment element to it aswell.

The aim of prison should be to ensure that people leave as a better person than they were when they went in. That can't be achieved in a six month sentence. That's why the Lib Dems are right to say that short prison sentences are normally (note normally, not always) a bad idea. This is one area where the government are showing signs of basing their policy on evidence rather than hysterical tabloid prejudice.

 

Full marks to follow over the weekend.

Speed cameras being scrapped

Really agree this was a great move. One of few ideas I had not thought about myself and so find it quite amazing it was acted on within the first 100 days. Shows that things can happen fast when good ideas come together with political will.

Easily the best 100 days by any government in my lifetime.[/b]

 

Overall Grade: B-

Unless you're a lot older than I think, that's not saying much. This is only the third change of government in 31 years.