Labour still isn't working

The bombshell had already made a comeback.  Now the 1979 Labour isn't working poster.  Will the double whammy gloves be back by Christmas!?

Comments

[another richard]

The Conservatives need to point out that unemployment is now increasing at its fastest rate EVER.

Highest monthly increases:

1980 97,000
1991 118,000
2009 138,800

These posters need displaying in working class areas and to highlight Labour's betrayal of their traditional supporters.

[William Blake's Ghost]

Labour never has worked and never will work. It's inherent in their philosophy......

[NorthernMonkey]

Erm...over 3 million unemployed under Thaggie?

How about those 2million unemployed at the end of Major's premiership when he and Ken Clarke were trying to convince us of how strong the economy was?

On that basis the Tories certainly weren't working.

[Andrew Jones]

I have been out of work for a year - Labour have made such a mess of the economy I wonder if i will ever work again as once you are out of work a while the idiots who run banks and Financial Services that I work in right you off.

[Phil C]

It should read "Jobcentre Plus", not "unemployment office". At least be accurate - particularly with something the unemployed will be well aware of.

[John Moss]

Northern Monkey,

There were 3m unemployed in 1982 but that had fallent to 1.5m in 1989. It went back up to 3m in 1992 but that had fallen to under 2m by 97 and kept falling, but the numbers on incapacity benefit from 1997 to 2007 went up by nearly 1.5m.

Labour's employment "miracle" was, like GB's economic mastery - to use le mot de jour - phoney!

[Jack Stone]

Labour still isn`t working but more people are working now then when we had three million unemployed.
Just another case of the Conservative leadership having nothing new or original to say. It really is Pathetic.

[johnfromcamberley]

Unemployment figures are calculated somewhat differently now compared to a dozen years ago. Put simply, there are people not working now who do not appear in the unemployment figures, but who would have done in the Major government and before.

NorthernMonkey's post is dishonest in that respect (and he knows it!), but is not to be ignored. This is the low standard of Labour's response to anything we say on unemployment, that we shall have to face from now to election day.

[joshuwahwah]

And what will a Tory Government do to help people back into work? That's right they will cut 2 BILLION from the work and pension budget.

[Raj]

I wouldn't bring back the double-whammy poster because prices are going down again. Replace prices with debt maybe.

[Just asking a question]

So explain to me what will happen to the public sector workers who Cameron promises he will get rid of. If you add all these peoples jobs who Cameron will sack, onto the current figures will this bring unemployment down. How do you bring large cuts to the public sector without sacking tens of thousands?

Will he say "vote me and I will sack loads of you?".Will he promise to cut public spending but not send mroe people on to that poster?

Now that would be some trick, promise to sack loads of people and bring unemployment down.

[Just asking a question]

I think you should sack your PR company. You may have noticed he is using old adverts and adding a few words.My six year old kid can cut and paste. I suppose he is getting thousands for it aswell.

[Just asking a question]

Err....whats happened to my post?

[Phyllis Crash]

Just give it time Raj. Just give it time.

[Ad]

Seems to be lots of Labourites on ConHome today!

[Super Blue]

So what will happen when the Conservative government gets rid of a number of public sector pen-pushers? The private sector will be liberated to create twice the number of jobs that are lost, that is what.

[Paul Oakley]

Labour was guilty of neo-Keynesianism by creating huge swathes of public sector non-jobs. As tax revenue from the wealth-creators which paid for these bureaucrats dries up so the jobs will go.

[max u]

While adapting this poster, and others, to the current situation is a fun exercise I think it is a shame we cant produce anything original. With the situation as it is and Gordon at the helm I would have thought the advertisers had something to work on but so far nothing has been forthcoming.

[David Sergeant]

Posted by: John Moss | March 18, 2009 at 21:09

It would appear important to specify the unemployment at 1997. John moss indicated under 2mil, my recolection is 1.5/1.6 mil ie about the same as 1979 except then it was going up rapidly and in 1997 it was going down. I suspect the figure of 2 mil being quoted is a BBC figure fed to them by Labour based on another method of calculation to make them not look so bad. It is this sort of airy fairy statistics that Labour have gained so much by. In any event, given Labour following Tory policies for two years it is really unemployment at 2000 which is the most acurate comparison with to-day.

[another richard]

Jack Stone

There's a lot more public sector non-jobs than in 1997 but manufacturing jobs have fallen by nearly two million.

As usual you have nothing new or original to say. You really are pathetic.

I think the rash of Draperbots commenting shows that Labour is very worried on this issue.

[A Reformed Labour Voter]

The poster was covered by the 10 o'clock news but at the end of the piece, the presenter said "but with this poster are the Tories suggesting that they could do any better?"

I'd love to say it was the BBC. But it wasn't it was Sky.

When are the Broadcasters going to direct their disdain on the people responsible for this mess?

[Ray]

We must be onto a winner if the best that the lefties can come up with is "Oh, well it is bad but it was even worse under Thatcher 25 years ago!".

2 million unemployed and rising. There's no way you can polish that turd.

[Steve Tierney]

Jack Stone:

I accept your premise that both sides can fudge the figures and spin the unemployment truth, and indeed that both sides DO.

Since governments and parties are so likely to tell the story in a way that frames them nicely, the only real truth anybody on the street believes is what they see.

Now I was working for the last half of the eighties and all of the nineties, so I (like so many others) was right there, experiencing those times.

And I know damn well that the amount of people out of work, looking (and not finding) work, and claiming benefits is much, much, much higher now that it has ever been. I've never seen it anywhere near this bad.

That's good enough for me. Whatever you try to say about the Thatcher or Major period. I suspect its the same for a great deal of others.

its horrible out there, everybody knows it, and everybody knows whose fault it is.

As the poster says... thanks Gordon.

[Matt Wright]

We must be hitting the right nerve as there are yet more desperate Labour posters out on the site. Keep it up Cameron.

[Lord Elvis of Paisley]

I think I have the answer...

http://lord-elvis.blogspot.com/2009/03/if-dave-really-wants-to-win-next.html

[Jonathan Sheppard]

Wow - just what I suggested at 12:30 today:- http://www.toryradio.com/2009/03/18/exclusive-new-conservative-election-poster/

[Anders]

This is an excellent poster because it is to the point and the truth. The Conservative party should put this poster through every letterbox in the land and the people will get the message - it's time for a change.

[John Broughton]

12 years of Labour (new and/or old) has given us one illusory boom and one, all to real, gigantic bust. My slogan, for now is "vote Labour - go bust."

[snegchui]

In May 2007, someone, I think TPA produced a spreadsheet which initially I thought the DWP produced, but eventually I realised someone produced from using DWP figures.
The spreadsheet had the title "Working Age percentage of population (LA only) Percentage of population : Local Authority of claimant by Statistical Group"

It might be time to reproduce this as that time:

"Local Authority of claimant 5,236.81 14.3"

14.3 of the population nationwide were claiming some benefit. JSA was 2.3 (867,000) and Incapacity 7.2.
What is it now?

[Andrew Cadman]

Although no fan of the amorality of New Liebour spin, it must be said that BOTH Tory and Labour have spun unemployment stats so much that any comparison over time is virtually impossible. Labour used to claim, perhaps with some justice, that expansion of the Youth Training Schemes of the 80s were just a way of lowering the headline unemployment count. Likewise I think I am right in saying that the drift from dole to incapacity benefit was well entrenched by the end of the Tory years.

Spinning vital statistics like this is a pretty disgusting practice and basically a complete fraud perpetrated on the voter.

It shows that we must have an independent Office of National Statistics. Furthermore, politicians found guilty of manipulating official statistics should go to jail. If a company director spun his company accounts the way politicians do statistics you could very easily be prosecuted if found out...

[francis uees]

WTF? Have you decided that you're a copywriter? DON'T.

[Rupert Matthews]

Hey, funky thing. I must get out my old purple side panel flares, Sweet LP and groove on down. Seriously though, there is nothing wrong with a bit of retro now and then. I like to see a bit of imagination now and then.

[Sally Roberts]

Seventies Retro, Rupert! Nothing better.... I must dust off my bright red platform boots!

[Stewart Knight]

This morning I went through the threads as I have more time than usual, and read the comments, and there are now more trolls on ConHome than ever there has been. They are trawling from one thread to another.

Labourlist is dying on its feet and Draper is struggling, so maybe he is spending his time here? Check the IP addresses Tim and put a stop to this, it is distracting to those of us who want to make a debate as opposed to just spout drivel and dodgy figures.

[Julian L Hawksworth]

This Government has not taken any worthwhile measures to reduce unemployment, throughout their term in office. The New Deal scheme simply does not work. I used it some years ago, only to find it a degrading and futile experience. It provided no practical help, whatsoever.

There are various barriers to potential employers, many of which are legislative. The minimum wage has also destroyed many jobs, and started to become accepted as the norm. In other words, an excuse to pay employees at a low rate. Such practices, clearly distort the market.

Much of the equal opportunities legislation should be abolished, since it encourages tokenism in the workplace and discriminates against white males. Clearly, it can be divisive in the working environment.

The tide of immigrants has also done much to increase the rate of unemployment in our country, something which Labour has actively encouraged. There are simply not enough job vacancies. Will this government ever acknowledge the havoc which it has created?

[Iain]

"And what will a Tory Government do to help people back into work? That's right they will cut 2 BILLION from the work and pension budget."

joshuwahwah, putting a £trillion of debt on the back of the British economy, as Gordon Brown has and is doing, isn't going to help develop employment opportunities, it will only make matters worse.

The binge economy Gordon Brown built was on a mountain of debt and a bloated state sector which gave the illusion of growth but put this country in a truly desperate place that is going to be very painful to get out of, for we some how have to juggle the need to get some growth in the productive sectors of the economy, meanwhile trying to pay for the bloated state and Gordon Brown's mountain of debt. Its an almost impossible scenario to get out of, and as a result I am very pessimistic about the future for this country.

[Sally Roberts]

Stewart Knight, I am tempted to agree with you about the trolls which are getting increasingly irritating - but I do wonder whether a ban on them might not go against our commitment to free speech?

That said, Tim can you tell us whether the rules about trolling will be different once we are in Election Campaign territory?

[Malcolm Stevas]

Andrew Cadman's point that "BOTH Tory and Labour have spun unemployment stats so much that any comparison over time is virtually impossible." is central: this bickering over stats is futile, though typical of the way in which fundamentally important issues are reduced to the status of political footballs for the major parties to pretend to kick around their back yard.
It is not the function of government to create jobs. If State expenditure is slashed, and taxes concomitantly, people will become wealthier, more businesses will flourish - and more people will be employed.

[R Anon]

What utter Tory hypocrisy - In the early 1990s certainly Conservatism wasn't working - and how !

[Sally Roberts]

Morning Little Troll!
Just made your coffee at No. 10 and are now settling down for a day of inane witterings?

[Little Ern]

Good idea about the retro poster. Here's another for your ad-men. Let's steal Labour's mantra and out it in our own message:

Vote Conservative - it's the right thing to do

[Bexie]

Harsh simple economic truths 101

Tax above a certain point and revenue drops

Regulation acts as a tax in that it increases the cost of doing business and restricts business

People employed in the public sector are not economically active, at best they are economically neutral

Result: falling tax revenue, companies relocating abroad c.f. Pharma disinvestment in the UK and investment in Ireland.

Political Harsh Truths 101

Socialism works on the premis that people are too stupid to make basic decisions about their own lives. (After 15 years in IngSoc schooling, no wonder.)

Socialists believe that "commissars" of experts can better direct personal behaviours at a micro level

Socialists believe that people are numbers, property the gift of state, ie the politicians, and these gifts, even life itself can be withdrawn without notice. The people in the socialist mindset, are sheep to be farmed, shawn and eventually slaughtered when inconvenient.

Result: A society where people are brought up not to take personal responsibilty for anything, where any misfortune is someone elses fault, where they will sit waiting for someone to give them a handout for the minimum effort, and where theyy have no motivation to improve themselves

Final endgame: conentration camps for the inconvenient, the dissidents and those who are set up as the enemy.

Proof? go into any middle sized town this evening and look at the behaviour of the youg who are victims of this Fabian experiment.

[DJT]

I love this poster...When I was studying politics a few years ago this was still touted as the political poster to beat all others...

That's why there are so many Labour trolls out in force today...this poster is their greatest fear and hatred! It's the one thing that makes them realise just how much Maggie did for this country! Along with what a mess she inherited!

I should also add that anyone who says unemployment was higher in the 80s is being willfully ignorant! We all know how many people have been put on incapacity benefit instead!

That's why Frank Field says the REAL unemployment figures are probably 5 million.

Sorry to be such a Conservative cheerleader...BUT LABOUR ISN'T WORKING!

[David Belchamber]

DJT rightly points out: "That's why Frank Field says the REAL unemployment figures are probably 5 million".

I agree that both parties are guilty of spinning figures but I do think that Brown is particularly disgraceful, because so much rides on his spurious stats (e.g. the BoE setting baserates with reference to an artificially low rate of inflation).

Can we not produce a breakdown of Frank Field's estimate of c 5.3 million unemployed?

I am also glad that Jack Stone made the point earlier that "Labour still isn`t working but more people are working now then when we had three million unemployed".

I fully agree with him that 'Labour still isn't working' but would point out that the vast majority of Brown's new jobs have been, to coin a phrase, 'British jobs for foreign workers'!

[Super Blue]

Every Labour Government has left office with higher unemployment than when they arrived - and they have usually arrived with unemployment falling and left with it rising.

Labour still isn't working? Labour never has worked.

[oldrightie]

Labour's employment "miracle" was, like GB's economic mastery - to use le mot de jour - phoney!

This is so true. Sadly a less than well informed electorate has chosen to support the lies and trickery three times already. God willing they might wake up under the £450,000,000,000 (4.5 trillion for Labour trolls)of debt.

[Rainer Unsinn]

"So explain to me what will happen to the public sector workers who Cameron promises he will get rid of.
Posted by: Just asking a question | "

Let's take a look at the economics of putting the non-jobs out of "work". Calculate what it costs to keep a civil servant in "employment" over the period from, say 40 to retirement. There is his protected salary, untold perks and, then, his huge pension. What does he contribute to the good of the nation, by being in "employment"? - nothing.

By being on the dole, he is costing the taxpayer far less, now and when he retires, because he won't get the over-inflated pension of a civil servant. What does he contribute to the nation? - nothing.
So, on pure economic grounds, he's better for the nation on the dole than in a non-job.

[Serf]

If we are going to be honest about unemployment, we have to accept that the early 90s recession was caused at least in part by mistakes by the then Conservative administration. Not least, ERM membership (supported by the then Shadow Chancellor, whose name evades me).

It should be regarded as a shameful event by us Conservatives.

The early 80s on the other hand were different. That was the result of decades of mismanagement. The Conservative government of the time was doing their best in an extremely difficult situation.

Whilst I am sure that in hindsight, we could find reasons to criticise, on the whole, the medicine worked.

The worst thing about the current crisis, is that our government's part in it (of course there are external factors) is a tale of gross irresponsibility, rather than making mistakes (ala ERM).

Gordon Brown purposely inflated the bubble (by changing the inflation target) for political gain. He increased borrowing at the peak of the economic cycle, rather than reducing debt(which is a key compenent of the Keynesian economics he claims to follow). Of course he also set up the FSA. As for spending, drunken sailors and shore leave come to mind.

Conservative governments, have and will make mistakes. They are human after all. It takes a socialist however to abdicate all responsibility and try and blame it on someone else.

[ToryBlog.com - The Editor says that I must warn you that I have been a naughty boy and not a loyal Tory-abix]

Good point Serf.

The Tories should call for an inquiry (it doesn't matter that there won't be one) into whether Brown's decision to switch from the RPI to CPI fuelled the bubble as a way to unequivocally frame some blame for the economic crisis onto Brown.

You will then get experts in the media discussing this issue as the call is made, etc etc.

Brown can't hide behind anyone else for that decision, and I think it is an attack area the public will be easily able to understand.

[Lee Martin]

Retros great but we should be updating this. I agree with the job centre comment, (nobody says unemployment office in 2009), and we should be advertising for people who've lost their jobs in the Brown bust to star in our poster.

Everyone talks about interactive campaigning, well lets do one and show Britain the real people affected by the bust.

[A Reformed Labour Voter]

Remember the Labour Tax Bombshell Warning in 1992?

Well what about a picture of a Mushroom Cloud and the slogan,

"Brown dropped Tax Bombs throughout 15 years of growth but we haven't seen anything yet!"

[Bishop Swine]

Poor judgement to use such an iconic poster campaign in this way. When the original poster was run Labour didn't have 2,000,000 let alone 3,000,000 unemployed and the public is very likely to recall that things got far worse in the early years of Maggots reign. When the ad originally ran, people quite rightly were outraged by a measly 1,000,000 people claiming Unemployment benefit. When it comes to employment we should be careful to play to our strengths not our weakness's. Because my friends the public isn't half as gullible as you may imagine. We need advertisements that capture the mood today, not reruns of campaigns that seem as dated as the clothing the people in the poster are wearing.

[blackburnlabour.org]

What does it say about the Tories that they're using election campaign posters from THIRTY YEARS AGO?!

Here's what we think:

http://www.blackburnlabour.org/blog/Turning-the-clock-back-thirty-years.html

[snegchui]

It would say to me that Labour wasn't working then, and are well on the way to not not working again, after having had a good Tory boost to the economy, and having screwed up the pensions and the economy in general since that boost.
1979 was Labour Country going wrong, took time to turn around. And now Labour leading us back into into it. ....

[Super Blue]

Draper-Stone suggests that some of the real Conservatives on here are celebrating the increased unemployment that Brown's policies have wrought. I take it he can find quotes to back this assertion up, or is he just throwing sand in our eyes again with more desperate trolling?