Water cannon for London

You really have got a bee in your bonnet about 'toffs', haven't you...?

(to durhamjen, obviously)

Well, you would say that, wouldn't you?

Yes, I've read the link, but it's just a general 'many more people are turning to food banks' etc. Perhaps they're turning to them because they can, because the food banks are there?

We have no accurate information about how many are actually in desperate need, or are just taking advantage (and there have been reports of that happening).

durhamjen please don't get upset by either politics or water cannon deployment. We all have our own ideas/thoughts/politics. Of course I believe you are a Green voter, if you say so, but I think I can be forgiven for thinking you a Labour supporter before you said that.It would be nice to live in Fairyland, but I live in the same world as you and everybody else.We all have different views on things, it's as simple as that.
For certain situations, water cannon can be effective.Nobody would want any weapon to be misused, but the police must have some things at their disposal.

By the way, there are lots of toffs in the government, and they admit to it. Just because there are some in other parties does not mean that most of the front bench are not.

policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/below-the-breadline-the-relentless-rise-of-food-poverty-in-britain-317730
Again, I cannot imagine you will read it, Ana.
Not all anti-government sources are skewed. Some of them are anti-government because the government is plainly wrong.

Oh, and kettling - forgot that!

On second thoughts, don't bother. What have food banks got to do with the OP?

Why is the use of water cannon any worse than tasers, tear-gas and what used to be called truncheons?

Do you have any reliable figures as to how many people are 'relying' on food banks, durhamjen? I don't mean a skewed anti-government source, of course.

I've voted green for over 20 years but you do not want to believe that either.

hi Maggie I was talking about deaths at protests/rallies when a water canon was likely to be deployed.

Crossed wires as you were including all police fatalities..sorry!

I agree with you, rosesarered. All this coalition-bashing is tiresome, especially the references to 'toffs' and 'poshness'. Plenty of well-heeled and well-born Labour politicians - let's not pretend there's much difference between any of the parties.

Eloethan has told you how we got in the mess we're in, roses, but obviously you want to blame Blair/ Brown for all our problems.

I cannot believe that you can stick up for a government that gives tax cuts to the rich while making the poor rely on food banks. What sort of fairyland do you live in?

I certainly wouldn't want to pay heed to a representative of the USA's political elite when, over the past 30 years, has seen substantial rises in income inequaliy and homelessness and currently has 21% of children living in poverty, the highest prison population in the developed world and 10% of the population controlling 73.1% of its wealth.

before we have the luxury of protesting about things we don't like, how about we wait until the country really does get back on it's financial feet?
Bill Clinton said 'It's the economy, stupid!' and it really IS.Where does everyone think the money is coming from?There have to be cuts, it's as simple as that.Cuts everywhere.Local councils will decide where the money is spent and who needs it most. Nobody likes it, but it has to happen.
durhamjen I am not being selective, it's obvious that you are a Labour supporter, you may not have voted for Blair/Brown but you don't like me saying what a mess they left us in?I am not a dyed-in-the -wool supporter of any one party by the way.

The financial system of a large part of the developed world (and, ultimately threatening to destabilise the whole world) went into freefall. Billions of pounds were wiped off the stock markets. Despite the fact that this chaos had been caused by banks turning a blind eye to the loaning of money to individuals and organisations that could not possibly pay it back (the bankers' incentive for doing this being the astronomical amounts of commission that accrued from setting up these loans), these banks were bailed out by various governments.

None of this occurred because Labour or other governments around Europe was spending too much on public services but because of the dishonesty and greed of the financial sector.

The mission to extract more and more money from ordinary people continues. The privatisation agenda that this government has set in motion will allow multinationals to buy up many more publicly owned services, which will inevitably lead to higher costs for poorer services.

An 80% share of Plasma UK, which was state-owned, has been sold to an American company, despite warnings about increasing costs to the taxpayer and safety concerns.

Air Traffic Control - I don't even like to think about the cost-cutting/maximising profits issue in relation to this service.

The Royal Mint

The Met Office

The Land Registry

Child Protection Services

The Probation Service

Student Loans

School playing fields

The list is endless - and frightening.

I wish people would wake up and see what is happening and - yes - get out on the streets and protest. We applaud people in other countries of which we disapprove standing up to their governments but we don't seem to see that our own governments can also be corruptible and in hock to vested interests.

Rather late in the debate as I've been away for a few days - I totally agree with Notso's comment up there ^^ yesterday at 11.06
Good to see you back Notso. Haven't see you for ages

So what's all lies Aka?

Eloethan, that's a fantastic list and I agree with every word you say.
I despair at people not seeing what this government is doing to the country. I am pleased I am old and ill, and will probably not live to see what happens when my children should retire.

You are obviously very selective, roses. You appear to know I am a labour voter, but I have said a few times that I have never voted for Blair's government.

So it's all lies?

So why didn't our "wealth rating" plummet during the economic crash - we are still the 7th richest country in the world? How is it there's enough money in the coffers for Trident and HS2 and NHS re-organisation? Why did David Cameron describe us as "a wealthy country" that could afford to give whatever help was needed to the victims of flooding?

The former chief secretary to the Treasury, Liam Byrne, left a note for his successor which said "there's no money left".

That was what happened under Labour's mismanagement of the economy.

My feeling is that a wealthy and supposedly civilised country should ensure that people are paid enough to adequately house and feed their families and to have equal access to health care and education.

I feel the Labour government didn't do enough to rein in the excesses of the rich and powerful or monitor and regulate the financial market, but the economic crash occurred in most other European countries, and the USA, and many fared a great deal worse than we did.

For me janthea? Oh how nice of you .
Not sure how I got turned into the Sheriff of Nottingham back there.