Comments by "J Drake1994" (@JDrakeify) on "A country that works for everyone? | Owen Jones goes to Conservative party conference" video.

This idea that Labour's spending policies are somehow responsible for a recession that began on the American housing market is just ridiculous, and the Tories probably know it themselves. How they have managed to spin it into a commonly held public view is quite an amazing achievement of propaganda over logic.
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In fairness that same charge could be leveled at a pretty large section of the Labour Party
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Our trade with the EU accounts for far more of our total amount than vice versa. They could afford to take the hit from no deal, we couldn't, and our government would be back to the table within a week. I'm sure their electorates would be fine with tough treatment of the UK, in fact I don't think they will demand anything else, since they see no reason why we should get any special treatment after leaving. But even if no deal would be as damaging to them as it would to us, then there is still a good chance they wouldn't make it if they believed it to be too favourable to the UK. What we always failed to understand about the EU is that whilst we saw it as something that was in our economic interest to do, most other countries in it see it as a political project which is the main basis of many of their country's objectives. All 27 EU countries aren't going to let that go without a fight, even if it means taking a bit of a hit economically, because for them it is about more than just a balance sheet.
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dunholm1 maybe, but that does not prove your point that we will get a good deal out of them. It is odd how Eurosceptics have so much faith in the EU when it comes to this particular matter, surely they should expect the worst.
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dunholm1 But a far higher proportion of our economy and jobs are dependent on the EU than vice versa, therefore they have the high ground. If they did not cut a deal with the UK, they might get a bit of a backlash from the subsequent loss of jobs, but nothing compared to what we would have to endure. Similar pressures on our government would force them to the table long before that happened to those still in the EU. And until then, the electorates of those countries are likely to back a tough stance on us, just as they did for Greece last year. Already, many businesses in Germany are beginning to back Merkel playing hardball.
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And he'd be right not to. Why should he limit himself to 48% of the electorate, particularly when a lot of them are in areas, like Scotland, or the rural south, where Labour is not likely to be the most popular party even in the best circumstances. Conversely, a lot of Labour's current constituencies lie in places which voted for Brexit. What Labour ought to do now is to accept the referendum result and put forward a program based on an optimistic vision for reuniting the country and closing the gaps between rich and poor, young and old, etc. Becoming a pro EU party is a non starter for Labour, it is a role much better left to the Lib Dems.
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Luke Taylor But the chances of winning all 48%, or even a majority of that, are slim. 2/3s of Labour voters opted for Remain, but at the same time, the majority of Labour constituencies did not, and backing going back in would be a surefire way to alienate them. Parties should be willing to say what they think even if that isn't popular, but at the same time they ought to respect democracy. People voted for Brexit, if it doesn't work then that is their responsibility, which we ought to trust them with.
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Luke Taylor they voted for Brexit, you are right we didn't vote for anything beyond that but doesn't mean we should seek to overrule the one thing that the electorate did vote for, especially on the basis of winning elections on a plurality. Surely the answer is to have a second vote on what our relationship with Europe ought to be, whether that is a referendum or a general election, but not to try and reopen a question that has already been settled by the vote to leave the EU.
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only in toryland
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Who they vote for isn't important, as a government should be judged on how it treats everyone, not just those that voted for them. Besides, impoverished areas mainly dont vote Tory, and that is for a good reason, they don't help them.
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