Thatcher started the swerve towards the right in this country . And I am afraid its not stopped .

Major was a decent enough bloke , apart from some sideways boffing but Blair , after a few good years , went potty and lurched to the tory lite figure he really was . And of course his invasion of Iraq was a criminal disgrace .

Brown was a decent man but lost the plot .

Cameron was thatchers love child and alongside that we had Ed milligan who again was a nice bloke but totally incompetent as a leader and crucified by the right wing press .

Corbyn had some good ideas but too much baggage easily rooted out by the media and surround yourself by the likes of Abbott and you are doomed .

Brexit for me showed that there was a significant xenophobic switch in this country and many were still filled with this rule brittania nonsense , fuelled by the euro sceptic tory party .

Sadly the days of sticking together through the hard times have gone . Workers rights have gone out of the window , since Thatcher came along everything not nailed down has been sold and the marketplace is king . Its survival of the fittest . It wasn't always like that but its now down to voluntary sector things like food banks to help those in need .

People in their millions voted for the conservatives who have dismantled the welfare state . Following this dreadful virus those same millions are having to turn towards universal credit and sickness benefits . They have had a massive shock and the reality of what they have voted for is hitting home . Hopefully those people will think again next time.

My father and grandfather were socialists but the reality in 2021 is that those of us that don't vote tory need a party that has democratic left of centre values but is actually going to form a government and implement those policies that we want .

I don't think that's going to happen unless a sort of left of centre alliance is formed . The numbers do just not add up . The majority of the country do not vote tory . But enough of the country does to enable them to form a government .

From scraping through to form a coalition with the liberals under Cameron to Theresa may sucking up to the ulster unionists we now have a situation where Boris and his front bench , who are libertarian , right wing and totally incompetent, have a 80 seat majority

Anyone who thinks the soppy and ineffective starmer has any chance of overturning that needs to see a doctor.

But I don't think its about leadership . Lisa Nandy was my choice but whoever took over the baton was heading a party that in my opinion , like the liberals , is finished . Corbyn , Brexit, the selfish modern society we live in means for me those that don't vote tory need a fresh start .

It might take a few years but a left of centre democratic party involving the best brains from the Labour, Liberal and Conservative Party ........Ken Clarke, Sarah Wollaston types and the minority parties is the only way to go

I would love to see the renationalisation of water , gas , the railways , electricity , I would love to see care workers not employed on poor wages by private companies but on contracted hours , given decent pensions and working directly for the local social services department . I would love to see cleaners employed by the NHS , not private businesses .

But that isn't going to happen . Improvements MAY be made if a left of centre democratic alliance is formed . Until that does happen I will vote Labour or whatever party locally has the best chance of keeping the tories out . But until then unless we accept the Labour and Liberal parties are finished and we need to join up we are forever going to be arguing from the sidelines .