Christmas conversations
Christmas conversations
It’s Christmas time and whilst we try to keep politics away from the dinner table, we know it happens! We have put together a guide to conversation topics that may come up and what we think about them.
It’s Christmas time and whilst we try to keep politics away from the dinner table, we know it happens! We have put together a guide to conversation topics that may come up and what we think about them.
"Elderly people often struggle with loneliness, what can we do to help?"
Our view
We urgently need to tackle loneliness, it’s heart-breaking to think people spend Christmas day alone. It’s also a wider issue which harms the mental health of elderly people.
This is also an issue we can easily start to solve. One option is intergenerational care where the young and elderly are looked after together rather than in nurseries and care homes. This is something we support as it gives the elderly companionship and younger people the chance to learn off of the elderly. It’s also possible to bring people together in old age with local schemes such as meet and eats which are especially useful around this time of year.
"Elderly people often struggle with loneliness, what can we do to help?"
Our view
We urgently need to tackle loneliness, it’s heart-breaking to think people spend Christmas day alone. It’s also a wider issue which harms the mental health of elderly people.
This is also an issue we can easily start to solve. One option is intergenerational care where the young and elderly are looked after together rather than in nurseries and care homes. This is something we support as it gives the elderly companionship and younger people the chance to learn off of the elderly. It’s also possible to bring people together in old age with local schemes such as meet and eats which are especially useful around this time of year.
"Can't we just drill for more oil and gas to bring down energy prices?"
Our view
Oil and Gas may seem like an easy solution to the energy crisis but they aren’t. After all, oil and gas will eventually run out and, when they do, we will be back in the same situation again. That will just be a repeat of rising prices at the petrol pump and in the shops. It will also contribute to climate change and damage the environment even further.
It's time we instead invested in solar panels, wind turbines and hydro power. That will give us a renewable and cleaner source of energy than we have today.
"Can't we just drill for more oil and gas to bring down energy prices?"
Our view
Oil and Gas may seem like an easy solution to the energy crisis but they aren’t. After all, oil and gas will eventually run out and, when they do, we will be back in the same situation again. That will just be a repeat of rising prices at the petrol pump and in the shops. It will also contribute to climate change and damage the environment even further.
It's time we instead invested in solar panels, wind turbines and hydro power. That will give us a renewable and cleaner source of energy than we have today.
"Can we really find common ground with family members even if we disagree politically?"
Our view
We work with people from across the political spectrum and within different political parties. From that, we know its often possible to find common ground and to work together on the largest challenges facing the UK. It’s not always possible but sometimes its worth looking at what we can work together on rather than what divides us. You may find that you agree on more than you thought!
"Can we really find common ground with family members even if we disagree politically?"
Our view
We work with people from across the political spectrum and within different political parties. From that, we know its often possible to find common ground and to work together on the largest challenges facing the UK. It’s not always possible but sometimes its worth looking at what we can work together on rather than what divides us. You may find that you agree on more than you thought!
"The NHS is under real pressure this winter, what can we do to help?"
Our view
The NHS is under strain with the impact of the pandemic causing backlogs and winter placing the NHS under even greater pressure.
As a result, we have put together a wide range of policies to fix the issues. This includes moving more towards prevenient illness as a key priority, looking at what middle management positions can be removed, increased social care funding to reduce bed blocking, increased funding for mental health and a cash injection into the NHS.
"The NHS is under real pressure this winter, what can we do to help?"
Our view
The NHS is under strain with the impact of the pandemic causing backlogs and winter placing the NHS under even greater pressure.
As a result, we have put together a wide range of policies to fix the issues. This includes moving more towards prevenient illness as a key priority, looking at what middle management positions can be removed, increased social care funding to reduce bed blocking, increased funding for mental health and a cash injection into the NHS.
"Families are struggling this Christmas, how can we help them?"
Our view
People are struggling to get by and to pay the bills. In part this has been created by the energy crisis which has driven up prices. Whilst you can see our plan to move to renewables above, its also important the government works to support those who are struggling and grows the economy.
This is why we support policies such as a Guaranteed Minimum Income to protect the lowest paid and those out of work during this crisis. It gives people in those two categories enough money to live on without the bureaucracy seen with Universal Credit. Its also important to grow the economy by simplifying taxes and regulations along with supporting small businesses with extra advice.