Labour bribing the proles before the polls?

[G_T]

Poorer pupils to be given free laptops

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8449485.stm

With second hand computers available from tens of pounds and the massive lack of necessity for children to own a laptops, I can think of no reason what so ever that justifies this other than to influence the great unwashed with free electrical goods.

Anybody else able to balance the arguement for me? Or is this a perfect example the continuation of the benefits bribary prior to the elections?

[Monki]

But this is bad for the environment right? More people with laptops = more electricity usage = more dying polar bears and drowning rabbits surely?

[G_T]

That would depend on where the electricity comes from really wouldn't it? With 25% alledgedly from wind farms and eventually the rest from nuclear it wouldn't produce C02.

In the far fetched political theory of course.

Edited by G_T on Monday 11th January 13:32

[DSM2]

Monki said:

But this is bad for the environment right? More people with laptops = more electricity usage = more dying polar bears and drowning rabbits surely?

None of that matters if votes are at stake.

[chris watton]

Deja Vu!

How many time, now?

[Tangent Police]

Ummm, following my experience in many st schools. I can put my hand on my heart and say that the ones with the expensive phones/trainers/etc are not those with hardworking parents.

There is a poor middle ground and then the affluence comes back at greater levels higher up the food chain, ie:- decent schools.

The benefits class are most certainly not underprivilaged in my estimation and experience....

Do the people coming up with this stuff do it without any market-reality-research?

It makes me hop how people who have the honour to go to work and often struggle to afford to live independently can't afford big TV's, games consoles, etc, etc, whilst their taxes go to people who CAN!

This is exceedingly fked up and unfair in my estimation.

Work hard = Rewards
Can't be arsed = Biological Minimum.

[Spiritual_Beggar]

So Labour come up with this JOKE of a policy.....

Whilst the Conservatives have come out and promised;

Free University Scholarships for the children of our 'Fallen Soldiers'!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/art...



Which one do you think the People are going to repsect more.

[G_T]

Guam said:

Why dont they do what they always have and steal some other fkers gear

Lol. As horribly un-PC as that was, I did laugh.

Stealing takes effort. The benefits system will give you it for free.

[SGirl]

This "news" was first released around 12 months ago, maybe more? Not sure. The fact the BBC have just decided to publish it again right now, 2 minutes before a GE, does indeed sound remarkably like bribing the great unwashed...

[chris watton]

SGirl said:

This "news" was first released around 12 months ago, maybe more? Not sure. The fact the BBC have just decided to publish it again right now, 2 minutes before a GE, does indeed sound remarkably like bribing the great unwashed...

That's why I had the 'déjà vu' comment - this is the third or forth time a thread has appeared regarding this. Not the OP's fault, especially as the BBC has decided to 'resurrect' this policy to help their friends, lover’s and family out in the Labour party……

[G_T]

Apologies. As you say though;

"Page last updated at 11:00 GMT, Monday, 11 January 2010"

I wonder when the plasma TV policy will be in place.

[cs02rm0]

G_T said:

Anybody else able to balance the arguement for me?

Not me. Seems like you've got it spot on.

[Asterix]

I can see many laptops on eBay just after this happens.

Also, surely something like this must be means tested - those with a large plasma telly and xbox and full Sky subscription should be exempt. These things are luxuries and if they can afford them, they can easily afford a basic laptop.

[Engineer1]

Asterix said:

I can see many laptops on eBay just after this happens.

Also, surely something like this must be means tested - those with a large plasma telly and xbox and full Sky subscription should be exempt. These things are luxuries and if they can afford them, they can easily afford a basic laptop.

The problem is that the parents who put sky, fags, beer, chips etc above learning exist, they don't give a st about their kids education. Giving laptops to all is a reasonable idea, give them internet as well, it will make teachers jobs easier, if 90% of the class have computers and home net access then the 10% can't be expected to do internet based homework, 100% of the class with laptops and net access, then no excuse for not doing the work. Coursework done on laptops, is easier for teachers to it is easier to check for plagiarism etc when its submitted electronically.
There is an issue though that if you aren't careful with the policy you create a middle ground where people genuinely struggle because they earn a penny too much.

[BJG1]

Spiritual_Beggar said:

So Labour come up with this JOKE of a policy.....

Whilst the Conservatives have come out and promised;

Free University Scholarships for the children of our 'Fallen Soldiers'!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/art...



Which one do you think the People are going to repsect more.

This pledge is more of a crock of st that Brown's. Appealing to the heart-strings for votes, nothing more. How a child's father has died makes no difference to the extra financial strain placed on the child as a result. If someone's father is murdered or has a heart-attack, they're not eligible for this grant, but if he died because he signed up for the Army, where such things are a risk, he/she does? Do me a favour.

[YAD061]

I wonder if this is a new angle on brainwashing their electorate? If their wish for Internet 2 is granted then they will be able to monopolise that as well as the MSM. Best get all the sink estates hooked up boys.

[SGirl]

Engineer1 said:

The problem is that the parents who put sky, fags, beer, chips etc above learning exist, they don't give a st about their kids education.

The laptops aren't for the kids, really. They're bribes for the lower end of the electorate.

Wasn't there a kid given a laptop somewhere in Manchester or somewhere last year, and now the mother is addicted to Facebook or somesuch? I can't imagine these laptops gifted for educational reasons will be used for much education. The parents will be on the laptops all the time while the kiddies watch TV!

Oh, and they don't need £700 laptops, or whatever it was. You can get perfectly good ones suitable for school use for a lot less than that. Which is why it's even more obviously a bribe to the lower echelons than a true drive for educational excellence among "disadvantaged" children.

[motco]

[Soovy]

Of course it's a bribe.

Lazy workshy scum get a big fat laptop and free broadband from Uncle Gordon a week before the election.


FFS what a c t

[otolith]

Oh, they're getting all the angles in. Some votes you can get by bribery. Others you get by envy - giving a good kicking to people perceived as being paid too much money, for instance. Just another part of the same game of manipulation and spin.