Now here's a rant - brushing against politics so I'll warn anyone to look away who is certain in their faith in any political party.  I present my opinions, based on experience.  I'm happy to debate or be proved otherwise.

The big subject is ... money.

The government, especially that smug and incredibly insulated git PM David Cameron, is always saying that < the Government is pulling the country out of recession by stimulating growth, encouraging investment and forcing the market towards financial movement - the results of which benefit all! >

<The past phrase is, in fact, paraphrasing all the trite nonsense which has been generated by Civil Servants (Job Secure) to be used as speech material by politicians of any stripe who wants to generate their own personal income while pretending they give a toss for the so-called common man, or "prole".  It must be remembered that a majority of politicians are, in fact, career politicians and since leaving University with a mediocre degree, have only wanted to become a politician as a career, regardless of philosophy.  They have no concept of "working for a living", "earning by hard work" or even "you mean I can't work for this firm, even though my father owns it?">

I am not anti-politician.  I am not anti-money.  I am what-is-it-that-makes-the-great-British-public-so-dim-and-easily-led-that-they'll-believe-absolutely-anything?

The Government declares in the press (which, lest anyone forgets, is privately owned and has it's own motives) that it's "giving" several billion to the "banking industry" to "encourage" lending and small business growth.
Let's look at this ...

The Government is giving public money, generated by many more ways other than taxes, to several private financial institutions.
"The Banking Industry" isn't actually a club which can be donated to.  Exactly.  The banking industry looks at a big pot of money - some might call it a publically-subscribed bribe - and dives in for their share, biggest bastard gets first dibs!  How many of the ... er ... benefited banks actually pay a wage to ... er ... politicians? Isn't this good business sense?  Get a politician (or their family) on your payroll and you needn't worry about legislation or even oversight on your actions.

So what happens?

The Government gives money to the banking industry and tells them "lend it to small business, to keep the economy going".

The financial industries take the money ("Thank you very much, Tarquin, see you at bridge next Thursday") then sit on it.
"Please invest in small business!" say the politicians, in the hearing of the press.
"Sod off," says the banks, "our Computer says 'No'!  Our staff may see an excellent chance of profit with investment but our computers - which, of course, are our God - says no.  Tell you what, Government; we'll invest in the companies that have you on the Board of Directors.  Now, go away.  You've pretended to the plebs you actually care - they're dim enough to fall for it.  We'll take the public money you've given us.  If shit happens, it's you that takes it, not us.  Ta ta and ... see you at bridge next Thursday?"

Meanwhile the Government shouts about encouraging growth by investment.  Where is the money being invested?  Into multinational firms which individual politicians have interests in.
Once upon a time, politicians represented their constituents.  They had a vested interest in the area.  They'd actually worked for a living rather than inherited places on company Boards and firms.

Next time a politician asks you for your vote, perhaps you should ask not what Party they belong to or what they've been told they should say but ... "what have you done for a living wage and why should I think you represent my interests?"