The Labour Government

Hughes admits in the opening sentence his letter is an unusual step and he knew it'd be used by the Tories to attack Reeves

Dear Dame Meg,

Forecast process for the November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook

Given the unusual volume of speculation on the subject prior to Budget day, I am taking the unusual step,with the agreement of the Treasury, of writing to the Commons Treasury Committee to set out the facts concerning the evolution of the OBR’s pre-measures forecast over the course of the past four months. This is not, and is not intended to become, our usual practice. However, given the circumstances in this case and now that our final forecast has been published, I consider it appropriate to provide the Committee with some limited details from earlier forecast rounds in order to address any potential misconceptions about them....

Right, but you made the allegation that the OBR letter was directly designed and released to damage Reeves whereas it was requested the OBR write the said letter - ie your allegation is unfounded.

I’m not going to forensically examine the letter and try and second guess the contents therein as that wasn’t the point of my replies to you.
 
Right, but you made the allegation that the OBR letter was directly designed and released to damage Reeves whereas it was requested the OBR write to said letter - ie your allegation is unfounded.

I’m not going to forensically examine the letter and try and second guess the contents therein as that wasn’t the point of my replies to you.
Pity, its 'unusual' content is crucial to understanding why Starmer & Reeves were critical of it. It is by no means clear such a letter was ever requested by the TSC but whatever they expected this loaded presentation of the information in the context of 'correcting misapprehensions' is seen by Labour as blatant fresh meat for the Tories and their media allies.
 
I started with Stewards at City which in view of subsequent events seems very sensible of me

Add to that any McJob you care to name
It seems you're quite dismissive of anyone in a job that you seem to deem not of a high enough status. It feels like you're a bit of a job snob. Out of interest what job do you do?
 
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Starmer said he wants to reform the welfare state whilst handing it more money , he wants young people in work , yet made it more expensive to hire them , he wants farmers to pav an estimated £500 million in inheritance tax , whilst handina £500 million to foreign farmers to combat climate change,he savs there's no monev , but handed over the chagos islands for free, to rent them back for billions , he savs he's takina £150 off vour electricity bill, but in the last year it's gone up bv over £300 , he savs no increase in counci tax .but he's allowed record increases for some councils , and everyone else 5 percent increases , he savs he's tough on crime but let's dangerous criminals out earlv , he said he would smash the gangs , but illegal migration has gone up by over 50,000 . he said he wants to eno hotel use . but that's increased . he said he woulc compensate the waspi women , but now won't. he said freezing tax allowances was a tax raid.
 
Starmer said he wants to reform the welfare state whilst handing it more money , he wants young people in work , yet made it more expensive to hire them , he wants farmers to pav an estimated £500 million in inheritance tax , whilst handina £500 million to foreign farmers to combat climate change,he savs there's no monev , but handed over the chagos islands for free, to rent them back for billions , he savs he's takina £150 off vour electricity bill, but in the last year it's gone up bv over £300 , he savs no increase in counci tax .but he's allowed record increases for some councils , and everyone else 5 percent increases , he savs he's tough on crime but let's dangerous criminals out earlv , he said he would smash the gangs , but illegal migration has gone up by over 50,000 . he said he wants to eno hotel use . but that's increased . he said he woulc compensate the waspi women , but now won't. he said freezing tax allowances was a tax raid.
parclife ,
 
Wait...What....!?


If true it's shameful and must be challenged. Secondly if they are citing costs then the Tories take their fair share for with drawing court fundings in Osbourne's first austerity budget.
But they're not cutting costs. It's a deliberate move by the MOJ.
The courts are free, the court staff are paid so what is coming on.
 
Starmer said he wants to reform the welfare state whilst handing it more money , he wants young people in work , yet made it more expensive to hire them , he wants farmers to pav an estimated £500 million in inheritance tax , whilst handina £500 million to foreign farmers to combat climate change,he savs there's no monev , but handed over the chagos islands for free, to rent them back for billions , he savs he's takina £150 off vour electricity bill, but in the last year it's gone up bv over £300 , he savs no increase in counci tax .but he's allowed record increases for some councils , and everyone else 5 percent increases , he savs he's tough on crime but let's dangerous criminals out earlv , he said he would smash the gangs , but illegal migration has gone up by over 50,000 . he said he wants to eno hotel use . but that's increased . he said he woulc compensate the waspi women , but now won't. he said freezing tax allowances was a tax raid.
He has pushed through some reforms to welfare and more are clearly coming. Not sure how much scrapping the two child limit will affect young people less of them will have kids let alone more than two. Let’s ignore child poverty as well shall we ? They have had wage rises which will make welfare less appealing and work more appealing.

Don’t know the specifics but yes let’s ignore climate change poverty and famine.

So you want to pay an extra £150 because £300 wasn’t enough ?

Councils are broke. Some are spending like 70% of the budget on care for the elderly.

What’s your solution ?

The Prisons are full he has also deported more foreign offenders and new prisons are being built tho I think they are all from the last lot.

Hotels have been shut not increased Refugee rules have been tightened up. Foreign offenders deported two new agreements with France. More deportations than under the last lot
 
Don’t know the specifics but yes let’s ignore climate change poverty and famine.

So you want to pay an extra £150 because £300 wasn’t enough ?

How does knocking £150 off everyone’s bills encourage them to be careful of their energy consumption, be more green, and help the climate?

I appreciate it’s not as impactful as the Tory decision to cap energy bills a couple of year back (which I hated as a policy) so this isn’t a political point but a principled one.
 
I agree and can see where your thoughts about the behaviour and Animal Farm come from. Human nature by default is for people to be competitive but align with people who are similar in both financial and social standing. A truly equitable society is however completely at odds with capitalism and socialism for that matter, as those who align with the elected leaders always benefit. Nepotism is rife. You only have to look at the donors of our political parties to see that happening.
Like many (most?) I'm pretty disillusioned with politics, ideology and politicians. I'm at an age where I don't even think it's about right and wrong, good and bad. Because of the way humans actually behave and our seemingly inate ability to be hypocritical with total conviction I think it should be about doing what actually works. Simply put, I don't think we can have the grown up politics most of us crave because most of us are not grown up! We just want our own way and if we do not get it we will scream and scream and make ourselves sick (and then complain about the NHS).
 

17% increase on the year.

I know you lefties neither like nor understand data, and you try your best to ignore the facts, but that’s the reality of the situation.
 
Just the 17% increase on the year then Victor.

A roaring success, I’m sure we can all agree.

The gangs should consider themselves well and truly smashed!


Legislation to stop the gangs is still going through parliament (currently in the HoL as of 10 days ago) .....shame your lot (Tories and Reform) won't support it ..... would've made so much simpler and quicker.
 
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