Search results

Means testing state pension would be an absolutely suicidal idea for Labour. It would not surprise me if the budget does contain some "tough" measures, but their does seem to be a lot of info in the public domain about the plans. Pretty much every economic editor in the media, and all the big...

I think he saw the irony, rather than it being ironic that it was him saying it. He suggested that welfare reform, and lower welfare bills, is something that he, and the Tories, support - and that he was now expecting Labour will be a lot less likely to make changes.

It's ironic that Hunt also claims the backlash to the WFA means testing, will make it harder for Labour to reform or reduce the welfare bill.

If you're posting on a politics thread, you're probably not who the "politics" of the black hole is aimed at. After the Tories milked the 2008 global crash for years, and used it as an excuse for austerity, Labour clearly wanted to throw a little back, in the hope that it would still damage the...

I've never said it was a great idea, or that it was good politics (although I am impressed at how many right wingers have found a conscience - comparing posts on this thread, and the VAT on school fees one is certainly an eye opener). I gave someone else a few more stats, and info about...

I'm part of a facebook group for gig goers, and some of the people there were involved, and were non-too happy. Some just thought it was odd, whereas one said he was so uncomfortable he didn't go in. I think apologies, and refunds, along with lesson learnt would go a long way. I am not sure the...

Initially, it was around means testing being inefficient in the context of WFA/Pension Credit. I am assuming that you mean inefficient in the way it's usually used with means tested benefits - that the cost of means testing outweighs the benefits. If you meant something else, or were using it a...

Because they keep putting money in, but it rarely pays out?

"Can we not just have a consensus on here for once and ALL of us agree that taking £200 or £300 off someone who is on less than £11k per year, is fucking outrageous? Is that so hard for you lot to accept? Do you really have to come out with all sorts of whataboutery to try to deflect from this...

It does not prove they are ineligible, as I explained. But it does support the argument that they are not the most in need.

Even the government's own stats are all over the place - with take up as high as 80% on some measures. They also have the takeup of "people" as a lot less than the takeup of benefits, which means the unclaimed benefits could be around half the average that keeps getting quoted. You then have...

For a start, it's an estimate because they just don't know everything about everyone. There was an interesting experiment that was undertaken early in the coalition, where they worked out a group of people they "thought" were entitled, and just put the money in their bank account. After 12...

Where did I say it wasn't?

I'm not justifying it. I was just pointing out that your comment wasn't accurate. Whataboutery is an entirely different thing btw.

I've completed 1000s of benefits checks, and completed well over 1000 benefits claims (all from the point of trying to get people to claim, rather than the official side), so I do know a little about it. I was also replying to a post suggesting they were the 'very poorest', and I'm arguing that...

"The days when being an ex-MP were something that was wanted..." Sure, Jonathan, but there are ex-MPs whose "greatest hits" aren't worthy of a Daily Mash article.

Then why are you talking about an extra £200 for a few rich people? You're not talking about making pension credit universal I assume? Do you actually know the cost of administering pension credit? Given that it can pay out around £17k for a couple, then it's clearly going to be highly cost...

The WFA means testing wouldn't be inefficient. The pension credit is where the means testing takes place. Adding the WFA to people who qualify is probably the cheapest way to target it at the poorest pensioners.

I agree with you, and I clearly didn't say they are always lucky. They deserve to be where they have been for the last two and a half years. But that doesn't mean they weren't lucky against us. They created very, very little, and a different ref could easily have ruled out both their goals. I...