The Labour Government

[mexico1970]

We're 2 months in, they need to be given time. Not a single party in history runs on a manifesto where every single policy gets implemented. Policies will come and go over the next 5 years however I'd bet that Starmer is more likely to do good things for people than the Tories. What is one single good thing that the Tories did under Sunak?

The Tories melted down into their own division that existed pre-Brexit. They then couldn't do anything because they had no solid policies and they were dragged back by suddenly vocal analogue watches such as Jacob Reese-Mogg who believes that kids should be down the pits.

We'll see what happens with their tax plans but my belief is now that we all need to pay more. We've got used to historic low taxes and there have been consequences. Health spending hasn't actually been cut, but growth of healthcare spending has been. If we grow our population by X% then we should spend X% more on health but that isn't the case, instead a portion of that % has been used to cut taxes.

This is exactly how it is in Europe and the proof is in the pudding, we spend something like 15% less on healthcare growth than the European average. It therefore makes sense that our services are likely to get 15% shitter every year on average versus everybody else.

Just one of those things mate, just one. Bedroom tax? 2 child policy? leaving pensioners alone?

All we have heard is black hole, pensioners, and pay public servants, he has also mentioned that people will have to shoulder the burden of this "Black hole" and I suspect it will be the very same people who can ill afford it.

****'s a Tory.

 

[hampshireblue]

So you would be OK with Labour axing the single person council tax discount?
A yes or no answer will be suffice.

Oh the irony of you asking someone for an answer.

 

[Blue Maverick]

It's more that they kept all the shit Tory policies and have no plans to get rid of them after years of calling them cruel.

They are removing the fuel allowance for well off pensioners but the bar will fall to catch others less fortunate in the trap.

What really need to ramp up is the uptake in pension credits apparently there’s only 60% do it, if 100% did it then it would costs£2 billion more so woukd negate the winter fuel allowance cut, however it would also mean their are people out there nit getting all they should, so 1) they’d get more money 2) they’d qualify for the winter fuel allowance on top. Why isn’t Martin Lewis etc really pushing this instead of arguing over the winter fuel allowance get people money they clearly aren’t claiming when they should.

 

[mexico1970]

What really need to ramp up is the uptake in pension credits apparently there’s only 60% do it, if 100% did it then it would costs£2 billion more so woukd negate the winter fuel allowance cut, however it would also mean their are people out there nit getting all they should, so 1) they’d get more money 2) they’d qualify for the winter fuel allowance on top. Why isn’t Martin Lewis etc really pushing this instead of arguing over the winter fuel allowance get people money they clearly aren’t claiming when they should.

Nice to see the govt flogging the Rwanda plan to Germany, they'll make good use of it.

He's changed the rhetoric slightly from "Stop The Boats" to "Stop The People Selling Boats" not as catchy but basically amounts to the same thing.

 

[kaz7]

What really need to ramp up is the uptake in pension credits apparently there’s only 60% do it, if 100% did it then it would costs£2 billion more so woukd negate the winter fuel allowance cut, however it would also mean their are people out there nit getting all they should, so 1) they’d get more money 2) they’d qualify for the winter fuel allowance on top. Why isn’t Martin Lewis etc really pushing this instead of arguing over the winter fuel allowance get people money they clearly aren’t claiming when they should.

Martin has been pushing pension credits for years , on his own shows , this morning and GMB and was on this last week pushing people to apply for it , you have not been listening to him

 

[Vic]

They are far from being the worst Labour Party in history. That is an extremely high bar to be fair.
However, they are shaping up to be the most disliked Labour Party in history, which is also a very high bar.

A high bar? Obviously not for you.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Wait till they axe the single person council tax discount in the forthcoming budget…

I’m subject to that and getting rid seems fair enough.

 

[Eccles Blue]

I’m subject to that and getting rid seems fair enough.

I’m subject to that and that would be the straw that breaks this camel’s back.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I’m subject to that and that would be the straw that breaks this camel’s back.

Yes, I understand that and would hope (and expect) there would be exemptions for pensioners, but as an overall policy I think it’s currently unjustifiable, given that people who live on their own (like me) who earn (like me) and don’t have any dependents (sort of like me, although I will be supporting my son during his pHd) have no justification for getting a discount on council tax when (like me) they elect to live alone and take a dwelling up for themselves. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that (obviously) but I fail to see why they should get a discount per se when they have their bins collected just as frequently (for example).

There is a wider point to this, and people need to wake up to it, and it does very much engage the elderly. Taxes are going to have to rise generally if we are going to make the books balance. This is partly due to Covid, and the need to increase defence spending due, in particular, to the threat from Russia; but it is principally because of the evolving demographic make up of this country with the associated demands on health and social care that will entail.

People can huff and puff about this tax and that tax, but that is the reality, and the alternative is old people dying in ways that are avoidable because we will not meet their needs. The low tax party that we’ve enjoyed of the last forty or so years is over. It really is a straightforward as that in my view.

This will involve pain for all of us. It will include some pensioners following means testing, it will involve people who work hard for what they earn (like me) it will involve people with assets and it will hopefully involve the very rich too. Anyone who can afford to is going to have to take up the slack, and this will include many people who will feel aggrieved because of how hard they’ve worked to acquire what they have, but the sums don’t otherwise add up.

And if we don’t bridge that gap, then what does that say about us as a society? It says that we weren’t prepare to take the pain that was required to remain a civilised society.

 

[stonerblue]

Their vengeful dislike of the elderly and pensioners. Tbf the tail of the donkey is being wagged by civil service policy makers ( all young, Metropolitan, can't afford a house, hate elders s who can and think it was handed to them on a plate. It wasn't). Had the Tories been competent no doubt they would have attempted to do similar. I am closely associated with someone who has a very responsibile decent pay grade job in a Central Government Department so am aware how it all works from listening and seeing it unfold. I also watch Parliament TV to try and stay ahead of the game. Me and my OH predicted this attack on us FOCs as soon as this lot were elected.

I loathe the hypocrisy as well - not just this shower but the party gate previous incumbents as well.

FYI in my youth I was a member of the Socialist Workers Revolutionary party. Times have changed for me.....!!

You'll be getting a £400 a year pay rise soon.