The Labour Government

Semper aggressus said:
Some of their policies are good, others are bad.

Their huge tax increases and targeting of the wealthy is a real sickener though and means we will move abroad to avoid fucking huge annual tax bills. I don’t see how it’s fair to tax people on foreign income that stays abroad, so I’d rather move away and we’ll spend our money elsewhere.

Also, Labour seem to be reverting to type and being absolutely shite for defence despite the current state of the world and Russia in particular. Some serious investment in the Navy and in air defence is needed yet they are actually planning more cuts.
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Where are you going?
 
gordondaviesmoustache said:
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.
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and to properly achieve that we need a buoyant economy. You would think that they might take steps to ensure we are as competitive and open to trade as anyone. Of course that would mean joining the largest trading bloc in the world, consisting of 27 member countries, promoting the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people within its borders, creating a single request with over 446 million consumers.
 
Semper aggressus said:
Some of their policies are good, others are bad.

Their huge tax increases and targeting of the wealthy is a real sickener though and means we will move abroad to avoid fucking huge annual tax bills. I don’t see how it’s fair to tax people on foreign income that stays abroad, so I’d rather move away and we’ll spend our money elsewhere.

Also, Labour seem to be reverting to type and being absolutely shite for defence despite the current state of the world and Russia in particular. Some serious investment in the Navy and in air defence is needed yet they are actually planning more cuts.
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Would you stay and pay more tax If there was an increase in defence spending?
 
Saddleworth2 said:
and to properly achieve that we need a buoyant economy. You would think that they might take steps to ensure we are as competitive and open to trade as anyone. Of course that would mean joining the largest trading bloc in the world, consisting of 27 member countries, promoting the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people within its borders, creating a single request with over 446 million consumers.
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I think eventually rejoining the EU (and possibly losing the pound) will be a price the elderly will have to pay for maintaining this arrangement.

Not on the current agenda, though, sadly.
 
gordondaviesmoustache said:
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.
Click to expand...
stonerblue said:
You'll be getting a £400 a year pay rise soon.
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I can understand your logic but can you also understand that maybe we just want to live peacefully and quietly and get on with what’s left of our lives without constantly worrying?
Surely, having paid our taxes, and continuing to do so, brought up our children to do the same we should be able to live?
I’m not asking for the moon. I’m quite prepared to give up any luxuries. I’ve never smoked, rarely drink, if I have a holiday it is usually to family.

The £7.69 per week (£400 divided by 52) I might receive will soon be eaten up by rise in fuel and food costs.
I’m not pleading poverty I just want to live my remaining days without worry and fear.
Is that a lot to ask?

I’ve done my years of sacrificing for the greater good.

Sorry but you’ve caught me on a very, very bad day!!!
 
gordondaviesmoustache said:
I think eventually rejoining the EU (and possibly losing the pound) will be a price the elderly will have to pay for maintaining this arrangement.

Not on the current agenda, though, sadly.
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I never wanted to leave in the first place!!

Mind you I didn’t/don’t want to lose the pound but hey ho, we all have to sacrifice. ;-) or so you lot keep telling me. I’m elderly therefore expendable. :-) :-)



Don’t worry. It might be a bad day but I’ve still got my sense of humour.

Until someone tells me they’ll tax that next!! ;-)
 
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