The Labour Government

[BigJoe#1]

Yer dead right with that, BJ, except for the last bit! Have they ever served the public? Have they ever counted themselves as public servants?

I believe they have always considered themselves as Public Servants but I for one, very much like you would contest the validity of any such claim.

 

[BigJoe#1]

Right so you’re arguing about the implementation then? I said exactly the same thing. I don’t disagree with the policy though.

No, I am arguing about the Policy itself.... but if they were insisting on taking it, there were better and more humane ways of robbing the elderly is what I am saying.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Two tier Keir strikes again.

What are your thoughts on the Welsh Leader of Reform being in court for allegedly taking Russian bribes?

There are hard decisions that have to be made currently. Ones that most people are happy that it’s Starmer making, not Badenoch nor Farage.

The WFA was dealt with shoddily and I’ve been on record here saying that I’d have done it differently.

However, the only stories about people dying because of the withdrawal have all proven to be false.

Anyhoo, I’ll leave the thread again for a bit to let you all let off some steam.

 

[meltonblue]

No, I am arguing about the Policy itself.... but if they were insisting on taking it, there were better and more humane ways of robbing the elderly is what I am saying.

What’s your issue with the policy? You don’t think it should be a means tested benefit?

 

[Brewster's millions]

Really ?
One word Trump ! or two Trump and Vance !
So just before he heads off to meet Trump he manages to ...
Write a letter to his cabinet telling them they had to "stop looking down on people who are worried about immigration" and it is not racist to express these concerns and all immigration in ' not an untrammelled good" amongst other similar messages. This letter is conveniently leaked.
Now today with much fanfare he increases Defence spending at the expense of the Foreign aid budget.
A coincidence - I think not.
He knows he is going to bent over that oval office desk , this is a plea for some lube ! He would go into the Oval Office in a MAGA hat if he thought he would be able to keep his trousers up !
So .. if you agree with his messages this week - Thank Trump , if not blame Trump. But ffs don't give Starmer any credit because none is deserved!
As an aside he said he was including Intelligence services in the Defence budget , not sure if that will be an accounting sleight of hand and this might not be quite what it seems . No doubt some journey will do the detective work.
All that said, despite the overwhelming stench of hypocrisy I welcome his messages this week. We debate these issues in the hope of changing someone's opinion or course of action , we should be happy when they do so. Everyone is entitled to do so , as a young man I was Far Left lol. God help me.

I’m a bit surprised that he didn’t have YMCA playing before he made his speech today.

 

[BigJoe#1]

What’s your issue with the policy? You don’t think it should be a means tested benefit?

My issue is that it should be paid to elderly people that cannot afford to heat their homes. If the means of separating them is by tax code then reluctantly I'd agree. But to take it off everyone at a time where the costs have increased three times in the last seven/eight months then I do disagree and would prefer to see everyone getting the WFA.

If the means testing was a simple process then yes go for it - but I think you and I know it is anything but simple and the bar for qualification is very very high or low, (read it as you will)

 

[meltonblue]

My issue is that it should be paid to elderly people that cannot afford to heat their homes. If the means of separating them is by tax code then reluctantly I'd agree. But to take it off everyone at a time where the costs have increased three times in the last seven/eight months then I do disagree and would prefer to see everyone getting the WFA.

If the means testing was a simple process then yes go for it - but I think you and I know it is anything but simple and the bar for qualification is very very high or low, (read it as you will)

Fair enough. I’m in slight disagreement in that I don’t agree with giving it to everyone but would have liked to have seen a longer implementation time to allow for the complexity. That or simplify it.

The policy itself in terms of who’s eligible for it and who’s not I’m not in disagreement with, particularly with retaining the triple lock.

 

[Vic]

Gosh, WFA back as an issue?

Admittedly a disastrous policy relative to the savings but

(a) most pensioners don't need it (incomes are now higher than those of working age)
(b) all pensioners will be getting £45 a week more state pension than 3 years ago (triple lock meant a rise to match inflation one year then to match the consequent average earnings the following year)
(c) it hasn't killed millions
(d) someone on here pretended his parents were freezing

 

[Brewster's millions]

Gosh, WFA back as an issue?

Admittedly a disastrous policy relative to the savings but

(a) most pensioners don't need it (incomes are now higher than those of working age)
(b) all pensioners will be getting £45 a week more state pension than 3 years ago (triple lock means a rise to match inflation one year then to match the consequent average earnings the following year)
(c) it hasn't killed millions
(d) someone on here pretended his parents were freezing

That’s not how the triple lock works.

 

[Vic]

That’s not how the triple lock works.

It's how it worked in 2023 then 2024.

I'll amend "means" to "meant" if it helps you grasp the point.

 

[Brewster's millions]

It's how it worked in 2023 then 2024.

I'll amend "means" to "meant" if it helps you grasp the point.

I’m not the one struggling to grasp the point.

In fact the whole discussion around the triple lock compensating for the loss of the WFA is disingenuous anyway, because pensioners would have received both the WFA and the uplift from the triple lock (the uplift being determined by the highest value of three figures, just to be clear).

 

[city2]

So the mp who just got sent to prison gets to keep his 91k salary another one involved with the Russians, someone said pensioners would be getting a 4% rise which is a piss take. Council tax up 5% water bills up, energy bills up 17% since Oct 24 as well as other things so being a pensioner is certainly no fun.

 

[metalblue]

Really quite embarrassing that he makes what he wants to be seen as a major announcement on defence expenditure and still manages to get his numbers completely wrong.

Not exactly difficult; 0.2% of GDP is £5.7bn. By 2027 it will be a slightly larger number, but nothing like £13bn.

Special mention should be made to the gormless Rachel Reeves - sat there nodding along when she should really know that 0.2% of GDP is nothing like £13bn.

It’ll be £13bn cumulative total over this parliament or something like that.

 

[BigJoe#1]

So the mp who just got sent to prison gets to keep his 91k salary another one involved with the Russians, someone said pensioners would be getting a 4% rise which is a piss take. Council tax up 5% water bills up, energy bills up 17% since Oct 24 as well as other things so being a pensioner is certainly no fun.

Careful, there are those on here that cannot admit the Labour government is capable of making errors.

I get that traditional dye in the wool political supporters for both sides feel an obligation to support their party of belief regardless of what they do..... it's personal, but surely there has to be things about your party you vehemently disagree with?

I had a strong dislike for loads of things the Tories did, things like Truss (nuff said), privatisation and so on.

I firmly believe in the nationalisation of utility services etc.... I firmly believe in strengthening the armed services and cuts to foreign aid and protecting the NHS. I cannot find it in me to support any political party that's why I am very comfortable criticising both sides.... and in certain areas supporting them both too.

 

[metalblue]

its being paid for by a cut in the overseas aid budget and i am sure he said he will be looking at savings from the welfare budget.

Unfortunately the overseas aid budget is something that can be cut in an instant and not felt at home.

 

[city2]

Careful, there are those on here that cannot admit the Labour government is capable of making errors.

I get that traditional dye in the wool political supporters for both sides feel an obligation to support their party of belief regardless of what they do..... it's personal, but surely there has to be things about your party you vehemently disagree with?

I had a strong dislike for loads of things the Tories did, things like Truss (nuff said), privatisation and so on.

I firmly believe in the nationalisation of utility services etc.... I firmly believe in strengthening the armed services and cuts to foreign aid and protecting the NHS. I cannot find it in me to support any political party that's why I am very comfortable criticising both sides.... and in certain areas supporting them both too.

I don’t support any parties because they are all corrupt lying fuckers who are only interested in what they can get their thieving hands on.

 

[BigJoe#1]

I don’t support any parties because they are all corrupt lying fuckers who are only interested in what they can get their thieving hands on.

Summed it up much more concisely than I.

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

Out in force.

 

[Brewster's millions]

It’ll be £13bn cumulative total over this parliament or something like that.

I did wonder whether it was a cumulative figure, even though Starmer said it would be £13bn extra a year, but that seems too low given that spending in 2027 would be increased by more than £6bn in that year alone, and then you have another 18 months on top of that.

They had a similar balls up last week with the Treasury’s response to the inflation data, which was obviously wrong and had to be corrected in short order.

 

[liveandletdive]

Unfortunately the overseas aid budget is something that can be cut in an instant and not felt at home.

Why Unfortunately? The overseas aid budget is corruption at the top level, it's just money laundering and paying depots, why should the British taxpayer, pay to another country, when our own needs all the help it can get, especially after the last 14 years of the Tories and now with this muppet in charge.