The Labour Government

[The Future’s Blue!]

I don’t agree it was a “cunts trick” but I do agree it wasn’t handled - or at least communicated- in the best way possible.

It’s frustrating because I can see what this govt are trying to achieve but they need someone in the room who is a better strategist and comms person. They are crying out for their Alastair Campbell.

This is my biggest gripe with this government. Governments over the last decade have been very good with messaging but shit with policy. This one seems quite good with policy but shit with messaging.

The way the WFA was communicated was reckless at best, and allowing Farage and others to jump on the ‘The Indian immigrants are going to take your jobs’ was another own goal as it allowed people to jump on a bandwagon instead of actually understanding the facts.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

This is my biggest gripe with this government. Governments over the last decade have been very good with messaging but shit with policy. This one seems quite good with policy but shit with messaging.

The way the WFA was communicated was reckless at best, and allowing Farage and others to jump on the ‘The Indian immigrants are going to take your jobs’ was another own goal as it allowed people to jump on a bandwagon instead of actually understanding the facts.

I strongly agree.

The messaging is even more important now the average person has the attention span of an autistic goldfish.

 

[bluenova]

I don’t agree it was a “cunts trick” but I do agree it wasn’t handled - or at least communicated- in the best way possible.

It’s frustrating because I can see what this govt are trying to achieve but they need someone in the room who is a better strategist and comms person. They are crying out for their Alastair Campbell.

Alastair Campbell could phone up a newspaper and charm/pressure/threaten/persuade/shout at them.

You can't shout at the internet.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Alastair Campbell could phone up a newspaper and charm/pressure/threaten/persuade/shout at them.

You can't shout at the internet.

Obviously. Which is why I said “their” Alastair Campbell.

They need a better comms strategist than whoever is currently in charge, who seems to have very little idea of how to sell policy and shape the narrative.

 

[mancityvstoke]

To be fair - it was a bit of a communications gaffe but the fuel allowance thing was means tested.

Personally I don’t think it’s unreasonable for pensioners who can afford it, to not get the payment.

My Mum for example - took the payment and just put it towards holidays or shit from the garden centre. Doesn’t need the money at all.

Those who need the support are still eligible for it.

nope not true. People on pension credit are now better off than people on new state pension. Not everyone can be compared to your mum.

Pension Credit tops up:

• your weekly income to £227.10 if you’re single
• your joint weekly income to £346.60 if you have a partner

You may get extra amounts if you have other responsibilities and costs.

The top up and extra amounts are known as ‘Guarantee Credit’.

Plus all the means tested benefits on top of those amounts including WFA.

The full rate of the new State Pension for the 2025/26 tax year is £230.25 per week.


May as well not pay any NI at all or save any money. Lifelong druggy, alcy etc benefit claimants for example.

 

[bluenova]

Obviously. Which is why I said “their” Alastair Campbell.

They need a better comms strategist than whoever is currently in charge, who seems to have very little idea of how to sell policy and shape the narrative.

I agree that they could up their game, but I think it's almost impossible to shape a narrative in the days of social media and Trumpism.

When your opponents don't really care if what they say is true, and they can bypass the mainstream media, and directly communicate with tens of millions of people, then how do you shape the narrative?

 

[mancityvstoke]

Regardless of standards, I’ve always found it odd that we buy meat from around the world as it is.

Shipping beef from Australia seems foolish to me when you can’t moove in the British countryside for shitloads of cows.

We should be buying as much British produce from independent suppliers as possible.

moooooooooooooooo

New Zealand Lamb for decades and Danish bacon......lovely.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

I agree that they could up their game, but I think it's almost impossible to shape a narrative in the days of social media and Trumpism.

When your opponents don't really care if what they say is true, and they can bypass the mainstream media, and directly communicate with tens of millions of people, then how do you shape the narrative?

Yep that’s the problem.

I never said I had the answer. If I did I’d be banging on the door of number ten or charging 500 quid an hour working for Portland Communictions.

 

[lefty goldblatt]

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Regardless of standards, I’ve always found it odd that we buy meat from around the world as it is.

Shipping beef from Australia seems foolish to me when you can’t moove in the British countryside for shitloads of cows.

We should be buying as much British produce from independent suppliers as possible.

Unfortunately, self sufficiency in meat is not only undesirable it’s also impossible, hence we import from many places.
Without imports, we’d need to almost double the cattle and pig population, we’d need to produce another 5 million lambs and almost a billion and a half more chickens.
Not only that, but importing and exporting meat gives us extra food security, in the event of a disease outbreak, and makes it easier to import the stuff that we can’t grow or isn’t in season.

 

[Palerider]

Interesting betting on next election (Betfair). Reform at 2.54, Labour 2.60, Conservative 5.0 and Liberals 40.00, the rest any price you want. Labour seem to be trying a lot harder than the Tories at solving Immigration, NHS, Housing, Social Care and the Welfare State but will it be enough? Reform and the Tories do not seem to have any policies but that did not stop Labour gaining a landslide last year so maybe a winning strategy?

 

[Palerider]

Unfortunately, self sufficiency in meat is not only undesirable it’s also impossible, hence we import from many places.
Without imports, we’d need to almost double the cattle and pig population, we’d need to produce another 5 million lambs and almost a billion and a half more chickens.
Not only that, but importing and exporting meat gives us extra food security, in the event of a disease outbreak, and makes it easier to import the stuff that we can’t grow or isn’t in season.

Or eat less meat?

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Or eat less meat?

If only.
Mind you, imagine all the daytime ads asking you to adopt a cow/pig/chicken/lamb!!

 

[Palerider]

If only.
Mind you, imagine all the daytime ads asking you to adopt a cow/pig/chicken/lamb!!

As newly retired, anything but the funeral plans and stairlift adds!

 

[BigJoe#1]

Interesting betting on next election (Betfair). Reform at 2.54, Labour 2.60, Conservative 5.0 and Liberals 40.00, the rest any price you want. Labour seem to be trying a lot harder than the Tories at solving Immigration, NHS, Housing, Social Care and the Welfare State but will it be enough? Reform and the Tories do not seem to have any policies but that did not stop Labour gaining a landslide last year so maybe a winning strategy?

The trouble is Labour despite trying a lot harder will be held to account because they are in power, just as the Tories were last time. They are very much in the spotlight and the size of their majority focuses and concentrates that spotlight and the public are much less forgiving and much more demanding.

The demands and expectations are so intense right now that I seriously doubt any party will ever be able to rule in isolation (as a single party) again. Much, if not all of this is down to social media. A classic example (and believe me this is not a criticism, merely and observation) is @bluethrunthru and the multiple quotes from "X". The trouble is it works both ways and for all parties.

 

[meltonblue]

Interesting betting on next election (Betfair). Reform at 2.54, Labour 2.60, Conservative 5.0 and Liberals 40.00, the rest any price you want. Labour seem to be trying a lot harder than the Tories at solving Immigration, NHS, Housing, Social Care and the Welfare State but will it be enough? Reform and the Tories do not seem to have any policies but that did not stop Labour gaining a landslide last year so maybe a winning strategy?

Way too far out and politics is far too volatile for anything to be worth a punt at this stage.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Or eat less meat?

Poor old @DiscoSteve will starve!

 

[moomba]

Or eat less meat?

Arrrrrgggghhhhh.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

The trouble is Labour despite trying a lot harder will be held to account because they are in power, just as the Tories were last time. They are very much in the spotlight and the size of their majority focuses and concentrates that spotlight and the public are much less forgiving and much more demanding.

The demands and expectations are so intense right now that I seriously doubt any party will ever be able to rule in isolation (as a single party) again. Much, if not all of this is down to social media. A classic example (and believe me this is not a criticism, merely and observation) is @bluethrunthru and the multiple quotes from "X". The trouble is it works both ways and for all parties.

A system where parties have to collaborate and find common ground and where no single party has too much power could actually be a good thing.

On paper at least I’m all in favour of coalitions.

 

[Kompany Car]

If £70k was the stuff of dreams, why is there a shortage of drivers?

The shortage of drivers stems from Covid where training stopped, you then had people retiring which left a gap. It takes about a year to get to post qualified status (classroom and practical) which you then have for a further 3 years. The other problem is drivers keeping route competence which is assessed regularly.

So bottom line, there is a shortage of qualified drivers at the moment. The RSSB is changing the process to shorten the training period which should start to alleviate the problem. There is certainly no shortage of applicants.

The problem overall as with many other privatised industries is they run with a bare minimum of staff. You get drivers trained by Northern for instance who as soon as they are qualified chase higher paying jobs on LNER or West Coast. As the likes of Northern dont run with a significant surplus of trained drivers it causes a shortage leading to issues covering illness, holidays and retirement/resignation.