The Labour Government

Gorton_Tubster said:
In general Labour seem to be doing a much better job than we've had for a number of years. I dont really care who does it but glad one of the parties has their head screwed whilst running the fkin country! Thats what they're supposed to be doing.
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Whoever won the election this time round were rowing back 14 years of lack of investment in public services. The conservatives went with idea of letting big business do what it wants and not taxing them, now this government has the unenviable task of clawing it all back.

Some of the policies of national insurance hikes and minimum wage increases has swelled government coffers, trouble is we now have businesses spooked into not growing and being in survival mode. Head counts are dropping and unemployment is hitting a 5 year high. There needs to be better thinking from the current government to combat this, hopefully we will see a plan for this in March.
 
feedmpenzaandhewillscore said:
Whoever won the election this time round were rowing back 14 years of lack of investment in public services. The conservatives went with idea of letting big business do what it wants and not taxing them, now this government has the unenviable task of clawing it all back.

Some of the policies of national insurance hikes and minimum wage increases has swelled government coffers, trouble is we now have businesses spooked into not growing and being in survival mode. Head counts are dropping and unemployment is hitting a 5 year high. There needs to be better thinking from the current government to combat this, hopefully we will see a plan for this in March.
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All true but a significant climb in retail sales would indicate that the public think the worst is over. There will always be bumps in the road but it feels as if the general direction is one of improvement.
 
hampshireblue said:
All true but a significant climb in retail sales would indicate that the public think the worst is over. There will always be bumps in the road but it feels as if the general direction is one of improvement.
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Let's hope so. It is refreshing to hear some optimism about politics and the state of the country.
 
hampshireblue said:
All true but a significant climb in retail sales would indicate that the public think the worst is over. There will always be bumps in the road but it feels as if the general direction is one of improvement.
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I listened to an interesting interview with Lloyds CEO a couple of months back who was saying that they are seeing a lot more people paying off debt and increasing savings/investments. He also said that businesses were a little spooked during the run-up to the budget but is now seeing a shift towards more investment, from home and abroad.

In political terms, I don’t think the current government have done to much out of the ordinary, and has as been mentioned, it was a matter of the government actually taking control and making decisions, whether we like them, or not.

It does feel, even with all the wringing of hands from certain elements, that things are starting to calm down in the country and we’re beginning to move forward, unlike under the last few governments who were scared to make any decisions for the people and only those for big business.
 
jamesha said:
Let's hope so. It is refreshing to hear some optimism about politics and the state of the country.
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I'm sure BKB or Chippy boy will be along soon to tell us how it should be all so much better.

A friend of mine has just finished a renovation on his house. It has taken longer than some people on here think it should take to turn around a whole mess of an economy that Labour inherited.
 
Pensions and work place salaries have risen around 4.8% this past 12 months but United Utilities have the chutzpah to increase their prices for services this coming year by 12%. I thought they were accountable to Ofwat who are in turn answerable to the Government.

Who the fuck has let these charlatans get away with a way above inflation increase?

It’s disgusting a pensioner receiving a state pension and maybe a very small private pension is subject to this increase and can not get any help to pay. Same with all other utility providers, they’re riding roughshod through price regulation.
 
Ho Chi Man City said:
Pensions and work place salaries have risen around 4.8% this past 12 months but United Utilities have the chutzpah to increase their prices for services this coming year by 12%. I thought they were accountable to Ofwat who are in turn answerable to the Government.

Who the fuck has let these charlatans get away with a way above inflation increase?

It’s disgusting a pensioner receiving a state pension and maybe a very small private pension is subject to this increase and can not get any help to pay. Same with all other utility providers, they’re riding roughshod through price regulation.
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24 to 27% increase last year...........it's a big fiddle

Dividends | United Utilities - Corporate

Information on United Utilities dividends payments
www.unitedutilities.com www.unitedutilities.com
 
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Ho Chi Man City said:
Pensions and work place salaries have risen around 4.8% this past 12 months but United Utilities have the chutzpah to increase their prices for services this coming year by 12%. I thought they were accountable to Ofwat who are in turn answerable to the Government.

Who the fuck has let these charlatans get away with a way above inflation increase?

It’s disgusting a pensioner receiving a state pension and maybe a very small private pension is subject to this increase and can not get any help to pay. Same with all other utility providers, they’re riding roughshod through price regulation.
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In truth, the water companies are private businesses sold off to the highest bidder who are there to make money from me and you. OFWAT is also an independent business, paid for by companies who pass that charge over to its customers. They don’t answer to the government of the time, but they do have to answer to parliament as they are governed by legislation.

We have no real say in what they do apart from Parliament enforcing sanctions, when needed.

One of my biggest gripes, obviously apart from being sold off in the first place, is that the contracts put in place when they were sold off make it near impossible to bring them back into public ownership as they can be just sold off to the next investor and the only way to take them back is if the company hands them back to the government.

Probably want to look back at Thatcher who also gave them subsidies to sweeten the deal. Since then, they’ve done fuck all for their customers, or environment, and now need to up their prices to fix almost 40 years of neglect while taking their dividends.
 
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The Future’s Blue! said:
In truth, the water companies are private businesses sold off to the highest bidder who are there to make money from me and you. OFWAT is also an independent business, paid for by companies who pass that charge over to its customers. They don’t answer to the government of the time, but they do have to answer to parliament as they are governed by legislation.

We have no real say in what they do apart from Parliament enforcing sanctions, when needed.

One of my biggest gripes, obviously apart from being sold off in the first place, is that the contracts put in place when they were sold off make it near impossible to bring them back into public ownership as they can be just sold off to the next investor and the only way to take them back is if the company hands them back to the government.

Probably want to look back at Thatcher who also gave them subsidies to sweeten the deal. Since then, they’ve done fuck all tor their customers, or environment, and now need to up their prices to fix almost 40 years of neglect while taking their dividends.
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I’m just going to pay them a 4.8% increase for a few months and see what they threaten me with. As you say they’re spending money over the coming years to upgrade the infrastructure but once complete will they drop prices? Rhetorical question obviously.
 
United Utilities (UU)
has announced significant, above-inflation increases to household water bills over the five-year period from 2025 to 2030, with an average rise of 32%. This is part of a £13 billion investment plan to upgrade infrastructure and reduce pollution across the North West of England.
Key Details of Price Rises (2025-2030)
  • Average Increase: Household bills are expected to jump by an average of 32% over the next five years.
  • Initial Hike: Bills will rise by an average of £86 for a typical household from April 2025.
  • Annual Rises: Following the initial hike, bills are expected to rise by an average of £31 per year until 2030.
  • 2030 Forecast: The average annual bill is expected to reach £585 by 2030, up from the 2024-25 average of £442.
  • Inflation Impact: These increases are in addition to annual inflation (CPIH), meaning actual bills could rise higher than the 32% figure.
Context and Support
  • Reason for Increase: The funds are for a £13.7 billion investment to improve water quality, fix leaks, and reduce sewage spills by 30%.
  • Support for Customers: In response to affordability concerns, United Utilities has pledged to increase its financial support for customers, aiming to help one-in-six households (approximately 15% of customers) over the five-year period.
  • Impacted Regions: This affects customers in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria, most of Cheshire, and parts of Derbyshire.
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has expressed concern over these rises, noting that many households are already struggling with the cost of living
 
hampshireblue said:
Some more good news:

Meanwhile, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the UK recorded its largest ever budget surplus.
British retail sales rose by 1.8% month-on-month in January, the ONS said, outstripping forecasts of a 0.2% rise.
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at the start of the week the Telegraph was getting its excuses in early by predicting it by saying is was just predictable cyclical events that would do it.

Problem with that suggestion is if these things are cyclical why were they not observed in any of the years the Tories were in office?
 



This is the minister in charge of digital ID as well.


4uwwun.png
 
TinFoilHat said:
When did the law change about being handcuffed when arrested.

Or do they only apply if you are scum and not rich with influence?
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two reasons come to mind

1/ faces too well known to go on the run
2/ maybe they are armed so they are hoping for a runner so they can just shoot a nonce and be hailed a hero
 
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