The General Election - Off Topic

RE: The General Election

carpet crawler — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 15:51:08 +0000

@sunny So here we are, approximately 73 days since the GE. I'm reminded of the lyric of The Who song Won't Get Fooled Again: "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss" although in Starmer's case perhaps a re-write to "Worse than the old boss" would be more appropriate. If anyone says to me that Liebour is the party of ordinary, working class people again I'll scream. I thought it was the Torys who were all about sleaze, lies, U-turns and horrendous cronyism. Yet here we are. The stunt they've pulled on pensioners is an absolute disgrace. Shameful. And the saving is so small it's peanuts. I can guarantee elderly people will die this winter due to not having the money to turn their heating on. I doubt Reeves will lose any sleep over it. And why does she need £4K to heat her second home ? It's emerged today that Starmer accepted a load of money for clothes for him and his Mrs, glasses and all kinds like free tickets for Arsenal games. There we go, what a true socialist the man is. I would predict the following from Liebour: withdrawal of free prescriptions, eye tests, glasses and bus passes for pensioners. The removal of the Council Tax single occupant discount will be around the corner too which will impact elderly widows and widowers massively. And anyone with a scrap of aspiration may as will call it a day. I wonder where all the kids who's parents wanted a good education for them will now go ? Over-subscribed state schools ? Bigger classes. Wow, that'll make things better. Charlie Mullins of Pimlico Plumbers has the right idea. Shipping out along with thousands of other successful people. And honestly, who could blame them ?

RE: The General Election

sunny — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 07:10:11 +0000

..... Again, if it's ordinary workers footing the bill then either would be additional austerity and would make the new Labour Govt no different from the previous Tory one.

If you accept Pensioners as "ordinary workers but who cannot go on strike" - they are the very first to suffer with the loss of the Winter Fuel Allowance.

Yes - agreed that this new Labour Govt is no different from the previous Tory one.

What will be next for pensioners to look forward to? Having to pay for bus passes and prescriptions, loss of the council tax discount for single property occupants which sadly many pensioners are, the future doesn't look optimistic thus far.

RE: The General Election

gpo1971 — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 12:03:18 +0000

So week 3 and the new Govt are crying about an additional £20B 'black hole' in the economy. Now we all know the economy was the best part of wrecked by the Tories, but analysts/the OBR are disputing that this wasn't apparent.

Anyway, sounds like they're paving the way for either tax rises or further public spending cuts; or maybe both. Again, if it's ordinary workers footing the bill then either would be additional austerity and would make the new Labour Govt no different from the previous Tory one.

RE: The General Election

gpo1971 — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 21:52:18 +0000

The new Govt has been in place a week and look at what they're facing; a 21% rise in Water bills that the privatised water companies are saying won't scratch the surface of what is required, prisons facing "total collapse" due to lack of investment and prisoners being released 40% into their sentences, the NHS "wrecked" according to the new Minister. This is week 1 for Labour, scratching the surface of the Tory legacy. Yet the Tories were campaigning on tax cuts and the likes of Farage don't even accept these issues as real. People need to get real in this country, stop being hoodwinked by gobsh*tes and start thinking about what's important. Taxes need to go up and we all know who should be paying.

RE: The General Election

Torn Sock 1 — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 12:51:04 +0000

@gpo1971 Most of the net worth of people is just on paper though. Not sure how that would work in principle?

All well and good until loads of jobs disappear as well. Don't disagree to an extent, but a little bit chicken and egg.

Who writes the rules, as there isn't a cat in hell's chance they don't know what they're doing, but are probably instructed by those in power to keep them in. I dare say this will have had cross party collaboration and the rules are still rubbish.

RE: The General Election

gpo1971 — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 11:34:32 +0000

@gpo1971 How much do you think you should tax the super rich? I know some absolutely shirk their responsibilites, but others do pay their share. Do you think it should be a certain % and if so what number? If a billionaire pays 50% on their earnings don't you think that's enough (Assuming point 3 is sorted!)?
Do you think that big businesses would just move if they were charged more?
Tax loopholes 100% shouldn't exist we're in full agreement but (Throwing up in my mouth here) Donald Trump actually was spot on. This won't change because Labour donors also benefit from these as much as the Tory donors. Do you get independent people to write up/check the rules to try and close these.

The Green party manifesto had a wealth tax proposal in it to apply 1% on assets over £10M and 2% on assets over £1B and they were talking 10s of billions of pounds in tax revenue. That is the type of policy I would expect any Labour Government to be exploring.

If big businesses are not prepared to pay their share, wave goodbye to them.

Re the loopholes, I have a mate who earns a 6-figure salary and pays the same amount of tax as someone earning £20k; via IR35. He's not doing anything wrong but this is part of the problem, these loopholes need looking at.

Anything other than policies in these directions would mean ordinary folk footing the bill OR public services remaining broken; and that would make Labour as bad as the Tories. The money has to come from somewhere, we can borrow more but not enough.

RE: The General Election

Torn Sock 1 — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 14:43:41 +0000

RE: The General Election

Spelly — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 19:20:10 +0000

@spelly - Even that is possible.

Come on mate, we're a mere three days into a five years' (at least) administration, so to talk about (poss) industrial action, is more than a bit premature!

Spelly.

RE: The General Election

Ceejay1 — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 12:03:48 +0000

@spelly - Even that is possible.

RE: The General Election

Ceejay1 — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 12:02:23 +0000

@spelly, Will you be able to say that when the Union's start their strike actions again?