[Politics] Next Conservative Leader - Rishi Sunak

[WATFORD zero]

We all know you worship at the Church of Starmer, you’ll have to wait to invite us in

You couldn't be more wrong. I'm prepared to bet I have voted for parties other than Labour more often you have

But given the choice between 'boring' Starmer or the remains of Johnson's Brexit cabal ? I will try not to be insulting

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

If it wasn’t for Furlough my company would have folded. I am grateful, shoot me. People who have worked with me for 16 to 40 years would have lost their jobs.

There are plenty of places where furlough was absolutely necessary. There are others who abused it enormously. I can remember reading things about big accountancy concerns furlougoing people but still expecting them to work - either at home or in the back of the building so the lights weren’t on at the front.

 

[Weststander]

Here's a reminder of just one of the towering priority challenges facing the new prime minister.

'Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages in the UK rose by 14.5 percent annually in September of 2022, the highest on record and picking up from 13.1 percent in the prior month. It was one of the drivers of the increase in the overall CPI during the month, with notable price growth in oils and fats (28.1 percent vs 26.3 percent in August), milk, cheese, and eggs (24.3 percent vs 22.1 percent), and bread and cereals (14.5 percent vs 11.8 percent)'

United Kingdom Food Inflation

Cost of food in the United Kingdom increased 2 percent in December of 2024 over the same month in the previous year. This page provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Food Inflation - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction...

tradingeconomics.com

(Note not just the headline rates, but the rates of change).

 

[WATFORD zero]

Point of interest are you employed or an employer?

I was employed, then I ran and part-owned a number of SMEs before retiring a few years ago, why do you ask ?

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Great so we now have someone that doesn't know how contactless works..

 

[Weststander]

Here's a reminder of just one of the towering priority challenges facing the new prime minister.

'Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages in the UK rose by 14.5 percent annually in September of 2022, the highest on record and picking up from 13.1 percent in the prior month. It was one of the drivers of the increase in the overall CPI during the month, with notable price growth in oils and fats (28.1 percent vs 26.3 percent in August), milk, cheese, and eggs (24.3 percent vs 22.1 percent), and bread and cereals (14.5 percent vs 11.8 percent)'

United Kingdom Food Inflation

Cost of food in the United Kingdom increased 2 percent in December of 2024 over the same month in the previous year. This page provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Food Inflation - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction...

tradingeconomics.com

(Note not just the headline rates, but the rates of change).

I don’t know what can be done about that. Putin’s trying to destroy Europe for fighting his genocide and theft. Even now blocking ships carrying foodstuffs.

 

[Wokeworrier]

Here's a reminder of just one of the towering priority challenges facing the new prime minister.

'Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages in the UK rose by 14.5 percent annually in September of 2022, the highest on record and picking up from 13.1 percent in the prior month. It was one of the drivers of the increase in the overall CPI during the month, with notable price growth in oils and fats (28.1 percent vs 26.3 percent in August), milk, cheese, and eggs (24.3 percent vs 22.1 percent), and bread and cereals (14.5 percent vs 11.8 percent)'

United Kingdom Food Inflation

Cost of food in the United Kingdom increased 2 percent in December of 2024 over the same month in the previous year. This page provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Food Inflation - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction...

tradingeconomics.com

(Note not just the headline rates, but the rates of change).

Interesting seeing the comparisons across Europe, numerous countries facing similar issues. The European Union average is even higher than ours.

https://tradingeconomics.com/country-list/food-inflation?continent=europe

 

[Barnet Seagull]

Sad times. Sunak will stick around for two years. Despite any of his policies, inflation will fall. He will be held up as a stablising influence over an economy which has suffered under his party

People will forget this shitshow and vote conservative. The general election will be closer than people think.

FFS

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Unfortunately the reason for food price increases and general cost of living were global and largely beyond our control.

Indeed - which makes the BoE's approach of using interest rates to fight it look somewhat archaic.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I don’t know what can be done about that. Putin’s trying to destroy Europe for fighting his genocide and theft. Even now blocking ships carrying foodstuffs.

View attachment 153093

I agree there are Global problems (AND SIZE ISN'T EVERYTHING )

But we are not helping ourselves, are we ?

The UK will be stuck with searing inflation for years because of Brexit, according to strategists at Wall Street’s top banks.

Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp. and Standard Bank all see the UK as a outlier in the developed world because of the economic damage wrought by the decision to cut ties with the European Union. Even as price pressures start to fade elsewhere, they say UK inflation will be higher-than-normal because of immigration controls and supply chain disruption.

Experts say it’s hard to know to what degree the UK’s economic woes are caused by the pandemic or the aftermath of Brexit. Some research suggests Brexit is already taking a toll. Trade barriers have driven a 6% increase in UK food prices, according to a report from the London School of Economics.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...is-hotter-uk-inflation-risk-for-years-to-come

The BBC and Government's own statisticians, the OBR, simply say twice the total cost of COVID

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59070020

 

[The Clamp]

Sad times. Sunak will stick around for two years. Despite any of his policies, inflation will fall. He will be held up as a stablising influence over an economy which has suffered under his party

People will forget this shitshow and vote conservative. The general election will be closer than people think.

FFS

Absolutely right. People predict the Tory’s will be wiped off the politicos landscape.
I think they’ll have a good chance. They’ve created this mess, they’ll spend two years trying to create the illusion that they have fixed a problem created by Putin (it was made disastrous because of Brexit) people will fall for it and they’ll remain in power.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Sad times. Sunak will stick around for two years. Despite any of his policies, inflation will fall. He will be held up as a stablising influence over an economy which has suffered under his party

People will forget this shitshow and vote conservative. The general election will be closer than people think.

FFS

Well if he manages to stabilize this shit show of an economy and get a grip on inflation I think they would earn that and it's not like Starmer's labour are offering anything different anyway.

However I think the economy is in such a terrible state we will have a nasty recession and the Tories will be f***ed anyway.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Absolutely right. People predict the Tory’s will be wiped off the politicos landscape.
I think they’ll have a good chance. They’ve created this mess, they’ll spend two years trying to create the illusion that they have fixed a problem created by Putin (it was made disastrous because of Brexit) people will fall for it and they’ll remain in power.

I think you are seriously underestimating the economic shitstorm that is incoming. If you rent, have a mortgage, own a property (god help negative equity), struggle to heat your home, buy food or put petrol in your car, don't have your salary increasing by 10% pa, etc etc there are incredibly hard times coming.

Let's see where we are in April

 

[Icy Gull]

I am struggling to unders

There are plenty of places where furlough was absolutely necessary. There are others who abused it enormously. I can remember reading things about big accountancy concerns furlougoing people but still expecting them to work - either at home or in the back of the building so the lights weren’t on at the front.

So how would you have implemented it at very short notice, or are you blaming the Tories for dishonest companies too?

 

[Weststander]

Sad times. Sunak will stick around for two years. Despite any of his policies, inflation will fall. He will be held up as a stablising influence over an economy which has suffered under his party

People will forget this shitshow and vote conservative. The general election will be closer than people think.

FFS

Necessarily, that’s spot on. Even if car fuel and food prices remained static high, that would give zero inflation. The way of economics. The apolitical BoE MPC have one concern, of ‘secondary inflation’ caused by high pay awards.

I still think Labour will gain an overall majority, but you’re correct that it will be far less than recent polls indicated. Difficult to get to 1997 levels with the SNP holding swathes of former Labour seats. Very hard to predict with FPTP.

 

[Icy Gull]

I will try not to be insulting

Why not, it hasn’t held you back before?

 

[The Clamp]

I think you are seriously underestimating the economic shitstorm that is incoming. If you rent, have a mortgage, own a property (god help negative equity), struggle to heat your home, buy food or put petrol in your car, don't have your salary increasing by 10% pa, etc etc there are incredibly hard times coming.

Let's see where we are in April

I agree 100% that rough times are on their way. However, people are idiots and would rather believe they are in the shit because of a ruthless Russian dictator than something they voted for (Brexit).

These morons will believe what the Tory’s tell them. Less scary innit. Absolves them of all responsibility.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I am struggling to unders

So how would you have implemented it at very short notice, or are you blaming the Tories for dishonest companies too?

Quite, I think we should be chasing the fraud

But people were crying for help and for it to be done asap

Same as the PPE/ useless track and trace system costing billions no one said about paying too much at the time, if anything just spend it all and more.

Complete madness, but the public supported it.

 

[Icy Gull]

Sad times. Sunak will stick around for two years. Despite any of his policies, inflation will fall. He will be held up as a stablising influence over an economy which has suffered under his party

People will forget this shitshow and vote conservative. The general election will be closer than people think.

FFS

I have always voted Tory, if an election was called now I wouldn’t. However turkeys don’t vote for Christmas, very naive to think that any party would go to the polls knowing they would lose.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Necessarily, that’s spot on. Even if car fuel and food prices remained static high, that would give zero inflation. The way of economics. The apolitical BoE MPC have one concern, of ‘secondary inflation’ caused by high pay awards.

I still think Labour will gain an overall majority, but you’re correct that it will be far less than recent polls indicated. Difficult to get to 1997 levels with the SNP holding swathes of former Labour seats. Very hard to predict with FPTP.

Precisely, because the votes of the nation will not reflect the number of seats returned

I'm off to Dinner but have hopefully triggered HWT

Just realised I haven't seen a post from him for a few days, hope all's OK