[Politics] The Labour Government

[cunning fergus]

Rosie Duffield is a strange one. To resign so soon after a general election where your party has absolutely nailed it suggests that she's probably not the sort you really want in your party anyway.

I agree, it appears to be a vindictive move.

That said I think RD has represented a cohort of Labour support, particularly women that are (and continue to be) marginalised by the “women have penises” brigade loons, of which KS is a subscriber.

The equally vindictive comments by Nadia Whitome MP provide evidence of how destructive that fissure is with Labour, as it is within the general public.

In her letter, RD does not reference this though, and goes straight for FGK’s hypocritical and techocratic jugular, and to that extent I think she has spoken for a significant proportion of the public sick to the back teeth of a self serving political class.

On the face of it we have well over 4 years more of TTK, and he has already lost the appearance of a boring but honest PM to one of the most entitled and deceitful. His public appearances are going to be hellish, and that’s before the “painful choices” he says need to be made have been made.

This episode was all avoidable, but it incapsulates why true communism can never be achieved.

 

[Mustafa II]

For those that previously opposed the dropping of the WFP - it is reported that in eight weeks, applications have increased by 152%.

This means that the policy has had an effect of people on pension credit who were previously not claiming it to now claim it - while taking it away from the pensioners who don't need it.

 

[sydney]

Rosie Duffield is a strange one. To resign so soon after a general election where your party has absolutely nailed it suggests that she's probably not the sort you really want in your party anyway.

she clearly has numerous issues with Starmer as do many of the population , to plummet in popularity so soon after nailing the election against an absolute puppet of a tory p.m is a huge problem for Starmer , he is not well liked is he.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Rosie Duffield is a strange one. To resign so soon after a general election where your party has absolutely nailed it suggests that she's probably not the sort you really want in your party anyway.

Or maybe she just despairs at the way things have gone/going …as said elsewhere the relationship between her and Starmer has been a frosty one so not really a surprise…I’m guessing you’d never heard of her before the resignation?

 

[Bozza]

For those that previously opposed the dropping of the WFP - it is reported that in eight weeks, applications have increased by 152%.

This means that the policy has had an effect of people on pension credit who were previously not claiming it to now claim it - while taking it away from the pensioners who don't need it.

You still really don't know what you're talking about here.

I'm not going to waste my time going over the same stuff, again and again, for those unwilling to actually understand the issues at play.

Those who qualify for Pension Credit but don't claim it were estimated to be 880,000. Uptake has increased, but most of those 880,000 people still won't claim it. The government's own estimates suggest that could be brought down to around 770,000.

So regardless of the uptick in claimants, many hundreds of thousands of people who need it still will not receive it.

Aside from those who qualify for pension credit, a large number of vulnerable pensioners do NOT qualify for Pension Credit, sometimes by a couple of quid, who very much need the WFP to help get them through the winter. There is no help for these poor people.

 

[Weststander]

Rosie Duffield is a strange one. To resign so soon after a general election where your party has absolutely nailed it suggests that she's probably not the sort you really want in your party anyway.

So not a Broad Church.

 

[LamieRobertson]

You still really don't know what you're talking about here.

I'm not going to waste my time going over the same stuff, again and again, for those unwilling to actually understand the issues at play.

Those who qualify for Pension Credit but don't claim it were estimated to be 880,000. Uptake has increased, but most of those 880,000 people still won't claim it. The government's own estimates suggest that could be brought down to around 770,000.

So regardless of the uptick in claimants, many hundreds of thousands of people who need it still will not receive it.

Aside from those who qualify for pension credit, a large number of vulnerable pensioners do NOT qualify for Pension Credit, sometimes by a couple of quid, who very much need the WFP to help get them through the winter. There is no help for these poor people.

No surprise there.

 

[armchairclubber]

This would explain why Asworth was looking so smarmy at Conference.

The answer to all Labours problems?

 

[Bozza]

And, far be it from me to question this government's sincerity, but if everyone who qualifies for Pension Credits did actually claim, the maths would be something like...

880,000 claimants * £3,000 average benefits unlocked per claimant = £2.64bn

There would be some overlap with the £1.4bn WFP-cut savings, but the whole thing would be a net loss for the Exchequer.

 

[Weststander]

And, far be it from me to question this government's sincerity, but if everyone who qualifies for Pension Credits did actually claim, the maths would be something like...

880,000 claimants * £3,000 average benefits unlocked per claimant = £2.64bn

There would be some overlap with the £1.4bn WFP-cut savings, but the whole thing would be a net loss for the Exchequer.

(Only to enhance your illustration) the average claim paid out is £3,900 per annum, in addition it gives rise to other benefits on housing and council tax costs.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pension-credit-what-you-need-to-know--2

The disingenuous reply might then be “That’s right, helping the poor”. Airbrushing out the next bracket of OAP’s who critically reply on WFP to see them through winter.

 

[borat]

Labour stray further and further from representing our interests and towards big business.

Labour used water industry analysis to argue against nationalisation

‘Economically illiterate’ Defra letter sent to anti-sewage groups cites 2018 report commissioned by water companies

www.theguardian.com

 

[armchairclubber]

And, far be it from me to question this government's sincerity, but if everyone who qualifies for Pension Credits did actually claim, the maths would be something like...

880,000 claimants * £3,000 average benefits unlocked per claimant = £2.64bn

There would be some overlap with the £1.4bn WFP-cut savings, but the whole thing would be a net loss for the Exchequer.

That makes me think the Exchequer might want as few claimants as is possible or necessary.

 

[chip]

(Only to enhance your illustration) the average claim paid out is £3,900 per annum, in addition it gives rise to other benefits on housing and council tax costs.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pension-credit-what-you-need-to-know--2

The disingenuous reply might then be “That’s right, helping the poor”. Airbrushing out the next bracket of OAP’s who critically reply on WFP to see them through winter.

This was on More or Less, the R4 statistics programme on Friday: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00237n0

 

[Bozza]

For those that previously opposed the dropping of the WFP - it is reported that in eight weeks, applications have increased by 152%.

This means that the policy has had an effect of people on pension credit who were previously not claiming it to now claim it - while taking it away from the pensioners who don't need it.

Let's dig into that 152%, shall we? I found this article...

Pension credit claims soar as chancellor refuses to reverse winter fuel payment cut

The government made the highly controversial cut to the winter fuel payment to fill a £22bn fiscal hole.

news.sky.com

"Applications for pension credit hit nearly 75,000 in the eight weeks since the new chancellor announced the winter fuel payment for pensioners would be means-tested for the first time.​

​

Figures released on Friday by the Department for Work and Pensions figures showed there were around 74,400 pension credit claims in the eight weeks since 29 July.​

​

This is up from 29,500 claims in the eight weeks before the announcement."​

​

29,500 -> 74,400 is, indeed, an increase of 152%.

More maths: 880,000 - 74,400 = 805,600.

It looks like after the initial surge, claims are now tailing off, which I guess you'd kinda expect...

"But in the seven days beginning on 16 September, the government received 11,800 claims - down from 13,400 the week before."​

​

The Government's estimate of 770,000 remaining looks like it could be pretty accurate.

 

[Weststander]

This was on More or Less, the R4 statistics programme on Friday: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00237n0

Love that prog. They also did one on the “£20b black hole”. Finding the truth lay somewhere in the middle of both arguments.

 

[Bozza]

That makes me think the Exchequer might want as few claimants as is possible or necessary.

Getting people onto Pension Credits who should be receiving them is a worthy aim, and it does ensure that money is directed at those with genuine need. That can only be a good thing.

But the cost of supporting those in need far outweights the savings made by taking the WFP away from the rich oldies.

(I firmly support taking the WFP away from rich oldies BTW)

The problem remains that there is still a large number of people who need additional support this winter who are not getting it as things stand.

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

All of this gifts row falls right into the hands of those who don't vote, because they are 'all the same'. It does, however, also prove how bloody out of touch these idiots are in Westminster. I'm quite disappointed at Labours start in government, it has to be said, but f*** me, surely we need to be focussing on the REAL issues which matter, NHS, climate change, education, infrastructure, economy, brexshit, etc etc.

 

[armchairclubber]

Labour stray further and further from representing our interests and towards big business.

Labour used water industry analysis to argue against nationalisation

‘Economically illiterate’ Defra letter sent to anti-sewage groups cites 2018 report commissioned by water companies

www.theguardian.com

 

[abc]

In her letter, RD does not reference this though, and goes straight for FGK’s hypocritical and techocratic jugular, and to that extent I think she has spoken for a significant proportion of the public sick to the back teeth of a self serving political class.

On the face of it we have well over 4 years more of TTK, and he has already lost the appearance of a boring but honest PM to one of the most entitled and deceitful. His public appearances are going to be hellish, and that’s before the “painful choices” he says need to be made have been made.

This episode was all avoidable, but it incapsulates why true communism can never be achieved.

This

 

[Weststander]

All of this gifts row falls right into the hands of those who don't vote, because they are 'all the same'. It does, however, also prove how bloody out of touch these idiots are in Westminster. I'm quite disappointed at Labours start in government, it has to be said, but f*** me, surely we need to be focussing on the REAL issues which matter, NHS, climate change, education, infrastructure, economy, brexshit, etc etc.

“A government of service” we were told, on repeat. They forgot the “self” bit.