[Politics] The Labour Government

[abc]

I want to believe in Labour and as cheesy as it sounds, I don’t mind being a little less well off financially if it means our public services at least have a chance of recovering.

Likewise on both counts. But the combination of economic, political and social illiteracy plus the dishonesty in their messaging has already killed the belief I had.

 

[The Clamp]

Likewise on both counts. But the combination of economic, political and social illiteracy plus the dishonesty in their messaging has already killed the belief I had.

I understand. I’m not quite there yet. I’m keen to see what they deliver in the upcoming budget and beyond.

Labour are on a handicap as people lost so much trust in government through the Tory shambles.

A bit like someone dating again after being in an abusive relationship, you’re going to be hyper vigilant and perhaps unfairly quick to jump on perceived red flags.

I’ll give them a chance because I WANT to believe politics wasn’t killed by the Tory’s.

 

[Giraffe]

It stuns me that after seeing what Truss and Kwarteng did in just a few hours of complete financial incompetence, @Giraffe and @dsr-burnley are now pushing for more of the same.

Or maybe it doesn't

I’m spare show me were I was advocating their polices. I was asked what reform’s policies were so I posted them.

My view is that provided the Tories are competent they will always win because this country is not a socialist country. The question is will the Tories become competent in 4 years time.

Or will Starmer realise that he needs to move to the middle ground Blair successfully occupied?

If he carries on like this his only hope of winning again is that the Tories continue to be incompetent.

 

[chip]

Apologies, just re-read

It is interesting to see the tax people pay, assuming a 10% salary sacrifice pension, then on an annual salary of £160000, you take home £7342, pay £4250 tax and £407 NI per month. On £40000, the monthly figures are take home £2452, tax £390 and NI £156. How much more tax should people on £160K pay? Sorry, I'm not trying to start an argument with you, I'm genuinely interested in what people think.

I'm not sure I would call the person on £160000 pa rich, well off perhaps. There's a lottery prize, set for life that pays £10000 per month tax free for 30 years, that's being rich, especially if you already earn £160K.

I'm interested what other people think, but no one seems to want to put numbers to what is rich or wealthy nowadays. Without numbers, I find most of the discussion fairly pointless. My reference point would be that a median income earner should not be in receipt of benefits.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I’m spare show me were I was advocating their polices. I was asked what reform’s policies were so I posted them.

You voted for them, I would suggest that is 'advocating' their policies

 

[WATFORD zero]

It is interesting to see the tax people pay, assuming a 10% salary sacrifice pension, then on an annual salary of £160000, you take home £7342, pay £4250 tax and £407 NI per month. On £40000, the monthly figures are take home £2452, tax £390 and NI £156. How much more tax should people on £160K pay? Sorry, I'm not trying to start an argument with you, I'm genuinely interested in what people think.

I'm not sure I would call the person on £160000 pa rich, well off perhaps. There's a lottery prize, set for life that pays £10000 per month tax free for 30 years, that's being rich, especially if you already earn £160K.

I'm interested what other people think, but no one seems to want to put numbers to what is rich or wealthy nowadays. Without numbers, I find most of the discussion fairly pointless. My reference point would be that a median income earner should not be in receipt of benefits.

It's a good question although never as simple as salary alone and the more you go into detail, the more complex it becomes, which is why the last few pages exist

But I'm afraid it's dinner time, so I'll leave with when the country is in such desperate state, 'those who can contribute more, should'. Now I sound like a politician

 

[A1X]

And it’s not as if I am opposed to what they are doing but I do feel they have some issues with clarity of communication.

While I agree, it should always be remembered that being Labour in power is doing politics in difficult mode. If the Tories were doing the exact same thing, would the press be getting their knickers in a twist about what is and isn’t a “working person”? Of course not, they’d be laundering every Tory press release and MP utterance to be exactly what they wanted it to be, rather than deliberately looking for problems.

 

[A mex eyecan]

I understand. I’m not quite there yet. I’m keen to see what they deliver in the upcoming budget and beyond.

Labour are on a handicap as people lost so much trust in government through the Tory shambles.

A bit like someone dating again after being in an abusive relationship, you’re going to be hyper vigilant and perhaps unfairly quick to jump on perceived red flags.

I’ll give them a chance because I WANT to believe politics wasn’t killed by the Tory’s.

I’m fairness, looking around the world, faith in politics seems to have been destroyed pretty well everywhere. Lies, deceit, half truths, smoke and mirrors.

 

[The Clamp]

I’m fairness, looking around the world, faith in politics seems to have been destroyed pretty well everywhere. Lies, deceit, half truths, smoke and mirrors.

Can’t argue with that. Trust in the “powers that be” is very scant.

 

[abc]

I understand. I’m not quite there yet. I’m keen to see what they deliver in the upcoming budget and beyond.

Labour are on a handicap as people lost so much trust in government through the Tory shambles.

A bit like someone dating again after being in an abusive relationship, you’re going to be hyper vigilant and perhaps unfairly quick to jump on perceived red flags.

I’ll give them a chance because I WANT to believe politics wasn’t killed by the Tory’s.

That’s a train of thought that hadn’t occurred to me and I’ve re read your post several times and each time it chimes more.

Let’s see what happens and if at the end of 5 years Labour has mended (or made progress mending) our society and reinstalled some faith in our democracy, then I will be the first to applaud them.

 

[A mex eyecan]

Can’t argue with that. Trust in the “powers that be” is very scant.

I’ve never really been into conspiracy theories but as I get older , (I won’t say and wiser ) I’m beginning to wonder if there is something in the great global reset theory and also one of the economic bodies who allegedly said ‘you will have nothing, you will own nothing’.

 

[Giraffe]

You voted for them, I would suggest that is 'advocating' their policies

Best of a very poor bunch.

 

[A mex eyecan]

Best of a very poor bunch.

yup. If we were scraping the bottom of a barrel we would have been through to the floorboards

 

[amexer]

I’m spare show me were I was advocating their polices. I was asked what reform’s policies were so I posted them.

My view is that provided the Tories are competent they will always win because this country is not a socialist country. The question is will the Tories become competent in 4 years time.

Or will Starmer realise that he needs to move to the middle ground Blair successfully occupied?

If he carries on like this his only hope of winning again is that the Tories continue to be incompetent.

Blair time was best Conservative government for sometime

 

[LamieRobertson]

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said "working people" would not see higher taxes on their payslips following Wednesday's Budget.

Speaking on Sunday, Phillipson said she could not give specific information on what would be in the Budget but said: "When people look at payslips they will not see higher taxes.

"That is a very clear commitment."

I’m going to have to start writing out payslips to myself ..or I might not be considered a working person

 

[Giraffe]

Blair time was best Conservative government for sometime

Agreed.

 

[Giraffe]

No new freeports to come in Budget after 'comms cock-up'

The government mistakenly briefed that five new low-tax sites would be announced this week.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[jcdenton08]

Very “The Thick of It”!

 

[Weststander]

It is interesting to see the tax people pay, assuming a 10% salary sacrifice pension, then on an annual salary of £160000, you take home £7342, pay £4250 tax and £407 NI per month. On £40000, the monthly figures are take home £2452, tax £390 and NI £156. How much more tax should people on £160K pay? Sorry, I'm not trying to start an argument with you, I'm genuinely interested in what people think.

I'm not sure I would call the person on £160000 pa rich, well off perhaps. There's a lottery prize, set for life that pays £10000 per month tax free for 30 years, that's being rich, especially if you already earn £160K.

I'm interested what other people think, but no one seems to want to put numbers to what is rich or wealthy nowadays. Without numbers, I find most of the discussion fairly pointless. My reference point would be that a median income earner should not be in receipt of benefits.

Or, more simply.

If a surgeon, solicitor, project manager or private sector dentist got a pay/income hike of £10k on top of their former £150k salary, how much tax/NI should they pay on the £10k?

I’ve always thought a proportion not to disincentivise furthering yourself or encourage tax planning etc.

It’s currently 47% on that slice, but 40% feels like ticks the boxes.

 

[Half Time Pies]

I think they’ll return to the Tories and possibly Reform. Depends if those two come to some kind of alliance. The truth is this country is not a socialist state and the people won’t tolerate a socialist government. Starmer needs to move to the middle or he’ll lose next time.

Not sure you can claim that 'the people' wont tolerate a socialist government, when a majority of people in this country have traditionally voted for left of centre parties.