[Politics] The Labour Government

[WATFORD zero]

How is the £100 billion worked out please?

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ting-the-uk-100-billion-a-year-in-lost-output

https://www.london.gov.uk/new-report-reveals-uk-economy-almost-ps140billion-smaller-because-brexit#:~:text=The Mayor of London, Sadiq,according to new independent analysis.

https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/the-economy-forecast/brexit-analysis/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-uk-economy-cost-damage-b2491585.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/14/bre...ff-uk-economic-growth-goldman-sachs-says.html

 

[Sorrel]

Not looking forward to the budget. Tax goes up (my) spending goes down.

 

[JJ McClure]

Will be very interested to see what taxes they increase and how business and the markets react to it.

All the ones they promised not to in order to get elected I'm guessing.

 

[amexer]

What a great time for labour to take over... Hopefully in future.. No covid No Brexit No 10% Inflation No wars and economy starting to improve a few months before election.

 

[de la zouch]

Starmer has gone early & big on blame the predecessor. The realities of actual government are biting on a daily basis, we will hopefully see some high quality clear leadership and a balanced approach to tax rises and spending cuts.

 

[dsr-burnley]

All the ones they promised not to in order to get elected I'm guessing.

Not all of them. They have specifically said that the promise not to increase employees' NIC will be kept (though by extension we can assume that the promise to

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ting-the-uk-100-billion-a-year-in-lost-output

https://www.london.gov.uk/new-report-reveals-uk-economy-almost-ps140billion-smaller-because-brexit#:~:text=The Mayor of London, Sadiq,according to new independent analysis.

https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/the-economy-forecast/brexit-analysis/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-uk-economy-cost-damage-b2491585.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/14/bre...ff-uk-economic-growth-goldman-sachs-says.html

Thanks. The problem I have getting my head round this is that the UK GDP is not performing noticeably worse than most of the world (USA excepted), and presumably it should have been streaking ahead without Brexit. What should have happened in the past decade that would have vastly improved our performance?

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn02784/

 

[BLOCK F]

Drastic cuts in Heating Allowances to many pensioners who will struggle, (no, not the likes of me and several others on here) and pay rises to the junior doctors and the train drivers without any conditions re working practices or undertakings. What happened? The doctors are expected to bank the increase and that smug git Dr. Rob Laurenson suggests they may strike again in April. A couple of days later, the train drivers strike about something else.
Surely not a good look, whatever your politics are, and the Tories would have been hammered on here if they had done the same.
Good luck to Wes Streeting in sorting out the NHS and associated ‘vested interests’. I’m not holding my breath.

 

[dsr-burnley]

This Government have laid down their markers where wages are concerned and I have to say I’ve been shocked.

Nothing that the previous Government did has ever stressed me out as much as I am now, as a business owner in anticipation of the upcoming budget and in particular Angela Raynor’s workers rights bill.

I read an article this week where a Labour supporting CEO of big business said if the Labour Government increase the Minimum wage to £15 then it will be devastating. I couldn’t believe that was on the table…. then I thought about what’s happened in the last few weeks and realised it could be. It really could be.

Add in the proposed increase in minimum wage for under 21’s to match over 21’s and that will be game over for me I’m afraid. I have toiled relentlessly for 12 years- even took a £280k divorce settlement on the chin but I don’t think I will survive the first Labour budget. The lads I’ve got on 20% over minimum wage now will be expecting £18ph if that comes to pass. We just can’t possibly do that.

Who would have thought that after the sheer incompetence of the last Government that it would be the guy I voted in who would potentially destroy me in under 6 months.

I’ve never been so worried.

Maybe it won’t happen but let’s be honest it sounds pretty likely doesn’t it.


Anyway, I’ve enjoyed the political banter on here HWT WZ and I will still follow the Albion on here as always

I can obviously see the attraction to 18 year olds that they will get a full minimum wage and full employment protection right from day 1 of their new job. It means that no longer will an employer be able to take on an 18 year old knowing that he can pay him less and have a trial period.

The downside is that the 18 year old with no experience is now competing on equal terms with the 25 year old with an employment record and experience, for the same job. Employment rights are of little value if you can't get a job in the first place.

(The immediate employment rights will be a bit of a beggar for reformed characters as well. No longer can they go to an employer and say "I've just got out of jail and I want a chance to go straight, please give me a trial" - which some employers are willing to do - they now need to find an employer willing to give them full employment rights from day 1. Much harder to get a job.

 

[A1X]

Whatever else the Labour government may have done 1974-1979, it wasn't fixing an economic mess. The IMF bail-out and the winter of discontent weren't down to the Tories.

Actually the IMF bailout was down to the Tories and the mess they left behind. You may remember the "no money left" note from 2010, that was actually a joke previously made by an outgoing Tory minister in 1974.

And that's today's free history lesson for you.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Drastic cuts in Heating Allowances to many pensioners who will struggle, (no, not the likes of me and several others on here).

I thought these credits were means tested?

Does the means testing methodology mean the credits are not getting to the people who need them and will struggle as a result?

 

[dsr-burnley]

I thought these credits were means tested?

Does the means testing methodology mean the credits are not getting to the people who need them and will struggle as a result?

They are means tested, but £220 a week income is considered enough for the pensioner not to need a pension credit so they also lose the fuel benefit. For some pensioners near the limit, the loss of the £500 or £600 they received last year will be significant.

 

[nicko31]

Only 20% of pensioners voted Labour; 61% voted Tory or Reform UK - Pensioners have always been overwhelmingly Tory (and two-third of them voted to Leave the EU).

You only have to look at how many of them buy the Daily Mail!

Meanwhile, how often do we hear politicians talking about 'tough choices' and then imposing cuts on the poorest and most vulnerable? Austerity and belt-tightening 'in the national interest' is never imposed on those at the top!

Pensioners need to start paying the price for their own decisions, they've lived a charmed life for a while compared to others.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Pensioners need to start paying the price for their own decisions, they've lived a charmed life for a while compared to others.

Wow - that's an incredibly sweeping and if I may so so, ignorant statement.

If you had said 'some' pensioners......

 

[amexer]

Was always a great believer in taking colledge leavers on but soon found out only a small % were up to or suited to job. Reverted to taking youngsters on a work experience basis for very little money for about one month. Much better response from them . If they decided liked the job did everything in that month to impress and get taken on. Still several there 10 years later. No way would I or could I afford totake an 18 year old on at £18p.h. that knows nothing.

 

[nicko31]

Wow - that's an incredibly sweeping and if I may so so, ignorant statement.

If you had said 'some' pensioners......

Fair enough, or maybe "most". Lets face it most have voted to keep the Tories in power

 

[Bodian]

Not looking forward to the budget. Tax goes up (my) spending goes down.

Personally happy to pay a bit more tax for the general good of society.

 

[Sorrel]

Personally happy to pay a bit more tax for the general good of society.

For a better society, yes. For a society that isn't better, no. I guess we can use elections to tell us what people think (unless the government try and change the franchise).

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

I thought these credits were means tested?

Does the means testing methodology mean the credits are not getting to the people who need them and will struggle as a result?

Lots of pensioners don't apply for pension credits because they think they'll get turned down. The millions of pensioners who qualify will actually receive an increased WFP when it is announced in the budget.

 

[carlzeiss]

I thought these credits were means tested?

Does the means testing methodology mean the credits are not getting to the people who need them and will struggle as a result?

Has it not occurred to you that some of the people that are in need the most will struggle with the process to obtain the credits

 

[Hugo Rune]

Has it not occurred to you that some of the people that are in need the most will struggle with the process to obtain the credits

Has it not occurred to you that if these people were able to claim pension credits, they’d be able to claim support with their fuel bills?

So the folk struggling with claiming pension credits will be the same struggling with fuel bill payments.

They’ll need another solution, such as social services. A service your people (Tories) screwed into the ground.

Common sense, not so common it would seem. Certainly in your case.