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Johnson for example who would do anything to be popular or are you suggesting there’s some sort of cross party conspiracy that only the left aren’t part of
It isn't a conspiracy, it is just a reality. The parties are reliant on the same sector of society (oligarchs) for their funding, so filter their policies to suit their funders. We the voters only get to decide on the choice the oligarchs want us to have.
The amazing thing is that some unions still also fund labour when they clearly have no sway in policy direction.
The amazing thing is that some unions still also fund labour when they clearly have no sway in policy direction.
That's not true though, is it. For good or ill the affiliated unions do influence policy. Eg on PR.
If it was all that simple, ramp up spending borrow / print more money, keeps taxes low someone would have done it by now, Johnson for example who would do anything to be popular or are you suggesting there’s some sort of cross party conspiracy that only the left aren’t part of?
It never fails to stagger me that people were willing to challenge the lies of Brexit and all the economic upheaval that went with it - but when it comes to Tax and Spend - then our government must be telling the truth, despite the evidence to the contrary and right in your face during the pandemic.
The spending is the easy bit - figuring out what to spend on and gather the resources is definitely tricky.
If it was all that simple, ramp up spending borrow / print more money, keeps taxes low someone would have
Just a technical thing but after massive spending and currency issuance it's noted some taxes would need rise to take money out of the economy. Just a point of order. Spend then Tax.
If it was all that simple, ramp up spending borrow / print more money, keeps taxes low someone would have done it by now
They did do it, to bail out the banks in 2008 and prop up the economy in the 10 years after that, and then to pay people's wages in 2020 when the pandemic hit. Did you miss all that? If not then where do you think the money came from?
The tories are more than comfortable shaking the magic money tree, they just don't like admitting it. All these promises to cut tax by tory leadership candidates with no explanation of where the money is coming from is because they know they can fill the budget gap with borrowing and QE. The problem is not where the money is coming from but where it's going. Starmer however hasn't got past his a-level introductory economics though, so still thinks we have to balance the books.
https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1546523365896327168?s=20&t=bnFF5TSWanAODtyGTkm4Og
Yay.
https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1546524948646207491?s=20&t=bnFF5TSWanAODtyGTkm4Og
Oh.
Could be an interesting few days.
When's Starmer calling his VONC?
Too busy going on about the money tree in interviews it appears. He nicked that from May.
Tories will walk the tax cuts if they want to. Less of all this nonsense about affordablity.
Im not sure the polls matter this much at the moment
New Tory leader will get a bounce, because compared to Johnson anythings good, how sustainable it will be will depend on who that is & what sort of cabinet they put together.
I suspect that even without Johnson there will be plenty of Tory scandal still to come but cost of living necessitates that both Labour & Tories come up with some decent plans or they are in trouble
consultation on removal of UK from ECHR
https://twitter.com/HumanRightsCtte/status/1546859066911236096
government will ignore & plow on anyway as they did with C4 provatisation
but still...
One of the problems with Labour and this fiscal responsibility charade is it gives credibility to the Tories austerity policies (past and future).
Thanks for sharing - completed and re-tweeted.
Completed. Thanks.
https://twitter.com/AaronBastani/status/1546962835569360896?t=4nZWmlondJaW-hqFtmaaSw&s=19
Next time thread boss lord Binners calls us a circle jerk of commies - spin this his way.
But then it only ever matters if the Tories are bad.
One of the problems with Labour and this fiscal responsibility charade is it gives credibility to the Tories austerity policies (past and future).
Without question.
Like when that idiot left the note saying there was no money left before Cameron took over.
Idiots.
Quick note GDP grew slightly unexpectedly for May because of use of health related services.
Powerhouse economy based on state funded health service (post-covid), and GP visits.
Ace.
So technically no recession yet but let's keep an eye out for the revision
Services output grew by 0.4% in May 2022 as human health and social work activities grew by 2.1%, mainly because of a large rise in GP appointments, which offset the continued scaling down of the NHS Test and Trace and COVID-19 Vaccination Programmes.
So the Tories power house economy via tax cuts was driven by err state medical.
Always the same.
Yeah, heard that on Radio4 this morning... made me jump... NHS stretched more than ever, it's like we're been having winter demand in spring... after a very bad winter... and that means we're growing. A good example of how GDP isn't a corollary for quality of life.
Oh, I have NO idea what that Lords vote is about by the way. Looks bonkers. I'll be honest, I thought that kids in households receiving universal credit already received free school lunches. Is the criteria much more restrictive than that at the moment? Should just scrap the criteria, whatever they are, simplify it all, and just feed all the kids at school.
All kids in primary schools in Wales will get free meals from September.
Also the new payments to farmers in Wales sound really positive. I believe money going to farmers rather than landowners, and also a big emphasis on bio diversity.
Should just scrap the criteria, whatever they are, simplify it all, and just feed all the kids at school.
Aye. No reason not to.
(Made possible by Brexit?)
Farmers were already being incentivised for biodiversity, letting areas go fallow and planting, under cap I believe. I suspect this is at best a recreation of the EU program. Due in 2025. When did we leave?
I was speaking to an organic farmer and he seemed to think it was much better. Primarily because the money was going to the farmer rather than the landowner. But also because the eco side was more thought out.
The Welsh Labour govt is doing some good things.
Looks good. Always worth remembering how much say national governments had over the farm payments even in the old version of CAP, though. Who got paid in the UK always stunk.
The school meals thing is really good. For England next please…
The financial crash was a much bigger issue, you had the immediate issue of the banks falling over, with job losses and people’s savings and other assets at risk, you then had businesses
I don’t think it was a much bigger issue. The pandemic showed that the number one issue in a modern society is getting food/supplies out to people. If that breaks down – forget your banking sector.
So it’s all fine and dandy that banks collapse, because ’rich bankers’ and thousands, tens of thousands of ordinary working people lose all access to all of their money, with mortgages, standing orders and bills to pay?
I mean, you’re ok with that, because of some sort of political principles?
This is happening in China, right now - banks are suddenly closing, leaving ordinary working people with nothing, and when they protest, they’re being arrested!
So it’s all fine and dandy that banks collapse, because ’rich bankers’ and thousands, tens of thousands of ordinary working people lose all access to all of their money, with mortgages, standing orders and bills to pay?
I mean, you’re ok with that, because of some sort of political principles
Who said it was fine and dandy?
How many died during the crash as a direct result? Was there lack of basic supplies during that period? Did that period nearly bring the NHS to its knees? Did that period force millions to work from home and adjust their livelihoods?
Do you understand the difference between real resources and money?
We haven't finished with the down-turn either. Not by a long way. Where's the support now?
No one should ever come knocking on my door comparing the self inflicted damage of a wonky, corrupt capitalist system to the thing we've just gone through.
Go and get yourself a big sense of perspective.
The first thing the pandemic taught is things are going down hill very quickly without food supplies. And actually thank god for the people that kept online deliveries going. They did a fantastic job.
This is happening in China, right now – banks are suddenly closing, leaving ordinary working people with nothing, and when they protest, they’re being arrested!
Well I'm not the biggest proponent of the current form of capitalism/globalisation so no point chucking that one at me.
The fact that we always reorientate back to out flawed methods of trade and exploitation kind of tells me that.
Lehman brothers and the whole sorry CDO affair was a product of greed and deregulation. That wouldn't be part of my ideal society in the first place.
https://twitter.com/LBC/status/1547639798348730368?t=43XKQsG24-eJVWkObrVZNw&s=19
Very very badly handled from Starmer not realising that the broken economy is linked to market outcomes.
*Practical not ideological."
And yet market ideology got us here. What's the practical solution then? Market?
Also moving further as way from even common ownership. Lol all the perps that thought common ownership was a thing.
Empty, baseless and spineless.
You're either pushing back against right-wing idealogy or you're supporting them.
How many died during the crash as a direct result? Was there lack of basic supplies during that period? Did that period nearly bring the NHS to its knees? Did that period force millions to work from home and adjust their livelihoods?
That’s because of the huge worldwide bailout, it was a crash that was minimised through securitising the risk, without that more houses would have been repossessed, more companies would have gone bust and a spiral into a 1920s depression would have happened.
The pandemic was just that, again supported by governments bailing out industry and the population, millions died, but overall hopefully more were saved.
Not sure if this flow into cost of living, or what is worse argument from this to the crash though.
The financial crash was self inflicted by greed.
Empty, baseless and spineless.
Yep, more so by the week. His recent distancing from Unions on rail strike is disgraceful for a Labour leader. He may need to look at the history of the Labour Party to check what it stands for and where it came from and then go and join the Lib Dems.
Why is this utter tit head in Germany talking about the UK economy?
Can he simply speak with people of the UK and connect there?
https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1548605577689026562?t=kl8brUHwld08TXGLAw7bGw&s=19
Isn’t a ‘Fresh Start’ enough of a plan!?
Sheesh - people are so demanding in this day and age! 🤣🤣
There's always a fresh start i'nt there?
If Starmer was a dining course he's definitely an Amuse-bouche.
Why is this utter tit head in Germany talking about the UK economy?
Can he simply speak with people of the UK and connect there?
I dunno, maybe he will appeal more to the Germans and get the praise he thinks he deserves with his wishy washy statements.
I still think they will see straight through him though.
Can he simply speak with people of the UK and connect there?
Well he could but I don't think he would be comfortable doing so.
I am at Tolpuddle at the moment and it is hard to imagine a more appropriate place for the leader of the Labour Party to be this weekend.
But I can't imagine Starmer being comfortable with commemorating farm Labourers who sacrificed their own personal freedoms in a courageous stand for working-class liberty.
Unsurprisingly deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner will be speaking later, but in contrast she appears to be fairly comfortable and relaxed in the company of working-class people.
I believe that Jeremy Corbyn, the man who Starmer has decided isn't fit to be a Labour MP, will also be speaking later - no doubt about issues that concern ordinary working people, such as the cost of living crises in the UK, whatever is currently happening in Germany.
I dunno, maybe he will appeal more to the Germans and get the praise he thinks he deserves with his wishy washy statements.
I still think they will see straight through him though.
Well there's always a photo op.
I believe that Jeremy Corbyn, the man who Starmer has decided isn’t fit to be a Labour MP, will also be speaking later – no doubt about issues that concern ordinary working people, such as the cost of living crises in the UK, whatever is currently happening in Germany.
Yeah I mean it's all good here currently so why not bugger of to Germany to explain the macro-economic situation back home?
I thoroughly approve of Starmer being in Berlin. If ever he does get into power then improving the UK's relationship with the EU is one of the ways he can improve the lot of his electors.
I hope he takes time to do some tourism in Berlin, there's a lot to be learned from its past and present. Unfortunately he's a week late for Rave the Planet, that would have done him a world of good.
I thoroughly approve of Starmer being in Berlin. If ever he does get into power then improving the UK’s relationship with the EU is one of the ways he can improve the lot of his electors
He's spent the last few weeks making noises in the opposite direction, so yeah dine out on that one.
And why not primarly spend some time in the UK offering ideas and solutions to the UK's huge problems? I'm not seeing any of that.
Germany is in no way any sort of priority for the Labour party or the electorate currently despite him dressing it about the SPD.
And in the film Starmer Island talks about Labour having a contract with the British people. FFS.
We simply don't believe any contract will hold.
If ever he does get into power...
Indeed, and at the moment the "if" can't be overemphasized imo.
A requirement for Starmer to become UK PM might also involve him explaining his vision and his economic policies to British voters, as well as explaining it to "senior politicians" in Germany which he appears to be so proud to be associating with.
I agree, Ernie, Starmer is almost absent from the UK media I drop into. It takes a trip to Germany for him to exist and there's still no mention of his policies or ideals, even those he might share with the German left/greens. I'm no sure that's his failt though when those media are sold out to the Tories or Starmer sceptic even whe leftward leaning.
In fact if no-one were taking a blind bit of notice of me (they don't), I'd spend some time in Berlin too (I have).
Well if the UK media aren't taking a blind bit of notice of Starmer then it is because they don't see him as a threat to anything - neither the status quo nor the Tories. I can assure you that he wouldn't be ignored if they thought he presented some sort of threat.
I'm not sure that the "leftward leaning" are part of a conspiracy to ignore Starmer though - aren't the lefties getting stick from centrists for going on about Starmer and drawing attention to what he is doing, and more often what he's not doing?
Neither am I convinced that ignored in the UK Starmer will find satisfaction from in a trip to Berlin. How enthused do you imagine Germans might be to Starmer's vague comments about the UK economy and the need for the UK to grab the opportunities offered by brexit?
The Germans I hung out with were as aware as their government of the Brexit unfair advantage objective and equally as confident in their government and the EU to look after their interests.
Thing is that a Britain unchained will progressively be cut off. Sunak's proposed tearing up of EU derived legislation will be counter productive.
IMO Starmer is making a mistake pandering to the ever decreasing number of Brexiteers, especially as on the left they are a literally dying group of voters.
Shot some of that party political broadcast in the holocaust memorial which is a bit yuck.
"Bit yuk". The memorial or shooting the broadcast there? In Prague there are bronze cobble stones as memorials in front of buildings. From a population of 50 000 jews to 800. I prefer subtle reminders over big memorials. From a Wir sind Helden song, "Die haben Uns ein Denkmal gebaut, und jeder voll Idiot weiss das Das die Lieber versaut"
Edit: thinking about it a party leader speaking from a war crimes memorial when he's just sacked an MP for voting against giving impunity to British soldiers for war crimes is a "bit yuk".
https://twitter.com/AaronBastani/status/1550591401930416130?t=07ICFRYH6W7D-_TpdMhhFA&s=19
Brainless Tory nugget from Reeves.
The exact opposite of Labour values, and more in line with classic Tory thinking.
Failed Tory thinking.