MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Good news about trains, Kelvin. Both Germany and France are treading water economically at present, Ernie, the comparison is flattering but the US UK and EU are all up against the same headwind: Asia, especially China.
The German car thing is mostly self inflicted. The regierung decided to cut subsidies on EVs just as the post Covid boom was ending.
City A.Ms articles make my teeth bleed.
Yet you link Twitter, Rone, without any quote or comment on why you are posting about it. I ain't clicking links to that s(h)ite and I don't think many on here are. You're wasting your time and STW server space.
Yet you link Twitter, Rone, without any quote or comment on why you are posting about it. I ain’t clicking links to that s(h)ite and I don’t think many on here are. You’re wasting your time and STW server space.
Speak for yourself edukator, I’m one of the STW members who read rones posts.
Link to Jamie Dillon JP Morgan story that rone posted
Pretending it was going to stop after brexit was always a remainer fantasy.
And pretending that remainers thought that was a Brexy fantasy.
It was never going to stop. People were always going to be happy to take our money for their goods.
It was just going to get slower and more expensive to trade. And it has, it is still and it will be more so - unless we do something about it.
I’d like my freedoms back please. Rejoining is optional at the moment (though difficult I’d agree).
Chancellor of the Exchequer meets the high and mighty in the finance industry shocker.
And even less shocking is that Rachel Reeves will listen to them whinging about how they shouldn't contribute to repairing the alledged "black hole".
From the link:
A spokesperson for UK Finance, which represents UK banks, told Reuters it was “aware” of the concern among banks about a potential levy.
Labour has a tradition of treating bankers with care and compassion...... the last time they were very naughty boys a Labour government came rushing with shedloads of hard-earned taxpayers money to bail them out.
Nationalise the losses, of course, but ffs don't nationalise the profits.
Chancellor of the Exchequer meets the high and mighty in the finance industry shocker.
Lmfao.
Corrupt financier you mean. Thinks Trump was right on many of his plans.
I mean, what a priority for a Labour chancellor - rather than fixing the country goes courting dubious high finance.
Just wait 'till they don't get the growth Argee. You will be there with gold plated excuses.
It's worth remembering the UK government has access to more resources and money than a US banker ever will.
I read Rone’s posts and appreciate his input, it’s linking some random on Twitter and then moaning about Ernie linking City AM that’s irritate me. Filthy Twitter pot versus white electric kettle.
What you mean?
This website didn't pass the link.
Not my fault.
Yet you link Twitter, Rone, without any quote or comment on why you are posting about it. I ain’t clicking links to that s(h)ite and I don’t think many on here are. You’re wasting your time and STW server space
I link twitter with article embeds 90% of the time.
No one's forcing you to read or click anything.
You get to tell people who's wasting time and server space do you?
City A.Ms stuff is just always business is good business is booming etc. So what? Other opinions are available .
I'm not annoyed Ernie posted it at all.
Only reason I post twitter is you can normally pass the article so people can see it.
Prem Nath Sikka who embedded the Dimon article on twitter is a Professor of accountancy at Sheffield Uni and a Labour peer.
Rone is right about the City AM fluff piece. The stats they are quoting could easily be as a result of correcting overstock in a slow market through price slashing and reducing reordering (something many sectors in the UK have been going through, not least clothing).
(Oh, and of course… cycling!)
Brexit was done in a fashion to make going back almost impossible, for the current government to try and roll back on Brexit would cost billions and take up a good amount of their time, we would never get anywhere near to the benefits we had when we left, other EU nations now have those, and will not give them back to a country crawling back.
Why would it cost billions?
It would still be a huge boost to the country and a well worthwhile investment. Outside the EW the UK will conjtinue on a downward spiral
TJ there’s a huge difference between thinking brexit was a mistake, and wanting to rejoin the EU. Just my opinion but I think the vast majority in the UK have no enthusiasm for Europe to become the major issue in our politics again. There are far more important things to be getting on with than rehashing decades old arguments between europhiles and eurosceptics. We’ve just been through an election campaign where Europe was barely mentioned by either side, and I reckon most people are relieved about that.
You need to get out of your brexity bubble. The poll say very different - that rejoin is what the vast majority want. Rejoin now.
Until we rejoin the UK will continue in steep decline
What the government are doing looks good on paper, going to Germany to get some better agreements, then work their way round the other larger nations for the same, make best use of any mutually beneficial ways ahead and try and be as much of an EU nation, without joining.
Thats what they say they are doing but its against EU law for individual countries to do deals of any significance. Its just more gaslighting. Nothing of significance can be done without the 4 freedoms
Obviously Starmer was not and is not a brexiteer.
He has become one spouting lies - " make the most of the opportunities of brexit" the most brexcity of lies. there are none. Pretending we can do significant deals without the 4 freedoms - illegal under the EU charter. Refusing to join an offered youth mobility scheme. We still have not fully implemented the withdrawal agreement - more damage is to come. Why have we not implemented it - because its so damaging
Starmer now supports brexit, lies about it, lies about what the country wants and has successfully gaslit some of you.
There is no other word to describe a brexit supporter which is a what Starmer now is but brexiteer. Its a huge blunder and one that cost the country dear and continues to do so compounding all the time
+1 tj
+1 tj
Try this one Rone. Objective, not at all "business is booming" and accurate in its prediction with hindsight.
I'm happier with their glass half full reporting than Starmer's glass empty speeches. One sure way a leader can get people to tighten their belts is telling them he's going to tighten his belt and it's going to be tough.
Refusing to join an offered youth mobility scheme.
It was a spectacularly mis-timed offer by the EU though, just before the election. Labour had no choice but to turn it down. Since they've just done the very same thing in all but name with Germany, and have said that they'd like to roll it out to other countries.
+1 tj.
Labour had no choice but to turn it down
If there are more than one option you always have a choice. labour have disappointed me (a firm remainer in case you hadn't noticed 😉 ) throughout the Brexit process. When in opposition to Cameron who was firmly remain they gave me the impression that they were so intent on being in opposition their support for Cameron was half hearted. Then it was invoke Article 50 right away then it was respect the vote. Starmer is just a continuation of Labour's lack of enthusiasm for Europe.
There's a sort of if you're not with us you're against us attitude in the UK, in Labour and even on this forum sometimes (though manyof thsoe have ****ed off into the Internet ether). I've smiled as some STWers have assumed that because I'm a dual national living in France I take a malin plaisir when things go badly for Britian. I don't but if people want think that...
In fact I'd like to see Britain booming with a strong pound, benefitting from and contributing to Europe, a leader in green growth. I'd like my sister to be able to live her dream of retiring to an EU country, my nieces and nephews able to work in Europe again, my in-laws able enjoy longer trips, and less faff when I visit them.
Labour is pandering to people whose logic and arguments were so xenophobic little Englander and fragile that they didn't hold up on STW. Remarkably they hold up in parliament.
Why would it cost billions?
It would still be a huge boost to the country and a well worthwhile investment. Outside the EW the UK will conjtinue on a downward spiral
The infrastructure we have implemented will need to be changed, we will have to align with the EU again, resource will be needed to join the EU, etc, etc, etc.
We lost all of our benefits the minute we left the EU, if we rejoined there would be no UK rebate, we would not get to cherry pick the EU agencies based in the UK, we would not have our place with Germany and France in voting and so on.
Would i like to be back in the EU, definitely, will it benefit the UK, i have no clue now, we don't understand the actual deal we'd get if we rejoined, and if that less preferential deal would make up the 2-3% dip the UK growth has had against other comparable EU nations in the timescale. What we do know is that France would make it hard for us, Germany would try and assist where possible, and it would be a lot of in-fighting at the EU to get us back in.
We're both speculating, Kelvin and I've no wish to rewrite history. My alternative view is that Labour would have won with a Norway deal as policy, the opinion polls tell us that there's plenty of Bregret and a Norway deal wouldn't have been an election loser.
Another Tory idea which Labour are thinking of pinching:
Can't they send them to British taxpayer funded accommodation in Rwanda, before the Germans get there first?
a Norway deal wouldn’t have been an election loser
Possibly. But risky.
On prisons abroad…something’s got to give… the answer isn’t building new facilities in the next few weeks and months… reality bites.
the answer is to stop sending so many folk to jail for trivial stuff. We send far more folk to jail than other countries.
Jails are full of the mad, the bad and the sad. Only the bad should be in there
You need to get out of your brexity bubble. The poll say very different – that rejoin is what the vast majority want. Rejoin now.
And yet there's barely a politician in the land who thinks there are votes to be won out of it. Politicians may have many faults but they are great at sniffing out votes and jumping on bandwagons to secure them. If as you say there was such demand for rejoining the EU then political parties and politicians of all stripes would be all over it. But there's nothing, no campaign, no prominent MPs or politicians on the tv demanding it, almost nothing in the newspapers and barely a mention of it in the recent election campaign. All there is is a bloke with a megaphone and sound system and nothing better to do than hang around downing street and parliament, and a few disgruntled remainers on social media who refuse to get on with their lives.
A Norway deal was never an option - you need the EU to be happy with that solution, and they weren't and aren't, And nor would the UK be either - remember you'd come with no voting.
In reality applying for a Norway deal is as much a fantasy as Brexit benefits
In your little brexity bubble dazh
Out in the wider world away from it there is a huge outcry to rejoin and from politicians as well. Get out of your wee brexity right wing bubble
Starmer is trying to head off this with his lies about deals and closer ties in the hope folk fall for his gaslighting anbd think he will get us back in in disguise.
We send far more folk to jail than other countries
Agreed. And the signs are that things will change. But the immediate shortage requires something practical to happen asap… changes to sentencing and early release will only go so far towards coping with the mess left by Tories.
The EU renewed its offer of a Norway deal last year, wbo. I've linked it here a couple of times but I'm getting weary of finding it amonst all the other Brexit crap on the Net.
In your little brexity bubble dazh
TJ in case you hadn't noticed we left the EU in 2020. The 'bubble' I'm in is one of plain and simple reality, rather than the one you exist in where leaving the EU is still up for debate.
Out in the wider world away from it there is a huge outcry to rejoin and from politicians as well.
Where? Can you provide links to a rejoin campaign? Who in parliament is campaigning for it? While you're at it you can send links to all the debates and stump speeches in the recent election campaign where it was mentioned. Where is this 'huge outcry' because in all honesty no one I know talks about it at all. The only place I see it mentioned is a handful of people on here.
As I said - if you get out of your brexity little bubble you will see the reality. We haven't even finished the process of leaving yet.
You are NOT in reality. You are in a gaslit brexity bubble. Hopefully one day your eyes will open.
Hopefully one day your eyes will open.
Ah yes, the age old appeal of those who can see conspiracies and plots where no one else can. One day the truth will be uncovered, and we'll see the light! Meanwhile everyone else gets on with their humdrum lives, living in ignorant bliss. 🙂
The polling is pretty clear on who inhabits a bubble, but I doubt it is bubble - too many pricks in it.
We haven’t even finished the process of leaving yet.
Said with so conviction that I find it hard not to believe you.
Seeing where education is on that list doen't give much hope for the future. When you look at the profile of leavers and remainers it was a lack of education that got us to Brexit in the first place.
Tony Blair made "Education, education, education" his priority for government. He went on to win a landslide. Maybe voters are satisfied with the result. Are you suggesting that they shouldn't be?
The polling is pretty clear on who inhabits a bubble, but I doubt it is bubble – too many pricks in it.
All that poll shows is that Labour successfully made “Europe” a non-issue for voters at the election. And wisely so.
Public support for rejoining the EU is higher now than support for leaving the EU ever was, at any point. But it’s not happening any time soon, as most people realise, so the focus is elsewhere for now. Plenty of other shit to sort out first.
NO Dazh - its simply that your experience is too narrow to see the reality that brexit is still important, rejoin is the preferred direction of the majority and that you have been sucessfully gaslit. With wider sources and knowledge and not just a focus in your narrow little righjt wing brexity bubble you would understand that. this is obvious from your insistance no one is campaigning for rejoin. That is utter nonsense.
Ernie - we still have not got the check on imports from the EU that are a required part of the withdrawal process plus a few other bits and bobs. The withdrawal process is not finished
Kelvin - until we rejoin the other shit cannot be sorted ( most of it)
to move the discussion on
thats a bit of really good news about time as well. Insecure rentals are a scourge on our society. Looks like halfway decent proposals but still include the ability to evict a perfect tenant but with longer notice periods.
England catching up with scotland again in progressive policies
wink emoji
laugh emoji
England catching up with scotland again in progressive policies
A long way to go there! The direction is very slowly turning though.
I find it astonishing that Starmer has to justify what pictures hang on the walls of what is now his home.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjrdxewx70zo
What a stupid question and who gives a toss what Priti Patel thinks - she doesn't live in Downing Street.
Although I find it even more astonishing that a Labour prime minister should commission a £100,000 portrait of a Tory who did so much damage to those that Labour was created to represent.
We just escaped the rotten,corrupt and bureaucratic German empire tj. We are still under American rule (as are the Germans)so very little has changed.This country was on the slide long before the Brexit vote.
If the EU is so great why are it's people voting for nazis everywhere,
Because the EU is great everyone wants to live there and it's upsetting some of the people that feel threatened by that?
If the EU is so great why are it’s people voting for nazis everywhere,
Right back at you with GB and reform(who are as right wing as those euro parties).
If the EU is so great why are it’s people voting for nazis everywhere,
Ignorance, stupidity, hate and fear. Well you did ask
The EU is not so great - it has many problems and many failures but it is still better to be in it than out of it.
The individual countries have just as many stupid people who will vote for right wing parties as the UK does.
Richard Murphy did a YouTUbe video a few days ago on why the far right are appealing to people which I thought summed it up well but basically the other parties are not offering/actually making lives better for many people and some of those are sold the far right answer as the solutions as they are the only solutions they are being offered.
If the EU is so great why are it’s people voting for nazis everywhere,
Discontent and easy answers.
I always find it weird that in the U.K. the people who would bang on about the war are now so keen on reform and leaving the ECHR.
The fact we have main stream politicians pushing on leaving it is disconcerting.
and some of those are sold the far right answer as the solutions as they are the only solutions they are being offered
One reason is the insane amount of air-time Farage and his ilk get on national television versus the likes of the Greens etc.
The fact we have main stream politicians pushing on leaving it is disconcerting
Because they now have to serve their masters. If Murdoch (and other foreign owned right wing media owners) say jump, sir Keith’s only question is ‘how high’.
The EU is not so great
It's ace, and even better now the UK has demonstrated just how good being a part of it is and how shit leaving is.
Go on Kerley, list all those failures in your head and ask yourself why the UK manages to fail at so many levels without being in the EU. Sure there are constraints on members, necessary constraints and everybody has to play by the rules, but before you list the failures consider how many you attribute to the EU were really provoked by the nations themselves who then blamed the EU.
One reason is the insane amount of air-time Farage and his ilk get on national television versus the likes of the Greens etc.
This. Very much this. If we had a bit less air-time given to the hate-mongers and division makers, maybe we could have some adult conversations about the issues facing the country.
The original question was regarding the EU countries moving towards the right, so unfortunately, this time, we can't blame Farage.
I've fully understood, Kerley. I have a reading age over 10 and fully understand the words "failures" and "not so great". If it's not so great and full of failure why would you be better in than out?
It's your kind of negative attitude that got Brexit. The constant negative reporting, the it's not great but we neeed to be in all the same that got Brexit. Those nasty Europeans meddling etc. Well they were meddling in your interest, giving your safge drinking water, swimable beaches, healthy food, a safe working environment. The only people it wasn't great for were the polluting, poisoning, tax dodging, exploiting, poisoning, ripping off; human rights denying... .
I agree with the far right favouring media bias noted by some here. I only watch two UK TV channels occasionally, Sky News and the Beeb. Both giving far too much air time to the far right whilst paying lip service to and often deriding the Greens whilst diluting their message. They almost always add "might", "possibly", "may be" when talking about climate change when every objective measure and indicator says "is".
£100,000 portrait of a Tory
WTAF. Could have knocked one up in photoshop and printed it on canvas for £20. Did he pay for that with the gold he sold off ?
So the across the board political backlash for the sake of 1.4bn continues.
This has got to be one of the most stupid and economically inept moves by a new government ever. We are talking sub-Tory levels of schooling here.
(Reminder the UK government issues and spends 1.2 trillion a year.)
For all the stick that Reeves and Starmer have created- there is no economic argument or political argument that this treatment of the WFA can offer other than they are both ridiculous people.
Imagine starting your crusade with this - not least because you want growth and you're about to remove 1.4bn out of the economy too.
And whilst all this is happening your Chancellor courts the failed trickle-down model from senior bankers.
This government are setting up Labour never to return unless they drastically change tact.
I will give them one thing Reeves is at least doing what she says she was going to do. No powder on her nose.
It’s your kind of negative attitude that got Brexit. The constant negative reporting, the it’s not great but we neeed to be in all the same that got Brexit. Those nasty Europeans meddling etc. Well they were meddling in your interest, giving your safge drinking water, swimable beaches, healthy food, a safe working environment. The only people it wasn’t great for were the polluting, poisoning, tax dodging, exploiting, poisoning, ripping off; human rights denying
Whatever
This has got to be one of the most stupid and economically inept moves by a new government ever. We are talking sub-Tory levels of schooling here.
Pretty sure nobody can use the excuse of "they haven't been in long enough yet" on this one...
there is no economic argument or political argument that this treatment of the WFA
We have been making things worse for people starting out in life while looking after well to do older folk this century. Most people eligible for the WFA absolutely did not need it. Many I know gave it to charities such as food banks, and good on them.
Yeah, i know a few who use it as a treat to partially pay for stuff like winter trips, golf clubs, etc!
There does need to be a rethink though, to make sure there's something in there to catch those who really do need it, but an arbitrary payment is hard to turn into a specific payment unfortunately, especially if there are over 10 million claimants usually!
More good news on the UK economy :
UK’s momentum remains ‘healthy’ ahead of latest GDP figures
New figures are expected to show that the economy’s surprisingly strong start to 2024 will continue into the second half of the year in a boost for Keir Starmer’s Labour government.
And although Labour have been in government for only 2 months Starmer has already achieved his pledge to make the UK economy the fastest growing economy in the G7
"The UK was the fastest growing economy in the G7 in the first half of the year, surprising many pundits who had expected another yet of relative stagnation"
That's what I call delivering!
More good news :
Labour to give English local authorities power to run bus services
IME in South London bus services are excellent but I am aware that isn't necessarily the case throughout all of England. More democratic control over vital services which contribute to the basic human need of travel must be a positive step forward.
“The UK was the fastest growing economy in the G7 in the first half of the year, surprising many pundits who had expected another yet of relative stagnation”
Errm, the election was half way through the year 😉 also, it's probably more coincidence than anything;
It's easy to be fastest growing/best performing when you are at rock bottom, not so much when you are already doing well as you have less headroom for improvement.
It’s easy to be fastest growing/best performing when you are at rock bottom, not so much when you are already doing well as you have less headroom for improvement.
What on earth are you talking about......it is easy to be fastest growing economy in the G7 when you are doing badly?
So I take it that you were not impressed with Keir Starmer's key election pledge to make the UK the fastest growing economy in the G7?
I don't recall you dismissing that stated Labour goal at the time.
but an arbitrary payment is hard to turn into a specific payment unfortunately, especially if there are over 10 million claimants usually!
True, but there are already two different forms of pension credit to catch those on low incomes... increase those, or the eligibility for those... it's not like there are not already ways to target payments. When the WFA came in it was a good way to quickly insert money into the pockets of pensioners to keep the heating on... a smart emergency move... even if not well targeted. It should have never have hung around in its current form so long... but... you know... pensioners are numerous and keen to vote.
And although Labour have been in government for only 2 months Starmer has already achieved his pledge to make the UK economy the fastest growing economy in the G7
I don't think this government have achieved anything much economically so far. Come back a year after their first budget and then it's worth commenting on.
More democratic control over vital services which contribute to the basic human need of travel must be a positive step forward.
Agree with this 100%, and the work Labour Mayors have put in to help make sure we're pushing that way... has to be applauded.
What on earth are you talking about……it is easy to be fastest growing economy in the G7 when you are doing badly?
So I take it that you were not impressed with Keir Starmer’s key election pledge to make the UK the fastest growing economy in the G7?
I don’t recall you dismissing that stated Labour goal at the time.
Maybe I didnt make my point very well. Maybe an analogy...think of the economy as an engine, an old knackered inefficient engine.
Now it's easy to make huge gains as you can change the oil, use better fuel, replace the carb with fuel injectors etc. and make huge gains from where you were.
You could make it say 50% better pretty easily.
Now let's take a different engine, one that is brand new, highly tuned and highly ecomomical, you'd struggle to improve it by 5%, nevermind 50%.
So 'fastest growing' in an isolated context, whilst great, doesn't mean good compared to other engines, or even competetive.
So ‘fastest growing’ in an isolated context, whilst great, doesn’t mean good compared to other engines, or even competetive.
Er, it definitely wasn't "in an isolated context"! The context was very clear...... the fastest G7 economy. So in the context of how another of the 6 most advanced economies in the world were/are performing then.
I agree that it is all relative though - relative to how the other six are performing. Which is why I personally wasn't particularly impressed with Keir Starmer's goal of making the UK the fastest growing economy out of the G7, it could simply be a reflection of how badly the others are doing.
Having said that if the UK were indeed to buck the trend and perform better than other G7 economies you would to have to ask why - generally they all follow a similar pathway. Unless there are very little differences between them and it is simply a case that they can't all perform identically and one has to have the top slot and one the bottom one.
I strongly disagree with your claim that the UK has been at "rock bottom" recently though. I suspect that your comment is simply for political consumption rather than an honest political assessment. Unless you are about 15 years old you will have lived through far worse economic turmoil.
No need to get personal, or purposfully take my comments out of context... I see this therad doesn't change!
your claim that the UK has been at “rock bottom” recently though.
What I actually said was "It’s easy to be fastest growing/best performing when you are at rock bottom"
Unless you are about 15 years old, then you will be well aware that I was talking in illustrative terms.
For example, I think Starmer is doing an exemplary job compared to the conservatives.
But that's not to say I think he's doing a particularly good job at all, in the grand scheme of things.
Yep,waist of time commenting on here.Full of know all no nothings.Half of them don't even live in this country and certainly no little about it.
Views from those outside the UK are invaluable. Especially from people that move between the UK and elsewhere and so can put our situation into an international context.
Yep,waist of time commenting on here.Fullof know all no nothings.Half of them don’t even live in this country and certainly no little about it.
Or how to spell it.
No need to get personal
Personal.....what are you talking about? I simply said that unless you are 15 years old (anyone that is) you will have lived through far worse economic turmoil.
Obviously I know that you are not 15 years old and that was precisely my point - you have lived through much worse economic turmoil. Why do you apparently feel insulted by that? Did you misread it and think that I was accusing you of being 15 years old?
Okay maybe I should have written "unless one is 15 years old one will have lived through far worse economic turmoil'. But I don't speak like that and I tend to write how I speak.
What I actually said was “It’s easy to be fastest growing/best performing when you are at rock bottom”
Yes I understood that, my point is that the UK economy hasn't been at rock bottom recently. Yes it hasn't been particularly buoyant recently but it has been in a far worse state in recent decades. And post pandemic it has been performing very close to the European average in terms of growth, inflation, and employment, and repeatedly better than Germany for example.
Notice how these pantomime tough decisions never actually involve tough decisions - like actually trying to change things for the better - instead going for the easy targets. It's never tough on the very wealthy that have done well out of the UK system.
Pathetic, and economically unsound.
It would have been so easy not to do this and bury all the bullshit about 22bn black-hole.
They've boxed themselves in. (I pointed this out just after the Truss debacle. That if they follow this line of attack - spending is going to be very difficult.)
This is of their own doing. What a total and utter shit show. Two months in and looking like incredible fools.
What's more is fiscally they're going to eat themselves for basically a 1.4bn cut.
This has got to be one of the most stupid and economically inept moves by a new government ever. We are talking sub-Tory levels of schooling here
Got to agree.
If the rational is to make it means tested like other benefits (gammons love restrictions on dole payments and wouldn't tolerate it being handed out arbitrarily), you could argue/stress, it's fairer, ensuring the money gets into the hands of those most in need. Instead it looks like booting poor pensioners in the balls/slats just in time for the now annual and much loved winter price hike announcement by the government on the energy industries behalf.
Notice how these pantomime tough decisions never actually involve tough decisions
And always involve taking something away/making it cost more.
What might have been better is to put in a full means test system where every individual is means tested. Any taxes, benefits and anything else can then be applied against that measure. It would make things. a lot easier and a lot fairer around benefits and wealth but admittedly it would be a nightmare to actually try and do it.
It should be easy, Kerley, HRMC deals with both tax and pensions so linking to the income tax declaration should be easy. I was amused to see that the government lost the case about paying the fuel handout to pensioners living abroad. Perhaps they should try limiting the handout to those declaring their tax in the UK (so resident more than half the year) by giving a tax credit to those pensioners on low incomes rather than call it the WFA.