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Yeah but it was wrong, wasn't it?
Giving some geezer a free Downing Street pass after he's bought you a suit and a pair of prescription glasses - whilst you are earning megabucks yourself?!?
This is a surprisingly inactive thread, considering the topic, no activity for over a week
I just feel everything they do is ****ing dreadful, and personally it's burning me out a little thinking about how bad they are.
Everything they do seems miscalculated, irresponsible and needless.
I'm already very tired of seeing Starmer announce random brainless nuggets simply leading me to believe they haven't got a clue what they're doing. (The bus cap another in a long line of ridiculously stupid ideas.)
The black-hole hysteria has simply sowed the seeds of bad economic policy founded in a total misrepresentation of the government's capacity to spend.
I just can't imagine how bad the budget is going to be..
Honestly, fabricated black-holes, arbitrary fiscal rules and wet dream subservience to the markets (markets that the damn government enables) - has destroyed Labour's purpose.
None of this was necessary.
****ing adults in the room. Good Christ.
There seems to be no end of rage to be made from comparing justice process and outcomes. People getting less for doing worse, people getting fast tracked for doing things perceived as less serious while victims of more serious things await justice while perpetrators still free.
Released prisoners, Southport attacker, Huw Edwards, Manchester Airport attack involving police, Chris Kaba police officer, people who said things on social media during the asylum riots, people on side 1 vs side 2 of the asylum riots, Tommy Robinson, farmer who took yobs to the police on his quad bike, climate protestors...
It's an interesting point on the role newspapers play in driving perception, this one caught my eye late last night for instance. It's today's headline.
Ostensibly it's not saying much that any reasonable person should be surprised about. Did anyone think the NHS (and all the associated issues that cause bed blocking etc) would be cured after the budget? However, look at the wording...
Budget still won't cure the NHS
and
despite huge handout tomorrow
So...
The headline is representing a genuine attempt to improve the NHS as a "handout" and that the handout wont be enough anyway.
Now...
Its asking it's readers to bemoan the funds going to the NHS, indeed, calling them a "handout", just like those 'orrid people on benefits get whilst simultaneously saying it's not enough of a handout anyway.
Schrödinger's handout it seems. 🙂
It's probably fair to say that the age demographic of The Mail means their readership is likely to be heavily dependant upon a functioning NHS but in one headline, on one single day, it has likely achieved what it wanted, which was to portray Labour trying to repair a flailing NHS as apparently against the readers interest... and it's readers will lap it up of course.
It's nothing new of course but it's important to see it for what it is. If even trying to properly fund the NHS can be portrayed as a negative then basically anything Labour do will be criticised. As always there are very powerful, vested interests at play here and if you were ever unsure of why Labour kept it's cards close to it's chest during the election campaign, just look at this one, single headline. Then remember it and similar rags will be pumping this out, day in, day out.
As for the budget and Labour in general?
I remain optimistic about Labour but also realistic. I won't like all their policies and it's going to take time for things to objectively improve.
I just feel everything they do is **** dreadful, and personally it’s burning me out a little thinking about how bad they are.
Yep, they are worse than I thought they would be and not giving them much benefit of doubt before them winning was about right.
Another good example is bus fare cap. Okay an extension was not budgeted apparently but the thing that actually matters is what sort of people use buses who actually pay for them? I would guess the poorer people in society rather than the richer in society so why not leave them at £2. That person on mininum wage who gets the bus to work every day could be paying £500 more a year which offsets their minimum wage increase (although the minimum wage increase is a positive)
Good morning kerley and please don't take this as a personal dig in any shape or form, it honestly isn't, your post just got me thinking as I'm sat here.
I think the problem you are faced with is that the party you want was never on the ballot paper. If it was, it would have got my vote too. Is that a failing of Labour or even the UK political system? Possibly, but it's the reality we live in so it's the only reality that matters.
Everything they do seems miscalculated, irresponsible and needless
This +loads
They've had years to think things through, prepare policies, tell Parliament and launch policies with proper publicity, but we have problem after problem
I get that the riots wrong-footed prison reform, but that was the only uncontrollable and unforeseeable occurrence
I think the problem you are faced with is that the party you want was never on the ballot paper.
Yes, I would imagine the party that each person wants is never on the ballot paper and it is a compromise. That doesn't mean I cannot criticise the things the party (that I voted for) are doing does it?
They are doing stupid things that really didn't need doing. Yes review WFA, get all people claiming correctly etc,. but it was not an emergency to scrap it this year. Why put up bus fares when typically poorer people use buses who it is going to hit harder, again no emergency to do so was there.
The vibe they are giving out (as a Labour Party) is pretty awful.
Kerley
That doesn’t mean I cannot criticise the things the party (that I voted for) are doing does it?
Lord no and apologies if my post came across that way.
It’s an interesting point on the role newspapers play in driving perception, this one caught my eye late last night for instance
Yeah, but free Halloween sweets from M&S!
I foresee further inflation.
I also foresee her as one term Chancellor.
Budget for economy growth? That is something rather difficult to comprehend nowadays or foreseeable future. .
You know inflation never stops right?
Right?
Yes and No. Perhaps a better way is to say how high inflation has gone since last 5 years..
That “geezer” is a Labour politician of much longer standing than the party leader, doing anything he can to help the campaign.
Not the point. Was he elected? No. Is he security cleared? No. Has he paid an enormous sum of money which some would argue might allow influence over the party and the Prime Minister? Well, yes.
Everything they do seems miscalculated, irresponsible and needless
This +loads
Labour certainly aren't without fault!
But...
No fault eviction legislation, decisive action assistant rioters, long term strategy for the NHS, minimum wage increase, house building strategy, ban on new North Sea oil drilling, actively engaging with the EU, security pact with Germany, most strikes ended with ongoing talks with nurses union to end theirs, total lack of the tofu culture wars... Theres nuance behind much of that of course but it's a damned decent start imo.
It's not sexy maybe, doesn't make for emotive headlines but it's still important.
The sensible answer is view access to the internet as a standard utility and nationalise it.
When I last canvassed, the two things in order of most unpopular on the doorstep (West Yorkshire) was Corbyn, and then Govt owned Broadband.
I foresee further inflation.
If anything inflation in the short term will go down, Oil has never been cheaper than it is now, and at over a million barrels of over production, and the possibility of wider regional war in the middle east, it's predicted to go down again over the next coupe of years .
But…
The problem isn't what Labour are doing (or not doint), it's how they're communicating it and the effect that's going to have on their re-election chances. Starmer and Reeves seem to be revelling in being massively unpopular. They probably think that shows they are doing a good job of governing, but running a technocratically efficient and serious administration isn't going to get them elected again, and with that they will lose the opportunity to implement the sort of lasting change they claim to want. Much like the Blair govt, the Starmer govt is going to be an enormous missed opportunity, and it's going to tee up a dystopian future tory-reform govt who will turn the UK into a reactionary culture-war hellscape.
If anything inflation in the short term will go down
Deflation is a real and present danger. Plummeting oil prices, low economic confidence in the general public and businesses, and higher taxes and negative comms from govt all point towards prices going down, and that doesn't even consider international factors such as Trump, Ukraine and the middle east. If that happens people will stop spending and that could create a negative feedback. I wouldn't be surprised in a couple of years if we're back to emergency cuts in interest rates and another economic crisis.
before they allow inflation to go negative.
Haven't shop prices been in deflation since August?
Haven’t shop prices been in deflation since August?
Dunno but the headline rate is currently still positive, although reducing rapidly and more than anyone forecasted. Plummeting prices is a (temporary) good thing for consumers, not so good for govt and the economy in the long run though.
Plummeting prices is a (temporary) good thing for consumers
Not if they are reluctant to buy something which might be cheaper in a month's time. And presumably worrying for retailers. It would appear that current retail price deflation is due to consumers being skint (rather than reduced production costs) so retailers are trying to entice sales by offering bargains. It could backfire if consumers wait for better bargains
Edit:
UK economy set to grow faster than expected this year
Up from 0.8 to 1.1.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yge6knpzdo
No fault eviction legislation, decisive action assistant rioters, long term strategy for the NHS, minimum wage increase, house building strategy, ban on new North Sea oil drilling, actively engaging with the EU, security pact with Germany, most strikes ended with ongoing talks with nurses union to end theirs, total lack of the tofu culture wars… Theres nuance behind much of that of course but it’s a damned decent start imo.
It would be if they'd actually done any of it!
The winter fuel payment fiasco is in (my mum's had her letter), done and a proper mess. Example: an estimated 35% of those eligible for the pension credit qualifier don't claim it and so won't get the WFP. Scotland isn't bringing this in for another twelve months
Free football tickets, done
Free suits and specs, done
No fault eviction legislation.
The one announced 18 months ago https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65612842 that still hasn't happened. It only got an airing under Labour in September
Decisive action against (I'm guessing 🙂 ) rioters.
Yep, but at the same time capping the number of Crown Court sitting days to 105000 (reduction from the uncapped 107700 days last year). Victims of assault/sexual assault, etc waiting even longer for their case to be heard so that they can move on in life
long term strategy for the NHS
"A new 10-Year Health Plan for the NHS is under way." https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/
minimum wage increase
Next year
ban on new North Sea oil drilling,
Licensing process began a year ago. Companies aren't going to give up on the costly bidding process without an expensive legal battle (admin, prep, surveys, bidding fees, etc.)
ongoing talks with nurses
Ongoing
You get the picture 😉
Plummeting prices? I need to shop where you lot shop. Oh... you mean the flailing fast fashion in industry...? That race to the bottom bubble has popped. If my food shop is ever cheaper, then I'll cheer.
Mine's a half Dazh, or 2/3s... I can't keep pace with others otherwise.... lightweight (and also too keen on the stronger beers). Anytime. Could do a matchy matchy bike ride as well... just been fixing the dropper in my SodaMAX.
timba, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
Give the poor sods a chance, this is a marathon not a sprint. Government will always be ongoing and they are attempting to do a 3 point turn... in a super tanker... with a buggered engine... in the middle of a hurricane... and the last captain/s were medivaced by helicopter due to substance abuse. Or something. 🙂
Plummeting prices? I need to shop where you lot shop. Oh… you mean the flailing fast fashion in industry…?
Daz said "plummeting oil prices". You could try shopping in a petrol station for that.
And no, not just the fashion industry, overall the retail industry is currently experiencing deflation for the first time since 2021 :
"Shop prices in deflation for first time in almost three years"
And the headline inflation rate in currently 1.7% so below the Bank of England "above 2%" target and therefore a reason to be concerned. Inflation dropped by half a percent in the last so it hasn't stabilised yet.
timba, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
🙂 🙂
5th July would have been a good time to start, having chosen his hiking boots during the previous four years
🙂 🙂
Yep, but at the same time capping the number of Crown Court sitting days to 105000 (reduction from the uncapped 107700 days last year). Victims of assault/sexual assault, etc waiting even longer for their case to be heard so that they can move on in life
There's been caps before - the cap was lifted two or three years ago, was 82k back in 2019/20 before it was lifted. Given the direction court backlogs have headed since, I'm not sure the number of sitting days is the chief issue.
Daz said “plummeting oil prices”. You could try shopping in a petrol station for that.
And? Ignoring all the posts since then, including your own, for what reason? Food prices haven't come down. Still a few things filtering through that'll push them up further still, sadly [don't mention Brexit]. Fashion retailers are struggling, for sure. Especially those used to selling cheap and disposable... people will wear what they have. More hard times ahead for everyone working in retail.
Budget looks damn good to me... investing in the right things... starting to shift the tax burden in the right ways... some good details for carers, and those struggling on Universal Credit... and something useful for pubs [ see you there ].
Ignoring all the posts since then, including your own, for what reason? Food prices haven’t come down.
What are you talking about? No one has ignored any posts, and no one has claimed that food prices have come down. I think you must be imagining stuff.
The British Retail Consortium article points out that there is retail price deflation. But feel free to challenge them and provide your own figures to prove them wrong.
I think you must be imagining stuff.
No, just being an idiot and engaging with your tiresome professional thread filling nonsense. Sorry. Thanks for reminding me not to.
- deleted -
Move to the Budget thread ... I delete.
There’s been caps before – the cap was lifted two or three years ago, was 82k back in 2019/20 before it was lifted. Given the direction court backlogs have headed since, I’m not sure the number of sitting days is the chief issue.
Agreed, but how does capping the number of sitting days reduce the backlog?
Capless is just that, not a cap and collar, so it self-regulates. Spare capacity? More courts sitting. Less capacity, fewer courts
Capping the number of days OTOH leads to empty courts and unnecessary admin days for people who could be dealing with the backlog
If this the current thread or it's Starmer the go to thread now?lol
Anyway...
"Covid corruption commissioner starts fraud probe"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg6r7zk47eo
I hope it's backed up with some prosecutions but I might be hopelessly optimistic there.
There will only be convictions if there is sufficient evidence to guarantee a successful prosecution, and I suspect what seems obvious to us might be harder to prove to the legal standard, sadly.
But God I hope some of them are properly held to account.
The most it will do is cause some embarrassment to a handful of the worst perps. I cannot see any verdict or result that downgrades their wealth one iota. And let's face it, that's all they care about.
Four years is a long time in which to delete emails, delete WhatsApp chats and 'lose' phones.
Mild censure is the worst any of them can expect. Prison time is a fantasy.
Yep this is the real two tier policing, immorality for thew rich and powerful is encouraged and rewarded or at best rarely legally enforced, while poverty is criminalised.