Report

I think the nuance is important though. Child benefit is paid to millions of people in respect of more than two children, whereas the actual cap affects about 200,000 families and that figure is reducing each year owing to smaller family sizes, increases in pay etc.  I do think labour will address it though, via a combination of increased minimum wage and a relaxation of the limit. Don’t forget, the majority of people getting these credits/benefits are actually in work. 

I don't think the markets ever were going to react like they did with Truss though. Most of the borrowing was towards setting up "Great British Energy" and for infrastructure projects, where the investment is started by the government and done with support from big private sector investmentment firms, which aren't things that spook the markets. Investment projects tend to generate growth/tax revenue at some point, so there was never going to be a completely terrified reaction.   So I hope that at least some of these "gone further" she/Labour will do within this parliament. Council tax was never going to happen that early because it's so messy and complex, but I agree it needs massive reform. I also agree that putting up income tax should happen at some point.   Basically, I think anything radical was never going to happen in a first post-election budget, particularly as most of the time spent in government before then had been attempting to dig information out of the civil service first. A lot of the more complex tax reforms I'd love to see aren't even possible without more work done first. The only simple one is income tax, but as you say, it's an instant political loss next election.

This is both pleasing (about Shindig) and annoying (about Womad)

For now this is the announcement of the tour and Barcelona isn't there... maybe she canceled all the festivals, we would expect it from her

pretty sure if you find them on the fb group theyll likely have something organised . if its early on in the festival or later in the day the shower queues should be minimal .... or bring a decent one of your own , I take a porta shower for example which works well