news & politics:discussion

[steviewevie]

...but budget could have been a lot worse, they're definitely trying to limit/spread the pain...

[steviewevie]

Just now, Neil said:

what did he say about benefit increases, is it going to be an inflation-rate-based rise?

yes

[Neil]

Just now, steviewevie said:

yes

brilliant extra £60a month for me. 🙂 

[lost]

largest cash increase in pensions in history.

[Neil]

1 minute ago, lost said:

largest cash increase in pensions in history.

great for my old mum, stops her spending my inheritance instead. 🙂 😛 

[fraybentos1]

triple lock is way too generous but every gov now is gonna be too scared to touch it. Just means test more support for poorer pensioners. A good chunk of pensioners are well off, why do they deserve a huge increase while working people fight for a couple percent pay rise?

[steviewevie]

4 minutes ago, lost said:

largest cash increase in pensions in history.

yeah, but...inflation...so is it in real terms?

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, tigger123 said:

 

This seems to have been glossed over/ missed by Ozanne, funny that. Care to comment on this please given your ranting all day? If Labour and Saint Keir are planning on keeping these policies in place, why are you slagging the policies off? 

Labour have to say these things because otherwise they will be painted by the Tory media as being reckless with the economy or something like that. Labour have to detail every single penny of spending whereas the Tories don’t so Labour have to play the game a little bit.

Labour will come out with their own plans for the economy and if reports are to be believed they will include wealth taxes as they have been in regular discussions internally on this. Once they do this and seeing the state of the economy when/if they come to power then they can decide on their levels of spending.

[steviewevie]

Maybe one day in future they will break the triple lock thing..but maybe during a cost of living crisis isn't the best time?

[Guest]

It’s definitely a good thing they have kept to the triple lock but awful they can’t bring themselves to give nurses (and others) an inflation level pay rise.

[steviewevie]

1 minute ago, Ozanne said:

Labour have to say these things because otherwise they will be painted by the Tory media as being reckless with the economy or something like that. Labour have to detail every single penny of spending whereas the Tories don’t so Labour have to play the game a little bit.

Labour will come out with their own plans for the economy and if reports are to be believed they will include wealth taxes as they have been in regular discussions internally on this. Once they do this and seeing the state of the economy when/if they come to power then they can decide on their levels of spending.

yeah, this. They just want to not get caught out...Labour never trusted with economy, crime and immigration which are all high up in people's priorities, so they have to double down on this shit to stand a chance to get elected. We don't like it, but it's realpolitik or something.

[steviewevie]

but also...govt have postponed a lot of the austerity so it falls nicely when labour are maybe in government...so that will make it a lot harder for labour leading up to the next election...stick to these plans or not etc. 

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

yeah, this. They just want to not get caught out...Labour never trusted with economy, crime and immigration which are all high up in people's priorities, so they have to double down on this shit to stand a chance to get elected. We don't like it, but it's realpolitik or something.

They have to say these things to be taken seriously which is another very sad point. 

[Guest]

@Neil One for you. 

[Neil]

12 minutes ago, fraybentos1 said:

triple lock is way too generous but every gov now is gonna be too scared to touch it. Just means test more support for poorer pensioners. A good chunk of pensioners are well off, why do they deserve a huge increase while working people fight for a couple percent pay rise?

lots of pensioners know they're well off, but if there was extra money available via some  means testing loads of pensioners would dive in there, and swamp the system: its not like they've got something else to do.

[fraybentos1]

1 minute ago, Neil said:

lots of pensioners know they're well off, but if there was extra money available via some  means testing loads of pensioners would dive in there, and swamp the system: its not like they've got something else to do.

I don't think increasing pension credit or whatever would swamp the system.

[Neil]

1 minute ago, Ozanne said:

@Neil One for you. 

thank you, it confirms pip getting a 10% rise, that'll be £60 extra for me, taxi drivers will be happy for the bigger tips.

[steviewevie]

That OBR forecast of living standards falling by 7% over next two years is quite something.

[Neil]

Just now, fraybentos1 said:

I don't think increasing pension credit or whatever would swamp the system.

pensioners with nothing else to do all day could swamp any system. I found out the other day i'm automatically entitled to  pension credit when i hit pension age (ten loooonnng years)

[lost]

Young productive people should emigrate. Its the only language they'll understand. Get a remote workers job then move to a country that's going to treat you alot better.

[steviewevie]

Just now, lost said:

Young productive people should emigrate. Its the only language they'll understand. Get a remote workers job then move to a country that's going to treat you alot better.

they could escape on small boats.

[steviewevie]

some Tory MPs not happy about all these socialist tax rises.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

some Tory MPs not happy about all these socialist tax rises.

Are they the Truss ones?

[Neil]

11 minutes ago, lost said:

Young productive people should emigrate

i recommended to my son to do that, i suggested canada, he went to uni there for a year, and  he said "not canada", for some reason he doesn't seem to like it.

[hodgey123]

47 minutes ago, fraybentos1 said:

triple lock is way too generous but every gov now is gonna be too scared to touch it. Just means test more support for poorer pensioners. A good chunk of pensioners are well off, why do they deserve a huge increase while working people fight for a couple percent pay rise?

Agree with this. My granddad gets the state pension but has private pension provision and other investment income which he comfortably lives off and by his own admission does not need the state pension too, nor the free bus passes etc. he is also entitled to. Means-testing is done in plenty of other areas without controversy so why should it be different for pensions? I understand people make NIC contributions their entire life and then get something at the end, but it is the same principle as tax i.e. those earning more contribute more but do not get anything extra at the end...