So our Country is broke

[welsh1]

1 hour ago, Mice! said:

I was thinking there must be a tarmac shortage?

Quite possibly?

Long overdue everywhere,  my sister has just driven through France and said the roads were excellent. 

Someone must have been preventing the work though??

New topic coming up 👍

We have just ridden across the uk on our Spyder from Pembrokeshire to Portsmouth, the motorways were poor, the driving standards also poor We then rode from St Malo to the Dordogne the motorways were very good,and the standard of driving also good.

[Mice!]

2 hours ago, welsh1 said:

We have just ridden across the uk on our Spyder from Pembrokeshire to Portsmouth, the motorways were poor, the driving standards also poor

That doesn't surprise me, on the M6 today it was shut at J35-36 with an air ambulance needed, and closed from Sandbach services today, both directions again for hours with another air ambulance needed, that's in a 50mph section.

Everyone travelling in the same direction yet this happens weekly, and it was a nice sunny day.

[oowee]

Millions to build Brexit border controls. Millions more compensation to knock them down. 

[Vince Green]

On 28/07/2024 at 09:11, welsh1 said:

How convenient that labour have found a 20 billion black hole, no doubt taxes will rise to cover that black hole.

Is anyone surprised by this?

And now they will blame the Tories forever more in the same way the Tories blamed brown for selling the gold or the note saying there's nothing left, and forever more the Tories will be beaten with the 20 billion black hole trick.

Everyone with half a brain knew labour would be raising taxes,and here is the start of it.

Absolutely right ^^^

We all knew this was coming, the "Ah I know what we said, but that was then and this is now" moment

[JohnfromUK]

I read today ( https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjqe82lk5g5o )that the Gov't has just offered 20% to the Doctors.  Now the rest of the public sector will want to match that.  Welcome back to public sector led wage inflation.

If tere wasn't a £20 B black hole - there soon will be.

Edited July 29 by JohnfromUK

[scolopax]

5 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

I read today ( https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjqe82lk5g5o )that the Gov't has just offered 20% to the Doctors.  Now the rest of the public sector will want to match that.  Welcome back to public sector led wage inflation.

If tere wasn't a £20 B black hole - there soon will be.

You are wrong,  22% pay offer, plus 5.5% to many other public sector employees. Police, teachers etc etc.

[JohnfromUK]

7 minutes ago, scolopax said:

You are wrong,  22% pay offer, plus 5.5% to many other public sector employees. Police, teachers etc etc.

No (well- in a way I was wrong in that I said 20% not 22%).   What I said was "Now the rest of the public sector will want to match that.".  That isn't this time round where the pay review body has already reported (the 5.5%) ....... and which the Chancellor has today accepted (as I understand what she said).

The next round, 2025, will all be about parity, catching up etc. - that's how inflation starts.   Once you give one group a settlement way above inflation it opens the floodgates ..........  In fact it seems that the Dr's leaders are saying 22% is not enough and they should reject the offer - and continue to strike until they get the 35% they are asking for.  We will have to wait and see what the membership (as opposed to the leadership) thinks.

[oowee]

On 29/07/2024 at 13:05, JohnfromUK said:

I read today ( https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjqe82lk5g5o )that the Gov't has just offered 20% to the Doctors.  Now the rest of the public sector will want to match that.  Welcome back to public sector led wage inflation.

If tere wasn't a £20 B black hole - there soon will be.

We just need to start to tax in a fairer way. It can't be right that many thousands of people earning six figure sums are paying tax at a lower rate than everyone else. 

 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

6 minutes ago, oowee said:

We just need to start to tax in a fairer way. It can't be right that many thousands of people earning six figure sums are paying tax at a lower rate than everyone else. 

It certainly is right, far too many creative accountants selling their knowledge. Not illegal, but certainly immoral.

[JohnfromUK]

7 minutes ago, oowee said:

It can't be right that many thousands of people earning six figure sums are paying tax at a lower rate than everyone else.

I don't disagree with that - and Gov't (or more accurately since new tax rule are complex to prevent avoidance, the Treasury civil servants tax design team) need to draft new/revise existing laws to ensure that doesn't happen any more.  They won't - but they should.

10 minutes ago, oowee said:

We just need to start to tax in a fairer way.

What is really needed is spending within our budget.  Spending freely and without having the means to pay has ALWAYS been a Labour weakness - and is very clearly goingf to remain so with this government.  If you can't afford it don't expect someone else to pay for it - just don't do it.  Simple.

[oowee]

4 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

It certainly is right, far too many creative accountants selling their knowledge. Not illegal, but certainly immoral.

Thousands of fund managers putting income as capital gain and paying %18 tax. 

I know several that do this earning vast sums, and often paying almost nothing in tax. 

[JohnfromUK]

Just now, oowee said:

Thousands of fund managers putting income as capital gain and paying %18 tax. 

I know several that do this earning vast sums, and often paying almost nothing in tax. 

In which case the Treasury need to draft better rules to close that loophole and Gov't place them before parliament.

[oowee]

1 minute ago, JohnfromUK said:

I don't disagree with that - and Gov't (or more accurately since new tax rule are complex to prevent avoidance, the Treasury civil servants tax design team) need to draft new/revise existing laws to ensure that doesn't happen any more.  They won't - but they should.

What is really needed is spending within our budget.  Spending freely and without having the means to pay has ALWAYS been a Labour weakness - and is very clearly goingf to remain so with this government.  If you can't afford it don't expect someone else to pay for it - just don't do it.  Simple.

They just did that with winter fuel allowance. Tax team could easily do it they just need the nod. Tories were never going to dob their mates. 

[JohnfromUK]

3 minutes ago, oowee said:

They just did that with winter fuel allowance.

It was you who said

20 minutes ago, oowee said:

We just need to start to tax in a fairer way.

I don't see taking away pensioners winter fuel allowance for everyone except those in receipt of certain 'subsistence' benefits as "taxing in a fairer way".  It is simply taking the easy route and taking money from the more vulnerable.  Pretty low tactic really.

[oowee]

2 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

It was you who said

I don't see taking away pensioners winter fuel allowance for everyone except those in receipt of certain 'subsistence' benefits as "taxing in a fairer way".  It is simply taking the easy route and taking money from the more vulnerable.  Pretty low tactic really.

You just said govt needs to spend within budget. Cutting benefits from those that don't need it is a good way to start.

[Rewulf]

2 minutes ago, oowee said:

You just said govt needs to spend within budget. Cutting benefits from those that don't need it is a good way to start.

How do we define those that dont need it ?

[JohnfromUK]

Just now, oowee said:

those that don't need it is a good way to start.

So having a pension of roughly £11,500 (below that you get pension credit, and so keep winter fuel allowance) or £17,300 jointly for a couple means you don't "need" winter fuel payment?

As they say, pull the other one!

[oowee]

You have to start somewhere. 

[JohnfromUK]

27 minutes ago, Rewulf said:

How do we define those that dont need it ?

It seems for @oowee that having a 'take home' such that you don't receive pension credit means that you have sufficient.

The income limit for pension credit is less that £215.15 per week for a single person and £332.95 for a couple.  Above that they will not get pension credit - and so not now get winter fuel allowance (there are other various benefits that also allow one to qualify, mainly related to disability and other benefits paid to low income persons- e.g. housing benefit.)

Make no mistake, whilst there are a few 'high income' persons who qualify, the vast majority who will lose the winter fuel allowance are on well below normal average income (around £689 per week I believe).

[Rewulf]

1 hour ago, oowee said:

You have to start somewhere. 

So lets start with the pensioners ?
What next, triple lock gone, abolish pension credit ?
Nah , compulsory euthanasia at 75, thats if they havnt froze or starved to death by then, maybe just deny them NHS care and let nature take its course ?
This labour government, a month in, has presided over riots, an even more stupid asylum policy, pandering to unions and more U turns about fiscal policy then any government I can remember !

So, Kia's rolled out a new car. They’re bragging it can do the fastest U-turn ever recorded. Fittingly, they’ve named it The Kia Starmer. Perfect for those last-minute policy reversals like robbing from pensioners.

[JohnfromUK]

34 minutes ago, Rewulf said:

So lets start with the pensioners ?
What next, triple lock gone, abolish pension credit ?
Nah , compulsory euthanasia at 75, thats if they havnt froze or starved to death by then, maybe just deny them NHS care and let nature take its course ?
This labour government, a month in, has presided over riots, an even more stupid asylum policy, pandering to unions and more U turns about fiscal policy then any government I can remember !

So, Kia's rolled out a new car. They’re bragging it can do the fastest U-turn ever recorded. Fittingly, they’ve named it The Kia Starmer. Perfect for those last-minute policy reversals like robbing from pensioners.

Yes, the NHS will be for current and former trades union members only.  You've got a private pension?  Well then, go buy some private health care.

[Weihrauch17]

46 minutes ago, Rewulf said:

So lets start with the pensioners ?
What next, triple lock gone, abolish pension credit ?
Nah , compulsory euthanasia at 75, thats if they havnt froze or starved to death by then, maybe just deny them NHS care and let nature take its course ?
This labour government, a month in, has presided over riots, an even more stupid asylum policy, pandering to unions and more U turns about fiscal policy then any government I can remember !

So, Kia's rolled out a new car. They’re bragging it can do the fastest U-turn ever recorded. Fittingly, they’ve named it The Kia Starmer. Perfect for those last-minute policy reversals like robbing from pensioners.

They don't have an asylum policy, just a huge wide open door bidding everyone to come.  Truly disgusting.

[stumfelter]

This country could save millions by simply paying civil servants statutory sick pay instead of full wage sick pay, it's good enough for construction and they may think twice if it was costing them.

[oowee]

2 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

It seems for @oowee that having a 'take home' such that you don't receive pension credit means that you have sufficient.

The income limit for pension credit is less that £215.15 per week for a single person and £332.95 for a couple.  Above that they will not get pension credit - and so not now get winter fuel allowance (there are other various benefits that also allow one to qualify, mainly related to disability and other benefits paid to low income persons- e.g. housing benefit.)

Make no mistake, whilst there are a few 'high income' persons who qualify, the vast majority who will lose the winter fuel allowance are on well below normal average income (around £689 per week I believe).

Benefits should be sufficient for need. Labour introduced the winter fuel allowance and now they have removed it from all but the most needy. Those that want more than the state benefits provide must earn it or save it. We cannot continue the money tree policy of the Tories. Everything has to be paid for. 

Normal (working? ) average income is not relevant for benefits. 

[JohnfromUK]

It would be hard living through a year on £215 a week.  It's not sufficient for most peoples needs.  Taking money away from those on only £215 a week is about as far from 'fair' as you can get.