UK Politics Thread

[exeterjeep]

3 minutes ago, pete said:

Reeves has something against this generation of pensioners 

Perhaps she does not expect to get to pensionable age. Or the age limit will go up more than expected to be 100 years old  .

[Kimbers]

She doesn't care, she won't ever need the State pension! Or is that the next grab? Those with a big enough personal pension won't get the state pension, it'll be means tested!

 

[C8RKH]

1 hour ago, Kimbers said:

Those with a big enough personal pension won't get the state pension, it'll be means tested!

That won't happen, quickly, as it will throw into turmoil pension planning and arguably create a worse situation as people will have less pension income and so have to rely on other benefits. This is the crazy thing with the winter fuel allowance, in that those who really need it (over those pensioners who are well off, and there are lots of them) will just merely be encouraged to, and switch over to, the Pension Credit benefits. So bizarrely, whilst they may project to save £1.3bn by removing it, as the total cost of it, a significant proportion of that saving will be diverted to pay for the additional Pension Credits Benefit. So actually, the amount saved will be less than projected, but undoubtedly, some Pensioners, for a variety of reasons will not claim Pension Credit benefits, and they will die as a result. 

The increase in state pension age was well sign posted when it last happened and any future changes will also need to be well signposted as otherwise those say, over 50, will not have sufficient time to make-up the shortfall, so the benefits bill will go up by at least as much as what they save on pensions.

What I think will happen in October is that the very generous higher tax payers "subsidy" on Pension savings will be dropped. It hardly seems fair that someone on £30k a year gets tax relief at, what is it 20% to "boost" their pension, when someone on £150k get's 40%. That's a massive uplift in benefit and costs the tax payer a huge amount of money. My guess is that it will be reduced to a standard rate for all, regardless of earnings, something like 25% or 30%. It will boost pensions for the lower paid, and hit pensions for the highest paid - that's got to be good news for the Labour Party and will be hugely popular.

The other thing that will be hit hard, I think, is that Pensions will be removed from the IHT calculations, so if you die with money left in your pot, your heirs will no longer get their grubby hands on it "tax free". I have no issues with that to be honest.

The final thing is that I think they will close the ability to take 25% of your private pension pot "tax free". That I am watching closely as, being over 55, I could act quickly to take that out before the announcement becomes law probably in April 2025. I wouldn't spend it, but would filter it back into long term savings at £40k per year (£30k each into the ISA's me and Mrs. C. have).

The issue that Labour do not seem to be able to understand is that people who are prudent, and plan and save for their retirement are a significant lower burden on society and the Governments expenditure. They are usually fitter. More economically active. And require little or no additional "benefits" for a longer period. If you kill of their ability to save, or the desirability to save, you just end up having to pay for it, as a Government, through the benefits and health budgets anyway. So not having people saving is counter productive really.

[eclat22]

[C8RKH]

And.....

thew final kick in the teeth to Pensioners is that today the Government has announced it is going to buy the ESO from National Grid for £650m.

So, we have a huge black hole and no money.

So we give £9bn to the public sector for above inflation pay rises

We almost double the size of the black hole.

We then decide to save £1.3bn by means testing winter fuel payments. The day after that, we decide to give £500m to a stinking rich Indian company, and the day after that we decide to give another £650m to the stinking rich National Grid company -  thereby negating the savings on the winter fuel payments.

Labours own figures say that 4,000 pensioners may die as a result, saving their state pension cost of £12,000 per year = £48m a year saving from next year, compounded each year. Ergo, Starmer has a result!

Anyone regretting voting Labour yet?

Anyone remember voting for this as part of their manifesto?

Where is Spitting Image when we need it the most?

[C8RKH]

Interesting approach from the Dutch, they seem to be grasping the nettles and the thorns, unlike the UK that continues to pussyfoot around.

 

The Netherlands’ government plans to bring in drastic new anti-immigration measures, set to be some of the strictest in the European Union.

Its plans, announced Friday as a part of the ruling coalition’s program, include stricter border checks, “tit for tat” punishments of “troublemakers,” restrictions on family reunification that would bar adult children from joining their parents, and a focus on forced returns.

The Dutch government is the first to feature the far-right, anti-immigration Freedom Party of Geert Wilders, who won nearly a quarter of the Dutch parliament’s seats in November. His party delivered the government’s migration and asylum minister, Marjolein Faber.

“I’m aiming for the strictest asylum policy ever,” Faber said in a video message, citing bottlenecks in housing, health care and education as reasons to do so.

The plan, she said, is to “legally declare an asylum crisis, which will allow me to take measures to combat [it].” Such an emergency law would allow the government to take measures without waiting for the parliament’s approval.

“The Netherlands should belong to the category of member states with the strictest admission rules in the EU,” the government program reads.

The government will ask the European Commission for an opt-out on EU asylum and migration policies — that request will be sent to Brussels next week, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said Friday.

“We cannot continue to bear the large influx of migrants to our country. People are experiencing an asylum crisis, ” Schoof said, defending the emergency measure and the planned asylum crisis law.

He rejected a question to put a number on the influx decrease it wants to achieve, instead saying that the government would assess the need for the crisis law by regularly “checking how the Netherlands is doing at that moment.”

Faber said she wants to halt indefinite permits; shorten proceedings; limit family reunification “substantially, for a very large proportion of applicants”; and speed up deportations of “criminal asylum seekers.”

The program also proposes a change to housing laws to prevent asylum seekers with a residence permit from getting priority access to social housing because of that statute in order to “relieve pressure on the housing market.”

[TdM]

On 13/09/2024 at 17:01, C8RKH said:

the Government has announced it is going to buy the ESO from National Grid for £650m.

So, we have a huge black hole and no money.

So we give £9bn to the public sector for above inflation pay rises

We almost double the size of the black hole.

We then decide to save £1.3bn by means testing winter fuel payments. The day after that, we decide to give £500m to a stinking rich Indian company, and the day after that we decide to give another £650m to the stinking rich National Grid company -  thereby negating the savings on the winter fuel payments.

Also note that it's just the beginning of the energy infrastructure fund. They've put aside £8.3B for these purchases. So between that and the pay rises you've almost found all of your black hole

[Kimbers]

On 13/09/2024 at 21:41, C8RKH said:

Interesting approach from the Dutch, they seem to be grasping the nettles and the thorns, unlike the UK that continues to pussyfoot around.

 

 

Can they actually do any of that? The EU won't let them surely? The EU sets quota's and freedoms within the EU doesn't it?

[Kimbers]

So, who pays for this load of old bollocks then? I think those that made the decision should pay a % if their personal wealth towards the losses! That'll stop them wasting Tax Payers money!!

"HS2 blew billions - here's how and why"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98486dzxnzo

[C8RKH]

58 minutes ago, Kimbers said:

Can they actually do any of that? The EU won't let them surely? The EU sets quota's and freedoms within the EU doesn't it?

Germany has closed its Borders despite Shengen.

It's the EU, ONLY the UK actually followed the rules.....

[Kimbers]

That's what my Italian Carabinieri friend says. "We just nod and tell them we are following their idiot rules, then totally ignore it". 

His father owns a vineyard and also makes cheese and he said if they had to follow the EU rules on making food, pasteurizing milk, and legalities of making alcohol nowhere in Italy would make it. Most of their makers are home set ups for things like fresh Mozzarella which they just don't use Pasteurised milk. Funny when I looked it up even "The Internet" says "When purchasing locally in villages and markets, you should always check that you're not buying fresh, unpasteurized mozzarella, which could present a risk."

What a load of old shite! A risk of tasting bloody gorgeous!!!

I thought we left the EU to avoid the sorts of Bollocks they used to make rules on. Like you say Andy, rules that only the UK used to actually follow!

[Rambo]

1 hour ago, Kimbers said:

I thought we left the EU to avoid the sorts of Bollocks they used to make rules on. Like you say Andy, rules that only the UK used to actually follow!

Couldn't agree more.

We should shove it up them Pike !!

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Pay agreements reached with ASLEF train drivers, NHS workers and Junior Doctors to end strikes. Even the Conservatives got the poor NHS Consultants back to work. That’s got to be good for everyone: strike action costs the country billions, helps no-one and messes with everyone’s lives. Is Britain getting back to work again?

[C8RKH]

50 minutes ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

Is Britain getting back to work again?

Possibly. But at what costs?

Thoise pay deals were inflation busting pay deals that will, bizarrely, push up inflation!

Also, those pay deals will come with a hefty "pensions" bill attached too for the gilt edged pensions these public sector workers enjoy. Yet more strain on the tax take in the UK and so a bigger tax take needed to pay for them in the future.

Maybe the question should be "is it worth it?"

Fcuk the trains. let them rust in the stations for all I care and the drivers starve in their cabs as they are greedy little piggies. Well over £60k, for driving a train, you're having a laugh for sure. Since when do we as a society put a value on a train driver that is double that of a nurse? Absolute bonkers.

[Kimbers]

And lets not forget all the Unions have said this changes nothing and they still haven't caught up again yet from years of Austerity.

Both have already warned they expect inflation busting pay rises next year as well.

They know the Labour Party can't fight the Unions as the Unions will abandon them and basically Labour and the Unions are a partnership. 

However what they also forget, while they enjoy their 22 and 15% pay rises is that even those of us in the private sector got Austerity style pay rises. If any at all! My industry, for example, has some of the lowest "White Collar" basic wages in the country. Many car sales execs are on £15-20k a year. Yes it's made up by commission, but the commission doesn't go up when your pay does so 1-2% of their basic is all they got. I'll be honest with you in the 5 Years I was with Honda my commission actually went down every year and my targets up. I never ever once saw my commission rates get a cost of living rise. And neither has anyone else. 

[C8RKH]

And don't forget @Kimbers that commission is usually classed as a discretionary payment so is not an automatic right that you get it.

I'm dreading October and what Reeves will announce in her budget.

[Kimbers]

Me too mate as I am only 1-3 years away from changing my life, down sizing and leaving the rat race behind.

If she does some of the things I think she will then it will royally F**k me. Things like linking Capital Gains to income tax. There goes me selling my stocks and shares, Collectables I have been hording etc. Any effect on Pensions will kill me as my pension is not good anyway! But I am pumping as much in as I can as it's tax free!!! Etc etc.

[C8RKH]

I don't understand how political parties, particularly Labour, always seem to want to penalise citizens who are responsible and plan for their futures. Instead of making it harder for people to make provision to be LESS of a burden of these people on the future state, they need to make it easier so more people do it.

Stop pandering to those people who contribute little, do not make provision, and just expect the "benefits" system to provide everything for them, by putting their burden on the backs of those who have worked hard and been responsible.

It's just bonkers to me.

[Kimbers]

My wife is risk averse but frankly I don't know why people don't just sell their house and spend 20 years living the life of riley on the equity and savings. Then when they are skint and over 80 come back (as is their right after paying into the system all their lives) and get what they give! A Pension, Pension Credit, Housing etc. My wifes father did that after a career in the RAF he moved abroad worked for a while then spent his time in the far East doing..... well we don't know 100%.

When he found out he had a heart issue he came back around 80 years old, got managed housing and his pension and bobs your uncle.

[ChrisJ]

Our esteemed Foreign Secretary

 

[C8RKH]

Oh dear.

[Kimbers]

So what do we think of the revelation that Labour talk about fat cats all the time yet employ them at more than the PM gets paid?

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxgdgkew81o

[pete]

21 hours ago, C8RKH said:

Possibly. But at what costs?

Thoise pay deals were inflation busting pay deals that will, bizarrely, push up inflation!

Also, those pay deals will come with a hefty "pensions" bill attached too for the gilt edged pensions these public sector workers enjoy. Yet more strain on the tax take in the UK and so a bigger tax take needed to pay for them in the future.

Maybe the question should be "is it worth it?"

Fcuk the trains. let them rust in the stations for all I care and the drivers starve in their cabs as they are greedy little piggies. Well over £60k, for driving a train, you're having a laugh for sure. Since when do we as a society put a value on a train driver that is double that of a nurse? Absolute bonkers.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/pensions/private-pensions/double-number-nhs-retiree-six-figure-pensions-last-year/

[exeterjeep]

Amazing donations to the treasury....

Secret gifts from public swell Treasury's coffers

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgdn3134w1o

Already this year, 18 people have handed over almost £620,000 without the taxman even asking for it, according to figures obtained by the BBC in a freedom of information request.

In the past two decades a total of 153 donations have been made to the Treasury, including 27 people who left money to the chancellor in their will.

 

[C8RKH]

1 hour ago, pete said:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/pensions/private-pensions/double-number-nhs-retiree-six-figure-pensions-last-year/

Telegraph is always behind a paywall so if you can worth copying the first few paragraphs to help us read them.