The Prime Minister made a pessimistic uninspiring speech yesterday around the theme of āthings will get worseā.
It was a big mistake to tell the nation he now leads we are living in a rotten society. He blamed all of us as well as the last government and told us off for being divided and rotten to the core. As someone given a large majority on just one third of the vote it is a bad idea to attack us and tell us he has to stamp out our divisions and lock up those who are leading the rottenness.
It was an even bigger mistake to tell us he will make changes that will make things worse, as some necessary purgative for our societal breakdown. Governments should not set out to make things worse, as they might succeed. Then they will be to Ā blame for the bad condition of society and may find it difficult to restore better outcomes.
I have one bit of advice to a PM and Ā Chancellor who say they are now going to do things they do not want to do. Do not do them. No one is making them cut benefits to pensioners or put taxes. If they want to give big pay rises they need to link this to productivity where even the Treasury says Ā£20 bn has gone missing. If they want to spend more on their nationalised industries and net zero they need to cut the Bank of England losses to pay the bills.
It is never a good idea to do the wrong thing. Lower income pensioners need their fuel money. Higher taxes on investing and business will slow growth, cutting revenues and giving us a bigger black hole.
August 28, 2024
Good morning.
Is it me, or has the irony of the above statement been lost on people ? I say this, as Tony Blair came into office much like the drowned rat of a man, Sunak was pretty much leaving, to to the tune of D’reams, “Things can only get better.”
Someone is clear taking the Brahms and List.
Starmer needs a way out of all his big promises. Not that he really needed to make any in the first place as he was always going to win. But he needs to have is excuse to feel justified.
They are coming after YOUR wealth ! They intend to ‘distribute it fairly’. Much like they did with the Kulaks.
Welcome to Orwell’s Farm peasants. š
August 28, 2024
As far as Keith and Rachel Thieves are concerned I and about 50 million others are their enemies being the faaaaar right extremists. We don’t want open borders we don’t want the country carpeting with useless windmills and mirrors . We want cheap reliable energy and we object to billions being given to the rest of the world to help them with net zero
Starmergeddon is a fully paid up communist and if they continue with their war on the population they can expect retaliation.
August 28, 2024
Ian Wragg
+1
August 28, 2024
Reset with the EU underway… that didn’t take long. No doubt the EU are preparing to receive large amounts of our money again—Happy Days — in Berlaymont at least.
August 28, 2024
I fully expect Germany will want to export its immigration and growing unemployment problem to us.
August 28, 2024
The Labour Party have started taxing assets because bond traders will demand higher interest rates if they increases taxes on cash flows (eg income tax).
This is selling off the family silver to pay the credit card interest.
August 28, 2024
Javelin
But it is not their family silver to sell.
Taxing assets bought out of taxed income quite honestly is theft !
August 28, 2024
We now learn that those receiving a British retirement pension living abroad will still be eligible for the Winter Fuel Allowance this year because their access to social security payments was written into the Brexit withdrawal agreement.
This is what happens when politicians rush into making decisions without properly understanding the nuances. It’s also why proposed changes should be discussed in Parliament to thrash out anomalies like this.
This is another example of two-tier policies from this Government that will further incense the British people.
August 28, 2024
Yes, so if you’ve retired to fairly warm Portugal or Spain you will get a Winter Fuel Payment. If you live in the cold, damp UK, you won’t.
Two-Tier-Keir strikes again.
August 28, 2024
Winter Fuels Allowance isn’t paid to pensioners in Spain or France as there’s a temperature rule. I don’t know about Portugal. It is payable in colder countries like Poland, Norway, and Romania so many people who came to work in the UK under freedom of movement and have now returned to their home countries are entitled to it.
August 28, 2024
Child benefit given to EU children who never set foot here!
August 28, 2024
The mother who also might never have set foot in the UK also gets free NI credits towards a UK retirement pension.
Another ludicrous situation is that people who live outside the UK and have only previously worked here for only 3 years can buy added contributions for as little as Ā£3.45 per week. Many people I know in Spain are doing this and they can’t believe our Government are so generous.
August 28, 2024
A relative of mine received the UK Winter Fuel Payment for years living in Thailand heat, where cool shade or fans would have been more suited. On responding that he didnāt need his WFP asking for it to cease, he was told that it was compulsorily fixed to his UK state pension with no means of stopping it!
August 28, 2024
For most of us, I expect, having to borrow money to give away in foreign aid makes no sense at all. Why am I paying to support an all girl opera group in China which has a space program and are building aircraft carriers.
If I was to nip into my bank and tell them that even though I had an overdraft can I borrow a couple of thousand so I can give it away, I am sure I would get short shrift. Furthermore if I was to run my household accounts like government I would soon be in jail. (If there is room).
So to fix this apparent hole in the finances stop paying foreign aid for two or even three years. Maybe it could be restarted when they increase my personal tax allowance in 2028.
August 28, 2024
Also, why are we giving Ā£12 billion to climate change in Africa? The whole thing stinks and I smell corruption and cronyism here. No doubt Starmer will be setting up his Foundation soon. He will have to avoid paying Inheritance tax somehow.
August 28, 2024
Ā£300 a year winter fuel allowance is so insignificant when compared to the Ā£300+ a day for the Lords. Why are we not looking at reducing that.
I do wish Two tier and Ms Thieves would stop peeing down my back whilst telling me itās raining.
August 28, 2024
+1
No attempt to cut the running cost of the State; no intention of attempting to cut the cost of running the State.
Welcome to Animal Farm, where the Prize Pigs have no intention of removing their snouts from the trough.
August 28, 2024
And of course “Everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others”…
August 28, 2024
Surely gratefully being awarding a paid-for seat, or knowing you might have been summarily dumped, a seat in the H of L should not include an attendance allowance, it ought to be a priviledge.
August 28, 2024
šš»+1
August 28, 2024
@BW +1
Exactly. And why does the HoL exist, it has no place in a democracy, or is that the point to remind us we are not and never will be a democracy
August 28, 2024
We are a democracy and have been for a very very long time, with a 50 year break while we were subservient to the Unelected EU. We sack our government. The House of Lords, while an embarrassment as the real Lords have long gone (and represented millions of people on their great estates) cannot override the House of Commons which is the only elected Chamber and therefore the Senior Sovereign Chamber.
August 28, 2024
He has been throwing money at favoured groups and targeting those he has no time for.
It is an old ploy to say things are worse than expected and blame the previous government for everything. You can only get away with that for a short while though.
The other trick is to try to do the unpopular stuff early on and then bribe voters before a general election.
I expect civil disobedience will be a major feature during this government. ULEZ cameras continue to be cut down. Despite prison sentences there will be protests – but protesters will just get smarter. Etc Ed
Reply This site condemns law breaking. Bad laws need changing.
August 28, 2024
Reply to Reply
‘Bad laws need changing’ of course but who is going to change them?
Labour have a majority and unlike the Conservatives they won’t be wasting it, but will use it to the full to do whatever they want.
Of course law breaking is not to be encouraged, but what will happen when there are so many laws enforcing so much restriction that people find their life intolerable.
Peaceful demonstration is still legal, but what if Labour decides otherwise.
If peaceful demonstrations against Labour policies can be spun as being a danger to society and divisive, and therefore must be stopped what then?
August 28, 2024
It echoes the peaceful protests that led to the Peterloo massacre which are now remembered each year. Funny how history repeats itself.
August 28, 2024
R To R
JFK When government makes peaceful change impossible, revolutionary change becomes inevitable.
August 28, 2024
A few years ago Vladimir Putin predicted that what will be coming to Europe will be the equivalent of a revolution:
“The unipolar world is being relegated to the past.We are at the historical crossroads.We are in for probably the most dangerous,unpredictable and at the same time most important decade since the end of World War II.The west is unable to rule humanity single-handedly and the majority of nations no longer want to put up with this.This is the main contradiction of the new era.To cite a classic,this is a revolutionary situation to some extent-the elites cannot and the people do not want to live like that any longer.This state of affairs is fraught with global conflict or a whole chain of conflicts.The change of eras is a painful albeit inevitable process.A future world arrangement is taking place before our eyes.” V V Putin,Valdai Discussioin Club,27/10/22
The old order is being swept aside.Rejoice!
August 28, 2024
The Globalist Order which has taken the people of the west hostage is defeated, they know it and they are desperate.
I do rejoice.
Britain needs to find itself again.
August 28, 2024
reply to reply…but Governments don’t change or remove bad laws, as we have witnessed for years. You would think on succession a whole raft of popularity would enable painful belt-tightening by repealing the bad.
August 29, 2024
Sunak could have blocked it. He didn’t.
August 28, 2024
Indeed a truly appalling speech and no mention on the very high immigration levels, one of the main concerns of the public.
I am not someone likely to riot but listening to Sir Two Tier Keir’s absurd “you are all far right racists” riot speech almost made me want to do so.
See “The Quiet Death of Parliamentary Democracy: David Starkey”
David Starkey Talks video.
August 28, 2024
Starma interviewed by Emily Maitlis – Davos or Westminster? Davos Starmer replies instantly – “Westminster is just a tribal shouting place”. Says it all really clearly the man given such a huge majority by just 20% of the electorate.
The blame lies with the dire 14 years of the Tories made even worse by the moronic decision of Sunak to call the election 6 months early.
August 28, 2024
“Says it all really clearly the man given such a huge majority by just 20% of the electorate is not remotely a democrat” I meant.
August 28, 2024
If only the foolish voters had totally switched from failed, hopeless Tories to Reform then we might not be in this predicted stranglehold of the insane, communist driven Labour idiots. Welcome to the funny farm, although few are going to be laughing until this moronic Government is ousted, one way or a rough alternative.
August 28, 2024
Why that? How many local governments have been administered by UKIP/Brexit Party/Reform?
With what success? How do you know the five Reform MPs are/will be any good at their job?
August 28, 2024
Hefner — stop living in the past – UKIP/BREXIT was then.
A week is a long time in politics . .so years?
Well I do know anybody elected on a LABOUR ticket will not ‘ be good at their job’.
August 28, 2024
At the rate they are importing new voters, we won’t have the power to oust them.
August 28, 2024
LL :
PM Sunak called the election 6 months early to ensure that illegal migration across the Channel would continue. He knew that Labour would win and would cancel the Rwanda plan. He was worried that this plan might actually work and hence called the GE early to avoid it being tested.
PM May tried to scupper Brexit with Olly Robbins and signed us up to the UNās Compact on Migration and 100% Net Zero by 2050. Both without any Parliamentary vote. PM Johnson bungled Brexit and together with his Chancellor Sunak bankrupted the country with excessive lockdowns. He was finally ejected for not following the lockdown rules he had implemented. In addition he ramped up Net Zero including bringing forward the date from which new ice cars could not be sold. PM Sunak and colleagues including the BoE, to gain power, trashed PM Trussā premiership and the electorateās belief that the Party maintained the ability to handle the nationās finances. During the whole time the Party ignored the countryās wishes and their own manifesto to reduce immigration.
The Party still supports mass immigration and Net Zero. Consequently not only is it unelectable it cannot even act as an Opposition to our current Communist PM.
August 28, 2024
More depressing news.
Lord Mandelson lined up to be US ambassador
Labour peer and former spin doctor makes ācredible pitchā to be Sir Keir Starmerās man in Washington DC also in running for Chancellor of Oxford University. Surely we and the World have suffered enough from this man, as has Oxford University from Lord Patten as Chancellor.
August 28, 2024
Life, can you list what Lord Patten has done as Chancellor of Oxford University that calls for such a condemnation. Thank you in advance.
August 28, 2024
He has destroyed the university. If you knew a few recent graduates you would have the evidence all the rest of us have.
August 28, 2024
They are preparing for a Harris win. If Trump wins he’ll be ‘back of the queue’ like Obama threatened us over Brexit.
August 28, 2024
Never mind – someone else will pay. The Labour mantra to its acolytes.
Our Two Tier Prime Minister did not say how growth will be achieved much less growth per capita.
August 28, 2024
Our PM is a loser on a 33% electoral base. He seems intent on picking off what he thinks are easy targets. Pensioners will not be trampled upon at no cost. Those that at the election supported him are probably the most vulnerable to his none taxing grab.
Turning none violent protesters, in his mind, into rent a mob, because a few oiks opportunistically join them for a punch up with the police, is a fatal miss judgement. He all too obviously in his partisan way ignores all the violence at the Notting Hill Carnival along with his fellow travelling mayor because it might upset his political support. No doubt supported by weak police leadership.
The CP, being in leaderless navel scratching disarray, are effectively off the field of play, but it is an opportunity for Reform to be the voice of a minority opposition. I hope they rip appart this partisan useless government on its road to division and their usual financial incompetence.
August 28, 2024
I thought Starmer’s biggest mistake was supposing that after he has made things worse things will get better.
August 28, 2024
Given the Starma agenda (hugely anti-growth, net zero, ever more government, more taxes, more red tapeā¦ things will indeed only get worse.
August 28, 2024
His first mistake was opening his mouth. His second mistake was speaking. Does he really not understand that the Two-Tier-Keir label has already stuck and lecturing “the peasants” about their perceived deficiencies isn’t likely to get the reaction he claims to want.
So far, he’s alienated 12 million pensioners and the white working class. It sounds like next he’ll be aiming for everyone else who has dared to buy a house or has some investments.
August 28, 2024
PS Good to see you batting for the right side (pun intended) on the Farage show last night, Sir John š
August 28, 2024
Most importantly he has alienated the Labour voting base.
That is a great achievement in just 50 days. Most of them donāt even know that the is a special law exempting Starmerās pension from tax. Wait until they find out!
So the good news is that both the Conservative and Labour Party are now effectively defunct.
Letās hope we donāt need Lib Dem and Green Governments to prove they are defunct too.
We reject the political class.
Now what?
August 28, 2024
@Lynn Atkinson
Yep …. alienating the Labour voting base will be worrying many Labour MPs. Maybe those MPs will have the guts to do something about it …. although I’m not holding my breath
August 28, 2024
Two Tier Keir is tone deaf to the electorate he has no intention of dealing with the vastly high immigration levels, he is going beck into the EU by stealth, robbing pensioner, hugely anti-free speech too Two Tier Keir and Stasi Starmer – the last few David Starkey Videos are all excellent on this. If anything the man is even worse than Corbyn.
August 28, 2024
Of course he is worse than Corbyn, by a military mile!
August 28, 2024
Alienated much of the black working class too and all road users are in his sights too.
August 28, 2024
Keir Stalin is setting the scene and giving himself excuses for authoritarian Marxism to be applied. He and his many thousands of authority figures who he also needs demand punishment for those who prefer freedoms.
Those who do not think like him are defined as Far Right extremists and must be be controlled, removed and as much as possible imprisoned.
August 28, 2024
Just to add, an example of State indimidation and police politicising, under Keir Stalin of those he doesn’t like. An 11 year old child has been arrested in connection with the Middlesbrough riots. As you know he has called everyone involved as Far Right extremists.
August 28, 2024
The world is shocked by this arrest. Britains reputation is where we deserve it to be.
August 28, 2024
I don’t suppose he cares, just an ideological socialist obeying the diktats of his union paymasters. Not one of them has any ability to join dots and see consequences. Who said “socialists always run out of other people’s money”? Roll on the credit crisis and ruin for many.
August 28, 2024
@Corky +1
August 28, 2024
I’m not sure why anyone is finding all this a surprise. The man kept using the mantra ‘Change’ throughout the election and Labour in opposition clearly showed what that change would be.
They as a set of people wish to change this country beyond all recognition in every sphere imaginable even to the most bizarre aspects of what a woman is or isn’t.
The opinions and beliefs of Starmer were hardly a secret. His interview technique during the election was to say not much at all except how bad the Conservatives were. Well we all knew that.
He’s still playing that card.
As for a divided society, well the day Blair decided that we would have mass immigration and multi-culture and the Conservatives jumped on the bandwagon, was the day that was set in motion.
The decision to trash our culture and history and recreate one to fit all is another divisive mechanism.
All this was clear, nothing is surprising.
August 28, 2024
What did you expect! The public hated the Conservatives, the media attacked and lied about Reform. Leaving Labour as the reluctant choice in a twisted voting system that rewarded them with victory on 33% of votes cast.
Hopefully this semi-communist shower will be exposed quickly and we won’t have to suffer them for five years.
Mind you that will also require a decent opposition party that right now we don’t have unless Reform and Cons. tie-up.
August 28, 2024
A Reform Cons tie-up disenfranchises those who will never vote for the Tory Party again because of their abysmal failure to govern in the interests of our country over fourteen years. Whether there are ‘good’ Tories or not, it is irrelevant as they are never allowed by the Party’s financial backers to occupy high office and mostly they are weeded out at the potential candidate selection phase.
August 28, 2024
Several Conservative MPs will be awaiting the outcome of their Leadership Election and the outcome of the Party Conference before deciding what to do. For those suspended in doubt, joining the Reform Party can then become a clear option toward better.
August 28, 2024
Nothing like positive news and rewards to fire up the imagination, the economy, and to encourage people back to work, or for working harder and smarter.
What a depressing statement and kick in the teeth for those investors, strivers, and workers, who for years, and in the short term have given up on some of the little pleasures of life, to try and make a long term secure future for themselves and their families.
Makes you just want to give up !
What is the point if it is all going to be taken away and given to others.
August 28, 2024
Yes, I’m afraid Mr Starmer and fellow travellers would view me as very selfish when it comes to my money BA.
I know there are many millions of poor in the world, I’ve seen it close up in the Far East. Talk of people in this country being “poor” is relative, especially when you’ve lived with people living in tiny tin huts or under upturned boats on bricks with no running water or sewers. I worked hard all my life and paid my taxes to become ‘comfortable’ by which I mean I now own my home and can pay my bills in retirement. I don’t view myself as “Wealthy”. We live a quiet life, enjoying the garden and the occasional meal out and mostly holiday in the UK. I have no desire to let Ms Reeves ‘redistribute’ what wealth I have now or will be left when we finally pass. As far as I’m concerend it’s my money and I’ll decide who’s going to spend it or get it. In case there is any doubt, that’s going to be me or my children and/or grandchildren and not some Bolshie Train Driver, Nigerian Knitting Circle or Carbon Capture Project (or any other ‘good’ cause this mob want to spend it on).
We’ll see what October brings…
August 28, 2024
Ditto.
August 29, 2024
Same here. I’m waiting for the Budget before I decide what action I’ll be taking in the short and medium term.
August 29, 2024
Ian T: I just had to plus+1 your comment because there are very many who feel the same and have strived / are striving to do the same. And as far as redistribution is concerned, there’s been plenty of that going on during the last few weeks and we are watching. As you say, let’s see what October brings.
August 28, 2024
What an insult to all of those people who for years have done voluntary charitable work (at their own expense) in order to help people in their own communities, because the State System has failed.
August 28, 2024
People don’t like being told how awful they are and how much poorer they are going to be.
August 28, 2024
Once taxes go up under Labour they will never go down again so thereās nothing āshort-termā about the the pain. And the response from from the Leader of the Opposition ? Nothing at all – I assume therefore he agrees with Starmer.
Reply Sunak and Trott opposed the idea of higher taxes and attacked Starmer for trying it on over the state of the economy
August 28, 2024
JR they only opposed higher taxes in opposition. In government they were sold on the idea.
August 28, 2024
Trying to put spin on the 2024 election defeat would appear to be shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Starmer is in power for at least ten years, regardless
With a national debt approaching Ā£2.4 TRILLION – leading to annual interest payments of ~Ā£125 billion – clearly the national finances are not good. Labour appear to have very little fiscal leeway, despite years of tax increases under the last government.
There is far to much child poverty and hunger in the country. Starmer and Reeves want to change government spending priorities. That’s what his speech was all about
August 28, 2024
So stop importing it.
August 28, 2024
At last we know know EXACTLY what you are Mr Cold. Are you going to shut down your Orchard House? You need to get rid of the cars and get on a bus (if there is one).
August 28, 2024
If children are ‘poor’, their parents (who are responsible for their welfare) could experiment with spending less on themselves (e.g. on drugs, alcohol, electronic toys, fashion and television), and more on their children.
I see little genuine hunger around, but much fraudulent begging and a great deal of obesity.
August 28, 2024
Who are these children in poverty, Sakara? How many of them are new arrivals reunited in the UK? Do we still support children in poverty in the EU? How many, and how much?
How many in poverty children have neither parent working full time more than 37.5 hours per week, especially if the child is school age? How many people don’t do anything to help themselves anymore? I know several, their baby Dads are around just not declared, only sleep over the allowed three nights per week, just enough to impregnate to get the 2nd child benefits, often not put on the birth certificate so the csa doesn’t catch up with them.
We are told about men with multiple partners with whom they have kids. Socialism is going to get more of this behaviour.
August 28, 2024
Then let’s stop allowing more and more ‘poor’ people into this country and running down our industrial base in the name of the great Green God – Net Zero. Mass migrartion depresses wages and puts increasing pressure on housing and all the associated support services. ‘Net Zero’ is driving up energy/living costs and can only continue to do so with the current nonsensical energy strategies.
Who do you think this hurts most? Not the North London luvvies that like to promote economic migration. Nor youself, who seems so keen on the ‘carbon-free’ idealogy. How many ‘green’ jobs are there for the parents of all those ‘poor’ children and when will Mr Milli-Bend start making life easier for them? Not any time soon I’m afraid. All we have is the promise of more pain to come and it certainly won’t be the “Rich” that will suffer either! It’s us, the poor sods who aren’t rich enough to just give up on these useless clowns and go elsewhere (like the non-doms are already doing). Welcome to the socialist paradise that used to be Great Britain.
August 28, 2024
Poverty is a statistical measurement of a certain percentage below the average income.
Therefore if our population rises so poverty rises.
To reduce poverty reduce the size of our population.
August 28, 2024
Knowing full well that Starmer is going to do what is objectively wrong, because it is embedded in his nature and that of every socialist – think of Aesop’s frog and scorpion fable – we now need each leadership candidate from Sir John’s former Commons colleagues to explain exactly how and to what extent they would pledge to tackle the ratchet effect of socialism (as Enoch Powell memorably described it) if elected. Those who would leave the socialist ratchet in place do not deserve to be party leader; should they all give no impression of planning to address it, this will be a further opportunity for Reform.
August 28, 2024
If the Conservative Party has a potential leader capable of rebuilding confidence in them after their stunning incompetance and ill discipline since Cameron’s time, then they had better make an appearance real soon. As a life long Conservative voter, I’m not holding my breath. Nor do I hold any great faith that they can re-emerge as anything more than a poor alternative to the equally dire Lib Dems.
PS Feisty performance from you Sir John (on GBN) last night. Well done.
What a pity you are such a lonely spokesman for good old fashioned common sense these days.
August 28, 2024
Remember, without hesitation, Starmer chose Davos over Westminster when asked by Emily Maitlis in Jan 2023 and in this year’s SKY News leaders’ election interview on 12 June said that in 2019 he had said that Mr Corbyn would make a good PM because he was “certain that we would lose”. Can you believe a word he says? He is untrustworthy and working for globalist interests not ours.
August 28, 2024
@Brian Tomkinson – People have to be constantly reminded that especially with Starmer it is WEF that rules not those that lent him the powers. That was the Conservative Governments failure and the failure of their would be replacement leader candidates they all wish to be led by WEF doctrine at the expense of serving the people
August 28, 2024
Well said last night on GBNews. I would support your statements totally, politics and Westminster are so mush poorer without you!
August 28, 2024
What an utterly stupid man, telling everyone how things are going to get worse, with warnings of “tough choices” to come, but not what they will be.
He may as well have said, “If you have an idea on how to start a business and make money, don’t bother, it will all be taken away in tax.” “If your business has an opportunity and you could expand, don’t bother, on top of taking the profit away in tax, we will also make your life a misery with employment legislation.” “If you are wealthy and have choices, get out of the country now and take your spending elsewhere.”
Sorry, to sort out the country’s finances, that means the kind of “tough choices” the Labour party consider too tough. Get rid of the vanity projects – HS2, foreign aid, hotels for illegal migrants and cut the bloated state.
If you are warning about tough times ahead, make clear the goal and the rewards at the end. That though needs a plan, and our PM doesn’t have one.
August 28, 2024
Has anybody quantified the elements of this Ā£22b black hole?
August 28, 2024
Well said. Saw you on GB News last night – very good. Shame your party did not see your worth and promote you to the top jobs. Probably would not as you would have shown the rubbish we have had up for what they are. Too late to go back now so keep on going on TV (preferably GB News) and telling it like it is. Gloom is not the way forward as Starmer will learn. You must give people hope otherwise the NHS will be more clogged up with people with mental health problems.
August 28, 2024
Disappointing and periodically incompetent as the last govt was it was very clear to me – but unfortunately not to enough other people – that Labour would be far worse. And now we see it. Lies over a supposed āblack holeā when all the numbers are public and reeves had privileged access for weeks before the election. Lies during the election campaign, as it is quite obvious they intended to increase tax even more all along. Back to the 70s with appeasement of militant unions wrecking ever worse public sector āservicesā. Lies and obfuscation now over illegal immigration.
Whoever wins the Conservative leadership contest needs to focus on the best tactics for removing these idiotic socialists. Some kind of informal electoral pact with Reform is the obvious idea.
August 28, 2024
Having heard all the rubbish spouted by Starmer, Reeves and Ginge since the election I have been tempted to change my name on this blog to “WTF !”
Yesterday’s speech was a typical example. This morning we had the Today programme talking about fuel poverty but nothing to say the government is not doing enough and its shameful etc. But both of the women interviewed were from a charity and think tank, I think it was. One would expect them to take the public’s side of the argument but both were Labour people, one was even an ex-shadow minister. Naturally there was no criticism of the government and 100% support for the ludicrously expensive Net Zero scam.
Now we hear that all pensioners living in the warm climates of Southern Spain and Portugal, or anowhere else in the EU, will still receive their full Winter Fuel Payments ! (My expletive deleted).
August 28, 2024
Fuel poverty, deindustrialization and actual poverty is the wages of Russophobia.
August 28, 2024
Some think it fortunate to have a PM at this time that speaks with such honesty about the state of the nation and is now going to do something about it. Starmer says the weight will fall more on the the broad shoulders of those who can aford it – makes sense.
Starmer is not into courting popularity – my kind of guy
August 28, 2024
Really? By spooking anyone that might help deliver the growth he’s looking for?
If the PM is crying into his beer, who is going to put their hopes into this country?
August 28, 2024
The broad shoulders you refer to are the ones paying 30% of all income taxes at the moment. If you were one of those high earners would you 1. Stay in the UK to pay for mass immigration, uncontrolled welfare and free NHS for the world. Social housing for anyone who chips up with priority to newcomers not born here OR 2, Go to a friendly state and pay much less tax and you keep your own wages for you and your family.
The brain drain/ high earners leaving has already started. Who will pay Two Tier Starmer’s raised taxes? YOU. YOU FOOL!!!
August 28, 2024
Steve
Would help if Government and Local Authority Departments actually did what they preach to others, and worked more efficiently at less cost, because that is the only real way forward.
Re-distribution of so called wealth just makes everyone poorer and removes the incentive to try and look after yourself.
August 28, 2024
Are you Broad Shouldered Steve? Man called Starmer was asking for you.
August 29, 2024
If he spoke with such honesty, I presume he’ll be dispensing with the services of all the staff at The Treasury, BofE and OBR who obviously gave him and Reeve such defective information during the very comprehensive briefings they had during the 6 months leading up to the General Election.
They are either completely incompetent or liars and an “honest PM who isn’t courting popularity” couldn’t possibly allow that situation to continue.
Unfortunately for Two-Tier, we know he’s speaking with forked tongue.
August 28, 2024
Sir John
Just as with the last crowd they are clueless about what Government is and how to manage.
First thing is to control expenditure, it feels like it is 90% but at a guess they are throwing āOURā money at 70% of things that are not necessary.
Instead of contriving to punish and penalize they need to listen, hear and work with all the people of the UK. Not doing those things is the single reason the other shower of incompetents got thrown out.
Pushing idealogical agendas is not working with.
August 28, 2024
And today Starmer is in Germany as he ‘promises'(?) to reset relationships with Germany and the EU. As with all remainers he doesn’t understand the our biggest trading partners are the World. The UK is just a recipient of EU trade, UK trade to the EU is held back by the EU even whilst it was a member. It was and is a one way street. EU protectionism fights World trade, closer links would mean the UK accepts more from the EU including their rules and laws at the expense of trade elsewhere. The EU is a loose, loose basket case for the UK – but an idealogical win for the Socialist Empire envisaged by Starmer.
In perspective this is the reward the Conservative Party gave us, and the continuity candidates for the leadership of the Party wish to impose once more. We are stuck with a Parliament that will fight the People with what ever badge they wish to wear.
August 28, 2024
A Telegraph Headline – ‘Why Starmerās deal with Germany could help PMās plan to undo hard Brexit’
‘Hard Brexit’, since when did Brino and retaining all EU Laws, Rules and Regulations even become Brexit?
August 28, 2024
Part of the WA deal means 2 tier is at it again – UK retirees on the Continent are in line to get the Ā£300 handout even if they exceed the new wealth threshold set by Rachel Reeves. The continent includes Ireland.
It can’t be stopped.
August 28, 2024
It was noticeable that after ‘Passes For Glasses’ Starmer’s speech, he only asked his pet media to ask soft questions. Four press conferences and not once did he ask for a question from GB News – a sign of a weak and useless PM not up to the job as we have always known.
August 28, 2024
It is just not possible to believe Starmer’s weasel words that he doesn’t want to make life difficult for us – we all know his actions were planned in advance with the deliberate aim of doing just that.
Apart from following irrational programs as socialists do, he sees pensioners and the middle class, that he wants drastically reduced, as the first easy target. Socialists have no soul, so he will not shed a single tear for any deaths that result from his actions.
As for the rotten society he talks about – the rot starts at the top, and now that is him. Labour opposed very very little that the last Tory government government did over the last years. He didn’t oppose the huge number of restrictive and suppressive new laws that caused decent people to riot. Far from it, he wanted more! Now he wants to shape us in his own dire image.
So let’s be totally clear, the rot in our society started at the top, is instigated at the top of society, and he is fully responsible and to blame for the chaos now reigning.
August 28, 2024
Those of us with long memories can recall that in 1964 when Harold Wilson became PM (with a tiny Labour majority) he spent much time harping on repeatedly about ’13 years of Tory Misrule’, obviously thinking that if he said it often enough, people would believe him and ignore the economic damage he was doing to the country.
August 28, 2024
I wonder if the government/civil service are preparing the groundwork for re-entry to the eu
August 28, 2024
We can’t re-enter. Maastricht rules state a country’s debt to GDP ratio must be less than 60%, and there’s absolutely no prospect of the UK achieving that. I doubt the EU will re-write the Maastricht Treaty just to accommodate the UK.
August 28, 2024
None of this is a shock. Labour was quite clear before the election that pensioners and homeowners were the tax targets and estate inheritors.
August 28, 2024
Front door, side door or back door ….it looks like we’re going back into the EU
August 28, 2024
GC: Honey on Toast. Dealing with Starmer is like Honey on Toast, said EU leaders, compared to the other lot. Let him get on with it and keep denying what they’re up to. He’s got the financial black hole, the societal black hole and all the rot to deal with after all. Just waiting to hear what’s been agreed & spent after this week’s back slapping sessions.
August 28, 2024
Donāt worry, Germany is bankrupt therefore so is the EU. There is no way back without cheap energy. NATO is also defeated.
If we stop shooting at Russia, we will not be in danger.
August 28, 2024
I don’t understand what he means, does anybody in parliament really know what goes on in the country?
I know what goes on because I have many friends in all walks of life from those on benefits to rich business people.
As I said before I look forward to meeting you on Friday and listening to what you have to say.
August 28, 2024
What a terrible mindset Starmer has. Concentrating on so much doom and gloom will affect people’s mental health and money decisions. This is going to be very costly when they realise and have to spend other people’s money giving people a boost. They genuinely believe they can clobber companies and still get growth.
SME’s that didn’t go through the Blair/Brown governments aren’t prepared for what is going to hit them. Jonathan Reynolds pretends he wants to help, but keep your head down, batten down the hatches, Rayners on the warpath.
August 28, 2024
Iām going to halve my rents on commercial properties. Reducing my income to the point where I donāt need to pay much tax, also maybe, saving small businesses so that they can scrape a living.
I will not fund this government.
August 29, 2024
Thatās admirable Lynn but these people could be in power 10 years if the Tories donāt get their act together sooner rather than later. Sunak has severely damaged the Tory party. He was the one suggesting authoritarian dictates from his desk as PM, setting Starmer up very nicely to follow his lead. I know where you are coming from though, I also feel like shrugging this off.
August 28, 2024
One one issue Starmer is right. The UK is in a mess. But he is wrong to think his supposed. “remedies” are the answer. They are more likely to make the mess an irredeemable mess. I fail to see, if the natives are to punished for achieving a higher standard d of living, why foreigners are to be persuaded to fill the financing gap by investing here. If they do well they will be taxed to the hilt too.. And they might be, perhaps should be, very worried the possibility of political instability.
August 28, 2024
The PM is right. We are in for five years of misery under Labour. How revealing that there is no mention of cutting Government spending to fill the alleged “black hole.” Ā£22 billion is just under 2% of the Government’s budget.
Cutting that amount of spending should be easy. But Labour will keep spending until they bankrupt the UK.
The next Conservative / Reform PM in 2029 will have a major job to do and have to cut spending, whether he or she wants to or not!
August 28, 2024
526 illegal economic /criminals arrived in the UK yesterday from the safe country of France
August 28, 2024
It is claimed that POTUS Obama once said ‘that one could rely upon Joe Biden to duck things up’.
I suggest that equally applies to the Labour party whose tenancies of Number 10 have produced very little for OUR country but cost us more in currency devaluations and rising debts through fiscal mismanagement.
Scarily, this new batch of Neo-Marxist socialists are now acting out the scenario once envisaged by Mrs Thatcher that socialism worked ‘until they eventually run out of other people’s money’.
I suggest that time will come before the next election due in 2029. Then what happens?
August 28, 2024
The two biggest mistakes of the PM are to continue with mass immigration (legal and illegal) and to further ramp up Net Zero.
The PM cannot expect to be popular when he cuts pensionersā fuel benefit whilst increasing fuel prices through pursuing Net Zero and encouraging illegal immigration by collecting these young men of fighting age, often in French waters, giving them free accommodation, including all their heating, food and medical costs, plus Ā£40/week pocket money and the freedom to roam the streets whilst taking up black market jobs.
Not only is the PM spending ever more on subsidising Net Zero (if wind and solar energy were the cheapest forms of energy why do they still need subsidising?) but according to Carbon Brief the UK has spent Ā£12.6bn on climate related projects in developing countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe since 2011 and the budget for 2022/23 was Ā£1.4bn. This is in addition to the foreign aid budget of Ā£15.4bn/year.
The subsidies paid to UK renewables is Ā£12bn/year and will be rising rapidly with Ed Milibandās plans to decarbonise our electricity by 2030.
August 28, 2024
Any idea why there hasnāt been a spending review for three years?
August 28, 2024
If I wanted to pay train drivers then I’d simply buy a railway ticket.
I’m bemused how there is such a bad black hole that low income retirees must have their heating cut whilst train drivers get to stay in the top 10% of earners.
August 28, 2024
+1
August 28, 2024
As a life-long Conservative supporter ( I canvassed for Margaret Thatcher ), I voted for the party in July, as it was obvious that Reform would win no more than a handful of seats. But seeing the way things are going, this morning I paid my Ā£25 and joined the Reform Party.
The conservatives are finished as a governing party. The 4m who voted Reform at the election are never going to trust the party again, and without them, they cannot win another election. The only way to beat Starmer in 2029, and we must, is for there to be a new grouping on the right between Reform and the Conservatives.
I can only hope whoever wins the Conservative leadership election sees sense, and proposes a merger. Reform will have to lead the new party to restore trust, but I somehow doubt it will happen until after the Conservatives lose even more badly in 2029. I the meantime I will be actively promoting my new party.
August 28, 2024
Good for you. Trust in the Tory’s on anything has gone!!!
August 28, 2024
I also joined some weeks ago but I am waiting until I see how they restructure and organise themselves as a membership party before getting involved any further. I also think they should look for ways to cooperate with the other small parties like Reclaim.
They need to start building up a local council base and get more MPs with parliamentary experience but appear to be the only hope at the moment to oust the Labour peril – It’s a bit of a joke that they call themselves Labour considering they hate the working class, mind you no different from the Conservative Party and their disdain for the conservative voters.
August 28, 2024
Actually Farage owns 60% – so itās his party. You should look up Ben Habib, by far one of the most talented politicians atm and see what he has to say.
August 29, 2024
Agreed. I held my nose in 2019 and I won’t be doing that again. None of the Leadership candidates is trustworthy but even if they were, the backbencher LibCONs and LibCON members of the House of Frauds aren’t.
August 31, 2024
A system that encourages tactical voting is a bad system. One should be able to to vote for the party closest to one’s views. How else can parliament be expected to represent the views of the population at large? The UK’s two-party FPTP system is an exception and rewards failure. Indeed your vote for The Tories was precisely that. Most countries have PR in one form or another.
August 28, 2024
I would assume nealy everyone reading this website agrees with Sir John!
It is one of the great mysteries of our time, that the /conservative Government didnt follow his advice, which they obviously could and should have done, and the new Government , not surprisingly is on an even lower plane of stupidity!
One specific point often missed. CGT applies to several sectors, of which one is portfolio management. . Over a lifetime I founded and successfully operated small businesses, one a particulalry successful small manufacturing company. which I eventually sold when it became apparant that younger people wouild be better equipped to continue the growth. Tax was paid in those businesses, and when I sold them capital gains tax. As in an early part of my career I had worked in investment management, most of the proceeds I manage in my investment portfolio, which as well as my modest needs assists charities etc. Good portfolio manangement requires ocasional changes in holdings. It is difficult enough to justify a switch at 20 % CGT, and even harder at 45% or even more! Mostly I just will not sell! Its human nature! If you look at company taxes, dividend taxes , gains taxes, in many cases it must be at least triple taxation. (before even thinking of inheritance tax!)
Will they remember that not that long ago there was inflation adjustment too on capital gains.
Who do these politicians think they are to nbe able to make often unfounded assumptions as to why individuals have do swhat ghey do. We are not all the same and rationale varies.
August 28, 2024
Sir
To deal with the withdrawal of the fuel allowance for older people, I have heard a rumour that a clever travel agent based in London is arranging for pensioners fly to France where they bin their passports and then return to England illegally in a dingy. The pensioners are then looked after in a nice a nice warm hotel this winter.
Problem solved.
August 31, 2024
So the choice in UK’s two party FPTP democracy is between a Tory party that fails to do the right things and a Labour Party that succeeds in doing the wrong things. There is an excellent book that analyses the reasons why nations, states and civilisations have failed over a millenia. It is, ‘Why Nations Fail’ by Daron Acemoglu and James A Robinson. The common reason is what they term extractive , ie self serving, man-made political and economic institutions. The cause is never the people whose lives are governed by these institutions. Niall Ferguson has written similarly about the failure of the institutions of the state, including cultural institutions, at the heart of failing states. The argument can be extended to the institution of marriage, as a foundation of society.
Why the Conservative Party flounders around in search of a conservative philosophy of government in the national interest Acemoglu’s and Robinson’s book should be mandatory reading.
Reply We have a multi party system. The two largest parties only secured 58% of the vote last time. If the Conservative Party under a new leader does not speak for the Conservative half of the electorate it will be pushed aside, as the Liberals were a century ago.