What is the point of labour ?

[I Clavdivs]

Last seen giving it Billy Big Baws during  election campaign.

[effeffsee_the2nd]

2 hours ago, Salt n Vinegar said:

Sister in law is a Labour voter and  slightly older than me. She is now firmly of the view that in the forthcoming budget Labour will means test the state pension.

Until yesterday's announcement about the winter fuel allowance I'd have thought she was nuts but now I'm not so sure. 

They couldn't, could they?

means testing the state pension will be massively controversial as all those who have paid national insurance to qualify for it will feel entitled to what they have directly paid for.  The WFA is an easier one to go after, remember, the poor auld pensioner trope is years out of date, our current crop of OAP's are the wealthiest demographic in society and many have more disposable income than the average working age person

[tarapoa]

Rachel Reeves yesterday effectively signed the death warrant for UK oil & gas exploration and production.

The Energy Profits Levy has been increased to 78% and extended to 2030.  The Investment Allowance to assist with new fields/projects, which are mainly tie-ins, has been abolished.

Ah, but Shell and BP make huge profits I hear some say.

Indeed, but this is a global thing - these two are chickenfeed in the UK these days.  The UK is mainly smaller operators funded by private equity.  Banana republic style draconian taxation will just means this investment goes elsewhere, jobs are lost, and the taxation they hoped to earn won't happen anyway - investment in 'energy transition' will diminish too.

Reeves and Milliband could have at least done industry leaders the courtesy of some consultation on the implications of their actions - but since it's mainly faraway Scotland that's impacted, they didn't bother with that. Invisible Anas doesn't seem to have done much either. 

 

[MazzyStar]

12 minutes ago, tarapoa said:

Rachel Reeves yesterday effectively signed the death warrant for UK oil & gas exploration and production.

The Energy Profits Levy has been increased to 78% and extended to 2030.  The Investment Allowance to assist with new fields/projects, which are mainly tie-ins, has been abolished.

Ah, but Shell and BP make huge profits I hear some say.

Indeed, but this is a global thing - these two are chickenfeed in the UK these days.  The UK is mainly smaller operators funded by private equity.  Banana republic style draconian taxation will just means this investment goes elsewhere, jobs are lost, and the taxation they hoped to earn won't happen anyway - investment in 'energy transition' will diminish too.

Reeves and Milliband could have at least done industry leaders the courtesy of some consultation on the implications of their actions - but since it's mainly faraway Scotland that's impacted, they didn't bother with that. Invisible Anas doesn't seem to have done much either. 

 

Let me play the worlds smallest violin. 

[scottsdad]

Greggs adds 5p to cost of sausage rolls despite ruling out price rises

[tarapoa]

8 minutes ago, MazzyStar said:

Let me play the worlds smallest violin. 

Yes, that''s the kind of thing that people that are generally quite detached and ignorant about the situation and just see headline tabloid figures tend to say.

I don't blame you - taxation and investment allowance isn't particularly exciting - and a 'windfall tax' was merited 3 years back when Russia/Ukraine kicked off. Prices have normalised since then - yet it's 78% tax for oil & gas producers, and next to nothing for banks, pharmaceuticals and Amazon - who all made 'windfalls'.

[Cheese]

 

[SandyCromarty]

Prior to the election a £20 Billion black hole in the economy was mentioned in a few debates so Labour were well aware of the financial situation and must have drawn up plans then to remove the winter fuel payment, give junior doctors a 22% rise and public sector workers a 5.5% rise, if they had announced those intentions would they have had the majority they did.

[scottsdad]

3 minutes ago, SandyCromarty said:

Prior to the election a £20 Billion black hole in the economy was mentioned in a few debates so Labour were well aware of the financial situation and must have drawn up plans then to remove the winter fuel payment, give junior doctors a 22% rise and public sector workers a 5.5% rise, if they had announced those intentions would they have had the majority they did.

The £20 billion black hole mentioned in the run up to the election still hasn't been addressed. 

Yesterday's one was made up of public sector pay rises (about half of yesterday's spend was for this), asylum costs and various other schemes that had been announced but not funded. So, a whole new black hole. 

[SandyCromarty]

9 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

The £20 billion black hole mentioned in the run up to the election still hasn't been addressed. 

Yesterday's one was made up of public sector pay rises (about half of yesterday's spend was for this), asylum costs and various other schemes that had been announced but not funded. So, a whole new black hole. 

By being so readily and within weeks of being elected awarding significant pay rises must raise a green flag for a whole host of strikes forthcoming for pay rises throughout industry.

[Dan Steele]

As a society you might think we'd look after our elders but here we are taking away a £300 benefit to help old folks stay warm. That's a one off £300, not the £300 daily sign in allowance we pay to the House of Lords chancers.

[GTG_03]

1 hour ago, tarapoa said:

Rachel Reeves yesterday effectively signed the death warrant for UK oil & gas exploration and production.

The Energy Profits Levy has been increased to 78% and extended to 2030.  The Investment Allowance to assist with new fields/projects, which are mainly tie-ins, has been abolished.

Ah, but Shell and BP make huge profits I hear some say.

Indeed, but this is a global thing - these two are chickenfeed in the UK these days.  The UK is mainly smaller operators funded by private equity.  Banana republic style draconian taxation will just means this investment goes elsewhere, jobs are lost, and the taxation they hoped to earn won't happen anyway - investment in 'energy transition' will diminish too.

Reeves and Milliband could have at least done industry leaders the courtesy of some consultation on the implications of their actions - but since it's mainly faraway Scotland that's impacted, they didn't bother with that. Invisible Anas doesn't seem to have done much either. 

 

Labour in 'not giving a shi*e about Scotland' shocker !

Never mind, I've no doubt Sarwar is banging starmers door down right now.

Do we never learn in Scotland ?

[Granny Danger]

2 hours ago, effeffsee_the2nd said:

means testing the state pension will be massively controversial as all those who have paid national insurance to qualify for it will feel entitled to what they have directly paid for.  The WFA is an easier one to go after, remember, the poor auld pensioner trope is years out of date, our current crop of OAP's are the wealthiest demographic in society and many have more disposable income than the average working age person

Some pensioners are very well off, some are quite well off, some are just about managing and some are really struggling.

They are not a homogeneous group and whilst many will not be too effected by withdrawal of the WFA others will suffer badly.

The withdrawal needs to be very targeted to avoid real suffering.

 

[Salt n Vinegar]

1 hour ago, Granny Danger said:

Some pensioners are very well off, some are quite well off, some are just about managing and some are really struggling.

They are not a homogeneous group and whilst many will not be too effected by withdrawal of the WFA others will suffer badly.

The withdrawal needs to be very targeted to avoid real suffering.

 

Seems to me that if cash had to be saved from the WFA, removing it from households where one or more residents paid income tax at above the basic rate it would be difficult to argue against.

[Salt n Vinegar]

2 hours ago, Dan Steele said:

As a society you might think we'd look after our elders but here we are taking away a £300 benefit to help old folks stay warm. That's a one off £300, not the £300 daily sign in allowance we pay to the House of Lords chancers.

Wonder how long it will be before some MP has the haw maws to demand that if the OAPs are to lose their WFA, all bar and catering facilities in the Westminster Parliament must have their subsidiaries removed?

(I don't really wonder that at all... Even if someone suggested it, it would never be implemented )

[Dan Steele]

24 minutes ago, Salt n Vinegar said:

Wonder how long it will be before some MP has the haw maws to demand that if the OAPs are to lose their WFA, all bar and catering facilities in the Westminster Parliament must have their subsidiaries removed?

(I don't really wonder that at all... Even if someone suggested it, it would never be implemented )

Ah, but that's another wee reward for all the good work they're doing for the country.

Anyway, Keith's going to abolish the Lords, so there's another saving coming soon.

[MONKMAN]

With people living longer and getting their state pension later, at what point will they look to increase the number of years contributions?

[Plumpy]

Seems his popularity isn't well appreciated in this area

 

[Freedom Farter]

19 minutes ago, Plumpy said:

Seems his popularity isn't well appreciated in this area

 

Charles Veitch and his acolytes aren't local to that area. They're London-based arseholes who travel to political events and film themselves harassing folk. The woman you hear at the end of that clip is likely local and seemed to get set off by them.

[DeeTillEhDeh]

6 hours ago, effeffsee_the2nd said:

means testing the state pension will be massively controversial as all those who have paid national insurance to qualify for it will feel entitled to what they have directly paid for.  The WFA is an easier one to go after, remember, the poor auld pensioner trope is years out of date, our current crop of OAP's are the wealthiest demographic in society and many have more disposable income than the average working age person

Any government that did that would be out on their ear the next election.

It'll be something for more subtle, stealth taxes being my bet.