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Re: Make your suggestions – politicalbetting.com

Just finished talking to my daughter and while we've all been chewing the fat over the proposed new employment legislation she's been writing it. Much work down the drain, it seems, but that's part of biz and to be honest she thought the six month time frame was a perfectly reasonable compromise. She did say the 'day one' legislation was widely misreported (isn't it always?) and that it didn't amount to much more than an obligation to give some coherent reason for sacking someone and showing a bit of courtesy in so doing, but the six month thing is probably a bit more workable and therefore more likely to be accepted.

And she wishes everyone a happy Christmas.

Peter_the_Punter

7

Re: We need to talk about abolishing the budget – politicalbetting.com

FPT:

Blimey. I missed in the Budget that DfE will take over all council's SEND spending from 2028.

£6b a year Guardian is saying.

That's a really interesting move, and it's one area where there should be room for considerable savings.

In my neck of the woods, taxis are almost impossible to get at school run time because they are al transporting pupils. If for example I have a hospital appointment involving eye drops (so can't drive), and for some reason I don't want to cycle (eg it would be the no-suspension Brompton over the moonscape in my lane) then it is no taxi between 8:15am and 9:5am, for example.

If there was a major push on "safe routes to schools" (which means relentlessly for 10-20 years), so kids could cycle, wheel or walk safely, that could be reduced, plus there would be the mental health benefits of 15-45 minutes outdoor exercise morning and evening *.

"From 2028" sounds as if there will need to be some serious policy co-ordination with the new Councils coming in around then.

* We have the research for this; it is one reason why active travel projects have such better returns than road projects.

MattW

5

Re: We need to talk about abolishing the budget – politicalbetting.com

Very off topic, but timely: Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, but especially to the moderators.

Jim_Miller

8

Re: We need to talk about abolishing the budget – politicalbetting.com

Does anyone do a 12 month budget in their personal life?
I don't. I have a six month rolling forecast and decide what I can afford as I go along.
I think the government should have a five year rolling forecast, updated monthly, with adjustments in forward spending and tax as required to keep within fiscal rules.
It's like driving a car. You make adjustments as you go along depending on what turns up and what you can see ahead of you.

I do, and I leak to the press months in advance about what I'm going to be spending on and how I intend to rinse my employer for a raise.

Casino_Royale

6

Re: We need to talk about abolishing the budget – politicalbetting.com

Gibraltar is not happy with Reeves's increases in Remote Gaming Duty and Remote Betting Duty.
Between a rock and a hard place

geoffw

6

Re: We need to talk about abolishing the budget – politicalbetting.com

Last Christmas I bought my pal an elephant for his room.

He thanked me profusely, but I just said “don’t mention it”.
What do you make of Popbitch giving credence to the conspiracy theory that Scouse drill artist Esdeekid is actually Timothy Chalamet? My son is a big fan of scouse drill and has been on at me about this theory for months, it would blow his mind if it were true.
My knowledge of drill music is only matched by my knowledge about being subtle.

That said I am a big fan of Timothée Chalamet.
Yes you even know how to spell his name unlike me obviously!
Amongst my friends he hits this perfect Venn diagram of geekiness for me and for my gay friends The Straight Prince of Twinks.
That's funny.

He's also a surprisingly good actor.
He is, I adore him.

He was fabulous as Bob Dylan in A complete unknown. Just terrific. It was like the picture on Freewheelin had just walked off the page.

DavidL

5

Re: We need to talk about abolishing the budget – politicalbetting.com

YouGov poll just out:

Q: Did Labour keep their promise not to increase IT/NI/VAT?

Yes 16
No 57
Wow. Might as well have gone for the 1p on income tax then.

Maybe it's just me, and I mean that in a non sarcastic way, but I would have more respect for someone who says "I am sorry, I know a made a promise to do X, but keeping that promise is going to make things worse than breaking it, so I am going to have to do Y" than the pathetic sleight of hand that politicians try and con us with. Everyone can see through it anyway, so they lose twice; they look like someone who breaks their promises and a coward that isn't big enough to come clean

isam

7

Re: We need to talk about abolishing the budget – politicalbetting.com

My Labour-voting brother has given the view that Labour are 'worse than the Tories' on the back of the budget.

The policies on NI on pension contributions ('should be encouraging people to save so they don't have to rely on the state in the future') and freezing tax bands for even longer that main targets of his ire.

I'm starting to wonder if we may start to see a recovery in Tory polling. As their time in office fades into the past, many in the mainstream will simply switch back to the other party of government.

Personally I think it'd be great to have Badenoch-led Tories leading in the polls over the traitorous Farage-led Reform. Albeit I won't be voting for either.