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Re: The Mid-Mid-Terms – politicalbetting.com
Not just online.I’ve already seen on Twitter that it was a staged attack to make illegals (sic) look good.Algerian immigrant. Those people on X are total scumbags.
A rail worker credited with saving multiple lives during a mass stabbing on a train has been named as Samir Zitouni.
The 48-year-old's actions on the Doncaster to London King's Cross service on Saturday evening were described as "nothing short of heroic".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxr4qn6d66o
I’m from Sri Lankan heritage.
I commanded submarines for the Royal Navy.
I’ve served this country almost my entire adult life.
And in the last year, I’ve been challenged directly about my skin colour in the UK.
Never happened since the 1970's and 80's...
..Has Britain suddenly become racist?
I don’t think so.
I think pressure, politics, and online rage are dragging old ideas to the surface.
Fear is being weaponised.
Division is easy currency.
https://x.com/SSN14CO/status/1985299647774990358
Nigelb
6
Re: The Mid-Mid-Terms – politicalbetting.com
Something uplifting for a change:
Cambridgeshire stabbing attack: ‘heroic’ train worker praised for saving passengers’ lives
LNER employee Samir Zitouni, who was hospitalised after Saturday’s incident, hailed by police for ‘incredibly brave’ actions
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/04/cambridgeshire-stabbing-attack-hero-train-worker-samir-zitouni-praised
Cambridgeshire stabbing attack: ‘heroic’ train worker praised for saving passengers’ lives
LNER employee Samir Zitouni, who was hospitalised after Saturday’s incident, hailed by police for ‘incredibly brave’ actions
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/04/cambridgeshire-stabbing-attack-hero-train-worker-samir-zitouni-praised
Re: The Mid-Mid-Terms – politicalbetting.com
They get pummeled either way, so they might as well get pummeled doing the responsible thing.There's never a good time to break manifesto pledges on taxes. To do so immediately after winning the election is bad. To do so immediately before the next election is foolish.They are going to get completely pummelled for it if they raise income tax*, and given our rolling news age I’m not sure that story will be closed down.
So, maybe to do so after 18 months but with a few years to get over it before the next GE is the optimum time.
*the only way I can see them managing to - somewhat - pull it off will be if they make a corresponding cut to NI. That’ll give them their ability to hide behind the “working people” mantra.
The optics otherwise are going to be utterly dire, and possibly terminal for Starmer and Reeves (though I don’t really expect both to be in post by the time of the next GE anyway).
FF43
5
Re: The Mid-Mid-Terms – politicalbetting.com
BBC News - Train hero who saved passengers during attack named
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxr4qn6d66o
Matt Goodwin in shambles this morning. What a hero.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxr4qn6d66o
Matt Goodwin in shambles this morning. What a hero.
Eabhal
5
Re: The Mid-Mid-Terms – politicalbetting.com
I’ve already seen on Twitter that it was a staged attack to make illegals (sic) look good.
A rail worker credited with saving multiple lives during a mass stabbing on a train has been named as Samir Zitouni.
The 48-year-old's actions on the Doncaster to London King's Cross service on Saturday evening were described as "nothing short of heroic".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxr4qn6d66o
A rail worker credited with saving multiple lives during a mass stabbing on a train has been named as Samir Zitouni.
The 48-year-old's actions on the Doncaster to London King's Cross service on Saturday evening were described as "nothing short of heroic".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxr4qn6d66o
Re: The Mid-Mid-Terms – politicalbetting.com
My comment to my wife when I read the news a few minutes ago... 'Well that is going to completely fuck the brains of the racists now isn't it.'I’ve already seen on Twitter that it was a staged attack to make illegals (sic) look good.Algerian immigrant. Those people on X are total scumbags.
A rail worker credited with saving multiple lives during a mass stabbing on a train has been named as Samir Zitouni.
The 48-year-old's actions on the Doncaster to London King's Cross service on Saturday evening were described as "nothing short of heroic".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxr4qn6d66o
More importantly the guy really is a hero. A term misused far too often today. Putting yourself in harms way to save others is properly heroic. I hope he pulls through and gets well deserved reward for what he did.
Re: The Mid-Mid-Terms – politicalbetting.com
All those posts are fair and make valid points. As one of those 'well-off' PIP recipients due to my paraplegia (since I was 19), I benefit from PIP and use Motability.Again, that's not so much an issue with Motability but rather PIP being non-means tested. It comes down to your values and how you think about things like this.I think it's a felt-fair thing. Some disabled people are unemployed, but are able to run a fancier car than many people in employment. Also many disabled people work, and/or have partners that do, and therefore Motability is paying for something they could fund from their own resources. A work colleague (DWP so he knows how it works) complained that neighbours on disability could apparently afford a new car every 3 yearsA view of the Refuk UK claims around Motability (Agent Anderson's Bring Back Invacar) from a thoughtful disabled friend who has been in this field for decades. He also wants reform of the scheme, but without Anderson's poisonous politics.The thing I don't get about this is, IIUC, recipients get the DLA (PIP for adults? My expertise, such as it is, is for kids) with the mobility component. They can spend that how they like to address their mobility issues. One option is to give it to Motability as (part) payment for an adapted vehicle.
What's really depressing about this is it targetting the flaws in the scheme in such a way as to put the blame on disabled people! The scheme is basically a way of channelling the welfare budget into a subsidy for the car industry. The reason why you can buy a BMW is that if you couldn't BMW would crucify the government for unfair subsidies. Either Reform knows this and is being really malicious, or it doesn't, in which case its being stupid.
(Can't link - quoting from a private forum.)
Either the payment is justified or it is not. What it is notionally spent on seems irrelevant to me. If the person has the means, why should they not use it towards adapting a Beamer rather than a second hand Austin Metro?
Now, Motability made an absolute fortune from this in the past, but - again - that's not the recipients' fault (one does wonder why there are not really competing schemes and competition in this space).
And I think there are some rather well paid PBers on PIP living with serious medical conditions. I don't begrudge them at all but I wonder if a soft taper (25% perhaps) wouldn't be a good idea.
Like everyone on here I do not refuse the tax breaks or benefits I am allowed under the rules (is anyone who thinks benefits spending should be cut planning to forego their State Retirement Pension?)
If PIP was taxed or means tested, I wouldn't object; the Motability scheme per se is not the issue - those whinging about it are just demonstrating the politics of envy.
Re: The Mid-Mid-Terms – politicalbetting.com
Sky newsflash; Sir Alan Bates has settled with the Post Office. 'Seven figure sum;' suggested.I would have given him and the other SPMs a chunk of Post Office stock (it's 100% owned by the government - given them 30%). Then made them the board of directors. With the existing management locked in, below them.
Oh, and given the prosecution unit at the PO the job of dealing with Vennells etc. "Hunt them down, all nightmare long".
Then bought popcorn.
Re: The Mid-Mid-Terms – politicalbetting.com
I thought it was a decent speech from Reeves . It doesn’t remove the problem of likely breaking manifesto pledges .What is there to debate? It was obviously a stupid promise, that has forced the government into a series of other poor measures to raise revenue, and basically wasted an entire year in office. Now they will get to look like "just another bunch of lying politicians who broke their promises".
People can debate whether Labour should have made that tax pledge.
Was it good politics? Yes if you think getting elected is all that matters, but not if you actually wish to govern, which is the entire point of getting elected in the first place.
If Reeves was the CFO of a company, she would already have got the boot.
glw
7
Re: The Mid-Mid-Terms – politicalbetting.com
Food inflation even more...that thing that hits people the every day. Who could have guessed slashing the NI threshold, increasing NI rate and minimum wage would have a huge impact on operating costs of supermarkets.“The Budget this month will focus squarely on the priorities of the British people: cutting waiting lists, cutting the national debt and cutting the cost of living."Cutting the cost of living? Hasn't inflation gone up from 1.7% September 2024 to 3.8% September 2025? Thanks Rachel 👍
https://x.com/RachelReevesMP/status/1985620413393879489
I see our politicians are still struggling with debt vs deficit, anybody would think she was a fake economist....unless she intends to cut government expendure to a fraction of its current amount.
