Best Of

Labour single out the public sector for special treatment again:

"Public-sector workers will be shielded from Rachel Reeves’s plans to mount a tax raid on employers’ pension contributions, while those in the private sector face lower wages and less money in retirement.

It would cost the government an estimated £5 billion, which means that the rise will fall entirely on businesses and, ultimately, private-sector workers. Experts said that employees would have less generous pensions and companies could also absorb costs by reducing future pay rises."


https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/rachel-reeves-to-protect-public-sector-workers-from-tax-raid-0n25hxkgg

Who gives a fuck? I thought you would support measures that would save the public sector money - what is the point of the Government levying taxes on itself?

If Trump does win at least we'll all get to feel really smug when he abandons Ukraine to Russia and say "We told you so"

Oh, I think I can imagine the exculpations.

It’s the Dems’ fault for choosing a loser and Putin invaded while Biden was in charge leaving Trump to clean up the mess (cough, Afghanistan) and the Dems didn’t work with the Reps thus FORCING the latter to block aid for Ukraine.
Etc.

Well, yes, obviously if Trump wins I think it's reasonable to blame the Dems for picking a candidate so weak she came up short against the most awful candidate the GOP have ever put up. Why wouldn't it?

So assuming you took in the original point about Ukraine, you will be blaming the Dems if Trump sharts all over the Ukes? Good to know.

What's the death toll of Ukes under Biden versus under Trump so far?

Biden failed to deter Putin and failed to give Ukraine adequate means to defend himself. People need to stop using Trump as a scapegoat.

Indeed.

I suspect that, if the election goes Trump’s way, there will be a large change in rhetoric but little change in facts on the ground. If anything, the absurdity of trying to micromanage the Ukranians’ use of individual weapons might come to an end.

Instead of “$100bn in aid to Ukraine”, we’ll instead hear of “$100bn of investment in a new weapons system to keep America safe in the 2030s and support 25,000 jobs in Republican districts”, alongside the quiet disposal of a lot of old kit, sold to NATO allies for $1.

He’ll also have a good go at getting everyone around the table, for the first time since the war started.

I think you are prioritising hope over experience.

US Aid to Ukraine stops in Trump's first month is my hunch.

Most members here want a Harris win but just imagine the level of anxiety for the Ukrainian people and Zelensky who know a Trump win could signal catastrophic consequences for their country .

There’s nothing they can do but sit and watch .

As an aside I was nearly moved to tears the other week when I was chatting with a checkout lady at my normal supermarket who is Ukrainian , she was so thankful to Britain for its help and support . I told her we will always support Ukraine for however long it takes .

I’ll be honest I really have to suppress the anger I feel when I see people supporting Trump as it’s a death sentence for Ukraine.

I accept we all have different opinions but I just find I really have to muzzle my anger otherwise I’d likely be banned !

You're right. For Ukraine this is not just a betting opportunity or a concern that the US might disrupt world trade through tariffs. It is existential for their very existence. I am sure that Zelenskyy has been very aware of this and pointing out this to his European allies but there is very little evidence that Europe is willing to pick up the mantle of funding a major war. Another opportunity will come and go in our budget in just over a week. I am not holding my breath about Reeves getting us onto a war footing.

Well, the Ukrainians have been trying to kill Trump, so they’re not exactly passive actors either

FWIW I’m not sure Trump WOULD be a disaster for them, inasmuch as the war is ALREADY a terrible bloody disaster for them. Remember I’ve been to Ukraine twice, in this war

If Trump wins my guess is the war would end shortly after. He’d tell Putin to take his winnings but that’s it. He’d tell the Ukrainians “sorry, this ends now, no more aid”

The war would freeze roughly where it is. A Korean armistice. Both sides would regroup and rearm, low level bitching would continue

Is that a vastly worse outcome for Ukraine than what they’ve been given by Biden/Harris? - endless grinding attrition with no end in sight except possible defeat after another few blood-soaked years?