As well as the direct hit on family finances, there's also the effect on public services of something 8% inflation with no corresponding increase in their budgets. Public sector workers are going to be very disgruntled as their pay is frozen or near-frozen, and councils and the NHS are also going to be faced with sharply rising non-wage cuts.
I don't think there has been an outlook as dire as this since the seventies.
Indeed. Sick man of Europe redux.
This is effectively why I left. I mean, the direct reason was a job offer. But the underlying situation looked exceedingly grim.
The outlook is way, way worse across Europe, there's still signs of life in the UK economy, in some parts of Europe there's nothing. Just surging costs, no wage rises, huge tax rises, promise of state investment that never arrives and rapidly dropping consumer sentiment.
Even though I love Italy, the idea of living there is a disaster, what's happening here in terms of hollowing out working age incomes to protect oldies is happening all across the continent at an even worse rate. Macron can't even get the bloody pension age up from 62 to 65 without riots in the streets, old age spending in the UK is bad at around 20% of GDP, across the continent that number is hitting 25% already and rising fast leaving almost no room for investment in services or infrastructure.
I'm starting to think that maybe we should have just let COVID rip, it would have solved the care, healthcare and pensions cost crisis within a year and we would have saved £400bn in furlough and other expenses.
Well, I moved to the US.
But I am far less pessimistic about Europe than you seem to be.
Not Italy, of course, but Italy is in an even worse state than the UK.
I think, were I a “middle income” earning household (say, £100k?) with two kids…I would be content to move to most of Northern Europe.
Even the Balts and Czech are looking OK these days.
I’m trying to balance everything up in my thinking here - quality of life, taxation, public services, and the chance for my kids to live a normal lifestyle.
You're less pessimistic about Europe because your views are being coloured by Brexit. Forget it for a minute and look at the situation as it actually is, all countries in Europe are faced with the same issues, surging imported inflation, stagnant or falling wages (in some cases, falling pretty fast), surging old age costs and a falling working age population.
The UK isn't alone in having to face up to all of these issues at the same time. As I've noted plenty of times in the past, the country (well all of Europe really) needs to have a conversation around exactly where we draw the line with free life prolonging healthcare, in the UK there's no real limit, patients can decide not to sign a DNR and doctors are bound by those decisions. That creates unlimited demand on the taxpayer for healthcare provision and we can see that now with healthcare, pensions and social care costs taking up an increasing proportion of GDP in the UK and across Europe.
It's the conversation no one wants to have, but one that needs to be had, especially in Europe where we have got state funded welfare.
So, yes, some countries may have some short term wins or losses, but ultimately the direction is all very similar, only France with it's superior birth rate has got a chance IMO. It's a set of policies we should copy immediately.
Just seen this tweet from some Chechen organisation. It claims that in its linked video clip the French news channel BFM's journalists are talking enthusiastically about the Chechens' heroism. My thirty year old French GCSE isn't helping me understand the video at all; are the presenters enthusiastically saying anything of the kind?
Репортаж на телеканале BFMTV о чеченском батальоне в Украине имени Шейха Мансура, съёмки реальных боев включены в репортаж. Французские журналисты с восторгом говорят о героизме сражающихся чеченцев
Ссылка на оригинал
A report on the BFMTV channel about the Chechen battalion in Ukraine named after Sheikh Mansour, filming of real battles is included in the report. French journalists enthusiastically talk about the heroism of the fighting Chechens
As well as the direct hit on family finances, there's also the effect on public services of something 8% inflation with no corresponding increase in their budgets. Public sector workers are going to be very disgruntled as their pay is frozen or near-frozen, and councils and the NHS are also going to be faced with sharply rising non-wage cuts.
I don't think there has been an outlook as dire as this since the seventies.
Indeed. Sick man of Europe redux.
This is effectively why I left. I mean, the direct reason was a job offer. But the underlying situation looked exceedingly grim.
Which major European economies do you think are best placed to withstand a prolonged conflict with Russia?
I doubt any European economy is well placed to withstand a “prolonged conflict with Russia”.
What a daft question.
You asserted that Britain is the sick man of Europe, so presumably you think that we will be worst affected by the economic war that is opening up? Or haven't you given it any thought?
I just think your premise is a little odd. By economic war do you mean sanctions and rising energy costs?
I think much of Europe has been caught napping - save France, perhaps - on energy costs.
This includes the UK of course.
I still think that Western Europe (apart from Italy!) is likely to outperform the UK over the next several years.
I think it's likely to get worse than just rising costs. Either Putin will turn off the taps to try to force some countries to drop sanctions, or political pressure will lead to a form of embargo.
Just seen this tweet from some Chechen organisation. It claims that in its linked video clip the French news channel BFM's journalists are talking enthusiastically about the Chechens' heroism. My thirty year old French GCSE isn't helping me understand the video at all; are the presenters enthusiastically saying anything of the kind?
Репортаж на телеканале BFMTV о чеченском батальоне в Украине имени Шейха Мансура, съёмки реальных боев включены в репортаж. Французские журналисты с восторгом говорят о героизме сражающихся чеченцев
Ссылка на оригинал
A report on the BFMTV channel about the Chechen battalion in Ukraine named after Sheikh Mansour, filming of real battles is included in the report. French journalists enthusiastically talk about the heroism of the fighting Chechens
As well as the direct hit on family finances, there's also the effect on public services of something 8% inflation with no corresponding increase in their budgets. Public sector workers are going to be very disgruntled as their pay is frozen or near-frozen, and councils and the NHS are also going to be faced with sharply rising non-wage cuts.
I don't think there has been an outlook as dire as this since the seventies.
Indeed. Sick man of Europe redux.
This is effectively why I left. I mean, the direct reason was a job offer. But the underlying situation looked exceedingly grim.
The outlook is way, way worse across Europe, there's still signs of life in the UK economy, in some parts of Europe there's nothing. Just surging costs, no wage rises, huge tax rises, promise of state investment that never arrives and rapidly dropping consumer sentiment.
Even though I love Italy, the idea of living there is a disaster, what's happening here in terms of hollowing out working age incomes to protect oldies is happening all across the continent at an even worse rate. Macron can't even get the bloody pension age up from 62 to 65 without riots in the streets, old age spending in the UK is bad at around 20% of GDP, across the continent that number is hitting 25% already and rising fast leaving almost no room for investment in services or infrastructure.
I'm starting to think that maybe we should have just let COVID rip, it would have solved the care, healthcare and pensions cost crisis within a year and we would have saved £400bn in furlough and other expenses.
Well, I moved to the US.
But I am far less pessimistic about Europe than you seem to be.
Not Italy, of course, but Italy is in an even worse state than the UK.
I think, were I a “middle income” earning household (say, £100k?) with two kids…I would be content to move to most of Northern Europe.
Even the Balts and Czech are looking OK these days.
I’m trying to balance everything up in my thinking here - quality of life, taxation, public services, and the chance for my kids to live a normal lifestyle.
You're less pessimistic about Europe because your views are being coloured by Brexit. Forget it for a minute and look at the situation as it actually is, all countries in Europe are faced with the same issues, surging imported inflation, stagnant or falling wages (in some cases, falling pretty fast), surging old age costs and a falling working age population.
The UK isn't alone in having to face up to all of these issues at the same time. As I've noted plenty of times in the past, the country (well all of Europe really) needs to have a conversation around exactly where we draw the line with free life prolonging healthcare, in the UK there's no real limit, patients can decide not to sign a DNR and doctors are bound by those decisions. That creates unlimited demand on the taxpayer for healthcare provision and we can see that now with healthcare, pensions and social care costs taking up an increasing proportion of GDP in the UK and across Europe.
It's the conversation no one wants to have, but one that needs to be had, especially in Europe where we have got state funded welfare.
So, yes, some countries may have some short term wins or losses, but ultimately the direction is all very similar, only France with it's superior birth rate has got a chance IMO. It's a set of policies we should copy immediately.
I agree that demography is destiny, but my preferred response is pro-natal policies (like France) and migration, rather than questioning longevity.
As well as the direct hit on family finances, there's also the effect on public services of something 8% inflation with no corresponding increase in their budgets. Public sector workers are going to be very disgruntled as their pay is frozen or near-frozen, and councils and the NHS are also going to be faced with sharply rising non-wage cuts.
I don't think there has been an outlook as dire as this since the seventies.
Indeed. Sick man of Europe redux.
This is effectively why I left. I mean, the direct reason was a job offer. But the underlying situation looked exceedingly grim.
The outlook is way, way worse across Europe, there's still signs of life in the UK economy, in some parts of Europe there's nothing. Just surging costs, no wage rises, huge tax rises, promise of state investment that never arrives and rapidly dropping consumer sentiment.
Even though I love Italy, the idea of living there is a disaster, what's happening here in terms of hollowing out working age incomes to protect oldies is happening all across the continent at an even worse rate. Macron can't even get the bloody pension age up from 62 to 65 without riots in the streets, old age spending in the UK is bad at around 20% of GDP, across the continent that number is hitting 25% already and rising fast leaving almost no room for investment in services or infrastructure.
I'm starting to think that maybe we should have just let COVID rip, it would have solved the care, healthcare and pensions cost crisis within a year and we would have saved £400bn in furlough and other expenses.
Well, I moved to the US.
But I am far less pessimistic about Europe than you seem to be.
Not Italy, of course, but Italy is in an even worse state than the UK.
I think, were I a “middle income” earning household (say, £100k?) with two kids…I would be content to move to most of Northern Europe.
Even the Balts and Czech are looking OK these days.
I’m trying to balance everything up in my thinking here - quality of life, taxation, public services, and the chance for my kids to live a normal lifestyle.
You're less pessimistic about Europe because your views are being coloured by Brexit. Forget it for a minute and look at the situation as it actually is, all countries in Europe are faced with the same issues, surging imported inflation, stagnant or falling wages (in some cases, falling pretty fast), surging old age costs and a falling working age population.
The UK isn't alone in having to face up to all of these issues at the same time. As I've noted plenty of times in the past, the country (well all of Europe really) needs to have a conversation around exactly where we draw the line with free life prolonging healthcare, in the UK there's no real limit, patients can decide not to sign a DNR and doctors are bound by those decisions. That creates unlimited demand on the taxpayer for healthcare provision and we can see that now with healthcare, pensions and social care costs taking up an increasing proportion of GDP in the UK and across Europe.
It's the conversation no one wants to have, but one that needs to be had, especially in Europe where we have got state funded welfare.
So, yes, some countries may have some short term wins or losses, but ultimately the direction is all very similar, only France with it's superior birth rate has got a chance IMO. It's a set of policies we should copy immediately.
Just seen this tweet from some Chechen organisation. It claims that in its linked video clip the French news channel BFM's journalists are talking enthusiastically about the Chechens' heroism. My thirty year old French GCSE isn't helping me understand the video at all; are the presenters enthusiastically saying anything of the kind?
Репортаж на телеканале BFMTV о чеченском батальоне в Украине имени Шейха Мансура, съёмки реальных боев включены в репортаж. Французские журналисты с восторгом говорят о героизме сражающихся чеченцев
Ссылка на оригинал
A report on the BFMTV channel about the Chechen battalion in Ukraine named after Sheikh Mansour, filming of real battles is included in the report. French journalists enthusiastically talk about the heroism of the fighting Chechens
They are saying that the Chechens are very strong, effective, battle-hardened fighters, and that some of them are very loyal to Putin. They also say that there are Chechens who hate Russia and are equally good fighters, and are fighting on the Ukrainian side.
In this case, unusually, the reality is politically more important than the perception. Unfortunately for the government, and for Rishi's political ambitions, the economic reality is that for most people, things are going to be getting increasingly difficult, or even worse than that, over the next few months, and they're not going to get any better for a long time. Not all of that is the government's fault, but the narrative that the Chancellor has protected 'hard-working families' is going to look very silly very soon.
Your final comment is post of the week material.
I think he has blown it big time.
In a Sunak vs Starmer election I couldn't vote for either.
Fortunately for you, but not the rest of us, it will be Boris v Starmer.
And I'd vote for Starmer. At the moment. Despite a *load* of questions about Labour's prospectus. And a fear of the far left infiltrating it like a cancer after he wins.
Interestingly, our constituency is becoming increasingly marginal. Though with the LD, not Labour.
Get over that fear. It's based on nothing. Corbyn and the Trots have been scythed from the party machine. They ain't coming back.
Have they? I bet people were saying the same when Blair was in power. Abbott's still an MP. So is McDonnell.
Just seen this tweet from some Chechen organisation. It claims that in its linked video clip the French news channel BFM's journalists are talking enthusiastically about the Chechens' heroism. My thirty year old French GCSE isn't helping me understand the video at all; are the presenters enthusiastically saying anything of the kind?
Репортаж на телеканале BFMTV о чеченском батальоне в Украине имени Шейха Мансура, съёмки реальных боев включены в репортаж. Французские журналисты с восторгом говорят о героизме сражающихся чеченцев
Ссылка на оригинал
A report on the BFMTV channel about the Chechen battalion in Ukraine named after Sheikh Mansour, filming of real battles is included in the report. French journalists enthusiastically talk about the heroism of the fighting Chechens
I have not been following politics the last few days.
I am sitting on a terrace at the end of another superb day.19 degrees - sunshine and a cloudless sky. Exploring Cockermouth which has the most fascinating hardware shop and museum (honestly). It has been on its existing premises since 1820 and the original lease was signed by John Wordsworth, William's Dad,
And now in the gloaming as it gets cooler, the sky starts to turn faintly pink and the birds sing their hearts out (is there anything lovelier than birdsong - nature's music) I stare at Bassenthwaite, utterly content and calm.
I've just been informed that my energy bill (gas and electricity) is going to increase from £74 a month to £242. That's more than I expected.
Mine is £800 to £1600
Mine is £0 as utilities are included in my rent, which is more common than you might think and must be leading to awkwardness in every case. I preemptively suggested increasing the rent last month, and probably should do it again, but not sure by how much. I'm on friendly terms with my landlady, so she doesn't like to put the rent up and I need to insist.
In this case, unusually, the reality is politically more important than the perception. Unfortunately for the government, and for Rishi's political ambitions, the economic reality is that for most people, things are going to be getting increasingly difficult, or even worse than that, over the next few months, and they're not going to get any better for a long time. Not all of that is the government's fault, but the narrative that the Chancellor has protected 'hard-working families' is going to look very silly very soon.
Your final comment is post of the week material.
I think he has blown it big time.
In a Sunak vs Starmer election I couldn't vote for either.
Fortunately for you, but not the rest of us, it will be Boris v Starmer.
And I'd vote for Starmer. At the moment. Despite a *load* of questions about Labour's prospectus. And a fear of the far left infiltrating it like a cancer after he wins.
Interestingly, our constituency is becoming increasingly marginal. Though with the LD, not Labour.
Get over that fear. It's based on nothing. Corbyn and the Trots have been scythed from the party machine. They ain't coming back.
Have they? I bet people were saying the same when Blair was in power. Abbott's still an MP. So is McDonnell.
Diane Abbott is not exactly a Trotskyist. Nor, in fact, is McDonnell. Chris Williamson, no longer in Labour, on the other hand..
I have not been following politics the last few days.
I am sitting on a terrace at the end of another superb day.19 degrees - sunshine and a cloudless sky. Exploring Cockermouth which has the most fascinating hardware shop and museum (honestly). It has been on its existing premises since 1820 and the original lease was signed by John Wordsworth, William's Dad,
And now in the gloaming as it gets cooler, the sky starts to turn faintly pink and the birds sing their hearts out (is there anything lovelier than birdsong - nature's music) I stare at Bassenthwaite, utterly content and calm.
Could all days be like this .....
Given the layout on my tablet I giggled at what you have been exploring.
As well as the direct hit on family finances, there's also the effect on public services of something 8% inflation with no corresponding increase in their budgets. Public sector workers are going to be very disgruntled as their pay is frozen or near-frozen, and councils and the NHS are also going to be faced with sharply rising non-wage cuts.
I don't think there has been an outlook as dire as this since the seventies.
Indeed. Sick man of Europe redux.
This is effectively why I left. I mean, the direct reason was a job offer. But the underlying situation looked exceedingly grim.
The outlook is way, way worse across Europe, there's still signs of life in the UK economy, in some parts of Europe there's nothing. Just surging costs, no wage rises, huge tax rises, promise of state investment that never arrives and rapidly dropping consumer sentiment.
Even though I love Italy, the idea of living there is a disaster, what's happening here in terms of hollowing out working age incomes to protect oldies is happening all across the continent at an even worse rate. Macron can't even get the bloody pension age up from 62 to 65 without riots in the streets, old age spending in the UK is bad at around 20% of GDP, across the continent that number is hitting 25% already and rising fast leaving almost no room for investment in services or infrastructure.
I'm starting to think that maybe we should have just let COVID rip, it would have solved the care, healthcare and pensions cost crisis within a year and we would have saved £400bn in furlough and other expenses.
Well, I moved to the US.
But I am far less pessimistic about Europe than you seem to be.
Not Italy, of course, but Italy is in an even worse state than the UK.
I think, were I a “middle income” earning household (say, £100k?) with two kids…I would be content to move to most of Northern Europe.
Even the Balts and Czech are looking OK these days.
I’m trying to balance everything up in my thinking here - quality of life, taxation, public services, and the chance for my kids to live a normal lifestyle.
You're less pessimistic about Europe because your views are being coloured by Brexit. Forget it for a minute and look at the situation as it actually is, all countries in Europe are faced with the same issues, surging imported inflation, stagnant or falling wages (in some cases, falling pretty fast), surging old age costs and a falling working age population.
The UK isn't alone in having to face up to all of these issues at the same time. As I've noted plenty of times in the past, the country (well all of Europe really) needs to have a conversation around exactly where we draw the line with free life prolonging healthcare, in the UK there's no real limit, patients can decide not to sign a DNR and doctors are bound by those decisions. That creates unlimited demand on the taxpayer for healthcare provision and we can see that now with healthcare, pensions and social care costs taking up an increasing proportion of GDP in the UK and across Europe.
It's the conversation no one wants to have, but one that needs to be had, especially in Europe where we have got state funded welfare.
So, yes, some countries may have some short term wins or losses, but ultimately the direction is all very similar, only France with it's superior birth rate has got a chance IMO. It's a set of policies we should copy immediately.
I agree that demography is destiny, but my preferred response is pro-natal policies (like France) and migration, rather than questioning longevity.
(Except in my grimmest moments).
Immigration is a short term solution, the policy should be to get the middle classes to pop out more sprogs and make it easier to do so through the tax system and cheaper housing and childcare costs. My sister has had two kids in April and because of how the idiotic rules work, neither of her kids qualify immediately for the free 30h per week of childcare and will need to wait until September before they do so. It's put her off having a third kid because now they have got an extra 4 months of childcare to pay for, for two kids.
The UK is simply one of the most anti-family countries going, IMO and over the long term this will really bite. The next generation of kids is far, far more only child oriented than mine was. In our struggle to be "fair" to single parent families the nation forgot that the vast majority of families are two parent ones and supporting them should be the main priority even if it means single parent families are relatively worse off.
Just seen this tweet from some Chechen organisation. It claims that in its linked video clip the French news channel BFM's journalists are talking enthusiastically about the Chechens' heroism. My thirty year old French GCSE isn't helping me understand the video at all; are the presenters enthusiastically saying anything of the kind?
Репортаж на телеканале BFMTV о чеченском батальоне в Украине имени Шейха Мансура, съёмки реальных боев включены в репортаж. Французские журналисты с восторгом говорят о героизме сражающихся чеченцев
Ссылка на оригинал
A report on the BFMTV channel about the Chechen battalion in Ukraine named after Sheikh Mansour, filming of real battles is included in the report. French journalists enthusiastically talk about the heroism of the fighting Chechens
They are saying that the Chechens are very strong, effective, battle-hardened fighters, and that some of them are very loyal to Putin. They also say that there are Chechens who hate Russia and are equally good fighters, and are fighting on the Ukrainian side.
I never knew this until this war started, but there are apparently loads of chechens who left Chechnya at the end of the second Chechen war. They hate the current Chechen leader and Russia.
On topic, I wonder if the political advantage of people finding NI somewhat obscure (making it easier to raise NI than tax) is working against Sunak here - people register "He's doing something complicated with NI thresholds" and feel little the wiser and vaguely suspicious.
Just seen this tweet from some Chechen organisation. It claims that in its linked video clip the French news channel BFM's journalists are talking enthusiastically about the Chechens' heroism. My thirty year old French GCSE isn't helping me understand the video at all; are the presenters enthusiastically saying anything of the kind?
Репортаж на телеканале BFMTV о чеченском батальоне в Украине имени Шейха Мансура, съёмки реальных боев включены в репортаж. Французские журналисты с восторгом говорят о героизме сражающихся чеченцев
Ссылка на оригинал
A report on the BFMTV channel about the Chechen battalion in Ukraine named after Sheikh Mansour, filming of real battles is included in the report. French journalists enthusiastically talk about the heroism of the fighting Chechens
They are saying that the Chechens are very strong, effective, battle-hardened fighters, and that some of them are very loyal to Putin. They also say that there are Chechens who hate Russia and are equally good fighters, and are fighting on the Ukrainian side.
That was going to be my summary, but you beat me to the punch, Richard. The first clips are of the pro-Russian Chechens fighting in Mariupol, the latter ones are of the Chechens fighting with the Ukrainians to the north west of Kyiv.
In this case, unusually, the reality is politically more important than the perception. Unfortunately for the government, and for Rishi's political ambitions, the economic reality is that for most people, things are going to be getting increasingly difficult, or even worse than that, over the next few months, and they're not going to get any better for a long time. Not all of that is the government's fault, but the narrative that the Chancellor has protected 'hard-working families' is going to look very silly very soon.
Your final comment is post of the week material.
I think he has blown it big time.
In a Sunak vs Starmer election I couldn't vote for either.
Fortunately for you, but not the rest of us, it will be Boris v Starmer.
And I'd vote for Starmer. At the moment. Despite a *load* of questions about Labour's prospectus. And a fear of the far left infiltrating it like a cancer after he wins.
Interestingly, our constituency is becoming increasingly marginal. Though with the LD, not Labour.
Get over that fear. It's based on nothing. Corbyn and the Trots have been scythed from the party machine. They ain't coming back.
Have they? I bet people were saying the same when Blair was in power. Abbott's still an MP. So is McDonnell.
Diane Abbott is not exactly a Trotskyist. Nor, in fact, is McDonnell. Chris Williamson, no longer in Labour, on the other hand..
The NIC threshold increase does not help many with multiple employment contracts. As the threshold is based on each employment (and a separate threshold for self employment income) unless you are earning more than ~£9.5k per annum (or the equivalent in a pay period as NIC is not annualised unlike PAYE) in any particular employment you do not benefit.
So those individuals with multiple zero hours employment contracts are unlikely to benefit.
But some individuals with two jobs will benefit twice.
As well as the direct hit on family finances, there's also the effect on public services of something 8% inflation with no corresponding increase in their budgets. Public sector workers are going to be very disgruntled as their pay is frozen or near-frozen, and councils and the NHS are also going to be faced with sharply rising non-wage cuts.
I don't think there has been an outlook as dire as this since the seventies.
Indeed. Sick man of Europe redux.
This is effectively why I left. I mean, the direct reason was a job offer. But the underlying situation looked exceedingly grim.
The outlook is way, way worse across Europe, there's still signs of life in the UK economy, in some parts of Europe there's nothing. Just surging costs, no wage rises, huge tax rises, promise of state investment that never arrives and rapidly dropping consumer sentiment.
Even though I love Italy, the idea of living there is a disaster, what's happening here in terms of hollowing out working age incomes to protect oldies is happening all across the continent at an even worse rate. Macron can't even get the bloody pension age up from 62 to 65 without riots in the streets, old age spending in the UK is bad at around 20% of GDP, across the continent that number is hitting 25% already and rising fast leaving almost no room for investment in services or infrastructure.
I'm starting to think that maybe we should have just let COVID rip, it would have solved the care, healthcare and pensions cost crisis within a year and we would have saved £400bn in furlough and other expenses.
Well, I moved to the US.
But I am far less pessimistic about Europe than you seem to be.
Not Italy, of course, but Italy is in an even worse state than the UK.
I think, were I a “middle income” earning household (say, £100k?) with two kids…I would be content to move to most of Northern Europe.
Even the Balts and Czech are looking OK these days.
I’m trying to balance everything up in my thinking here - quality of life, taxation, public services, and the chance for my kids to live a normal lifestyle.
You're less pessimistic about Europe because your views are being coloured by Brexit. Forget it for a minute and look at the situation as it actually is, all countries in Europe are faced with the same issues, surging imported inflation, stagnant or falling wages (in some cases, falling pretty fast), surging old age costs and a falling working age population.
The UK isn't alone in having to face up to all of these issues at the same time. As I've noted plenty of times in the past, the country (well all of Europe really) needs to have a conversation around exactly where we draw the line with free life prolonging healthcare, in the UK there's no real limit, patients can decide not to sign a DNR and doctors are bound by those decisions. That creates unlimited demand on the taxpayer for healthcare provision and we can see that now with healthcare, pensions and social care costs taking up an increasing proportion of GDP in the UK and across Europe.
It's the conversation no one wants to have, but one that needs to be had, especially in Europe where we have got state funded welfare.
So, yes, some countries may have some short term wins or losses, but ultimately the direction is all very similar, only France with it's superior birth rate has got a chance IMO. It's a set of policies we should copy immediately.
I agree that demography is destiny, but my preferred response is pro-natal policies (like France) and migration, rather than questioning longevity.
(Except in my grimmest moments).
Immigration is a short term solution, the policy should be to get the middle classes to pop out more sprogs and make it easier to do so through the tax system and cheaper housing and childcare costs. My sister has had two kids in April and because of how the idiotic rules work, neither of her kids qualify immediately for the free 30h per week of childcare and will need to wait until September before they do so. It's put her off having a third kid because now they have got an extra 4 months of childcare to pay for, for two kids.
The UK is simply one of the most anti-family countries going, IMO and over the long term this will really bite. The next generation of kids is far, far more only child oriented than mine was. In our struggle to be "fair" to single parent families the nation forgot that the vast majority of families are two parent ones and supporting them should be the main priority even if it means single parent families are relatively worse off.
Can't your sister organise herself to have procreative sex in November or December so the third child pops out just in time to qualify for free childcare? Or alternatively take maternity leave? I've never really bought this argument that kids are expensive. They don't take up much room, don't eat that much and they save you loads by completely destroying your social life. Net net they're cheap as chips.
As I understand it todays announcement will give a couple earning upto £27000 pa an increase of income of £330 pa each, ie £660
Unless have misread it
That's going to barely cover the increase in gas bills for two months, big whoop.
Is the figure correct though ?
I don’t know specifically.
That’s not the point. The point is that inflation is savagely expected to take that £660 and much much more.
I am aware of the serious problem with inflation and it would be wonderful to inflation proof everyone but that is not possible in these extreme circumstances
As far as Rishi is concerned he speaks well but I am concerned he has not addressed those on lower income properly
I expect he is hoping the 6.6% increase in the NLW which will be in pay packets in another few weeks may assuage some of the problems
However, I was underwhelmed and would be surprised if he gets much of a bounce from it
Rishi is quite possibly the worst chancellor we've had since Brown. All of the fiscal drag he's pushed today will impoverish millions of people all for a few giveaways to old people. This is the free bus passes, free licences and idiotic triple lock all rolled into one and then multiplied by 10.
As well as the direct hit on family finances, there's also the effect on public services of something 8% inflation with no corresponding increase in their budgets. Public sector workers are going to be very disgruntled as their pay is frozen or near-frozen, and councils and the NHS are also going to be faced with sharply rising non-wage cuts.
I don't think there has been an outlook as dire as this since the seventies.
Indeed. Sick man of Europe redux.
This is effectively why I left. I mean, the direct reason was a job offer. But the underlying situation looked exceedingly grim.
The outlook is way, way worse across Europe, there's still signs of life in the UK economy, in some parts of Europe there's nothing. Just surging costs, no wage rises, huge tax rises, promise of state investment that never arrives and rapidly dropping consumer sentiment.
Even though I love Italy, the idea of living there is a disaster, what's happening here in terms of hollowing out working age incomes to protect oldies is happening all across the continent at an even worse rate. Macron can't even get the bloody pension age up from 62 to 65 without riots in the streets, old age spending in the UK is bad at around 20% of GDP, across the continent that number is hitting 25% already and rising fast leaving almost no room for investment in services or infrastructure.
I'm starting to think that maybe we should have just let COVID rip, it would have solved the care, healthcare and pensions cost crisis within a year and we would have saved £400bn in furlough and other expenses.
Well, I moved to the US.
But I am far less pessimistic about Europe than you seem to be.
Not Italy, of course, but Italy is in an even worse state than the UK.
I think, were I a “middle income” earning household (say, £100k?) with two kids…I would be content to move to most of Northern Europe.
Even the Balts and Czech are looking OK these days.
I’m trying to balance everything up in my thinking here - quality of life, taxation, public services, and the chance for my kids to live a normal lifestyle.
You're less pessimistic about Europe because your views are being coloured by Brexit. Forget it for a minute and look at the situation as it actually is, all countries in Europe are faced with the same issues, surging imported inflation, stagnant or falling wages (in some cases, falling pretty fast), surging old age costs and a falling working age population.
The UK isn't alone in having to face up to all of these issues at the same time. As I've noted plenty of times in the past, the country (well all of Europe really) needs to have a conversation around exactly where we draw the line with free life prolonging healthcare, in the UK there's no real limit, patients can decide not to sign a DNR and doctors are bound by those decisions. That creates unlimited demand on the taxpayer for healthcare provision and we can see that now with healthcare, pensions and social care costs taking up an increasing proportion of GDP in the UK and across Europe.
It's the conversation no one wants to have, but one that needs to be had, especially in Europe where we have got state funded welfare.
So, yes, some countries may have some short term wins or losses, but ultimately the direction is all very similar, only France with it's superior birth rate has got a chance IMO. It's a set of policies we should copy immediately.
I agree that demography is destiny, but my preferred response is pro-natal policies (like France) and migration, rather than questioning longevity.
(Except in my grimmest moments).
Immigration is a short term solution, the policy should be to get the middle classes to pop out more sprogs and make it easier to do so through the tax system and cheaper housing and childcare costs. My sister has had two kids in April and because of how the idiotic rules work, neither of her kids qualify immediately for the free 30h per week of childcare and will need to wait until September before they do so. It's put her off having a third kid because now they have got an extra 4 months of childcare to pay for, for two kids.
The UK is simply one of the most anti-family countries going, IMO and over the long term this will really bite. The next generation of kids is far, far more only child oriented than mine was. In our struggle to be "fair" to single parent families the nation forgot that the vast majority of families are two parent ones and supporting them should be the main priority even if it means single parent families are relatively worse off.
Yes its been impossible to criticise single mothers since about the mid 90s. Problem is as a man its easier to spread your seed if you have no assets or if you are a millionaire.....its those in between who have to act responsibly
In this case, unusually, the reality is politically more important than the perception. Unfortunately for the government, and for Rishi's political ambitions, the economic reality is that for most people, things are going to be getting increasingly difficult, or even worse than that, over the next few months, and they're not going to get any better for a long time. Not all of that is the government's fault, but the narrative that the Chancellor has protected 'hard-working families' is going to look very silly very soon.
Your final comment is post of the week material.
I think he has blown it big time.
In a Sunak vs Starmer election I couldn't vote for either.
Fortunately for you, but not the rest of us, it will be Boris v Starmer.
And I'd vote for Starmer. At the moment. Despite a *load* of questions about Labour's prospectus. And a fear of the far left infiltrating it like a cancer after he wins.
Interestingly, our constituency is becoming increasingly marginal. Though with the LD, not Labour.
Get over that fear. It's based on nothing. Corbyn and the Trots have been scythed from the party machine. They ain't coming back.
Have they? I bet people were saying the same when Blair was in power. Abbott's still an MP. So is McDonnell.
Diane Abbott is not exactly a Trotskyist. Nor, in fact, is McDonnell. Chris Williamson, no longer in Labour, on the other hand..
As I understand it todays announcement will give a couple earning upto £27000 pa an increase of income of £330 pa each, ie £660
Unless have misread it
That's going to barely cover the increase in gas bills for two months, big whoop.
Is the figure correct though ?
I don’t know specifically.
That’s not the point. The point is that inflation is savagely expected to take that £660 and much much more.
I am aware of the serious problem with inflation and it would be wonderful to inflation proof everyone but that is not possible in these extreme circumstances
As far as Rishi is concerned he speaks well but I am concerned he has not addressed those on lower income properly
I expect he is hoping the 6.6% increase in the NLW which will be in pay packets in another few weeks may assuage some of the problems
However, I was underwhelmed and would be surprised if he gets much of a bounce from it
Actually, Big G you’re wrong.
Resolution think tank published some recommendations to push the pain onto the very highest deciles.
Instead the very poorest are to suffer disproportionately.
I used to be in meetings with her regularly when she was UN ambassador. Only ever saw an earnest and serious side to her. But our meetings only happened when something bad was going on in Iraq, so I am sure she had a softer side. I know her staff generally liked her, which is always a good reference.
As well as the direct hit on family finances, there's also the effect on public services of something 8% inflation with no corresponding increase in their budgets. Public sector workers are going to be very disgruntled as their pay is frozen or near-frozen, and councils and the NHS are also going to be faced with sharply rising non-wage cuts.
I don't think there has been an outlook as dire as this since the seventies.
Indeed. Sick man of Europe redux.
This is effectively why I left. I mean, the direct reason was a job offer. But the underlying situation looked exceedingly grim.
The outlook is way, way worse across Europe, there's still signs of life in the UK economy, in some parts of Europe there's nothing. Just surging costs, no wage rises, huge tax rises, promise of state investment that never arrives and rapidly dropping consumer sentiment.
Even though I love Italy, the idea of living there is a disaster, what's happening here in terms of hollowing out working age incomes to protect oldies is happening all across the continent at an even worse rate. Macron can't even get the bloody pension age up from 62 to 65 without riots in the streets, old age spending in the UK is bad at around 20% of GDP, across the continent that number is hitting 25% already and rising fast leaving almost no room for investment in services or infrastructure.
I'm starting to think that maybe we should have just let COVID rip, it would have solved the care, healthcare and pensions cost crisis within a year and we would have saved £400bn in furlough and other expenses.
Well, I moved to the US.
But I am far less pessimistic about Europe than you seem to be.
Not Italy, of course, but Italy is in an even worse state than the UK.
I think, were I a “middle income” earning household (say, £100k?) with two kids…I would be content to move to most of Northern Europe.
Even the Balts and Czech are looking OK these days.
I’m trying to balance everything up in my thinking here - quality of life, taxation, public services, and the chance for my kids to live a normal lifestyle.
You're less pessimistic about Europe because your views are being coloured by Brexit. Forget it for a minute and look at the situation as it actually is, all countries in Europe are faced with the same issues, surging imported inflation, stagnant or falling wages (in some cases, falling pretty fast), surging old age costs and a falling working age population.
The UK isn't alone in having to face up to all of these issues at the same time. As I've noted plenty of times in the past, the country (well all of Europe really) needs to have a conversation around exactly where we draw the line with free life prolonging healthcare, in the UK there's no real limit, patients can decide not to sign a DNR and doctors are bound by those decisions. That creates unlimited demand on the taxpayer for healthcare provision and we can see that now with healthcare, pensions and social care costs taking up an increasing proportion of GDP in the UK and across Europe.
It's the conversation no one wants to have, but one that needs to be had, especially in Europe where we have got state funded welfare.
So, yes, some countries may have some short term wins or losses, but ultimately the direction is all very similar, only France with it's superior birth rate has got a chance IMO. It's a set of policies we should copy immediately.
I agree that demography is destiny, but my preferred response is pro-natal policies (like France) and migration, rather than questioning longevity.
(Except in my grimmest moments).
Immigration is a short term solution, the policy should be to get the middle classes to pop out more sprogs and make it easier to do so through the tax system and cheaper housing and childcare costs. My sister has had two kids in April and because of how the idiotic rules work, neither of her kids qualify immediately for the free 30h per week of childcare and will need to wait until September before they do so. It's put her off having a third kid because now they have got an extra 4 months of childcare to pay for, for two kids.
The UK is simply one of the most anti-family countries going, IMO and over the long term this will really bite. The next generation of kids is far, far more only child oriented than mine was. In our struggle to be "fair" to single parent families the nation forgot that the vast majority of families are two parent ones and supporting them should be the main priority even if it means single parent families are relatively worse off.
Yes its been impossible to criticise single mothers since about the mid 90s. Problem is as a man its easier to spread your seed if you have no assets or if you are a millionaire.....its those in between who have to act responsibly
Eugh, the poor are breeding.
It may not be being expressed well but the problem is real. Those on middle incomes have an environment that is relatively less family friendly than either the poor or the rich. That is definitely something we need to address.
As I understand it todays announcement will give a couple earning upto £27000 pa an increase of income of £330 pa each, ie £660
Unless have misread it
That's going to barely cover the increase in gas bills for two months, big whoop.
Is the figure correct though ?
I don’t know specifically.
That’s not the point. The point is that inflation is savagely expected to take that £660 and much much more.
I am aware of the serious problem with inflation and it would be wonderful to inflation proof everyone but that is not possible in these extreme circumstances
As far as Rishi is concerned he speaks well but I am concerned he has not addressed those on lower income properly
I expect he is hoping the 6.6% increase in the NLW which will be in pay packets in another few weeks may assuage some of the problems
However, I was underwhelmed and would be surprised if he gets much of a bounce from it
Actually, Big G you’re wrong.
Resolution think tank published some recommendations to push the pain onto the very highest deciles.
Instead the very poorest are to suffer disproportionately.
That was my point about not addressing the lower paid properly
Thanks to everyone who explained Fiscal Drag on other thread (Nigel).
So Fiscal Drag happens when incomes go up, maybe because inflation is higher for a while and employers pay higher wage deals, “drags” taxpayers upwards into the higher tax rate bands - so government tax take goes up without raising taxes, it sneaks under radar, as I now understand, and it doesn’t sound that dramatic to this situation, I don’t even think that relevant right now.
Boris has been banging on in his speeches, the priority of his government is a high wage economy, that sort of puts us into a Fiscal Drag Race? Punning aside, any real evidence this is happening, or even certain to happen, or certain to bring any useful amounts of money in? I don’t think so. It’s a bit of red herring in todays discussion.
On topic, I wonder if the political advantage of people finding NI somewhat obscure (making it easier to raise NI than tax) is working against Sunak here - people register "He's doing something complicated with NI thresholds" and feel little the wiser and vaguely suspicious.
It's simpler than that - the rates are easier to understand than the thresholds. People know NI rates are going up. That's the simple bit to digest.
Sunak is hoping to get credit for the fuel duty cut, but it represents a tiny fraction of the recent increase in prices, so no chance there, and clearly two years advance notice of an income tax cut isn't that exciting. It takes the Brownite strategy of announcing good things multiple times to conceptual art levels.
Just seen this tweet from some Chechen organisation. It claims that in its linked video clip the French news channel BFM's journalists are talking enthusiastically about the Chechens' heroism. My thirty year old French GCSE isn't helping me understand the video at all; are the presenters enthusiastically saying anything of the kind?
Репортаж на телеканале BFMTV о чеченском батальоне в Украине имени Шейха Мансура, съёмки реальных боев включены в репортаж. Французские журналисты с восторгом говорят о героизме сражающихся чеченцев
Ссылка на оригинал
A report on the BFMTV channel about the Chechen battalion in Ukraine named after Sheikh Mansour, filming of real battles is included in the report. French journalists enthusiastically talk about the heroism of the fighting Chechens
Just seen this tweet from some Chechen organisation. It claims that in its linked video clip the French news channel BFM's journalists are talking enthusiastically about the Chechens' heroism. My thirty year old French GCSE isn't helping me understand the video at all; are the presenters enthusiastically saying anything of the kind?
Репортаж на телеканале BFMTV о чеченском батальоне в Украине имени Шейха Мансура, съёмки реальных боев включены в репортаж. Французские журналисты с восторгом говорят о героизме сражающихся чеченцев
Ссылка на оригинал
A report on the BFMTV channel about the Chechen battalion in Ukraine named after Sheikh Mansour, filming of real battles is included in the report. French journalists enthusiastically talk about the heroism of the fighting Chechens
As I understand it todays announcement will give a couple earning upto £27000 pa an increase of income of £330 pa each, ie £660
Unless have misread it
That's going to barely cover the increase in gas bills for two months, big whoop.
Is the figure correct though ?
I don’t know specifically.
That’s not the point. The point is that inflation is savagely expected to take that £660 and much much more.
I am aware of the serious problem with inflation and it would be wonderful to inflation proof everyone but that is not possible in these extreme circumstances
As far as Rishi is concerned he speaks well but I am concerned he has not addressed those on lower income properly
I expect he is hoping the 6.6% increase in the NLW which will be in pay packets in another few weeks may assuage some of the problems
However, I was underwhelmed and would be surprised if he gets much of a bounce from it
Actually, Big G you’re wrong.
Resolution think tank published some recommendations to push the pain onto the very highest deciles.
Instead the very poorest are to suffer disproportionately.
What I would have done today, in MoonRabbit budget, is taxed those who won’t suffer credit crunch much an awful lot more, but not given all of that back to poor households to spend. I would have done this as a macro measure against the fall/winter 2023/24 recession being further stoked this year. A belt tightening budget has to be necessary sometimes, but has to be done pragmatically and fairly. I don’t see Sunak’s today as a necessary belt tightening statement in either policy or communication.
My problem with giving people money to spend is lack of control over their choice of spending. If my concern as MoonRabbit government is 10m in fuel poverty, households budgets struggling to stay out of poverty, one of the richest countries in world with mounting numbers of children in poverty, I would have spent the money on behalf of the people (like through Rashford style charities and schemes) rather than give it to them to spend on what they wanted. It’s not my instinct to always do this, but in this particular “energy poverty precipice” it’s what I would have done.
I've just been informed that my energy bill (gas and electricity) is going to increase from £74 a month to £242. That's more than I expected.
Mine is £800 to £1600
Mine is £0 as utilities are included in my rent, which is more common than you might think and must be leading to awkwardness in every case. I preemptively suggested increasing the rent last month, and probably should do it again, but not sure by how much. I'm on friendly terms with my landlady, so she doesn't like to put the rent up and I need to insist.
Just think how much her property has gone up in value in the year and then dont be so nice !
Posting on PB from John O’Groats. The end of the world.
You think? See how long it takes you to get past Orkney to Sumburgh on Shetland, then keep going and going and going to the bird reserve on the north end of Unst ...
Have a nice time. Wick is nice. Pulteneytown and the steps down to the harbour are rather good, and the fishing museum worth a glance and a smell if you like that sort of thing (it is in an old smokehouse IIRC). And the local malt whisky is very good.
If you want a circular walk, try from Wick Harbour north widdershins (Anglice, counterclockwise) along the coast and back southwest to Ackergill then cut inland to the river and walk down to Wick. Some nice birds depending on time of year.
PS But further afield there are other coastal walks - I believe the one just E of THurso is good. Dunnet/Duncansby. Was a long time ago so memory blurs.
As the great @MartinSLewis flagged, workers who are taken out of National Insurance by the rising threshold will often be on Universal Credit. But they have a 'taper rate' which means they may pocket only £148 of the £330 gain from the tax change (Mirror estimate)
As the great @MartinSLewis flagged, workers who are taken out of National Insurance by the rising threshold will often be on Universal Credit. But they have a 'taper rate' which means they may pocket only £148 of the £330 gain from the tax change (Mirror estimate)
Why does Rishi hate the poor, he's happy to protect and funnel money to pensioners.
A fie upon Rishi.
tbf it is ludicrous that this section of working poor get taxed on earnings which are then given back to them as benefits . If this helps correct the situation that is sensible.
Heads up, on a subject we discussed on PB extensively recently.
Sunday, 27. March • 22:00 - 23:30 on Channel 4.
Falklands War: The Untold Story
Documentary
Documentary examining the Falklands conflict 40 years on. The head of the SAS in the Falklands, Sir Michael Rose, speaks publicly for the first time about the war, and how the British task force came close to defeat. Plus, ground troops and senior commanders, many for the first time, reveal how an unexpected change in the plan for the land campaign nearly cost Britain the war, and led to unnecessary loss of life at the iconic Battle of Goose Green, and in the sinking of the Sir Galahad.
Posting on PB from John O’Groats. The end of the world.
You think? See how long it takes you to get past Orkney to Sumburgh on Shetland, then keep going and going and going to the bird reserve on the north end of Unst ...
Have a nice time. Wick is nice. Pulteneytown and the steps down to the harbour are rather good, and the fishing museum worth a glance and a smell if you like that sort of thing (it is in an old smokehouse IIRC). And the local malt whisky is very good.
If you want a circular walk, try from Wick Harbour north widdershins (Anglice, counterclockwise) along the coast and back southwest to Ackergill then cut inland to the river and walk down to Wick. Some nice birds depending on time of year.
PS But further afield there are other coastal walks - I believe the one just E of THurso is good. Dunnet/Duncansby. Was a long time ago so memory blurs.
As the great @MartinSLewis flagged, workers who are taken out of National Insurance by the rising threshold will often be on Universal Credit. But they have a 'taper rate' which means they may pocket only £148 of the £330 gain from the tax change (Mirror estimate)
As the great @MartinSLewis flagged, workers who are taken out of National Insurance by the rising threshold will often be on Universal Credit. But they have a 'taper rate' which means they may pocket only £148 of the £330 gain from the tax change (Mirror estimate)
As the great @MartinSLewis flagged, workers who are taken out of National Insurance by the rising threshold will often be on Universal Credit. But they have a 'taper rate' which means they may pocket only £148 of the £330 gain from the tax change (Mirror estimate)
I don't wish to belittle Rishi Sunak but he has all the worse traits of Gordon Brown and David Miliband.
A glass eye and an inability to eat a bacon sandwich?
It was EdM who had problems with the bacon sandwich
Arguably he didn’t have any problems with bacon bun, it was his lack of problem so enjoying the bacon bun that caused the problem.
And the invention of the internet.
The funniest bit of that incident was that it wasn't some photographer sneaking an unfair picture and catching EdM off-guard, it was actually a photo-opportunity which Labour had set up and invited the press to.
As the great @MartinSLewis flagged, workers who are taken out of National Insurance by the rising threshold will often be on Universal Credit. But they have a 'taper rate' which means they may pocket only £148 of the £330 gain from the tax change (Mirror estimate)
Comments
The UK isn't alone in having to face up to all of these issues at the same time. As I've noted plenty of times in the past, the country (well all of Europe really) needs to have a conversation around exactly where we draw the line with free life prolonging healthcare, in the UK there's no real limit, patients can decide not to sign a DNR and doctors are bound by those decisions. That creates unlimited demand on the taxpayer for healthcare provision and we can see that now with healthcare, pensions and social care costs taking up an increasing proportion of GDP in the UK and across Europe.
It's the conversation no one wants to have, but one that needs to be had, especially in Europe where we have got state funded welfare.
So, yes, some countries may have some short term wins or losses, but ultimately the direction is all very similar, only France with it's superior birth rate has got a chance IMO. It's a set of policies we should copy immediately.
No PoWs from midnight tonight in Mariupol looks like.
I expect a rise in summary executions all round tbh.
Assembly of Chechens of Europe
@ChechensEurope
Репортаж на телеканале BFMTV о чеченском батальоне в Украине имени Шейха Мансура, съёмки реальных боев включены в репортаж. Французские журналисты с восторгом говорят о героизме сражающихся чеченцев
Ссылка на оригинал
A report on the BFMTV channel about the Chechen battalion in Ukraine named after Sheikh Mansour, filming of real battles is included in the report. French journalists enthusiastically talk about the heroism of the fighting Chechens
Link to original:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x89awnv
https://twitter.com/ChechensEurope/status/1506695035974295560
He looks smart. He talks smart. He acts quite stupid (and heartlessly).
I never thought much of David Miliband.
Gordon, despite his flaws, is several leagues ahead of both.
It's 6pm - the biggest cut to all fuel duty rates ever has just come into effect. #SpringStatement2022
https://twitter.com/RishiSunak/status/1506692275216265219
Ted Heath with an Instagram account, indeed.
(Except in my grimmest moments).
https://mwi.usma.edu/mwi-podcast-how-capable-is-ukraines-military/
Unless have misread it
Duncansby Head and the stacks are worth a look though.
Are they warming up for the Syrians to come?
Very much liked by her.
I am sitting on a terrace at the end of another superb day.19 degrees - sunshine and a cloudless sky. Exploring Cockermouth which has the most fascinating hardware shop and museum (honestly). It has been on its existing premises since 1820 and the original lease was signed by John Wordsworth, William's Dad,
And now in the gloaming as it gets cooler, the sky starts to turn faintly pink and the birds sing their hearts out (is there anything lovelier than birdsong - nature's music) I stare at Bassenthwaite, utterly content and calm.
Could all days be like this .....
I'm such a child.
That’s not the point. The point is that inflation is savagely expected to take that £660 and much much more.
The UK is simply one of the most anti-family countries going, IMO and over the long term this will really bite. The next generation of kids is far, far more only child oriented than mine was. In our struggle to be "fair" to single parent families the nation forgot that the vast majority of families are two parent ones and supporting them should be the main priority even if it means single parent families are relatively worse off.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzhokhar_Dudayev_Battalion
Other nationalities who hate Russia also take part...
The first clips are of the pro-Russian Chechens fighting in Mariupol, the latter ones are of the Chechens fighting with the Ukrainians to the north west of Kyiv.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/24/labour-mps-drop-backing-for-statement-criticising-nato-after-starmer-warning
Labour still has a big problem.
Morag the Hag, locally.
So those individuals with multiple zero hours employment contracts are unlikely to benefit.
But some individuals with two jobs will benefit twice.
I've never really bought this argument that kids are expensive. They don't take up much room, don't eat that much and they save you loads by completely destroying your social life. Net net they're cheap as chips.
As far as Rishi is concerned he speaks well but I am concerned he has not addressed those on lower income properly
I expect he is hoping the 6.6% increase in the NLW which will be in pay packets in another few weeks may assuage some of the problems
However, I was underwhelmed and would be surprised if he gets much of a bounce from it
I am seeking an answer to a genuine question
Resolution think tank published some recommendations to push the pain onto the very highest deciles.
Instead the very poorest are to suffer disproportionately.
Anyways, RIP.
So Fiscal Drag happens when incomes go up, maybe because inflation is higher for a while and employers pay higher wage deals, “drags” taxpayers upwards into the higher tax rate bands - so government tax take goes up without raising taxes, it sneaks under radar, as I now understand, and it doesn’t sound that dramatic to this situation, I don’t even think that relevant right now.
Boris has been banging on in his speeches, the priority of his government is a high wage economy, that sort of puts us into a Fiscal Drag Race? Punning aside, any real evidence this is happening, or even certain to happen, or certain to bring any useful amounts of money in? I don’t think so. It’s a bit of red herring in todays discussion.
Sunak is hoping to get credit for the fuel duty cut, but it represents a tiny fraction of the recent increase in prices, so no chance there, and clearly two years advance notice of an income tax cut isn't that exciting. It takes the Brownite strategy of announcing good things multiple times to conceptual art levels.
Don't think I'll ever forget those few weeks.
My problem with giving people money to spend is lack of control over their choice of spending. If my concern as MoonRabbit government is 10m in fuel poverty, households budgets struggling to stay out of poverty, one of the richest countries in world with mounting numbers of children in poverty, I would have spent the money on behalf of the people (like through Rashford style charities and schemes) rather than give it to them to spend on what they wanted. It’s not my instinct to always do this, but in this particular “energy poverty precipice” it’s what I would have done.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/23/spring-statement-2022-national-insurance-fuel-duty-income-tax
But would be more likely 10% and thinking, ooh 10% aint bad, then thinking WTF.
Have a nice time. Wick is nice. Pulteneytown and the steps down to the harbour are rather good, and the fishing museum worth a glance and a smell if you like that sort of thing (it is in an old smokehouse IIRC). And the local malt whisky is very good.
If you want a circular walk, try from Wick Harbour north widdershins (Anglice, counterclockwise) along the coast and back southwest to Ackergill then cut inland to the river and walk down to Wick. Some nice birds depending on time of year.
PS But further afield there are other coastal walks - I believe the one just E of THurso is good. Dunnet/Duncansby. Was a long time ago so memory blurs.
. .
As the great @MartinSLewis flagged, workers who are taken out of National Insurance by the rising threshold will often be on Universal Credit. But they have a 'taper rate' which means they may pocket only £148 of the £330 gain from the tax change (Mirror estimate)
https://twitter.com/danbloom1/status/1506708767441924104
Why does Rishi hate the poor, he's happy to protect and funnel money to pensioners.
A fie upon Rishi.
And the invention of the internet.
Sunday, 27. March • 22:00 - 23:30 on Channel 4.
Falklands War: The Untold Story
Documentary
Documentary examining the Falklands conflict 40 years on. The head of the SAS in the Falklands, Sir Michael Rose, speaks publicly for the first time about the war, and how the British task force came close to defeat. Plus, ground troops and senior commanders, many for the first time, reveal how an unexpected change in the plan for the land campaign nearly cost Britain the war, and led to unnecessary loss of life at the iconic Battle of Goose Green, and in the sinking of the Sir Galahad.
https://www.teleboy.ch/en/tv-guide/channel4/21893196/falklands-war-the-untold-story
https://mobile.twitter.com/RichardEngel/status/1506660525106778120
And nothing to do with the internet.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60855139