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Opinium finds 28% drop in support for government’s economic handling – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 12,049
edited March 2022 in General
imageOpinium finds 28% drop in support for government’s economic handling – politicalbetting.com

After the March budget a year ago Opinium found the Tory government had with a net plus six approving ministers’ economic handling. As can be seen from the chart the latest finding is for a net minus of 22%. So the total drop since last year is 28%.

Read the full story here

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Comments

  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,018
    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.
  • FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,371
    edited March 2022
    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    I wonder what the % of homeowner would go underwater would be for every say 0.5% increase in interest rates?

    There has to be a significant proportion of people with mortgages who have never experienced (or have budgeted for) interest rates anywhere near historical normal levels.
  • This government needs to resign, this is utterly shameful.

    Chelsea will be allowed to sell tickets to away games, cup matches and fixtures involving the women's team after the UK government made alterations to the club's special licence.

    The club have been unable to sell tickets since owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the government as part of its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

    Under the changed licence, proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the Premier League and then be distributed to the relevant party.


    After letting Usmanov and other bust the sanctions, the UK government is effectively collaborating with Putin.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,371
    edited March 2022

    This government needs to resign, this is utterly shameful.

    Chelsea will be allowed to sell tickets to away games, cup matches and fixtures involving the women's team after the UK government made alterations to the club's special licence.

    The club have been unable to sell tickets since owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the government as part of its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

    Under the changed licence, proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the Premier League and then be distributed to the relevant party.


    After letting Usmanov and other bust the sanctions, the UK government is effectively collaborating with Putin.

    Why? I always thought that was a terrible stupid part of the rules. Season tickets allowed but not away fans. It is completely different from enabling Chelsea to go buying and selling players for £100 millions. If you are going to allow the club to continue to play, absolutely cut down on them being able to spend £100k on travelling to an away game or signing some multi-billion quid sponsorship deal, but I don't have any issue for away fans being able to watch the games.

    Its a bit like companies providing basic food in Russia. I think that is very different than a luxury car company.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,796

    Watching the budget clip on Ch4 I couldn't help but think that Priti on one side and Boris on the other

    made the Addams family look like a supermodels away-day
  • tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    I wonder what the % of homeowner would go underwater would be for every say 0.5% increase in interest rates?

    There has to be a significant proportion of people with mortgages who have never experienced (or have budgeted for) interest rates anywhere near historical normal levels.
    I reckon the ones who will get hammered the most are the ones with introductory deals ending soon.
  • This government needs to resign, this is utterly shameful.

    Chelsea will be allowed to sell tickets to away games, cup matches and fixtures involving the women's team after the UK government made alterations to the club's special licence.

    The club have been unable to sell tickets since owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the government as part of its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

    Under the changed licence, proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the Premier League and then be distributed to the relevant party.


    After letting Usmanov and other bust the sanctions, the UK government is effectively collaborating with Putin.

    Why? I always thought that was a terrible part of the rules. It is completely different from enabling Chelsea to go buying and selling players for £100 millions.
    Chelsea fans should be punished for chanting Abramovich's name.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 94,987
    Uesful comparisons, thanks.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 70,649
    Here is a question for those more knowledgeable than me.

    To get contributory benefits in this country you have to have paid NICs for six months or more.

    To get the state pension you have to have paid it for 30 years or more.

    If the threshold for NICs is raised, does that not mean rather a lot of lower paid workers will suddenly not be eligible for benefits and pensions?

    Which would cause far, far more problems than this silly gesture would solve.

    Or does leaving the ER NICs at the lower threshold get round that?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,018

    This government needs to resign, this is utterly shameful.

    Chelsea will be allowed to sell tickets to away games, cup matches and fixtures involving the women's team after the UK government made alterations to the club's special licence.

    The club have been unable to sell tickets since owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the government as part of its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

    Under the changed licence, proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the Premier League and then be distributed to the relevant party.


    After letting Usmanov and other bust the sanctions, the UK government is effectively collaborating with Putin.

    Hurrah! I can go to Stamford Bridge.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 21,869

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
  • sladeslade Posts: 1,989
    Greetings from Queen Mary 2 in fog off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. The world seems far away. News on the covid front is that not only did we all have a LFT before we left on Sunday but we all had to have another today. Mask wearing is compulsory when moving around inside the ship and in theatres and lectures. But obviously not in bars and restaurants. However if you get up to get another cream cake - it's mask on time.
  • BlancheLivermoreBlancheLivermore Posts: 5,695
    edited March 2022
    I did not know that Madeleine Albright was born in Czechoslovakia, and that her family moved to London when she was two and she lived there for nearly ten years. Her father worked for the Czech government in exile.
  • tlg86 said:

    This government needs to resign, this is utterly shameful.

    Chelsea will be allowed to sell tickets to away games, cup matches and fixtures involving the women's team after the UK government made alterations to the club's special licence.

    The club have been unable to sell tickets since owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the government as part of its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

    Under the changed licence, proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the Premier League and then be distributed to the relevant party.


    After letting Usmanov and other bust the sanctions, the UK government is effectively collaborating with Putin.

    Hurrah! I can go to Stamford Bridge.
    Thoughts and prayers for you.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,109
    edited March 2022
    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    How is putting up interest rates going to solve the problem of increased fuel and commodity price shocks? Or the unavailability of high tech components? To paraphrase British Rail, we have the wrong sort of inflation.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    Pig Dog appoints giants to the treasury to troll Sunak. egged on, I am sure, by Galadriel. What a couple.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,018

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    How is putting up interest rates going to solve the problem of increased fuel and commodity price shocks? Or the unavailability of high tech components? To paraphrase British Rail, we have the wrong sort of inflation.
    Whilst I think that's true to begin with, inflation will take hold and won't just drop out as it did in 2011-12.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 16,910
    Roger said:


    Watching the budget clip on Ch4 I couldn't help but think that Priti on one side and Boris on the other

    made the Addams family look like a supermodels away-day

    Politics is show business for ugly people.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 70,649
    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    Pig Dog appoints giants to the treasury to troll Sunak. egged on, I am sure, by Galadriel. What a couple.
    I didn't know Mark Reckless appointed the Treasury team!
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,371
    edited March 2022

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    I wonder what the % of homeowner would go underwater would be for every say 0.5% increase in interest rates?

    There has to be a significant proportion of people with mortgages who have never experienced (or have budgeted for) interest rates anywhere near historical normal levels.
    I reckon the ones who will get hammered the most are the ones with introductory deals ending soon.
    I think its even widespread than that. When was the last time interest rates were anywhere near 3-4-5%. There has to be most people in their 40s, even 50s, who never experienced paying that.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    FPT, the most important insight of the day

    Here's another thing: it looks less likely than it did, but it is still possible that this was RS's last chance to show a bit of ankle to the parl party and the membership before a leadership election, bringing the hatred of the poor more front and centre than it otherwise would be.

    Not a nice man.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,162
    What we're finding out at the moment is that economies don't run on policy, trade deals or investment breaks: they run on energy.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 70,649

    What we're finding out at the moment is that economies don't run on policy, trade deals or investment breaks: they run on energy.

    If the hot air the government produces could be turned into energy, we'd have enough to power the whole planet for 10 years.
  • mwadamsmwadams Posts: 3,533

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    I wonder what the % of homeowner would go underwater would be for every say 0.5% increase in interest rates?

    There has to be a significant proportion of people with mortgages who have never experienced (or have budgeted for) interest rates anywhere near historical normal levels.
    If interest rates got back to 5 to 6% ie historically normal levels there would be mass repossessions and personal bankruptcy that would make the early 90s look like a tea party
    I still don't understand why the banks don't get held more responsible for this.

    If they had not issued loans at crazy ratios, there would surely have been less overheating in the market, and we wouldn't be in a crisis as things return to a norm.

    I know they were being encouraged by politicians to fuel their nonsense growth theories, but still...
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,162

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    How is putting up interest rates going to solve the problem of increased fuel and commodity price shocks? Or the unavailability of high tech components? To paraphrase British Rail, we have the wrong sort of inflation.
    We've been dining on cheap money and "quantitative easing" (i.e printing money) since 2008 - at some point that dog was going to bark.
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 8,271
    I know it's inconsequential, but that tweet of Sunak's with the glossy photo celebrating the 5p fuel duty cut seems to me utterly bizarre and pointless. The rightful caption should be:

    Man at garage fills car with petrol. Fascinating.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 50,611

    What we're finding out at the moment is that economies don't run on policy, trade deals or investment breaks: they run on energy.

    There’s a real crunch point coming very soon with Putin asking for payment in rubles. It looks like the West basically has a choice between breaking our own sanctions or having the gas turned off.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,202

    Roger said:


    Watching the budget clip on Ch4 I couldn't help but think that Priti on one side and Boris on the other

    made the Addams family look like a supermodels away-day

    Politics is show business for ugly people.
    It didn’t even look like Boris was listening at times. He looked that close to nodding off?
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,769

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    I wonder what the % of homeowner would go underwater would be for every say 0.5% increase in interest rates?

    There has to be a significant proportion of people with mortgages who have never experienced (or have budgeted for) interest rates anywhere near historical normal levels.
    I reckon the ones who will get hammered the most are the ones with introductory deals ending soon.
    I think its even widespread than that. When was the last time interest rates were anywhere near 3-4-5%. There has to be most people in their 40s, even 50s, who never experienced paying that.
    Yes, but when was the last time inflation was at 6%+ too?

    It's real interest rates, not nominal, that ultimately determines the debt burden.
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,275
    Roger said:


    Watching the budget clip on Ch4 I couldn't help but think that Priti on one side and Boris on the other

    made the Addams family look like a supermodels away-day

    Gomez Addams was a gentleman and a scholar, sir! Honest, loyal, diligent and well-intentioned, he'd be 20x more the PM that BJ could ever hope to be.

    As for Morticia Addams, her management of the Home Office would certainly be 20x less ghoulish than PP"s.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 70,649

    Roger said:


    Watching the budget clip on Ch4 I couldn't help but think that Priti on one side and Boris on the other

    made the Addams family look like a supermodels away-day

    Gomez Addams was a gentleman and a scholar, sir! Honest, loyal, diligent and well-intentioned, he'd be 20x more the PM that BJ could ever hope to be.

    As for Morticia Addams, her management of the Home Office would certainly be 20x less ghoulish than PP"s.
    I misread that and thought you said 'Gerry Adams.'

    Worryingly, it still worked...
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,202
    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    Do you suspect the bank is politically lent on?
  • FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


  • stodgestodge Posts: 13,647

    What we're finding out at the moment is that economies don't run on policy, trade deals or investment breaks: they run on energy.

    Indeed and we're already seeing companies increase prices by adding a "special diesel premium". In truth, we're economically the same as we were in the 1970s - hugely vulnerable to sudden rises in energy prices.

    I also fear the hybrid working middle classes who have helped the economy rebound by spending the cash they didn't use during the pandemic will now start cutting back with all the implications that will follow.

    WTI back near $115 a barrel this evening - a lot of people are going to be seeing 7% inflation and thinking they need higher wages so once again union militancy will return in some sectors. As for interest rates, it's not just home owners but those renting who will feel the pain as landlords seek to hold their living standards.

    The best for which we can now hope is a quick end to the fighting in Ukraine which would, I'm sure, take the pressure off energy prices.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,371
    edited March 2022

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,275

    This government needs to resign, this is utterly shameful.

    Chelsea will be allowed to sell tickets to away games, cup matches and fixtures involving the women's team after the UK government made alterations to the club's special licence.

    The club have been unable to sell tickets since owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the government as part of its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

    Under the changed licence, proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the Premier League and then be distributed to the relevant party.


    After letting Usmanov and other bust the sanctions, the UK government is effectively collaborating with Putin.

    Wasn''t someone asking recently, just what return the Ruski expected and/or received for their kind donations to Tory Party in general and Boris Johnson in particular?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,018

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    Do you suspect the bank is politically lent on?
    I don't know. The time I was most annoyed at the BoE was 2014-16. They didn't put up rates when oil caused inflation to hit 4% in 2011. Okay, fine. But when oil fell in 2014 and suppressed inflation as the economy picked up, they still didn't raise rates. Head I win, tails you lose.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 16,910
    edited March 2022

    Roger said:


    Watching the budget clip on Ch4 I couldn't help but think that Priti on one side and Boris on the other

    made the Addams family look like a supermodels away-day

    Politics is show business for ugly people.
    It didn’t even look like Boris was listening at times. He looked that close to nodding off?
    It’s hard work fighting the Russians running the country.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 118,553
    edited March 2022

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    I've used this picture in a few thread headers.


  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,202

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    That green chair looks odd, it looks too small for Rishi let alone standard person?

    If Clarke sat in it his knees would be up round his ears, like noddy.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,371
    edited March 2022

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    I've used this picture in a few thread headers.


    Yes that one he is the one that looks like a borrower, where he is in danger of sinking into the mud in which he could be up to his neck.

    I think in this one it is because there are all the guys in the background who are same level as him despite being in the distance. I presume partly because of the sloped ground, but that adds to effect.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 16,910

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    I've used this picture in a few thread headers.


    That lad would have been rubbish in the trenches.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 70,649

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    I've used this picture in a few thread headers.


    That lad would have been rubbish in the trenches.
    Yes, that suit would never have lasted five minutes.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,202

    Roger said:


    Watching the budget clip on Ch4 I couldn't help but think that Priti on one side and Boris on the other

    made the Addams family look like a supermodels away-day

    Gomez Addams was a gentleman and a scholar, sir! Honest, loyal, diligent and well-intentioned, he'd be 20x more the PM that BJ could ever hope to be.

    As for Morticia Addams, her management of the Home Office would certainly be 20x less ghoulish than PP"s.
    Thing would be a handy media operator - far better than Helen Whatley!

    Suspect though Truss would have a thing for Thing and they’d have a fling.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    edited March 2022

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    I've used this picture in a few thread headers.


    That guy, again, is a giant by the look of it. Not really clever or funny, whatever one thinks of sunak.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,165
    edited March 2022
    I would have:

    Protected the bottom income deciles
    Reduced VAT on fuel
    Taken measures to incentivise oil production
    Ditto home insulation.
    Scrapped stamp duty on house purchases
    Increased the NI threshold (as was done)

    Forced pensioners to pay NI
    Levied a windfall tax on oil companies
    Levied a new tax on property @ 0.5% p.a.*

    Left income tax alone.

    *With a rebate against stamp duty paid for those who have purchased in the last seven years.
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 16,567
    Fishing said:

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    I wonder what the % of homeowner would go underwater would be for every say 0.5% increase in interest rates?

    There has to be a significant proportion of people with mortgages who have never experienced (or have budgeted for) interest rates anywhere near historical normal levels.
    I reckon the ones who will get hammered the most are the ones with introductory deals ending soon.
    I think its even widespread than that. When was the last time interest rates were anywhere near 3-4-5%. There has to be most people in their 40s, even 50s, who never experienced paying that.
    Yes, but when was the last time inflation was at 6%+ too?

    It's real interest rates, not nominal, that ultimately determines the debt burden.
    In many cases, that's true, but the leverage when we buy houses with a mortgage is huge. Even repayment mortgages are dominated by interest for a long time.

    Hence the massive something-for-nothing of the last 40 years or so, but also the sensitivity to changes in the interest rate.

    Downside of getting something-for-nothing is that someone (or somewhen) else has to get nothing-for-something.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,138
    ydoethur said:

    Here is a question for those more knowledgeable than me.

    To get contributory benefits in this country you have to have paid NICs for six months or more.

    To get the state pension you have to have paid it for 30 years or more.

    If the threshold for NICs is raised, does that not mean rather a lot of lower paid workers will suddenly not be eligible for benefits and pensions?

    Which would cause far, far more problems than this silly gesture would solve.

    Or does leaving the ER NICs at the lower threshold get round that?

    It is a different threshold to qualify for your pension year. Was £6,240 (£6515 self employed) for the current tax year.
  • I think Eagles should gift Rishi a Sarkozy box and snort loudly to himself while he tells us about it.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,109
    Keep safe on the interwebs:-

    Cybercriminals made $7bn in pure profit in 2021, says FBI
    Another year, another batch of record-setting cybercrime losses

    https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/23/cybercriminals_made_7bn_2021/
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,162
    stodge said:

    What we're finding out at the moment is that economies don't run on policy, trade deals or investment breaks: they run on energy.

    Indeed and we're already seeing companies increase prices by adding a "special diesel premium". In truth, we're economically the same as we were in the 1970s - hugely vulnerable to sudden rises in energy prices.

    I also fear the hybrid working middle classes who have helped the economy rebound by spending the cash they didn't use during the pandemic will now start cutting back with all the implications that will follow.

    WTI back near $115 a barrel this evening - a lot of people are going to be seeing 7% inflation and thinking they need higher wages so once again union militancy will return in some sectors. As for interest rates, it's not just home owners but those renting who will feel the pain as landlords seek to hold their living standards.

    The best for which we can now hope is a quick end to the fighting in Ukraine which would, I'm sure, take the pressure off energy prices.
    Yes, and there's not much Governments of either stripe can do about it.

    We might get the politics of the 70s too - a series of weak/switching governments and hung parliaments.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 70,649

    ydoethur said:

    Here is a question for those more knowledgeable than me.

    To get contributory benefits in this country you have to have paid NICs for six months or more.

    To get the state pension you have to have paid it for 30 years or more.

    If the threshold for NICs is raised, does that not mean rather a lot of lower paid workers will suddenly not be eligible for benefits and pensions?

    Which would cause far, far more problems than this silly gesture would solve.

    Or does leaving the ER NICs at the lower threshold get round that?

    It is a different threshold to qualify for your pension year. Was £6,240 (£6515 self employed) for the current tax year.
    Thanks. Had been wondering about that as forgetting that detail is exactly the sort of stupid mistake the Treasury would make. Relieved to hear I was worrying about nothing.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 70,649

    stodge said:

    What we're finding out at the moment is that economies don't run on policy, trade deals or investment breaks: they run on energy.

    Indeed and we're already seeing companies increase prices by adding a "special diesel premium". In truth, we're economically the same as we were in the 1970s - hugely vulnerable to sudden rises in energy prices.

    I also fear the hybrid working middle classes who have helped the economy rebound by spending the cash they didn't use during the pandemic will now start cutting back with all the implications that will follow.

    WTI back near $115 a barrel this evening - a lot of people are going to be seeing 7% inflation and thinking they need higher wages so once again union militancy will return in some sectors. As for interest rates, it's not just home owners but those renting who will feel the pain as landlords seek to hold their living standards.

    The best for which we can now hope is a quick end to the fighting in Ukraine which would, I'm sure, take the pressure off energy prices.
    Yes, and there's not much Governments of either stripe can do about it.

    We might get the politics of the 70s too - a series of weak/switching governments and hung parliaments.
    What do you mean, 'might get?' Did you miss the period 2010-2019?
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,138
    edited March 2022
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Here is a question for those more knowledgeable than me.

    To get contributory benefits in this country you have to have paid NICs for six months or more.

    To get the state pension you have to have paid it for 30 years or more.

    If the threshold for NICs is raised, does that not mean rather a lot of lower paid workers will suddenly not be eligible for benefits and pensions?

    Which would cause far, far more problems than this silly gesture would solve.

    Or does leaving the ER NICs at the lower threshold get round that?

    It is a different threshold to qualify for your pension year. Was £6,240 (£6515 self employed) for the current tax year.
    Thanks. Had been wondering about that as forgetting that detail is exactly the sort of stupid mistake the Treasury would make. Relieved to hear I was worrying about nothing.
    I havent seen if they have moved that up £3k! I doubt it though. And don't know about contributory benefits.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,202

    I would have:

    Protected the bottom income deciles
    Reduced VAT on fuel
    Taken measures to incentivise oil production
    Ditto home insulation.
    Scrapped stamp duty on house purchases
    Increased the NI threshold (as was done)

    Forced pensioners to pay NI
    Levied a windfall tax on oil companies
    Levied a new tax on property @ 0.5% p.a.*

    Left income tax alone.

    *With a rebate against stamp duty paid for those who have purchased in the last seven years.

    What about Hospitals and Education and other departments whose budgets about to be ravaged by inflation? Should there really be income tax cut after that?
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    I would have:

    Protected the bottom income deciles
    Reduced VAT on fuel
    Taken measures to incentivise oil production
    Ditto home insulation.
    Scrapped stamp duty on house purchases
    Increased the NI threshold (as was done)

    Forced pensioners to pay NI
    Levied a windfall tax on oil companies
    Levied a new tax on property @ 0.5% p.a.*

    Left income tax alone.

    *With a rebate against stamp duty paid for those who have purchased in the last seven years.

    Scrapping stamp duty now = petrol on house price fire. It needs doing, but you need to wait for a housing crash to do it, and/or do something to make it fiscaly neutral, like a LVT.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 27,708

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    I've used this picture in a few thread headers.


    That lad would have been rubbish in the trenches.
    On the contrary, his chances of survival would have been excellent.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,165
    IshmaelZ said:

    I would have:

    Protected the bottom income deciles
    Reduced VAT on fuel
    Taken measures to incentivise oil production
    Ditto home insulation.
    Scrapped stamp duty on house purchases
    Increased the NI threshold (as was done)

    Forced pensioners to pay NI
    Levied a windfall tax on oil companies
    Levied a new tax on property @ 0.5% p.a.*

    Left income tax alone.

    *With a rebate against stamp duty paid for those who have purchased in the last seven years.

    Scrapping stamp duty now = petrol on house price fire. It needs doing, but you need to wait for a housing crash to do it, and/or do something to make it fiscaly neutral, like a LVT.
    You missed my compensatory LVT.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,202
    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    I've used this picture in a few thread headers.


    That guy, again, is a giant by the look of it. Not really clever or funny, whatever one thinks of sunak.
    That officer looks about standard size for the army vehicle in shot, Rishi looks like he’d need a ladder just to climb onto the front seat.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,371
    edited March 2022

    Keep safe on the interwebs:-

    Cybercriminals made $7bn in pure profit in 2021, says FBI
    Another year, another batch of record-setting cybercrime losses

    https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/23/cybercriminals_made_7bn_2021/

    Does anybody know if Kaspersky has been sanctioned? I believe even Trump banned their software on US government computers.
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,275
    edited March 2022
    Entire "look how short Sunak is!" schtick is as funny as a rubber crutch, and sub-adolescent to boot.

    EDIT - Fun fact (per wiki) average British soldier in WW1 was 5'7" same as Rishi Sunak
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,769

    Fishing said:

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    I wonder what the % of homeowner would go underwater would be for every say 0.5% increase in interest rates?

    There has to be a significant proportion of people with mortgages who have never experienced (or have budgeted for) interest rates anywhere near historical normal levels.
    I reckon the ones who will get hammered the most are the ones with introductory deals ending soon.
    I think its even widespread than that. When was the last time interest rates were anywhere near 3-4-5%. There has to be most people in their 40s, even 50s, who never experienced paying that.
    Yes, but when was the last time inflation was at 6%+ too?

    It's real interest rates, not nominal, that ultimately determines the debt burden.
    In many cases, that's true, but the leverage when we buy houses with a mortgage is huge. Even repayment mortgages are dominated by interest for a long time.

    Hence the massive something-for-nothing of the last 40 years or so, but also the sensitivity to changes in the interest rate.

    Downside of getting something-for-nothing is that someone (or somewhen) else has to get nothing-for-something.
    Yes. What changes in nominal, but not real interest rates do is to redistribute the real burden of the debt over time. If you low interest rates and inflation, the debt burden is much lower at the start, but higher at the end, than if you have high interest rates and inflation.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,165

    I would have:

    Protected the bottom income deciles
    Reduced VAT on fuel
    Taken measures to incentivise oil production
    Ditto home insulation.
    Scrapped stamp duty on house purchases
    Increased the NI threshold (as was done)

    Forced pensioners to pay NI
    Levied a windfall tax on oil companies
    Levied a new tax on property @ 0.5% p.a.*

    Left income tax alone.

    *With a rebate against stamp duty paid for those who have purchased in the last seven years.

    What about Hospitals and Education and other departments whose budgets about to be ravaged by inflation? Should there really be income tax cut after that?
    I left income taxes alone.

    Essentially my aim would be to fiscally neutral at this juncture, albeit shifting the burden from the poorest income earners to the wealthiest asset owners.
  • Quick U-turn?

    Anders Åslund
    @anders_aslund
    Renault is ending its car production in Russia. This is as extraordinary as natural. Renault with its Avtovaz is the biggest car producer in Russia, but it imports 20% of the parts, no longer available.
    Probably all Russia car production will stop soon.
    Western sanctions bite.
    https://twitter.com/anders_aslund/status/1506724668413251590
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 16,910

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    I've used this picture in a few thread headers.


    That lad would have been rubbish in the trenches.
    On the contrary, his chances of survival would have been excellent.
    I did mean the tall fella, but yes, Sunak would have qualified for the bantams...
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 27,708

    Entire "look how short Sunak is!" schtick is as funny as a rubber crutch, and sub-adolescent to boot.

    I read that as 'crotch' - wth is wrong with me.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    IshmaelZ said:

    I would have:

    Protected the bottom income deciles
    Reduced VAT on fuel
    Taken measures to incentivise oil production
    Ditto home insulation.
    Scrapped stamp duty on house purchases
    Increased the NI threshold (as was done)

    Forced pensioners to pay NI
    Levied a windfall tax on oil companies
    Levied a new tax on property @ 0.5% p.a.*

    Left income tax alone.

    *With a rebate against stamp duty paid for those who have purchased in the last seven years.

    Scrapping stamp duty now = petrol on house price fire. It needs doing, but you need to wait for a housing crash to do it, and/or do something to make it fiscaly neutral, like a LVT.
    You missed my compensatory LVT.
    so i did, sorry

    Could still inflame the market though, sugar rush of large one-off expenditure evaporating vs failure to work out what it costs in the long run. As with people buying iphones on monthly contracts
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 94,987

    Entire "look how short Sunak is!" schtick is as funny as a rubber crutch, and sub-adolescent to boot.

    I'm the same height as Sunak - short jokes can still be funny if the subject seems to take steps to disguise it. I honestly don't know if Sunak does, although the infamous false perspective treasury team photo helped build the myth that he is.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,138

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    What are the odds Boris asked around to find the tallest MP available just to piss off Sunak?

    Sadly I think this is quite likely.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 61,481

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    I've used this picture in a few thread headers.


    That lad would have been rubbish in the trenches.
    Is that Sunak's nemesis in the background? Ben Wallace.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,371
    edited March 2022

    Quick U-turn?

    Anders Åslund
    @anders_aslund
    Renault is ending its car production in Russia. This is as extraordinary as natural. Renault with its Avtovaz is the biggest car producer in Russia, but it imports 20% of the parts, no longer available.
    Probably all Russia car production will stop soon.
    Western sanctions bite.
    https://twitter.com/anders_aslund/status/1506724668413251590

    I did wonder about how practical it was, even from the issue of chips for the cars. Anything that runs ARM or any US patented technology I believe is banned under sanctions, which I presume must be somewhere all these kind of the chips / motherboards.

    Now I guess the Chinese will still supply things, but Renault surely couldn't be seen to be doing that.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 27,708

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    I've used this picture in a few thread headers.


    That lad would have been rubbish in the trenches.
    On the contrary, his chances of survival would have been excellent.
    I did mean the tall fella, but yes, Sunak would have qualified for the bantams...
    Ah, my bad.
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,275

    Entire "look how short Sunak is!" schtick is as funny as a rubber crutch, and sub-adolescent to boot.

    I read that as 'crotch' - wth is wrong with me.
    Perhaps you've been associating toooooooo long with PB perverts (we know who we are!)
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,109
    edited March 2022

    Keep safe on the interwebs:-

    Cybercriminals made $7bn in pure profit in 2021, says FBI
    Another year, another batch of record-setting cybercrime losses

    https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/23/cybercriminals_made_7bn_2021/

    Does anybody know if Kaspersky has been sanctioned? I believe even Trump banned their software on US government computers.
    Britain as well, iirc, and Germany also warned companies against using Kapersky last week but tbh I was mainly concentrating on Cheltenham.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,165
    Apparently those under-the-cover student debt changes were the single biggest income earner in the Spring Statement.

    Buried in a table in the OBR…
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 70,649

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    What are the odds Boris asked around to find the tallest MP available just to piss off Sunak?

    Sadly I think this is quite likely.
    Johnson is barely taller than Sunak. He would have to be preternaturally stupid to try a stunt like...yes you're right, it's perfectly possible.
  • Quick U-turn?

    Anders Åslund
    @anders_aslund
    Renault is ending its car production in Russia. This is as extraordinary as natural. Renault with its Avtovaz is the biggest car producer in Russia, but it imports 20% of the parts, no longer available.
    Probably all Russia car production will stop soon.
    Western sanctions bite.
    https://twitter.com/anders_aslund/status/1506724668413251590

    I did wonder about how practical it was, even from the issue of chips for the cars. Anything that runs ARM or any US patented technology I believe is banned under sanctions, which I presume must be somewhere all these kind of the chips / motherboards.
    They've bought themselves their worst 24 hours of PR since WW2 to avoid pissing off Putin.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,161

    What we're finding out at the moment is that economies don't run on policy, trade deals or investment breaks: they run on energy.

    There’s a real crunch point coming very soon with Putin asking for payment in rubles. It looks like the West basically has a choice between breaking our own sanctions or having the gas turned off.
    There's no discussion to be had, we turn off the gas and pray that summer arrives early and isn't unbearably hot.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,371
    edited March 2022

    Keep safe on the interwebs:-

    Cybercriminals made $7bn in pure profit in 2021, says FBI
    Another year, another batch of record-setting cybercrime losses

    https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/23/cybercriminals_made_7bn_2021/

    Does anybody know if Kaspersky has been sanctioned? I believe even Trump banned their software on US government computers.
    Britain as well, and iirc Germany also warned companies against using Kapersky last week but tbh I was mainly concentrating on Cheltenham.
    According to Wikipedia (so I am sure I will be corrected) their holding company in the UK.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,202
    kle4 said:

    Entire "look how short Sunak is!" schtick is as funny as a rubber crutch, and sub-adolescent to boot.

    I'm the same height as Sunak - short jokes can still be funny if the subject seems to take steps to disguise it. I honestly don't know if Sunak does, although the infamous false perspective treasury team photo helped build the myth that he is.
    Personally I’m short of Rishi jokes. There’s so little Sunak jokes out there.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,165
    edited March 2022
    Ed Conway. Whole thread is interesting.

    https://twitter.com/edconwaysky/status/1506704332275781645?s=21

    …But even after that we are still facing the biggest fall in living standards in living memory. This chart goes back to 1956 but my hunch is this will be the worst year for real household disposable income since the UK rejoined the gold standard in 1925. That was a VERY bad year.

    It was so bad Churchill called it his worst ever decision, it triggered the General Strike, a naval mutiny (of sorts) and widespread immiseration. My point is: if that’s the baseline for what we’re facing this year in terms of impact on family finances, that’s not great.


  • RattersRatters Posts: 1,007

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    I wonder what the % of homeowner would go underwater would be for every say 0.5% increase in interest rates?

    There has to be a significant proportion of people with mortgages who have never experienced (or have budgeted for) interest rates anywhere near historical normal levels.
    Interest rates have been at more-or-less 0.5% (as high as 0.75%, as low as 0.1%) since early 2009 - 13 year's ago. That is remarkably stable and we have reached the top of the range. I doubt anyone has been impacted too badly yet.

    The next stage is market expectations that rates will more than double to around 2% by the end of the year. I think that will start to bite on people with high mortgages, but fixed terms mean it'll take time to be felt.

    Beyond that point it's crystal ball time. The Bank of England thinks it'll be enough to bring inflation back to target in the years following. Some predict a recession from the combined squeeze in people's real income (which may in turn reduce inflation). Others that high inflation becomes embedded that forces interest rates higher still.

    Threading the needle of bringing down inflation without inducing a recession won't be an easy one.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,202

    I would have:

    Protected the bottom income deciles
    Reduced VAT on fuel
    Taken measures to incentivise oil production
    Ditto home insulation.
    Scrapped stamp duty on house purchases
    Increased the NI threshold (as was done)

    Forced pensioners to pay NI
    Levied a windfall tax on oil companies
    Levied a new tax on property @ 0.5% p.a.*

    Left income tax alone.

    *With a rebate against stamp duty paid for those who have purchased in the last seven years.

    What about Hospitals and Education and other departments whose budgets about to be ravaged by inflation? Should there really be income tax cut after that?
    I left income taxes alone.

    Essentially my aim would be to fiscally neutral at this juncture, albeit shifting the burden from the poorest income earners to the wealthiest asset owners.
    Yeah I like it. 👍🏻

    Like London property Barons.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 94,987

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    The Con candidate in Chesham and Amersham was 6ft 9 I believe, and would have been the tallest MP ever.

    Wiki tells me Cyril Smith was the fattest MP.

    And it says Antoinette Sanbach is 6ft 4
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    ydoethur said:

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    What are the odds Boris asked around to find the tallest MP available just to piss off Sunak?

    Sadly I think this is quite likely.
    Johnson is barely taller than Sunak. He would have to be preternaturally stupid to try a stunt like...yes you're right, it's perfectly possible.
    Naah, 5'9 is just non-tall, 5'6" is short

    I think. I am happy to report I am just millimetrically north of the great 6' divide, and all you people look like little ants to me.
  • Quick U-turn?

    Anders Åslund
    @anders_aslund
    Renault is ending its car production in Russia. This is as extraordinary as natural. Renault with its Avtovaz is the biggest car producer in Russia, but it imports 20% of the parts, no longer available.
    Probably all Russia car production will stop soon.
    Western sanctions bite.
    https://twitter.com/anders_aslund/status/1506724668413251590

    Really pleased they have done the right thing
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,371
    edited March 2022
    ydoethur said:

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    What are the odds Boris asked around to find the tallest MP available just to piss off Sunak?

    Sadly I think this is quite likely.
    Johnson is barely taller than Sunak. He would have to be preternaturally stupid to try a stunt like...yes you're right, it's perfectly possible.
    Yes but you forget Boris has an extremely muscular build ;-) which makes him look bigger.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 61,481

    Roger said:


    Watching the budget clip on Ch4 I couldn't help but think that Priti on one side and Boris on the other

    made the Addams family look like a supermodels away-day

    Politics is show business for ugly people.
    It didn’t even look like Boris was listening at times. He looked that close to nodding off?
    Well, he has a lot on. Somedays he has to actually open his red box.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,165

    I would have:

    Protected the bottom income deciles
    Reduced VAT on fuel
    Taken measures to incentivise oil production
    Ditto home insulation.
    Scrapped stamp duty on house purchases
    Increased the NI threshold (as was done)

    Forced pensioners to pay NI
    Levied a windfall tax on oil companies
    Levied a new tax on property @ 0.5% p.a.*

    Left income tax alone.

    *With a rebate against stamp duty paid for those who have purchased in the last seven years.

    What about Hospitals and Education and other departments whose budgets about to be ravaged by inflation? Should there really be income tax cut after that?
    I left income taxes alone.

    Essentially my aim would be to fiscally neutral at this juncture, albeit shifting the burden from the poorest income earners to the wealthiest asset owners.
    Yeah I like it. 👍🏻

    Like London property Barons.
    You seem to think I’m a London property baron. I’m not. I moved to NY and I haven’t sold my family home (and don’t intend to).

    The other place is a essentially retirement savings.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,229

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    I wonder what the % of homeowner would go underwater would be for every say 0.5% increase in interest rates?

    There has to be a significant proportion of people with mortgages who have never experienced (or have budgeted for) interest rates anywhere near historical normal levels.
    I reckon the ones who will get hammered the most are the ones with introductory deals ending soon.
    I think its even widespread than that. When was the last time interest rates were anywhere near 3-4-5%. There has to be most people in their 40s, even 50s, who never experienced paying that.
    I'm 47, and I remember interest rates being about 6% in... 2007.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 94,987
    IshmaelZ said:

    ydoethur said:

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    What are the odds Boris asked around to find the tallest MP available just to piss off Sunak?

    Sadly I think this is quite likely.
    Johnson is barely taller than Sunak. He would have to be preternaturally stupid to try a stunt like...yes you're right, it's perfectly possible.
    Naah, 5'9 is just non-tall, 5'6" is short

    I think. I am happy to report I am just millimetrically north of the great 6' divide, and all you people look like little ants to me.
    Yes, when you're 5'6/5'7 you look down (haha) on the idea that 5'9 is short.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    kle4 said:

    FPT

    rkrkrk said:

    Simon Clarke defending govt very ably on C4 news - could be one to watch for the future. Also really tall

    I think Clarke is very good. He sounds serious and posh. Reeves sounds too common to be trusted with Nation’s finances?

    Clarke Didn’t get chance to stand outside 11 with his boss and rest of team today though for some reason. Not proper policy budget mere statement I guess.
    Rishi Sunak doesn't like being photographed with Simon Clarke

    Simon Clarke is 6ft 7inches tall, stood next to Sunak he makes Sunak look like a borrower.
    In more than one sense.
    Courtesy of @TLG86


    To be honest in that photo Sunak doesn't look that short, he just appears to be talking to the BFG.
    The Con candidate in Chesham and Amersham was 6ft 9 I believe, and would have been the tallest MP ever.

    Wiki tells me Cyril Smith was the fattest MP.

    And it says Antoinette Sanbach is 6ft 4
    Daniel Kawczynski is 6'9" so it clearly doesn't correlate with anything you'd want to correlate with
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,165

    Quick U-turn?

    Anders Åslund
    @anders_aslund
    Renault is ending its car production in Russia. This is as extraordinary as natural. Renault with its Avtovaz is the biggest car producer in Russia, but it imports 20% of the parts, no longer available.
    Probably all Russia car production will stop soon.
    Western sanctions bite.
    https://twitter.com/anders_aslund/status/1506724668413251590

    Really pleased they have done the right thing
    It’s v good, and it puts pressure on all the other hold-outs.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,202

    Ed Conway. Whole thread is interesting.

    https://twitter.com/edconwaysky/status/1506704332275781645?s=21

    …But even after that we are still facing the biggest fall in living standards in living memory. This chart goes back to 1956 but my hunch is this will be the worst year for real household disposable income since the UK rejoined the gold standard in 1925. That was a VERY bad year.

    It was so bad Churchill called it his worst ever decision, it triggered the General Strike, a naval mutiny (of sorts) and widespread immiseration. My point is: if that’s the baseline for what we’re facing this year in terms of impact on family finances, that’s not great.


    But did you notice the second biggest blob on chart was the huge financial crisis and misery straight after the Brexit vote in 2016?

    Nope. I can’t remember that huge crunch either.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,371
    edited March 2022
    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    I wonder what the % of homeowner would go underwater would be for every say 0.5% increase in interest rates?

    There has to be a significant proportion of people with mortgages who have never experienced (or have budgeted for) interest rates anywhere near historical normal levels.
    I reckon the ones who will get hammered the most are the ones with introductory deals ending soon.
    I think its even widespread than that. When was the last time interest rates were anywhere near 3-4-5%. There has to be most people in their 40s, even 50s, who never experienced paying that.
    I'm 47, and I remember interest rates being about 6% in... 2007.
    You are right it spiked 2007. Late 2001-07 it was <5%.

    I was thinking along the lines most people don't buy their first home until ~30. Again maybe I am biased due to current situation. Be interesting to know what average first time home buyer was in mid noughties.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 121,052
    edited March 2022
    Tim Montgomerie not a fan of the Budget says Sunak as the richest MP has done nothing for those on benefits given a below inflation rise and the cost of living crisis.

    https://twitter.com/montie/status/1506726896079446034?s=20&t=cL4RX6m4oudOwmoyiZRG8A

    Overall though voters back the Spring Statement proposals by 44% to 19%

    https://twitter.com/OpiniumResearch/status/1506705220310609928?s=20&t=cL4RX6m4oudOwmoyiZRG8A
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,229

    What we're finding out at the moment is that economies don't run on policy, trade deals or investment breaks: they run on energy.

    What's equally amazing is how lucky this happened now, and not in 2000.

    Back then, totally primary energy usage of the UK was 234 million tonnes of oil equivalent, and more than 90% of that oil, coal and gas.

    Now it's just 165-170 million tonnes.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,161
    tlg86 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Interest rates. The dog that doesn't bark. I've had Sky News on since 19:00 and not once has the subject of monetary policy come up. Ultimately these fiscal changes are small fry. Want to tackle inflation? Put up interest rates.

    Do you suspect the bank is politically lent on?
    I don't know. The time I was most annoyed at the BoE was 2014-16. They didn't put up rates when oil caused inflation to hit 4% in 2011. Okay, fine. But when oil fell in 2014 and suppressed inflation as the economy picked up, they still didn't raise rates. Head I win, tails you lose.
    Yes, there was a real failure to reload the monetary gun in the UK and across the west in general.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,018

    Ed Conway. Whole thread is interesting.

    https://twitter.com/edconwaysky/status/1506704332275781645?s=21

    …But even after that we are still facing the biggest fall in living standards in living memory. This chart goes back to 1956 but my hunch is this will be the worst year for real household disposable income since the UK rejoined the gold standard in 1925. That was a VERY bad year.

    It was so bad Churchill called it his worst ever decision, it triggered the General Strike, a naval mutiny (of sorts) and widespread immiseration. My point is: if that’s the baseline for what we’re facing this year in terms of impact on family finances, that’s not great.


    But did you notice the second biggest blob on chart was the huge financial crisis and misery straight after the Brexit vote in 2016?

    Nope. I can’t remember that huge crunch either.
    I've not looked at the data, but this feels a lot worse than anything I can remember (I'm 35).
This discussion has been closed.