Is Sunaks you tube video as bad as Gordon McDoom's. I've been going round the Country effort ..which was vomit inducing....
Tut. McX is so passe when talking about a Scot, as well as highly inaccurate for a Lowlander.
And why focus on that aspect of Mr Brown?
Brown was bonkers and his smile/grin was so false, its amazing it was ever allowed out...
That's better, rather than going on about him being Scottish and McWhatsit. It is at least an argued statement of possibly rational opinion.
Don't be so precious. .. and I don't need your approval.
Couldn't give a vinegar nematode worm's fuck about approving you or otherwise. It's your relentless petty nationalism, in the insistence that Mr Brown's deleterious characteristics incluyde his being Scottish, that is objectionable.
Is Sunaks you tube video as bad as Gordon McDoom's. I've been going round the Country effort ..which was vomit inducing....
Tut. McX is so passe when talking about a Scot, as well as highly inaccurate for a Lowlander.
And why focus on that aspect of Mr Brown?
Brown was bonkers and his smile/grin was so false, its amazing it was ever allowed out...
That's better, rather than going on about him being Scottish and McWhatsit. It is at least an argued statement of possibly rational opinion.
Don't be so precious. .. and I don't need your approval.
Couldn't give a vinegar nematode worm's fuck about approving you or otherwise. It's your relentless petty nationalism, in the insistence that Mr Brown's deleterious characteristics incluyde his being Scottish, that is objectionable.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
Clocked another twenty miles today and I’m now in Lorient. I’ve just got back from dinner at the best rated local crêperie. I’ve decided these are the best places to go for Breton food when there isn’t a restaurant I particularly want to go to
Tonight I had a smoked salmon galette (a normally savoury, buckwheat crêpe) and a glass of wine. It cost me less than a tenner and I’m full
I’ve returned to my very nice Best Western hotel where I have my first bain in the salle de bain (I have a bath!) and I’m running a hot one to soak in for a while
I’ve also opened my first ever bottle of mead, or Chouchen as they call it here. It’s delicious. The sweetness is far less than I expected; it’s like an off-dry white, but with a hint of honey in the aftertaste
My hot bath beckons..
First, best and also one of the last meads sampled by yours truly, many years ago was Camelot Mead Produced then (and still) in southern Indiana near Bloomington, home of Indiana University.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
Sunak is way too smarmy. Hr reminds me of Blair and not in a good way.
I always found Blair pretty phoney seeming and unctuous, but was coming in as an adult after he'd been in power for years. Apparently it worked at the time, but not sure a similar style works now.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
Well they do, since we eat up being told we can have more for less, but it needs to be a lie we can believe.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
I'm reminded of Norman Lamont's "green shoots" speech... 1991? But the bigger problem is the one we see here. There are people whose personal economy is doing very nicely thank you. They're the ones we see in the bars, bistros and airports. And their agreeable personal lives are frankly putting them in denial as to how rubbish things are for others.
I suspect it's like that in every downturn. But the denial seems more aggressive this time. Maybe it's the internet.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
Most people don't read, and certainly don't read economic releases.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
I'm saving a lot of money from having given up alcoholic drinks a few months ago.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
On my income, I can take the hit, but I definitely have cut back a lot on discretionary spending, meals out, shopping etc. Indeed surely that squeeze on spending is the whole point of the interest rate rises. I can see how it puts a lot of hospitality and similar business under the cosh, and that consumer spending is a lot of our economy.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
Most people don't read, and certainly don't read economic releases.
Or understand or believe them. We go by gut feeling.
We were apparently in or near recession during the coalition but things mostly felt ok.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
I'm reminded of Norman Lamont's "green shoots" speech... 1991? But the bigger problem is the one we see here. There are people whose personal economy is doing very nicely thank you. They're the ones we see in the bars, bistros and airports. And their agreeable personal lives are frankly putting them in denial as to how rubbish things are for others.
I suspect it's like that in every downturn. But the denial seems more aggressive this time. Maybe it's the internet.
I could post something about how good a year I am having, but its not about me. And regardless of how well business is going we have the basic problem that so many things are broken in this country. "You're doing well, vote for us to keep screwing things up for you and everyone else" has little appeal.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
I'm reminded of Norman Lamont's "green shoots" speech... 1991? But the bigger problem is the one we see here. There are people whose personal economy is doing very nicely thank you. They're the ones we see in the bars, bistros and airports. And their agreeable personal lives are frankly putting them in denial as to how rubbish things are for others.
I suspect it's like that in every downturn. But the denial seems more aggressive this time. Maybe it's the internet.
A lot of people are in the Wiley B Coyote position of running in the air. Soon they will be forced to cut back (apart from mortgage free pensioners) and that is going to cast a long shadow.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
You've still got a mortgage ???
At your age ???
For those who have paid off their mortgage then the rise in interest rates is paying for the rise in utility bills (mine are now falling in any case).
On a related note Asda is now selling unleaded at less than£1.40 per litre.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
On my income, I can take the hit, but I definitely have cut back a lot on discretionary spending, meals out, shopping etc. Indeed surely that squeeze on spending is the whole point of the interest rate rises. I can see how it puts a lot of hospitality and similar business under the cosh, and that consumer spending is a lot of our economy.
The truly baffling thing about the modern Conservative Party is "fuck business". Your cut in discretionary spending is people's jobs. People need cash in the bank after paying that month's bills. If they don't have cash they can't buy stuff and that means other businesses struggle and the economy stagflates as it is now.
I would be critical of a government who allowed business to asset strip and line the pockets of spivs. But this lot don't even let the spivs take a cut without turning it into open corruption.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
I'm saving a lot of money from having given up alcoholic drinks a few months ago.
A friend had serious health problem five years ago.
He reckons having to give up alcohol has saved him about £20k.
…People watching the Coronation will be invited to join a "chorus of millions" to swear allegiance to the King and his heirs, organisers say. The public pledge is one of several striking changes to the ancient ceremony revealed on Saturday…
What happened to the ‘mysteries of the ancient ritual’ ?
What’s Casino’s take on the swearing of allegiance ? (FWIW, I just laughed.)
Hadn’t got you down as a dangerous subversive, Big_G.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
I'm reminded of Norman Lamont's "green shoots" speech... 1991? But the bigger problem is the one we see here. There are people whose personal economy is doing very nicely thank you. They're the ones we see in the bars, bistros and airports. And their agreeable personal lives are frankly putting them in denial as to how rubbish things are for others.
I suspect it's like that in every downturn. But the denial seems more aggressive this time. Maybe it's the internet.
I could post something about how good a year I am having, but its not about me. And regardless of how well business is going we have the basic problem that so many things are broken in this country. "You're doing well, vote for us to keep screwing things up for you and everyone else" has little appeal.
A family member who used to be an nhs gp now says the nhs is knackered. These things matter.
I expect that is a view widely held, no more so than here in Wales run by Labour
Our hospital group is in special measures and I waited 36 months for a dual hernia operation and this before covid
As has been said previously, the only way the NHS will have a certain future is for all parties to come together and make very difficult decisions collectively and for the good of the country, similar to the Good Friday Agreement
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
You've still got a mortgage ???
At your age ???
For those who have paid off their mortgage then the rise in interest rates is paying for the rise in utility bills (mine are now falling in any case).
On a related note Asda is now selling unleaded at less than£1.40 per litre.
Yeah, I have a tracker, and was slow paying it off as until a year ago it was effectively an interest free loan at 0.5% interest. I have savings elsewhere that exceed the mortgage but not liquid enough to pay it off just yet.
Note the small Scottish sub-sample (yes, I know) has the SNP lead down to 2. We're overdue a proper Scottish survey but multiple subsamples suggest Labour is doing well there.
In my Blue Wall patch, we're finding the Labour vote hardening up, and quite a bit of actual enthusiasm at actually being able to DO something to get the Tories out - people stopping me in the street to wish us luck. I'm expecting little trouble in getting the Labour vote out. The LD vote feels fairly stationary at a high level and the Greens are down a bit, but because of our multi-member ward system with few parties putting up full slates it'll be hard to get a clear picture. The Tories are barely mustering an effort so far - just one leaflet, and today I saw the first Tory poster.
The music is pointlessly cruel and cringe. But the complete befuddlement of Biden here is indeed reflected, painfully, in the faces of the servicemen and women. And this is Biden 18 months BEFORE the next election where he hopes to serve four more years??
This is desperate. The Dems need to stop him
“No one has to say anything.
Look at the faces of these men and women as they watch their president in disarray.
He, by far is the biggest embarrassment we’ve ever had in the White House.”
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
On my income, I can take the hit, but I definitely have cut back a lot on discretionary spending, meals out, shopping etc. Indeed surely that squeeze on spending is the whole point of the interest rate rises. I can see how it puts a lot of hospitality and similar business under the cosh, and that consumer spending is a lot of our economy.
The truly baffling thing about the modern Conservative Party is "fuck business". Your cut in discretionary spending is people's jobs. People need cash in the bank after paying that month's bills. If they don't have cash they can't buy stuff and that means other businesses struggle and the economy stagflates as it is now.
I would be critical of a government who allowed business to asset strip and line the pockets of spivs. But this lot don't even let the spivs take a cut without turning it into open corruption.
Your latter criticism is justified, but raising interest rates aggressively is down to the Bank of England. I also don't see how it's going to drive down inflation effectively when the inflation is driven by an external stimulus like the energy crisis. But we are where we are.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
TBF I don't think the current iteration of the Tories are lying, although Johnson certainly didn't help the brand in terms of trustworthiness. The.thing is, they have no concept of how ordinary people live and what's important to them, and even less interest in finding out.
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
…People watching the Coronation will be invited to join a "chorus of millions" to swear allegiance to the King and his heirs, organisers say. The public pledge is one of several striking changes to the ancient ceremony revealed on Saturday…
What happened to the ‘mysteries of the ancient ritual’ ?
What’s Casino’s take on the swearing of allegiance ? (FWIW, I just laughed.)
Theres always updates. That's where some go stupidly far when critiquing bits being from the 19th century or whatever - broad aspects repeat to call to the ancient but it's never going to be 100%. The fun will be where invented purists get mad.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
I'm saving a lot of money from having given up alcoholic drinks a few months ago.
A friend had serious health problem five years ago.
He reckons having to give up alcohol has saved him about £20k.
Alcohol is an acceptable vice. More so than the other vices I could adopt as an alternative
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
I dont think anyone ever really wants to lose. Better to have power than not. But they won't be as disappointed as they might be.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
I'm saving a lot of money from having given up alcoholic drinks a few months ago.
A friend had serious health problem five years ago.
He reckons having to give up alcohol has saved him about £20k.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
On my income, I can take the hit, but I definitely have cut back a lot on discretionary spending, meals out, shopping etc. Indeed surely that squeeze on spending is the whole point of the interest rate rises. I can see how it puts a lot of hospitality and similar business under the cosh, and that consumer spending is a lot of our economy.
The truly baffling thing about the modern Conservative Party is "fuck business". Your cut in discretionary spending is people's jobs. People need cash in the bank after paying that month's bills. If they don't have cash they can't buy stuff and that means other businesses struggle and the economy stagflates as it is now.
I would be critical of a government who allowed business to asset strip and line the pockets of spivs. But this lot don't even let the spivs take a cut without turning it into open corruption.
Your latter criticism is justified, but raising interest rates aggressively is down to the Bank of England. I also don't see how it's going to drive down inflation effectively when the inflation is driven by an external stimulus like the energy crisis. But we are where we are.
If the Tories were supportive of business, driving investment and growth then I could understand them. Instead it is cuts and corruption and deny the realities which are ideologically unpleasant.
…People watching the Coronation will be invited to join a "chorus of millions" to swear allegiance to the King and his heirs, organisers say. The public pledge is one of several striking changes to the ancient ceremony revealed on Saturday…
What happened to the ‘mysteries of the ancient ritual’ ?
What’s Casino’s take on the swearing of allegiance ? (FWIW, I just laughed.)
Hadn’t got you down as a dangerous subversive, Big_G.
I am agnostic towards the monarchy but in the absence of an alternative it will carry on though much changed
The music is pointlessly cruel and cringe. But the complete befuddlement of Biden here is indeed reflected, painfully, in the faces of the servicemen and women. And this is Biden 18 months BEFORE the next election where he hopes to serve four more years??
This is desperate. The Dems need to stop him
“No one has to say anything.
Look at the faces of these men and women as they watch their president in disarray.
He, by far is the biggest embarrassment we’ve ever had in the White House.”
By far the biggest embarrassment seems unlikely given how many occupants there have been, including those who have lost it. Not many video examples of course.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
I'm saving a lot of money from having given up alcoholic drinks a few months ago.
A friend had serious health problem five years ago.
He reckons having to give up alcohol has saved him about £20k.
That's a lot of alcohol.
4k a year, so a bit more than £10 of alcohol a day every day.
I'm teetotal but it sounds a plausible number without being super high, remarkably. I don't know how people afford to get drunk.
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
I expect that will be the result and frankly at my wife and my ages I doubt it will make much difference
I also expect Starmer and labour to become unpopular fairly quickly as he finally has to take decisions that will not be popular
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
Not many backbench MPs want to lose, because losing deprives many of them of their main source of income. But for now, Sunak and Hunt are the ones running the show.
We should all hope that the Tory Party gets utterly rinsed at these locals, to force a return to saner policies if not saner leadership. The worst possible outcome is a 'could have been worse' night that means they are allowed to continue to kill the nation's finances with the Tory Party as collateral damage.
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
Not many backbench MPs want to lose, because losing deprives many of them of their main source of income. But for now, Sunak and Hunt are the ones running the show.
We should all hope that the Tory Party gets utterly rinsed at these locals, to force a return to saner policies if not saner leadership. The worst possible outcome is a 'could have been worse' night that means they are allowed to continue to kill the nation's finances with the Tory Party as collateral damage.
And you a Truss supporter who was the architect of the disaster that now results in higher interest rates directly as a result of her idiotic 6 weeks in office
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
Ouch. But even for people who haven't been hit on that scale, their hit is proportionately huge. And where they have a 2019 Tory MP they are being fed Sunak fantasies about how marvellous things are. And thinking "this is just not true".
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
I'm reminded of Norman Lamont's "green shoots" speech... 1991? But the bigger problem is the one we see here. There are people whose personal economy is doing very nicely thank you. They're the ones we see in the bars, bistros and airports. And their agreeable personal lives are frankly putting them in denial as to how rubbish things are for others.
I suspect it's like that in every downturn. But the denial seems more aggressive this time. Maybe it's the internet.
I wonder if its because there are people who have never seen the good times and are never likely too.
All those stories about people struggling with rent and student debt and having sod all chance off of owning a home.
Now there's always been people in that situation but the difference now is that its affecting a significant proportion of the middle class and, because of housing unaffordability, a significant proportion of southern England.
I said earlier that what we're seeing now is almost a reversal of the Thatcher era - it might actually be better for the current generation to be a working class northerner than a middle class southerner.
The music is pointlessly cruel and cringe. But the complete befuddlement of Biden here is indeed reflected, painfully, in the faces of the servicemen and women. And this is Biden 18 months BEFORE the next election where he hopes to serve four more years??
This is desperate. The Dems need to stop him
“No one has to say anything.
Look at the faces of these men and women as they watch their president in disarray.
He, by far is the biggest embarrassment we’ve ever had in the White House.”
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
I'm saving a lot of money from having given up alcoholic drinks a few months ago.
A friend had serious health problem five years ago.
He reckons having to give up alcohol has saved him about £20k.
That's a lot of alcohol.
Three pints of lager at a pub most evenings.
It added up.
I wonder how much PBers save by being convivial online rather than at their local.
Raab's resignation/sacking has stalled Rishi's fightback IMO.
Conservative recovery should get back on track as we go into the summer I'd think... However the clock continues to tick down to the election and Con are gonna run out of time to stop a (small) Labout majority in Election 24.
I dont think a majority of Tory MPs junked Boris because they suddenly and inexplicably decided to give in to progressive out of touch liberals. Those people had never liked him.
Does it honestly seem like a plausible scenario to you?
I think many can get on board with a broad idea of cultural elite power being a thing alongside or even to a degree above political elite power, but Goodwin takes it way too far and clearly loves performing for an extreme view and like many an online personality regards any criticism as validation of his position
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
I'm saving a lot of money from having given up alcoholic drinks a few months ago.
A friend had serious health problem five years ago.
He reckons having to give up alcohol has saved him about £20k.
That's a lot of alcohol.
A good friend was told to cut back, by the doctor.
So he did. Just bought very nice glasses of wine. Spent the same, just went for quality.
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
I dont think anyone ever really wants to lose. Better to have power than not. But they won't be as disappointed as they might be.
“Better to have power than not”
I would challenge that. Is it not reasoned and rational to embrace how our pearl of a democracy bequeaths interludes to cleanse, heal a broken reputation, and reevaluate exactly what a message and policies should be? What acts against is the unreasoned and irrational petty tribalism that doesn’t like the other side winning anything, ever.
But what exactly will Labour be waving in Tory faces? The Tories, especially if only reduced to 210 to 254 seats, will have dodged a bullet, and Labour will be taking it.
Hmm... not quite what was expected and raises a question about the alleged trend.
I don't think the multitude of public sector strikes are helping and the rejection of improved offers by various unions in the last week or so is not going to be doing the government any favours. Inflation staying above 10% wasn't great either. The government needs some better news to restore any trend in their favour.
It does look like, contrary to the IMF projections, they will have one of the very best growth rates in Q1 where the EU and Eurozone figures in particular have been dreadful. But no doubt that will not get as much attention as the IMF forecasts.
Whether or not we are in a technical recession is irrelevant if peoples standard of living is declining.
I don't agree. If people are reading positive economic news they are more likely to be optimistic going forward, even if things are not good now. Not being good now and very poor future projections is bad news for any incumbent government.
The problem is this. Tories keep proclaiming positive economic news - such as inflation is falling. In the real world people look at the evidence of their lives, and think for good reason the Tories are lying to them.
I have no problem with positive spin. Even if a political message is an outright lie, if you can make people believe it to be true then you are in business.
Tories are telling open lies. And their mince intake of 2019 are so dumb that they don't know its a lie. Which is why they sound so catastrophically out of touch.
Between interest rate rises and the rise in utilities bills, I reckon on being about £750 per month worse off, even before other bits of inflation.
I'm saving a lot of money from having given up alcoholic drinks a few months ago.
A friend had serious health problem five years ago.
He reckons having to give up alcohol has saved him about £20k.
Alcohol is an acceptable vice. More so than the other vices I could adopt as an alternative
Suggestion - alcohol is an acceptable vice because it is taxed.
Suggestion - vices are acceptable if you are in control of the vice but not if the vice is in control of you.
The music is pointlessly cruel and cringe. But the complete befuddlement of Biden here is indeed reflected, painfully, in the faces of the servicemen and women. And this is Biden 18 months BEFORE the next election where he hopes to serve four more years??
This is desperate. The Dems need to stop him
“No one has to say anything.
Look at the faces of these men and women as they watch their president in disarray.
He, by far is the biggest embarrassment we’ve ever had in the White House.”
I totally agree with everything you said. Biden is an embarrassment.
... and yet American voters thought he was better than Trump, and will do so again if that's the choice in 2024.
They might, but if he loses it to the extent it cannot be denied they might not. Trump doesn't need a majority and many states might make it harder to vote or have in place officials more willing to entertain wild claims.
The music is pointlessly cruel and cringe. But the complete befuddlement of Biden here is indeed reflected, painfully, in the faces of the servicemen and women. And this is Biden 18 months BEFORE the next election where he hopes to serve four more years??
This is desperate. The Dems need to stop him
“No one has to say anything.
Look at the faces of these men and women as they watch their president in disarray.
He, by far is the biggest embarrassment we’ve ever had in the White House.”
By far the biggest embarrassment seems unlikely given how many occupants there have been, including those who have lost it. Not many video examples of course.
Trump vs Biden round ii might kill them both.
Trump was of course an even bigger embarrassment than Biden now, only in a different way
But these videos of Biden are getting WORSE, not better, he looks like he is in speedy decline, and he genuinely hopes to run again, for ANOTHER four years? Until he is 86? He already looks like a very old man trying to work out how to reach the restroom, or was it the buffet?
Sweet Jesus. I wish death on no man, but if the campaign contrives to, ahem, “incapacitate” both main candidates, and America gets two different choices, then that would not be a disaster. It would be a miracle
Raab's resignation/sacking has stalled Rishi's fightback IMO.
Conservative recovery should get back on track as we go into the summer I'd think... However the clock continues to tick down to the election and Con are gonna run out of time to stop a (small) Labout majority in Election 24.
Tick Tock...
And Richard Sharp
Sunak is enduring the fall out of Johnson and Truss and while he is a competent change he has a mountain to climb over the next 18 months
However, I believe he is the conservatives best chance of mitigating the result
Charles is pushing his luck now. It's one thing we have to tolerate a pair of lying, cheating, adulterous bastards on the Throne, but to be forced to swear allegiance to them... Er no. Not happening.
Raab's resignation/sacking has stalled Rishi's fightback IMO.
Conservative recovery should get back on track as we go into the summer I'd think... However the clock continues to tick down to the election and Con are gonna run out of time to stop a (small) Labout majority in Election 24.
Tick Tock...
And Richard Sharp
Sunak is enduring the fall out of Johnson and Truss and while he is a competent change he has a mountain to climb over the next 18 months
However, I believe he is the conservatives best chance of mitigating the result
The Sharp fall out will probably be seen in about week and shave off another point or two from Con.
Charles is pushing his luck now. It's one thing we have to tolerate a pair of lying, cheating, adulterous bastards on the Throne, but to be forced to swear allegiance to them... Er no. Not happening.
Roll on King William and Queen Catherine.
He will be my King, of course I will swear allegiance to him as he is anointed by grace of God to be our monarch next Saturday
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
I dont think anyone ever really wants to lose. Better to have power than not. But they won't be as disappointed as they might be.
“Better to have power than not”
I would challenge that. Is it not reasoned and rational to embrace how our pearl of a democracy bequeaths interludes to cleanse, heal a broken reputation, and reevaluate exactly what a message and policies should be? What acts against is the unreasoned and irrational petty tribalism that doesn’t like the other side winning anything, ever.
But what exactly will Labour be waving in Tory faces? The Tories, especially if only reduced to 210 to 254 seats, will have dodged a bullet, and Labour will be taking it.
Theres a difference between not liking the other side winning ever and recognising an opportunity when you do in fact lose.
Politicians are often optimists and confident. They can see how big the challenges are and may see no resolution, but they'll hope something turns up and that they think of something. Being in power gives them a chance to try.
It's the rank and file who give up as they can see it might be better to lose. Top politicians might appreciate later it was for the best overall but not in the moment.
Raab's resignation/sacking has stalled Rishi's fightback IMO.
Conservative recovery should get back on track as we go into the summer I'd think... However the clock continues to tick down to the election and Con are gonna run out of time to stop a (small) Labout majority in Election 24.
Tick Tock...
Hate to break this news to anyone who hasn’t got the memo yet. What’s stopping Rishi’s fight back and Tory recovery is Rishi. The fresh face has peaked. Labours hungry for power attack ads are working.
Charles is pushing his luck now. It's one thing we have to tolerate a pair of lying, cheating, adulterous bastards on the Throne, but to be forced to swear allegiance to them... Er no. Not happening.
Roll on King William and Queen Catherine.
He will be my King, of course I will swear allegiance to him as he is anointed by grace of God to be our monarch next Saturday
To be fair your response is entirely consistent with your views
Charles is pushing his luck now. It's one thing we have to tolerate a pair of lying, cheating, adulterous bastards on the Throne, but to be forced to swear allegiance to them... Er no. Not happening.
Roll on King William and Queen Catherine.
He will be my King, of course I will swear allegiance to him as he is anointed by grace of God to be our monarch next Saturday
This doesn't surprise me. You were all set to send tanks up to the Scottish Borders a couple of years ago... You're, how shall we say... eccentric?
Raab's resignation/sacking has stalled Rishi's fightback IMO.
Conservative recovery should get back on track as we go into the summer I'd think... However the clock continues to tick down to the election and Con are gonna run out of time to stop a (small) Labout majority in Election 24.
Tick Tock...
Hate to break this news to anyone who hasn’t got the memo yet. What’s stopping Rishi’s fight back and Tory recovery is Rishi. The fresh face has peaked. Labours hungry for power attack ads are working.
If hes stopping the th recovery who would take them further? No names spring immediately to mind.
Thats not praise of him, I just don't see who could galvanise more.
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
I dont think anyone ever really wants to lose. Better to have power than not. But they won't be as disappointed as they might be.
“Better to have power than not”
I would challenge that. Is it not reasoned and rational to embrace how our pearl of a democracy bequeaths interludes to cleanse, heal a broken reputation, and reevaluate exactly what a message and policies should be? What acts against is the unreasoned and irrational petty tribalism that doesn’t like the other side winning anything, ever.
But what exactly will Labour be waving in Tory faces? The Tories, especially if only reduced to 210 to 254 seats, will have dodged a bullet, and Labour will be taking it.
Its certainly possible that one party will have to eat the shit sandwich of reality dawning while they are in government.
And its been predicted for a long time:
Whoever wins this election will end up a loser in the long-term, according to Bank of England governor Mervyn King.
Brown, Cameron and Clegg all want to be Prime Minister – but Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, reckons they should be careful what they wish for.
According to a US economist, King believes that whoever wins the election will inherit such a poisoned chalice that their party will be knocked out at the next election and face an entire generation in the political wilderness.
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
I dont think anyone ever really wants to lose. Better to have power than not. But they won't be as disappointed as they might be.
“Better to have power than not”
I would challenge that. Is it not reasoned and rational to embrace how our pearl of a democracy bequeaths interludes to cleanse, heal a broken reputation, and reevaluate exactly what a message and policies should be? What acts against is the unreasoned and irrational petty tribalism that doesn’t like the other side winning anything, ever.
But what exactly will Labour be waving in Tory faces? The Tories, especially if only reduced to 210 to 254 seats, will have dodged a bullet, and Labour will be taking it.
Theres a difference between not liking the other side winning ever and recognising an opportunity when you do in fact lose.
Politicians are often optimists and confident. They can see how big the challenges are and may see no resolution, but they'll hope something turns up and that they think of something. Being in power gives them a chance to try.
It's the rank and file who give up as they can see it might be better to lose. Top politicians might appreciate later it was for the best overall but not in the moment.
Micawberism noun unjustified or irresponsible optimism. "this kind of Micawberism is one of the causes of failure in personal life"
Raab's resignation/sacking has stalled Rishi's fightback IMO.
Conservative recovery should get back on track as we go into the summer I'd think... However the clock continues to tick down to the election and Con are gonna run out of time to stop a (small) Labout majority in Election 24.
Tick Tock...
Hate to break this news to anyone who hasn’t got the memo yet. What’s stopping Rishi’s fight back and Tory recovery is Rishi. The fresh face has peaked. Labours hungry for power attack ads are working.
Also, the hosing of money at the public has stopped. (How much was it, in the end?)
Ironic really- Rishi's first surge of popularity was because he threw borrowed money at the nation. So was his second. Probably the right thing both times (in direction, if not degree or lack of focus), but not really what he came into politics to do.
Charles is pushing his luck now. It's one thing we have to tolerate a pair of lying, cheating, adulterous bastards on the Throne, but to be forced to swear allegiance to them... Er no. Not happening.
Roll on King William and Queen Catherine.
He will be my King, of course I will swear allegiance to him as he is anointed by grace of God to be our monarch next Saturday
Charles is pushing his luck now. It's one thing we have to tolerate a pair of lying, cheating, adulterous bastards on the Throne, but to be forced to swear allegiance to them... Er no. Not happening.
Roll on King William and Queen Catherine.
Charles is going to have to earn “allegiance”, frankly. I’m not ill-disposed to him, but he’s already made a few duff calls in my opinion.
I did mention Biden to my non US political sounding board of a relative. They said he had dementia, but it was framed as a question, so thats a positive. No Trump fan but never heard of DeSantis.
The people who fascinate me are the genuine undecideds in America itself. Since campaigning never seems to stop how many are totally disengaged until a presidential election?
I did mention Biden to my non US political sounding board of a relative. They said he had dementia, but it was framed as a question, so thats a positive. No Trump fan but never heard of DeSantis.
The people who fascinate me are the genuine undecideds in America itself. Since campaigning never seems to stop how many are totally disengaged until a presidential election?
Reagan definitely had dementia. It didn't do him any political harm.
According to John Curtice most people blame Brexit for the boat crossings because numbers rose sharply at the point when we Brexited.
An unprecedented amount of migrants have reached Italy in the past two days, crossing one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world.
In the past 48 hours, more than 4000 migrants have reached Southern Italy - a new record - with some 2,000 people disembarking on the island of Lampedusa alone.
According to government figures, arrivals have tripled in the first three months of 2023.
So far this year, more than 20,000 migrants landed on Italian shores. Some 6,500 people arrived in Italy during the same period in 2022.
The unfortunate reality is that there are endless millions in the third world with no hope that their countries will improve and thinking that they've got nothing to lose by trying to get to Europe.
I did mention Biden to my non US political sounding board of a relative. They said he had dementia, but it was framed as a question, so thats a positive. No Trump fan but never heard of DeSantis.
The people who fascinate me are the genuine undecideds in America itself. Since campaigning never seems to stop how many are totally disengaged until a presidential election?
They're not disengaged but rather uncertain who they dislike/fear more.
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
Not many backbench MPs want to lose, because losing deprives many of them of their main source of income. But for now, Sunak and Hunt are the ones running the show.
We should all hope that the Tory Party gets utterly rinsed at these locals, to force a return to saner policies if not saner leadership. The worst possible outcome is a 'could have been worse' night that means they are allowed to continue to kill the nation's finances with the Tory Party as collateral damage.
And you a Truss supporter who was the architect of the disaster that now results in higher interest rates directly as a result of her idiotic 6 weeks in office
Truth is, I’ve seen people posting here applaud Hunt and Sunak as saviours with “stable economy” policies. But not everyone - some call it managed declinism, call it hiding from taking on the big problems. Have The Conservatives become too focussed on protecting privilege and have forgotten about aspiration? Sunak has been Chancellor or PM for most this parliament, Quite nakedly protecting pensioners whilst piling tax on the working young and screwing over those who aspire to own their own homes. Planning laws and other structural rigidities keep Britain poorer than it should be. What is the Conservative Party position on economy exploiting Brexit?
After an election loss, Trussnomics and Truss will be back, under Braverman, Badenoch, even Penny, they all believe in Trussnomics. Truss will be their shadow chancellor. This will return the party to the aspiration party, the get things done and our country and economy moving party in the voters eyes. It will be clear what the party stands for again. Just like when Lady Thatcher came along as LOTO in the seventies, placing the party firmly on the side of aspirational working people.
At first people’s reaction was WTF. after a few years it was, I think she’ll be very good for this country, actually.
Raab's resignation/sacking has stalled Rishi's fightback IMO.
Conservative recovery should get back on track as we go into the summer I'd think... However the clock continues to tick down to the election and Con are gonna run out of time to stop a (small) Labout majority in Election 24.
Tick Tock...
Hate to break this news to anyone who hasn’t got the memo yet. What’s stopping Rishi’s fight back and Tory recovery is Rishi. The fresh face has peaked. Labours hungry for power attack ads are working.
Also, the hosing of money at the public has stopped. (How much was it, in the end?)
Ironic really- Rishi's first surge of popularity was because he threw borrowed money at the nation. So was his second. Probably the right thing both times (in direction, if not degree or lack of focus), but not really what he came into politics to do.
Will the Rishi Sunak who’s not hosing the taxpayers of tomorrow’s money around today, please offer something else.
The 2019 conservative voters are going C46%, L14%, LD3%, G2%, R8%, Don't Know24% The 2019 Labour voters are going C1%, L83%, LD2%, G3%, Don't Know7% The 2019 LD voters are going C3%, L34%, LD37%, G6%, Don't Know18%.
So during the 6 month period there has been basically no change in the Conservative 2019 voters. Labour 2019 voters have slightly moved from Labour to Don't Know (the Starmer effect) and the LD 2019 voters have firmed back up to support the LDs.
So the only party having any impact is the LDs?
So more 2019 LD voters are going Conservative than 2019 Conservative voters are going LD, some good news for Tories fighting LDs on Thursday even if a tougher prospect for Tories fighting Labour
The music is pointlessly cruel and cringe. But the complete befuddlement of Biden here is indeed reflected, painfully, in the faces of the servicemen and women. And this is Biden 18 months BEFORE the next election where he hopes to serve four more years??
This is desperate. The Dems need to stop him
“No one has to say anything.
Look at the faces of these men and women as they watch their president in disarray.
He, by far is the biggest embarrassment we’ve ever had in the White House.”
Remember all the fun people had with George W Bush misremembering words, and he got re-elected, like Ronald Reagan who was also thought to be losing his marbles.
According to John Curtice most people blame Brexit for the boat crossings because numbers rose sharply at the point when we Brexited.
An unprecedented amount of migrants have reached Italy in the past two days, crossing one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world.
In the past 48 hours, more than 4000 migrants have reached Southern Italy - a new record - with some 2,000 people disembarking on the island of Lampedusa alone.
According to government figures, arrivals have tripled in the first three months of 2023.
So far this year, more than 20,000 migrants landed on Italian shores. Some 6,500 people arrived in Italy during the same period in 2022.
The unfortunate reality is that there are endless millions in the third world with no hope that their countries will improve and thinking that they've got nothing to lose by trying to get to Europe.
This issue is not going to go away.
I don't think it's to do with Brexit either*. But it's interesting that people think it does. It suggests both that if you accept Brexit you also have to accept more boat crossings and also that there's no way Sunak can benefit from this issue as he's closely associated with Brexit.
* IMO the main cause of the greater number of boat crossings is legal routes for asylum seekers being closed down. The impetus for that was somewhat related to impetus for Brexit, so you could claim a common link but no direct cause.
I did mention Biden to my non US political sounding board of a relative. They said he had dementia, but it was framed as a question, so thats a positive. No Trump fan but never heard of DeSantis.
The people who fascinate me are the genuine undecideds in America itself. Since campaigning never seems to stop how many are totally disengaged until a presidential election?
Reagan definitely had dementia. It didn't do him any political harm.
I think the consensus is that he was demented in the latter half of term two, and that prior to that it could be overlooked as the forgetfulness of old age.
Raab's resignation/sacking has stalled Rishi's fightback IMO.
Conservative recovery should get back on track as we go into the summer I'd think... However the clock continues to tick down to the election and Con are gonna run out of time to stop a (small) Labout majority in Election 24.
Tick Tock...
Hate to break this news to anyone who hasn’t got the memo yet. What’s stopping Rishi’s fight back and Tory recovery is Rishi. The fresh face has peaked. Labours hungry for power attack ads are working.
If hes stopping the th recovery who would take them further? No names spring immediately to mind.
Thats not praise of him, I just don't see who could galvanise more.
Someone with more experience and gravitas for sure would do a better job than this. He is a politically inexperienced, accident prone, lightweight, dry right wing brexiteer. His ratings could really dive from here.
Charles is pushing his luck now. It's one thing we have to tolerate a pair of lying, cheating, adulterous bastards on the Throne, but to be forced to swear allegiance to them... Er no. Not happening.
Roll on King William and Queen Catherine.
He will be my King, of course I will swear allegiance to him as he is anointed by grace of God to be our monarch next Saturday
“She asked for his response to a recent NBC News poll that showed 70% of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, think he shouldn't run again. Biden told her he feels good and he respects the fact that people will question his age.“
Yes, tax rises, council tax rises and energy bill support withdrawal all kicking in at month end just before the polls. Not good for Sunak.
The 1p off income tax trick work for him in April 2024 either, just as it didn't for Ken Clarke in 1996.
He will need to do something massive that doesn't undercut his LTEPII message.
On the other hand a 10p reduction in income tax might have the desired effect. Hell, even I'd vote for him.
Clarke wasn't ambitious enough.
The problem is, the Tories have run the country’s finances into the ground. There’s no money left to give away.
Do you believe a trifle like that would deter them if it would ensure a win?
A last minute pre election tax cut, with public services falling apart and borrowing repayments high, funded by Sunak and Hunt’s sneaky fiscal drag? How does taking with one hand and giving a bit of it back with another, at the last minute after all these years of failure and chaos, boost a party in the polls? The sheer cheek of it will most likely take points off their poll rating. 😦
I think people might be overestimating Sunak and Hunt's desire to win the next election. Sunak's bags will already be packed for Santa Monica, to cash in his US toadying, and Hunt will no doubt have other career plans. It will all be blamed on 'the Tory brand that we just couldn't turn around'. Why would they want to actually stay in and face the music?
You are absolutely right, the IMF predict another 4 years of poor growth for the world. If the Tories hand over the country next year, it will be in worse state than what they inherited. There is truly no money left this time. Add the next 5 painful years on top of that record, and there truly will be a wipe out. How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
Not many backbench MPs want to lose, because losing deprives many of them of their main source of income. But for now, Sunak and Hunt are the ones running the show.
We should all hope that the Tory Party gets utterly rinsed at these locals, to force a return to saner policies if not saner leadership. The worst possible outcome is a 'could have been worse' night that means they are allowed to continue to kill the nation's finances with the Tory Party as collateral damage.
And you a Truss supporter who was the architect of the disaster that now results in higher interest rates directly as a result of her idiotic 6 weeks in office
Truth is, I’ve seen people posting here applaud Hunt and Sunak as saviours with “stable economy” policies. But not everyone - some call it managed declinism, call it hiding from taking on the big problems. Have the The Conservatives become too focussed on protecting privilege and have forgotten about aspiration? Sunak has been Chancellor or PM for most this parliament, Quite nakedly protecting pensioners whilst piling tax on the working young and screwing over those who aspire to own their own homes. Planning laws and other structural rigidities keep Britain poorer than it should be. What is the Conservative Party position on economy exploiting Brexit?
After an election loss, Trussnomics and Truss will be back, under Braverman, Badenoch, even Penny, they all believe in Trussnomics. Truss will be their shadow chancellor. This will return the party to the aspiration party, the get things done and our country and economy moving party in the voters eyes. It will be clear what the party stands for again. Just like when Lady Thatcher came along as LOTO in the seventies, placing the party firmly on the side of aspirational working people.
At first people’s reaction was WTF. after a few years it was, I think she’ll be very good for this country, actually.
To attract the aspirational young people the Conservatives need to offer affordable housing.
But without alienating the southern/suburban England nimbies.
For a business equivalent the Conservatives are in the position of a owner of an 'old man' pub which needs to attract more young drinkers for a profitable future but without losing either too many or too soon the 'old men' who are its current customers.
One poll does not a trend make. We all know this. We*1 all do it anyway. Poll comes out "Sunak doomed!". Another poll comes out "Sunak saved!". PB is not a good processor of information.
*1 You.
Quite a few polls this week have the Tories and Sunak going backwards
Husht now. Stop spoiling my air of effortless superiority with facts.
So more 2019 LD voters are going Conservative than 2019 Conservative voters are going LD, some good news for Tories fighting LDs on Thursday even if a tougher prospect for Tories fighting Labour
Not really, it's 4% of a smaller number vs 3% of a larger number - pretty even trade, isn't it? Both are losing net votes to Labour.
Charles is pushing his luck now. It's one thing we have to tolerate a pair of lying, cheating, adulterous bastards on the Throne, but to be forced to swear allegiance to them... Er no. Not happening.
Roll on King William and Queen Catherine.
He will be my King, of course I will swear allegiance to him as he is anointed by grace of God to be our monarch next Saturday
To be fair your response is entirely consistent with your views
However it is a minority view and increasingly so
Yes, I wish him well and quite like him, but swearing allegiance feels a bit, well, un-British. It's the sort of thing Americans do.
Charles is pushing his luck now. It's one thing we have to tolerate a pair of lying, cheating, adulterous bastards on the Throne, but to be forced to swear allegiance to them... Er no. Not happening.
Roll on King William and Queen Catherine.
He will be my King, of course I will swear allegiance to him as he is anointed by grace of God to be our monarch next Saturday
To be fair your response is entirely consistent with your views
However it is a minority view and increasingly so
Yes, I wish him well and quite like him, but swearing allegiance feels a bit, well, un-British. It's the sort of thing Americans do.
Depends what it is being asked. If they suggest say something wishing him well, would you not do it?
“May the King soon recover the marbles he lost years ago.” For example.
I did mention Biden to my non US political sounding board of a relative. They said he had dementia, but it was framed as a question, so thats a positive. No Trump fan but never heard of DeSantis.
The people who fascinate me are the genuine undecideds in America itself. Since campaigning never seems to stop how many are totally disengaged until a presidential election?
Reagan definitely had dementia. It didn't do him any political harm.
I think the consensus is that he was demented in the latter half of term two, and that prior to that it could be overlooked as the forgetfulness of old age.
Yeah, we are only two years into Biden’s FIRST term and there is plentiful troubling evidence he has mental issues. Unsurprisingly, as he is already the oldest American president in history
Charles is pushing his luck now. It's one thing we have to tolerate a pair of lying, cheating, adulterous bastards on the Throne, but to be forced to swear allegiance to them... Er no. Not happening.
Roll on King William and Queen Catherine.
He will be my King, of course I will swear allegiance to him as he is anointed by grace of God to be our monarch next Saturday
To be fair your response is entirely consistent with your views
However it is a minority view and increasingly so
Yes, I wish him well and quite like him, but swearing allegiance feels a bit, well, un-British. It's the sort of thing Americans do.
Depends what it is being asked. If they suggest say something wishing him well, would you not do it?
“May the King soon recover the marbles he lost years ago.” For example.
May his sausage fingers be ever on the pulse of the nation.
According to John Curtice most people blame Brexit for the boat crossings because numbers rose sharply at the point when we Brexited.
An unprecedented amount of migrants have reached Italy in the past two days, crossing one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world.
In the past 48 hours, more than 4000 migrants have reached Southern Italy - a new record - with some 2,000 people disembarking on the island of Lampedusa alone.
According to government figures, arrivals have tripled in the first three months of 2023.
So far this year, more than 20,000 migrants landed on Italian shores. Some 6,500 people arrived in Italy during the same period in 2022.
The unfortunate reality is that there are endless millions in the third world with no hope that their countries will improve and thinking that they've got nothing to lose by trying to get to Europe.
This issue is not going to go away.
I don't think it's to do with Brexit either*. But it's interesting that people think it does. It suggests both that if you accept Brexit you also have to accept more boat crossings and also that there's no way Sunak can benefit from this issue as he's closely associated with Brexit.
* IMO the main cause of the greater number of boat crossings is legal routes for asylum seekers being closed down. The impetus for that was somewhat related to impetus for Brexit, so you could claim a common link but no direct cause.
Brexiting we did lose some support from the French, and support from the Dublin treaty I think it’s called. That might have had some impact limiting and slowing down UK government control of this situation?
Comments
(b) See (a). Doesn't make it relevant.
People tend not to vote for people who openly lie to them...
Camelot Mead
Produced then (and still) in southern Indiana near Bloomington, home of Indiana University.
I suspect it's like that in every downturn. But the denial seems more aggressive this time. Maybe it's the internet.
We were apparently in or near recession during the coalition but things mostly felt ok.
BBC News - Coronation: Public asked to swear allegiance to King Charles
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65435426
At your age ???
For those who have paid off their mortgage then the rise in interest rates is paying for the rise in utility bills (mine are now falling in any case).
On a related note Asda is now selling unleaded at less than£1.40 per litre.
I would be critical of a government who allowed business to asset strip and line the pockets of spivs. But this lot don't even let the spivs take a cut without turning it into open corruption.
He reckons having to give up alcohol has saved him about £20k.
The public pledge is one of several striking changes to the ancient ceremony revealed on Saturday…
What happened to the ‘mysteries of the ancient ritual’ ?
What’s Casino’s take on the swearing of allegiance ?
(FWIW, I just laughed.)
Hadn’t got you down as a dangerous subversive, Big_G.
Our hospital group is in special measures and I waited 36 months for a dual hernia operation and this before covid
As has been said previously, the only way the NHS will have a certain future is for all parties to come together and make very difficult decisions collectively and for the good of the country, similar to the Good Friday Agreement
In my Blue Wall patch, we're finding the Labour vote hardening up, and quite a bit of actual enthusiasm at actually being able to DO something to get the Tories out - people stopping me in the street to wish us luck. I'm expecting little trouble in getting the Labour vote out. The LD vote feels fairly stationary at a high level and the Greens are down a bit, but because of our multi-member ward system with few parties putting up full slates it'll be hard to get a clear picture. The Tories are barely mustering an effort so far - just one leaflet, and today I saw the first Tory poster.
This is desperate. The Dems need to stop him
“No one has to say anything.
Look at the faces of these men and women as they watch their president in disarray.
He, by far is the biggest embarrassment we’ve ever had in the White House.”
https://twitter.com/bernardkerik/status/1652420341409497091?s=61&t=GGp3Vs1t1kTWDiyA-odnZg
How many Tories actually want to lose, get a fresh start, dodge the bullet and leave Starmer to face it?
I swear allegiance only to my wife and family
Trump vs Biden round ii might kill them both.
I'm teetotal but it sounds a plausible number without being super high, remarkably. I don't know how people afford to get drunk.
I also expect Starmer and labour to become unpopular fairly quickly as he finally has to take decisions that will not be popular
We should all hope that the Tory Party gets utterly rinsed at these locals, to force a return to saner policies if not saner leadership. The worst possible outcome is a 'could have been worse' night that means they are allowed to continue to kill the nation's finances with the Tory Party as collateral damage.
It's brilliant. But it goes on and on and on. If it was an hour shorter it would still be brilliant.
Our politicians are in thrall to a tiny cabal of Brexit and Boris hating progressive liberals who are out of touch"
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/22198908/matthew-goodwin-out-touch-liberals/
All those stories about people struggling with rent and student debt and having sod all chance off of owning a home.
Now there's always been people in that situation but the difference now is that its affecting a significant proportion of the middle class and, because of housing unaffordability, a significant proportion of southern England.
I said earlier that what we're seeing now is almost a reversal of the Thatcher era - it might actually be better for the current generation to be a working class northerner than a middle class southerner.
It added up.
I wonder how much PBers save by being convivial online rather than at their local.
Conservative recovery should get back on track as we go into the summer I'd think... However the clock continues to tick down to the election and Con are gonna run out of time to stop a (small) Labout majority in Election 24.
Tick Tock...
Does it honestly seem like a plausible scenario to you?
I think many can get on board with a broad idea of cultural elite power being a thing alongside or even to a degree above political elite power, but Goodwin takes it way too far and clearly loves performing for an extreme view and like many an online personality regards any criticism as validation of his position
So he did. Just bought very nice glasses of wine. Spent the same, just went for quality.
I would challenge that. Is it not reasoned and rational to embrace how our pearl of a democracy bequeaths interludes to cleanse, heal a broken reputation, and reevaluate exactly what a message and policies should be? What acts against is the unreasoned and irrational petty tribalism that doesn’t like the other side winning anything, ever.
But what exactly will Labour be waving in Tory faces? The Tories, especially if only reduced to 210 to 254 seats, will have dodged a bullet, and Labour will be taking it.
Suggestion - vices are acceptable if you are in control of the vice but not if the vice is in control of you.
But these videos of Biden are getting WORSE, not better, he looks like he is in speedy decline, and he genuinely hopes to run again, for ANOTHER four years? Until he is 86? He already looks like a very old man trying to work out how to reach the restroom, or was it the buffet?
Sweet Jesus. I wish death on no man, but if the campaign contrives to, ahem, “incapacitate” both main candidates, and America gets two different choices, then that would not be a disaster. It would be a miracle
Sunak is enduring the fall out of Johnson and Truss and while he is a competent change he has a mountain to climb over the next 18 months
However, I believe he is the conservatives best chance of mitigating the result
Roll on King William and Queen Catherine.
Not much enthusiasm for it from me or - as far as I can see - many other people.
Politicians are often optimists and confident. They can see how big the challenges are and may see no resolution, but they'll hope something turns up and that they think of something. Being in power gives them a chance to try.
It's the rank and file who give up as they can see it might be better to lose. Top politicians might appreciate later it was for the best overall but not in the moment.
However it is a minority view and increasingly so
Is all the Republicans have?
Thats not praise of him, I just don't see who could galvanise more.
And its been predicted for a long time:
Whoever wins this election will end up a loser in the long-term, according to Bank of England governor Mervyn King.
Brown, Cameron and Clegg all want to be Prime Minister – but Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, reckons they should be careful what they wish for.
According to a US economist, King believes that whoever wins the election will inherit such a poisoned chalice that their party will be knocked out at the next election and face an entire generation in the political wilderness.
https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/business/finance-strategy/election-2010-everyones-a-loser
Amazingly we've managed to keep the plates spinning since 2010 but it has to stop sometime - for many millions it already has stopped.
noun
unjustified or irresponsible optimism.
"this kind of Micawberism is one of the causes of failure in personal life"
Ironic really- Rishi's first surge of popularity was because he threw borrowed money at the nation. So was his second. Probably the right thing both times (in direction, if not degree or lack of focus), but not really what he came into politics to do.
Add. That article is especially rabid.
The people who fascinate me are the genuine undecideds in America itself. Since campaigning never seems to stop how many are totally disengaged until a presidential election?
In the past 48 hours, more than 4000 migrants have reached Southern Italy - a new record - with some 2,000 people disembarking on the island of Lampedusa alone.
According to government figures, arrivals have tripled in the first three months of 2023.
So far this year, more than 20,000 migrants landed on Italian shores. Some 6,500 people arrived in Italy during the same period in 2022.
https://www.euronews.com/2023/03/26/record-breaking-number-of-migrants-reach-italy-in-48-hours
The unfortunate reality is that there are endless millions in the third world with no hope that their countries will improve and thinking that they've got nothing to lose by trying to get to Europe.
This issue is not going to go away.
Planning laws and other structural rigidities keep Britain poorer than it should be. What is the Conservative Party position on economy exploiting Brexit?
After an election loss, Trussnomics and Truss will be back, under Braverman, Badenoch, even Penny, they all believe in Trussnomics. Truss will be their shadow chancellor. This will return the party to the aspiration party, the get things done and our country and economy moving party in the voters eyes. It will be clear what the party stands for again. Just like when Lady Thatcher came along as LOTO in the seventies, placing the party firmly on the side of aspirational working people.
At first people’s reaction was WTF. after a few years it was, I think she’ll be very good for this country, actually.
* IMO the main cause of the greater number of boat crossings is legal routes for asylum seekers being closed down. The impetus for that was somewhat related to impetus for Brexit, so you could claim a common link but no direct cause.
Monarchy =Toryism
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/bidens-age-target-critics-issue-voters-kicks-off/story?id=98938329
“She asked for his response to a recent NBC News poll that showed 70% of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, think he shouldn't run again. Biden told her he feels good and he respects the fact that people will question his age.“
But without alienating the southern/suburban England nimbies.
For a business equivalent the Conservatives are in the position of a owner of an 'old man' pub which needs to attract more young drinkers for a profitable future but without losing either too many or too soon the 'old men' who are its current customers.
“May the King soon recover the marbles he lost years ago.” For example.
And he wants six more years. JFC