A couple of interesting bits from this week's More or Less.
6:20 Trump's latest fabrications. This time about crime statistics. 11:00 Knocking spots off misrepresentation of stats about GP suicides by the BMA. Especially around misinterpretation of unclear questions to get a big claim.
Without even listening that sounds like one of those questions along the lines of "have you thought about changing profession in the last year?" Obviously all employees think about that sort of thing to a degree, but it gets spun by pressure groups and the media into "60% of Doctors want to leave the profession".
It was an ambiguous question, plus dodgy interpretation.
The BMA claimed:
one in four GPs know another GP who has taken their own life
The basis of the claim was a survey by another group which asked:
"to what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement: I know of general practice workers in my own region who have taken their own lives due to work pressures."
(GPs make up ~25% of all general practice workers.)
1 - The group referred to is obviously totally different. 2 - There was a red flag level of "don't know" or "prefer not to answer" in the responses, at 24%. 3 - "Know of" is totally different to "know". "Know of" could be on Facebook or a newspaper report. 4 - The question is generally ambiguous.
The BMA are blowing up their claim to be credible.
The piece also includes comparisons with other roughly comparable groups, and Doctors are low in occurrence. Also other bits worth a listen.
They also went on a bear hunt.
Bears can eat 250k buffalo berries a day. Someone tracked bears through the woods collecting and analysing the poop.
(Bears shit in the woods about 10 times a day, and each contains approx 20k buffalo berries.)
Woah, I call shenanigans on that. How heavy are 250,000 buffaloberries? How heavy is a bear? Facially, there would seem to be a disparity
That's what, 6 berries a second, every second during daylight? OK, they grow in dense clumps, but even so, that would make them an awesome reaping machine.
@MattW, to save me time, please can you tell me the paper (source, whatever) that the BMA cited in support of the "one in four GPs know another GP who has taken their own life" stat please?
Survey by campaign group Rebuild General Practice in 2022. Survey of 1300 GPs. Quoted by Dr Katie Bramhall-Stainer, Chair of the BMA Committee on GPs, on the Today programme.
A recording of her saying it is in the M4L episode at about 11:25.
I think M4L tracked down the source, which is not mentioned in her quote.
If late breakers are going for Kamala, then she should be registering a gradual increase in the lead. She isn't. Unless they all pile in on the last day, in which case we are fucked, because we can't predict that.
I'm in statistically the sunniest, dryest part of Europe at this point in the year, and the forecast is solid rain for the next week.
Anyone got anything they'd recommend on Netflix? I'm up for interesting documentaries or weird stuff, series that extend the plot only to rake in more profits notsomuch. It's the only steaming channel I've currently got access to, though I'm considering buying into DAZN to watch the F1.
I really don't know what they are digging this hole. Its as believable as Chris Kaba was an architect. Just be straight up with people.
2% on NI floated in Times today - no way companies can afford not to take a chunk out of the pay rise pot to pay for it.
They should make less profit, take it from profits, seems to be the thoughts of some on that matter.
Those "thinkers" saying how the lost contributions to the nation's pensions from the reduced dividends stack up?
There is a notion widely accepted by Labour that dividends go to about fifteen obscenely rich wankers. Rather than it mostly going to the millions of people who voted for them in July.
I really don't know what they are digging this hole. Its as believable as Chris Kaba was an architect. Just be straight up with people.
2% on NI floated in Times today - no way companies can afford not to take a chunk out of the pay rise pot to pay for it.
They should make less profit, take it from profits, seems to be the thoughts of some on that matter.
Ah yes. The brief that all businesses are giant conglomerates where rich white men fondle huge piles of £50 notes.
When more small shops close on high streets, and shop wages take a hit, what will the response be, please?
Don’t forget there’s a double whammy coming on wages in the hospitality industry and retail where many younger people work. The minimum wage will see the gap for 18-20 year olds narrowed with a view to being eliminated as part of labour legislative program. Something that may well be counterproductive for the people it purports to help as well as not helping the businesses these people work for.
I’m sitting outside an independent coffee shop in Bloomsbury opposite the British Museum, which is looking resplendent in the October sunshine. The coffee, in a flash Lavazza cup, is rank. Like something out of a BP wild bean cafe. £3.80.
I suppose I’m paying to sit in an attractive spot with a view of this strangely Dublin-like part of London, rather than paying for something drinkable.
I’m doing a Sunday walk up from here through Regents Park to Primrose Hill. Nice day for it.
I’m watching Disney’s Emmy-winning Shogun which - in this pilot episode at least - is all set in and around Osaka Castle, having myself just come from Osaka Castle, and now I lie abed in my hotel and when I look up from my wine and iPad I can see… Osaka Castle
Well, the 20th century concrete reproduction of Osaka Castle, anyway. (There are only 12 genuine pre-Meiji examples remaining, the rest having succumbed to fire, earthquake, bombs or plain old abandonment and collapse. I think I've seen about half of the twelve.)
As tight as could be. But, bear in mind, MC is only rated 107th by 538.
Can't possibly think why a pollster with a consistent Dem slant is having their polls announced as New 4 days after they were first released. No agenda there... (leaving aside that they mostly show a shift to GOP vs their prior poll)
Interesting header. Not enough serious thought is going into what a Trump administration would look like. I don't know.
Which is more likely? A semi-fascist new order? Or a chaotic despotism more like his first term? This may depend on how much Trump will be in charge.
For analogies, the best I can think of Kaiser Bill, playing with his navy whilst Germany went to hell in a handcart.
Trump will first of all focus on saving himself, then he will focus on enriching himself.
Why not all of the above? A chaotic despotism (attempted) as the 2025 types try and do stuff. Trump tries to do his thing, and weirdly clash with the 2025 types on surprising, random stuff. While agreeing with the 2025 types on other random stuff. And fighting the blue states. But also, probably getting push back from red states when he impinges on the flow of pork money….. And stuffing (or trying to stuff) his pockets at the same time.
I thought "Project 2025" and "America First" and "Agenda 47" were separate things. Am I misinformed?
They certainly are. But there’s a substantial degree of overlap in their various aims. And all would be represented to some extent in a second Trump administration.
Linda McMahon, who helped create America First, for example, is co-chair of the transition team. Vance, again for example, is a long time backer of ‘25.
Agenda 47 is Trump’s own “formal” policy plans - so effectively might not mean a whole lot in actual practical terms.
Work out where the bureaucratic and policy overlap is, and you have a reasonable guess on what he might do. It’s also interesting to ask whether he could get away with (or would even want to try) not doing stuff like mass deportation. Or whether that’s a matter of priority for him.
I don’t expect Trump to organise any of this stuff - but he has a lot more people around him this time who are ideologically committed, and also knowledgeable about the bureaucracy. And have been planning. That simply wasn’t the case eight years ago.
Interesting header. Not enough serious thought is going into what a Trump administration would look like. I don't know.
Which is more likely? A semi-fascist new order? Or a chaotic despotism more like his first term? This may depend on how much Trump will be in charge.
For analogies, the best I can think of Kaiser Bill, playing with his navy whilst Germany went to hell in a handcart.
Trump will first of all focus on saving himself, then he will focus on enriching himself.
Why not all of the above? A chaotic despotism (attempted) as the 2025 types try and do stuff. Trump tries to do his thing, and weirdly clash with the 2025 types on surprising, random stuff. While agreeing with the 2025 types on other random stuff. And fighting the blue states. But also, probably getting push back from red states when he impinges on the flow of pork money….. And stuffing (or trying to stuff) his pockets at the same time.
I thought "Project 2025" and "America First" and "Agenda 47" were separate things. Am I misinformed?
I attended a dinner with one of the leading lights behind Project 2025 a few nights ago. It left me feeling a bit more relaxed about the whole thing. The guy was surprisingly stupid and inarticulate and a lot of the ideas he espoused weren't so much half baked as not even defrosted. This is not a well organised conspiracy.
If late breakers are going for Kamala, then she should be registering a gradual increase in the lead. She isn't. Unless they all pile in on the last day, in which case we are fucked, because we can't predict that.
You’re assuming polling accurately catches such putative moves. That’s questionable.
I really don't know what they are digging this hole. Its as believable as Chris Kaba was an architect. Just be straight up with people.
They seem to have an inability to stop digging once in a hole.
I would have expected their comms strategy to be more slick.
They just asked Rachel Reeves on BBC News if she was a working person. The inability to approach answering the question was rather telling.
I think may have been the first person on here to condemn Reeves as a dud. As I've said before, and several times, if the presenters of the breakfast show on Radio 5 can get the better of you, you might not be up to the job of Chancellor.
I’m sitting outside an independent coffee shop in Bloomsbury opposite the British Museum, which is looking resplendent in the October sunshine. The coffee, in a flash Lavazza cup, is rank. Like something out of a BP wild bean cafe. £3.80.
I suppose I’m paying to sit in an attractive spot with a view of this strangely Dublin-like part of London, rather than paying for something drinkable.
I’m doing a Sunday walk up from here through Regents Park to Primrose Hill. Nice day for it.
I’m watching Disney’s Emmy-winning Shogun which - in this pilot episode at least - is all set in and around Osaka Castle, having myself just come from Osaka Castle, and now I lie abed in my hotel and when I look up from my wine and iPad I can see… Osaka Castle
Well, the 20th century concrete reproduction of Osaka Castle, anyway. (There are only 12 genuine pre-Meiji examples remaining, the rest having succumbed to fire, earthquake, bombs or plain old abandonment and collapse. I think I've seen about half of the twelve.)
A fair amount of Shogun was CGI, so the point is moot.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
If they really go with 2% then bluntly I think lots of employers will be pointing at the government to make sure workers know who is to blame when pay reviews come round
Interesting header. Not enough serious thought is going into what a Trump administration would look like. I don't know.
Which is more likely? A semi-fascist new order? Or a chaotic despotism more like his first term? This may depend on how much Trump will be in charge.
For analogies, the best I can think of Kaiser Bill, playing with his navy whilst Germany went to hell in a handcart.
Trump will first of all focus on saving himself, then he will focus on enriching himself.
Why not all of the above? A chaotic despotism (attempted) as the 2025 types try and do stuff. Trump tries to do his thing, and weirdly clash with the 2025 types on surprising, random stuff. While agreeing with the 2025 types on other random stuff. And fighting the blue states. But also, probably getting push back from red states when he impinges on the flow of pork money….. And stuffing (or trying to stuff) his pockets at the same time.
I thought "Project 2025" and "America First" and "Agenda 47" were separate things. Am I misinformed?
I attended a dinner with one of the leading lights behind Project 2025 a few nights ago. It left me feeling a bit more relaxed about the whole thing. The guy was surprisingly stupid and inarticulate and a lot of the ideas he espoused weren't so much half baked as not even defrosted. This is not a well organised conspiracy.
Buffoons can be surprisingly destructive though, even if seemingly by accident.
Interesting header. Not enough serious thought is going into what a Trump administration would look like. I don't know.
Which is more likely? A semi-fascist new order? Or a chaotic despotism more like his first term? This may depend on how much Trump will be in charge.
For analogies, the best I can think of Kaiser Bill, playing with his navy whilst Germany went to hell in a handcart.
Trump will first of all focus on saving himself, then he will focus on enriching himself.
Why not all of the above? A chaotic despotism (attempted) as the 2025 types try and do stuff. Trump tries to do his thing, and weirdly clash with the 2025 types on surprising, random stuff. While agreeing with the 2025 types on other random stuff. And fighting the blue states. But also, probably getting push back from red states when he impinges on the flow of pork money….. And stuffing (or trying to stuff) his pockets at the same time.
I thought "Project 2025" and "America First" and "Agenda 47" were separate things. Am I misinformed?
I attended a dinner with one of the leading lights behind Project 2025 a few nights ago. It left me feeling a bit more relaxed about the whole thing. The guy was surprisingly stupid and inarticulate and a lot of the ideas he espoused weren't so much half baked as not even defrosted. This is not a well organised conspiracy.
As far as I am aware, and Godwinning myself, many leading Nazis were not particularly bright, and their organisation not particularly well organised. Ditto the various Marxist groups in Russia in the 1910s.
What both of these had in common, was a purge of rivals - internal and external - once they gained power. That;s something to watch out for, and the GOP seem to be falling towards.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
Employer NI is absolutely a “tax on jobs”.
Now there’s an argument to be made, that increasing payroll taxes during a period of full employment should incentivise companies to invest in capital rather than labour - but that’s not the noise coming out of the new government, they’re instead focusing on how much money it will raise, as if no companies will change their behaviour as a result of the tax increase.
Japan election update: Pretty much confirmed LDP+Koumeitou will be a bit short. However there are a couple of smaller conservative parties in the opposition and also some conservative-leaning independents so depending how short they end up they can probably either pick off a few independents or at worst add a party to the coalition.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
How many people get payslips these days? Not a rhetorical question, because I’m interested. I’ve not had a payslip for years. It’s all online somewhere.
A bit late for yesterday, but thank-you for the header yesterday, @MaxPB .
Some things I wouldn't have expected you to say, and various things I agree/disagree with of course, and some things you call for (eg emphasis on prevention) have already been put in place by the last Government - which is something for which I give them credit.
I need to take care not to mistake @MaxPB for @maxh when reading headers.
Agree and a shame for @MaxPB the thread got hijacked so soon yesterday. Re mixing up @MaxPB and @maxh I do the same. I often get half way through reading a post and think 'That was unexpected' and then realise I am reading a different poster to whom I expected. I can't remember if @PJH writes different stuff to me. It throws me when I see his/her posts.
Haha @kjh I think it doesn't help that we aren't all that far apart politically. But you post far more than me so I doubt there is a more widespread confusion (I also confuse the Maxes)
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
Employer NI is absolutely a “tax on jobs”.
Now there’s an argument to be made, that increasing payroll taxes during a period of full employment should incentivise companies to invest in capital rather than labour - but that’s not the noise coming out of the new government, they’re instead focusing on how much money it will raise, as if no companies will change their behaviour as a result of the tax increase.
They’ve really failed on rhetoric and framing, ever since the election.
It would be consistent with the Brexit vibe of reducing Britain’s reliance on plentiful cheap labour and encouraging productivity through investment, but that argument has t been made. I suppose the Treasury can’t make the argument yet because the budget is still supposed to be secret, but the message could be put out through friendly newspapers.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
How many people get payslips these days? Not a rhetorical question, because I’m interested. I’ve not had a payslip for years. It’s all online somewhere.
If late breakers are going for Kamala, then she should be registering a gradual increase in the lead. She isn't. Unless they all pile in on the last day, in which case we are fucked, because we can't predict that.
You’re assuming polling accurately catches such putative moves. That’s questionable.
True, but that makes things worse not better. It all boils down to "the polls are unreliable". Damn, I hate this election.
I’m sitting outside an independent coffee shop in Bloomsbury opposite the British Museum, which is looking resplendent in the October sunshine. The coffee, in a flash Lavazza cup, is rank. Like something out of a BP wild bean cafe. £3.80.
I suppose I’m paying to sit in an attractive spot with a view of this strangely Dublin-like part of London, rather than paying for something drinkable.
I’m doing a Sunday walk up from here through Regents Park to Primrose Hill. Nice day for it.
I’m watching Disney’s Emmy-winning Shogun which - in this pilot episode at least - is all set in and around Osaka Castle, having myself just come from Osaka Castle, and now I lie abed in my hotel and when I look up from my wine and iPad I can see… Osaka Castle
Well, the 20th century concrete reproduction of Osaka Castle, anyway. (There are only 12 genuine pre-Meiji examples remaining, the rest having succumbed to fire, earthquake, bombs or plain old abandonment and collapse. I think I've seen about half of the twelve.)
I’m now sitting in the cafe in Regent’s Park (another Benugo, that chain is quietly taking over the world: they even run the canteen at the OECD in Paris). Oddly enough the vibe reminds me of a very pleasant meal sitting outside quite close to Osaka castle at an Italian restaurant called “Garb Weeks”. I think that’s a Japanised reference (Milan) fashion week.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
How many people get payslips these days? Not a rhetorical question, because I’m interested. I’ve not had a payslip for years. It’s all online somewhere.
Does your payemail have a line for Employer NI?
I’ve no idea what PAYEmail is. I don’t get anything, just money in the account. But that’s because I’m not an employee strictly speaking (does that make me not a working person?) Which is one reason my effective tax rate is comfortably over 50%.
Lower inflation and increasing employers NI will lead to lower pay rises next year.
Its possible that the 2.5% part of the triple lock will again be activated.
Nice to know that the oldies are protected from reduced pay rises and increased taxes.
Labour should bite the bullet and scrap it he triple lock and replace it with something more affordable.
The triple lock is not unaffordable, even if it might be when extrapolated decades into the future. A better pensions target would be higher rate tax relief on contributions but that seems to have been ruled out.
Interesting header. Not enough serious thought is going into what a Trump administration would look like. I don't know.
Which is more likely? A semi-fascist new order? Or a chaotic despotism more like his first term? This may depend on how much Trump will be in charge.
For analogies, the best I can think of Kaiser Bill, playing with his navy whilst Germany went to hell in a handcart.
Trump will first of all focus on saving himself, then he will focus on enriching himself.
Why not all of the above? A chaotic despotism (attempted) as the 2025 types try and do stuff. Trump tries to do his thing, and weirdly clash with the 2025 types on surprising, random stuff. While agreeing with the 2025 types on other random stuff. And fighting the blue states. But also, probably getting push back from red states when he impinges on the flow of pork money….. And stuffing (or trying to stuff) his pockets at the same time.
I thought "Project 2025" and "America First" and "Agenda 47" were separate things. Am I misinformed?
I attended a dinner with one of the leading lights behind Project 2025 a few nights ago. It left me feeling a bit more relaxed about the whole thing. The guy was surprisingly stupid and inarticulate and a lot of the ideas he espoused weren't so much half baked as not even defrosted. This is not a well organised conspiracy.
As far as I am aware, and Godwinning myself, many leading Nazis were not particularly bright, and their organisation not particularly well organised. Ditto the various Marxist groups in Russia in the 1910s.
What both of these had in common, was a purge of rivals - internal and external - once they gained power. That;s something to watch out for, and the GOP seem to be falling towards.
No agreed, extremists are often not very bright, hence them believing their own simplistic rhetoric. But still, I had thought of Project 2025 as quite a slick operation and having met the brains behind it it is clearly anything but. Don't worry about Godwinning yourself. The current incarnation of the Republican party is properly dangerous. Kudos to those like Dick Cheney (wow, he is the hero I never thought I'd have) who have had the guts to call them out.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
How many people get payslips these days? Not a rhetorical question, because I’m interested. I’ve not had a payslip for years. It’s all online somewhere.
Online, but even on those it shows employers NI for the month and YTD, I think it's the law, maybe Labour will change that so it doesn't show on payslips?
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
Employer NI is absolutely a “tax on jobs”.
Now there’s an argument to be made, that increasing payroll taxes during a period of full employment should incentivise companies to invest in capital rather than labour - but that’s not the noise coming out of the new government, they’re instead focusing on how much money it will raise, as if no companies will change their behaviour as a result of the tax increase.
They’ve really failed on rhetoric and framing, ever since the election.
It would be consistent with the Brexit vibe of reducing Britain’s reliance on plentiful cheap labour and encouraging productivity through investment, but that argument has t been made. I suppose the Treasury can’t make the argument yet because the budget is still supposed to be secret, but the message could be put out through friendly newspapers.
The issue here fundamentally is whether people think taxes need to go up. If they do think that they probably prefer the increases to fall nominally on their employer than directly on themselves. They are aware employees will end up paying for the extra taxes on employers but it doesn't show up immediately. The government deflects with the "no extra taxes on working people" rhetoric. Everyone knows they are weasel words, but go along with it.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
How many people get payslips these days? Not a rhetorical question, because I’m interested. I’ve not had a payslip for years. It’s all online somewhere.
Online payslips are still payslips in the same way an online credit card statement is still a credit card statement.
And anyone who has pay which can vary will look at their online payslips as intently as they did their old paper versions.
If late breakers are going for Kamala, then she should be registering a gradual increase in the lead. She isn't. Unless they all pile in on the last day, in which case we are fucked, because we can't predict that.
You’re assuming polling accurately catches such putative moves. That’s questionable.
True, but that makes things worse not better. It all boils down to "the polls are unreliable". Damn, I hate this election.
Well. yes. There’s no good reason to think the polls should be accurate - other than by accident. The difficulty of sampling, and the sheer number of variables which might have changed since 2020 (and 2022) suggest that they’re more likely than not to be wrong, as they have been in most electoral cycles.
Interesting header. Not enough serious thought is going into what a Trump administration would look like. I don't know.
Which is more likely? A semi-fascist new order? Or a chaotic despotism more like his first term? This may depend on how much Trump will be in charge.
For analogies, the best I can think of Kaiser Bill, playing with his navy whilst Germany went to hell in a handcart.
Trump will first of all focus on saving himself, then he will focus on enriching himself.
Why not all of the above? A chaotic despotism (attempted) as the 2025 types try and do stuff. Trump tries to do his thing, and weirdly clash with the 2025 types on surprising, random stuff. While agreeing with the 2025 types on other random stuff. And fighting the blue states. But also, probably getting push back from red states when he impinges on the flow of pork money….. And stuffing (or trying to stuff) his pockets at the same time.
I thought "Project 2025" and "America First" and "Agenda 47" were separate things. Am I misinformed?
I attended a dinner with one of the leading lights behind Project 2025 a few nights ago. It left me feeling a bit more relaxed about the whole thing. The guy was surprisingly stupid and inarticulate and a lot of the ideas he espoused weren't so much half baked as not even defrosted. This is not a well organised conspiracy.
If you can't be well organised then be well publicised.
I suspect its a bunch of wannabes bigging themselves up to be more important than they are.
The dangerous ones are those that are well organised and keeping quiet.
The CTF was a perfect example of the policy that looks fantastic on the pages of a think tank report but turns into an expensive waste of time once the forces of bureaucracy and compromise have done their job on it.
To be fair that looks quite an unusual situation. We've been very happy with the administration of our CTF/Junior ISA accounts. We've used them to put something aside to help our three get on the housing ladder when they're ready.
Interesting header. Not enough serious thought is going into what a Trump administration would look like. I don't know.
Which is more likely? A semi-fascist new order? Or a chaotic despotism more like his first term? This may depend on how much Trump will be in charge.
For analogies, the best I can think of Kaiser Bill, playing with his navy whilst Germany went to hell in a handcart.
Trump will first of all focus on saving himself, then he will focus on enriching himself.
Why not all of the above? A chaotic despotism (attempted) as the 2025 types try and do stuff. Trump tries to do his thing, and weirdly clash with the 2025 types on surprising, random stuff. While agreeing with the 2025 types on other random stuff. And fighting the blue states. But also, probably getting push back from red states when he impinges on the flow of pork money….. And stuffing (or trying to stuff) his pockets at the same time.
I thought "Project 2025" and "America First" and "Agenda 47" were separate things. Am I misinformed?
I attended a dinner with one of the leading lights behind Project 2025 a few nights ago. It left me feeling a bit more relaxed about the whole thing. The guy was surprisingly stupid and inarticulate and a lot of the ideas he espoused weren't so much half baked as not even defrosted. This is not a well organised conspiracy.
As far as I am aware, and Godwinning myself, many leading Nazis were not particularly bright, and their organisation not particularly well organised. Ditto the various Marxist groups in Russia in the 1910s.
What both of these had in common, was a purge of rivals - internal and external - once they gained power. That;s something to watch out for, and the GOP seem to be falling towards.
I think Goebbels could be put in the category of evil genius, and unfortunately his genius came on stage just at the point modern political publicity and campaigning took off (literally in the case of flying AH around the country). Hitler is of course in a demonic category all his own.
Thanks for sharing, that is one beautiful story. Kindness really is everything.
Many years ago, I was waiting at a bus stop on the Mile End Road with a female friend. A young woman walked past, very visibly upset. I went up to her and said a few words; "Are you okay, do you need help," etc, etc. After a few minutes she walked on, I hoped more cheerful. I then thought nothing more of it.
Later that year, we had a party in the halls, and I got together with a pleasant young lady. She later told me that she had been that girl on the road, and she had been watching me ever since. When I split up with my previous GF, she moved in.
I'm still friends with both those ladies. I gained a lifelong friend from a few kind words to a stranger.
(I don't think as a man 30 years older, that I would have the courage to approach a young lady alone in that situation. I might watch what she does closely, though, or see if there's anyone else to help.)
Thanks for sharing, that is one beautiful story. Kindness really is everything.
I was reflecting on the importance of the order of events here though. She tracked him down afterwards. That makes it a sweet story. If instead he’d tracked her down, you’d have people condemning a predatory man exploiting a vulnerable woman.
Interesting header. Not enough serious thought is going into what a Trump administration would look like. I don't know.
Which is more likely? A semi-fascist new order? Or a chaotic despotism more like his first term? This may depend on how much Trump will be in charge.
For analogies, the best I can think of Kaiser Bill, playing with his navy whilst Germany went to hell in a handcart.
Trump will first of all focus on saving himself, then he will focus on enriching himself.
Why not all of the above? A chaotic despotism (attempted) as the 2025 types try and do stuff. Trump tries to do his thing, and weirdly clash with the 2025 types on surprising, random stuff. While agreeing with the 2025 types on other random stuff. And fighting the blue states. But also, probably getting push back from red states when he impinges on the flow of pork money….. And stuffing (or trying to stuff) his pockets at the same time.
I thought "Project 2025" and "America First" and "Agenda 47" were separate things. Am I misinformed?
I attended a dinner with one of the leading lights behind Project 2025 a few nights ago. It left me feeling a bit more relaxed about the whole thing. The guy was surprisingly stupid and inarticulate and a lot of the ideas he espoused weren't so much half baked as not even defrosted. This is not a well organised conspiracy.
As far as I am aware, and Godwinning myself, many leading Nazis were not particularly bright, and their organisation not particularly well organised. Ditto the various Marxist groups in Russia in the 1910s.
What both of these had in common, was a purge of rivals - internal and external - once they gained power. That;s something to watch out for, and the GOP seem to be falling towards.
I think Goebbels could be put in the category of evil genius, and unfortunately his genius came on stage just at the point modern political publicity and campaigning took off (literally in the case of flying AH around the country). Hitler is of course in a demonic category all his own.
Somewhat unkindly, but not altogether inaccurately, Stephen Miller is referred to as Discount Goebbels.
Interesting header. Not enough serious thought is going into what a Trump administration would look like. I don't know.
Which is more likely? A semi-fascist new order? Or a chaotic despotism more like his first term? This may depend on how much Trump will be in charge.
For analogies, the best I can think of Kaiser Bill, playing with his navy whilst Germany went to hell in a handcart.
Trump will first of all focus on saving himself, then he will focus on enriching himself.
Why not all of the above? A chaotic despotism (attempted) as the 2025 types try and do stuff. Trump tries to do his thing, and weirdly clash with the 2025 types on surprising, random stuff. While agreeing with the 2025 types on other random stuff. And fighting the blue states. But also, probably getting push back from red states when he impinges on the flow of pork money….. And stuffing (or trying to stuff) his pockets at the same time.
I thought "Project 2025" and "America First" and "Agenda 47" were separate things. Am I misinformed?
I attended a dinner with one of the leading lights behind Project 2025 a few nights ago. It left me feeling a bit more relaxed about the whole thing. The guy was surprisingly stupid and inarticulate and a lot of the ideas he espoused weren't so much half baked as not even defrosted. This is not a well organised conspiracy.
As far as I am aware, and Godwinning myself, many leading Nazis were not particularly bright, and their organisation not particularly well organised. Ditto the various Marxist groups in Russia in the 1910s.
What both of these had in common, was a purge of rivals - internal and external - once they gained power. That;s something to watch out for, and the GOP seem to be falling towards.
I think Goebbels could be put in the category of evil genius, and unfortunately his genius came on stage just at the point modern political publicity and campaigning took off (literally in the case of flying AH around the country). Hitler is of course in a demonic category all his own.
This is where Godwinning can be a fun exercise. The thing with the Nazis (and Stalin’s coterie particularly since the death of Stalin film) is they are known personalities - an ensemble cast. So you can compare each of them with their contemporary equivalents.
Goering the corpulent old crime boss and hedonist, Himmler the cultishly loyal ideologue, Goebbels the evil genius, Hess the confused striver etc.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
How many people get payslips these days? Not a rhetorical question, because I’m interested. I’ve not had a payslip for years. It’s all online somewhere.
Online, but even on those it shows employers NI for the month and YTD, I think it's the law, maybe Labour will change that so it doesn't show on payslips?
My payslip doesn't show employers NI, or employers contribution to my superannuation for that matter, so it doesn't look like a legal requirement to me.
The CTF was a perfect example of the policy that looks fantastic on the pages of a think tank report but turns into an expensive waste of time once the forces of bureaucracy and compromise have done their job on it.
Putting aside what appears to be an edge case, I think another issue with this idea, the sums are too small unless the parents get actively involved, but then that isn't really the idea of the scheme i.e. it wasn't supposed to really be a scheme to enable parent rich parents to shovel loads of tax free cash in the name of their kids.
I know the idea is a nudge to get parents going in the direction of saving for their kids, but I think its something that the financially literate do already, but if they couldn't afford to / put it off, just £250 invested and left over 18 years isn't going to turn into anything much, other than paying for a birthday bash.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
How many people get payslips these days? Not a rhetorical question, because I’m interested. I’ve not had a payslip for years. It’s all online somewhere.
Online, but even on those it shows employers NI for the month and YTD, I think it's the law, maybe Labour will change that so it doesn't show on payslips?
My payslip doesn't show employers NI, or employers contribution to my superannuation for that matter, so it doesn't look like a legal requirement to me.
Besides, I suspect a lot of people navigate by the number going into their account each month. Possibly unwisely, but easier than logging onto a separate secure system.
Maybe why there was minimal electoral reward for the 4p off NI.
I really don't know what they are digging this hole. Its as believable as Chris Kaba was an architect. Just be straight up with people.
They do know that Employer NI appears on payslips, no?
Not on any payslip I've ever had.
Employee's NI does but Employers NI is the tax that the worker effectively pays but is hidden from them.
It’s on there for the few companies I’ve worked for.
Simple fix - ban putting employers NI on the pay slips.
Years ago, I worked with a chap who had a project, at the oil company to design a petrol pump that could be used in every petrol station around the world. Sounds easy? Had to meet ever different set of laws and regulations, in 90 countries.
Anyway, the final design had an LCD display, showing amount pumped price. And all the tax paid. That’s required in some countries.
Suddenly, the U.K. government told him that the pump was unacceptable and couldn’t be used in the U.K.
Eventually, it was whispered to him that displaying the tax proportion of the price like that was the problem.
They should get those charges refunded. Pretty clear they are in breach of FCA consumer duty of care regulations in place at the time and beefed up since.
Interesting header. Not enough serious thought is going into what a Trump administration would look like. I don't know.
Which is more likely? A semi-fascist new order? Or a chaotic despotism more like his first term? This may depend on how much Trump will be in charge.
For analogies, the best I can think of Kaiser Bill, playing with his navy whilst Germany went to hell in a handcart.
Trump will first of all focus on saving himself, then he will focus on enriching himself.
Why not all of the above? A chaotic despotism (attempted) as the 2025 types try and do stuff. Trump tries to do his thing, and weirdly clash with the 2025 types on surprising, random stuff. While agreeing with the 2025 types on other random stuff. And fighting the blue states. But also, probably getting push back from red states when he impinges on the flow of pork money….. And stuffing (or trying to stuff) his pockets at the same time.
I thought "Project 2025" and "America First" and "Agenda 47" were separate things. Am I misinformed?
I attended a dinner with one of the leading lights behind Project 2025 a few nights ago. It left me feeling a bit more relaxed about the whole thing. The guy was surprisingly stupid and inarticulate and a lot of the ideas he espoused weren't so much half baked as not even defrosted. This is not a well organised conspiracy.
As far as I am aware, and Godwinning myself, many leading Nazis were not particularly bright, and their organisation not particularly well organised. Ditto the various Marxist groups in Russia in the 1910s.
What both of these had in common, was a purge of rivals - internal and external - once they gained power. That;s something to watch out for, and the GOP seem to be falling towards.
I think Goebbels could be put in the category of evil genius, and unfortunately his genius came on stage just at the point modern political publicity and campaigning took off (literally in the case of flying AH around the country). Hitler is of course in a demonic category all his own.
This is where Godwinning can be a fun exercise. The thing with the Nazis (and Stalin’s coterie particularly since the death of Stalin film) is they are known personalities - an ensemble cast. So you can compare each of them with their contemporary equivalents.
Goering the corpulent old crime boss and hedonist, Himmler the cultishly loyal ideologue, Goebbels the evil genius, Hess the confused striver etc.
“Ah, ze master race. Blond like Hitler. Physically perfect like Goebbels. Slim like Goering. Tall with perfect eyesight like Himmler. Geniuses like Hess….”
Exit poll suggests Japan ruling party set to fall short of majority
It comes after a tumultuous few years for the LDP which saw a “cascade” of scandals, widespread voter apathy and record-low approval ratings.
The party had seen approval ratings of below 20% earlier in the year, in the wake of a political fundraising corruption scandal. Yet opposition parties have failed to unite, or convince voters they are a viable option to govern. The main opposition party had an approval rating of just 6.6% before parliament was dissolved.
Anybody else notice that "visionary tech bro" Elon has been handing out his millions to voters, not with crypto, not even with PayPal, but with physical checks (sic)
I really don't know what they are digging this hole. Its as believable as Chris Kaba was an architect. Just be straight up with people.
They seem to have an inability to stop digging once in a hole.
I would have expected their comms strategy to be more slick.
They just asked Rachel Reeves on BBC News if she was a working person. The inability to approach answering the question was rather telling.
Their problem is that a number of their most prominent "media round" figures aren't particularly convincing/disciplined media performers.
Reeves comes across as tentative and unsteady. Phillipson seems to go off message and dig herself into a hole every time she appears. Starmer - well, I've already covered how he deals with media, and it isn't great.
Streeting is better (though can have the same slight air of indignation as Starmer from time to time). The one who I think they should use more of is Jonathan Reynolds - a bit of an unknown quantity to me before the GE, but has come across relatively well when I've seen him interviewed. Cooper is always reliable, too.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
How many people get payslips these days? Not a rhetorical question, because I’m interested. I’ve not had a payslip for years. It’s all online somewhere.
Online, but even on those it shows employers NI for the month and YTD, I think it's the law, maybe Labour will change that so it doesn't show on payslips?
My payslip doesn't show employers NI, or employers contribution to my superannuation for that matter, so it doesn't look like a legal requirement to me.
Besides, I suspect a lot of people navigate by the number going into their account each month. Possibly unwisely, but easier than logging onto a separate secure system.
Maybe why there was minimal electoral reward for the 4p off NI.
I check each month, but mostly to see if overtime and bank shifts have been paid, I don't look particularly at the deductions. I did this month as got the back pay for this year's pay settlement.
Anybody else notice that "visionary tech bro" Elon has been handing out his millions to voters, not with crypto, not even with PayPal, but with physical checks (sic)
What a luddite...
Could have triggered some on here if instead it was physical slabs of wonga....
These polls are all over the place. Not worth the paper (screen) they are written on.
That may be true, but from a betting perspective they suggest if Harris wins, it will be big
The way it will work is that the margin is narrow, but because of the EC, the margin of EC votes may well not be. Either way.
We are still within margin of polling error in nearly every swing state. Anyone panicking either way is an idiot.
The sane behaviour is to keep campaigning hard till the end, make sure the turnout machine is prepped, hire all the lawyers. And make a fuck ton of coffee for everyone.
Exit poll suggests Japan ruling party set to fall short of majority
It comes after a tumultuous few years for the LDP which saw a “cascade” of scandals, widespread voter apathy and record-low approval ratings.
The party had seen approval ratings of below 20% earlier in the year, in the wake of a political fundraising corruption scandal. Yet opposition parties have failed to unite, or convince voters they are a viable option to govern. The main opposition party had an approval rating of just 6.6% before parliament was dissolved.
An interesting header, Stephen, which encouraged me to check out your substack.
You seem broadly sympathetic with the idea of rolling back the administrative state, but doubt that a second Trump administration would have the capacity to achieve that.
Setting that question aside for a moment, the attempt would likely make it less efficient, as this suggests.
The Trump GOP is undoubtedly far better prepared than it was eight years ago for such an attempt. The team around him is fully committed to the idea, rather than being old style Washington insiders, and there has been a serious, years long effort to work out how they might go about it.
So I don't think you can look at Trump term one for serious guidance about how term two might unfold, were it to happen.
As you correctly note, one of the bigger hurdles might be legislative. But a GOP House is quite possible in the context of the polls being wrong in favour of Trump - and the Senate almost a certainty.
Thanks for this Nigel. I agree with you that Schedule F looks pretty much the worst way of reforming the administrative state!
Anybody else notice that "visionary tech bro" Elon has been handing out his millions to voters, not with crypto, not even with PayPal, but with physical checks (sic)
What a luddite...
For the same reason, lottery winners get to stand with a comedy sized cheque. Its how you do the marketing / PR.
Anybody else notice that "visionary tech bro" Elon has been handing out his millions to voters, not with crypto, not even with PayPal, but with physical checks (sic)
What a luddite...
For the same reason, lottery winners get to stand with a comedy sized cheque. Its how you do the marketing / PR.
In addition, the US is very much behind in electronic payments.
Tariffs are just a concrete example of Trump’s ‘concepts of a plan’.
Trump says the CHIPS and Science Act, which brings thousands of manufacturing jobs back to America, “is so bad” and says he wants to replace it with tariffs that will raise prices on the middle class https://x.com/KamalaHQ/status/1850250706193653782
Any such attempt would be a serious negative for US tech.
Anybody else notice that "visionary tech bro" Elon has been handing out his millions to voters, not with crypto, not even with PayPal, but with physical checks (sic)
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
How many people get payslips these days? Not a rhetorical question, because I’m interested. I’ve not had a payslip for years. It’s all online somewhere.
Online, but even on those it shows employers NI for the month and YTD, I think it's the law, maybe Labour will change that so it doesn't show on payslips?
My payslip doesn't show employers NI, or employers contribution to my superannuation for that matter, so it doesn't look like a legal requirement to me.
Anybody else notice that "visionary tech bro" Elon has been handing out his millions to voters, not with crypto, not even with PayPal, but with physical checks (sic)
What a luddite...
For the same reason, lottery winners get to stand with a comedy sized cheque. Its how you do the marketing / PR.
In addition, the US is very much behind in electronic payments.
Is that still true in general? At least for small amounts lots of people used Zelle, Venmo, CashApp. Obviously for a $1 million, Musk isn't Venmo'ing that.
The most annoying thing about US banking, they love charges on everything. Cash out, cash in...
Exit poll suggests Japan ruling party set to fall short of majority
It comes after a tumultuous few years for the LDP which saw a “cascade” of scandals, widespread voter apathy and record-low approval ratings.
The party had seen approval ratings of below 20% earlier in the year, in the wake of a political fundraising corruption scandal. Yet opposition parties have failed to unite, or convince voters they are a viable option to govern. The main opposition party had an approval rating of just 6.6% before parliament was dissolved.
I really don't know what they are digging this hole. Its as believable as Chris Kaba was an architect. Just be straight up with people.
They do know that Employer NI appears on payslips, no?
Not on any payslip I've ever had.
Employee's NI does but Employers NI is the tax that the worker effectively pays but is hidden from them.
It’s on there for the few companies I’ve worked for.
Simple fix - ban putting employers NI on the pay slips.
Years ago, I worked with a chap who had a project, at the oil company to design a petrol pump that could be used in every petrol station around the world. Sounds easy? Had to meet ever different set of laws and regulations, in 90 countries.
Anyway, the final design had an LCD display, showing amount pumped price. And all the tax paid. That’s required in some countries.
Suddenly, the U.K. government told him that the pump was unacceptable and couldn’t be used in the U.K.
Eventually, it was whispered to him that displaying the tax proportion of the price like that was the problem.
A couple of years before the Fuel Strike, IIRC.
I’ll keep it suitably vague, but I used to work for a company that sold IT to the hospitality industry. By far the most complex part of the whole system configuration, were the various jurisdictional requirements for how a bill must look.
The centrepiece of his budget being... checks notes... a tax cut for those on over £150k a year. Yeah definitely no class war from Old Etonian Kwarteng going on there.
An interesting header, Stephen, which encouraged me to check out your substack.
You seem broadly sympathetic with the idea of rolling back the administrative state, but doubt that a second Trump administration would have the capacity to achieve that.
Setting that question aside for a moment, the attempt would likely make it less efficient, as this suggests.
The Trump GOP is undoubtedly far better prepared than it was eight years ago for such an attempt. The team around him is fully committed to the idea, rather than being old style Washington insiders, and there has been a serious, years long effort to work out how they might go about it.
So I don't think you can look at Trump term one for serious guidance about how term two might unfold, were it to happen.
As you correctly note, one of the bigger hurdles might be legislative. But a GOP House is quite possible in the context of the polls being wrong in favour of Trump - and the Senate almost a certainty.
Thanks for this Nigel. I agree with you that Schedule F looks pretty much the worst way of reforming the administrative state!
I don’t think ‘reform’ is really on the agenda, though.
Anybody else notice that "visionary tech bro" Elon has been handing out his millions to voters, not with crypto, not even with PayPal, but with physical checks (sic)
What a luddite...
For the same reason, lottery winners get to stand with a comedy sized cheque. Its how you do the marketing / PR.
In addition, the US is very much behind in electronic payments.
Is that still true? At least for small amounts lots of people used Zelle, Venmo, CashApp.
Anybody else notice that "visionary tech bro" Elon has been handing out his millions to voters, not with crypto, not even with PayPal, but with physical checks (sic)
What a luddite...
That would be the PayPal he founded?
He didn’t found PayPal - he was involved and he money he got from it when it was sold was the start of his fortune.
Exit poll suggests Japan ruling party set to fall short of majority
It comes after a tumultuous few years for the LDP which saw a “cascade” of scandals, widespread voter apathy and record-low approval ratings.
The party had seen approval ratings of below 20% earlier in the year, in the wake of a political fundraising corruption scandal. Yet opposition parties have failed to unite, or convince voters they are a viable option to govern. The main opposition party had an approval rating of just 6.6% before parliament was dissolved.
I think we’ll be hearing “jobs tax” a lot from the new Tory leader. Especially when unemployment ticks up.
How many people get payslips these days? Not a rhetorical question, because I’m interested. I’ve not had a payslip for years. It’s all online somewhere.
Online, but even on those it shows employers NI for the month and YTD, I think it's the law, maybe Labour will change that so it doesn't show on payslips?
My payslip doesn't show employers NI, or employers contribution to my superannuation for that matter, so it doesn't look like a legal requirement to me.
Comments
Not seeing it.
https://rebuildgp.co.uk/news
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LTIR1vUPu6NUzZMTaBaCq-h73eNN0KR_/view
https://archive.is/j77zX
https://web.archive.org/web/20230331181730/https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LTIR1vUPu6NUzZMTaBaCq-h73eNN0KR_/view
When more small shops close on high streets, and shop wages take a hit, what will the response be, please?
Anyone got anything they'd recommend on Netflix? I'm up for interesting documentaries or weird stuff, series that extend the plot only to rake in more profits notsomuch. It's the only steaming channel I've currently got access to, though I'm considering buying into DAZN to watch the F1.
There is a notion widely accepted by Labour that dividends go to about fifteen obscenely rich wankers. Rather than it mostly going to the millions of people who voted for them in July.
Employee's NI does but Employers NI is the tax that the worker effectively pays but is hidden from them.
But there’s a substantial degree of overlap in their various aims. And all would be represented to some extent in a second Trump administration.
Linda McMahon, who helped create America First, for example, is co-chair of the transition team.
Vance, again for example, is a long time backer of ‘25.
Agenda 47 is Trump’s own “formal” policy plans - so effectively might not mean a whole lot in actual practical terms.
Work out where the bureaucratic and policy overlap is, and you have a reasonable guess on what he might do.
It’s also interesting to ask whether he could get away with (or would even want to try) not doing stuff like mass deportation. Or whether that’s a matter of priority for him.
I don’t expect Trump to organise any of this stuff - but he has a lot more people around him this time who are ideologically committed, and also knowledgeable about the bureaucracy. And have been planning.
That simply wasn’t the case eight years ago.
A really quick search for UK payslip templates has the first half a dozen hits also with an Employer NI line item. https://www.payslipsonline.co.uk/resource/products/88745/74e462c4.jpg
That’s questionable.
Its possible that the 2.5% part of the triple lock will again be activated.
Nice to know that the oldies are protected from reduced pay rises and increased taxes.
What both of these had in common, was a purge of rivals - internal and external - once they gained power. That;s something to watch out for, and the GOP seem to be falling towards.
Now there’s an argument to be made, that increasing payroll taxes during a period of full employment should incentivise companies to invest in capital rather than labour - but that’s not the noise coming out of the new government, they’re instead focusing on how much money it will raise, as if no companies will change their behaviour as a result of the tax increase.
(punches wall in frustration)
It would be consistent with the Brexit vibe of reducing Britain’s reliance on plentiful cheap labour and encouraging productivity through investment, but that argument has t been made. I suppose the Treasury can’t make the argument yet because the budget is still supposed to be secret, but the message could be put out through friendly newspapers.
'I married the train driver who saved my life'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn7ml33pn0zo
Don't worry about Godwinning yourself. The current incarnation of the Republican party is properly dangerous. Kudos to those like Dick Cheney (wow, he is the hero I never thought I'd have) who have had the guts to call them out.
Gross, deductions and net are obligatory.
But as employers NI isn't a deduction from the net that it doesn't and as I said its never been on any payslip that I've ever had.
Kindness really is everything.
And anyone who has pay which can vary will look at their online payslips as intently as they did their old paper versions.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg7j83drd5o
There’s no good reason to think the polls should be accurate - other than by accident. The difficulty of sampling, and the sheer number of variables which might have changed since 2020 (and 2022) suggest that they’re more likely than not to be wrong, as they have been in most electoral cycles.
I suspect its a bunch of wannabes bigging themselves up to be more important than they are.
The dangerous ones are those that are well organised and keeping quiet.
Later that year, we had a party in the halls, and I got together with a pleasant young lady. She later told me that she had been that girl on the road, and she had been watching me ever since. When I split up with my previous GF, she moved in.
I'm still friends with both those ladies. I gained a lifelong friend from a few kind words to a stranger.
(I don't think as a man 30 years older, that I would have the courage to approach a young lady alone in that situation. I might watch what she does closely, though, or see if there's anyone else to help.)
But it seems it needed some active oversight from the parents.
New ABC poll shows Harris *outperforming* Biden among Black and Latino men
BLACK MEN
Harris +74 (‘20 exit poll: Biden +60)
LATINO MEN
Harris +27 (‘20: Biden +23)
https://x.com/IanSams/status/1850514591341580732
@CharlotteAlter
👀 2020-2024 swings in latest ABC poll
Trump still leads w white voters, but his lead has shrunk since 2020.
White men w college degrees swinging to Harris by 7pts (!)
65+ voters (v reliable) swinging to Harris by 10 pts (!!)
(Surprise, Black men are NOT abandoning Harris)
https://x.com/CharlotteAlter/status/1850524839892644157
Goering the corpulent old crime boss and hedonist, Himmler the cultishly loyal ideologue, Goebbels the evil genius, Hess the confused striver etc.
I know the idea is a nudge to get parents going in the direction of saving for their kids, but I think its something that the financially literate do already, but if they couldn't afford to / put it off, just £250 invested and left over 18 years isn't going to turn into anything much, other than paying for a birthday bash.
Maybe why there was minimal electoral reward for the 4p off NI.
Years ago, I worked with a chap who had a project, at the oil company to design a petrol pump that could be used in every petrol station around the world. Sounds easy? Had to meet ever different set of laws and regulations, in 90 countries.
Anyway, the final design had an LCD display, showing amount pumped price. And all the tax paid. That’s required in some countries.
Suddenly, the U.K. government told him that the pump was unacceptable and couldn’t be used in the U.K.
Eventually, it was whispered to him that displaying the tax proportion of the price like that was the problem.
A couple of years before the Fuel Strike, IIRC.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14006593/Kwaski-Kwarteng-budget-class-war.html
The Mail proves satire is not dead.
It comes after a tumultuous few years for the LDP which saw a “cascade” of scandals, widespread voter apathy and record-low approval ratings.
The party had seen approval ratings of below 20% earlier in the year, in the wake of a political fundraising corruption scandal. Yet opposition parties have failed to unite, or convince voters they are a viable option to govern. The main opposition party had an approval rating of just 6.6% before parliament was dissolved.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8xpev42g78o
And we think our current mobs are unpopular...
What a luddite...
Reeves comes across as tentative and unsteady. Phillipson seems to go off message and dig herself into a hole every time she appears. Starmer - well, I've already covered how he deals with media, and it isn't great.
Streeting is better (though can have the same slight air of indignation as Starmer from time to time). The one who I think they should use more of is Jonathan Reynolds - a bit of an unknown quantity to me before the GE, but has come across relatively well when I've seen him interviewed. Cooper is always reliable, too.
We are still within margin of polling error in nearly every swing state. Anyone panicking either way is an idiot.
The sane behaviour is to keep campaigning hard till the end, make sure the turnout machine is prepped, hire all the lawyers. And make a fuck ton of coffee for everyone.
Trump says the CHIPS and Science Act, which brings thousands of manufacturing jobs back to America, “is so bad” and says he wants to replace it with tariffs that will raise prices on the middle class
https://x.com/KamalaHQ/status/1850250706193653782
Any such attempt would be a serious negative for US tech.
The most annoying thing about US banking, they love charges on everything. Cash out, cash in...
Looks ripe for it - the opposition parties are seen as part of the problem.