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LizT compared with others who’ve became PM mid-parliament – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,002
edited September 2022 in General
imageLizT compared with others who’ve became PM mid-parliament – politicalbetting.com

One great thing about Ipsos which used to be MORI is that it has been polling in the UK since the 1970s and has massive historical database on which we can compare things

Read the full story here

«13456710

Comments

  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259
    First, unlike Truss.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,080
    edited September 2022
    Second. Just.

    First off-topic.

    Interesting that Germany is introducing a Green Card to try and pull in under 35, intelligent foreigners. To the possible tune of 100s of k of immigrants required per year.

    https://www.dw.com/en/germany-to-introduce-green-card-to-bolster-workforce/a-63046971

    One problem is that Germany is perceived as bureaucratic and difficult.
  • Electorally speaking, Truss would rather be in the company of Johnson than May.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    edited September 2022
    Given the electoral success of each of these I'm not sure this is a bad thing for Truss.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259
    FPT:
    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,752
    So, Johnson got a majority of 80 and May lost hers. What exactly are we supposed to draw from this?
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259
    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
    True. Are ready meals VATable?
  • TimSTimS Posts: 9,138
    This only shows one side of the equation, which can be misleading. Best to look at the approval ratings vs the Labour opposition leader.

    Boris had very low approval but so at the time did Corbyn, as he did when May took over. Brown had good ratings but at the time so, relatively, did Cameron.

    Vs the opposition I think - though I don't have the numbers immediately to hand - Truss is probably in a similar position or slightly worse than Brown was when he took over from Blair. Similar amount of time for the party in office too - 12 years vs 10 years.
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,555
    MattW said:

    Second. Just.

    First off-topic.

    Interesting that Germany is introducing a Green Card to try and pull in under 35, intelligent foreigners. To the possible tune of 100s of k of immigrants required per year.

    https://www.dw.com/en/germany-to-introduce-green-card-to-bolster-workforce/a-63046971

    One problem is that Germany is perceived as bureaucratic and difficult.

    I had a friend who had to deal with German bureaucrats professionally over many years and he said they always brought to mind the Vogons in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

    To remind, the HGG described the Vogons as:

    "one of the most unpleasant races in the galaxy—not actually evil, but bad-tempered, bureaucratic, officious and callous", and having "as much sex appeal as a road accident" as well as being the authors of "the third worst poetry in the universe""
  • It had to be bad news for the Tories, that's all one ever gets on here.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941

    It had to be bad news for the Tories, that's all one ever gets on here.

    Four threads ago - "So far the polling's not looking bad for Liz"
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
    True. Are ready meals VATable?
    Don't think so
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259
    Truss needs some kind of miracle sequence of events imo.

    - Putin capitulates or is deposed.
    - The replacement Russian leader begs forgiveness, gives up Ukraine territory and agrees reparations...
    - ...leading to Russian sanctions being lifted, the energy market being freed up, and inflation falling rapidly.

    Not impossible but very, very unlikely.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    Does any one know why Turkey is lowering interest rates when they have 80% inflation?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728

    Electorally speaking, Truss would rather be in the company of Johnson than May.

    Hmmm.

    May and Major also won the next elections. Major with a vote that had UNS worked (which of course it always does) would have seen him secure a majority of 77.

    Brown lost, very spectacularly. The lowest share of any vote of any governing party ever. Again, on UNS Labour would have been down to about 155 seats.

    So actually, it doesn't show very much other than how much of a refreshing change or otherwise the new incumbent is seen as.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    DavidL said:

    So, Johnson got a majority of 80 and May lost hers. What exactly are we supposed to draw from this?

    That initial opinions of new PMs don't tally with subsequent election results and if you target your manifesto well enough even dire satisfaction ratings won't stop you winning an election
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728
    RobD said:

    Does any one know why Turkey is lowering interest rates when they have 80% inflation?

    Because they're so comprehensively stuffed,
  • MISTYMISTY Posts: 1,594

    Truss needs some kind of miracle sequence of events imo.

    - Putin capitulates or is deposed.
    - The replacement Russian leader begs forgiveness, gives up Ukraine territory and agrees reparations...
    - ...leading to Russian sanctions being lifted, the energy market being freed up, and inflation falling rapidly.

    Not impossible but very, very unlikely.

    Its not Truss that needs that miracle, its us.

    Liz will be fine....as will anybody who replaces her.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    RobD said:

    Does any one know why Turkey is lowering interest rates when they have 80% inflation?

    Because Turkish economic policy is driven by a President who doesn't have the first clue about economics but still wants to win the next election by hook or by crook.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,727
    NEW Starmer v Truss...his biggest lead is on being honest vs Truss. this is helpful, but a bigger lead on being capable would matter more.. https://twitter.com/benatipsos/status/1572986978848702464/photo/1
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259
    IshmaelZ said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
    True. Are ready meals VATable?
    Don't think so
    Microwaves are though! ;-)

    Seriously though, there must be some VAT built into food prices... transport costs, packaging, marketing, etc.

    Or is that not how VAT works?
  • The dates for the Ipsos poll (via telephone) were 7th to 15th September, so mainly during the mourning period.

    As LizT was eclipsed in the news, the poll may be impacted and comparisons with previous polls may not be appropriate.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    Does any one know why Turkey is lowering interest rates when they have 80% inflation?

    Because they're so comprehensively stuffed,
    You'd expect their central bankers to stay abreast of the situation, to be honest.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728
    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    Does any one know why Turkey is lowering interest rates when they have 80% inflation?

    Because they're so comprehensively stuffed,
    You'd expect their central bankers to stay abreast of the situation, to be honest.
    The politicians have taken wing, and inflation is legging it out of sight.
  • Given that the NIC news was released today, this suggests that the Chancellor would like attention focused on other measures tomorrow.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    IshmaelZ said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
    True. Are ready meals VATable?
    Don't think so
    Microwaves are though! ;-)

    Seriously though, there must be some VAT built into food prices... transport costs, packaging, marketing, etc.

    Or is that not how VAT works?
    VAT is cut by 5% - it probably just delays / masks the next price rise by a couple of months.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728

    Given that the NIC news was released today, this suggests that the Chancellor would like attention focused on other measures tomorrow.

    he's bringing back Imperial?😲
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614

    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
    True. Are ready meals VATable?
    IIRC, only if purchased hot.
  • Given that the NIC news was released today, this suggests that the Chancellor would like attention focused on other measures tomorrow.

    Maybe he'll go one step further and abolish NI altogether.
  • IshmaelZ said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
    True. Are ready meals VATable?
    Don't think so
    Microwaves are though! ;-)

    Seriously though, there must be some VAT built into food prices... transport costs, packaging, marketing, etc.

    Or is that not how VAT works?
    You get the VAT back on marketing.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    edited September 2022
    Funny chart, which eek points out does not relate well to election results. I do wonder if May would have been a decent PM in a more ordinary time, or if even without the Brexit conundrum she'd have seen a decline once truly tested.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Fishing said:

    MattW said:

    Second. Just.

    First off-topic.

    Interesting that Germany is introducing a Green Card to try and pull in under 35, intelligent foreigners. To the possible tune of 100s of k of immigrants required per year.

    https://www.dw.com/en/germany-to-introduce-green-card-to-bolster-workforce/a-63046971

    One problem is that Germany is perceived as bureaucratic and difficult.

    I had a friend who had to deal with German bureaucrats professionally over many years and he said they always brought to mind the Vogons in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

    To remind, the HGG described the Vogons as:

    "one of the most unpleasant races in the galaxy—not actually evil, but bad-tempered, bureaucratic, officious and callous", and having "as much sex appeal as a road accident" as well as being the authors of "the third worst poetry in the universe""
    In my part of the world, most international companies employ a ‘local’, known as a PRO, whose entire job is engaging with the bureaucracy - from applying for visas and trade licences, to buying and registering cars, to bailing errant employees out of the nick if required!
  • ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    Does any one know why Turkey is lowering interest rates when they have 80% inflation?

    Because they're so comprehensively stuffed,
    You'd expect their central bankers to stay abreast of the situation, to be honest.
    The politicians have taken wing, and inflation is legging it out of sight.
    Erdogan has sacked all the wise old sages and been left with a bunch of onions.
  • IshmaelZ said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
    True. Are ready meals VATable?
    Don't think so
    Microwaves are though! ;-)

    Seriously though, there must be some VAT built into food prices... transport costs, packaging, marketing, etc.

    Or is that not how VAT works?
    You get the VAT back on marketing.
    If a company is making zero rated supplies (eg children's clothing) they are still able to recover the VAT charged to them on their inputs.

    However, if a company is making exempt supplies (eg finance services) they are not able to recover the VAT charged to them on their inputs.

    Broadly.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728
    edited September 2022
    Somewhere @TSE is watching the t20 and muttering about dockside hookers.
  • @RALee85
    "Russian President Vladimir Putin is himself giving directions directly to generals in the field, two sources familiar with US and western intelligence said"


    https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1572985692099317760
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    Does any one know why Turkey is lowering interest rates when they have 80% inflation?

    Because they're so comprehensively stuffed,
    You'd expect their central bankers to stay abreast of the situation, to be honest.
    The politicians have taken wing, and inflation is legging it out of sight.
    Erdogan has sacked all the wise old sages and been left with a bunch of onions.
    And an empty mint.
  • DriverDriver Posts: 4,522

    @RALee85
    "Russian President Vladimir Putin is himself giving directions directly to generals in the field, two sources familiar with US and western intelligence said"


    https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1572985692099317760

    Can't think of any precedents for that going horribly wrong.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    DavidL said:

    So, Johnson got a majority of 80 and May lost hers. What exactly are we supposed to draw from this?

    That it's possible to turn things around but you need luck of circumstances, an opponent to play the game you want, and personal appeal that is well targeted.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728
    Driver said:

    @RALee85
    "Russian President Vladimir Putin is himself giving directions directly to generals in the field, two sources familiar with US and western intelligence said"


    https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1572985692099317760

    Can't think of any precedents for that going horribly wrong.
    it worked fine for Nicholas II.

    Right up until the moment he was overthrown and shot.
  • Burn.


    Nick Macpherson
    @nickmacpherson2
    ·
    1h
    Historically, the role of UK fiscal policy was to support monetary policy. Now it is to oppose monetary policy. Perhaps, that explains why the long term cost of borrowing has risen 94 basis points in just one month compared to 43 bp in the US. We are already paying the price.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    edited September 2022

    @RALee85
    "Russian President Vladimir Putin is himself giving directions directly to generals in the field, two sources familiar with US and western intelligence said"


    https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1572985692099317760

    LOL!

    Does that mean if we can knock out enough generals, we might see Putin himself turn up within range of the HIMARS in Ukraine to direct the troops personally?
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259

    IshmaelZ said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
    True. Are ready meals VATable?
    Don't think so
    Microwaves are though! ;-)

    Seriously though, there must be some VAT built into food prices... transport costs, packaging, marketing, etc.

    Or is that not how VAT works?
    You get the VAT back on marketing.
    If a company is making zero rated supplies (eg children's clothing) they are still able to recover the VAT charged to them on their inputs.

    However, if a company is making exempt supplies (eg finance services) they are not able to recover the VAT charged to them on their inputs.

    Broadly.
    Thanks. Is food 'zero-rated supplies' or 'exempt supplies'?
  • It had to be bad news for the Tories, that's all one ever gets on here.

    Bullshit. Or is it batshit?
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259

    Given that the NIC news was released today, this suggests that the Chancellor would like attention focused on other measures tomorrow.

    Maybe he'll go one step further and abolish NI altogether.
    I'm not sure the DUP will like that tbh.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    That is terrifying.

    Maybe they could swap responsibilites and we'd see improvement?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728

    It had to be bad news for the Tories, that's all one ever gets on here.

    Bullshit. Or is it batshit?
    Kwarteng's whatever it isn't looks set to be a steaming pile of horse shit.
  • Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    Driver said:

    @RALee85
    "Russian President Vladimir Putin is himself giving directions directly to generals in the field, two sources familiar with US and western intelligence said"


    https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1572985692099317760

    Can't think of any precedents for that going horribly wrong.
    You'd think even autocrats would have some awareness of their strengths and weaknesses, if they cannot admit it publicly, but in practice they clearly do not.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728
    That is why you need proper keepers, not batsmen masquerading as keepers.

    Although that wouldn't explain Hales dropping one as easy as a DfE official after a works meeting.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,042
    edited September 2022

    Burn.


    Nick Macpherson
    @nickmacpherson2
    ·
    1h
    Historically, the role of UK fiscal policy was to support monetary policy. Now it is to oppose monetary policy. Perhaps, that explains why the long term cost of borrowing has risen 94 basis points in just one month compared to 43 bp in the US. We are already paying the price.

    It would certainly be an unusual turn of events if the last months' rises in the cost of borrowing were all down to policies that have not yet even been announced.
  • RobD said:

    It had to be bad news for the Tories, that's all one ever gets on here.

    Four threads ago - "So far the polling's not looking bad for Liz"
    It's never good. ......
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    1990s, surely?

    Amazing stat from Alistair Darling - every building society that had converted to a bank was either nationalised or taken over by 2009.

    Of course that was also true of some that hadn't, like the Portman and the Derbyshire. It very nearly became true of the Nationwide.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    TimS said:

    This only shows one side of the equation, which can be misleading. Best to look at the approval ratings vs the Labour opposition leader.

    Boris had very low approval but so at the time did Corbyn, as he did when May took over. Brown had good ratings but at the time so, relatively, did Cameron.

    Vs the opposition I think - though I don't have the numbers immediately to hand - Truss is probably in a similar position or slightly worse than Brown was when he took over from Blair. Similar amount of time for the party in office too - 12 years vs 10 years.

    Yep, oppositions win elections rather than governments losing them.
  • ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    Does any one know why Turkey is lowering interest rates when they have 80% inflation?

    Because they're so comprehensively stuffed,
    You'd expect their central bankers to stay abreast of the situation, to be honest.
    The politicians have taken wing, and inflation is legging it out of sight.
    Erdogan has sacked all the wise old sages and been left with a bunch of onions.
    And an empty mint.
    Onions are v good for blood pressure and aiui may be good 4 prostate issues?
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    ydoethur said:

    That is why you need proper keepers, not batsmen masquerading as keepers.

    Although that wouldn't explain Hales dropping one as easy as a DfE official after a works meeting.

    There was me, half an hour ago, suggesting that 199 might be a decent score for England. Whoops.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    It's the 'triumph' of the market innit?
  • NickyBreakspearNickyBreakspear Posts: 674
    edited September 2022
    Food is either zero-rated or standard rated depending on what it is (see Jaffer Cakes, etc.)
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,111
    IshmaelZ said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
    True. Are ready meals VATable?
    Don't think so
    No, see 2/5 of the way down.

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/food-products-and-vat-notice-70114#general-food-products
  • @RALee85
    "Russian President Vladimir Putin is himself giving directions directly to generals in the field, two sources familiar with US and western intelligence said"


    https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1572985692099317760

    Putin thinks he's imitating his hero, Comrade Stalin. When he's actually channeling Czar Nicholas II.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259

    RobD said:

    It had to be bad news for the Tories, that's all one ever gets on here.

    Four threads ago - "So far the polling's not looking bad for Liz"
    It's never good. ......
    Feel free to write a fantasy header.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728
    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    That is why you need proper keepers, not batsmen masquerading as keepers.

    Although that wouldn't explain Hales dropping one as easy as a DfE official after a works meeting.

    There was me, half an hour ago, suggesting that 199 might be a decent score for England. Whoops.
    So @DavidL has lost his crown has he?

    The question here is whether Pakistan can win by ten wickets or not.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,111
    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    Still feeling a bit sore about Santander after having to deal with them as an executor a decade ago. I do hope they have improved.
  • ydoethur said:

    It had to be bad news for the Tories, that's all one ever gets on here.

    Bullshit. Or is it batshit?
    Kwarteng's whatever it isn't looks set to be a steaming pile of horse shit.
    Was replying to squareroots constant grump that "all one ever gets on here" is bad news for Tories.

    Which is demonstrably bullshit and/or batshit.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728

    @RALee85
    "Russian President Vladimir Putin is himself giving directions directly to generals in the field, two sources familiar with US and western intelligence said"


    https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1572985692099317760

    Putin thinks he's imitating his hero, Comrade Stalin. When he's actually channeling Czar Nicholas II.
    it is grossly unfair to compare Putin to Czar Nicholas II.

    Nicholas was a good husband.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,835
    edited September 2022
    kle4 said:

    Funny chart, which eek points out does not relate well to election results. I do wonder if May would have been a decent PM in a more ordinary time, or if even without the Brexit conundrum she'd have seen a decline once truly tested.

    Chucking away her majority destroyed her authority.
    I think that would have happened whatever the situation.
    It was calling the election then buggering it up. Amazed she lasted so long afterwards.
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,080
    edited September 2022
    kle4 said:

    DavidL said:

    So, Johnson got a majority of 80 and May lost hers. What exactly are we supposed to draw from this?

    That it's possible to turn things around but you need luck of circumstances, an opponent to play the game you want, and personal appeal that is well targeted.
    And also an utterly brutal strategy of turning up the general level of political paranoia. Part of the deal in 2019 was "give Boris a big majority so that all of this will stop."

    But the general principle is that it's really hard for a new PM to turn things round mid-term. Callaghan failed, Major just got over the line, Brown failed, May didn't really succeed, Johnson got a big win in strange circumstances. Overall, that makes sense, because PMs tend to only be thrown out mid-term if things are already going badly.

    (One of BoJo's smart moves was to go fairly soon after taking office, before disillusionment sets in. Truss isn't going to be in a position to do that, is she?)
  • OT: Liz Truss. Slightly less shit than Johnson lol.

    Actually I am beginning to quite like her.
  • @RALee85
    "Russian President Vladimir Putin is himself giving directions directly to generals in the field, two sources familiar with US and western intelligence said"


    https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1572985692099317760

    Putin thinks he's imitating his hero, Comrade Stalin. When he's actually channeling Czar Nicholas II.
    Does Putin idolise Stalin? I've never actually watched a 'What makes Putin tick?' documentary. I know he was there when the GDR collapsed and that was formative.
  • Burn.


    Nick Macpherson
    @nickmacpherson2
    ·
    1h
    Historically, the role of UK fiscal policy was to support monetary policy. Now it is to oppose monetary policy. Perhaps, that explains why the long term cost of borrowing has risen 94 basis points in just one month compared to 43 bp in the US. We are already paying the price.

    It would certainly be an unusual turn of events if the last months' rises in the cost of borrowing were all down to policies that have not yet even been announced.
    Weren't they being signaled, telegraphed, etc. for weeks throughout the Tory "leadership" contest?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,836
    eek said:

    RobD said:

    Does any one know why Turkey is lowering interest rates when they have 80% inflation?

    Because Turkish economic policy is driven by a President who doesn't have the first clue about economics but still wants to win the next election by hook or by crook.
    An accurate take on the situation here too. The Tories are trying to buy the next election and charge it to the future.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,074

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    It's the 'triumph' of the market innit?
    Triumph of the morons would be more accurate.

    Apparently I have to go into a branch to close an account. It has taken 3 hours and 5 different departments to find out and give me this information.

    So having wasted an afternoon I am going to have to waste tomorrow morning as well. What are the chances of this advice being correct?

    Santander's CEO is going to get a letter from me which will make his ears burn from now until Xmas.

    I mean it: until we focus on basic competence and customer service instead of grandiloquent bullshit we will get nowhere as a country.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 4,746
    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    I had an account with Santander about 10 years ago, when I wasn't as sensible as I am now. It was one where they give you an opening bonus but there are penalties if you don't pay enough money in every month. I'd let the account go to zero and forgot about it, and then tried to close it, and they acted like total loan sharks, adding all sorts of inexplicable 'fees' to get out of the contract. I ended up having to go the branch, hand over a tenner or whatever thinking that was the end of it, then I would find out it wasn't, and would then need to go to ATM to take out another tenner and then join the back of the queue (full of people in similar situations), hand over the tenner to try and pay them off, and then I would find out a week or so later that it wasn't actually quite the end of it and they needed more money, so I would go back and hand over another tenner.


  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259
    edited September 2022
    Carnyx said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    FPT:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Carnyx said:

    TOPPING said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Driver said:

    Philip Thomson pint of milk NI refund on its way as Social Care loses the money it needs

    Cuts to National Insurance will save the poorest 63p a week and the richest £150 a week.

    "Tax cut benefits people who pay tax" shock.
    I get that this is the line that the Tory followers are trotting out, but it’s still stupid. There is a choice in terms of who benefits. This Government has chosen to benefit the richest. We’re just pointing out this choice has been made.
    Tax cuts by definition benefit people who pay tax.
    But we could have tax cuts that benefit the poorer more and the richer less.
    How, if the poorer pay less or no tax to start with?

    The "10 men drinking beer" tax analogy is a little twee, but none the less valid for that.
    You can do better than 63p for the poorest and £150 for the richest.

    Also, cut a different tax! Nearly everyone pays VAT. Cut VAT.
    Plenty of problems with a VAT cut. Is it temporary or permanent (if the former formulate in your head the political appeal of promising to raise taxes)? Also if it's temporary (somehow) then that will mean price reversion when it is reversed and hence higher inflation. Plus the poorer spend a larger proportion of their wealth on VAT than the rich. Food, for example, represents a larger share of income for poorer households than richer ones.
    Er, food is mostly zero-rated - but not takeaways, or catering, notably.
    Yes not the best example. But VAT does take up more of the poor's income than the rich. It is the case, however, that generally just about any tax cut will benefit the rich more than the poor.
    Clothing, obviously, for one thing. But reverting to food, I'm not actually sure that VAT on food isn't an issue - and not just on crisps for packed lunches etc. It might well be that food VAT is a non-trivial issue for those people and families who rely in part on takeaways for practical reasons such as shift working. Perhaps significantly more pro rata than the better off middle class couple who eat out once a week.
    Re takeaways. I am amazed in my CAB dealings, how many people don't have any means to cook at all. People renting a room in a house (old-style bedsit). People avoiding homelessness by taking whatever they are offered, places that are often in a shocking state of disrepair.

    Sure, a microwave can be picked up fairly cheaply but some people get into the cycle of takeaways.
    Unless you have a certain amount of food prep and storage space, microwaving is basically just reheating takeaways
    True. Are ready meals VATable?
    Don't think so
    No, see 2/5 of the way down.

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/food-products-and-vat-notice-70114#general-food-products
    Haha what a list!

    I was intrigued to see that "Other types of snowballs such as Swedish snowballs with a longer shelf life" are standard rate. Presumably, only until they melt.

  • So the Prime Minister's "new' administration has already broken her first campaign promise, re: local control re: fracking?

    (That is, first breaking of a campaign promise to be clear.)

    Is this some kind of record re: interval between promising and breaking/
  • Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    It's the 'triumph' of the market innit?
    Triumph of the morons would be more accurate.

    Apparently I have to go into a branch to close an account. It has taken 3 hours and 5 different departments to find out and give me this information.

    So having wasted an afternoon I am going to have to waste tomorrow morning as well. What are the chances of this advice being correct?

    Santander's CEO is going to get a letter from me which will make his ears burn from now until Xmas.

    I mean it: until we focus on basic competence and customer service instead of grandiloquent bullshit we will get nowhere as a country.
    I spent a good 90 minute round trip to my local Santander a few months ago to do some admin. The branch had closed.

    Be careful to check.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,074
    Carnyx said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    Still feeling a bit sore about Santander after having to deal with them as an executor a decade ago. I do hope they have improved.
    I can confidently say they have not. It is the worst service I have seen in banking. Utterly clueless.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941

    So the Prime Minister's "new' administration has already broken her first campaign promise, re: local control re: fracking?

    (That is, first breaking of a campaign promise to be clear.)

    Is this some kind of record re: interval between promising and breaking/

    A loss for the NIMBYs?

    Oh, no!... Anyway.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259
    edited September 2022
    dixiedean said:

    kle4 said:

    Funny chart, which eek points out does not relate well to election results. I do wonder if May would have been a decent PM in a more ordinary time, or if even without the Brexit conundrum she'd have seen a decline once truly tested.

    Chucking away her majority destroyed her authority.
    I think that would have happened whatever the situation.
    It was calling the election then buggering it up. Amazed she lasted so long afterwards.
    Piss-poor management of Brexit did for her.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 4,746
    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    It's the 'triumph' of the market innit?
    Triumph of the morons would be more accurate.

    Apparently I have to go into a branch to close an account. It has taken 3 hours and 5 different departments to find out and give me this information.

    So having wasted an afternoon I am going to have to waste tomorrow morning as well. What are the chances of this advice being correct?

    Santander's CEO is going to get a letter from me which will make his ears burn from now until Xmas.

    I mean it: until we focus on basic competence and customer service instead of grandiloquent bullshit we will get nowhere as a country.
    Sorry about this. This is actually the same thing that I had 10 years ago, having to go in to a branch to close the account. It will be interesting if they demand the same of you as they did of me, ie that you go to the ATM to withdraw cash to pay off the mysterious 'fees'.

    You would have thought things would have improved in the last 10 years.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259
    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    It's the 'triumph' of the market innit?
    Triumph of the morons would be more accurate.

    Apparently I have to go into a branch to close an account. It has taken 3 hours and 5 different departments to find out and give me this information.

    So having wasted an afternoon I am going to have to waste tomorrow morning as well. What are the chances of this advice being correct?

    Santander's CEO is going to get a letter from me which will make his ears burn from now until Xmas.

    I mean it: until we focus on basic competence and customer service instead of grandiloquent bullshit we will get nowhere as a country.
    Bless. You think he will read it?

    Sympathies for your hassle with Santander though.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728
    edited September 2022
    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    It's the 'triumph' of the market innit?
    Triumph of the morons would be more accurate.

    Apparently I have to go into a branch to close an account. It has taken 3 hours and 5 different departments to find out and give me this information.

    So having wasted an afternoon I am going to have to waste tomorrow morning as well. What are the chances of this advice being correct?

    Santander's CEO is going to get a letter from me which will make his ears burn from now until Xmas.

    I mean it: until we focus on basic competence and customer service instead of grandiloquent bullshit we will get nowhere as a country.
    Virgin Money asked me for some information I didn't have and couldn't get.

    I suggested a workaround and asked if it would meet their criteria.

    They took two weeks to reply and then told me they couldn't give financial advice.

    Which was (a) not what I had asked for and (b) not correct, because the whole point of a bank is to advise its clients.

    The delay cost me about £100, and because I didn't have the time to complain I had to content myself with correcting the many errors of SPaG in their emails.
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,261

    Food is either zero-rated or standard rated depending on what it is (see Jaffer Cakes, etc.)

    Jaffa! (You must be one of them Russian trolls what Bart keeps finding.)
  • ...

    So the Prime Minister's "new' administration has already broken her first campaign promise, re: local control re: fracking?

    (That is, first breaking of a campaign promise to be clear.)

    Is this some kind of record re: interval between promising and breaking/

    They have refused to confirm that there will be local referenda. That's not the same as saying there won't be local control.
  • RobD said:

    So the Prime Minister's "new' administration has already broken her first campaign promise, re: local control re: fracking?

    (That is, first breaking of a campaign promise to be clear.)

    Is this some kind of record re: interval between promising and breaking/

    A loss for the NIMBYs?

    Oh, no!... Anyway.
    Is it good policy and/or politics, for a politico to make promises they have zero intention of honoring?

    As demonstrated by breaking 'em 15 minutes (metaphorically speaking) after making 'em?
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259

    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    It's the 'triumph' of the market innit?
    Triumph of the morons would be more accurate.

    Apparently I have to go into a branch to close an account. It has taken 3 hours and 5 different departments to find out and give me this information.

    So having wasted an afternoon I am going to have to waste tomorrow morning as well. What are the chances of this advice being correct?

    Santander's CEO is going to get a letter from me which will make his ears burn from now until Xmas.

    I mean it: until we focus on basic competence and customer service instead of grandiloquent bullshit we will get nowhere as a country.
    I spent a good 90 minute round trip to my local Santander a few months ago to do some admin. The branch had closed.

    Be careful to check.
    It might be their new customer retention plan: you have to go to a branch to close your account; all the branches are closed.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728

    Food is either zero-rated or standard rated depending on what it is (see Jaffer Cakes, etc.)

    Jaffa! (You must be one of them Russian trolls what Bart keeps finding.)
    We could do with ten jaffas right now.

    This pair are making it look easy.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259

    ...

    So the Prime Minister's "new' administration has already broken her first campaign promise, re: local control re: fracking?

    (That is, first breaking of a campaign promise to be clear.)

    Is this some kind of record re: interval between promising and breaking/

    They have refused to confirm that there will be local referenda. That's not the same as saying there won't be local control.
    Fracking is dead in the water in the UK.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,706
    All of the above new PMs took a clear poll lead too. Truss has not, even if she has gained a few votes from the LDs
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941

    RobD said:

    So the Prime Minister's "new' administration has already broken her first campaign promise, re: local control re: fracking?

    (That is, first breaking of a campaign promise to be clear.)

    Is this some kind of record re: interval between promising and breaking/

    A loss for the NIMBYs?

    Oh, no!... Anyway.
    Is it good policy and/or politics, for a politico to make promises they have zero intention of honoring?

    As demonstrated by breaking 'em 15 minutes (metaphorically speaking) after making 'em?
    Not really, but I can't say I'm particularly upset. NIMBYism is responsible not only for the lack of development of renewables, but also the crippling housing situation.
  • darkage said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    I had an account with Santander about 10 years ago, when I wasn't as sensible as I am now. It was one where they give you an opening bonus but there are penalties if you don't pay enough money in every month. I'd let the account go to zero and forgot about it, and then tried to close it, and they acted like total loan sharks, adding all sorts of inexplicable 'fees' to get out of the contract. I ended up having to go the branch, hand over a tenner or whatever thinking that was the end of it, then I would find out it wasn't, and would then need to go to ATM to take out another tenner and then join the back of the queue (full of people in similar situations), hand over the tenner to try and pay them off, and then I would find out a week or so later that it wasn't actually quite the end of it and they needed more money, so I would go back and hand over another tenner.


    Should have gone back one last time, and thrown a brick through the front window. With 2p taped to it.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    ydoethur said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    It's the 'triumph' of the market innit?
    Triumph of the morons would be more accurate.

    Apparently I have to go into a branch to close an account. It has taken 3 hours and 5 different departments to find out and give me this information.

    So having wasted an afternoon I am going to have to waste tomorrow morning as well. What are the chances of this advice being correct?

    Santander's CEO is going to get a letter from me which will make his ears burn from now until Xmas.

    I mean it: until we focus on basic competence and customer service instead of grandiloquent bullshit we will get nowhere as a country.
    Virgin Money asked me for some information I didn't have and couldn't get.

    I suggested a workaround and asked if it would meet their criteria.

    They took two weeks to reply and then told me they couldn't give financial advice.

    Which was (a) not what I had asked for and (b) not correct, because the whole point of a bank is to advise its clients.

    The delay cost me about £100, and because I didn't have the time to complain I had to content myself with correcting the many errors of SPaG in their emails.
    Ask them for £100 comp, open a case with the ombudsman when they refuse

    But banks aren't there to give financial advice, they are there to look after your money. They can have depts that can give FA but Virgin doesn't.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,259

    Food is either zero-rated or standard rated depending on what it is (see Jaffer Cakes, etc.)

    Jaffa! (You must be one of them Russian trolls what Bart keeps finding.)
    ...one of those Russian trolls...

    ...was the way they taught me to write it at the Moscow language school.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766

    Electorally speaking, Truss would rather be in the company of Johnson than May.

    There's a similar phenomenon in the US: Presidents who performed really badly in their first midterms (W Bush, Obama, Clinton) won reelection, while those who performed well (Bush Sr for example) did not.
  • So the Prime Minister's "new' administration has already broken her first campaign promise, re: local control re: fracking?

    (That is, first breaking of a campaign promise to be clear.)

    Is this some kind of record re: interval between promising and breaking/

    Has she? The promise was for local support for fracking, how local support would be measured was never explained. A token level of support would match the pledge.

    Oh and f**k NIMBYs.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,728
    IshmaelZ said:

    ydoethur said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    It's the 'triumph' of the market innit?
    Triumph of the morons would be more accurate.

    Apparently I have to go into a branch to close an account. It has taken 3 hours and 5 different departments to find out and give me this information.

    So having wasted an afternoon I am going to have to waste tomorrow morning as well. What are the chances of this advice being correct?

    Santander's CEO is going to get a letter from me which will make his ears burn from now until Xmas.

    I mean it: until we focus on basic competence and customer service instead of grandiloquent bullshit we will get nowhere as a country.
    Virgin Money asked me for some information I didn't have and couldn't get.

    I suggested a workaround and asked if it would meet their criteria.

    They took two weeks to reply and then told me they couldn't give financial advice.

    Which was (a) not what I had asked for and (b) not correct, because the whole point of a bank is to advise its clients.

    The delay cost me about £100, and because I didn't have the time to complain I had to content myself with correcting the many errors of SPaG in their emails.
    Ask them for £100 comp, open a case with the ombudsman when they refuse

    But banks aren't there to give financial advice, they are there to look after your money. They can have depts that can give FA but Virgin doesn't.
    Why bother? The only time I ever went to the ombudsman was when a mortgage broker failing to submit a form on time by mistake and then repeatedly lying about it so nobody else could cost me £5,000.

    Ombudsman's reply, roughly? 'Who cares?'
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,706
    edited September 2022
    ydoethur said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Santander make the Metropolitan Police look competent.That is all.

    Chorley Building Society on the other hand - absolute heroes. Answered the phone, gave me an answer, were pleasant and all in less than 5 minutes.

    The trouble with this country is that we have too many Santanders in charge of stuff and too few Chorley Building Societies.

    And we made it that way.

    (OK, not current we, but 1980s we, who decided to go for freebie shares. The question that was barely asked was what was being given up in exchange for that windfall.)
    1990s, surely?

    Amazing stat from Alistair Darling - every building society that had converted to a bank was either nationalised or taken over by 2009.

    Of course that was also true of some that hadn't, like the Portman and the Derbyshire. It very nearly became true of the Nationwide.
    True too of RBS and Lloyds once it took over HBOS
This discussion has been closed.