"Whilst acknowledging Mr Wallace’s autism diagnosis, which is relevant to certain behaviours identified in the report and accepting that the production could have done more to identify, manage and communicate patterns of inappropriate behaviour, the volume and consistency of substantiated allegations, ranging between 2005 and 2024, make Gregg Wallace’s return to MasterChef untenable"
Looks like his autism defence gets a nod. I call that bullsh*t!
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Another stupid unforced error from them, that they can’t undo now. The “working people” thing was always going to tie them in knots. It continues to do so.
Of course, the pledge about the specific taxes they wouldn’t touch was also a stupid hostage to fortune.
The people with payslips will be annoyed that there are fewer people with payslips once the plan to tax the people who don't have payslips but provide jobs for the people with payslips leads to lay offs. That's their plan for change in action
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
And Labour have chosen those on PAYE to be taxed more via increasing NICs. Doubly-increasing it by both increasing the rate and cutting the threshold.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
And Labour have chosen those on PAYE to be taxed more via increasing NICs.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
And Labour have chosen those on PAYE to be taxed more via increasing NICs.
A tax that can be avoided by those not on PAYE.
Well yeah but that’s a different point entirely.
The two are surely related.
If you're concerned that those not on PAYE are dodging taxes, then increasing the differential between PAYE and non-PAYE incomes is about the worst thing you can possibly do. Both ethically, by boosting taxes on those who are already not dodging them, and economically by increasing the incentive to dodge them.
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
I haven't seen the comment they've made but nobody should forget that Labour have hammered anyone with a payslip by jacking up both the rate of National Insurance and cutting the threshold it applies at.
Anyone who pretends that Employers NIC doesn't affect Employees Wages is an ignoramus who doesn't have a clue what they're talking about. Of course Employers take direct taxes on wages into account when setting wages.
I linked to interview with Paul Johnson outgoing head of IFS. Obviously he made this point and is still (as he did at the time) calling bullshit on NI rise for employer not being tax rise on "working people".
One thing I couldn't quite get my head around. He said council tax / business rates should go and should be straight property tax instead, which is best form of a "wealth" tax. Ok, fine, harder to move that wealth. But when pushed on won't that be passed to those in the property either residential or business, he said long term that wouldn't be the case. I found that quite odd to believe that if you own a load of shops you won't pass on that tax to the people leasing from you in form of higher rents.
There's a foolproof way to help England take another wicket: stop watching for a few minutes.
I have missed every single wicket this morning, during 4 broief breaks - one bathroom, one delivery, one looking for phone, one "doing a quick tidy"
I have literally been rivetted otherwise!
If you don't mind can you lock your in the toilet from about 1.40pm for a couple of hours.
Wouldn't a couple of minutes be better?
The remainder of the month sounds better still.
I see your point but my suggestion was for the England cricket team to improve their chances against the mighty Indians (not that I'm a cricket afficionado)
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
You are right, it does feel like he has been in post for two long years. Does that mean we get Nigey in 2028 instead of 2029.
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
Ahem "few good men around him .." - is that conscionable in this day and age?
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
They don't appear to believe in anything though to get anything done. Apart from weird anti imperialist stuff and sticking to unecessary rules on fiscal matters. They have no overriding mission. Buggins turn non entities
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
Honesty, some decent explanations of where we are and how things can change, be brief about blaming the past/Tories - we know all that, explain why the balance of tax, spend and borrow has to alter if we are to survive, explain we are still relatively wealthy with good things about the UK and how we make them better. explain that high state expenditure = high taxes everywhere and we are no different.
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
They don't appear to believe in anything though to get anything done. Apart from weird anti imperialist stuff and sticking to unecessary rules on fiscal matters. They have no overriding mission. Buggins turn non entities
Surely all that's needed is for the PB Tories to form their own party, sweep to power and usher us all into the broad sunlit uplands.
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
Honesty, some decent explanations of where we are and how things can change, be brief about blaming the past/Tories - we know all that, explain why the balance of tax, spend and borrow has to alter if we are to survive, explain we are still relatively wealthy with good things about the UK and how we make them better. explain that high state expenditure = high taxes everywhere and we are no different.
Of course, preparing the public for that a little prior to the election might have helped. Same as the "following tory spending plans" stuff in 1997. Too scared of losing to be honest about their programme. Understandable, of course, but still unhelpful.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
I haven't seen the comment they've made but nobody should forget that Labour have hammered anyone with a payslip by jacking up both the rate of National Insurance and cutting the threshold it applies at.
Anyone who pretends that Employers NIC doesn't affect Employees Wages is an ignoramus who doesn't have a clue what they're talking about. Of course Employers take direct taxes on wages into account when setting wages.
I linked to interview with Paul Johnson outgoing head of IFS. Obviously he made this point and is still (as he did at the time) calling bullshit on NI rise for employer not being tax rise on "working people".
One thing I couldn't quite get my head around. He said council tax / business rates should go and should be straight property tax instead, which is best form of a "wealth" tax. Ok, fine, harder to move that wealth. But when pushed on won't that be passed to those in the property either residential or business, he said long term that wouldn't be the case. I found that quite odd to believe that if you own a load of shops you won't pass on that tax to the people leasing from you in form of higher rents.
One thing that politicians like to avoid is a very simple and very ignored truth. That all taxes and other payments of any sort are ultimately a cost not to a system, a company, an organisation or anything else but a cost to individuals - people - persons.
The state in TME spends about £45000 per household. On the face of it, that is impossible because almost no households could meet the annual bill. But it happens. How it is the case, deserves closer inspection than it gets.
So, for example, Greggs, IIRC, said the NI changes recently would cost Greggs £100,000,000. None of that directly comes from a person but from the company quoted on the stock exchange. Tracing that sum to losses and liabilities of individuals would be an intersting exercise. Non persons have no genuine interest in money. Only persons do.
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
Honesty, some decent explanations of where we are and how things can change, be brief about blaming the past/Tories - we know all that, explain why the balance of tax, spend and borrow has to alter if we are to survive, explain we are still relatively wealthy with good things about the UK and how we make them better. explain that high state expenditure = high taxes everywhere and we are no different.
Of course, preparing the public for that a little prior to the election might have helped. Same as the "following tory spending plans" stuff in 1997. Too scared of losing to be honest about their programme. Understandable, of course, but still unhelpful.
What programme? It was clear from the first budget they hadn't really got a clear plan. It was ask the treasury what wheezes do we have to raise taxes that don't break our promise, her is a list of ones previously been rejected minister, great, hold on this one breaks it, its the only way to raise real revenue minister....
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
You are right, it does feel like he has been in post for two long years. Does that mean we get Nigey in 2028 instead of 2029.
No, it means that the last year of Sunak was very much the same. An enormous reluctance to face issues and a desperation to kick them into the longer grass. As head of a tired, disunited and frustrated party Sunak had some excuses. A new administration with a large majority really should have done better.
The weird thing about Test cricket is that it always seems impossible that you will get a wicket, until you get a wicket, and then it seems like it was inevitable, all along
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
I haven't seen the comment they've made but nobody should forget that Labour have hammered anyone with a payslip by jacking up both the rate of National Insurance and cutting the threshold it applies at.
Anyone who pretends that Employers NIC doesn't affect Employees Wages is an ignoramus who doesn't have a clue what they're talking about. Of course Employers take direct taxes on wages into account when setting wages.
They're not an ignoramus if they're *pretending* it doesn't.
"Whilst acknowledging Mr Wallace’s autism diagnosis, which is relevant to certain behaviours identified in the report and accepting that the production could have done more to identify, manage and communicate patterns of inappropriate behaviour, the volume and consistency of substantiated allegations, ranging between 2005 and 2024, make Gregg Wallace’s return to MasterChef untenable"
Looks like his autism defence gets a nod. I call that bullsh*t!
Though also from that summary:-
The majority of the allegations against Mr Wallace (94%) related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018. Only one allegation was substantiated post 2018.
Which suggests that if the BBC had not been so defensive from the start, they could have said they'd sorted out Wallace's behaviour several years ago. Their (GW's and the BBC's) problem is that this whole mess follows Huw Edwards, the Gaza documentary and Glastonbury.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
I haven't seen the comment they've made but nobody should forget that Labour have hammered anyone with a payslip by jacking up both the rate of National Insurance and cutting the threshold it applies at.
Anyone who pretends that Employers NIC doesn't affect Employees Wages is an ignoramus who doesn't have a clue what they're talking about. Of course Employers take direct taxes on wages into account when setting wages.
I linked to interview with Paul Johnson outgoing head of IFS. Obviously he made this point and is still (as he did at the time) calling bullshit on NI rise for employer not being tax rise on "working people".
One thing I couldn't quite get my head around. He said council tax / business rates should go and should be straight property tax instead, which is best form of a "wealth" tax. Ok, fine, harder to move that wealth. But when pushed on won't that be passed to those in the property either residential or business, he said long term that wouldn't be the case. I found that quite odd to believe that if you own a load of shops you won't pass on that tax to the people leasing from you in form of higher rents.
One thing that politicians like to avoid is a very simple and very ignored truth. That all taxes and other payments of any sort are ultimately a cost not to a system, a company, an organisation or anything else but a cost to individuals - people - persons.
The state in TME spends about £45000 per household. On the face of it, that is impossible because almost no households could meet the annual bill. But it happens. How it is the case, deserves closer inspection than it gets.
So, for example, Greggs, IIRC, said the NI changes recently would cost Greggs £100,000,000. None of that directly comes from a person but from the company quoted on the stock exchange. Tracing that sum to losses and liabilities of individuals would be an intersting exercise. Non persons have no genuine interest in money. Only persons do.
Well the other thing that Paul Johnson pointed out, the real big pot of taxable money that is far less mobile is among those who earn £40k-70k. It is of course the dirty little secret that all those who used to point to Sweden as a model we should follow for a high tax country that works is that in order to have such a system bash the rich non-doms doesn't get you the money, its people on quite modest incomes also have to pay a lot more in.
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
Ahem "few good men around him .." - is that conscionable in this day and age?
Well, its the name of the film that the quote in the header is taken from.
"Whilst acknowledging Mr Wallace’s autism diagnosis, which is relevant to certain behaviours identified in the report and accepting that the production could have done more to identify, manage and communicate patterns of inappropriate behaviour, the volume and consistency of substantiated allegations, ranging between 2005 and 2024, make Gregg Wallace’s return to MasterChef untenable"
Looks like his autism defence gets a nod. I call that bullsh*t!
Though also from that summary:-
The majority of the allegations against Mr Wallace (94%) related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018. Only one allegation was substantiated post 2018.
Which suggests that if the BBC had not been so defensive from the start, they could have said they'd sorted out Wallace's behaviour several years ago. Their (GW's and the BBC's) problem is that this whole mess follows Huw Edwards, the Gaza documentary and Glastonbury.
I understand that BBC News’ executives were extremely proud of the film before it was broadcast and spoke of it glowingly in internal meetings. Yet anyone who saw it, particularly from within the television industry, will have been alarmed by any number of red flags that brought its credibility and accuracy into question. Those obvious flaws escaped the scrutiny of senior executives who saw the film before transmission, including the CEO of BBC News Deborah Turness.
Yet Kent's new DOLGE identified just £40 million of potential savings from an expenditure of some £2.5 billion so there's hardly a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.
It's not totally clear (it's a speech, not a report with numbers that anyone else can check), but it looks like that's £40 million of capital spending being cut, so not even £40 million a year compared with £2.5 billion a year;
(And quite possibly less spending now leading to higher costs in the future.)
Still, there's up to £180k to be saved by cutting various memberships.
Reform in Nottinghamshire are also doing the "stay in our 100 year old HQ thing", which in Notts' case will require £50m+ of maintenance and capex to keep it useable, and bring it up to scratch. The new one has already been built, and is central in the county..
In Kent it is "bring childrens' homes back in house", plus stopping home improvements to save energy.
I'm not sure they have numbers...
The new one is not capable of hosting full council meetings nor does it have the offices for all the council workers who need to be in the office.
I'm going from the reports of the project, for example:
They retain a base in West Bridgford at Trent Bridge House, and others, and County Hall is reported to be half-empty. That may be impacted by Reforms "they will all be in their offices every day" waffle, which I assume is influenced by MAGA.
On Council Meetings, aiui they have already moved (and RefUK are now moving them back), but I have not visited the building yet. I'd be interested to hear more.
I quite like the name of the Operations Manager called Merlin Tinker.
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
Honesty, some decent explanations of where we are and how things can change, be brief about blaming the past/Tories - we know all that, explain why the balance of tax, spend and borrow has to alter if we are to survive, explain we are still relatively wealthy with good things about the UK and how we make them better. explain that high state expenditure = high taxes everywhere and we are no different.
Of course, preparing the public for that a little prior to the election might have helped. Same as the "following tory spending plans" stuff in 1997. Too scared of losing to be honest about their programme. Understandable, of course, but still unhelpful.
What programme? It was clear from the first budget they hadn't really got a clear plan. It was ask the treasury what wheezes do we have to raise taxes that don't break our promise, her is a list of ones previously been rejected minister, great, hold on this one breaks it, its the only way to raise real revenue minister....
I think they did have a plan. Settle some scores, make some money, and sell us out to the EU. Rwanda cancellation can be seen as very much part of that plan - an independent scheme couldn't exist - it had to be linked in to Europe. NHS reform, much as many the ideas I agree with, is pretty much a sell off that will result in personal enrichment of the Ministers concerned in the fullness of time.
It's all at a fairly breakneck speed because they've realised it's a one-term deal.
On topic all Starmer needs, as the header implies, is a few good men around him who can get something done. Almost anything done would be an improvement on the last 12 months (and, in fairness, the 12 months before that).
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
The sea of indecision and risk avoidance was what got Sir Keir elected. It must be difficult to shift gears. If he had, and it hadn’t worked, people would have been telling him he should have kept it steady.
If I’m honest, I think his approach could work anyway. Incrementally making things better and pointing at the secure progress made, so stay with nurse at the next GE might be the winning strategy
There is something classically Darwinian about that. Such stupidity is not compatible with the survival of the species.
Shades of the US citizens who went to the USSR under Stalin.
Russia has a long and bloody history of such exploitation.
At the moment I'm reading about the Latvian Rifles, who provided the core - and for a time the majority, and commander - of Lenin's Red Army... and were almost certainly the difference between the Bolshevik's' victory and defeat. They did much the same for Dzerzhinsky's Cheka, killing tens of thousands.
Stalin returned the favour by murdering most them in a purge, a couple of decades later.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
In the context of who Labour want to ideally protect from tax rises, the definition of worker as someone on PAYE is fine, to be honest.
Labour doesn’t really pretend (convincingly) to be the party of business owners and contractors and neither does it need to be.
On the header, I'd say Reform UK in local authorities are moving from the "Fuck Around" phase to "Find Out". Alongside approximately one Councillor per week and one MP per month going pop, the Deputy Chair of Derbyshire Council Council some way along the the David Icke spectrum (piccie quota), an 18 year old about to start running Warwickshire as minority party leader if confirmed next week, we have the Leader of Kent County Council behaving a little like Elon Musk in her approach to cutting things.
I'd say that Kent is one to watch - Farage reportedly wants it to be his DOLGE poster child.
DOLGE, if at all official, is a real missed opportunity for naming. What's wrong with the Bureau Investigating Local Government Efficiency?
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
In the context of who Labour want to ideally protect from tax rises, the definition of worker as someone on PAYE is fine, to be honest.
Labour doesn’t really pretend (convincingly) to be the party of business owners and contractors and neither does it need to be.
Nearly all the business owners and all the contractors are on PAYE from their companies.
Anyone want to make the case the T20 is a better form of the game than test cricket? The nations workforce is paralysed watching/listening to the cricket...
Anyone want to make the case the T20 is a better form of the game than test cricket? The nations workforce is paralysed watching/listening to the cricket...
Of course neither hold a candle to the Hundred....
On the header, I'd say Reform UK in local authorities are moving from the "Fuck Around" phase to "Find Out". Alongside approximately one Councillor per week and one MP per month going pop, the Deputy Chair of Derbyshire Council Council some way along the the David Icke spectrum (piccie quota), an 18 year old about to start running Warwickshire as minority party leader if confirmed next week, we have the Leader of Kent County Council behaving a little like Elon Musk in her approach to cutting things.
I'd say that Kent is one to watch - Farage reportedly wants it to be his DOLGE poster child.
DOLGE, if at all official, is a real missed opportunity for naming. What's wrong with the Bureau Investigating Local Government Efficiency?
Vibrant All-encompassing Productivity Initiative Directory for Bureaus Investigating Local Government Efficiency
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
In the context of who Labour want to ideally protect from tax rises, the definition of worker as someone on PAYE is fine, to be honest.
Labour doesn’t really pretend (convincingly) to be the party of business owners and contractors and neither does it need to be.
Nearly all the business owners and all the contractors are on PAYE from their companies.
Anyone want to make the case the T20 is a better form of the game than test cricket? The nations workforce is paralysed watching/listening to the cricket...
"Whilst acknowledging Mr Wallace’s autism diagnosis, which is relevant to certain behaviours identified in the report and accepting that the production could have done more to identify, manage and communicate patterns of inappropriate behaviour, the volume and consistency of substantiated allegations, ranging between 2005 and 2024, make Gregg Wallace’s return to MasterChef untenable"
Looks like his autism defence gets a nod. I call that bullsh*t!
Being a rail enthusiast, I encounter a fair number of people on the austistic spectrum.
But none of them have ever dropped their trousers and got their tackle out.
The Arctic sun beats relentlessly down; must be 15C feels like 18 in the sun here. Fine warm weather is forecast for the foreseeable and the next sunset is still seven days away. I'm having a lunch of shrimps, white wine and chips, while on the next table three Koreans have come in and insisted on being served hot chocolate out here in the heat.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
In the context of who Labour want to ideally protect from tax rises, the definition of worker as someone on PAYE is fine, to be honest.
Labour doesn’t really pretend (convincingly) to be the party of business owners and contractors and neither does it need to be.
Nearly all the business owners and all the contractors are on PAYE from their companies.
So they fit into the definition, happy days.
Alternatively, their definition is shit.
The problem is that nearly all of them have not encountered the world of non-big-corporate/government employment.
So the chap who runs a 5 person business, is on the PAYE roll, pays himself in arrears when times are tough is an unknown.
"Whilst acknowledging Mr Wallace’s autism diagnosis, which is relevant to certain behaviours identified in the report and accepting that the production could have done more to identify, manage and communicate patterns of inappropriate behaviour, the volume and consistency of substantiated allegations, ranging between 2005 and 2024, make Gregg Wallace’s return to MasterChef untenable"
Looks like his autism defence gets a nod. I call that bullsh*t!
Being a rail enthusiast, I encounter a fair number of people on the austistic spectrum.
But none of them have ever dropped their trousers and got their tackle out.
If the defense lawyers have their way, autistic people will be unemployable.
If you add up over the years, the things that have been claimed to be out of their control, we have
- violence, to the point of murder - hacking and cybercrime - now sexual predation.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
In the context of who Labour want to ideally protect from tax rises, the definition of worker as someone on PAYE is fine, to be honest.
Labour doesn’t really pretend (convincingly) to be the party of business owners and contractors and neither does it need to be.
Nearly all the business owners and all the contractors are on PAYE from their companies.
So they fit into the definition, happy days.
Alternatively, their definition is shit.
The problem is that nearly all of them have not encountered the world of non-big-corporate/government employment.
So the chap who runs a 5 person business, is on the PAYE roll, pays himself in arrears when times are tough is an unknown.
I think that’s just lazy analysis. The chap who runs a 5 person business stands to gain a lot in good times, and obviously risks a lot in hard times. That’s the risk/reward nature of business and the entire point or capitalism. Labour will hopefully protect his PAYE income (minimum wage, as is often the case, so little effect) but possibly target his dividend income (which is obviously more tax efficient). Dividend income is paid out of profits so increased taxes on these should not affect the viability of the business, should it?
PB is on its high horse about Labour being out of touch or not in the real world but the fact of the matter is that 85%+ of the UK workforce is on PAYE for at least some or their income. The definition is fine.
"Whilst acknowledging Mr Wallace’s autism diagnosis, which is relevant to certain behaviours identified in the report and accepting that the production could have done more to identify, manage and communicate patterns of inappropriate behaviour, the volume and consistency of substantiated allegations, ranging between 2005 and 2024, make Gregg Wallace’s return to MasterChef untenable"
Looks like his autism defence gets a nod. I call that bullsh*t!
Being a rail enthusiast, I encounter a fair number of people on the austistic spectrum.
But none of them have ever dropped their trousers and got their tackle out.
If the defense lawyers have their way, autistic people will be unemployable.
If you add up over the years, the things that have been claimed to be out of their control, we have
- violence, to the point of murder - hacking and cybercrime - now sexual predation.
And neurotypical people have been sacked or convicted of all the above too.
However autism can be considered in sentencing by judges as can any other mental health disorder
Foreign secretary David Lammy is in Singapore today announcing a new UK-Singapore Green Energy collaboration. As part of the deal, he’s pledged £70 million of UK taxpayers’ money to support Singapore’s “clean energy transition”.
That well known poor developing country, check notes, with one of the highest GPD / Capita in the world, Singapore.
Foreign secretary David Lammy is in Singapore today announcing a new UK-Singapore Green Energy collaboration. As part of the deal, he’s pledged £70 million of UK taxpayers’ money to support Singapore’s “clean energy transition”.
That well known poor developing country Singapore.
60% richer than ourselves by GDP. My seat is a straight shoot out (Reform favoured, mind) between Labour and Rfm - think Farage will be getting my vote at this rate.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
In the context of who Labour want to ideally protect from tax rises, the definition of worker as someone on PAYE is fine, to be honest.
Labour doesn’t really pretend (convincingly) to be the party of business owners and contractors and neither does it need to be.
Nearly all the business owners and all the contractors are on PAYE from their companies.
So they fit into the definition, happy days.
Alternatively, their definition is shit.
The problem is that nearly all of them have not encountered the world of non-big-corporate/government employment.
So the chap who runs a 5 person business, is on the PAYE roll, pays himself in arrears when times are tough is an unknown.
I think that’s just lazy analysis. The chap who runs a 5 person business stands to gain a lot in good times, and obviously risks a lot in hard times. That’s the risk/reward nature of business and the entire point or capitalism. Labour will hopefully protect his PAYE income (minimum wage, as is often the case, so little effect) but possibly target his dividend income (which is obviously more tax efficient). Dividend income is paid out of profits so increased taxes on these should not affect the viability of the business, should it?
PB is on its high horse about Labour being out of touch or not in the real world but the fact of the matter is that 85%+ of the UK workforce is on PAYE for at least some or their income. The definition is fine.
Remember most PBers are spending their inheritance or their triple lock bonuses, or both.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
In the context of who Labour want to ideally protect from tax rises, the definition of worker as someone on PAYE is fine, to be honest.
Labour doesn’t really pretend (convincingly) to be the party of business owners and contractors and neither does it need to be.
Nearly all the business owners and all the contractors are on PAYE from their companies.
So they fit into the definition, happy days.
Alternatively, their definition is shit.
The problem is that nearly all of them have not encountered the world of non-big-corporate/government employment.
So the chap who runs a 5 person business, is on the PAYE roll, pays himself in arrears when times are tough is an unknown.
I think that’s just lazy analysis. The chap who runs a 5 person business stands to gain a lot in good times, and obviously risks a lot in hard times. That’s the risk/reward nature of business and the entire point or capitalism. Labour will hopefully protect his PAYE income (minimum wage, as is often the case, so little effect) but possibly target his dividend income (which is obviously more tax efficient). Dividend income is paid out of profits so increased taxes on these should not affect the viability of the business, should it?
PB is on its high horse about Labour being out of touch or not in the real world but the fact of the matter is that 85%+ of the UK workforce is on PAYE for at least some or their income. The definition is fine.
Remember most PBers are spending their inheritance or their triple lock bonuses, or both.
Indeed. PB tends towards the affluent centre-right.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
By work, do you mean we are working on here all day instead of doing what we are supposed to be doing?
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
By work, do you mean we are working on here all day instead of doing what we are supposed to be doing?
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
In the context of who Labour want to ideally protect from tax rises, the definition of worker as someone on PAYE is fine, to be honest.
Labour doesn’t really pretend (convincingly) to be the party of business owners and contractors and neither does it need to be.
Nearly all the business owners and all the contractors are on PAYE from their companies.
So they fit into the definition, happy days.
Alternatively, their definition is shit.
The problem is that nearly all of them have not encountered the world of non-big-corporate/government employment.
So the chap who runs a 5 person business, is on the PAYE roll, pays himself in arrears when times are tough is an unknown.
I think that’s just lazy analysis. The chap who runs a 5 person business stands to gain a lot in good times, and obviously risks a lot in hard times. That’s the risk/reward nature of business and the entire point or capitalism. Labour will hopefully protect his PAYE income (minimum wage, as is often the case, so little effect) but possibly target his dividend income (which is obviously more tax efficient). Dividend income is paid out of profits so increased taxes on these should not affect the viability of the business, should it?
PB is on its high horse about Labour being out of touch or not in the real world but the fact of the matter is that 85%+ of the UK workforce is on PAYE for at least some or their income. The definition is fine.
Remember most PBers are spending their inheritance or their triple lock bonuses, or both.
Indeed. PB tends towards the affluent centre-right.
This "anyone with a payslip" comment is probably one of the most stupid things to come from Labour, even among everything else they've said. Did they simply forget about the millions of self employed people and business owners? Doesn't speak to their understanding of how the economy works and grows.
Well they are the people most likely to be avoiding tax. Those with payslips are on PAYE.
But that wasn't what was being asked. What is a working person "anyone who gets a payslip" is a completely stupid answer. Complete non-sequitur. Do self employed people and business owners work?
By work, do you mean we are working on here all day instead of doing what we are supposed to be doing?
Foreign secretary David Lammy is in Singapore today announcing a new UK-Singapore Green Energy collaboration. As part of the deal, he’s pledged £70 million of UK taxpayers’ money to support Singapore’s “clean energy transition”.
That well known poor developing country Singapore.
Deliberate misreporting going on here in a couple of sources I checked - it's not for Singapore, it's money from the development budget to be part of a fund lead by Singapore to provide capital for green transition in Asia where it is not commercially viable but still useful.
Given that we are now in CPTPP, it seems a useful partnership to develop.
And here's what it is actually: About Financing Asia’s Transition Partnership The Financing Asia’s Transition Partnership (“FAST-P"), a Singapore-led blended finance initiative in collaboration with key global public, private and philanthropic partners, aims to mobilise up to US$5 billion to de-risk and finance transition and marginally bankable green projects in Asia. The Singapore Government will pledge up to US$500 million as concessional capital, to match dollar-for-dollar, concessional capital from other partners, including other governments, multilateral development finance institutions and philanthropies. https://www.mas.gov.sg/news/media-releases/2025/singapore-uk-collaborate-on-energy-transition-sustainable-infrastructure-investments-in-sea
Comments
"Whilst acknowledging Mr Wallace’s autism diagnosis, which is relevant to certain behaviours identified in the report and accepting that the production could have done more to identify, manage and communicate patterns of inappropriate behaviour, the volume and consistency of substantiated allegations, ranging between 2005 and 2024, make Gregg Wallace’s return to MasterChef untenable"
Looks like his autism defence gets a nod. I call that bullsh*t!
That's their plan for change in action
A tax that can be avoided by those not on PAYE.
If you're concerned that those not on PAYE are dodging taxes, then increasing the differential between PAYE and non-PAYE incomes is about the worst thing you can possibly do. Both ethically, by boosting taxes on those who are already not dodging them, and economically by increasing the incentive to dodge them.
We are drifting in the sea of indecision and risk avoidance. It is a perilous course.
One thing I couldn't quite get my head around. He said council tax / business rates should go and should be straight property tax instead, which is best form of a "wealth" tax. Ok, fine, harder to move that wealth. But when pushed on won't that be passed to those in the property either residential or business, he said long term that wouldn't be the case. I found that quite odd to believe that if you own a load of shops you won't pass on that tax to the people leasing from you in form of higher rents.
They have no overriding mission.
Buggins turn non entities
The state in TME spends about £45000 per household. On the face of it, that is impossible because almost no households could meet the annual bill. But it happens. How it is the case, deserves closer inspection than it gets.
So, for example, Greggs, IIRC, said the NI changes recently would cost Greggs £100,000,000. None of that directly comes from a person but from the company quoted on the stock exchange. Tracing that sum to losses and liabilities of individuals would be an intersting exercise. Non persons have no genuine interest in money. Only persons do.
Done you up like a kipper there.
The majority of the allegations against Mr Wallace (94%) related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018. Only one allegation was substantiated post 2018.
Which suggests that if the BBC had not been so defensive from the start, they could have said they'd sorted out Wallace's behaviour several years ago. Their (GW's and the BBC's) problem is that this whole mess follows Huw Edwards, the Gaza documentary and Glastonbury.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/14/bbc-coverage-gaza-blindness-to-antisemitism/
https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/newsroom/news/county-council-plan-major-savings-by-moving-civic-and-democratic-base-from-county-hall
They retain a base in West Bridgford at Trent Bridge House, and others, and County Hall is reported to be half-empty. That may be impacted by Reforms "they will all be in their offices every day" waffle, which I assume is influenced by MAGA.
On Council Meetings, aiui they have already moved (and RefUK are now moving them back), but I have not visited the building yet. I'd be interested to hear more.
I quite like the name of the Operations Manager called Merlin Tinker.
It's all at a fairly breakneck speed because they've realised it's a one-term deal.
If I’m honest, I think his approach could work anyway. Incrementally making things better and pointing at the secure progress made, so stay with nurse at the next GE might be the winning strategy
At the moment I'm reading about the Latvian Rifles, who provided the core - and for a time the majority, and commander - of Lenin's Red Army... and were almost certainly the difference between the Bolshevik's' victory and defeat.
They did much the same for Dzerzhinsky's Cheka, killing tens of thousands.
Stalin returned the favour by murdering most them in a purge, a couple of decades later.
Labour doesn’t really pretend (convincingly) to be the party of business owners and contractors and neither does it need to be.
Labour, the LDs, the SNP, Plaid, the SDLP, the Greens AND the Tories would all end up in opposition
https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/usercode.py?scotcontrol=N&CON=18&LAB=24&LIB=13&Reform=29&Green=9&UKIP=&TVCON=&TVLAB=&TVLIB=&TVReform=&TVGreen=&TVUKIP=&SCOTCON=&SCOTLAB=&SCOTLIB=&SCOTReform=&SCOTGreen=&SCOTUKIP=&SCOTNAT=&display=AllChanged&regorseat=(none)&boundary=2024base
But none of them have ever dropped their trousers and got their tackle out.
The problem is that nearly all of them have not encountered the world of non-big-corporate/government employment.
So the chap who runs a 5 person business, is on the PAYE roll, pays himself in arrears when times are tough is an unknown.
Am I doing this right, Ed ?
If you add up over the years, the things that have been claimed to be out of their control, we have
- violence, to the point of murder
- hacking and cybercrime
- now sexual predation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yRiygD95Jk&t=1s
PB is on its high horse about Labour being out of touch or not in the real world but the fact of the matter is that 85%+ of the UK workforce is on PAYE for at least some or their income. The definition is fine.
Jadeja could get these on his own.
What another interesting photo of Farage. So interesting that the further he gets, the unhappier he seems to look.
He looked utterly miserable on the day of Brexit, and if you take a close look at his eyes, he looks very far away and strained.
However autism can be considered in sentencing by judges as can any other mental health disorder
India got through England tail by bowling at the stumps....
That well known poor developing country, check notes, with one of the highest GPD / Capita in the world, Singapore.
Still 1/3 mind
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c988p1xz2qdo
Given that we are now in CPTPP, it seems a useful partnership to develop.
Here's how Guido misrepresented it:
Foreign secretary David Lammy is in Singapore today announcing a new UK-Singapore Green Energy collaboration. As part of the deal, he’s pledged £70 million of UK taxpayers’ money to support Singapore’s “clean energy transition”. Clearly this was part of the foreign aid budget that couldn’t be cut…
https://order-order.com/2025/07/14/david-lammy-hands-singapore-70-million-for-clean-energy-transition/
And here's what it is actually:
About Financing Asia’s Transition Partnership
The Financing Asia’s Transition Partnership (“FAST-P"), a Singapore-led blended finance initiative in collaboration with key global public, private and philanthropic partners, aims to mobilise up to US$5 billion to de-risk and finance transition and marginally bankable green projects in Asia. The Singapore Government will pledge up to US$500 million as concessional capital, to match dollar-for-dollar, concessional capital from other partners, including other governments, multilateral development finance institutions and philanthropies.
https://www.mas.gov.sg/news/media-releases/2025/singapore-uk-collaborate-on-energy-transition-sustainable-infrastructure-investments-in-sea