The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
To be fair to PB this is a right wing blog, and I have noted that many non- right wingers seem to be posting less frequently than they once did.
As it is a right wing blog it is extremely rude of a centrist Dad guest to come along and dump all over Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, oh and @Leon. I have been doing rather a lot of dumping, and if it spoils it for a not insubstantial number of other posters, perhaps I should try to desist a bit more successfully than I have in the past. I can't promise, but I'll try.
It really isn't 'a right wing blog'. It has posters from across the spectrum, fairly representatively, although Reform are significantly underrepeesented - largely because we are disproportionately mide class (so what we actually have is the full range of middle class opinions). Some left wingers inhabit such a left wing bubble that they find any space in which everyone is NOT left wing 'right wing'. But pb really isn't such a place. Your constant mentioning of Leon is odd.
It would be interesting to do a poll of PB contributors & see where the current centre of gravity lies, both in party & policy terms. Have to make sure it’s not a voodoo poll of course, or else the curse of our good host will descend upon us all.
It depends on whether you weight the PB contributors by number of posts, and include lurkers and low intensity posters.
Mostly we are a male centrist middle aged middle class bunch, with a few notable exceptions. Both far left and far right are sparsely represented, as are a number of other areas, Greens and Islamists for example.
At the moment we are in the summer silly season and there isn't much to bet on, so my interest has dropped.
I think we are in a situation where most of us are finding our natural parties somewhat if not majorly flawed so we are all grumpy about the mess they are in, all want them to be better at being what we feel they should be and are mostly in a cycle of negative politics, essentially against all the other parties rather than being particularly for your natural party.
I can’t really think of anyone on here who really thinks “their team” has it nailed at the moment. Tories like me are super frustrated with the past few years and the current malaise, Labourites such as MexicanPete or BJO have issues with Labour of varying extremes, I don’t think any of the reform curious posters are fully bought into the party or policies.
There isn’t any rallying point, a bright shining light. If PB had been arounfpd in say, 1997, there probably would have been quite a large constituency on here that was very positive and energised by New Labour/Blair but at the moment is just us resorting largely to “the best of a bad lot” or trying to keep supporting your team unenthusiastically.
One thing that PB is missing is the Green's leadership contest. The Greens have quietly got into double figures, and Zack Polanski looks to be way ahead. The Corbyn/Sultana party could well fall at the first hurdle if Zack wins and mops up the youth/Left/Gaza vote as I think he will.
I am voting for Zack if he loses i will join the Jezza Party. If he wins i am sticking with the Greens but hope they can reach an electoral agreement about who stands where in GE2029
Greens won four seats under the Lucas/Ramsey leadership. If Polanski wins and if Corbyn starts his party then Greens may save Brighton but they will win f all else.
Nah, Polanski is very articulate and media savvy. I think they will do well under him.
He's articulate for a pov that the possible electorate in most of their winnable seats don't want: ie hard corbyn economics.
The Supreme Court agreed on Monday that the Trump administration can proceed with dismantling the Education Department by firing more than a thousand workers.
The order is a significant victory for the administration and could ease President Trump’s efforts to sharply curtail the federal government’s role in the nation’s schools.
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
To be fair to PB this is a right wing blog, and I have noted that many non- right wingers seem to be posting less frequently than they once did.
As it is a right wing blog it is extremely rude of a centrist Dad guest to come along and dump all over Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, oh and @Leon. I have been doing rather a lot of dumping, and if it spoils it for a not insubstantial number of other posters, perhaps I should try to desist a bit more successfully than I have in the past. I can't promise, but I'll try.
With all respect, WTF are you on about?
I think MP feels the board has drifted right recently, after a more liberal period during Boris and Truss etc. This is broadly true, as it has a critical focus.
Yes, that's fair. But it varies in accordance with the unpopularity of the government. This board was notably left and very anti Tory for the last few years before the GE in 2024 - and for obvs reasons, the Tories were SHITE and deserved a terrible loss, so the hostility was justified
But now Labour have somehow proved to be even worse, and the anti-Labour factions are now in full throated angry pursuit
TBH I find it quite pathetic how many Labourites have slunk away from PB because they "don't like all the negativity about Starmer and Labour". Grow up
They might be almost, or even as bad as the last lot. They aren't worse.
They're definitely worse. It's Liz Truss in slow motion. We're one poorly received fiscal event away from a debt crisis. Whatever you say about Rishi and Hunt they absolutely had the confidence of bond investors, the same isn't true at the moment. I mean the chancellor cried on live TV and it sent bond yields shooting up.
bond yields went shooting up cos they thought starmer was going to sack her tbf
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
To be fair to PB this is a right wing blog, and I have noted that many non- right wingers seem to be posting less frequently than they once did.
As it is a right wing blog it is extremely rude of a centrist Dad guest to come along and dump all over Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, oh and @Leon. I have been doing rather a lot of dumping, and if it spoils it for a not insubstantial number of other posters, perhaps I should try to desist a bit more successfully than I have in the past. I can't promise, but I'll try.
With all respect, WTF are you on about?
I think MP feels the board has drifted right recently, after a more liberal period during Boris and Truss etc. This is broadly true, as it has a critical focus.
Yes, that's fair. But it varies in accordance with the unpopularity of the government. This board was notably left and very anti Tory for the last few years before the GE in 2024 - and for obvs reasons, the Tories were SHITE and deserved a terrible loss, so the hostility was justified
But now Labour have somehow proved to be even worse, and the anti-Labour factions are now in full throated angry pursuit
TBH I find it quite pathetic how many Labourites have slunk away from PB because they "don't like all the negativity about Starmer and Labour". Grow up
They might be almost, or even as bad as the last lot. They aren't worse.
They're definitely worse. It's Liz Truss in slow motion. We're one poorly received fiscal event away from a debt crisis. Whatever you say about Rishi and Hunt they absolutely had the confidence of bond investors, the same isn't true at the moment. I mean the chancellor cried on live TV and it sent bond yields shooting up.
bond yields went shooting up cos they thought starmer was going to sack her tbf
Yes, it's Liz Truss in reverse. All roads lead to the next fiscal event.
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
To be fair to PB this is a right wing blog, and I have noted that many non- right wingers seem to be posting less frequently than they once did.
As it is a right wing blog it is extremely rude of a centrist Dad guest to come along and dump all over Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, oh and @Leon. I have been doing rather a lot of dumping, and if it spoils it for a not insubstantial number of other posters, perhaps I should try to desist a bit more successfully than I have in the past. I can't promise, but I'll try.
With all respect, WTF are you on about?
I think MP feels the board has drifted right recently, after a more liberal period during Boris and Truss etc. This is broadly true, as it has a critical focus.
Yes, that's fair. But it varies in accordance with the unpopularity of the government. This board was notably left and very anti Tory for the last few years before the GE in 2024 - and for obvs reasons, the Tories were SHITE and deserved a terrible loss, so the hostility was justified
But now Labour have somehow proved to be even worse, and the anti-Labour factions are now in full throated angry pursuit
TBH I find it quite pathetic how many Labourites have slunk away from PB because they "don't like all the negativity about Starmer and Labour". Grow up
They might be almost, or even as bad as the last lot. They aren't worse.
They're definitely worse. It's Liz Truss in slow motion. We're one poorly received fiscal event away from a debt crisis. Whatever you say about Rishi and Hunt they absolutely had the confidence of bond investors, the same isn't true at the moment. I mean the chancellor cried on live TV and it sent bond yields shooting up.
bond yields went shooting up cos they thought starmer was going to sack her tbf
Only because the replacement was likely to be worse.
After the previous 'surprise' tariff announcements, wouldn't surprise me at all if shares in US tomato growers had mysteriously shot up just a few minutes before the official announcement. And also that a mysterious holding company called 'Dinald Trimp LLC' had massively profited.
The Lincoln Project @ProjectLincoln · 4h Stay on Epstein. Trump wants to distract you any way he can, because he knows the Epstein files can bury him. Don’t get off topic. Epstein is the story.
English cricket urgently needs to find a way to get Test cricket (and all cricket) back on free or free-ish TV, and the nation will fall in love with it again. It is such a pleasant change from the endless, endless football
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
To be fair to PB this is a right wing blog, and I have noted that many non- right wingers seem to be posting less frequently than they once did.
As it is a right wing blog it is extremely rude of a centrist Dad guest to come along and dump all over Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, oh and @Leon. I have been doing rather a lot of dumping, and if it spoils it for a not insubstantial number of other posters, perhaps I should try to desist a bit more successfully than I have in the past. I can't promise, but I'll try.
It really isn't 'a right wing blog'. It has posters from across the spectrum, fairly representatively, although Reform are significantly underrepeesented - largely because we are disproportionately mide class (so what we actually have is the full range of middle class opinions). Some left wingers inhabit such a left wing bubble that they find any space in which everyone is NOT left wing 'right wing'. But pb really isn't such a place. Your constant mentioning of Leon is odd.
It would be interesting to do a poll of PB contributors & see where the current centre of gravity lies, both in party & policy terms. Have to make sure it’s not a voodoo poll of course, or else the curse of our good host will descend upon us all.
It depends on whether you weight the PB contributors by number of posts, and include lurkers and low intensity posters.
Mostly we are a male centrist middle aged middle class bunch, with a few notable exceptions. Both far left and far right are sparsely represented, as are a number of other areas, Greens and Islamists for example.
At the moment we are in the summer silly season and there isn't much to bet on, so my interest has dropped.
I think we are in a situation where most of us are finding our natural parties somewhat if not majorly flawed so we are all grumpy about the mess they are in, all want them to be better at being what we feel they should be and are mostly in a cycle of negative politics, essentially against all the other parties rather than being particularly for your natural party.
I can’t really think of anyone on here who really thinks “their team” has it nailed at the moment. Tories like me are super frustrated with the past few years and the current malaise, Labourites such as MexicanPete or BJO have issues with Labour of varying extremes, I don’t think any of the reform curious posters are fully bought into the party or policies.
There isn’t any rallying point, a bright shining light. If PB had been arounfpd in say, 1997, there probably would have been quite a large constituency on here that was very positive and energised by New Labour/Blair but at the moment is just us resorting largely to “the best of a bad lot” or trying to keep supporting your team unenthusiastically.
One thing that PB is missing is the Green's leadership contest. The Greens have quietly got into double figures, and Zack Polanski looks to be way ahead. The Corbyn/Sultana party could well fall at the first hurdle if Zack wins and mops up the youth/Left/Gaza vote as I think he will.
I am voting for Zack if he loses i will join the Jezza Party. If he wins i am sticking with the Greens but hope they can reach an electoral agreement about who stands where in GE2029
Greens won four seats under the Lucas/Ramsey leadership. If Polanski wins and if Corbyn starts his party then Greens may save Brighton but they will win f all else.
Nah, Polanski is very articulate and media savvy. I think they will do well under him.
You don't think his career as a hypnotist will count against him?
I was thinking for a second "Was Polanski a hypnotist as well as a bit of a sex-pest?". Then realised it was the Green Party person - not the "I moved to France because the age of consent is 15" film director.
Add Bristol City Council to that list. They have repeatedly put blockers in the way of Steve Lansdown spending his own money developing a Sporting Quarter around Ashton Gate Stadium. 1000s of jobs created and bringing world class facilities to the city. It's cost millions already
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
To be fair to PB this is a right wing blog, and I have noted that many non- right wingers seem to be posting less frequently than they once did.
As it is a right wing blog it is extremely rude of a centrist Dad guest to come along and dump all over Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, oh and @Leon. I have been doing rather a lot of dumping, and if it spoils it for a not insubstantial number of other posters, perhaps I should try to desist a bit more successfully than I have in the past. I can't promise, but I'll try.
With all respect, WTF are you on about?
I think MP feels the board has drifted right recently, after a more liberal period during Boris and Truss etc. This is broadly true, as it has a critical focus.
Yes, that's fair. But it varies in accordance with the unpopularity of the government. This board was notably left and very anti Tory for the last few years before the GE in 2024 - and for obvs reasons, the Tories were SHITE and deserved a terrible loss, so the hostility was justified
But now Labour have somehow proved to be even worse, and the anti-Labour factions are now in full throated angry pursuit
TBH I find it quite pathetic how many Labourites have slunk away from PB because they "don't like all the negativity about Starmer and Labour". Grow up
They might be almost, or even as bad as the last lot. They aren't worse.
They're definitely worse. It's Liz Truss in slow motion. We're one poorly received fiscal event away from a debt crisis. Whatever you say about Rishi and Hunt they absolutely had the confidence of bond investors, the same isn't true at the moment. I mean the chancellor cried on live TV and it sent bond yields shooting up.
bond yields went shooting up cos they thought starmer was going to sack her tbf
Yes, it's Liz Truss in reverse. All roads lead to the next fiscal event.
"Liz Truss in reverse" is now a checkbox on some niche dating apps.
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
To be fair to PB this is a right wing blog, and I have noted that many non- right wingers seem to be posting less frequently than they once did.
As it is a right wing blog it is extremely rude of a centrist Dad guest to come along and dump all over Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, oh and @Leon. I have been doing rather a lot of dumping, and if it spoils it for a not insubstantial number of other posters, perhaps I should try to desist a bit more successfully than I have in the past. I can't promise, but I'll try.
It really isn't 'a right wing blog'. It has posters from across the spectrum, fairly representatively, although Reform are significantly underrepeesented - largely because we are disproportionately mide class (so what we actually have is the full range of middle class opinions). Some left wingers inhabit such a left wing bubble that they find any space in which everyone is NOT left wing 'right wing'. But pb really isn't such a place. Your constant mentioning of Leon is odd.
Agree entirely (and this is a good example of where I disagree with Mexicanpete). I don't think this is a right wing blog at all. Much of the time it is not even right of centre.
Certainly the proper right wing - Reform and Trump supporting types - are very under represented. I think generally this is a very centrist blog overall.
The Palestine ReAction Party don't have a name, can't decide who is in charge, have no policies and the likes of Maomentum have said not getting involved. Not taking any notice of any polling until it is even a thing and we find out how bat shit crazy the bat shit crazy policy platform will be.
Anybody remember Gina Miller 2 or 3 goes at a political party.
The Veritas of the left
I have already forgotten the names of the Reform splitter parties and they were only announced last week.
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
To be fair to PB this is a right wing blog, and I have noted that many non- right wingers seem to be posting less frequently than they once did.
As it is a right wing blog it is extremely rude of a centrist Dad guest to come along and dump all over Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, oh and @Leon. I have been doing rather a lot of dumping, and if it spoils it for a not insubstantial number of other posters, perhaps I should try to desist a bit more successfully than I have in the past. I can't promise, but I'll try.
It really isn't 'a right wing blog'. It has posters from across the spectrum, fairly representatively, although Reform are significantly underrepeesented - largely because we are disproportionately mide class (so what we actually have is the full range of middle class opinions). Some left wingers inhabit such a left wing bubble that they find any space in which everyone is NOT left wing 'right wing'. But pb really isn't such a place. Your constant mentioning of Leon is odd.
Agree entirely (and this is a good example of where I disagree with Mexicanpete). I don't think this is a right wing blog at all. Much of the time it is not even right of centre.
Certainly the proper right wing - Reform and Trump supporting types - are very under represented. I think generally this is a very centrist blog overall.
This is basically about classification and perspective. For instance, I wouldn't call Farage Party Reform or Trump supporting types the 'proper' right wing. They are hard right (*not* far right). Likewise, Corbyn is hard left. Yet many Corbynites see themselves as the true left-wingers, and many supporters of Farage would see themselves as sane right-wingers and long-standing Conservatives as left-wingers.
PB has changed over the years, swinging between having more people arguing from the left and from the right. But there is often lots of agreement on certain issues from posters on different 'sides' of politics, and you cannot always tell the position someone will have on something from their politics. That, and the general absence of trolls, makes PB an unusual (and good) politics blog.
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
I agree, @Mexicanpete should never feel that he is "posting too much" (nor should anyone else)
Also, he is obsessed with me, and as an Official Narcissist, that pleases me
Pray continue with your chippy plebiean maunderings, @Mexicanpete
@leon you are the backbone of PB. I thought you were thick skinned enough to take my barbs but if you and @boulay are upset I will try to kerb my keyboard. But you do realise you can be very, very annoying, don't you?
lol. I'm not remotely upset. Are you on the Pimm's? Seriously. This is your tenth slightly odd comment
But carry on!
You think that's Pexican Mete's tenth slightly odd comment?
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
I agree, @Mexicanpete should never feel that he is "posting too much" (nor should anyone else)
Also, he is obsessed with me, and as an Official Narcissist, that pleases me
Pray continue with your chippy plebiean maunderings, @Mexicanpete
@leon you are the backbone of PB. I thought you were thick skinned enough to take my barbs but if you and @boulay are upset I will try to kerb my keyboard. But you do realise you can be very, very annoying, don't you?
lol. I'm not remotely upset. Are you on the Pimm's? Seriously. This is your tenth slightly odd comment
But carry on!
You think that's Pexican Mete's tenth slightly odd comment?
Deport the Mexican!
We've all made more than 10 slightly odd comments.
Naturally I hope you continue here making many more of them.
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
I agree, @Mexicanpete should never feel that he is "posting too much" (nor should anyone else)
Also, he is obsessed with me, and as an Official Narcissist, that pleases me
Pray continue with your chippy plebiean maunderings, @Mexicanpete
@leon you are the backbone of PB. I thought you were thick skinned enough to take my barbs but if you and @boulay are upset I will try to kerb my keyboard. But you do realise you can be very, very annoying, don't you?
lol. I'm not remotely upset. Are you on the Pimm's? Seriously. This is your tenth slightly odd comment
But carry on!
You think that's Pexican Mete's tenth slightly odd comment?
Deport the Mexican!
We've all made more than 10 slightly odd comments.
Naturally I hope you continue here making many more of them.
The Spanish government should prosecute them - even better shut the company down.
Strangely Spain rarely appears in reports of countries sending important kit, help, training for Ukraine and they are being stubborn about raising their military spend in line with NATO.
Lovely motorways and public squares, lovely infrastructure spending by their EU friends over the decades, not so happy giving back I feel.
Rachel Reeves will claim that cutting red tape for City firms will have trickle-down benefits for households across Britain, as she tries to drum up support for a new financial services strategy.
A raft of regulatory reforms are due to be announced by the chancellor on Tuesday, in what the Treasury says will be the “biggest financial regulation reforms in a decade”. It will come before her Mansion House address to City bosses during a dinner at Guildhall in London on Tuesday evening.
Rachel Reeves will claim that cutting red tape for City firms will have trickle-down benefits for households across Britain, as she tries to drum up support for a new financial services strategy.
A raft of regulatory reforms are due to be announced by the chancellor on Tuesday, in what the Treasury says will be the “biggest financial regulation reforms in a decade”. It will come before her Mansion House address to City bosses during a dinner at Guildhall in London on Tuesday evening.
I thought the idea of trickle down economics being a thing was out of fashion these days?
Like a modern day Robert the Bruce, taking inspiration from the spider to keep struggling and winning, Rachel Reeves was inspired by her brave tear, trickling down her cheek and keeping her in a job and so her belief in the restorative power of “trickle down” was born.
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
To be fair to PB this is a right wing blog, and I have noted that many non- right wingers seem to be posting less frequently than they once did.
As it is a right wing blog it is extremely rude of a centrist Dad guest to come along and dump all over Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, oh and @Leon. I have been doing rather a lot of dumping, and if it spoils it for a not insubstantial number of other posters, perhaps I should try to desist a bit more successfully than I have in the past. I can't promise, but I'll try.
It really isn't 'a right wing blog'. It has posters from across the spectrum, fairly representatively, although Reform are significantly underrepeesented - largely because we are disproportionately mide class (so what we actually have is the full range of middle class opinions). Some left wingers inhabit such a left wing bubble that they find any space in which everyone is NOT left wing 'right wing'. But pb really isn't such a place. Your constant mentioning of Leon is odd.
Cookie, pretend all you like, it is mainly right wing , a few lefties and a smattering of wishy washy woke liberal salad muching , tank top , sandal wearers.
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
I agree, @Mexicanpete should never feel that he is "posting too much" (nor should anyone else)
Also, he is obsessed with me, and as an Official Narcissist, that pleases me
Pray continue with your chippy plebiean maunderings, @Mexicanpete
@leon you are the backbone of PB. I thought you were thick skinned enough to take my barbs but if you and @boulay are upset I will try to kerb my keyboard. But you do realise you can be very, very annoying, don't you?
lol. I'm not remotely upset. Are you on the Pimm's? Seriously. This is your tenth slightly odd comment
But carry on!
You think that's Pexican Mete's tenth slightly odd comment?
Deport the Mexican!
We've all made more than 10 slightly odd comments.
Naturally I hope you continue here making many more of them.
Have I really made 10 slightly odd comments?
That's a terrible failure on my part if so.
Should be at least 7500.
I’ve think I’ve made (checks post count) 30654 odd comments including this one
The Times edging towards coming out for Kemi. I hope they’re right, I still think she could be good
Kemi Badenoch is right that the welfare system is a fiscal disaster
There is an obvious gap in the political market that Ms Badenoch can fill: the cause of fiscal restraint. The Tories should never have given up their belief in a smaller state, but it is welcome to see them return to it. It is ever more likely that the UK is heading for a financial crunch this autumn, as Rachel Reeves’s mishandling of the economy risks creating a vast fiscal black hole. The unsustainable welfare bill is at the heart of the problem and voters now appreciate that it must be tackled. The time for hard truths is fast approaching.
If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it.
Im sure you think that’s a zinger but do share with us how many of those years Kemi was remotely senior enough to have any influence on the Tory government’s direction and overall policies. Junior ministers have little policy power over their own department yet alone wider government policy.
Oh btw, she was only elected in 2017 so had even less time to wield her ginormous influence on Cameron, May, Boris, Liz and Rishi.
The welfare bill is out of control. The welfare bill needs to be cut dramatically. Labour just attempted badly and failed miserably.
My main point stands. She has been in Cabinet during the years the welfare bill ran out of control.
I am well aware you don't approve of me posting on here, but you can't slap me down with a counter factual. She was in Cabinet when the welfare bill grew.
What is your obsession with making crap up about what other posters say/think? It’s up there with your Leon obsession.
Your point about Kemi would be effective if she had been PM or CotE, as she was not she would have absolutely zero control or influence over the growth or not of the Welfare bill during her time in government - you know that but in a desperate attempt to throw out attacks on the enemy you don’t actually use your brain.
Your main point was “ If only she'd been in Government in the last fifteen years, she could have done something about it” which was dumb as pointed out for the fact that she wasn’t in government for the last fifteen years and had no particular influence over government policy. So your main point doesn’t stand and you are trying to shift it because you also realise that your main point was pretty dim.
She was in Cabinet from 2022 until 2024.
She is perfectly entitled to point out that welfare is out of control and that once in Government she plans on doing something about it. However she couches it.in terms of Reeves being responsible. Granted Reeves, Starmer and Kendall made one hell of a mess of their botched Welfare Bill, but they didn't create the initial problem.
My point stands. Did she at any point tell Truss and Sunak. "Blimey the welfare caper, it's out of control don't you know?
And I can't promise, but I'll try to post less frequently. I'm currently on holiday so I've gone a bit mad with the posting, so sorry for that
I disagree with you on many things but read all of your posts when I can and would be very disappointed if you felt you had to reduce posting for any reason other than personal choice.
I also tend to post in bursts, mostly because of work pressures, so understand entirely what it is like to suddenly have the time and the inclination to get stuck in.
To be fair to PB this is a right wing blog, and I have noted that many non- right wingers seem to be posting less frequently than they once did.
As it is a right wing blog it is extremely rude of a centrist Dad guest to come along and dump all over Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, oh and @Leon. I have been doing rather a lot of dumping, and if it spoils it for a not insubstantial number of other posters, perhaps I should try to desist a bit more successfully than I have in the past. I can't promise, but I'll try.
It really isn't 'a right wing blog'. It has posters from across the spectrum, fairly representatively, although Reform are significantly underrepeesented - largely because we are disproportionately mide class (so what we actually have is the full range of middle class opinions). Some left wingers inhabit such a left wing bubble that they find any space in which everyone is NOT left wing 'right wing'. But pb really isn't such a place. Your constant mentioning of Leon is odd.
Cookie, pretend all you like, it is mainly right wing , a few lefties and a smattering of wishy washy woke liberal salad muching , tank top , sandal wearers.
I always have you down as a member of the later category.
US funds 16% of Nato, UK 11%, Germany 15% and France 10%. So they have made a contribution. Fudges the America First dialogue and in line with the current DoD thinking of having Europe take the strain in Europe.
Under the plans, renters who have a good track record of monthly payments will be able to use this to prove to lenders how much they can afford to borrow, sometimes without the need for a deposit. Ms Reeves will also launch a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people get on the housing ladder.
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
Under the plans, renters who have a good track record of monthly payments will be able to use this to prove to lenders how much they can afford to borrow, sometimes without the need for a deposit. Ms Reeves will also launch a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people get on the housing ladder.
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
The point about 100% mortgages is true, to an extent.
However, I would point out that anything that gets renters especially ones who are conscientious payers onto the property ladder will save everyone money in the long term as it will mean they won't have to rent in retirement. And it frequently is cheaper to pay a mortgage than to pay rent if only because, very often, rent has to cover payments a commercial mortgage which is levied at a higher rate than a domestic one.
Mark Rutte in his appearance with Trump in the White House yesterday agreed that European Countries should pay for US armaments under the new 5% pledge and thanked Trump for his confirmation that they could be used in Ukraine
Under the plans, renters who have a good track record of monthly payments will be able to use this to prove to lenders how much they can afford to borrow, sometimes without the need for a deposit. Ms Reeves will also launch a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people get on the housing ladder.
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
The point about 100% mortgages is true, to an extent.
However, I would point out that anything that gets renters especially ones who are conscientious payers onto the property ladder will save everyone money in the long term as it will mean they won't have to rent in retirement. And it frequently is cheaper to pay a mortgage than to pay rent if only because, very often, rent has to cover payments a commercial mortgage which is levied at a higher rate than a domestic one.
He does the maths and shows this isn't really true.
Trump's operation is now declaring iiuc that the "Epstein List" does not exist. Which asks the question about how Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted (her Appeal is reaching SCOTUS). Her team says she has it and could release it.
Striking that Trump's Maga support has declined on X - they really really don't like the Epstein thing.
People are weird. Happy to worship someone who quite openly loves a pussy grab, wants to date his own daughter, says he will date children when they are a few years older, and boasts about seeing young models undressing at the pageants he runs but apparently now put off because of the Epstein list.
Trump's operation is now declaring iiuc that the "Epstein List" does not exist. Which asks the question about how Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted (her Appeal is reaching SCOTUS). Her team says she has it and could release it.
Hmmm !
This is really bad for Trump. I can see erstwhile supporters panning every day for this now.
It seems to have cut through on the right like nothing else, maybe because it damages such a heroic image.
Under the plans, renters who have a good track record of monthly payments will be able to use this to prove to lenders how much they can afford to borrow, sometimes without the need for a deposit. Ms Reeves will also launch a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people get on the housing ladder.
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
The point about 100% mortgages is true, to an extent.
However, I would point out that anything that gets renters especially ones who are conscientious payers onto the property ladder will save everyone money in the long term as it will mean they won't have to rent in retirement. And it frequently is cheaper to pay a mortgage than to pay rent if only because, very often, rent has to cover payments a commercial mortgage which is levied at a higher rate than a domestic one.
He does the maths and shows this isn't really true.
Even if a house was bought to rent today and sold tomorrow it’s likely the mortgage would be the same.
The landlord will be borrowing 75% max at 6%.
The tenant buying it will be borrowing 95% at say 4.5%
The higher borrowing is likely to offset the lower interest rate.
And that’s ignoring the fact the landlord will be doing maintenance on the property which is contained within the rent, if you own it all that repair work needs to be paid for by the new homeowner.
I suspect it will allow a few more people to buy but not that many
Under the plans, renters who have a good track record of monthly payments will be able to use this to prove to lenders how much they can afford to borrow, sometimes without the need for a deposit. Ms Reeves will also launch a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people get on the housing ladder.
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
The point about 100% mortgages is true, to an extent.
However, I would point out that anything that gets renters especially ones who are conscientious payers onto the property ladder will save everyone money in the long term as it will mean they won't have to rent in retirement. And it frequently is cheaper to pay a mortgage than to pay rent if only because, very often, rent has to cover payments a commercial mortgage which is levied at a higher rate than a domestic one.
100% mortgages are not to help renters but to help existing asset owners and banks by inflating house prices.
Under the plans, renters who have a good track record of monthly payments will be able to use this to prove to lenders how much they can afford to borrow, sometimes without the need for a deposit. Ms Reeves will also launch a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people get on the housing ladder.
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
The point about 100% mortgages is true, to an extent.
However, I would point out that anything that gets renters especially ones who are conscientious payers onto the property ladder will save everyone money in the long term as it will mean they won't have to rent in retirement. And it frequently is cheaper to pay a mortgage than to pay rent if only because, very often, rent has to cover payments a commercial mortgage which is levied at a higher rate than a domestic one.
He does the maths and shows this isn't really true.
Even if a house was bought to rent today and sold tomorrow it’s likely the mortgage would be the same.
The landlord will be borrowing 75% max at 6%.
The tenant buying it will be borrowing 95% at say 4.5%
The higher borrowing is likely to offset the lower interest rate.
And that’s ignoring the fact the landlord will be doing maintenance on the property which is contained within the rent, if you own it all that repair work needs to be paid for by the new homeowner.
I suspect it will allow a few more people to buy but not that many
He shows examples in the video (plus previous government documents on this) the the individual won't be borrowing at those lower rates, they are high risk, no skin in the game and require max length mortgages to give them time to pay down the full principle sum.
Under the plans, renters who have a good track record of monthly payments will be able to use this to prove to lenders how much they can afford to borrow, sometimes without the need for a deposit. Ms Reeves will also launch a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people get on the housing ladder.
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
The point about 100% mortgages is true, to an extent.
However, I would point out that anything that gets renters especially ones who are conscientious payers onto the property ladder will save everyone money in the long term as it will mean they won't have to rent in retirement. And it frequently is cheaper to pay a mortgage than to pay rent if only because, very often, rent has to cover payments a commercial mortgage which is levied at a higher rate than a domestic one.
He does the maths and shows this isn't really true.
Even if a house was bought to rent today and sold tomorrow it’s likely the mortgage would be the same.
The landlord will be borrowing 75% max at 6%.
The tenant buying it will be borrowing 95% at say 4.5%
The higher borrowing is likely to offset the lower interest rate.
And that’s ignoring the fact the landlord will be doing maintenance on the property which is contained within the rent, if you own it all that repair work needs to be paid for by the new homeowner.
I suspect it will allow a few more people to buy but not that many
He shows examples in the video (plus previous government documents on this) the the individual won't be borrowing at those lower rates, they are high risk, no skin in the game and require max length mortgages to give them time to pay down the full principle sum.
Slight problem the figures I quoted come from Moneysupermarket's current market rates. Not that I disagree that anyone buying with little deposit is not going to be high risk and so high rate..
Under the plans, renters who have a good track record of monthly payments will be able to use this to prove to lenders how much they can afford to borrow, sometimes without the need for a deposit. Ms Reeves will also launch a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people get on the housing ladder.
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
The point about 100% mortgages is true, to an extent.
However, I would point out that anything that gets renters especially ones who are conscientious payers onto the property ladder will save everyone money in the long term as it will mean they won't have to rent in retirement. And it frequently is cheaper to pay a mortgage than to pay rent if only because, very often, rent has to cover payments a commercial mortgage which is levied at a higher rate than a domestic one.
He does the maths and shows this isn't really true.
Even if a house was bought to rent today and sold tomorrow it’s likely the mortgage would be the same.
The landlord will be borrowing 75% max at 6%.
The tenant buying it will be borrowing 95% at say 4.5%
The higher borrowing is likely to offset the lower interest rate.
And that’s ignoring the fact the landlord will be doing maintenance on the property which is contained within the rent, if you own it all that repair work needs to be paid for by the new homeowner.
I suspect it will allow a few more people to buy but not that many
He shows examples in the video (plus previous government documents on this) the the individual won't be borrowing at those lower rates, they are high risk, no skin in the game and require max length mortgages to give them time to pay down the full principle sum.
Slight problem the figures I quoted come from Moneysupermarket's current market rates. Not that I disagree that anyone buying with little deposit is not going to be high risk and so high rate..
Striking that Trump's Maga support has declined on X - they really really don't like the Epstein thing.
People are weird. Happy to worship someone who quite openly loves a pussy grab, wants to date his own daughter, says he will date children when they are a few years older, and boasts about seeing young models undressing at the pageants he runs but apparently now put off because of the Epstein list.
I don’t think they mind the the paedophile bit per se, it’s more they had Epstein down as a Democrat paedophile and part of the same conspiracy as Qanon.
Trump's operation is now declaring iiuc that the "Epstein List" does not exist. Which asks the question about how Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted (her Appeal is reaching SCOTUS). Her team says she has it and could release it.
Hmmm !
This is really bad for Trump. I can see erstwhile supporters panning every day for this now.
It seems to have cut through on the right like nothing else, maybe because it damages such a heroic image.
We are in the Find Out phase of the Trump reality distortion field
A lot of the MAGA influencers have already bent the knee to the new 'reality'
The files, that were created by Obama, never existed.
Mark Rutte in his appearance with Trump in the White House yesterday agreed that European Countries should pay for US armaments under the new 5% pledge and thanked Trump for his confirmation that they could be used in Ukraine
We should pay. We should also remember this, and ensure we (and Europe as a whole) are not beholden to a country that can elect someone like Trump.
In the very short term, this will benefit the USA. In the medium and long term, it will harm it immensely. But Trump only cares about the next three and a half years. And meanwhile, the USA's real enemies - Russia, China, Iran, NK - are laughing.
English cricket urgently needs to find a way to get Test cricket (and all cricket) back on free or free-ish TV, and the nation will fall in love with it again. It is such a pleasant change from the endless, endless football
Striking that Trump's Maga support has declined on X - they really really don't like the Epstein thing.
People are weird. Happy to worship someone who quite openly loves a pussy grab, wants to date his own daughter, says he will date children when they are a few years older, and boasts about seeing young models undressing at the pageants he runs but apparently now put off because of the Epstein list.
I don’t think they mind the the paedophile bit per se, it’s more they had Epstein down as a Democrat paedophile and part of the same conspiracy as Qanon.
I have a theory that much of Trump’s appeal in the US is powered by a nostalgia that we don’t get in the UK. His tastes are what people of a certain vintage expect of a successful 80s businessman. All the gold, private jets and golf is very Dallas. It’s a bit like how Farage looks like an aged 80s City yuppie with his pinstripes and Barbours. Given that, a certain amount of old fashioned leeriness adds to his appeal so long as it doesn’t veer into actual kiddy fiddling.
At least he’s letting Ukraine use them he wasn’t alllowing that last week
Its a little more complicated than that. Trump is supplying replacements to western European countries who are giving equipment to Ukraine now. Those countries are going to use Russian central bank funds that have been stuck in Europe since sanctions were imposed to reimburse themselves for the equipment given to Ukraine and use that money to pay the Americans. So, we have the happy situation that Putin is effectively paying for Ukraine's equipment, Trump is boosting American production and the cost to Europe is at least moderated.
What other sovereign funds heavily invested in Europe who may fall out with us in the future think of this precedent is going to be the real key to the success or failure of this policy.
Under the plans, renters who have a good track record of monthly payments will be able to use this to prove to lenders how much they can afford to borrow, sometimes without the need for a deposit. Ms Reeves will also launch a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people get on the housing ladder.
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
The point about 100% mortgages is true, to an extent.
However, I would point out that anything that gets renters especially ones who are conscientious payers onto the property ladder will save everyone money in the long term as it will mean they won't have to rent in retirement. And it frequently is cheaper to pay a mortgage than to pay rent if only because, very often, rent has to cover payments a commercial mortgage which is levied at a higher rate than a domestic one.
100% mortgages are not to help renters but to help existing asset owners and banks by inflating house prices.
True in isolation, but if you combine it with policies that make it less attractive to buy to rent, then you have just replaced one form of aggregate demand (buy to let, plus renter) with another (home owner with low initial equity). We've seen this already and several of my 30-something friends have bought the property they were renting from a landlord who'd had enough.
I would say in aggregate that is shifting towards a better outcome for society as a whole.
It's no replacement for building more houses, but it does encourage a better distribution of existing housing stock. Replace stamp duty with an annual property tax to encourage downsizing and things will improve further.
Under the plans, renters who have a good track record of monthly payments will be able to use this to prove to lenders how much they can afford to borrow, sometimes without the need for a deposit. Ms Reeves will also launch a permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help more people get on the housing ladder.
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
This would depend on renters rent history* being passed onto to people like Experian (who have been lobbying for this). It would also only apply to those renting from large Social Landlords/ALMO's.
It's a 'big data' solution loved by centralist organisation so might work if Experian do it rather than a government department.
*Rent histories on credit records are few and far between at the moment
Comments
We shall see who is right in the coming months.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-kept-gold-club-world-cup-trophy-for-himself-so-fifa-had-to-give-the-winners-a-replica/
Got to say that is grade A grafting from Trump...
The Supreme Court agreed on Monday that the Trump administration can proceed with dismantling the Education Department by firing more than a thousand workers.
The order is a significant victory for the administration and could ease President Trump’s efforts to sharply curtail the federal government’s role in the nation’s schools.
NY Times blog
https://x.com/BenKentish/status/1944856432115113998
The Lincoln Project
@ProjectLincoln
·
4h
Stay on Epstein. Trump wants to distract you any way he can, because he knows the Epstein files can bury him. Don’t get off topic. Epstein is the story.
https://x.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1944819253338587475
Still unbeatably funny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9RrlXSMkt0&ab_channel=Jack
"But we all want growth" people who dedicate their lives to blocking any form of growth insist.
https://x.com/alanwalters6/status/1944880156038062369
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audible-Alan-Partridge-Big-Beacon/dp/B0C4YNWRSF
Certainly the proper right wing - Reform and Trump supporting types - are very under represented. I think generally this is a very centrist blog overall.
PB has changed over the years, swinging between having more people arguing from the left and from the right. But there is often lots of agreement on certain issues from posters on different 'sides' of politics, and you cannot always tell the position someone will have on something from their politics. That, and the general absence of trolls, makes PB an unusual (and good) politics blog.
Naturally I hope you continue here making many more of them.
That's a terrible failure on my part if so.
Should be at least 7500.
It's gone a bit dark and there's water falling out of the sky.
I think this used to happen back in the old times. Didn't we call it - rule?
Lovely motorways and public squares, lovely infrastructure spending by their EU friends over the decades, not so happy giving back I feel.
A raft of regulatory reforms are due to be announced by the chancellor on Tuesday, in what the Treasury says will be the “biggest financial regulation reforms in a decade”. It will come before her Mansion House address to City bosses during a dinner at Guildhall in London on Tuesday evening.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jul/15/rachel-reeves-to-say-cuts-to-city-red-tape-will-bring-trickle-down-benefits
I thought the idea of trickle down economics being a thing was out of fashion these days?
Trump SELLS NATO US weapons to use in Ukraine.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/07/15/reeves-pledges-mortgage-shake-up-repossessions-warning/
Damien Talks Money has explained in the past why 100% mortgages (really 95%+) are actually a terrible idea for those wanting to try and get on the housing ladder when the Tories were talking about this.
However, I would point out that anything that gets renters especially ones who are conscientious payers onto the property ladder will save everyone money in the long term as it will mean they won't have to rent in retirement. And it frequently is cheaper to pay a mortgage than to pay rent if only because, very often, rent has to cover payments a commercial mortgage which is levied at a higher rate than a domestic one.
Striking that Trump's Maga support has declined on X - they really really don't like the Epstein thing.
Mark Rutte in his appearance with Trump in the White House yesterday agreed that European Countries should pay for US armaments under the new 5% pledge and thanked Trump for his confirmation that they could be used in Ukraine
Are 100% no deposit mortgages a terrible idea?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNqxlm5370E
99% Mortgages Are A Terrible Idea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGgA_C7znwY
Wheels within wheels.
Trump's operation is now declaring iiuc that the "Epstein List" does not exist. Which asks the question about how Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted (her Appeal is reaching SCOTUS). Her team says she has it and could release it.
Hmmm !
It seems to have cut through on the right like nothing else, maybe because it damages such a heroic image.
The landlord will be borrowing 75% max at 6%.
The tenant buying it will be borrowing 95% at say 4.5%
The higher borrowing is likely to offset the lower interest rate.
And that’s ignoring the fact the landlord will be doing maintenance on the property which is contained within the rent, if you own it all that repair work needs to be paid for by the new homeowner.
I suspect it will allow a few more people to buy but not that many
A lot of the MAGA influencers have already bent the knee to the new 'reality'
The files, that were created by Obama, never existed.
In the very short term, this will benefit the USA. In the medium and long term, it will harm it immensely. But Trump only cares about the next three and a half years. And meanwhile, the USA's real enemies - Russia, China, Iran, NK - are laughing.
I've warmed to him over the cricket comments though!
Been a great summer of sport so far, with the competitive series, the euros and that tennis thingy.
Seems eminently sensible..we can then drop dreaming of a streamlined, efficient health service..😏
NEW THREAD
What other sovereign funds heavily invested in Europe who may fall out with us in the future think of this precedent is going to be the real key to the success or failure of this policy.
I would say in aggregate that is shifting towards a better outcome for society as a whole.
It's no replacement for building more houses, but it does encourage a better distribution of existing housing stock. Replace stamp duty with an annual property tax to encourage downsizing and things will improve further.
It's a 'big data' solution loved by centralist organisation so might work if Experian do it rather than a government department.
*Rent histories on credit records are few and far between at the moment