"They cannot create jobs for young people so they give them votes at 16"
The fuck does that mean?
Pretty clear id have thought? The youth are disaffected because they can't get a job so you bribe them with being given a say
Give unemployed, disaffected youth the vote so they can vote against the government that has left them unemployed and disaffected? I'm not sure Kemi's thought this through. Or Keir Starmer, for that matter.
"They cannot create jobs for young people so they give them votes at 16"
The fuck does that mean?
Pretty clear id have thought? The youth are disaffected because they can't get a job so you bribe them with being given a say
Give unemployed, disaffected youth the vote so they can vote against the government that has left them unemployed and disaffected? I'm not sure Kemi's thought this through. Or Keir Starmer, for that matter.
How many unemployed, disaffected 16-18 year olds are there?
Most are reasonably contentedly in full time education.
Stride and Davey both affirm commitment to the triple lock
They are both wrong and how on earth are we to get out of this mess with politicians inability to do the right thing
The problem is trying to define "pensioners" as a single homogenous block. All they have in common is their age - economicaly and financially, they are as diverse as the rest of us.
I had no problem with Reeves wanting to reduce eligibility for the Winter Fuel Allowance - had she said, for example, it wouldn't be available to higher rate taxpayers but only to those paying just basic rate or those solely on pension credit, I think most people would have, if not supported it then understood it.
The problem with the previous regime was it was easy and cheap to administer - as soon as you got the pension you were eligible for the allowance whatever your financial situation so both the poorest and wealthiest pensioners got it and that was an obvious anomaly which needed to be resolved.
The way Reeves went about it was as hamfisted and politically inept as you could imagine but the basic notion wasn't wrong and isn't wrong. Universal entitlement to benefits costs in every sense.
Much has been done to ensure those of advanced years have a decent standard of living but much remains to be done.
Thing is any pensioner with money will be giving half of the whole pension it back to the tax man in any case so hardly a big deal and would cost far more to implement some crazy means tested scheme. As ever stupid people whining are just stupid fools.
The WFA was a tax free payment.
not now sunshine
It still is. They simply use the tax system to deduct the value of it if you earn over £35,000. That's different to being generally taxable - someone in receipt of pensions to the value of £30,000 will receive it tax free
Don't talk rubbish , they get the same 12K allowance everybody else gets , anything above that is taxed.
The Liberal Democrats are considering ditching their longstanding opposition to ID cards amid reports Sir Keir Starmer is set push ahead with a digital scheme.
"They cannot create jobs for young people so they give them votes at 16"
The fuck does that mean?
Pretty clear id have thought? The youth are disaffected because they can't get a job so you bribe them with being given a say
Give unemployed, disaffected youth the vote so they can vote against the government that has left them unemployed and disaffected? I'm not sure Kemi's thought this through. Or Keir Starmer, for that matter.
How many unemployed, disaffected 16-18 year olds are there?
Most are reasonably contentedly in full time education.
The NEET rate is only calculated for the 16-24 age range. It's currently about 14%, which is quite a lot of people. Based on ONS estimates, that's just shy of 1 million people.
The Liberal Democrats are considering ditching their longstanding opposition to ID cards amid reports Sir Keir Starmer is set push ahead with a digital scheme.
I would be in favour, provided that those in the Home Office advocating the stupid (also illegal and impractical) misuse of the data are interned without trial. For life.
Yes this is the lurking sentiment. Stopping 'them' coming is necessary but it's not sufficient. Lots who are already here, breeding, stinking up the place, need to be removed.
This country would be much better off with ten million fewer people.
The problem is who those ten million people are and how do we get them to emigrate.
Are you volunteering?
No?
I actually disagree with your basic premise. Losing ten million people would be a disaster.
So a return to the population of 2003 would be a 'disaster' ?
(Snip)
Yes.
If you had not noticed, we are no longer in 2003.
Anyway, as you did not reply, I'll put your name top of the list to be placed in handcuffs and chained to the walls of a plane, ready for deportation to a country that might be more to your liking.
The Liberal Democrats are considering ditching their longstanding opposition to ID cards amid reports Sir Keir Starmer is set push ahead with a digital scheme.
The Liberal Democrats are considering ditching their longstanding opposition to ID cards amid reports Sir Keir Starmer is set push ahead with a digital scheme.
"They cannot create jobs for young people so they give them votes at 16"
The fuck does that mean?
Pretty clear id have thought? The youth are disaffected because they can't get a job so you bribe them with being given a say
Give unemployed, disaffected youth the vote so they can vote against the government that has left them unemployed and disaffected? I'm not sure Kemi's thought this through. Or Keir Starmer, for that matter.
How many unemployed, disaffected 16-18 year olds are there?
Most are reasonably contentedly in full time education.
The NEET rate is only calculated for the 16-24 age range. It's currently about 14%, which is quite a lot of people. Based on ONS estimates, that's just shy of 1 million people.
So Donald Trump, on his way to the Charlie Kirk memorial event, says he's looking at this as "a time for healing". Exactly the sentiment a president ought to be putting out.
Let's see what he does with his speech, shall we. Let's see if that is the tone of it. If it is I'll be surprised and happy to be so.
Fresh from telling everyone that they shouldn’t feel sorry for Biden with his advanced cancer cos he’s a SOB. Trump really has no redeeming feature, I would actually enjoy giving him a really hard kick in the baws.
That's what's always struck me. Not that he's so awful in so many different ways - you get people like that - but that there are zero redeeming qualities. Not a single one. That is extremely rare in a human being.
"They cannot create jobs for young people so they give them votes at 16"
The fuck does that mean?
Pretty clear id have thought? The youth are disaffected because they can't get a job so you bribe them with being given a say
Give unemployed, disaffected youth the vote so they can vote against the government that has left them unemployed and disaffected? I'm not sure Kemi's thought this through. Or Keir Starmer, for that matter.
How many unemployed, disaffected 16-18 year olds are there?
Most are reasonably contentedly in full time education.
The NEET rate is only calculated for the 16-24 age range. It's currently about 14%, which is quite a lot of people. Based on ONS estimates, that's just shy of 1 million people.
6.2 percent. Which does show the limits of making something illegal.
6.2% at 16/17 -moves up to 14.5% at 18. These are not great figures, given that academic and vocational education is free and bursaries still exist (albeit in a more limited way since Mr Gove axed the EMA).
The other issue is how many of those in employment are 'underemployed' i.e. only part time or minimum wage and not what the person trained for?
The headline stat is masking a lack of real apprenticeships and high quality training places, although the rot for this set in 20-30 years ago, no one has a plan to fix it. Mr Blair came up with send 50% to university and get them off the books for three years, but that hasn't really worked out either.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
The Liberal Democrats are considering ditching their longstanding opposition to ID cards amid reports Sir Keir Starmer is set push ahead with a digital scheme.
The BBC seem quite hostile towards the LDs. Which is a bit odd in that the LDs are the only party who I can see not culling the BBC.
I can only imagine that its a bitterness concerning years of slavish support and few peerages doled out to BBC staff.
We can’t have it both ways, on one hand people say the BBC are sucking up to Reform to stop them taking it out and cancelling the BBC and on the other they don’t support a party who will protect them. Either BBC editorial decisions are made on protecting themselves from political parties or they aren’t.
It is more likely that people don’t care about conferences and people care less about parties who have had one moment in power in living memory.
Who, away from here, is remotely annoyed by the lack of coverage of a political party conference on a weekend.
The Liberal Democrats are considering ditching their longstanding opposition to ID cards amid reports Sir Keir Starmer is set push ahead with a digital scheme.
So Donald Trump, on his way to the Charlie Kirk memorial event, says he's looking at this as "a time for healing". Exactly the sentiment a president ought to be putting out.
Let's see what he does with his speech, shall we. Let's see if that is the tone of it. If it is I'll be surprised and happy to be so.
Fresh from telling everyone that they shouldn’t feel sorry for Biden with his advanced cancer cos he’s a SOB. Trump really has no redeeming feature, I would actually enjoy giving him a really hard kick in the baws.
That's what's always struck me. Not that he's so awful in so many different ways - you get people like that - but that there are zero redeeming qualities. Not a single one. That is extremely rare in a human being.
And yet American voters have made him their President.
Twice.
Zero redeeming qualities must be a redeeming quality in their eyes...
The Liberal Democrats are considering ditching their longstanding opposition to ID cards amid reports Sir Keir Starmer is set push ahead with a digital scheme.
So Donald Trump, on his way to the Charlie Kirk memorial event, says he's looking at this as "a time for healing". Exactly the sentiment a president ought to be putting out.
Let's see what he does with his speech, shall we. Let's see if that is the tone of it. If it is I'll be surprised and happy to be so.
Fresh from telling everyone that they shouldn’t feel sorry for Biden with his advanced cancer cos he’s a SOB. Trump really has no redeeming feature, I would actually enjoy giving him a really hard kick in the baws.
That's what's always struck me. Not that he's so awful in so many different ways - you get people like that - but that there are zero redeeming qualities. Not a single one. That is extremely rare in a human being.
And yet American voters have made him their President.
Twice.
Zero redeeming qualities must be a redeeming quality in their eyes...
It’s the car-keying class.
What is amazing is how the lies behind the American Dream have resulted in so many people having a scratchy object about their person.
The Liberal Democrats are considering ditching their longstanding opposition to ID cards amid reports Sir Keir Starmer is set push ahead with a digital scheme.
The BBC seem quite hostile towards the LDs. Which is a bit odd in that the LDs are the only party who I can see not culling the BBC.
I can only imagine that its a bitterness concerning years of slavish support and few peerages doled out to BBC staff.
We can’t have it both ways, on one hand people say the BBC are sucking up to Reform to stop them taking it out and cancelling the BBC and on the other they don’t support a party who will protect them. Either BBC editorial decisions are made on protecting themselves from political parties or they aren’t.
It is more likely that people don’t care about conferences and people care less about parties who have had one moment in power in living memory.
Who, away from here, is remotely annoyed by the lack of coverage of a political party conference on a weekend.
I don't particularly think that such things are BBC policy. Perhaps some policy Liberalism in the past. The Reform angle is undoubtedly just journalists trying to position themselves for the future.
So Donald Trump, on his way to the Charlie Kirk memorial event, says he's looking at this as "a time for healing". Exactly the sentiment a president ought to be putting out.
Let's see what he does with his speech, shall we. Let's see if that is the tone of it. If it is I'll be surprised and happy to be so.
Fresh from telling everyone that they shouldn’t feel sorry for Biden with his advanced cancer cos he’s a SOB. Trump really has no redeeming feature, I would actually enjoy giving him a really hard kick in the baws.
That's what's always struck me. Not that he's so awful in so many different ways - you get people like that - but that there are zero redeeming qualities. Not a single one. That is extremely rare in a human being.
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
Yes this is the lurking sentiment. Stopping 'them' coming is necessary but it's not sufficient. Lots who are already here, breeding, stinking up the place, need to be removed.
This country would be much better off with ten million fewer people.
The problem is who those ten million people are and how do we get them to emigrate.
Are you volunteering?
No?
I actually disagree with your basic premise. Losing ten million people would be a disaster.
It would be like when big companies do voluntary redundancy programmes.
A lot of the people who go are the ones who, form a pure profit and loss point of view, you might want to keep.
(And besides, the pure profit and loss point of view is balls.)
Back in the day, I worked for a large company which had one of those periodical rounds of redundancies. They made a mistake, and inadvertently sacked both of the only two people who were authorised to sign their cheques.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
Starmer is a fucking idiot. Its a desperation tactic id est dead cat.
Yes this is the lurking sentiment. Stopping 'them' coming is necessary but it's not sufficient. Lots who are already here, breeding, stinking up the place, need to be removed.
This country would be much better off with ten million fewer people.
The problem is who those ten million people are and how do we get them to emigrate.
That's about the number planning to vote Reform per current polls.
Not inferring anything there. Determined not to.
I find it hard to understand why anyone would even think that we would be better off with 10 million fewer people
Who are these 10 million and how are they disposed off
The whole idea is unacceptable
Governments have to design tax and spend policies, together with a fair immigration system, and the fact it is under stress is the fault of politicians not people living in our country
Imagine in 2003 if you had been asked "do you think the population of the UK should be increased by ten million over the next generation ?"
How many people would have said yes ? Would you have said yes ?
Now imagine in 2003 if you had been asked "do you think the population of the UK should be increased by ten million over the next generation without any equivalent increase in housing and infrastructure ?"
How many people would have said yes ? Would you have said yes ?
Because that's what happened.
Now imagine that question wasn't been asked in 2003 but was being asked now about another ten million people over the next generation without any equivalent increase in housing and infrastructure ?
Because that's the future this country is facing.
Brilliant reply to Big_G_NorthWales. Wish I'd thought of it.
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
It's performative, for the benefit of his internal party opposition
Stride and Davey both affirm commitment to the triple lock
They are both wrong and how on earth are we to get out of this mess with politicians inability to do the right thing
The problem is trying to define "pensioners" as a single homogenous block. All they have in common is their age - economicaly and financially, they are as diverse as the rest of us.
I had no problem with Reeves wanting to reduce eligibility for the Winter Fuel Allowance - had she said, for example, it wouldn't be available to higher rate taxpayers but only to those paying just basic rate or those solely on pension credit, I think most people would have, if not supported it then understood it.
The problem with the previous regime was it was easy and cheap to administer - as soon as you got the pension you were eligible for the allowance whatever your financial situation so both the poorest and wealthiest pensioners got it and that was an obvious anomaly which needed to be resolved.
The way Reeves went about it was as hamfisted and politically inept as you could imagine but the basic notion wasn't wrong and isn't wrong. Universal entitlement to benefits costs in every sense.
Much has been done to ensure those of advanced years have a decent standard of living but much remains to be done.
Thing is any pensioner with money will be giving half of the whole pension it back to the tax man in any case so hardly a big deal and would cost far more to implement some crazy means tested scheme. As ever stupid people whining are just stupid fools.
The WFA was a tax free payment.
not now sunshine
It still is. They simply use the tax system to deduct the value of it if you earn over £35,000. That's different to being generally taxable - someone in receipt of pensions to the value of £30,000 will receive it tax free
Don't talk rubbish , they get the same 12K allowance everybody else gets , anything above that is taxed.
The WFP is an untaxable payment. However it is not payable if you earn over £35k (including pensions). Or if you prefer it is taxed at 100%. If you don't believe me, ask gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-much-youll-get
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
It's performative, for the benefit of his internal party opposition
Oh he's playing to the Labour 'Johnny Foreigner' vote without doubt. The FO must have a hand in this though. They've been hopeless since about 1830.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
It's performative, for the benefit of his internal party opposition
Quite an achievement to get Canada and Australia on board for an internal UK Labour party matter.
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
It's performative, for the benefit of his internal party opposition
Quite an achievement to get Canada and Australia on board for an internal UK Labour party matter.
You think he got them on board? He's jumping on a bandwagon for the reason I mentioned
Yes this is the lurking sentiment. Stopping 'them' coming is necessary but it's not sufficient. Lots who are already here, breeding, stinking up the place, need to be removed.
This country would be much better off with ten million fewer people.
The problem is who those ten million people are and how do we get them to emigrate.
That's about the number planning to vote Reform per current polls.
Not inferring anything there. Determined not to.
I find it hard to understand why anyone would even think that we would be better off with 10 million fewer people
Who are these 10 million and how are they disposed off
The whole idea is unacceptable
Governments have to design tax and spend policies, together with a fair immigration system, and the fact it is under stress is the fault of politicians not people living in our country
It is the fault of people living in our country - who lobbied and bribed politicians to give them ever more cheap labour.
So they could avoid all that tedious effort (and expense) in productivity and training
We’ve had a population increase of approx 20% since 1990. In a small island adding 20,000 has been a bit of a disaster in terms of housing, schooling etc but also it used to be a pleasure to drive here, as long as you weren’t stuck behind a Honda jazz or a hire car and now it’s grim.
The other sad change was that it was generally markedly different to the UK but as loads of people came in from the UK cities etc the demand grew for UK chains so local independents have gradually gone and from a shops/food perspective it could be most smarting places in the UK.
Every time a large commercial property is empty you have a load of morons flooding Facebook demanding a Primark or similar.
The rush to grow often has side effects where the benefits of growth are lost because people want “more” without realising what they had was actually enough.
You always have the option of asking the French to exercise their feudal rights over the Duke of Normandy. Although you'd then get 20,000 Arabs.
I do worry that UK governments of all types over the last 20 years have simply been clueless as to how to help the UK cement its strengths in financial, digital, and professional services, and life sciences, which dominate our economy.
Rishi sort of tried a bit with AI and tech, but we've failed to reform our stock market and make it attractive - although Hunt tried - we're losing our place in advanced manufacturing. And we've become too dogmatic about energy. Don't get me started on the process state.
The only area I'd say is still definitively strong is creative industries and probably professional services too - just as well given its my sector.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Indeed, and the idea you answer the phone to a stranger is anathema. Try to explain to young people that when I was a kid you had no idea who was ringing...
I love SNP scandals, camper vans, seagulls, and now swingers (but I am not a fan of kink shaming.)
Sturgeon ally pulls out of Holyrood race after ‘swingers’ allegations
Math Campbell-Sturgess withdraws candidacy for Dumbarton citing ‘right to a private life’
An SNP activist allied to Nicola Sturgeon has pulled out of the Holyrood election race following allegations that he ran an online “swingers” profile.
Math Campbell-Sturgess, 42, was due to contest the Dumbarton seat at next May’s Scottish Parliament election but withdrew his candidacy this weekend amid claims that he was behind an account on a website used to organise sex meetups.
The Mail on Sunday, which made the allegations, said Mr Campbell-Sturgess was challenged over an online profile set up by an individual who goes by the name of “M (42)”.
The profile was looking for “threesome” partners for a man and a woman under the pseudonym “Scotsbicouple” and said it contained only limited images due to “work sensitivities”.
When approached by the newspaper about the online account, Mr Campbell-Sturgess – who lives in Greenock with his partner and daughter – denied it was his profile and suggested it might have been an impersonator account.
The Mail on Sunday claimed that after he was presented with more evidence linking him to the account, Mr Campbell-Sturgess responded that “everyone is entitled to a private life” and insisted he had “done nothing wrong”.
“This experience has placed huge stress on myself and my family, and I have therefore chosen to step back from candidacy at this time,” he reportedly added.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
It's performative, for the benefit of his internal party opposition
Quite an achievement to get Canada and Australia on board for an internal UK Labour party matter.
You think he got them on board? He's jumping on a bandwagon for the reason I mentioned
Not really, just suggesting that the idea that this is just about internal Labour party politics is bobbins.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Indeed, and the idea you answer the phone to a stranger is anathema. Try to explain to young people that when I was a kid you had no idea who was ringing...
Does make me chuckle how "voice notes" are all the rage...otherwise known as using the answer phone back in the day.
I do worry that UK governments of all types over the last 20 years have simply been clueless as to how to help the UK cement its strengths in financial, digital, and professional services, and life sciences, which dominate our economy.
Rishi sort of tried a bit with AI and tech, but we've failed to reform our stock market and make it attractive - although Hunt tried - we're losing our place in advanced manufacturing. And we've become too dogmatic about energy. Don't get me started on the process state.
The only area I'd say is still definitively strong is creative industries and probably professional services too - just as well given its my sector.
Well the policy has mostly been to tax success and subsidise worthlessness.
In my view governments should almost never be involved in investment.
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
West Bank and Gaza (although Gaza is effectively under revolt). Palestinian Arabs. Neither (a plague on both your houses). Simples.
Although you can be a non-territorial state, see Sovereign Military Knights of Malta, so the territory thing isn't a huge problem.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
We could copy the German and Swiss (and to a lesser extent Norwegian and Danish) educational system, that ensures that people reach adulthood with practcal, marketable, valuable skills?
And we could -perhaps- combine that with changing the tax and benefits system, to move to a more contributory system (say no benefits until at least three years of NI contributions), while simultaneously ensuring that marginal tax rates never exceed 50%.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Is this feeding into youth mental health issues? The lack of personal interaction is becoming a real problem.
Yes this is the lurking sentiment. Stopping 'them' coming is necessary but it's not sufficient. Lots who are already here, breeding, stinking up the place, need to be removed.
This country would be much better off with ten million fewer people.
The problem is who those ten million people are and how do we get them to emigrate.
That's about the number planning to vote Reform per current polls.
Not inferring anything there. Determined not to.
I find it hard to understand why anyone would even think that we would be better off with 10 million fewer people
Who are these 10 million and how are they disposed off
The whole idea is unacceptable
Governments have to design tax and spend policies, together with a fair immigration system, and the fact it is under stress is the fault of politicians not people living in our country
It is the fault of people living in our country - who lobbied and bribed politicians to give them ever more cheap labour.
So they could avoid all that tedious effort (and expense) in productivity and training
We’ve had a population increase of approx 20% since 1990. In a small island adding 20,000 has been a bit of a disaster in terms of housing, schooling etc but also it used to be a pleasure to drive here, as long as you weren’t stuck behind a Honda jazz or a hire car and now it’s grim.
The other sad change was that it was generally markedly different to the UK but as loads of people came in from the UK cities etc the demand grew for UK chains so local independents have gradually gone and from a shops/food perspective it could be most smarting places in the UK.
Every time a large commercial property is empty you have a load of morons flooding Facebook demanding a Primark or similar.
The rush to grow often has side effects where the benefits of growth are lost because people want “more” without realising what they had was actually enough.
You always have the option of asking the French to exercise their feudal rights over the Duke of Normandy. Although you'd then get 20,000 Arabs.
Would be a good point if we hadn’t severed our ties with Normandy to side with England in exchange for our ancient rights under Good King John.
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
It's performative, for the benefit of his internal party opposition
Quite an achievement to get Canada and Australia on board for an internal UK Labour party matter.
China and India recognised Palestine as recently as 1988.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
We could copy the German and Swiss (and to a lesser extent Norwegian and Danish) educational system, that ensures that people reach adulthood with practcal, marketable, valuable skills?
And we could -perhaps- combine that with changing the tax and benefits system, to move to a more contributory system (say no benefits until at least three years of NI contributions), while simultaneously ensuring that marginal tax rates never exceed 50%.
I would also suggest the government cease trying to do 'deals', and instead sets up the business and regulatory systems to minimze friction. Basically, less government rather than more.
We could then combine this with properly funding the criminal justice system, and focusing again on crimes that affect peoples' day-to-day lives (like shoplifting and scrotes on illegal ebikes).
Finally, we should get rid of the absurd stamp duty system tthat discourages the market from clearing, and replace it with a property tax. (Yes, I know that's going to be unpopular with some people, but sorry.)
I do worry that UK governments of all types over the last 20 years have simply been clueless as to how to help the UK cement its strengths in financial, digital, and professional services, and life sciences, which dominate our economy.
Rishi sort of tried a bit with AI and tech, but we've failed to reform our stock market and make it attractive - although Hunt tried - we're losing our place in advanced manufacturing. And we've become too dogmatic about energy. Don't get me started on the process state.
The only area I'd say is still definitively strong is creative industries and probably professional services too - just as well given its my sector.
Well the policy has mostly been to tax success and subsidise worthlessness.
In my view governments should almost never be involved in investment.
I have to say, there is a certain logic to taxing the people who have money rather than people who don't.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Indeed, and the idea you answer the phone to a stranger is anathema. Try to explain to young people that when I was a kid you had no idea who was ringing...
What's the problem with answering the phone to a stranger?
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
It's performative, for the benefit of his internal party opposition
Quite an achievement to get Canada and Australia on board for an internal UK Labour party matter.
If the PB faithful hate recognising Palestine as much as they whine on here, which may or may not be performative nonsense, it might have some merit. From the posters that brought you "Boris Johnson is the greatest Prime Minister since Churchill and will be in office for five full terms", and "Liz Truss's budget is the most Conservative Budget since 1986". Oh and I almost forgot, "Brexit is going to turbo charge the economy of a sovereign United Kingdom". With a track record like that, maybe Starmer is onto something.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Is this feeding into youth mental health issues? The lack of personal interaction is becoming a real problem.
Can't they just get their AI to talk to the AI of the person they're afraid to speak to by phone?
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
We could copy the German and Swiss (and to a lesser extent Norwegian and Danish) educational system, that ensures that people reach adulthood with practcal, marketable, valuable skills?
And we could -perhaps- combine that with changing the tax and benefits system, to move to a more contributory system (say no benefits until at least three years of NI contributions), while simultaneously ensuring that marginal tax rates never exceed 50%.
I would also suggest the government cease trying to do 'deals', and instead sets up the business and regulatory systems to minimze friction. Basically, less government rather than more.
We could then combine this with properly funding the criminal justice system, and focusing again on crimes that affect peoples' day-to-day lives (like shoplifting and scrotes on illegal ebikes).
Finally, we should get rid of the absurd stamp duty system tthat discourages the market from clearing, and replace it with a property tax. (Yes, I know that's going to be unpopular with some people, but sorry.)
I don't think government is very good at picking winners. It could be half-decent at seed funding for new tech, but it would have to accept an 80% failure rate, for the few winners, and I doubt the Treasury and OBR etc would ever sign off on it.
What it is good at is getting in the way - and if it can't enable or facilitate it should be sure to get out of the way.
I do worry that UK governments of all types over the last 20 years have simply been clueless as to how to help the UK cement its strengths in financial, digital, and professional services, and life sciences, which dominate our economy.
Rishi sort of tried a bit with AI and tech, but we've failed to reform our stock market and make it attractive - although Hunt tried - we're losing our place in advanced manufacturing. And we've become too dogmatic about energy. Don't get me started on the process state.
The only area I'd say is still definitively strong is creative industries and probably professional services too - just as well given its my sector.
Well the policy has mostly been to tax success and subsidise worthlessness.
In my view governments should almost never be involved in investment.
I have to say, there is a certain logic to taxing the people who have money rather than people who don't.
Illogic yes, logic no.
It's the stockmarket thing of selling your winners and running your losers, but this is far worse. You are punishing success and rewarding failure.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
We could copy the German and Swiss (and to a lesser extent Norwegian and Danish) educational system, that ensures that people reach adulthood with practcal, marketable, valuable skills?
And we could -perhaps- combine that with changing the tax and benefits system, to move to a more contributory system (say no benefits until at least three years of NI contributions), while simultaneously ensuring that marginal tax rates never exceed 50%.
I would also suggest the government cease trying to do 'deals', and instead sets up the business and regulatory systems to minimze friction. Basically, less government rather than more.
We could then combine this with properly funding the criminal justice system, and focusing again on crimes that affect peoples' day-to-day lives (like shoplifting and scrotes on illegal ebikes).
Finally, we should get rid of the absurd stamp duty system tthat discourages the market from clearing, and replace it with a property tax. (Yes, I know that's going to be unpopular with some people, but sorry.)
I don't think government is very good at picking winners. It could be half-decent at seed funding for new tech, but it would have to accept an 80% failure rate, for the few winners, and I doubt the Treasury and OBR etc would ever sign off on it.
What it is good at is getting in the way - and if it can't enable or facilitate it should be sure to get out of the way.
I agree 100%.
Make the tax system relatively friendly to investing in new businesses, and then get out the way.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Is this feeding into youth mental health issues? The lack of personal interaction is becoming a real problem.
When I worked in offices, there were three kinds of people.
First were those who preferred to conduct business "in writing" so memos and later emails. Then you had those who preferred telephone and later (to an extent) face to face calls and finally those who you could only deal with via a personal meeting. The last were the most interesting psychologically as they tended to be territorial in extremis and regarded allowing you to be in their working space to be a huge concession.
I do worry that UK governments of all types over the last 20 years have simply been clueless as to how to help the UK cement its strengths in financial, digital, and professional services, and life sciences, which dominate our economy.
Rishi sort of tried a bit with AI and tech, but we've failed to reform our stock market and make it attractive - although Hunt tried - we're losing our place in advanced manufacturing. And we've become too dogmatic about energy. Don't get me started on the process state.
The only area I'd say is still definitively strong is creative industries and probably professional services too - just as well given its my sector.
Well the policy has mostly been to tax success and subsidise worthlessness.
In my view governments should almost never be involved in investment.
I have to say, there is a certain logic to taxing the people who have money rather than people who don't.
Illogic yes, logic no.
It's the stockmarket thing of selling your winners and running your losers, but this is far worse. You are punishing success and rewarding failure.
So what you're saying is, we should only tax people who don't have any money?
I would point out this was the policy of the ancien regime in France and the Tsars of Russia.
I would further point out this didn't end terribly well for them.
"According to Bloomberg, citing Kremlin sources, Vladimir Putin has concluded that the US is unlikely to do much to strengthen Ukraine’s defences after his August summit with Donald Trump in Alaska. Russia intends to step up its attacks to force Kyiv to capitulate, the agency reported.
Reports suggest Washington is planning to reduce security assistance to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, which share a border with Russia."
"According to Bloomberg, citing Kremlin sources, Vladimir Putin has concluded that the US is unlikely to do much to strengthen Ukraine’s defences after his August summit with Donald Trump in Alaska. Russia intends to step up its attacks to force Kyiv to capitulate, the agency reported.
Reports suggest Washington is planning to reduce security assistance to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, which share a border with Russia."
So Donald Trump, on his way to the Charlie Kirk memorial event, says he's looking at this as "a time for healing". Exactly the sentiment a president ought to be putting out.
Let's see what he does with his speech, shall we. Let's see if that is the tone of it. If it is I'll be surprised and happy to be so.
Fresh from telling everyone that they shouldn’t feel sorry for Biden with his advanced cancer cos he’s a SOB. Trump really has no redeeming feature, I would actually enjoy giving him a really hard kick in the baws.
That's what's always struck me. Not that he's so awful in so many different ways - you get people like that - but that there are zero redeeming qualities. Not a single one. That is extremely rare in a human being.
And yet American voters have made him their President.
Twice.
Zero redeeming qualities must be a redeeming quality in their eyes...
Yep. Trumpaphobe that I am I have to acknowledge the dark brutalist charisma which has enabled his dominion over so many people. Not a 'redeeming feature' btw, just an unfortunate fact. It's quite remarkable what he's been able to do. I get quite wistful thinking of something equivalent but devoted to improving the world rather than fouling it for kicks and personal gain.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Is this feeding into youth mental health issues? The lack of personal interaction is becoming a real problem.
I was asked by a friend to go into their company and do a deep dive on various things, one thing she said was that they have a problem with the younger - as it turned out the people in early 30s and below - where they wouldn’t make phone calls to clients and would stick to emails.
I assumed this was a bit of hyperbole but it really wasn’t. They would do anything not to take a call, make a call, go for lunch with the client/drinks/even coffee. There was so much resistance to getting out there in person to engage on a human basis with their clients which, in their industry was bonkers as they needed strong client relationships to keep the relationships and therefore the money flowing.
There was a weird inability to socialise over drinks and meals, as much of an arse I am it wasn’t just because of me with them, they couldn’t have broad conversations and visibly recoiled over conversations and ribald humour that didn’t fit with their worldview - however uptight you might be in certain industries the money is with people who you might not be in step with and sometimes you have to suck it up. Obviously this is only an anecdote but I can’t believe I’m the only person who has experienced this behaviour.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
We could copy the German and Swiss (and to a lesser extent Norwegian and Danish) educational system, that ensures that people reach adulthood with practcal, marketable, valuable skills?
And we could -perhaps- combine that with changing the tax and benefits system, to move to a more contributory system (say no benefits until at least three years of NI contributions), while simultaneously ensuring that marginal tax rates never exceed 50%.
I would also suggest the government cease trying to do 'deals', and instead sets up the business and regulatory systems to minimze friction. Basically, less government rather than more.
We could then combine this with properly funding the criminal justice system, and focusing again on crimes that affect peoples' day-to-day lives (like shoplifting and scrotes on illegal ebikes).
Finally, we should get rid of the absurd stamp duty system tthat discourages the market from clearing, and replace it with a property tax. (Yes, I know that's going to be unpopular with some people, but sorry.)
I don't think government is very good at picking winners. It could be half-decent at seed funding for new tech, but it would have to accept an 80% failure rate, for the few winners, and I doubt the Treasury and OBR etc would ever sign off on it.
What it is good at is getting in the way - and if it can't enable or facilitate it should be sure to get out of the way.
I agree 100%.
Make the tax system relatively friendly to investing in new businesses, and then get out the way.
So... anyone want to join my political party. It's the:
We don't care about Trans, get out of people's way, remove absurd cliff edges in the tax and benefits system, fund criminal justice properly, ensure better vocational education, replace stamp duty with a property tax, stop obsessing about the EU (but be friendly with them), invest in defence Party.
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
It's performative, for the benefit of his internal party opposition
Quite an achievement to get Canada and Australia on board for an internal UK Labour party matter.
If the PB faithful hate recognising Palestine as much as they whine on here, which may or may not be performative nonsense, it might have some merit. From the posters that brought you "Boris Johnson is the greatest Prime Minister since Churchill and will be in office for five full terms", and "Liz Truss's budget is the most Conservative Budget since 1986". Oh and I almost forgot, "Brexit is going to turbo charge the economy of a sovereign United Kingdom". With a track record like that, maybe Starmer is onto something.
Imagine if there were countries that refused to recognise Israel, what utter idiots they would be and let’s hope they have no influence in the region.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
We could copy the German and Swiss (and to a lesser extent Norwegian and Danish) educational system, that ensures that people reach adulthood with practcal, marketable, valuable skills?
And we could -perhaps- combine that with changing the tax and benefits system, to move to a more contributory system (say no benefits until at least three years of NI contributions), while simultaneously ensuring that marginal tax rates never exceed 50%.
I would also suggest the government cease trying to do 'deals', and instead sets up the business and regulatory systems to minimze friction. Basically, less government rather than more.
We could then combine this with properly funding the criminal justice system, and focusing again on crimes that affect peoples' day-to-day lives (like shoplifting and scrotes on illegal ebikes).
Finally, we should get rid of the absurd stamp duty system tthat discourages the market from clearing, and replace it with a property tax. (Yes, I know that's going to be unpopular with some people, but sorry.)
I don't think government is very good at picking winners. It could be half-decent at seed funding for new tech, but it would have to accept an 80% failure rate, for the few winners, and I doubt the Treasury and OBR etc would ever sign off on it.
What it is good at is getting in the way - and if it can't enable or facilitate it should be sure to get out of the way.
I agree 100%.
Make the tax system relatively friendly to investing in new businesses, and then get out the way.
Crazy idea....
Why isn't Kemi or the Conservatives talking about this?
They have a chance to redraw the whole map.
An economic policy fit for making Britain strong for the 21st Century.
Off all topics, is there a more satisfying single thing than a freshly dropped conker?
You’ve obviously not seen season three of Picard.
Of course I have! Not a single thing though.
(My wife has bumped into Picard twice in the same London restaurant recently. Write a nice thread header about Kemi and I might tell you which restaurant...)
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Is this feeding into youth mental health issues? The lack of personal interaction is becoming a real problem.
Or it could be crap over indulgent parenting. I say that as a crap over indulgent parent.
Back in my day I would have had short shift from my short tempered father if I had whined on about any self-indulgent nonsense.
Honest Calvinistic Methodist advice like "man-up and pull yourself together" served us well.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
We could copy the German and Swiss (and to a lesser extent Norwegian and Danish) educational system, that ensures that people reach adulthood with practcal, marketable, valuable skills?
And we could -perhaps- combine that with changing the tax and benefits system, to move to a more contributory system (say no benefits until at least three years of NI contributions), while simultaneously ensuring that marginal tax rates never exceed 50%.
I would also suggest the government cease trying to do 'deals', and instead sets up the business and regulatory systems to minimze friction. Basically, less government rather than more.
We could then combine this with properly funding the criminal justice system, and focusing again on crimes that affect peoples' day-to-day lives (like shoplifting and scrotes on illegal ebikes).
Finally, we should get rid of the absurd stamp duty system tthat discourages the market from clearing, and replace it with a property tax. (Yes, I know that's going to be unpopular with some people, but sorry.)
I don't think government is very good at picking winners. It could be half-decent at seed funding for new tech, but it would have to accept an 80% failure rate, for the few winners, and I doubt the Treasury and OBR etc would ever sign off on it.
What it is good at is getting in the way - and if it can't enable or facilitate it should be sure to get out of the way.
I agree 100%.
Make the tax system relatively friendly to investing in new businesses, and then get out the way.
Crazy idea....
Why isn't Kemi or the Conservatives talking about this?
They have a chance to redraw the whole map.
An economic policy fit for making Britain strong for the 21st Century.
Because Kemi is a political lightweight.
Who is her Keith Joseph? Where are the think tanks working on solving problems? Where is the sense of intellectual renewal?
So... anyone want to join my political party. It's the:
We don't care about Trans, get out of people's way, remove absurd cliff edges in the tax and benefits system, fund criminal justice properly, ensure better vocational education, replace stamp duty with a property tax, stop obsessing about the EU (but be friendly with them), invest in defence Party.
Or -as I prefer to call it- D'oh Party.
If you add the death sentence for people who stop to have conversations whilst blocking the aisles in supermarkets, and hard Labour for Honda Jazz drivers I’m in - I know they both fall under “get out of people’s’ way” but there need to be grades of offence.
If you mean the recognition of a Palestinian state then I couldn't disagree more. What are its borders, who are its people, which side do we think we're on?
It's performative, for the benefit of his internal party opposition
Quite an achievement to get Canada and Australia on board for an internal UK Labour party matter.
Some will point out Carney, Albanese and Starmer are politically and ideologically quite close. Whether the same is true of Sussan Ley, Pierre Poilievre and Kemi Badenoch I'm less certain.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
This is a far too simplistic way of thinking about tax revenue. There are plenty of poorer paid people, paying little tax, that enable professional services, from the cleaner in your office to the farmer providing you with food. And the public sector educates and keeps your staff healthy. And subsidise the trains that your staff come to work in. It's just that the earnings accrue to a particular sector.
And that's why it's a mystery of how we solve the "good jobs" problem. In Scotland only the top third of households are net contributors to the public purse, and that is a rapidly shrinking proportion - yet we have the strongest economy outside the SE of England. There is also very good argument that increasing taxes beyond a certain percentage (probably higher than 50%, but not as high as 80%) for higher earners will drive many of them away to other countries. How we square this distributional/economic/fiscal dilemma is not something I can help with.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Indeed, and the idea you answer the phone to a stranger is anathema. Try to explain to young people that when I was a kid you had no idea who was ringing...
What's the problem with answering the phone to a stranger?
You only answer the phone when the person's name comes up and you know who they are. Obviously. Not sure what's wrong with it, maybe it causes "anxiety" maybe a misguided attempt at privacy. I have heard both excuses. While trying to explain to jobseekers that you answer the f***ing phone because someone might be trying to offer you a f***ing job
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
Yes, that's the dream (and I hope not only a dream). Top loaded success with an elite paying lots of tax to fund a safety net standard of living for all those excluded from it is not imo something to aspire to.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
We could copy the German and Swiss (and to a lesser extent Norwegian and Danish) educational system, that ensures that people reach adulthood with practcal, marketable, valuable skills?
And we could -perhaps- combine that with changing the tax and benefits system, to move to a more contributory system (say no benefits until at least three years of NI contributions), while simultaneously ensuring that marginal tax rates never exceed 50%.
I would also suggest the government cease trying to do 'deals', and instead sets up the business and regulatory systems to minimze friction. Basically, less government rather than more...
That is IMO a lot more important than the absolute levels of tax (though tax stability and predictability are important).
And it's not as though we can afford large tax cuts anyway.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
This is a far too simplistic way of thinking about tax revenue. There are plenty of poorer paid people, paying little tax, that enable professional services, from the cleaner in your office to the farmer providing you with food. And the public sector educates and keeps your staff healthy. And subsidise the trains that your staff come to work in. It's just that the earnings accrue to a particular sector.
And that's why it's a mystery of how we solve the "good jobs" problem. In Scotland only the top third of households are net contributors to the public purse, and that is a rapidly shrinking proportion - yet we have the strongest economy outside the SE of England. There is also very good argument that increasing taxes beyond a certain percentage (probably higher than 50%, but not as high as 80%) for higher earners will drive many of them away to other countries. How we square this distributional/economic/fiscal dilemma is not something I can help with.
Of course, all those sectors and jobs are for the bright graduates- and do nothing for the 80% - but they do pay all the tax revenue that pays for everything else.
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
We could copy the German and Swiss (and to a lesser extent Norwegian and Danish) educational system, that ensures that people reach adulthood with practcal, marketable, valuable skills?
And we could -perhaps- combine that with changing the tax and benefits system, to move to a more contributory system (say no benefits until at least three years of NI contributions), while simultaneously ensuring that marginal tax rates never exceed 50%.
I would also suggest the government cease trying to do 'deals', and instead sets up the business and regulatory systems to minimze friction. Basically, less government rather than more.
We could then combine this with properly funding the criminal justice system, and focusing again on crimes that affect peoples' day-to-day lives (like shoplifting and scrotes on illegal ebikes).
Finally, we should get rid of the absurd stamp duty system tthat discourages the market from clearing, and replace it with a property tax. (Yes, I know that's going to be unpopular with some people, but sorry.)
I don't think government is very good at picking winners. It could be half-decent at seed funding for new tech, but it would have to accept an 80% failure rate, for the few winners, and I doubt the Treasury and OBR etc would ever sign off on it.
What it is good at is getting in the way - and if it can't enable or facilitate it should be sure to get out of the way.
I agree 100%.
Make the tax system relatively friendly to investing in new businesses, and then get out the way.
Crazy idea....
Why isn't Kemi or the Conservatives talking about this?
They have a chance to redraw the whole map.
An economic policy fit for making Britain strong for the 21st Century.
Because Kemi is a political lightweight.
Who is her Keith Joseph? Where are the think tanks working on solving problems? Where is the sense of intellectual renewal?
Can it be possible that people have forgotten either how to set about solving problems or that solving problems needs deep-dive thinking?
So... anyone want to join my political party. It's the:
We don't care about Trans, get out of people's way, remove absurd cliff edges in the tax and benefits system, fund criminal justice properly, ensure better vocational education, replace stamp duty with a property tax, stop obsessing about the EU (but be friendly with them), invest in defence Party.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Indeed, and the idea you answer the phone to a stranger is anathema. Try to explain to young people that when I was a kid you had no idea who was ringing...
What's the problem with answering the phone to a stranger?
It is extremely likely to be spam and vanishingly unlikely to be any kind of interaction you actually wanted.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Is this feeding into youth mental health issues? The lack of personal interaction is becoming a real problem.
Or it could be crap over indulgent parenting. I say that as a crap over indulgent parent.
Back in my day I would have had short shift from my short tempered father if I had whined on about any self-indulgent nonsense.
Honest Calvinistic Methodist advice like "man-up and pull yourself together" served us well.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Indeed, and the idea you answer the phone to a stranger is anathema. Try to explain to young people that when I was a kid you had no idea who was ringing...
What's the problem with answering the phone to a stranger?
It is extremely likely to be spam and vanishingly unlikely to be any kind of interaction you actually wanted.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Indeed, and the idea you answer the phone to a stranger is anathema. Try to explain to young people that when I was a kid you had no idea who was ringing...
What's the problem with answering the phone to a stranger?
It is extremely likely to be spam and vanishingly unlikely to be any kind of interaction you actually wanted.
Learning to get rid of spam calls politely and quickly is probably good training.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Is this feeding into youth mental health issues? The lack of personal interaction is becoming a real problem.
I was asked by a friend to go into their company and do a deep dive on various things, one thing she said was that they have a problem with the younger - as it turned out the people in early 30s and below - where they wouldn’t make phone calls to clients and would stick to emails.
I assumed this was a bit of hyperbole but it really wasn’t. They would do anything not to take a call, make a call, go for lunch with the client/drinks/even coffee. There was so much resistance to getting out there in person to engage on a human basis with their clients which, in their industry was bonkers as they needed strong client relationships to keep the relationships and therefore the money flowing.
There was a weird inability to socialise over drinks and meals, as much of an arse I am it wasn’t just because of me with them, they couldn’t have broad conversations and visibly recoiled over conversations and ribald humour that didn’t fit with their worldview - however uptight you might be in certain industries the money is with people who you might not be in step with and sometimes you have to suck it up. Obviously this is only an anecdote but I can’t believe I’m the only person who has experienced this behaviour.
As a member of that cohort, I don't have any issues at all at making calls, random chats on Teams etc, introducing myself at conferences. I'm also up for a good debate (too much so sometimes). It makes up for some of my other deficiencies to the extent I am classified as a reasonably good performer relative to my peers.
Off all topics, is there a more satisfying single thing than a freshly dropped conker?
I saw a sixty-something couple collecting conkers earlier. I stopped to chat and she claimed they keep away spiders.
She seemed non-plussed when I said I like spiders*.
Who is the weirdo here?
* last year I had a spider colony in my car, with cobwebs around mirror and windscreen. I had loaded the car one night with shrub cuttings for the tip, and they colonised it. Passengers would occasionally be surprised by spiders dropping down while driving.
So... anyone want to join my political party. It's the:
We don't care about Trans, get out of people's way, remove absurd cliff edges in the tax and benefits system, fund criminal justice properly, ensure better vocational education, replace stamp duty with a property tax, stop obsessing about the EU (but be friendly with them), invest in defence Party.
Or -as I prefer to call it- D'oh Party.
If you add the death sentence for people who stop to have conversations whilst blocking the aisles in supermarkets, and hard Labour for Honda Jazz drivers I’m in - I know they both fall under “get out of people’s’ way” but there need to be grades of offence.
Your first is very geographical. Having long conversations in shops causing blockages and delays is how much northern small town and rural life is conducted. In the best of them the shop workers themselves are part of the mix as their babies and the progress of their children matters as much as anyone elses. I had important baby news (Ashley's second, now she's back from Australia and living 100 yards from her mum, for those who want to know. It's a boy) on the till at the Co-op just this week.
Off all topics, is there a more satisfying single thing than a freshly dropped conker?
I saw a sixty-something couple collecting conkers earlier. I stopped to chat and she claimed they keep away spiders.
She seemed non-plussed when I said I like spiders*.
Who is the weirdo here?
* last year I had a spider colony in my car, with cobwebs around mirror and windscreen. I had loaded the car one night with shrub cuttings for the tip, and they colonised it. Passengers would occasionally be surprised by spiders dropping down while driving.
Actually I think she puts it quite succinctly and readably, though a video would of course have worked better. I'm not sure I agree with her 100%, but it isn't terrible as text.
Would a video be better? I don't want to spend time watching a video, I want to read a written argument. Easier to skip the guff, and re-read bits you didn't understand. Don't want it to take 5 minutes out of my life.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
I learned the other day that today's young people are appalled at the idea of using the phone. Calling to make an appointment? What? They'd rather go in to the place & make it face-to-face., apparently, although the ideal method is to use text messages.
Indeed, and the idea you answer the phone to a stranger is anathema. Try to explain to young people that when I was a kid you had no idea who was ringing...
What's the problem with answering the phone to a stranger?
It is extremely likely to be spam and vanishingly unlikely to be any kind of interaction you actually wanted.
Hospital calls always show as "caller unknown" in order to protect confidentiality. Many people dont answer as a result.
The Liberal Democrats are considering ditching their longstanding opposition to ID cards amid reports Sir Keir Starmer is set push ahead with a digital scheme.
"We have a longstanding opposition to something but we'll drop that if the great leader is pushing ahead with it."
It's adorable that they think it's lack of TV exposure for the pillock in a pond that's damaging their poll ratings. That's the only thing retaining their poll ratings.
Off all topics, is there a more satisfying single thing than a freshly dropped conker?
I saw a sixty-something couple collecting conkers earlier. I stopped to chat and she claimed they keep away spiders.
She seemed non-plussed when I said I like spiders*.
Who is the weirdo here?
* last year I had a spider colony in my car, with cobwebs around mirror and windscreen. I had loaded the car one night with shrub cuttings for the tip, and they colonised it. Passengers would occasionally be surprised by spiders dropping down while driving.
At least you now know not to collect conkers.
I wasn't, much as I think them an item of beauty. I think it a folk belief without grounding in reality.
A project the European defence initiative should be funding. (And if not, our government should just tell RR to do it, and they'll buy the first 10k units off the production line.)
..Even more problematic, European industry does not have an indigenous mini turbofan to offer.
While European engine makers, including Safran, MTU, and Rolls-Royce, build or contribute to turbofan engines for aircraft, none have gone through the process of miniaturization.
Off all topics, is there a more satisfying single thing than a freshly dropped conker?
I saw a sixty-something couple collecting conkers earlier. I stopped to chat and she claimed they keep away spiders.
She seemed non-plussed when I said I like spiders*.
Who is the weirdo here?
* last year I had a spider colony in my car, with cobwebs around mirror and windscreen. I had loaded the car one night with shrub cuttings for the tip, and they colonised it. Passengers would occasionally be surprised by spiders dropping down while driving.
My wife heard of the notion that conkers keep away spiders, so put numbers of them in the hall.
No spiders. But I was woken at 3 in the morning by something making a din downstairs. I went down with some trepidation - only to find a mouse rolling away the now rock-hard conker...
Comments
Most are reasonably contentedly in full time education.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y44pekj28o
It’s for the children, you see.
If you had not noticed, we are no longer in 2003.
Anyway, as you did not reply, I'll put your name top of the list to be placed in handcuffs and chained to the walls of a plane, ready for deportation to a country that might be more to your liking.
I can only imagine that its a bitterness concerning years of slavish support and few peerages doled out to BBC staff.
https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-and-training-and-employment/2024
6.2 percent. Which does show the limits of making something illegal.
The other issue is how many of those in employment are 'underemployed' i.e. only part time or minimum wage and not what the person trained for?
The headline stat is masking a lack of real apprenticeships and high quality training places, although the rot for this set in 20-30 years ago, no one has a plan to fix it. Mr Blair came up with send 50% to university and get them off the books for three years, but that hasn't really worked out either.
It is more likely that people don’t care about conferences and people care less about parties who have had one moment in power in living memory.
Who, away from here, is remotely annoyed by the lack of coverage of a political party conference on a weekend.
1) They’re issued for free
2) You don’t have to carry them at all times
3) You can use them chip and pin to access all government services - so they would replace passports and driving licences, not augment them
4) That you had the power to access all information the government holds on you, and amend it where it is wrong
5) That civil servants who access your data are logged, and you can see who they are and why they accessed it
6) That if somebody has accessed your data inappropriately you have the right to take legal action against them, funded by the government.
1 won't happen (deficit)
2 would see the police lose interest.
3 would be a bit of a pain to implement.
And numbers 4-6 will not happen while any civil servant breathes air.
So - I oppose them.
Twice.
Zero redeeming qualities must be a redeeming quality in their eyes...
What is amazing is how the lies behind the American Dream have resulted in so many people having a scratchy object about their person.
But I believe this is an age-related thing, young people do indeed want to watch a video rather than read something
Rishi sort of tried a bit with AI and tech, but we've failed to reform our stock market and make it attractive - although Hunt tried - we're losing our place in advanced manufacturing. And we've become too dogmatic about energy. Don't get me started on the process state.
The only area I'd say is still definitively strong is creative industries and probably professional services too - just as well given its my sector.
I love SNP scandals, camper vans, seagulls, and now swingers (but I am not a fan of kink shaming.)
Sturgeon ally pulls out of Holyrood race after ‘swingers’ allegations
Math Campbell-Sturgess withdraws candidacy for Dumbarton citing ‘right to a private life’
An SNP activist allied to Nicola Sturgeon has pulled out of the Holyrood election race following allegations that he ran an online “swingers” profile.
Math Campbell-Sturgess, 42, was due to contest the Dumbarton seat at next May’s Scottish Parliament election but withdrew his candidacy this weekend amid claims that he was behind an account on a website used to organise sex meetups.
The Mail on Sunday, which made the allegations, said Mr Campbell-Sturgess was challenged over an online profile set up by an individual who goes by the name of “M (42)”.
The profile was looking for “threesome” partners for a man and a woman under the pseudonym “Scotsbicouple” and said it contained only limited images due to “work sensitivities”.
When approached by the newspaper about the online account, Mr Campbell-Sturgess – who lives in Greenock with his partner and daughter – denied it was his profile and suggested it might have been an impersonator account.
The Mail on Sunday claimed that after he was presented with more evidence linking him to the account, Mr Campbell-Sturgess responded that “everyone is entitled to a private life” and insisted he had “done nothing wrong”.
“This experience has placed huge stress on myself and my family, and I have therefore chosen to step back from candidacy at this time,” he reportedly added.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/09/21/sturgeon-ally-pulls-out-holyrood-race-swingers-allegations/?recomm_id=c9a2d2d9-c780-449e-922e-fecb374cf57d
How does the UK build strength in depth? Good jobs for everyone, including those not educated to tertiary level?
In my view governments should almost never be involved in investment.
Although you can be a non-territorial state, see Sovereign Military Knights of Malta, so the territory thing isn't a huge problem.
Not sure why we've shat the bed with electric cars recently.
And we could -perhaps- combine that with changing the tax and benefits system, to move to a more contributory system (say no benefits until at least three years of NI contributions), while simultaneously ensuring that marginal tax rates never exceed 50%.
We could then combine this with properly funding the criminal justice system, and focusing again on crimes that affect peoples' day-to-day lives (like shoplifting and scrotes on illegal ebikes).
Finally, we should get rid of the absurd stamp duty system tthat discourages the market from clearing, and replace it with a property tax. (Yes, I know that's going to be unpopular with some people, but sorry.)
What it is good at is getting in the way - and if it can't enable or facilitate it should be sure to get out of the way.
It's the stockmarket thing of selling your winners and running your losers, but this is far worse. You are punishing success and rewarding failure.
Make the tax system relatively friendly to investing in new businesses, and then get out the way.
First were those who preferred to conduct business "in writing" so memos and later emails. Then you had those who preferred telephone and later (to an extent) face to face calls and finally those who you could only deal with via a personal meeting. The last were the most interesting psychologically as they tended to be territorial in extremis and regarded allowing you to be in their working space to be a huge concession.
It's not all about personal interaction.
I would point out this was the policy of the ancien regime in France and the Tsars of Russia.
I would further point out this didn't end terribly well for them.
Reports suggest Washington is planning to reduce security assistance to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, which share a border with Russia."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/21/german-jets-scrambled-after-russian-military-plane-flies-over-baltic-sea
I assumed this was a bit of hyperbole but it really wasn’t. They would do anything not to take a call, make a call, go for lunch with the client/drinks/even coffee. There was so much resistance to getting out there in person to engage on a human basis with their clients which, in their industry was bonkers as they needed strong client relationships to keep the relationships and therefore the money flowing.
There was a weird inability to socialise over drinks and meals, as much of an arse I am it wasn’t just because of me with them, they couldn’t have broad conversations and visibly recoiled over conversations and ribald humour that didn’t fit with their worldview - however uptight you might be in certain industries the money is with people who you might not be in step with and sometimes you have to suck it up. Obviously this is only an anecdote but I can’t believe I’m the only person who has experienced this behaviour.
Gary has been lurkin
We don't care about Trans, get out of people's way, remove absurd cliff edges in the tax and benefits system, fund criminal justice properly, ensure better vocational education, replace stamp duty with a property tax, stop obsessing about the EU (but be friendly with them), invest in defence Party.
Or -as I prefer to call it- D'oh Party.
They have a chance to redraw the whole map.
An economic policy fit for making Britain strong for the 21st Century.
It's certain posters admitting their fallibility.
I grant you, unlike a freshly dropped conker, this is more a theoretical than an actual thing.
(My wife has bumped into Picard twice in the same London restaurant recently. Write a nice thread header about Kemi and I might tell you which restaurant...)
Back in my day I would have had short shift from my short tempered father if I had whined on about any self-indulgent nonsense.
Honest Calvinistic Methodist advice like "man-up and pull yourself together" served us well.
Who is her Keith Joseph? Where are the think tanks working on solving problems? Where is the sense of intellectual renewal?
And that's why it's a mystery of how we solve the "good jobs" problem. In Scotland only the top third of households are net contributors to the public purse, and that is a rapidly shrinking proportion - yet we have the strongest economy outside the SE of England. There is also very good argument that increasing taxes beyond a certain percentage (probably higher than 50%, but not as high as 80%) for higher earners will drive many of them away to other countries. How we square this distributional/economic/fiscal dilemma is not something I can help with.
And it's not as though we can afford large tax cuts anyway.
Folds arms across chest, waiting.
She seemed non-plussed when I said I like spiders*.
Who is the weirdo here?
* last year I had a spider colony in my car, with cobwebs around mirror and windscreen. I had loaded the car one night with shrub cuttings for the tip, and they colonised it. Passengers would occasionally be surprised by spiders dropping down while driving.
"We have a longstanding opposition to something but we'll drop that if the great leader is pushing ahead with it."
It's adorable that they think it's lack of TV exposure for the pillock in a pond that's damaging their poll ratings. That's the only thing retaining their poll ratings.
(And if not, our government should just tell RR to do it, and they'll buy the first 10k units off the production line.)
..Even more problematic, European industry does not have an indigenous mini turbofan to offer.
While European engine makers, including Safran, MTU, and Rolls-Royce, build or contribute to turbofan engines for aircraft, none have gone through the process of miniaturization.
5/7
https://x.com/FRHoffmann1/status/1969733431329493013
No spiders. But I was woken at 3 in the morning by something making a din downstairs. I went down with some trepidation - only to find a mouse rolling away the now rock-hard conker...