I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
I have no idea if that would be a good idea or not, but council tax has stuck around stubbornly for a very long time despite a lot of people raising complaints about it, so it would be interesting if he was bold enough to change it fundamentally.
'Seriously considering' suggests to me this is just kite flying though.
We had "seriously considering" increasing the tax free threshold and 50% tax band last week.
I think we will have papers making stuff up to scare their readership for months because papers abhore a news vacuum and that's what Andy is giving them at the moment..
I think it's because they are politically motivated toerags whose employment relies on the whims of their avaricious owners.
... with even Maureen Lipman saying this week she would vote for Kemi...
Dame Maureen has got close relatives in Israel and she's said in the past about how scared she is for them given the constant missile bombardment. Under Badenoch the Conservatives are solidly pro-Israel (I think - somebody correct me if wrong) and Labour under Burnham is lukewarm, so she has a valid reason for the switch.
Indeed, its sad to see the pro Hamas turn many in Labour have taken. Good to see principled lefties like Maureen take a stance.
It's not pro Hamas, it's anti genocidal, racist Israeli government
Barty seems to process scepticism of the Netanyahu Government as a pro Hamas narrative. Maybe Maureen Lipman is similarly minded.
I support the Israeli opposition that wants to see the corrupt Netanyahu be replaced, but be just as hardline at defeating Hamas.
The problem with Netanyahu is that he is (a) corrupt and (b) been too soft on Hamas.
Not that he has been too hard on them.
No, the problem is that Netanyahu's two goals, defeating Hamas and changing the regime in Iran, are and always were utterly unrealistic.
Israel simply cannot wipe out Hamas while the Palestinians' political grievances remain unaddressed. It has had limited military successes, but at the cost of further entrenching political support for Hames in Gaza.
And the war to overthrow the Iranian regime has been a total and utter failure - in fact, completely counter-productive because it has allowed the Iranian regime to clamp down on the opposition at home even more thoroughly.
All Netanyahu's strategy has achieved is to strengthen his enemies politically, ruin Israel's standing abroad and trap it in a never-ending cycle of war and atrocity.
It's the definition of a futile dead end.
From that point of view, at least, Netanyahu and Putin are twins.
That's quite a defeatist and nihilistic attitude.
It is absolutely possible to militarily defeat evil terrorists and fascist regimes like Hamas and Iran. There is plenty of precedence for doing so like defeating the Tamil Tigers and the Nazis and Imperial Japan.
What is needed is Total War until they are defeated and surrender unconditionally.
The problem is that Trump especially has been weak and chickened out, and Netanyahu has also been pulling his punches.
Israel needs to get more aggressive than it is and end the cycle of violence by eliminating the enemies.
you still are and forever will be a complete lunatic
Lunacy is repeating the same mistakes and expecting other outcomes. Like having a repeated cycle of ceasefire, hatred, conflict, ceasefire.
Victory can break the cycle of violence. The Nazis are gone, the Tamil Tigers are gone. Imperial Japan reformed to save itself.
Victory works better than stalemate.
I don't really see how in this case total victory really can 'work'. Israel can fully occupy Gaza and the West Bank, and subdue and disarm the Palestinians who live there, but that wouldn't be enough. They would want to cleanse those areas of Palestinians to secure themselves permanently and make room for more Israelis to live there. Even if they didn't want to do this, they would still be stuck there. In West Germany, you could get rid of the Nazis, occupy the country for a while, and then leave and let the Germans get on with it. You can't do that in Gaza and the West Bank. The minute Israel leaves, anti-Israel forces would take hold, with some justification.
The only viable solution to me is, as I have said before, to empy Gaza of Palestinians and have them all move to the West Bank. And empty the West Bank of settlers and make them all move back to Israel and Gaza. Then you get a stable and secure Israel, and a viable Palestinian state.
Doesn’t work without resolving water rights (which wa what killed Oslo)
I didn't know that detail - which water rights?
There’s only a single aquifer / river system that feed both the plain in Israel and the West Bank. Most of the water currently goes to Israel (unsurprisingly). And if you looked at the planned land distribution it basically left Palestine with barren / arid land with insufficient water to develop an economy
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
CBS News has hired the prominent British broadcaster Trevor Phillips as its senior global affairs correspondent in a significant hire for embattled top editor Bari Weiss.
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Why would one ever go to Horrids?
For a laugh? I find Fortnum's far nicer in every way.
Yes although a little overcrowded. But Harvey Nicks is grim these days and Peter Jones is just like a suburban shopping mall.
... with even Maureen Lipman saying this week she would vote for Kemi...
Dame Maureen has got close relatives in Israel and she's said in the past about how scared she is for them given the constant missile bombardment. Under Badenoch the Conservatives are solidly pro-Israel (I think - somebody correct me if wrong) and Labour under Burnham is lukewarm, so she has a valid reason for the switch.
Indeed, its sad to see the pro Hamas turn many in Labour have taken. Good to see principled lefties like Maureen take a stance.
It's not pro Hamas, it's anti genocidal, racist Israeli government
Barty seems to process scepticism of the Netanyahu Government as a pro Hamas narrative. Maybe Maureen Lipman is similarly minded.
I support the Israeli opposition that wants to see the corrupt Netanyahu be replaced, but be just as hardline at defeating Hamas.
The problem with Netanyahu is that he is (a) corrupt and (b) been too soft on Hamas.
Not that he has been too hard on them.
No, the problem is that Netanyahu's two goals, defeating Hamas and changing the regime in Iran, are and always were utterly unrealistic.
Israel simply cannot wipe out Hamas while the Palestinians' political grievances remain unaddressed. It has had limited military successes, but at the cost of further entrenching political support for Hames in Gaza.
And the war to overthrow the Iranian regime has been a total and utter failure - in fact, completely counter-productive because it has allowed the Iranian regime to clamp down on the opposition at home even more thoroughly.
All Netanyahu's strategy has achieved is to strengthen his enemies politically, ruin Israel's standing abroad and trap it in a never-ending cycle of war and atrocity.
It's the definition of a futile dead end.
From that point of view, at least, Netanyahu and Putin are twins.
That's quite a defeatist and nihilistic attitude.
It is absolutely possible to militarily defeat evil terrorists and fascist regimes like Hamas and Iran. There is plenty of precedence for doing so like defeating the Tamil Tigers and the Nazis and Imperial Japan.
What is needed is Total War until they are defeated and surrender unconditionally.
The problem is that Trump especially has been weak and chickened out, and Netanyahu has also been pulling his punches.
Israel needs to get more aggressive than it is and end the cycle of violence by eliminating the enemies.
Somewhat amazingly I find myself wanting to steer you back to the light comedy of the Laffer curve.
Barty is an absolutist. Even when it comes to killing civilians by the tens of thousands ... so long as it's done by the 'good guys'.
That is a fair comment.
I hold to the standards that what we did in WWII was right and that is the standard that Ukraine and Israel and other 'good guys' should operate to today.
Anything we did to defeat the Nazis was right and proper and legitimate for either Israel or Ukraine to do today.
War is hell and civilians die in it which is why it should be a last resort, but if you are in that last resort then you better bloody win.
If someone was to show that same indifference to the collective punishment of 2m Israeli citizens inc the slaughter of tens of thousands they would be outing themselves as a rank and disgusting antisemite.
You are no better. You're a sick joke on this topic.
Its not indifference. I literally said in the post you quoted that "war is hell".
That aids the prosecution not the defence. It's a banal throwaway phrase that very often (as in this case) precedes a justification of atrocities.
Specifically the utter nonsense of a WW2 comparison - equating the perpetrators of a terrorist attack against the dominant military power in the region, nuclear armed and backed to the hilt by the mighty USA, with the Nazi war machine.
I mean, cmon. You're taking the piss.
Sanctimonius holier than thou bullshit.
Its not a throwaway phrase, its the truth.
And it is not remotely nonsense to make a WW2 comparison. Hamas are every bit as evil as the Nazis and with an explicit goal to kill every Jew they can just like the Nazis.
You seem to think just because the power balance is different that is no reason to tackle and excise the evil. That is inexcusable and wrong.
... with even Maureen Lipman saying this week she would vote for Kemi...
Dame Maureen has got close relatives in Israel and she's said in the past about how scared she is for them given the constant missile bombardment. Under Badenoch the Conservatives are solidly pro-Israel (I think - somebody correct me if wrong) and Labour under Burnham is lukewarm, so she has a valid reason for the switch.
Indeed, its sad to see the pro Hamas turn many in Labour have taken. Good to see principled lefties like Maureen take a stance.
It's not pro Hamas, it's anti genocidal, racist Israeli government
Barty seems to process scepticism of the Netanyahu Government as a pro Hamas narrative. Maybe Maureen Lipman is similarly minded.
I support the Israeli opposition that wants to see the corrupt Netanyahu be replaced, but be just as hardline at defeating Hamas.
The problem with Netanyahu is that he is (a) corrupt and (b) been too soft on Hamas.
Not that he has been too hard on them.
No, the problem is that Netanyahu's two goals, defeating Hamas and changing the regime in Iran, are and always were utterly unrealistic.
Israel simply cannot wipe out Hamas while the Palestinians' political grievances remain unaddressed. It has had limited military successes, but at the cost of further entrenching political support for Hames in Gaza.
And the war to overthrow the Iranian regime has been a total and utter failure - in fact, completely counter-productive because it has allowed the Iranian regime to clamp down on the opposition at home even more thoroughly.
All Netanyahu's strategy has achieved is to strengthen his enemies politically, ruin Israel's standing abroad and trap it in a never-ending cycle of war and atrocity.
It's the definition of a futile dead end.
From that point of view, at least, Netanyahu and Putin are twins.
That's quite a defeatist and nihilistic attitude.
It is absolutely possible to militarily defeat evil terrorists and fascist regimes like Hamas and Iran. There is plenty of precedence for doing so like defeating the Tamil Tigers and the Nazis and Imperial Japan.
What is needed is Total War until they are defeated and surrender unconditionally.
The problem is that Trump especially has been weak and chickened out, and Netanyahu has also been pulling his punches.
Israel needs to get more aggressive than it is and end the cycle of violence by eliminating the enemies.
Somewhat amazingly I find myself wanting to steer you back to the light comedy of the Laffer curve.
Barty is an absolutist. Even when it comes to killing civilians by the tens of thousands ... so long as it's done by the 'good guys'.
That is a fair comment.
I hold to the standards that what we did in WWII was right and that is the standard that Ukraine and Israel and other 'good guys' should operate to today.
Anything we did to defeat the Nazis was right and proper and legitimate for either Israel or Ukraine to do today.
War is hell and civilians die in it which is why it should be a last resort, but if you are in that last resort then you better bloody win.
I don't suppose you are a big fan of the Geneva Convention.
What we did to Germnay and the Allies to Japan was limited by the means available.
While we didn't terror bomb civilian areas to break the national spirit like the Blitz we nonetheless tried to destroy Axis industry with carpet bombing even through theire was civilian housing all around it. Likewise railway hubs and bridges.
In no small apart the casualties from UK bombing were a product of the innaccuracy of wrtime bombing particularly before 43/44.
It's harder to justify the use of Napalm on Tokyo, it's first wartime use, on the worlds largest timber city than as anything else than an attempt to force surrender by terror. The it prevented more deaths from an Invasion doesn't cut it when they were already a broken nation on teh edge of starvation.
That we weren't prosecuted was really because we won.
Were they proportional? Probably not.
Were they all we had? Yes.
So given total war and National survival, justified if disproportional.
Little of that applies to Israel today.
Has it far more accurate weapons and the intelegence to deploy them than we had? Yes.
Is it in a position to take it's time and strike precisely when targets emerge? Yes.
For all the horrendous nature of it's attacks and ideology is Hamas a threat to the existance of Israel? Realisticly No.
Wanting to destroy Israel and being able to do so are two different things. II can kill people just like the IRA but we didn't flatten Dublin.
Can Israel degrade and contain Hamas and Hezbollah, without the current and recent use of force and civilan casualties and damage? Yes.
Therefore because Israel clearly has ways to proscute this war with far less damage and fewer civilian casualties but chooses not to, it is not doing the same as we did in WW2, just as we didn't do in Northern Ireland what we did in WW2.
Indeed just like we didn't do in WW2 when we occupied Germany ,what we did in the Crusades when we took the Holyland!
Peter.
You are completely wrong Breaking German civilian morale was an explicit aim of the allied bombing campaign. Harris and others were quite open about this.
What was advocated was to attack the ecosystem and dehouse was part of that; if the workers have nowhere to live they can't work.
Though Harris himself did talk about and advocate breaking morale the saturation attacks were a combination of hitting the whole industrial area and the fact that we operated at night.
In contrast the US who focused on the day raids where it was easiler to target key points. We did area bomb but not specifically to terrorise.
It did terrorise so it's a mute point, and there were those who wanted it too. But I go with it was more that we accepted the consequences rather than it was the main focus.
The point still stands; we did it because between German defences and our linitations, we had few other choices give the nature of the conflict. Israel isn't remotely in that position.
More importantly we should let thexperience of WW2, Ireland and Israel guide us to make better decisons next time ,not justify making the same ones again.
Ireland became a Republic in 49, israel a State in 48.
Both have faced terorism from the minority and both the UK and israel have pursued different strategies to overcome it.
Which one has worked.
Peter.
Again not so. We explicitly chose to bomb German civilian targets as a war aim not as collateral damage. The choice of incendiary bombs for Hamburg came after a detailed assessment of both the aims of the raid and the nature of the target. A civilian centre with a very high proportion of wooden buildings which would burn easily. As opposed to the miitary targets which were also hit but by separate squadrons carrying different munitions.
The explicit aim was to break German morale.
I am not passing a moral judgement on this, merely stating that pretending civilian casualties were collateral is dishonest and certainly not something the military command at the time would recognise.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
I might vote Labour for the first time as reward for that policy alone if he actually managed it.
Mind you I was on board with WFA withdrawal and we can see how that worked out for Starmer.
This social crisis among champagne socialists has been discussed supra . The error meant that you put in half a bottle of the stuff - it comes in handy 500 ml bottles at 20 quid a throw - along with decent quality champagne, and, as Wodehouse would have added, burying the bodies in the morning.
Aren't the left supposed to be doing pie and pea suppers and pork scratchings at their local Manchester catholic social club these days?
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Gauche? Me? Never.
I go to Fortnums for the biscuits and their water bottles.
... with even Maureen Lipman saying this week she would vote for Kemi...
Dame Maureen has got close relatives in Israel and she's said in the past about how scared she is for them given the constant missile bombardment. Under Badenoch the Conservatives are solidly pro-Israel (I think - somebody correct me if wrong) and Labour under Burnham is lukewarm, so she has a valid reason for the switch.
Indeed, its sad to see the pro Hamas turn many in Labour have taken. Good to see principled lefties like Maureen take a stance.
It's not pro Hamas, it's anti genocidal, racist Israeli government
Barty seems to process scepticism of the Netanyahu Government as a pro Hamas narrative. Maybe Maureen Lipman is similarly minded.
I support the Israeli opposition that wants to see the corrupt Netanyahu be replaced, but be just as hardline at defeating Hamas.
The problem with Netanyahu is that he is (a) corrupt and (b) been too soft on Hamas.
Not that he has been too hard on them.
No, the problem is that Netanyahu's two goals, defeating Hamas and changing the regime in Iran, are and always were utterly unrealistic.
Israel simply cannot wipe out Hamas while the Palestinians' political grievances remain unaddressed. It has had limited military successes, but at the cost of further entrenching political support for Hames in Gaza.
And the war to overthrow the Iranian regime has been a total and utter failure - in fact, completely counter-productive because it has allowed the Iranian regime to clamp down on the opposition at home even more thoroughly.
All Netanyahu's strategy has achieved is to strengthen his enemies politically, ruin Israel's standing abroad and trap it in a never-ending cycle of war and atrocity.
It's the definition of a futile dead end.
From that point of view, at least, Netanyahu and Putin are twins.
That's quite a defeatist and nihilistic attitude.
It is absolutely possible to militarily defeat evil terrorists and fascist regimes like Hamas and Iran. There is plenty of precedence for doing so like defeating the Tamil Tigers and the Nazis and Imperial Japan.
What is needed is Total War until they are defeated and surrender unconditionally.
The problem is that Trump especially has been weak and chickened out, and Netanyahu has also been pulling his punches.
Israel needs to get more aggressive than it is and end the cycle of violence by eliminating the enemies.
you still are and forever will be a complete lunatic
Lunacy is repeating the same mistakes and expecting other outcomes. Like having a repeated cycle of ceasefire, hatred, conflict, ceasefire.
Victory can break the cycle of violence. The Nazis are gone, the Tamil Tigers are gone. Imperial Japan reformed to save itself.
Victory works better than stalemate.
I don't really see how in this case total victory really can 'work'. Israel can fully occupy Gaza and the West Bank, and subdue and disarm the Palestinians who live there, but that wouldn't be enough. They would want to cleanse those areas of Palestinians to secure themselves permanently and make room for more Israelis to live there. Even if they didn't want to do this, they would still be stuck there. In West Germany, you could get rid of the Nazis, occupy the country for a while, and then leave and let the Germans get on with it. You can't do that in Gaza and the West Bank. The minute Israel leaves, anti-Israel forces would take hold, with some justification.
The only viable solution to me is, as I have said before, to empy Gaza of Palestinians and have them all move to the West Bank. And empty the West Bank of settlers and make them all move back to Israel and Gaza. Then you get a stable and secure Israel, and a viable Palestinian state.
Doesn’t work without resolving water rights (which wa what killed Oslo)
I didn't know that detail - which water rights?
There’s only a single aquifer / river system that feed both the plain in Israel and the West Bank. Most of the water currently goes to Israel (unsurprisingly). And if you looked at the planned land distribution it basically left Palestine with barren / arid land with insufficient water to develop an economy
Interesting. Under my scheme, certainly the West Bank would take on more people than it would lose. So water would be important. One would I suppose hope that a solution could be found with the support of sponsor Gulf States, all of whom must have had their own challenges getting enough water.
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Why would one ever go to Horrids?
For a laugh? I find Fortnum's far nicer in every way.
Yes although a little overcrowded. But Harvey Nicks is grim these days and Peter Jones is just like a suburban shopping mall.
Harvey Nicks is going to get worse if Mike Ashley buys it.
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Why would one ever go to Horrids?
For a laugh? I find Fortnum's far nicer in every way.
Yes although a little overcrowded. But Harvey Nicks is grim these days and Peter Jones is just like a suburban shopping mall.
Harvey Nicks is going to get worse if Mike Ashley buys it.
Can somebody explain to me the Mike Ashley* business strategy for buying up all these high street brands that are in the shit, aren't aligned to his Sport Direct business and then running them further into the ground?
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Why would one ever go to Horrids?
For a laugh? I find Fortnum's far nicer in every way.
I am about to go to Morrisons for a carton of milk. I will take it under advisement.
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Why would one ever go to Horrids?
For a laugh? I find Fortnum's far nicer in every way.
Occasionally Harrods do some decent Reward Members offers.
I picked up a pair of loafers that were £300 cheaper than going direct to Prada or Selfridges.
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Why would one ever go to Horrids?
For a laugh? I find Fortnum's far nicer in every way.
Yes although a little overcrowded. But Harvey Nicks is grim these days and Peter Jones is just like a suburban shopping mall.
Harvey Nicks is going to get worse if Mike Ashley buys it.
Can somebody explain to me the Mike Ashley* business strategy for buying up all these high street brands that are in the shit, aren't aligned to his Sport Direct business and then running them further into the ground?
* I think its his son in law now?
Gives his son in law something to do.
They are also spending a fortune on not the greatest out of town retail parks - J28 off the M1 being a prime example of WTF are you expecting to shop here..
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Why would one ever go to Horrids?
For a laugh? I find Fortnum's far nicer in every way.
Yes although a little overcrowded. But Harvey Nicks is grim these days and Peter Jones is just like a suburban shopping mall.
Harvey Nicks is going to get worse if Mike Ashley buys it.
Can somebody explain to me the Mike Ashley* business strategy for buying up all these high street brands that are in the shit, aren't aligned to his Sport Direct business and then running them further into the ground?
* I think its his son in law now?
Gives his son in law something to do.
They are also spending a fortune on not the greatest out of town retail parks - J28 off the M1 being a prime example of WTF are you expecting to shop here..
Expensive way of keeping his son in law busy. Couldn't he encourage him to take up golf or something?
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
"On the table" in the sense that it's somewhere in a big pile of papers labelled "think about this later" right at the back of the table? That some people have written papers or read papers and maybe the government will have an argument about whether to put something related in the next manifesto which probably won't actually include this particular measure is about as far as you can get from likely to happen without it falling off the table entirely...
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Gauche? Me? Never.
I go to Fortnums for the biscuits and their water bottles.
The sad thing is my wallet is now from Fortnums. I decided that their cyan blue is something I'm not going to fail to notice if I accidentally leave it on the bedside table..
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Why would one ever go to Horrids?
For a laugh? I find Fortnum's far nicer in every way.
Yes although a little overcrowded. But Harvey Nicks is grim these days and Peter Jones is just like a suburban shopping mall.
Harvey Nicks is going to get worse if Mike Ashley buys it.
Can somebody explain to me the Mike Ashley* business strategy for buying up all these high street brands that are in the shit, aren't aligned to his Sport Direct business and then running them further into the ground?
* I think its his son in law now?
His son-in-law runs the day to day operations but Mike Ashley does the strategic vision.
I shop at Flannels and they do have some very good sales at time, I think Flannels is designed for people who want nice things but cannot afford them upfront, he hooks them with his FraserPlus store card which has a shocking APR but you can pay for stuff over 4 years.
I know somebody who advised Mike Ashley, he turned up at a meeting with files in a Tesco carrier bag.
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Why would one ever go to Horrids?
For a laugh? I find Fortnum's far nicer in every way.
Yes although a little overcrowded. But Harvey Nicks is grim these days and Peter Jones is just like a suburban shopping mall.
Harvey Nicks is going to get worse if Mike Ashley buys it.
Can somebody explain to me the Mike Ashley* business strategy for buying up all these high street brands that are in the shit, aren't aligned to his Sport Direct business and then running them further into the ground?
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
Rule #1 of changing the rules of the game: no party ever does it except because it believes it will gain some advantage by doing so. Rule #2 of changing the rules of the game: it always backfires.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Remember the grisly run-ups to Reeves's budgets?
Here we go again?
Mmm. Is this the government flying kites, or is it (as I think Ed Balls has suggested) "friends of Burnham" saying he's in favour of this that and the other without any actual authority, or are the media making wild guesses, or is it actually likely?
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Gauche? Me? Never.
I go to Fortnums for the biscuits and their water bottles.
The sad thing is my wallet is now from Fortnums. I decided that their cyan blue is something I'm not going to fail to notice if I accidentally leave it on the bedside table..
Make sense.
I have so many Fortnum & Mason products simply because I adore the colour.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Do any pro Palestinians believe that if Israel gave up Gaza and the West Bank, the attacks on them would end?
They won't. That's why they need to absorb Gaza completely, and give up the West Bank completely. Then you're dealing with a single border and a proper state.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
Appeals? There is already a process in place for CT valuation appeals.
Do any pro Palestinians believe that if Israel gave up Gaza and the West Bank, the attacks on them would end?
They won't. That's why they need to absorb Gaza completely, and give up the West Bank completely. Then you're dealing with a single border and a proper state.
The Islamist leadership of Palestine would surely stop at that border
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
Appeals? There is already a process in place for CT valuation appeals.
And that valuation appeals service would be completely swamped...
Do any pro Palestinians believe that if Israel gave up Gaza and the West Bank, the attacks on them would end?
They won't. That's why they need to absorb Gaza completely, and give up the West Bank completely. Then you're dealing with a single border and a proper state.
The Islamist leadership of Palestine would surely stop at that border
You can defend a border. It is a lot harder to defend against an enclave within your own state, and a border.
A Chinese robotics team showed how they brutalize humanoid robots. Kicks, pushes, repeated knockdowns, and recovery training—all to build more robust locomotion policies.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
Appeals? There is already a process in place for CT valuation appeals.
And it would be completely swamped...
On what basis? To appeal you'd need to have grounds.
"I bought my house in early 2004 for £300k and you've valued it a £600k which is outrageous because the Halifax price index says... oh, 100% increase since then and the Nationwide index says, er... the same."
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
Rule #1 of changing the rules of the game: no party ever does it except because it believes it will gain some advantage by doing so. Rule #2 of changing the rules of the game: it always backfires.
All those who don't normally vote but are Reform minded suddenly all come out and vote Reform, because buggered if they are going to send £10 to Andy Bunham....
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
I would have thought Harrods Rewards and AMEX card status willy waving is incredibly gauche.
I find Harrods as a retailer to be pretentious in a way Fortnums is clearly designed simply for the man on the Clapham Omnibus to buy tea.
Why would one ever go to Horrids?
Lunch in Kensington. Staggering back to St James. Need a piss.
Attendances for Hundred 20% down — despite bigger stars and fresh branding
I’m at Headingley on Tuesday for a match.
The corporate hospitality prices are down 40% from last year.
According to my colleague a fortnight ago the prices were 10% higher than last year.
I am getting spammed with offers.
They are trying to pitch the match on Tuesday as a Roses match.
Nah it’s Leeds Sunrisers v Manchester Supergiants.
The only things wrong with the Hundred are the stupid team names, the fact that the identity of the teams bears no relationship to the identity of the players (e.g. Root - Welsh Fire; Bairstow - London something etc) and therefore doesn't promote any sense of belonging, the fact that it's not proper cricket at all, the fact that it's really just about money, and the fact that it's pretty boring and predictable. Otherwise, it's fine.
The only reason I am going on Tuesday is meet some clients and former colleagues.
Oh and the salmon and cheese sandwiches, they are the dog's dangly bits.
Man of the people....
I had a real man of the people moment last week when out of 20 people I was the only who had read The Odyssey in the original Greek.
As my other half noted my face had this shocked look that I was the only one.
This place may be the home of pseuds corner. You know the drill, posters debating their supercar ownership, Oxbridge, name dropping (I thank you all for reading my anecdotes!) buckshee first class flights to exotic locations, eating dogs and cats, and not getting out of bed in the morning for less than a seven figure salary. All a bit tiresome, however reading Homer in Greek is f***in' impressive. On the other hand I saw Odysseus last weekend and it was all Greek to me.
Levels of airline tier status is so plebeian.
The true level of sophistication is Harrods rewards tier and AMEX card tier.
The reason I love Supermac and Greek is this story.
in September 1916, [Harold Macmillan] was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek
CBS News has hired the prominent British broadcaster Trevor Phillips as its senior global affairs correspondent in a significant hire for embattled top editor Bari Weiss.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
Appeals? There is already a process in place for CT valuation appeals.
And it would be completely swamped...
On what basis? To appeal you'd need to have grounds.
"I bought my house in early 2004 for £300k and you've valued it a £600k which is outrageous because the Halifax price index says... oh, 100% increase since then and the Nationwide index says, er... the same."
Appeal dismissed.
I don't think Zoopla is sufficient for a mortgage valuation - I'll ask tomorrow as my current client could do with a laugh...
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
And even the 1991 isn't the greatest - our house has a lower band than the smaller house we are attached to as they valued 1 house on each street and the one they valued on our street was next to the council estate (it's 300 yards away).
On topic - I'm expecting an earlier election simply because there is a risk of Reform imploding so holding an election as it implodes rather than after it's gone would be the sensible approach...
So I wouldn't 100% rule out 2027 as the sane choice.
What's striking is that no one is calling for an early election, in complete contrast to the last three or four times that the PM changed mid term.
Lots of reasons of course but the main one is that no one actually wants one right now. Reform would have a year ago but are on the slide. The Tories are basically nowhere. The greens are fading as their leaders balloon has burst on the twin boobs of failing to obey the law and actual scrutiny. The lib dems have made no impression on moving their vote share despite the government travails.
So no one wants an early election.
Shows just how cynical all those who repeatedly called for them in previous times were.
One of the reasons I am told that the Tories aren't keen on fighting a snap election is that they don't have a pot to piss in at the moment and they have to run a full campaign for the Greater Manchester Mayoral campaign which is expensive.
Also candidate selection, the other issue that some people are on the Tory candidate list who are also looking to join Reform....
I bet they regret returning £15m to Frank 'Dianne Abbott should be shot' Hester.
They did return it, didn't they?
Oh.
'Diane Abbott row: Tory minister says they'd take more cash from donor Frank Hester'
So Kemi's claims she has raised millions are about as accurate as her claims when she was in charge of International Trade and signed dozens of deals on worse terms!
I think on this occasion Burnham is wise not to be anything but form on the date.
The Country is sick and tired of the churn and short termism.
If he goes is 229 he can go with a message of stability and a manifesto for 5 -10 years with hopefully a degree of trust.
Farage I doubt will be the threat he still is, Tories will desperately need to wake up and realise the centre round is where they should be and not hard right where they are being taken. If there is an exodus of Tories it is more likely to be to LD's in strategically plausible incumbent hold deats across the South and Home Counties. Tories who are pro EU and pro renewables.
'Tories who are pro EU and pro renewables' have a ready made home in the Lib Dems
@HYUFD who is the best one to listen to on the conservative party, though we have our disagreements, has already made this point not least because the conservative party will not re-join the EU and wants to ameliorate the cost of domestic bills by reducing the climate change levies by £200 pa. Also open up the North Sea which seems to be likely now.
The ECHR is a problem across Europe with individual EU countries seeking to exclude immigration from their remit, and even introduce Rwanda style schemes
You have a 'bee in your bonnet' about Kemi but look at her polling and approval rates and note that she and Andy Burnham are the only leaders with positive ratings
The next 12 months will be the Andy v Kemi show, not least because Kemi is the leader of the opposition, and it promises to be interesting
So are you happy for her to basically deselect or refuse to select Politicians who are in support of net zero or some form of renewable POlicy or are in support of the basic tenets and vast majority of EHCR guidelines.
Are you happy for very good people like Street and Davison walk away?
Kemi is creating a new conservative party and yes, if they do not support her policies why would she allow them to stand ?
Because without a broad centre right coalition including the intelligent and thoughtful One Nation party it is impossible for the Tories to win 325 seats would be a top reason and quite enough for now.
You mean pro EU and net zero then one nation
One Nation will do fine thanks. It is worth noting that Labour, currently the government and likely to still be after the next election, are stuffed full of MPs and members who are pro EU but don't have now, or any plan to have, a policy of rejoining the EU.
As to net zero, most UK politicians don't accept that climate change caused by CO2 is a hoax. SFAICS it isn't even Reform policy as such. I don't think Kemi has said it's all a big lie. The policy of CO2 emissions is all about timing and bilateral movement with other emitters, not about principle.
Badenoch doesn't own the Conservative Party in the way Farage owns Reform. It belongs to the members who share the same principles (private enterprise, national cohesion, personal responsibility, for example). How those principles evolve into policies is the daily grind of big tent party politics and for Badenoch to short-circuit the process by excluding everyone who disagrees with her does not bode well. The Wets are drifting to the Libdems and the Dries are drifting to Reform, leaving behind the unelectable residue of her personal fan club. It's easy to see why the Tories chose her ("We're desperate. Let's try a girl from Lagos. We've never done it before"), less easy to imagine how it will succeed in practice. Her divisive policies are actually an irrelevance because she's never going to be in a position to enact them. She'll end up in the dustbin of history where Liz Truss awaits her, but at least she won't be expected to rock up to the Cenotaph every November.
I fully agree with this, being a 50 years Tory voter (in general elections) but now lost to them. The Tories without a centrist middle class, including a public sector middle class, is a lost cause in the long run.
An indicator worth keeping an eye on is in the sub samples (with the customary warnings of course) of polling, eg YouGov. In their latest polling, in the 'Higher' category (which I suppose is something ljke ABC1) Tory + Reform is only 39%. Tory at 22%. They have lost a lot of their traditional support, tending to be naturally centrist, to elsewhere.
Eh? The Tories are now polling best in the higher category on 22%, to 20% in the Intermediate category and just 19% with Routine groups.
Indeed, the only group where Labour and the Tories are still the top 2 parties is those in the higher social class category, with Labour on 27%, the Tories on 22%, Reform on just 17% and the LDs on 15%.
Whereas Reform lead with Intermediate and Routine groups on 28% and 30% and Labour, the traditional party of the working class is now only third with its former core vote on just 17% and 16% behind even the Tories in those groups on 20% and 19%
This slightly misses the point. The majority of the middle class votes left of centre. 78% of the middle class doesn't vote Tory. This is an existential crisis for the party.
No it doesn't, only 49% of those in the higher class vote Labour or Green and the LDs were in government with the Tories only just over 10 years ago.
The Tories still lead Reform with middle class voters, so while Reform lead Labour with working class voters, the Tories reach middle class voters still Reform can't
I am content with Kemi and the conservative party and the siren voices on here are entitled to their view
However, you do not achieve a plus approval rate with even Maureen Lipman saying this week she would vote for Kemi if you are not cutting through and predicting the demise of the conservative party is either wishful thinking or hope
There is a lot to happen over the next 3 years and predicting the next GE is impossible
Burnham may win but who knows even Kemi may upset all the predictions and become the next PM
I expect it to be one or the other as I do not see Farage as a threat for the next GE
Or rather let Farage concentrate on winning Labour held seats in the Northern redwall and Midlands and Wales and let Kemi concentrate on winning Labour seats in London and the South and a few SNP seats in Scotland.
Reform and the Tories only really need to fight each other in the 124 existing Tory held seats and the handful of seats Reform won from the Tories at the last general election, especially in areas like Kent and Essex and East Anglia, which is less than a quarter of the total number of seats in the Commons
“let Farage concentrate on winning Labour held seats in the Northern redwall and Midlands and Wales and let Kemi concentrate on winning Labour seats in London and the South and a few SNP seats in Scotland.”
I am sure your electoral logic is bankrupt there. Specifically Labour areas will switch to Reform in great quantities at a Parliamentary election.
When Labour had a bad locals that boosted Burnham’s takeover, 4 of their voters went left, to to just 1 right to Reform.
Boris had more appeal over these Labour area’s than Farage. Especially the crucial midlands seats.
The real picture is Conservative and Reform are standing everywhere and cancelling each out, fighting for what is most largely the same voter pool.
Reform still lead Labour 30% to 24% in the Midlands on last week's Yougov and Reform are 6% behind Labour in the North 25% to 31%.
In the South though the Tories lead on 25% to 22% for Reform and 21% for the LDs and just 14% for Labour and in London Reform did best in the outer suburbs like Havering but the Tories beat Reform and Labour in areas like Westminster, Enfield, Kensington and Chelsea and Wandsworth. So it makes sense for them to target different areas
For a realistic picture of who’s going to win seats, take a look at the % of vote and % of seats last time, the Seat number reform got from % of vote. Lack of tactical votes for Ref and Con.
What you are missing in your posts in this mini discussion, when you quote those numbers at us, is the 2019 election. Those voters you are shrugging and conceding are Reforms in those seats, voted Conservative in 2019, and so did so many of those seats in a landslide win.
The mistake I believe you are making, which you do all the time, is put the numbers into a seat calculator - 28% Reform - Labour in second place 22% so 28% of seats to Reform, 22% of seats to Labour, 20% to Conservatives who will get 20% seats just behind how many Labour get. It’s going to be tactical votes. Tactical votes are anti votes, attack votes. Whilst you often add the Con and Ref vote together as a voting block.
What has happened since 2019 wasn’t a transfer from Conservative to Reform like choosing a different or preferable brand or style of Ideology on a trip to the mall, Conservatives lost voters based on perception of competence. Halfway through last Parliament, the day Truss entered number 10 as PM, Reform did not exist as any political force.
This con to ref transfer being competence not ideology is so important way of understanding it, because it means 0% chance of Reform/Con coalition government, 0% chance of Reform Con party merger, if the whole reason for Reform having such support, and keeping such support, is they are not the conservatives and don’t have the record and perception of Conservative incompetence. And crucially too very little chance of tactical vote swaps.
Conservatives focus on these seats, Con on those, coalition government from two hefty seat hauls, possible merger of the parties - that’s all utter nonsense if you understand it is not been ideological or party differences between Reform and Tory, it’s that Reform only poll above 3% if Con are seen as incompetent.
If you try to squeeze what is actually happening into some sort of different parties with similar ideology model, you miss the crucial point about those tactical votes. On ideology Reform and Tory could both get mutual tactical votes across all constituencies. But if Reform voters not voting Conservative on basis of Boris wave, not stopping the boats, cost of living due to Incompetent Tory government, there are not the tactical votes there.
The only thing for Conservative Party, their friends in media and donor need to focus on, the only way forward for the Conservatives, is eradication of Reform back to “nothing” status they were at just a few years back on basis there’s only a lowish ceiling Reform can ever hit, certainly in polling, and definitely in seats. All right wing support to reform is now an utter waste of time, it’s hampering making a proper go at taking the electoral fight to the left.
They did but then the Tories stupidly got rid of Boris who was the only leader to ever win most of those voters (with a few lent to May because of Brexit) and they aren't coming back from Farage anytime soon. As you say when Boris was still PM Reform were nowhere.
The loss of competence vote was straight Tory to Labour mainly after the disastrous Truss budget, those are voters the Tories can start to win back and indeed are winning back in the South, where they now lead and in London in some areas where they won back councils like Westminster and Enfield.
Reform voters though more likely to tactically vote Tory to beat Labour in the few areas Reform can't win than Tory voters are to vote Reform as Yougov shows. In most seats the Reform vote is rock solid though and is not going Tory again for the foreseeable future.
45% of current Reform UK voters would vote Tory if their seat was between the Conservatives and Labour, the Lib Dems or Greens? The Conservatives are set to get support of nearly half Reform vote in constituency tactical voting?
As I mentioned in my header last week, we need to be careful with “sentiment polling” and where possible, compare with what actually happens. And there is plenty of analysis of the actual votes in May 26 that challenges the actual reality of the “sentiment polling” from Feb doing the heavy lifting in your post.
Sam Freedman done a piece that right-wing tactical voting is highly contested because many of Reform’s key target seats, the Conservatives are already sitting in first or second place, which complicates the logic of Reform voters stepping aside to "tactically" back a Tory candidate and so getting anywhere themselves. And that’s what Reform leaders and their voters done in the real elections May 26, maximise their own vote by talking up how incompetent conservatives are in power. https://samf.substack.com/p/how-to-beat-reform That also concludes Labour best chance to take on Reform is run a highly successful government that leads to rising wages and improved public services - which is exactly what I think they gave up on when swapping Reeves and Starmer’s economic plan for Healey’s and Burnham’s.
Playing with the tactical vote levels on this page is fun https://www.pollcheck.co.uk/demographic-swingometer/ but garbage in garbage out, the most sensible thing to feed into it as what voters are actually doing when choosing councils in the May elections, not sentiment stuff in polling. And even though I reckon the closest thing we can feed in is what happens in May locals, that’s still a very different thing than what goes through voters minds choosing a government and PM at a GE.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Politics.
Any such revaluation would piss off many voters and not reward the politicians so why bother.
But the process suggested is not that far off how the 1991 valuation happened in the first place and we have much more data and processing capabilities today.
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Has anyone told Burnham yet? The final figure would not be dissimilar for me.
It would be a stonking increase for me. Well and truly test my mettle. Would I be a 'patriotic London home owner'?
If you were to exit stage slightly-less-left-than-usual, pursued (sorry) by Andrew Bearnham, how many years of the increase would be paid for by the price increase caused by the removal of Stamp Duty - if you got half of it and a purchaser got the other half?
We may hear about this on The Rest is Politics, since Bad Al would be in a similar position - aiui he lives in a house very like one in the attic of which I rented a studio room in back around 2000, in South Hampstead.
That one pays £3680 Council Tax as a Band G, for a House worth about £3 million.
So SDLT saved would be £273k for the purchaser in a sale, which I'm taking as £136.5k on the price for a 50:50 split.
And 0.48% of 3 million is £14.4k per annum, or £10.8k per annum extra.
So very roughly on those assumptions that would be breakeven at 13 years.
I don't think that is too shabby on those numbers - unless I have a false assumption.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Rebanding keeps the same crap system with a new political headache. And the discrete nature of bands makes it easier to appeal when on the border.
A continuous valuation system using objective data shouldn't be hard, and is worth it to implement a fairer and more efficient tax policy.
Increases in value from home improvements done by the current owner won't be captured, but is actually a nice ancillary benefit of the policy (encouraging owners to improve the housing stock).
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
Appeals? There is already a process in place for CT valuation appeals.
And it would be completely swamped...
On what basis? To appeal you'd need to have grounds.
"I bought my house in early 2004 for £300k and you've valued it a £600k which is outrageous because the Halifax price index says... oh, 100% increase since then and the Nationwide index says, er... the same."
Appeal dismissed.
…and in next weeks episode, an objection to a planning application was settled in 10 minutes and a motorway widening scheme approved without possibility of appeal in 15.
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
Why? Who benefits? Who enforced? What's the bloody point?
Would someone who refused to vote and refused to pay the fine eventually be sent to gaol? It's the only language they understand.
I don't think I've ever NOT voted but I completely respect anyone who chooses not to vote, even if it's sheer ideleness. There is NO clamour for this in the nation. It can only be because the party behind it believes it will gain.
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
More seriously, the thing is now, charges on processing cash are so high, it doesn't help small businesses, lots of them only what to deal with card or Apple Pay nowadays.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
Oscar Wilde famously remarked the one thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.
Kemi Badenoch has no such fears on PB - she's always close to the conversation which I think speaks volumes to the political demographic of PB.
Fair enough - I think Andy Burnham represents a far greater challenge than Keir Starmer ever did. How she responds to that challenge will be either the making of her or the breaking of her.
The outlines of a distinctive Conservative offering are appearing but the Devil will be in the detail - whose benefits will be cut when and by how much? Declaring war on pensioners by abolishing the Triple Lock for example seems an electorally fraught move - promising tax cuts here, abolishing stamp duty there, spending more on defence all sound good but the cynic in me will rightly ask how all this is to be paid.
The crunch for her will be having to stand up and defend welfare cuts - you can be sure those affected will shout the loudest.
She may be fortunate inasmuch as by 2029, rather like 1979, the prevailing sentiment will be "we cannot go on like this" and there will be more support for the kind of economic restructuring she might be advocating in terms of supply side reforms etc.
I think Kemi needs something as well as the poster paints for her poster points.
I think she is far too vulnerable to detailed critique through gaps left open by her brash headlines.
Everythingism in action - certain opinions, not political in themselves, become associated with one side over another, and then you find they have to share every other opinion of people of similar groups. Although there's nothing inherent about advocating physical cash that would align itself with Lowe's other views, it does not surprise to find it in his wheelhouse.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
What if a neighbour applies fir olanning permission for a hideous extension and gets it? Bad enough but because your house is almost identical you could get it to. So your land is more valuable and you must pay more tax.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
On this, unlike your total war pronouncements, I am in total agreement. LVT is the way.
More seriously, the thing is now, charges on processing cash are so high, it doesn't help small businesses, lots of them only what to deal with card or Apple Pay nowadays.
It helps some small businesses - our local chippy has a sign up saying that they prefer cash, so I make a point of paying for my chips with cash. Others prefer not to have to deal with cash - my barber prefers electronic payment. Swings and roundabouts.
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
It looks like we might be having a summer of 'Andy Burnham is contemplating xyz' stories. Excellent as debate fodder but if the scuttlebut on his cabinet choices is anything to go by it will mostly be wide of the mark.
Everythingism in action - certain opinions, not political in themselves, become associated with one side over another, and then you find they have to share every other opinion of people of similar groups. Although there's nothing inherent about advocating physical cash that would align itself with Lowe's other views, it does not surprise to find it in his wheelhouse.
Perhaps he’s just creating clear blue water from Reform’s “to help proper businesses, invest in crypto” advocacy?
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
I think not only will I vote Labour at the next election I will be joining the Labour Party.
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
You are having a really bad day on PB - you’ve been drinking loopy sauce. Land value tax is completely nutty socialism. What happens to farmers under LVT? There are no good answers what happens to us.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
You are having a really bad day on PB - you’ve been drinking loopy sauce. Land value tax is completely nutty socialism. What happens to farmers under LVT? There are no good answers what happens to us.
I've no idea about the details of LVT but didn't the original idea come from late 19th century Liberals not "nutty socialists"??
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Estate agents, following a 30 min zoom course, using Zoopla and recent sold prices.
The VOA can do the appeals, but make it like business rates where you carry on paying the assigned rate until such time as the VOA get round to it (it only took me four years to get the rates corrected on my work premises!).
My tongue is only half in cheek here, the current council tax bandings were done in months. I appreciate that the civil service now is vastly less competent than it was then, despite costing twice as much, but it should be perfectly possible for this to be in place for the 2028 financial year if they actually want to do it.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
You are having a really bad day on PB - you’ve been drinking loopy sauce. Land value tax is completely nutty socialism. What happens to farmers under LVT? There are no good answers what happens to us.
I've no idea about the details of LVT but didn't the original idea come from late 19th century Liberals not "nutty socialists"??
If something is nutty socialism today, it is nutty socialism no matter where it originally came from.
Nor are there any good answers what happens to old lady living alone in family home. If she could defer the hideous Land Value Tax bills to pay at death, it’s back door Dementia Tax.
It looks like we might be having a summer of 'Andy Burnham is contemplating xyz' stories. Excellent as debate fodder but if the scuttlebut on his cabinet choices is anything to go by it will mostly be wide of the mark.
I hope he is contemplating LVT.
He at the very least has spoken very positively about it in the past, and it is a long-overdue reform.
If he tackles a big issue like that, he will be worthy of some respect.
Sadly I expect he will dodge it and take the path of least resistance and do nothing, just like Starmer. Doing nothing may be the least offensive way of not annoying people. but it also guarantees you achieve nothing too.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
You are having a really bad day on PB - you’ve been drinking loopy sauce. Land value tax is completely nutty socialism. What happens to farmers under LVT? There are no good answers what happens to us.
I've no idea about the details of LVT but didn't the original idea come from late 19th century Liberals not "nutty socialists"??
If something is nutty socialism today, it is nutty socialism no matter where it originally came from.
Nor are there any good answers what happens to old lady living alone in family home. If she could defer the hideous Land Value Tax bills to pay at death, it’s back door Dementia Tax.
Why should the old lady living alone in family home not pay the tax that is due on a family home?
She has the option of downsizing, which frees up a family home for an actual family, and given stamp duty is abolished in this scenario she cashes in there too. Win for her, and win for a family who can get a family home.
If she chooses to stay in situ in an oversized home, then that is her prerogative and she should be entitled to do that, but should pay whatever fees are due for such a home.
All great communicators in politics and business are naturals - Andy Burnham is one of these - together with James Purnell he is driving the strategy and his comms team are executing it - there is no "PR svengali" in No10 because you don't need that when the boss is leading - Obama was same, Clinton too, I'm not sure the Westminster village understand how good he is at this stuff. It will get tougher, but they know that. Purnell learned a huge amount at BBCStudios or BBCW as was.
... with even Maureen Lipman saying this week she would vote for Kemi...
Dame Maureen has got close relatives in Israel and she's said in the past about how scared she is for them given the constant missile bombardment. Under Badenoch the Conservatives are solidly pro-Israel (I think - somebody correct me if wrong) and Labour under Burnham is lukewarm, so she has a valid reason for the switch.
Indeed, its sad to see the pro Hamas turn many in Labour have taken. Good to see principled lefties like Maureen take a stance.
It's not pro Hamas, it's anti genocidal, racist Israeli government
Barty seems to process scepticism of the Netanyahu Government as a pro Hamas narrative. Maybe Maureen Lipman is similarly minded.
I support the Israeli opposition that wants to see the corrupt Netanyahu be replaced, but be just as hardline at defeating Hamas.
The problem with Netanyahu is that he is (a) corrupt and (b) been too soft on Hamas.
Not that he has been too hard on them.
No, the problem is that Netanyahu's two goals, defeating Hamas and changing the regime in Iran, are and always were utterly unrealistic.
Israel simply cannot wipe out Hamas while the Palestinians' political grievances remain unaddressed. It has had limited military successes, but at the cost of further entrenching political support for Hames in Gaza.
And the war to overthrow the Iranian regime has been a total and utter failure - in fact, completely counter-productive because it has allowed the Iranian regime to clamp down on the opposition at home even more thoroughly.
All Netanyahu's strategy has achieved is to strengthen his enemies politically, ruin Israel's standing abroad and trap it in a never-ending cycle of war and atrocity.
It's the definition of a futile dead end.
From that point of view, at least, Netanyahu and Putin are twins.
That's quite a defeatist and nihilistic attitude.
It is absolutely possible to militarily defeat evil terrorists and fascist regimes like Hamas and Iran. There is plenty of precedence for doing so like defeating the Tamil Tigers and the Nazis and Imperial Japan.
What is needed is Total War until they are defeated and surrender unconditionally.
The problem is that Trump especially has been weak and chickened out, and Netanyahu has also been pulling his punches.
Israel needs to get more aggressive than it is and end the cycle of violence by eliminating the enemies.
Somewhat amazingly I find myself wanting to steer you back to the light comedy of the Laffer curve.
Barty is an absolutist. Even when it comes to killing civilians by the tens of thousands ... so long as it's done by the 'good guys'.
That is a fair comment.
I hold to the standards that what we did in WWII was right and that is the standard that Ukraine and Israel and other 'good guys' should operate to today.
Anything we did to defeat the Nazis was right and proper and legitimate for either Israel or Ukraine to do today.
War is hell and civilians die in it which is why it should be a last resort, but if you are in that last resort then you better bloody win.
If someone was to show that same indifference to the collective punishment of 2m Israeli citizens inc the slaughter of tens of thousands they would be outing themselves as a rank and disgusting antisemite.
You are no better. You're a sick joke on this topic.
Its not indifference. I literally said in the post you quoted that "war is hell".
That aids the prosecution not the defence. It's a banal throwaway phrase that very often (as in this case) precedes a justification of atrocities.
Specifically the utter nonsense of a WW2 comparison - equating the perpetrators of a terrorist attack against the dominant military power in the region, nuclear armed and backed to the hilt by the mighty USA, with the Nazi war machine.
I mean, cmon. You're taking the piss.
Sanctimonius holier than thou bullshit.
Its not a throwaway phrase, its the truth.
And it is not remotely nonsense to make a WW2 comparison. Hamas are every bit as evil as the Nazis and with an explicit goal to kill every Jew they can just like the Nazis.
You seem to think just because the power balance is different that is no reason to tackle and excise the evil. That is inexcusable and wrong.
Of course the power dynamic and proportionality is relevant. Eg if a military unit obliterates a whole town and its population in order to kill a handful of enemy operatives who are hiding there that is not ok.
It's ridiculous to view Israel Palestine as a simple Good v Evil conflict. As regards the Oct 7th attack and the destruction of Gaza (and West Bank terrorisation) in response it's Evil v Evil.
... with even Maureen Lipman saying this week she would vote for Kemi...
Dame Maureen has got close relatives in Israel and she's said in the past about how scared she is for them given the constant missile bombardment. Under Badenoch the Conservatives are solidly pro-Israel (I think - somebody correct me if wrong) and Labour under Burnham is lukewarm, so she has a valid reason for the switch.
Indeed, its sad to see the pro Hamas turn many in Labour have taken. Good to see principled lefties like Maureen take a stance.
It's not pro Hamas, it's anti genocidal, racist Israeli government
Barty seems to process scepticism of the Netanyahu Government as a pro Hamas narrative. Maybe Maureen Lipman is similarly minded.
I support the Israeli opposition that wants to see the corrupt Netanyahu be replaced, but be just as hardline at defeating Hamas.
The problem with Netanyahu is that he is (a) corrupt and (b) been too soft on Hamas.
Not that he has been too hard on them.
No, the problem is that Netanyahu's two goals, defeating Hamas and changing the regime in Iran, are and always were utterly unrealistic.
Israel simply cannot wipe out Hamas while the Palestinians' political grievances remain unaddressed. It has had limited military successes, but at the cost of further entrenching political support for Hames in Gaza.
And the war to overthrow the Iranian regime has been a total and utter failure - in fact, completely counter-productive because it has allowed the Iranian regime to clamp down on the opposition at home even more thoroughly.
All Netanyahu's strategy has achieved is to strengthen his enemies politically, ruin Israel's standing abroad and trap it in a never-ending cycle of war and atrocity.
It's the definition of a futile dead end.
From that point of view, at least, Netanyahu and Putin are twins.
That's quite a defeatist and nihilistic attitude.
It is absolutely possible to militarily defeat evil terrorists and fascist regimes like Hamas and Iran. There is plenty of precedence for doing so like defeating the Tamil Tigers and the Nazis and Imperial Japan.
What is needed is Total War until they are defeated and surrender unconditionally.
The problem is that Trump especially has been weak and chickened out, and Netanyahu has also been pulling his punches.
Israel needs to get more aggressive than it is and end the cycle of violence by eliminating the enemies.
Somewhat amazingly I find myself wanting to steer you back to the light comedy of the Laffer curve.
Barty is an absolutist. Even when it comes to killing civilians by the tens of thousands ... so long as it's done by the 'good guys'.
That is a fair comment.
I hold to the standards that what we did in WWII was right and that is the standard that Ukraine and Israel and other 'good guys' should operate to today.
Anything we did to defeat the Nazis was right and proper and legitimate for either Israel or Ukraine to do today.
War is hell and civilians die in it which is why it should be a last resort, but if you are in that last resort then you better bloody win.
If someone was to show that same indifference to the collective punishment of 2m Israeli citizens inc the slaughter of tens of thousands they would be outing themselves as a rank and disgusting antisemite.
You are no better. You're a sick joke on this topic.
Its not indifference. I literally said in the post you quoted that "war is hell".
That aids the prosecution not the defence. It's a banal throwaway phrase that very often (as in this case) precedes a justification of atrocities.
Specifically the utter nonsense of a WW2 comparison - equating the perpetrators of a terrorist attack against the dominant military power in the region, nuclear armed and backed to the hilt by the mighty USA, with the Nazi war machine.
I mean, cmon. You're taking the piss.
Sanctimonius holier than thou bullshit.
Its not a throwaway phrase, its the truth.
And it is not remotely nonsense to make a WW2 comparison. Hamas are every bit as evil as the Nazis and with an explicit goal to kill every Jew they can just like the Nazis.
You seem to think just because the power balance is different that is no reason to tackle and excise the evil. That is inexcusable and wrong.
Of course the power dynamic and proportionality is relevant.
Eg if a military unit obliterates a whole town and its population in order to kill a handful of enemy operatives who are hiding there that is not ok.
It's ridiculous to view Israel Palestine as a simple Good v Evil conflict - as regards the Oct 7th attack and the destruction of Gaza in response it's Evil v Evil.
Israel has not destroyed its population.
It very easily could and the way you speak about it is as if they had - but if they had then the conflict would be over and the cycle of violence ended, but in the most evil and horrific way imaginable. A real life genocide.
But they've not done that. Because they're not the evil ones, they could, but they don't.
Yet people here still demean actual genocides and actual war crimes by lobbing around such words like confetti.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
You are having a really bad day on PB - you’ve been drinking loopy sauce. Land value tax is completely nutty socialism. What happens to farmers under LVT? There are no good answers what happens to us.
I've no idea about the details of LVT but didn't the original idea come from late 19th century Liberals not "nutty socialists"??
If something is nutty socialism today, it is nutty socialism no matter where it originally came from.
Nor are there any good answers what happens to old lady living alone in family home. If she could defer the hideous Land Value Tax bills to pay at death, it’s back door Dementia Tax.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
You are having a really bad day on PB - you’ve been drinking loopy sauce. Land value tax is completely nutty socialism. What happens to farmers under LVT? There are no good answers what happens to us.
I've no idea about the details of LVT but didn't the original idea come from late 19th century Liberals not "nutty socialists"??
If something is nutty socialism today, it is nutty socialism no matter where it originally came from.
Nor are there any good answers what happens to old lady living alone in family home. If she could defer the hideous Land Value Tax bills to pay at death, it’s back door Dementia Tax.
Though I suspect it will be mainly old ladies living in £1 million+ mansions in central London or Surrey who will be affected most by Burnham's Land Value Tax so Labour won't be too concerned. Though the Tories and LDs certainly will be concerned on the old ladies behalf
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
You are having a really bad day on PB - you’ve been drinking loopy sauce. Land value tax is completely nutty socialism. What happens to farmers under LVT? There are no good answers what happens to us.
I've no idea about the details of LVT but didn't the original idea come from late 19th century Liberals not "nutty socialists"??
If something is nutty socialism today, it is nutty socialism no matter where it originally came from.
Nor are there any good answers what happens to old lady living alone in family home. If she could defer the hideous Land Value Tax bills to pay at death, it’s back door Dementia Tax.
Though I suspect it will be mainly old ladies living in £1 million+ mansions in central London or Surrey who will be affected most by Burnham's Land Value Tax so Labour won't be too concerned. Though the Tories and LDs certainly will be concerned on the old ladies behalf
Give one good reason why an old lady living in a million pound mansion should not be paying accordingly.
And any old lady in a million pound mansion who wants to downsize currently gets punished heftily with stamp duty - under this proposal stamp duty is abolished so the old lady who downsizes benefits rather than getting punished if they opt to do that.
Politics UK @PolitlcsUK 🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham is strongly considering replacing council tax and stamp duty with a 0.48% annual tax on a home's current value
Who would value all the houses in a relatively short period of time and who is going to deal with the enormous number of appeals?
Valuation is not hard. Last sale price uprated by the change in the Halifax or Nationwide house price index since the sale. Zoopla, Rightmove and quite a few others already do this. For the handful of houses that haven't been sold since the Nationwide House Price Index started in 1952, use the midpoint of their Council Tax band, uprated from April 1991 by the index.
If it is so simple why has there not been a revaluation for Council Tax since 1991?
Two adjacent terraced houses valued the same in 1991. One maintained in immaculate condition with a loft conversion, the other gone to rack and ruin. They're certainly not worth the same now. The difference could be £100k - £200k, depending on location.
That is the advantage of a proper land value tax over a property value one.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
You are having a really bad day on PB - you’ve been drinking loopy sauce. Land value tax is completely nutty socialism. What happens to farmers under LVT? There are no good answers what happens to us.
I've no idea about the details of LVT but didn't the original idea come from late 19th century Liberals not "nutty socialists"??
If something is nutty socialism today, it is nutty socialism no matter where it originally came from.
Nor are there any good answers what happens to old lady living alone in family home. If she could defer the hideous Land Value Tax bills to pay at death, it’s back door Dementia Tax.
Though I suspect it will be mainly old ladies living in £1 million+ mansions in central London or Surrey who will be affected most by Burnham's Land Value Tax so Labour won't be too concerned. Though the Tories and LDs certainly will be concerned on the old ladies behalf
Give one good reason why an old lady living in a million pound mansion should not be paying accordingly.
And any old lady in a million pound mansion who wants to downsize currently gets punished heftily with stamp duty - under this proposal stamp duty is abolished so the old lady who downsizes benefits rather than getting punished if they opt to do that.
Maybe as it is a family home than has been in her family for generations and she doesn't want to sell it and downsize
Comments
Compulsory voting on the table as Burnham ponders electoral reform
Proposals seen by the prime minister’s advisers suggest a £10 fine for those who do not cast a ballot, with a ‘none of the above’ option to be included
Voting would be compulsory under proposals seen by some of Andy Burnham’s most senior advisers, with suggestions those who stay at home be hit with a £10 fine.
MPs have already attempted to insert compulsory voting into legislation inherited by the new government, while three think tanks influential in Labour policy circles advocated the change.
The prime minister is known to be interested in electoral reform, and has pledged to make the case for it to be included in the next Labour manifesto.
While it is understood compulsory voting does not form part of that plan at present, proposals were seen by members of Burnham’s transition team before he entered Downing Street, while papers advocating the policy were produced or approved by people who have since taken senior roles in No 10.
https://www.thetimes.com/article/a3153e93-cb4f-4cd6-a32f-1185ae7313bf?shareToken=66b9cfa197170a460f63cb4abeff406e
🛫🎒📺💼🛄
CBS News has hired the prominent British broadcaster Trevor Phillips as its senior global affairs correspondent in a significant hire for embattled top editor Bari Weiss.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jun/11/cbs-news-trevor-phillips-sky-news
Sky News "talent" pool is very thin.
Its not a throwaway phrase, its the truth.
And it is not remotely nonsense to make a WW2 comparison. Hamas are every bit as evil as the Nazis and with an explicit goal to kill every Jew they can just like the Nazis.
You seem to think just because the power balance is different that is no reason to tackle and excise the evil. That is inexcusable and wrong.
The explicit aim was to break German morale.
I am not passing a moral judgement on this, merely stating that pretending civilian casualties were collateral is dishonest and certainly not something the military command at the time would recognise.
Mind you I was on board with WFA withdrawal and we can see how that worked out for Starmer.
Aren't the left supposed to be doing pie and pea suppers and pork scratchings at their local Manchester catholic social club these days?
I go to Fortnums for the biscuits and their water bottles.
* I think its his son in law now?
I picked up a pair of loafers that were £300 cheaper than going direct to Prada or Selfridges.
They are also spending a fortune on not the greatest out of town retail parks - J28 off the M1 being a prime example of WTF are you expecting to shop here..
I shop at Flannels and they do have some very good sales at time, I think Flannels is designed for people who want nice things but cannot afford them upfront, he hooks them with his FraserPlus store card which has a shocking APR but you can pay for stuff over 4 years.
I know somebody who advised Mike Ashley, he turned up at a meeting with files in a Tesco carrier bag.
Rule #2 of changing the rules of the game: it always backfires.
I have so many Fortnum & Mason products simply because I adore the colour.
Appeals? There is already a process in place for CT valuation appeals.
https://x.com/ErenChenAI/status/2081211715899867283
Have they not watched any sci-fi movies, just wait until it comes to get its revenge.
"I bought my house in early 2004 for £300k and you've valued it a £600k which is outrageous because the Halifax price index says... oh, 100% increase since then and the Nationwide index says, er... the same."
Appeal dismissed.
https://youtu.be/WuDEo8kgYOQ?t=171&is=O1Zm0qh-xZ-WzvgJ
The Conservatives are set to get support of nearly half Reform vote in constituency tactical voting?
As I mentioned in my header last week, we need to be careful with “sentiment polling” and where possible, compare with what actually happens. And there is plenty of analysis of the actual votes in May 26 that challenges the actual reality of the “sentiment polling” from Feb doing the heavy lifting in your post.
The LSE done analysis which showed right wing block not nearly as effective in tactical voting as left wing block.
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/tactical-voting-at-the-local-and-devolved-elections-2026/
Sam Freedman done a piece that right-wing tactical voting is highly contested because many of Reform’s key target seats, the Conservatives are already sitting in first or second place, which complicates the logic of Reform voters stepping aside to "tactically" back a Tory candidate and so getting anywhere themselves. And that’s what Reform leaders and their voters done in the real elections May 26, maximise their own vote by talking up how incompetent conservatives are in power.
https://samf.substack.com/p/how-to-beat-reform
That also concludes Labour best chance to take on Reform is run a highly successful government that leads to rising wages and improved public services - which is exactly what I think they gave up on when swapping Reeves and Starmer’s economic plan for Healey’s and Burnham’s.
Playing with the tactical vote levels on this page is fun
https://www.pollcheck.co.uk/demographic-swingometer/
but garbage in garbage out, the most sensible thing to feed into it as what voters are actually doing when choosing councils in the May elections, not sentiment stuff in polling. And even though I reckon the closest thing we can feed in is what happens in May locals, that’s still a very different thing than what goes through voters minds choosing a government and PM at a GE.
Any such revaluation would piss off many voters and not reward the politicians so why bother.
But the process suggested is not that far off how the 1991 valuation happened in the first place and we have much more data and processing capabilities today.
We may hear about this on The Rest is Politics, since Bad Al would be in a similar position - aiui he lives in a house very like one in the attic of which I rented a studio room in back around 2000, in South Hampstead.
That one pays £3680 Council Tax as a Band G, for a House worth about £3 million.
So SDLT saved would be £273k for the purchaser in a sale, which I'm taking as £136.5k on the price for a 50:50 split.
And 0.48% of 3 million is £14.4k per annum, or £10.8k per annum extra.
So very roughly on those assumptions that would be breakeven at 13 years.
I don't think that is too shabby on those numbers - unless I have a false assumption.
A continuous valuation system using objective data shouldn't be hard, and is worth it to implement a fairer and more efficient tax policy.
Increases in value from home improvements done by the current owner won't be captured, but is actually a nice ancillary benefit of the policy (encouraging owners to improve the housing stock).
Adam Brooks AKA EssexPR 🇬🇧
@EssexPR
Everyone I speak to wants a General election
https://x.com/EssexPR/status/2081345440176320989
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They must be a strange bunch, the regulars at his two boozers in the Epping area.
Rupert Lowe MP
@RupertLowe10
To help proper small businesses, use cash.
https://x.com/RupertLowe10/status/2081422488265756965
More seriously, the thing is now, charges on processing cash are so high, it doesn't help small businesses, lots of them only what to deal with card or Apple Pay nowadays.
A landowner who invests in and maintains their land should not be penalised over one who neglects it.
Part 2648482 of an ongoing series.
I think she is far too vulnerable to detailed critique through gaps left open by her brash headlines.
20 stacks, 6cm high each - a briefcase…
The VOA can do the appeals, but make it like business rates where you carry on paying the assigned rate until such time as the VOA get round to it (it only took me four years to get the rates corrected on my work premises!).
My tongue is only half in cheek here, the current council tax bandings were done in months. I appreciate that the civil service now is vastly less competent than it was then, despite costing twice as much, but it should be perfectly possible for this to be in place for the 2028 financial year if they actually want to do it.
Nor are there any good answers what happens to old lady living alone in family home. If she could defer the hideous Land Value Tax bills to pay at death, it’s back door Dementia Tax.
@Geri_E_L_Scott
Excl: Kemi Badenoch will only support Andy Burnham’s social care reforms if they are funded by cutting spending rather than raising taxes.
He at the very least has spoken very positively about it in the past, and it is a long-overdue reform.
If he tackles a big issue like that, he will be worthy of some respect.
Sadly I expect he will dodge it and take the path of least resistance and do nothing, just like Starmer. Doing nothing may be the least offensive way of not annoying people. but it also guarantees you achieve nothing too.
She has the option of downsizing, which frees up a family home for an actual family, and given stamp duty is abolished in this scenario she cashes in there too. Win for her, and win for a family who can get a family home.
If she chooses to stay in situ in an oversized home, then that is her prerogative and she should be entitled to do that, but should pay whatever fees are due for such a home.
David Yelland
@davidyelland
All great communicators in politics and business are naturals - Andy Burnham is one of these - together with James Purnell he is driving the strategy and his comms team are executing it - there is no "PR svengali" in No10 because you don't need that when the boss is leading
- Obama was same, Clinton too, I'm not sure the Westminster village understand how good he is at this stuff. It will get tougher, but they know that. Purnell learned a huge amount at BBCStudios or BBCW as was.
https://x.com/davidyelland/status/2081490235515637905
It's ridiculous to view Israel Palestine as a simple Good v Evil conflict. As regards the Oct 7th attack and the destruction of Gaza (and West Bank terrorisation) in response it's Evil v Evil.
It very easily could and the way you speak about it is as if they had - but if they had then the conflict would be over and the cycle of violence ended, but in the most evil and horrific way imaginable. A real life genocide.
But they've not done that. Because they're not the evil ones, they could, but they don't.
Yet people here still demean actual genocides and actual war crimes by lobbing around such words like confetti.
And any old lady in a million pound mansion who wants to downsize currently gets punished heftily with stamp duty - under this proposal stamp duty is abolished so the old lady who downsizes benefits rather than getting punished if they opt to do that.