WFA, bus pass, triple lock,

BevSec

MayBee70, that has been quoted so many times. He got
Brexit done and was a charismatic leader. He is a man of integrity. Keir Starmer was photographed in some sort of similar setting anyway during lockdowm, eating a takeaway I believe with beer, in company. Boris was a giant brought down by pygmies.

Bev Johnson and integrity don’t belong in the same sentence, bar Truss he is the worst PM the UK has ever had, a lazy charismatic buffoon, excellent qualifications, no. Many Tories still bemoan his leaving politics, which shows just how much out of touch with reality they are, most voted Reform.

The accusation against Starmer was as we all very well know investigated most throughly by the Durham Police operating under exactly the same guidelines as those with BJ and his teams, and claims rejected.

Starmer and Raynor both promised that if they had been found to be breaking guidelines they would resign.

BJ never offered this option.

MayBee70, that has been quoted so many times. He got
Brexit done and was a charismatic leader. He is a man of integrity. Keir Starmer was photographed in some sort of similar setting anyway during lockdowm, eating a takeaway I believe with beer, in company. Boris was a giant brought down by pygmies.

I parted company with the Johnson’s idealogical during the Brexit campaign, they were promising changes which could not possibly be delivered- and so it was.

From there it got worse, Sunak was the best of a very bad lot but it was far too late, they had to go.

BJ could have stood down with dignity when it was clear he no longer had his own Party's support.

Instead, it became a debacle with BJ accusing fellow MP's of conducting a "witch hunt" (a la Trump) which just weakened his own party.

BevSec

It was overturned partly because of the disgraceful way Boris was stabbed in the back imo. With him still at the helm they would have won the election.

He broke the law! He was found to be a liar? Do you approve of that sort of behaviour in a PM?

Yes I guess it was a protest vote.

Not with reform in the running they took a large slice of the extreme right vote

It was overturned partly because of the disgraceful way Boris was stabbed in the back imo. With him still at the helm they would have won the election.

I’m a natural conservative, my vote was tactical and with a lot of others doing the same overturned a Tory majority of 22k.

So far Starmer is doing what I approve of

David49 I guessed you didnt vote Tory!

BevSec

David49, it may be wasteful in your view, but I see it as a small reward for paying taxes all my working life, whether I need it or not, that is beside the point. The Government can find money when it wants to. There is no political will to help pensioners, they know we tend to vote Tory anyway.

This one didn’t vote Tory, there are plenty of pensioners on GN not many dared to raise their head above the parapet to support Sunak.

“a reward for paying taxes” that’s an interesting justification for WFA

David49, it may be wasteful in your view, but I see it as a small reward for paying taxes all my working life, whether I need it or not, that is beside the point. The Government can find money when it wants to. There is no political will to help pensioners, they know we tend to vote Tory anyway.

BevSec

David49, will the money be spent where it really matters? How sure are you that it will be?

That’s another story, we elect representatives at local and national level to decide where the money needs to be spent, one thing for sure giving WFA to those that don’t need it is very wasteful.

David49, will the money be spent where it really matters? How sure are you that it will be?

One thing we can't change is when we're born!

Thats an interesting thought and I've been mulling over the thought of my mother living during the war. Particularly in winter, in Scotland during the black out.

Cadeby

pascal30

I can certainly understand young people's grievances about the older generation.. We had so many more advantages... not only free University and a grant, it was much easier to buy a house because we didn't have to jump through hoops to get a mortgage, the start of cheap flights and holidays, a really good dental system, easily accessible NHS, proper contracts for employment, better social care, no worry yet about climate change, really the list goes on.. we were a blessed generation really

A different world, sad. But it's not our fault.

I'll be very cold this winter.

not only free University and a grant
But few went to University then.

But it's not our fault
No.

Rationing, Cold War, Winter of Discontent, strikes etc.

We cope with the times we live in.

pascal30

I can certainly understand young people's grievances about the older generation.. We had so many more advantages... not only free University and a grant, it was much easier to buy a house because we didn't have to jump through hoops to get a mortgage, the start of cheap flights and holidays, a really good dental system, easily accessible NHS, proper contracts for employment, better social care, no worry yet about climate change, really the list goes on.. we were a blessed generation really

A different world, sad. But it's not our fault.

I'll be very cold this winter.

MayBee- I find myself using the expression my gran was fond of - it will see me out - frequently these days. The first time I remember using it was when i bought my mini in 2022. It had 4000 miles on the clock - love at first sight

Sorry to butt in but am I the only person who did not get the daily letter from gn today? Nothing binned by mistake as far as I can see. Any suggestions as to what the problem might be?

It was only in the mid 80s that we went into Equitable Life and we all know what happened to that company
I saved into AVCs for years when I was working because I thought it would bring me extra income in retirement, a considerable lump out of my salary each month. There was a choice between Equitable Life and Scottish Widows and I did "Ip dip dip, my blue ship" and it landed on Scottish Widows (not very scientific but I couldn't decide). My working life was cut unexpectedly short so now I get the princely sum of £59 per month for all my sacrifices back then!

At least it wasn't Equitable Life, I'm sorry that happened to you, Dinahmo.

I think we got a lot of poor financial advice then, endowment mortgages that failed to pay off etc so what little savings we had went to pay off the shortfall.

When my kids were young ( and well into their teens) a meal out was a once a year treat paid for by an unmarried friend. I’ve never quite got over the extravagance of actually buying a cup of coffee and still often take a flask of coffee with me when I go out. I bought my first brand new car @15 years ago (0% finance) and am hoping it will last me out. We were only able to do necessary work on our house when we inherited some money from my husbands father and that’s when we went on our first hotel holiday abroad: prior to that we’d gone camping.

I started work after leaving school at 18. I'm now 77. I still work as I have a small accountancy/taxation practice which I enjoy. It's also necessary because we are poorly provided with private pensions. It pays for new specs (v expensive) vets' fees, car repairs and occasional help in the house or garden. In that respect I'm lucky. I suspect that there are quite a few who have continued to work past retirement age. If we and/or the dogs were healthy we would also go on holiday too.

There was a discussion this morning on tv about retirees paying NIC on their earnings. In fact, for most of them who are employed, their employer will be paying contributions for them; the employees don't pay. It's quite possible that the earnings of many pensioners will be below the threshold.

My own adult children sometimes seem to resent the fact that DH and I could retire in our 60’s, in receipt of the state pension. I got mine at nearly 63 years old, DH his at 65.

AC are nearly 50 and 48. DD in particular who is an Australian citizen reckons she will have to work until she’s 70 to get her ‘super’ (their SP).

What they forget is that DH left school at just 15, so worked full time for 50 years. I started work at 16, and apart from 6 years off when the children were small, also always worked, though not always full time.

Different times.