Rishi Sunak: Get back to Parliament and present an Emergency Budget

France is doing better than the UK economically and here are some of the reasons. - Taken from a Guardian article today.

"By most economic yardsticks – national income, business investment, consumer spending, labour supply and rising prices – France sits at or near the top of the pile of rich nations. Contrary to most forecasts, its economy recovered last year to 1% above pre-pandemic levels. The UK is still 0.1% below.

Business investment is up in France but down in the UK. Labour shortages there are restricted to discrete corners of the economy, thanks to the expansion of a German-style apprenticeship scheme that the British government promised, but has yet to deliver.

UBS economist Felix Huefner said: “The exceptional performance of the labour market has been a huge surprise.”

Better financial support meant French people 'continued buying big-ticket items when people in other countries stopped' "

"Daniela Ordonez, economist

More people are working in France than before the pandemic, whereas in the UK, about 500,000 people, mostly over- 50s, have quit the labour market, making shortages more acute."

By capping the increase in electricuty to 4% MAcron has ensured that people will not go into poverty and so will have more money to spend. Inflation in France is lower too at 4.5%, compared with the UK, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, all of which have higher rates.

Just in case anyone accuses me of being pro French, that is not the case. Whilst I live here, I hate to see what is happening to people in the UK. Looking at Europe as a whole (possibly excluding Switzerland), it seems to me that the UK has the greatest differential in wealth between rich and more and that shouldn't be the case.

Thank you all who have signed. I know just how you feel. But we are doing what we can do and we may find we can do more in time.

Signed.

I wish.

Although I'm not currently able to verify this, I have been told that the Torys' strategy is "maximum pain now". This is not yet the worst, but they will relieve the pressure in time to buy our votes in 2024. After the election, they will pile the pain back on.

I expect we will have to wait and see if there is any truth in this. If this proves to be true I would like to think that people would not be fooled. Sadly, we know they will be.

Sunak for leader I mean!

Don't even think about it .........

The only thing that will get him back is if the polls show a massive loss of support for the Tories, and that doesn’t seem to be happening.

I reckon he will give a massive give away budget a year before the election, especially if he fancies his chances of being the next leader

Well, that's one way to cut your heating bills I suppose. Also, one thing that isn't mentioned much is the fact that personal tax allowances have been frozen for four or five years. Thus, as people earn more gross due to the annual increases in minimum wages, they are not really keeping up as the amount untaxed doesn't change.

Signed and shared, but with low expectations of any notice being taken, I'm afraid.

Signed but don't have any expectations of any actions from Sunak. That would be going against his dogma.

Signed

I don't think he has time does he? He is off to one of his homes in California on holiday.