I see Liz Truss is set to relaunch her bid for leadership

What is so funny Nanna Firework?

we are all living longer, but we are costing the state.

WE are not costing the state any more than anyone else 'costs the state'. Our state pension doesn't disappear into a big black hole, never to be seen again. We spend it, putting the money into the domestic economy and sustaining local business. Most of it will return to the Treasury through taxation anyway. It's a circular flow.

In the meantime, while we are still active we provide services to the community, providing childcare for grandchildren and volunteering. These don't have a recognised monetary value, so we aren't measured as being productive, but they benefit society all the same.

No words 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Anniel www.statists.com
104.5 billion £ state pension in 21/22
Previous year 102 billion

Well “we all hate the Tories” are out in force here. There is no doubt the Conservatives have been in power for a long time and the quality of ALL MPs is rather poor, but if you think Sir Keir as PM will be so different from Rishi you may be disappointed. And as he does not dare say who is a woman for fear of irritating the minuscule, aggressive Trans group, feminists will be watching closely. I have loved Nicola Sturgeon’s discomfort over the ludicrous gender legislation in Scotland ( where are Volver and her mates on this matter?) and I am not convinced she is no longer interested in this board!
I look forward to Labour winning power at the next election to see how they reform the NHS, how they deal with clamour for wages increase and deal with the size of the bill for unemployment and other burgeoning benefit bills. Over the weekend I was dismayed to read an article about the size of the bill for state pensions which is enormous. As we spend 38% of government income on the NHS how much more we can afford? I can hear shouts of tax the rich and I agree that some large enterprises could pay more but that would not cut the deficit. I am one of the oldest members here and we are all living longer, but we are costing the state. So we all paid our taxes and worked most of our lives, but if anyone has a quick link to the cost of the state pension in UK I would be interested.

RVK1CR

Germanshepherdsmum

As Victor Meldrew would say …

Exactly what I thought 😁

That was my initial reaction, too.

I wonder who - or what - has convinced her that staging a comeback is a good idea?

Half the country is on strike - or rebellious, further energy price hikes are looming, the poor are becoming poorer by the day with inflation, and middle-income earners are feeling the pinch and know that they are usually the target demographic when it comes to shouldering more of the burden... and she wants to still give more money to the already wealthy in the name of 'growth' - the kind of growth that is doubtful as a science, and would take months and months, if not years, for the tiniest of 'trickle' downwards?
If she's given a green light by the government (I doubt it will happen), they will be - to coin a phrase - toast.
I know we don't choose the PM of the party, but we sure as heck choose the party based on who is the PM - witness Boris Johnson's party's success.
I don't think the nation is in the mood for Trussonomics. It's worth noting that when the Reagan administration implemented 'Reaganomics' - the government also increased public spending - can't remember the % but it was quite 'reasonable'. Truss - our own Ayn Rand - is totally opposed to it, unless sufficient amounts trickle their way down, by which time the NHS will have collapsed completely... along with half the people who depend on its services.

Shoo, woman!

Germanshepherdsmum

As Victor Meldrew would say …

Exactly what I thought 😁

lovebeigecardigans1955

Is there not a secure enough institution to which she can be dispatched?

😂😂😂🤣🤣. Made my day !x

NO!!
Seeing as it's not an election year labour are not going to give anything away, the con merchants will simply pinch any good ideas and present as their own like all bad bosses! Labour don't have to say what they'd do-yet . certainly not in any great details and I cannot see why people fail to understand to his? "Play your cards close to your chest" never heard that one, doubters?!? Worry ye not they know what they're doing and will have a behemoth of a task after this bunch of idiots have cut and run......buoyed up by their offshore kitty

I usually hate to get into discussions about politics because they always devolve into nasty name calling and intense emotions.

I am the last person people would want to hear from re the state of your nation, I’m sure… but here it goes, short and sweet…

My perspective is the UK should never have left the EU. Still a very strong ally and partner of the US, your country’s stature in the European sphere has greatly diminished. Once the leader of the European west, now, not so much.

And UK/everyone is suffering economically. Can you ever recover? I try to follow what is affecting you, my friends, but am no expert for sure. Just my thoughts. It all goes back to Brexit.
Nothing much to Cheer about…
USA Gundy

sazz1

Theresa May was nice but too nice and not strong enough to lead. Liz was a joke letting her chancellor promise money for everything without costing any of it. Boris was far too soft with his staff allowing partying. Rushi seems incapable of negotiations with any of the unions, far too convinced they will all cave in.
So that leaves Labour and Starmer who is indecisive, changes policies all the time and has no charisma at all.
Suppose he's the best of a bad bunch

Heaven help us if Starmer is the best of the bad bunch.

There seem to be few decent politicians. They need to hold down proper jobs in the community for a few years to gain some insight.
Our recent MP tries to stay grounded and return every few weeks to organise and take part in litter picking and generally clearing up in some rough places but he’s a bit naive getting genuinely upset when his wife and children were targeted. A vile thing to do but not that unexpected in this day and age.

No room in politics for decent people on either side of the house!

Unfortunately she was chewed up, spat out and given flawed advice on how to appeal to the public.

Liz Truss should go and lecture America. They seem to pay has beens millions to bore themselves silly. Nice work if you can get it!

No. Just no.

Oh please no! There’s something about her that just rubs me up the wrong way.

Theresa May was nice but too nice and not strong enough to lead. Liz was a joke letting her chancellor promise money for everything without costing any of it. Boris was far too soft with his staff allowing partying. Rushi seems incapable of negotiations with any of the unions, far too convinced they will all cave in.
So that leaves Labour and Starmer who is indecisive, changes policies all the time and has no charisma at all.
Suppose he's the best of a bad bunch

The Tory Party have put so much brass into their own necks it’s no wonder there is no brass left in the Treasury to improve the country!

Katie59

Deluded indeed, she had her chance and proved herself incompetent within a few days, then has the temerity to try to justify herself.

She claims she was not warned about the fragility of the British economy.

Did she not notice the inflation that everyone else did?

The IMF rejects 'trickle-down' economics - ergo, they are part of the "left-wing" economic establishment. In other words, her failed premiership is the fault of... the Left.

She didn't outline how the borrowing for the tax-cuts would be financed. The unfunded tax cuts panicked the markets and tanked the £.

... but it's not her fault and she wasn't given a "chance".

Deluded is the right word, deluded and naïve.

And arrogant.

I see her bid for leadership (again) has gone down like a lead balloon (Chinese?) in the majority of the Tory MPs.

Deluded indeed, she had her chance and proved herself incompetent within a few days, then has the temerity to try to justify herself.

The woman is deluded.

Assume brace position!
(We’re all doomed!)

Yeah could have been worse 🤣 if she had another month or so in number 10 who knows how bad things may be now.

I couldn't stop laughing when I glanceed at it. She nearly crashes the economy in her first week and then complains that she didn't have time to really establish her policies, well thank the lord for that!!

Baggs

Joseanne

What an embarrassment she must be to her daughters.
I do think it is unfair to bring personal family relations, especially children, into these discussions.
It isn't our business to wonder what LT's daughters think.
Just my take on it.

Quite.

And it is this kind of thing that puts people off N&P threads. We don't need to know GN-ers hatred of this or that politician. It totally reduces the tone.

And it is this kind of thing that puts people off N&P threads. We don't need to know GN-ers hatred of this or that politician. It totally reduces the tone.

I think "hatred" might be somewhat OTT. It's possible to intensely dislike a politician because of their purported ideology, but hating them is on a whole different level.

I intensely dislike both Johnson and Truss for what they have done to this nation, but hatred spawns - or can - acts of violence toward the hated individual. And I don't wish physical harm on either of them.

I also disliked Thatcher, but was repulsed by some of the things said about her when she died - or rather said about the fact that she'd died. I took no pleasure, as did some, in the snippets of information from the Ritz about her declining health, her mini-strokes and dementia... that's the kind of hatred I want no part in.

I'm pretty sure most GNs are not fuelled by that kind of hatred. Both Johnson and Truss have been responsible for acts and policies that have damaged the lives of many and I don't think it is wrong to point out their failings, their apparent self-conceit, motivation, etc, because they have caused great harm - not only to individuals, but to the nation as a whole, and to our reputation. People are angry, and rightly so, and obviously discussions will be heated. That's the nature of 'politics'. I don't think change in a country's fortunes has ever been brought about by acquiescence, or being politely kind. Politics is the Devil's Kitchen, hot and messy.

Liz Truss has made a half-hearted apology for the fact that millions of homeowners are set to face increases in their repayments (some will find the repayments unaffordable) by suggesting she went "too far, too fast" or words to that effect, but then blames the "left-wing" economic establishment (many - including economists - are scratching their heads wondering just who she is referring to), in effect trying to absolve herself from blame. With energy bills set to soar again in April, it is really hardly surprising that debate is, and will continue to be, heated on N&P threads.

ronib

MaizieD I don’t know if these days it’s true that the State initially funds R&D and drives innovation which is subsequently exploited by private enterprise . This doesn’t tally with start up funding for high tech products with profit as the main motivation. Investors from all over the world go to trade fairs where a prototype is displayed and investment is secured on an idea. The State is not involved.

Just read anything by Mariana Mazzucato, ronib