Labour and the Tories have disenfranchised me

Isn’t it partly the reason for huge logjams in the NHS?

NHS waiting lists had doubled before Covid, and long before the strikes.

It’s hard to quantify the cost or effec of the strikes, but this is informative
www.nhsconfed.org/articles/did-covid-19-and-nhs-strikes-cause-elective-care-backlog

growstuff

Germanshepherdsmum

I know you are not well off growstuff, but you do have a partner who is.

Who doesn't contribute anything to my finances (I wouldn't take it even if he offered).

I understand. The point I was making, too hastily as I was about to go out and therefore clumsily, for which I apologise, is that you are not alone in this world. You have someone who wouldn’t let you starve, who will treat you sometimes. We have posters on GN who are widowed and have no income other than their state pension and whatever benefits their low income entitles them to. One who I often think of - I won’t name her but I will I hope not be the only one who remembers her - has a husband in a care home. She has to manage the matrimonial home alone and when it’s cold she goes to bed. Sometimes the care home ask her to visit her husband during the night because he is distressed. She walks two miles there and two miles back in darkness because there is no bus at night and she can’t afford a taxi. Not having to pay tax on her pension would help her - and her plight is by no means unique. Labour could have raised the tax threshold for pensioners, as the Conservatives will - but they refused. Pensioners are not one of their ‘priorities’

I rarely talk Politics with some friends but had coffee this morning with my friend who spent her whole adult career as a nurse in the Army, then NHS. Her husband has the same background. They are now retired.

She brought it up and I was quite surprised when she said they would both be horrified if Labour got in. She had just spent a lovely long weekend away with a large group of former nurses and none of them want Labour in either.

As I said yesterday I have not met a single person who wants Labour in and there are no Labour posters up anywhere around here.

At 5% increases, those on just a state pension would be drawn into paying tax in 26-7, paying 77p per week/£40 per year

They’re the sort of figures I read - so minimal amounts really.

I’m a pensioner and already pay tax but I have several friends who are on the SP only, so currently not paying tax. Every one of them says they absolutely don’t mind paying some tax to keep our public services going.

growstuff where do you get the idea that doctors striking won’t affect many people? Isn’t it partly the reason for huge logjams in the NHS?

Allsorts

If anyone believes the labours charges will not mean more taxes don’t be fooled. First thing will be Inheritance Tax, theirs will be sorted by clever accounting. Charges increased by stealth, purchasing property or road tax etc. Be realistic where else can they get it. As for the NHS, doctors still striking.

Well, that won't affect many people.

According to stopthetories.vote I should be voting for the SNP in my constituency. As I could never, ever vote SNP, is spoiling my paper the only option??

*from (not form)

maddyone

How any government can ever justify pensioners paying tax on the state pension is beyond me. The state pension is less than half what would be earned on the minimum wage on a 35 hour week!

Pensioners in receipt of the basic state pension don't (yet) pay income tax. If they pay tax, it's because the pension is enhanced (eg SERPs) or they have other income, including form occupational pensions.

Due to my late husband paying into contracted out contributions, years ago, and what I paid in, I receive an “enhanced” state pension.

I was dragged into paying tax on just my SP last April.

It’s paid via my private pensions.🤷‍♀️

How any government can ever justify pensioners paying tax on the state pension is beyond me. The state pension is less than half what would be earned on the minimum wage on a 35 hour week!

And of course anyone who only has SP will be paying tax under Labour because they have refused to match the Conservatives’ promise in that regard. It is not lost on me that Labour constantly say they are the party for working people. I hope people on GN who have to live on a SP heed those words, and the refusal to stop them paying tax

Please show your workings out, GSM, because mine show that at 3% state pension increases, this would not happen until the 2028-29 financial year and then only if the personal allowance remained frozen (which both Labour and the Tories have said won’t happen).

At 5% increases, those on just a state pension would be drawn into paying tax in 26-7, paying 77p per week/£40 per year. This assumes no action is taken to ameliorate this, which I think is unlikely (but, of course, possible).

If anyone believes the labours charges will not mean more taxes don’t be fooled. First thing will be Inheritance Tax, theirs will be sorted by clever accounting. Charges increased by stealth, purchasing property or road tax etc. Be realistic where else can they get it. As for the NHS, doctors still striking.

I'm not sure what Labour stands for and who they represent nowadays. I'm sure it's not the platform for the working classes Keir Hardie envisioned in 1900.

Equally I can say the same for the Conservative Party.

Everything evolves and society has changed exponentially since the early days of both but they both seem very far removed from what I thought they stood for.

Many supporting Labour in whatever capacity send their children to fee paying schools, seek out private medicine and embody champagne socialism.

The Conservative Party seem to only draw on the elite and the financially and socially privileged to lead them. At Least Disraeli did try for some social reform but this current bunch of clowns have blatantly displayed a lack of integrity and are completely out of touch with how the majority of the population live on a day to day basis.

I really do find it to be a personal and moral dilemma to choose who would get my vote.

It’s about the same length of time since the country got fed up of Labour and voted the Conservatives.
Plus ça change . . .

I don't know how the Conservatives can justify any "election specials". They've had 14 years to do their "special" stuff, which is partly why the country is in such a mess.

Obviously I don't pay NI any more, but if I'm correct, they were the ones who raised it and now have reduced it. Eh?

To be honest, I don't even know what they're promising apart from Rwanda and some half-baked conscription plan.

True. Do understand. But I think that the last few years has reduced any trust going - and we have to start afresh at some point and make a jump and vote.

My heart sinks at the ever reducing people coming out to vote and do understand why.

I don't expect any party to carry out exactly whats promised if circumstances change in a way that could not have been predicted - its when they betray it altogether and it turns out to have been an "election special"

growstuff I didn't focus on Labour. This is true of any party that gains power.

AGAA4

Wyllow3

Except the LP has laid out how it will be spent in detail. See Manifesto.

Promises can and often are broken once party gains power.

Which goes for any party. Why focus just on Labour?

Wyllow3

Except the LP has laid out how it will be spent in detail. See Manifesto.

Promises can and often are broken once party gains power.

Germanshepherdsmum

I know you are not well off growstuff, but you do have a partner who is.

Who doesn't contribute anything to my finances (I wouldn't take it even if he offered).

AGAA4

I may be cynical but paying extra taxes doesn't mean that money will go on public services. Once a government has your extra money it can use it as it wishes.

That’s not cynical. That’s the truth. I’ve read many posts about what hasn’t happened to money collected.

Except the LP has laid out how it will be spent in detail. See Manifesto.

I may be cynical but paying extra taxes doesn't mean that money will go on public services. Once a government has your extra money it can use it as it wishes.

I know you are not well off growstuff, but you do have a partner who is.