Labour in line to get the largest majority since 1832......

I am relieved. After 14 years I have had enough of the Tories as have most people.

The problem with maintaining very high standards is often others cannot reach them.
The problem is assuming that one set of standards trumps another. Live and let live.

I agree that it’s important that government has a good opposition but nobody forced the Conservatives to destroy themselves by trying to morph into UKIP.

Iam64

MaizieD good post

Callistemon - the invasion of Iraq was wrong on every level. I can’t let that destroy the positives Blair brown achieved

I agree.

GSM

There’s nothing wrong with being a Christian and having strong morals. However, last time I read the bible, admittedly many years back, I recall Jesus “suffering the little children” and turning the other cheek and preaching tolerance, understanding and forgiveness.

The problem with maintaining very high standards is often others cannot reach them.

Please don’t judge others by your own unbending standards.

GrannyGravy13

If Labour get in with a so called super majority they cannot be held to account by the opposition.

They will have carte blanche to do as they please.

A strong and capable opposition is an asset to Westminster.

A bit like Boris Johnson and look at the damage he did!

Germanshepherdsmum

My standards include not having an illegitimate child and speaking decently.

So what was your opinion of Boris Johnson, GSM?

The previous page has full details of the GB article and references, inaccuracies:

and includes an article in the Telegraph proposing it, showing its nether a new nor a Labour idea,

and above on this page a statement directly from leading Tory Andrea Leadsom suggesting possibility of means testing.

Ah. GB News.

The SP 'could eventually' become means-tested.

Well, it could, eventually, be increased or doubled. And who knows who would be in power if or when that happened?

It says the state pension could eventually become means tested with the Labour party in government. The article is by Sir Edward Troup who advises Rachel Reeves.

Maybe my Christian beliefs are out of date but I make no apologies for them.

GSM your comment was cruel and rather imperious . You sound like someone from days gone by. Calling any child illegitimate is vile.

Ah. I see.

thank you

Doodledog

Germanshepherdsmum

My standards include not having an illegitimate child and speaking decently.

Fair enough. Each to her own. I don't look down on 'illegitimate' children either, and wouldn't be so ill-mannered as to reference them on a board where numerous women could be hurt by such a crass remark if I did.

I used to have respect for you, GSM, but the past couple of weeks are eroding that. Your politics are up to you, as are everyone's and I don't hold them against people, but sheer unpleasantness is unnecessary and undignified. I thought you were better than that.

This post may be what you’re looking for Doodledog

GrannyGravy13

Dinahmo I am not hurt, just surprised!

Our son and his partner have a child

Our daughter has two children

Neither are married, illegitimate child/ren is a throw back to past years when it was used as an insult and slur to indicate a so called ^fallen women^

Neither of my adult children are married, one has one child and the other two.
Just because people have children in marriage it does not make them parents.

Wyllow3

Andrea Leadsom, until recently a senior conservative, in 2022, said

“The triple lock on pensions could become means-tested because many richer OAPs "don't need it”….
uk.news.yahoo.com/pensions-triple-lock-could-be-means-tested-as-rich-oa-ps-dont-need-it-senior-tory-says-173546983.html

It would be very wrong to penalise people for paying into occupational pensions when they have budgeted for having the state pension too. The only fair way would be to give a minimum of 15 years' notice, which would mean being seen to be unfair to young people in comparison to the old.

Who would pay into an average occupational pension knowing that doing so would deny them the right to a state pension? Sunak talked about abolishing NI, so if anything the idea of attacking the state pension is more of a Tory idea than a Labour one.

I think it's far more likely that higher and additional rate tax relief on pension contributions will be removed, and a figure of 30% for everyone has been mooted. It's easy for me to say as it's unlikely to be applied retrospectively, but I think that is fair. Even then, it would be wrong to apply it to those approaching retirement age, which brings us back to the optics of disadvantaging younger people.

Yes

Germanshepherdsmum

That is not a matter of concern to me.

What is not a matter of concern?

Andrea Leadsom, until recently a senior conservative, in 2022, said

“The triple lock on pensions could become means-tested because many richer OAPs "don't need it”….
uk.news.yahoo.com/pensions-triple-lock-could-be-means-tested-as-rich-oa-ps-dont-need-it-senior-tory-says-173546983.html

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Same here Anniebach. Additionally many couples choose not to marry these days. They save up for a deposit rather than an expensive wedding.
Yes, they could have a small, inexpensive wedding but that’s the least popular option for most

Unmarried mothers in the past were judged by their families and the church, to read this judgement In 2024 causes my stomach to churn

Anniebach

A Christian judging an unmarried woman for having a baby ?

Same as those who ran homes for unmarried mothers , they were brought up with this hatred

Jesus thought for a moment and then replied, “he that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.’ The people crowded ariund him were so touched by their own consciences that they departed. (John 8.7)

Our Church baptises children, whether their parents are married or not. Suffer the little children to come unto me.
It’s beyond me to understand why having ‘an illegitimate’ child in 2024 can be viewed with such judgement.

Two of my grandchildren have parents who aren’t married. They’ve been together 12 years and live what I suspect most posters would see as a fairly traditional family life

One of Rachel Reeves advisors Sir Edward Troup (brought in to advise on tax avoidance) has said -

not in context of the Labour Party

"The tax expert asserted that a "debate needs to be had" and means-tested could be a solution to address the issues surrounding public expenditure."

the article also wrongly states "However, the party avoided committing to the "triple lock" which was the policy put forward by the Conservative Party." We have the triple lock in the LP policy.

Its a nasty smear article

www.gbnews.com/money/state-pension-means-tested-labour.

and historically not new:

Last year, the Daily Telegraph carried an article suggesting looking at means testing pensions:

www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/09/15/pension-triple-lock-standoff-solution-rishi-sunak/

More references from the past if you google.

BigMamma

I do not care what anyone says about the Conservatives, but not one political party has had to contend with what the Conservatives have had to contend with since coming into power 14 years ago.
There was no money in the pot after labour so the Conservatives had to start from scratch, then came Brexit, then came the Covid pandemic, then came the Ukraine war it has been non stop and now they would have had the chance to try and straighten everything out, people vote for Labour.

You make some good points, BigMamma

Re the referendum. I hold the Conservatives responsible for not realising that, with our record of poor turnout, the referendum would not be a good idea. People always quote percentages, but
over one and a quarter million more people got off their rear ends and voted for leave.
I blame the people who say they would have voted remain, but didn’t bother to vote.

Covid? It was new!
With hindsight, we all knew what to do and could criticise what was being done.
We have no evidence that Labour would have been any more scrupulous in the acquisition of PPE, or successful in finding ways to keep the economy afloat.

Ukraine?
Well we will now see how Labour deal with Ukraine, likewise with the Middle East and the illegal immigrants.

After 13 years, we were desperate for a change from the damage Labour had done. Now after 14 years we’re desperate for a change from the Conservatives.

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.