Keir Starmer aka Captain Flip Flop

Cossy

twinnytwin

TheHappyGardner must be fairly new to GN as they didn't realise that criticising the sainted Starmer and his party was going to bring out the keyboard warriers in force. It's been fairly quiet for them since the election without having the Tories to bash so I'm sure they're thrilled.

What a divisive and quite silly comment.

It’s almost as bad as accusing those of us who show compassion towards asylum seekers as “wanting unfettered, uncontrolled immigration” when not one person on GN has ever ever said this.

You obviously didn’t read the post above by GNHQ. 😉

Hi Happy Gardener. All views should be able to post without being laid into, realistically though Im afraid you must never, ever hint at any criticism of the sainted Starmer. Carry on daring to express your views, if people disagree so what.

Baggs

To those who think the opening post "infammatory".... you could always just ignore it. Isn't that usually regarded as the best way for things not to get inflamed?

It would seem to be sensible!
However ......

MayBee70
And how dare you describe the PM with a term coined by a previous PM who was thrown out of parliament for lying.

Quite easily evidently. Probably felt it is justified.

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

vote ?
be

MayBee70

Is this the first time The Happy Gardner has posted on gransnet? If so I can only question their motive for doing so and wonder why they think we are so naive.

It's easy to find out that TheHappyGardener has posted previously on Gransnet, Maybee70.

Motive for doing so? I would have thought that was obvious.

Baggs made a valid point earlier in the thread about Child Benefit. Some may need it, others not.

The point about these benefits which are not incorporated into the State Pension is that they can be withdrawn at any point. State Pensions in other countries are higher than those in the UK.

The other point is that the WFA will vote payable to those in receipt of Pension Credit but how many never apply for this? Sometimes applying for these extra benefits is so onerous it is beyond many people.

Doodledog

How is posting in praise of the Conservatives giving an opinion, but posting in defence of the government become 'willing to die for Labour and Starmer' and 'bullying', 'threatening' or 'intimidating'?

This confrontational and divisive way of posting is getting out of hand, and the 'you know who you are' comment is borderline threatening.

Ignore it, as one poster commented “water off a ducks back”

My response to her is simply “quack, quack quack”

Btw the people I would die for (or kill for) is my children, not some politician I’ve never met!

twinnytwin

TheHappyGardner must be fairly new to GN as they didn't realise that criticising the sainted Starmer and his party was going to bring out the keyboard warriers in force. It's been fairly quiet for them since the election without having the Tories to bash so I'm sure they're thrilled.

What a divisive and quite silly comment.

It’s almost as bad as accusing those of us who show compassion towards asylum seekers as “wanting unfettered, uncontrolled immigration” when not one person on GN has ever ever said this.

Gransnet is for everyone, and disagreements are bound to happen. If people leave because of some posters being unpleasant we will be left with the views of the same posters.

Which is exactly the intention of some posters on this thread today.

Well I supported the policies of Corbyn and McDonnel, and that was no picnic on here!

TheHappyGardener

Thank you Primrose53 and BevSec and others for your supportive messages. I’ve been to work for a couple of hours this afternoon, mulled things over in my head, caught up with comments on here and have decided I’m not going to leave GN just because my views are different to some of the more vocal posters. I’m entitled to my views just as they are entitled to theirs and I certainly don’t think there was anything wrong with my post! If this stirs up the hornets’ nest again, my apologies - I won’t be responding to any more posts on this subject.

Great news.
👏🏽👏🏽

BevSec

Thank goodness you are staying thehappy gardener😘

Ditto.

Skydancer

I disagree with what KS has done re the heating allowance. My reasoning is that many pensioners are at home far more than those of working age. Personally, we can just about manage without the heating allowance but it certainly helped a lot not having to worry about the fuel bill especially as DH is on blood thinners and feels the cold badly. Also older people are slower to move around and get warm.

My reasoning is that many pensioners are at home far more than those of working age.

I think that's an important point.

And there will also be those pensioners who are ill or disabled to some extent, but not sufficiently to be eligible for benefits but who nevertheless cannot afford physically to live day to day in a home below a certain temperature.

Like your DH, my OH is disabled to the extent that he cannot move around to keep warm - he has even worn a cardigan this week - though I have to admit our house is made of stone so it doesn't hold the heat.

The country is not 'broke'. That is not how the economy works. Governments decide on what to spend and it's an ideological choice. The fiscal responsibility lies in not creating inflation.

I actually believe that Starmer is trying to look as 'tough' as the Tories on public spending because that is how he won over commerce and industry, investors, etc - and why so many Labour voters are disappointed in him.

But it should also be pointed out that the last government commissioned a consultation paper on public spending, and this - means testing of WFA - was one of the items for 'consideration'. I think it was going to happen sooner or later. But it should have happened later, in order to give those affected at least some time to budget for the money they are going to lose as I suspect quite a few might have already factored in the WFA in their budget.

Bad move.

Thank goodness you are staying thehappy gardener😘

Thank you Primrose53 and BevSec and others for your supportive messages. I’ve been to work for a couple of hours this afternoon, mulled things over in my head, caught up with comments on here and have decided I’m not going to leave GN just because my views are different to some of the more vocal posters. I’m entitled to my views just as they are entitled to theirs and I certainly don’t think there was anything wrong with my post! If this stirs up the hornets’ nest again, my apologies - I won’t be responding to any more posts on this subject.

maddyone

Well that’s the problem Casdon. I do think the tax allowance should be raised, I really disagreed with the Conservatives not raising it in line with inflation, but unfortunately as you say, that wouldn’t help those pensioners on Pension Credit. My solution would be to raise Pension Credit so that more people can claim.

If both those things can happen I think most people would have little to complain about, although whatever happens there is always a cohort just above or just below every cut-off point unfortunately.

I had to smile at the indignation voiced by some at the one name being attributed to Sir Kier Starmer! When I recall some of the names regularly assigned to Tory leaders and Ministers, especially Mrs May, Maybot, being the favourite jibe, (there were many more) which we Conservatives just had to put up with, getting so worked up about one rather inoffensive taunt does seem a tad more excessive.

I don’t suppose any government, this or the last, wants advice from me though

Well that’s the problem Casdon. I do think the tax allowance should be raised, I really disagreed with the Conservatives not raising it in line with inflation, but unfortunately as you say, that wouldn’t help those pensioners on Pension Credit. My solution would be to raise Pension Credit so that more people can claim.

Doodledog we sometimes have different views, but I respect your’s and I think you respect mine. I have never known you to be rude

Doodledog

How is posting in praise of the Conservatives giving an opinion, but posting in defence of the government become 'willing to die for Labour and Starmer' and 'bullying', 'threatening' or 'intimidating'?

This confrontational and divisive way of posting is getting out of hand, and the 'you know who you are' comment is borderline threatening.

Yes it is.
But I don’t think how dare you is conducive to civilised debate.

I'd assume gnhq can ban someone making repeated erroneous reports, maddy.

Casdon

"I think we’ll have to agree to disagree Baggs, because I just can’t see the justification to give the WFP to everybody. My personal preference would be to raise the personal allowance, and not pay WFP to anybody who has enough income to be required to pay tax. Conversely, at the moment, many of us pay 40% tax on part of our incomes, but still get WFP. That can’t be the best use of the government budgets."

An increase in the personal allowance by £1000 would theoretically cover the WFP. Unfortunately this wouldn't help those whose income is already below the PA