Starmer's speech 27th Aug 24

Not one pledge is untarnished. Here are the 5 missions - again several looking rather weak.The Labour manifesto 2024 talks about lowering energy bills. He supported 50s women- now silence (even the Express has noticed) He seems to be actively supporting Ukraine war and is silent on the Gazan genocide

I must have missed the bit where he pledged to achieve all this within 8 weeks of being elected and before his first Budget.

Yes Siope Or attacking Starmer for things that are due to 14 years of previous governments. Or something he's done right, like settling the junior doctors strikes. (its all the "evil unions" in the LP, when the BMA is not affiliated to the L Party and never has been)

Maggiemaybe

-Not one pledge is untarnished. Here are the 5 missions - again several looking rather weak.The Labour manifesto 2024 talks about lowering energy bills. He supported 50s women- now silence (even the Express has noticed) He seems to be actively supporting Ukraine war and is silent on the Gazan genocide-

“I must have missed the bit where he pledged to achieve all this within 8 weeks of being elected and before his first Budget.”

I too must have missed this! I’ve also seen no evidence that he is “supporting” the Ukraine war. I need to do a bit of digging re Gaza.

Those statements were made when? The previous government were less than transparent. Maybe things have come to light that change progression. I accept some statements made now need a rethink.
Over the last 14 years the economy, businesses and personal security have been trashed. Evidence for that is at least the 46 days of Liz Truss.
It is early days and I hope over the long term all aspects of life improve. What is the alternative?
Obviously, those pensioners in need should be supported more.

We’ve had 14 years of Austerity which has got worse in recent times. Our infrastructure is crumbling, our NHS is at breaking point and public services are almost non existent.

The deficit in the economy should have been apparent to the Labour Party well before they came into government. Odd that they keep banging on about the Tory’s so called “black hole”, don’t they realise the election is over?

Where are Starmer’s creative ideas to give hope to the country? He’s just compounding the misery by saying that it will get worse.

Austerity Mark II here we go. Has he stolen George Osbornes speech?

Beckett

Why didn't they start by reviewing the £300+ per day paid to those who turn up at the unelected House of Lords, they could cancel the subsidised restaurants and bars in both House of Commons and House of Lords, then also stop the "energy" allowance given to MPs to pay for heating their second homes - or perhaps they think pensioners have the "broadest shoulders"

As they don’t receive a salary, will you expect them to turn up at all if this is removed? Not all of them are wealthy.

I do agree to reforms here, but certainly not the complete abolition, it’s not great for anyone if one party holds a big majority.

He's boring though, isn't he.

J52

Those statements were made when? The previous government were less than transparent. Maybe things have come to light that change progression. I accept some statements made now need a rethink.
Over the last 14 years the economy, businesses and personal security have been trashed. Evidence for that is at least the 46 days of Liz Truss.
It is early days and I hope over the long term all aspects of life improve. What is the alternative?
Obviously, those pensioners in need should be supported more.

👏👏👏

I watch Mickey Flanagan if I want to be entertained.

Starmer is fine by me as pm.

eazybee

He's boring though, isn't he.

???????

The truth can often seem boring when set alongside vapid and faux witty remarks from the likes of Starmer's PM predecessors, especially the party animal.

David49

“I raise you are saying your post is speculation, David, but even so it is very vague. I'm no expert when it comes to tax, but I'd understand your post better if I knew the answers to these questions:”

There is a lot of wealth that is sitting idle and not taxed, if I were chancellor these are the areas that I would target for increases, exactly where they “choose” and what thresholds and allowances are allowed makes a big difference to the marginal taxpayer. There is a lot of IHT avoided using business allowances and gifting it’s highly likely they will be restricted BUT if value of assets falls there will be no gain, so that is a double edged sword.

I would regard £50k + as a high income and £500k plus as high wealth, IF there is a Council Tax at 0.5% £500k would be fairly neutral, it would hit £2m homes hard

Others are welcome to agree or disagree with my opinions and if they would suggest alternatives I will comment on them

Thank you, David.

I am sick of hearing about the winter fuel allowance. Those who are on pension credit will still get it. I have a friend who is on pension credit and so in theory she is one of the worse off but she is not poor by any stretch of the imagination. She even gives money to her adult daughter now and again. I am not young either… I would have been retired if the pension age hadn’t changed. The economy has already improved significantly since Keir became prime minister and he is prioritising strengthening the economy which is what has been lacking in the previous administration, they ran it into the ground and so now we have a sensible government. He said they would be bringing energy prices down by setting up a publicly owned energy company - that is a work in progress it won’t happen overnight. I think that the fuel allowance was farcical because it wasn’t means tested and even rich pensioners were getting it while young families had to choose to eat or heat. That was fundamentally wrong and even immoral.

Starmer is a liar and a cheat. He will tax everyone to the hilt, take certain allowances away and we'll end up on our knees!! What was once supposed to be the people's party, is probably worse than the Conservatives. Him and his cronies are very sly!!

Buttonjugs

I am sick of hearing about the winter fuel allowance. Those who are on pension credit will still get it. I have a friend who is on pension credit and so in theory she is one of the worse off but she is not poor by any stretch of the imagination. She even gives money to her adult daughter now and again. I am not young either… I would have been retired if the pension age hadn’t changed. The economy has already improved significantly since Keir became prime minister and he is prioritising strengthening the economy which is what has been lacking in the previous administration, they ran it into the ground and so now we have a sensible government. He said they would be bringing energy prices down by setting up a publicly owned energy company - that is a work in progress it won’t happen overnight. I think that the fuel allowance was farcical because it wasn’t means tested and even rich pensioners were getting it while young families had to choose to eat or heat. That was fundamentally wrong and even immoral.

I agree, although I do feel sad for those right on that cusp, too much income for pension credits but struggling

JuBut

Starmer is a liar and a cheat. He will tax everyone to the hilt, take certain allowances away and we'll end up on our knees!! What was once supposed to be the people's party, is probably worse than the Conservatives. Him and his cronies are very sly!!

How do you know any of this?

Buttonjugs - sick of hearing about the WFA? Would that be because you're not of pensionable age and still working so not affected?
Economy already improved significant since Keir became PM? That would be due to the previous governments decisions, not Labour.
Energy prices to come down by setting up a publicly owned energy company? Have you read Milliband's ideas for our energy supplies by the end of the decade? I hope you're saving your salary towards buying electric cars and heat pumps if you haven't already got them.
Lucky for your friend on pension credit. Some of us have saved all our lives and put money into a small private pension, only to be targetted whilst public sector employees have tax payer funded generous pensions. I dread to learn what's coming in the Autumn Budget.
Immoral - I'm not sure you know the meaning of the word.

For those that doubt the black hole, here is the letter.

This government formed on 5th July. Parliament has been closed since 30 July and does not reopen until next Monday. They have had 17 days sitting as a government. I'm very impressed with what they have achieved in a few days.

knspol

I am increasingly of the opinion that nothing you read in the newspapers or hear from a politician is the truth. Everything is edited for their own purposes and the public will never know the true picture about any of it.
Personally I think the LP will be disastrous for those of us who have worked hard all our lives, paid into the system and saved money. The LP is all about reducing people to the same level rather than helping the less fortunate to prosper.

I so agree. I also think most governments take on too much of people's lives and tell them how they should live which costs the government our money. They very rarely know what's best. They are just us, nothing special. They should give people a foundation, education and safety net to let them decide how to prosper. Then everyone benefits.

JuBut I agree, some Socialist!!

JuBut

Starmer is a liar and a cheat. He will tax everyone to the hilt, take certain allowances away and we'll end up on our knees!! What was once supposed to be the people's party, is probably worse than the Conservatives. Him and his cronies are very sly!!

Where is your evidence that he is a liar and a cheat? We are already on our knees!

Greyisnotmycolour

For those that doubt the black hole, here is the letter.

Don’t waste your time, so many in here with short term memory issues! I expect they will say this is “fake” news.

It’s ridiculous, the whole thing is so ludicrous, 9 or so weeks in power, some of this the summer recess, no time to bed in and do anything tangible.

Our economy is a mess, our country is a mess, and now Starmer is a “liar and a cheat”?

Very very short memories!

twinnytwin

Buttonjugs - sick of hearing about the WFA? Would that be because you're not of pensionable age and still working so not affected?
Economy already improved significant since Keir became PM? That would be due to the previous governments decisions, not Labour.
Energy prices to come down by setting up a publicly owned energy company? Have you read Milliband's ideas for our energy supplies by the end of the decade? I hope you're saving your salary towards buying electric cars and heat pumps if you haven't already got them.
Lucky for your friend on pension credit. Some of us have saved all our lives and put money into a small private pension, only to be targetted whilst public sector employees have tax payer funded generous pensions. I dread to learn what's coming in the Autumn Budget.
Immoral - I'm not sure you know the meaning of the word.

I’m an ex civil servant, the last 14 years of my employment was with the public sector.

Prior to that I worked in the private sector where my salary/pensions/ perks were far far better than my public service salary and pensions.

The pension structure changed around 2007/8 so that employee contributions were far higher, long gone are those lovely gold plated pensions.

I joined in 2009, received one decent pay increase, after that for the next 13 years our increases were frozen at 1%, and performance related bonuses phased out.

I think a fairer way to claw back money from the WFA would have been to tax it.
I think many older people feel the stigma of having to apply for benefits such as pension credit.

A universal allowance overcame that and didn’t need extra administration. I know from helping people fill in AA forms for example how reluctant many were to do so.

We will discover when the budget arrives whether this government is actually Labour or Labour in Name Only and intends to continue with the previous government’s neo liberal agenda.