Well if Labour keep this up I think I’ll be voting for them at the next GE!

Cossy

Whilst I do agree with foreign aid, I think cutting that to increase spending on defence is actually a must, given Trump/Musk/Putin/Netanyahu appear hellbent on some kind of war!

The NHS does need to concentrate on saving lives and treating those unwell.

Sorry and sad to be saying this but things like IVF and cosmetic surgery need to take a back seat in most cases whilst the NHS struggles to meet demand.

I do agree about things not being done on the NHS that are not essential. Being unable to have children is awful, but not as terrible as suffering terrible pain or waiting too long in a queue for cancer treatment.

People knocking Boris should remember he did a lot to help keep businesses going during the pandemic, including cost of living payments, furlow, eat out to help out etc. He seemed to care a lot about poorer people. Rishi wasn't too bad but was no good at negotiations. It was his way or the high way. But I did agree with his Rwanda project. Those who are horrified at this ask yourself
1 Are you happy with people drowning or suffocating to get here
2 Those with a spare room would you take in an illegal immigrant male with no paperwork to save the country paying hotel fees
3 are you happy with people born here sleeping in vans and tents while boat people are in hotels
4 Do you mind that these illegal immigrants get priority Dr, hospital and housing infront of us as they are classed as vulnerable
As for Starmer he seems to be targeting pensioners so not for me.

Are you on the right thread?

Cosmetic surgery unless severe disfigurement but I think IVF should still be available. It's not actually totally free anyway. My family paid £800 for the prescription for one round. The reason they needed IVF was a botched surgery in the first place. Three rounds (2 of which were paid by us) before success.

He's doing it to appease Trump! Look at the timing......🤣

Ilovecheese

A tax on individuals whose net worth exceeds €100 million, something like what France has just brought in.

Can you tell me more or point me to relevant articles? TIA

Whitewavemark2

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Or the ‘popular with many voters route’ WWMK2.

Yes and you are back to my comment on short termism. (Sp. ?)
Vote to stop aid, then down the line vote to stop increasing numbers of immigrants and on and on it goes.

That's a bit extreme. As far as I am aware we, as a country, are trying to put workable solutions for what could well be increasing migration if we don't protect other countries against climate change, inequality and/or invasion.

There is no easy solution. Would that there were. Such issues are deeply rooted and require nuanced approaches. Pragmatism, time and colaberation, unless you believe you are God, is the only way.

It's worth remembering that Brexit wasn't won by a lot of people wanting all the same things. It was won by a lot of people putting their other views aside to achieve the one thing they felt supremely important.

A tax on individuals whose net worth exceeds €100 million, something like what France has just brought in.

Whitewavemark2

I’m not saying that Starmer should not have upped funding on defence, I absolutely fully support that. But the money could have been raised another way.

I think that the treasury has as usual taken the easiest route.

What other route, that would be acceptable economically to those the country does business with, that does not carry any significant risks related to inflation and market perceptions, could the government use?

The mocking of the daily mail and gbnews makes me laugh, the BBC and the guardian have quite regularly been utterly useless in terms of their journalism lately. It has also been interesting to see that the mail and GB news have been the places feminists and abuse survivors have gone to to be heard.
Those two groups were always high on my list of people who I supported. Maybe it is 'the left' that has changed rather than me.

They don't seem to be ignorant of what is accepted by the rest of the world. Which countries currently run their economy in the way you would want UK to do?

When I have time later today I will respond to that, PN. I think you are somewhat mistaken about it being 'accepted by the rest of the world' but even if it were I would suggest that just because a certain economic dogma is widely accepted it is not necessarily correct.

You may be a 'politics nerd' but I am an 'economics nerd' and I've spent a lot of time and thought on the topic...

As usual, Starmer is protecting the wealthy from contributing, carrying on with conservative policies. Kemi B. agrees with what he is doing and is looking forward to him reducing disability benefits.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

^I think Wes Streeting is heading in the right direction.^
I agree Allira.

Strangely enough, I saw the gransnet heading - well if Labiur keep this up … etc and immediately thought Ahhh, that has to be FGT’s response to Starmer’s statement on defence and overseas aid spending. I was right 😀

Now that really did make me laugh Iam!

I’m coming back to where I always voted. I cried when John Smith died. I cried when Maggie Thatcher got in. I shook Tony Blair’s hand twice when he was elected in 1997 and he visited the hospital I worked in (Nye Bevan’s b/w photos on the walls of the corridors as it was the first NHS hospital) he had the most mega-watt smile and was so delighted to be ‘mobbed’ by staff.

And to my chagrin, I voted for Boris.
I ‘lent’ him my usual Labour vote - solely to Get Brexit Done. To be fair, he WAS the only one offering to get it past the line. In fairness, he did. But thereafter, it was disappointment all the way. Fine words butter no parsnips do they?

Never again Tories. Never again.
What’s that saying about “Fool me once” etc?

So here I am. Always a Brexiteer. I’d vote the same way tomorrow.
But no more Tory.
And no more Farage/Reform UK.

I feel I’ve ’come home’ to Labour.

Starmer you a still a boring b****ard when you get up on your hind legs. You take too long to get to the point and you love talking. You’re no orator with your adenoidal twang. Voice coaching? I’d ask for a refund mate.

But it’s actions not words that count, so keep stealing Reform’s clothes Mr. Starmer and you’ll romp the next election!

😂😂 👏👏 😜😜

I said that a commentator talked of woolly projects yesterday PoliticsNerd. I don’t have a link to share and I have no intention of spending time looking for facts and figures. I don’t read the DM btw. We have all heard, I’m sure, of questionable projects such as the African girls’ band to name but one.

I have already said that I believe Reeves has more tax hikes up her sleeve unrelated to the defence budget, of which we will hear next month. There are limits to what the public will stand as we have seen already. Taking money from the foreign aid budget was a sensible move as far as the citizens of this country are concerned, who should be the government’s priority.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Or the ‘popular with many voters route’ WWMK2.

Yes and you are back to my comment on short termism. (Sp. ?)
Vote to stop aid, then down the line vote to stop increasing numbers of immigrants and on and on it goes.

Or the ‘popular with many voters route’ WWMK2.

I’m not saying that Starmer should not have upped funding on defence, I absolutely fully support that. But the money could have been raised another way.

I think that the treasury has as usual taken the easiest route.

Barleyfields

I didn’t think you were laughing FGT. I agree with what you say about the foreign aid budget. Some of it may be used sensibly, but too much goes on what a commentator yesterday called ‘woolly projects’. I absolutely agree with spending less on foreign aid to beef up the defence budget - and let’s remember that it will need to continue to be increased.

Would you be able to give us some facts and figures to support that argument Barleyfields? It sounds like something out of the DM or GBeebies.

It might on the other hand be true. So why not convince the doubters?

Absolutely. I would rather we didn’t have to cut aid too; but if we end up at war (or worse) we won’t be able to help anyone. If KS had acted differently there would have been moaning too - he really can’t do right for doing wrong, can he?

Whitewavemark2

I am feeling very uncomfortable about the cut to aid. So very shortsighted, but benefits are long term, so the voter will not make the connection between cuts to aid and consequences in the future.

I do however fully support the increase in defence spending.

Exactly. And it seems to me that is exactly what Starmer said.

We may have to recognise the pragmatic solution; that doesn't mean we have to be happy with it.

We know about unprecedented situations.

Cabowich

I agree with him cutting aid so he can spend more on defence, but I so hate his hypocrisy. What a fuss he made when the Tories first decided to cut aid, and now look at him!

Its not hypocrisy when faced with a totally unprecedented situation.

Does anyone really believe policies could or should remain set in stone for years on end as circumstances change? What kind of government could ever function like that?

Total nonsense.

PN
The issue is that cuts in aid by far-right Tories tend to go straight in their own pockets.
Evidence?

I didn’t think you were laughing FGT. I agree with what you say about the foreign aid budget. Some of it may be used sensibly, but too much goes on what a commentator yesterday called ‘woolly projects’. I absolutely agree with spending less on foreign aid to beef up the defence budget - and let’s remember that it will need to continue to be increased.