Let’s hear it for Sir Keir Starmer

Iam64

Good to hear we still have those sensible, caring conservatives around Luckygirl. It’s a weird one to look back on Heseltine and others as good Parliamentarians. Ken Clarke the best leader they never had. It’s a tragedy the party was hijacked by its extreme. Thank goodness Starmer wrestled the LP from the Corbyneesters.

Just look at the decent people that Johnson threw out of his party because they could see him for what he was.

Now is the time for the Conservative Party to stop trying to be Reform-lite and find its right-centrist identity to form a viable opposition in time. Reform isn't going to make it.

Good to hear we still have those sensible, caring conservatives around Luckygirl. It’s a weird one to look back on Heseltine and others as good Parliamentarians. Ken Clarke the best leader they never had. It’s a tragedy the party was hijacked by its extreme. Thank goodness Starmer wrestled the LP from the Corbyneesters.

Littlebea02

He’s already dismantling the department of Social Security my guess is he will now come after Social Security which has always been protected I think he will probably put some kind of a tax Currently Social Security is taxed if you continue to work after you file and there is also a tax if Social Security is over a certain amount I think he will probably alter that amount and begin to tax all of Social Security. Republicans have always threatened the Social Security fundbecause it’s a lump sum of money that the government has and the Democrats have always done their best to protect Social Security and especially the elderly. Knowing this man who is chaotic he’s a showman and his morals are lacking to say the very least.

I think you have every reason to be concerned, it's the biggest budget of all in the US and as you say includes what we have as pensions (and disability etc)

This helped me understand it a lot
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/social-security-musk-trump-cuts-fraud-ponzi-rcna194556

What I do think is that the USA has certainly been damaged by Trump, and this damage will last for many years. The USA will never again be trusted.

He’s already dismantling the department of Social Security my guess is he will now come after Social Security which has always been protected I think he will probably put some kind of a tax Currently Social Security is taxed if you continue to work after you file and there is also a tax if Social Security is over a certain amount I think he will probably alter that amount and begin to tax all of Social Security. Republicans have always threatened the Social Security fundbecause it’s a lump sum of money that the government has and the Democrats have always done their best to protect Social Security and especially the elderly. Knowing this man who is chaotic he’s a showman and his morals are lacking to say the very least.

Good to know there are still nice Caring Conservatives. I knew quite a few back in the day, no gone. And all the ones I respected for their intelligence and integrity, even if I disagreed with them on conservatism. have left or been kicked out.

Our sitting MP is the wrong party for my taste - but he works very hard for the locality - has set up a STEM university which is greatly benefitting young people and has always responded helpfully to any letters/messages I have sent about local issues.

He is pretty rich, and was a mate of Boris - until thankfully he saw the light at the time of the leadership election. He had a bit of encouragement from me and I am sure that this is what tipped the balance!

I cannot fault hm as a constituency MP. He wrote a book called "Caring Conservatism" which I thought showed the right spirit accompanied by an extraordinary degree of naivety.

Yes, I want to shout out for the hardworking MPs in my area. My new MP ( female, Labour) has been visible, approachable,and has spoken about the concerns in the area in Parliament and in the media.
The neighbouring constituency has an old school, long in post, excellent male Conservative Member of Parliament. No headline- seeking trips to America have been undertaken by either of them.

We have 4 local MP's. We are fortunate enough that all of them were born in the city or close by, and all are good constituency workers. None of them have second jobs but their records show work in commons committees..

The trouble is - they don't hit the headlines.

Indeed Lucky. One thing that really angers me is when people say 'oh they are all the same'. They are definitely not and some truly become politicians to serve the Country and its people, and not fill their pockets and, as you say, self-aggrandisement.

Ah - yes I did misunderstand - but I still think politicians are amazing for doing what they do. I mean, some of them are unspeakable b******s doing it for self-aggrandisement, but there are some genuine ones and without them .......

Not sure if you misunderstood me Luckygirl3. I meant I hope Starmer has the ability to charm snakes, ie unreasonable people like Trump.

I can't think why anyone becomes a poitician with the quantity of contrived sniping that comes their way! But thank goodness that some genuine people do put themselves forward on our behalf.

Casdon

Well done so far Keir Starmer. His name rhymes with a lot of words, I’m sincerely hoping one of them is Snake Charmer.

Ohhh casdon!
But ohhh yes. 😄

I agree Claremont. I appreciate the mods generally keep a light touch but a lie often repeated, remains a lie

MayBee70

GrannyGravy13

I wasn’t going to comment on the Saville - Starmer thing

Then I remembered that a long standing and much loved GN member has been permanently banned for a post similar to the one on this thread.

It appears that the goal posts may have shifted?

I’m not aware of people being banned for one unfortunate comment. It’s usually an accumulation of several things over a period of time.

Yes it is usually an accumulation of unpleasant posts, unless of course it is too awful to imagine.

A fact is a fact. An opinion is an opinion. You can have an opinion on a fact- but said fact will remain, a fact.

And a lie is a lie, whatever your opinion of it.

Norah

Cossy

As for farmers, yes I have some empathy for them, but never really understood why their farms were completely exempt from inheritance tax. Personally, I’d get rid of it completely.

Those with livestock on smaller farms have been in financial crisis for many years.

Agreed.

However, I don't understand farming or IHT in this thread.

Agree that there was no need for it. I was responding to another poster who introduced the topic.

GrannyGravy13

I wasn’t going to comment on the Saville - Starmer thing

Then I remembered that a long standing and much loved GN member has been permanently banned for a post similar to the one on this thread.

It appears that the goal posts may have shifted?

I’m not aware of people being banned for one unfortunate comment. It’s usually an accumulation of several things over a period of time.

I think we agree broadly doodledog, but the whole thread seems to be about rejecting the decisions of the mods, now obviously I think people should be free to criticise the mods but what alternative is there to the moderation system? I trust GN/MN on speech, they have consistently proved their worth in my view.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Iam64

MayBee70

Chocolatelovinggran

Dickens and HPQ - your Gransnet needs you!👈

Seconded...

Thirded

Fourth-ed.
No such word but that hasn’t stopped me! 😁

Fifthed. As my DM used to say, non illegitimi carborundum - don't let the bar stewards grind you down.

Control of speech is often about 'sides' which is why I dont like it. I want the moderators to moderate not posters.
Yes, I totally understand that, and agree. I think the tendency can be to notice more when someone says something that is offensive to your (one's) own POV, whereas other things pass almost unnoticed, or with a slight eye-roll.

I dont view ceryain posters as the good guys and dont want them to decide what speech is ok.
I don't think anyone does. I'm not sure who 'certain' posters are, but I guess it's much as I said above - those who say things we (generic) agree with - or don't object to, anyway.

I do think, however, that critical reading requires a certain amount of differentiation when it comes to posters, just as it does with any sources of information. I am much more likely to question what appears in some publications than others, and in the same way, if I have 'known' a poster for years, and seen her be reasonable and open-minded, if I see a post that suggests otherwise, I would read it very carefully to see if I had misunderstood, then ask for clarification before arguing. That doesn't mean I think that posters should police the boards though. I've seen that end very badly before.

Cossy

As for farmers, yes I have some empathy for them, but never really understood why their farms were completely exempt from inheritance tax. Personally, I’d get rid of it completely.

Those with livestock on smaller farms have been in financial crisis for many years.

Agreed.

However, I don't understand farming or IHT in this thread.

I wasn’t going to comment on the Saville - Starmer thing

Then I remembered that a long standing and much loved GN member has been permanently banned for a post similar to the one on this thread.

It appears that the goal posts may have shifted?