Suspending the triple-lock for a year is another broken promise that can be justified on the grounds that there have been unforeseen circumstances since the election. The only justification for keeping it is that the state pension is still substantially lower than that in comparable European countries.

 

But as the pensioners overwhelmingly voted for Brexit anyway then the comparison to other European countries isn't really relevant. might as well compare it with Zambia. They are getting a decent rise anyhow - at least 2.5% probably more.

His PR team need sacking, this is comedy gold.

 

Hopefully this'll be the start of their downfall. Summer/vaccine boost diminishing, tax hikes/triple lock suspension incoming and there may be more nasty surprises in the autumn budget.

 

The thing is, I'd be happy to pay more taxes for services, but they way in which they go about it always tends to affect those who struggle the most.

While attention is focused on the social care announcement, the Tories are also pushing through their anti-democracy Bill. The part that has gained most attention so far is the requirement for voter ID (to solve a problem that doesn't exist). However, there are lots of other measures.

 

The Electoral Commission, currently an independent body, is to be put under direct government control with a minister able to set its priorities.

 

A minister will have the power to decide which bodies can indulge in political campaigning in the 12 months before an election. Bearing in mind that an election could happen at any time, some of these bodies (trade unions, for example) may decide it is not worth the risk. After all, unless a parliament lasts the full five years, we will only know when the 12-month period kicked off when an election is called.

 

Parties not standing in a constituency will be banned from spending money promoting another candidate. In the event of any sort of Progressive Alliance, that will mean that a party standing down in a constituency cannot demonstrate their support for their preferred candidate. At the moment, they can do that but the money counts as part of that candidate's expenditure.

 

Any Tory voter who supports these measures should bear in mind that the same powers will, one day, be in the hands of a non-Tory minister. Perhaps a minister will decide that newspapers cannot indulge in political campaigning in the year before an election.

While attention is focused on the social care announcement, the Tories are also pushing through their anti-democracy Bill. The part that has gained most attention so far is the requirement for voter ID (to solve a problem that doesn't exist). However, there are lots of other measures.

 

The Electoral Commission, currently an independent body, is to be put under direct government control with a minister able to set its priorities.

 

A minister will have the power to decide which bodies can indulge in political campaigning in the 12 months before an election. Bearing in mind that an election could happen at any time, some of these bodies (trade unions, for example) may decide it is not worth the risk. After all, unless a parliament lasts the full five years, we will only know when the 12-month period kicked off when an election is called.

 

Parties not standing in a constituency will be banned from spending money promoting another candidate. In the event of any sort of Progressive Alliance, that will mean that a party standing down in a constituency cannot demonstrate their support for their preferred candidate. At the moment, they can do that but the money counts as part of that candidate's expenditure.

 

Any Tory voter who supports these measures should bear in mind that the same powers will, one day, be in the hands of a non-Tory minister. Perhaps a minister will decide that newspapers cannot indulge in political campaigning in the year before an election.

 

Thry know these powers will NEVER be in a non-Tiry minister's hands. These powers are to confirm the dictatorship.

 

So the so called "Libertarian" Prime Minister now on top of banning protest they don't agree with, want it to make it harder for the disenfranchised to vote. But it was so obvious that this kind of stuff would happen in 2019 when they gave this disgusting deceitful party a huge majority. The British will reap what they sow.

No surprises the Tax rises pass through.. but the Tories are still the Party of low taxes of course :lol:

No surprises the Tax rises pass through.. but the Tories are still the Party of low taxes of course :lol:

The "party of low taxation" has always been a bad joke. Thatcher inherited an NI rate of 6.5%. By the time the Tories lost in 1997, it was 10%. VAT, over the same period, went from a basic rate of 8% to 20%. They also increased the number of items subject to VAT in almost every Budget in that period. However, thanks to a compliant press, they managed to convince people that the only tax that mattered was income tax.

The "party of low taxation" has always been a bad joke. Thatcher inherited an NI rate of 6.5%. By the time the Tories lost in 1997, it was 10%. VAT, over the same period, went from a basic rate of 8% to 20%. They also increased the number of items subject to VAT in almost every Budget in that period. However, thanks to a compliant press, they managed to convince people that the only tax that mattered was income tax.

 

Slight pedantry, but it went up to 17.5% by the time the Tories left in 1997. Labour then temporarily reduced it to 15% during the credit crunch , then when the Tories re-took power in 2010 they increased it to 20% the next year.

So the so called "Libertarian" Prime Minister now on top of banning protest they don't agree with, want it to make it harder for the disenfranchised to vote. But it was so obvious that this kind of stuff would happen in 2019 when they gave this disgusting deceitful party a huge majority. The British will reap what they sow.

 

They only believe in democracy within the parameters of their own economic models.

Slight pedantry, but it went up to 17.5% by the time the Tories left in 1997. Labour then temporarily reduced it to 15% during the credit crunch , then when the Tories re-took power in 2010 they increased it to 20% the next year.

Fair dos. It still leaves the Tories having to justify a 150% increase in the basic rate, as well as applying it to many items that had previously been exempt. We could also add the end of free eye tests and dental check-ups under the Tories, an above inflation increase in prescription charges more often than not, and a whole host of other items that would have been described as "stealth" if they had happened under a Labour government. The Tories' claim to be the party of low taxes and economic competence makes the claims of the Flat Earth Society seem almost reasonable.

@1435862962934321153

 

the 2020s battle royale between renters v home owners is officially ON.

That's a very interesting scatter graph, those Tory seats being the 3 central London ones of course.

 

Telling, as well, though it seems that the NI increase is already a very unpopular policy and with any luck will become yet more unpopular once it starts to hit pay packets.

 

aside:

 

@1435564437403054080

 

mr cummings, welcome to the resistance

 

 

I mean, he's right - but he's still a cunt.

I'll take it over Goodwin who was pontificating the other day about how a government that raises taxes on the working classes is economically left.

 

that one is a disgrace to the name of political science.

I'll take it over Goodwin who was pontificating the other day about how a government that raises taxes on the working classes is economically left.

 

that one is a disgrace to the name of political science.

 

Matt Goodwin?

 

He's always spoken total BS and is another person that the German word 'Backpfeifengesicht' was invented for - anyway on this tax; I find it incredibly saddening that this increase in NI will disproportionately impact on those people and businesses who have already suffered a huge economic hit as a direct result of the pandemic, and indeed more worryingly on a generation that has been shut out and basically ignored since the GFC of 2008, all whilst those who have profited from the economic shock will continue to have their property investments protected. There is a huge irony too in that some of the impact will fall upon those who switched Labour>Tory to 'get Brexit done' and will be somewhat shocked that the £350million/week is happening, it's just being paid by YOU and your employer instead. This won't solve the problem and all it's going to do is make people's lives harder and likely drive further polarisation between the generations. Not a good outcome.

I mean, he's right - but he's still a cunt.

 

This reply gave me a chuckle.

 

 

https://twitter.com/JimMFelton/status/1435574257111666695

Aye, some of the estimations that graduates would be paying a marginal tax rate of up to 42.5% or 50% was just shocking.

 

There's a fundamental problem with rents, with student loans, with essentially everything that is affecting the young and economically active, especially when all other sorts of plans, capital gains, land value, property, are an option - though of course not for this government as it's not in their interests, progressive taxes are the only JUST way.

 

Part of it is the Tories, part of it is the electoral system that enables it - it is actually unhinged that we consider it normal for winner-takes-all to be the order of the government - which does just favour any demographic majority. Also we have had essentially no social democratic moderation on British state systems since maybe the first part of Blair's term, for a short while, and certainly not since 2010.

Add an uncharismatic weak opposition Leader who is bereft on ideas and whose main focus is to denigrate/expel any members who dare to dream of a fairer society then there's absolutely nothing that can be done. We can't rely on our football team to be the only whimper of opposition in this country. .

Cabinet shuffle coming this afternoon. Rumours have it that the useless Gavin Williams is deservedly being demoted as Education Secretary but they've found a homophobic bigot Kemi Badenoch to promote who no doubt will be starting a huge war on "woke". Let's see if that comes to pass....