Keir Starmer

[Numero Veinticinco]

2 hours ago, Scooby Dudek said:

The thing with this Winter fuel allowance is I don't understand the politics of it. 

Starmer, whilst I am not a fan, is a clever man he must have known the optics of how clawing back this relatively small amount of money would look, I just don't get the logic behind pushing it front and centre.

 

The two child benefit cap, as others had said, was obviously policy going into the election, so whilst I disagree, I understand the reasoning behind standing firm. The fuel allowance just seems totally foolish, even if you can justify it financially.

 

I am a fan, but it's clear the optics makes it bad politics. Now, I could make an argument for it to be means-tested when it was introduced - lots of wealthier pensioners just don't need it - but not taking it away now. I think he's just willing to be unpopular and do what he and Reeves sees as right. I guess we will see if it pays off over the next few years. 

[Bruce Spanner]

12 minutes ago, Numero Veinticinco said:

 

I am a fan, but it's clear the optics makes it bad politics. Now, I could make an argument for it to be means-tested when it was introduced - lots of wealthier pensioners just don't need it - but not taking it away now. I think he's just willing to be unpopular and do what he and Reeves sees as right. I guess we will see if it pays off over the next few years. 

They’re doing an, in no way emergency, meeting online with members and supports to explain the rationale.

 

Amateur hour.

 

Effectively all those eligible for pension credits will see an increase in their week to week pensions, this is a significant number, with a further £900 pa from April in the new tax year.

 

Pensioners at the lower end will be better off, those at the other end shouldn’t need it anyway.

 

Farce from start to finish.

 

 

[Harry's Lad]

25 minutes ago, Bruce Spanner said:

They’re doing an, in no way emergency, meeting online with members and supports to explain the rationale.

 

Amateur hour.

 

Effectively all those eligible for pension credits will see an increase in their week to week pensions, this is a significant number, with a further £900 pa from April in the new tax year.

 

Pensioners at the lower end will be better off, those at the other end shouldn’t need it anyway.

 

Farce from start to finish.

 

 

It's the pensioners who are just over the threshold to qualify for pension credits I feel sorry for, those who were just about managing and now having the winter fuel allowance taken away.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bruce Spanner]

5 minutes ago, Harry's Lad said:

It's the pensioners who are just over the threshold to qualify for pension credits I feel sorry for, those who were just about managing and now having the winter fuel allowance taken away.

 

 

 

 

 

The argument would be that they’ll see an increase in their overall pension which more than compensates.

 

With all these things where do you draw the line as it has to be draw somewhere and anyone on the other side will feel aggrieved.

 

I’m in no way arguing for it, just starting the argument.

 

The fact that British pensions are so pitiful in comparison to other, equivalent, nations is the bigger argument to be had.

[Jairzinho]

British pensioners better off than any other generation in the UK.

British pensioners worse off than all other pensioners in Europe.

 

14 years of utter, utter cuntery.

[Harry's Lad]

1 hour ago, Bruce Spanner said:

The argument would be that they’ll see an increase in their overall pension which more than compensates.

 

With all these things where do you draw the line as it has to be draw somewhere and anyone on the other side will feel aggrieved.

 

I’m in no way arguing for it, just starting the argument.

 

The fact that British pensions are so pitiful in comparison to other, equivalent, nations is the bigger argument to be had.

Yes, but all pensioners will see that increase yet you still have some who will receive the WFA and some who will lose it.

Under these new rules from what I can make it but it (and I'm no expert) those who receive just the state pension will get the WFA but those who have a small pension, superannuation for example won't.

 

Mrs HL's parents, now both gone sadly, worked in low paid jobs all their lives. Her Dad was a coach driver and her Mum a Traffic Warden (I know).

He never earned enough to pay into a pension scheme, she paid Superannuation which gave her a small and I mean small pension.

 

When he died 20 years ago she found it very difficult to make ends meet and was denied a host of benefits because the Superannuation pension put her over the threshold by about a fiver.

That extra fiver cost her a shitload.

 

I appreciate there has to be a cut off at some point, but surely a system where you lose a percentage of the benefit for every fiver over the limit would be more appropriate in circumstances like these.

It just seems very unfair to me otherwise.

 

I never thought I'd see the day when a Labour Government would pull a stunt like this, but then again, this is Rachel Reeves we're talking about.

The sick and disabled will be next.

[an tha]

Seens fair enough...

 

https://amp.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/sep/10/reeves-urged-to-make-tax-changes-to-raise-more-than-20bn-a-year

[an tha]

Oh no that is it now he's upset all the bitters!!

[Arniepie]

tories and the right wing media taking the moral high ground on the standards of poor elderly people.

 

fucking laughable

[Anubis]

The pensioners who don’t get a private pension and don’t get pension credits are already choosing heating and eating. Even those on pension credits who will get it are on the same position. 
 

Here’s an idea - tax the fucking energy companies to pay for that and removing the two child benefit cap.

 

Also, good to know that MPs can claim a heating allowance of circa £3k. Tremendous.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Imagine voting for this shower of pensioner freezers! 

[Section_31]

Bloke in work was taking about this before, his parents are retired teachers and used to give theirs to charity. Nuance went out the window years ago however. Kid starver and so forth and so on etc etc.

[lifetime fan]

3 minutes ago, Section_31 said:

Bloke in work was taking about this before, his parents are retired teachers and used to give theirs to charity. Nuance went out the window years ago however. Kid starver and so forth and so on etc etc.

Chatting to my ol fella when we were away last week, said he won’t get it next year and rightly so, “this is my fifth holiday this year and I’ve still got another two to go”. 

[Creator Supreme]

My arl fell always used to say him and mum didn't need it. Mind you they didn't do very much when they retired, neither were arsed with holidays or anything like that.

 

It's a tough one, but for me they should be chasing the tax avoiders.

[lifetime fan]

We were taking the piss out of him calling him a tory cunt for all the holidays he has. 
 

He soon put us in our place. 
 

“If I was a tory cunt I’d be finding every way possible, legally and illegally to leave you money without having to pay inhetitance tax. But I’m not, I’m gonna spend it all so you two pricks don’t get any”. 

[Section_31]

I don't begrudge anyone keeping it at all, but the "Labour freezing old people" shtick is as predictable as it is bollocks.

 

The tories are spinning the narrative that it's been used to "pay off the union paymasters", divide and conquer as per.

 

Good old borris and our man Dom was talking about actually letting old people die not too long ago, let alone remove a non means tested benefit which the last surviving Barclay brother probably receives.

[Anubis]

Don’t worry, it’s only 800,000 old people at risk. Personally I’d argue more because for many, not even a £460 per year rose will do much. But eh, ‘‘tis but a trifle.

 

 

[Anubis]

1 hour ago, Section_31 said:

I don't begrudge anyone keeping it at all, but the "Labour freezing old people" shtick is as predictable as it is bollocks.

 

Almost as much as Labour playing the game in opposition. “Don’t worry, once they’re in…”

 

Like it or lump it Labour are the incumbents with a massive majority.

[Numero Veinticinco]

1 hour ago, Section_31 said:

I don't begrudge anyone keeping it at all, but the "Labour freezing old people" shtick is as predictable as it is bollocks.

 

The tories are spinning the narrative that it's been used to "pay off the union paymasters", divide and conquer as per.

 

Good old borris and our man Dom was talking about actually letting old people die not too long ago, let alone remove a non means tested benefit which the last surviving Barclay brother probably receives.

I think the previous election showed the noise up for what it was, really. The Owen Jones brigade, who quite obviously hate Starmer more than they hate the Tories, and the mouthy far right and Farage bellends all make a load of noise and rant and rave, but people have watched the Tories, they know the country and the economy is in a fucked state and they just don’t listen to the bollocks from these people. 

[Leyton388]

Fuck Labour. I am absolutely ashamed by this and wish i hadn't voted for this prick. Taking off pensioners while giving train drivers a pay rise when they are on good money anyway. Then you have them releasing real criminals early so they can fill them up with people who say offensive words online. 

 

They are, totally off their fucking heads. Cant wait to see what bullshit they come up with at the budget and their so called pay per mile road tax thats been rumoured. 

 

10 weeks in and they are fucking horrendous. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

3 minutes ago, Leyton388 said:

Fuck Labour. I am absolutely ashamed by this and wish i hadn't voted for this prick. Taking off pensioners while giving train drivers a pay rise when they are on good money anyway. Then you have them releasing real criminals early so they can fill them up with people who say offensive words online. 

 

They are, totally off their fucking heads. Cant wait to see what bullshit they come up with at the budget and their so called pay per mile road tax thats been rumoured. 

 

10 weeks in and they are fucking horrendous. 

Basically the complete opposite of this. 

[Jairzinho]

1 hour ago, Leyton388 said:

Fuck Labour. I am absolutely ashamed by this and wish i hadn't voted for this prick. Taking off pensioners while giving train drivers a pay rise when they are on good money anyway. Then you have them releasing real criminals early so they can fill them up with people who say offensive words online. 

 

They are, totally off their fucking heads. Cant wait to see what bullshit they come up with at the budget and their so called pay per mile road tax thats been rumoured. 

 

10 weeks in and they are fucking horrendous. 

 

Can we put you down as a maybe?

[Arniepie]

1 hour ago, Leyton388 said:

Fuck Labour. I am absolutely ashamed by this and wish i hadn't voted for this prick. Taking off pensioners while giving train drivers a pay rise when they are on good money anyway. Then you have them releasing real criminals early so they can fill them up with people who say offensive words online. 

 

They are, totally off their fucking heads. Cant wait to see what bullshit they come up with at the budget and their so called pay per mile road tax thats been rumoured. 

 

10 weeks in and they are fucking horrendous. 

Absolute bollocks 

For a start all public sector got a rise after a decade of pay restraints

 

[Arniepie]

The fella who said people should live on 30 p a day calling Labour cruel.

 

Right

[Skidfingers McGonical]

On 09/09/2024 at 18:28, Bruce Spanner said:

They’re doing an, in no way emergency, meeting online with members and supports to explain the rationale.

 

Amateur hour.

 

Effectively all those eligible for pension credits will see an increase in their week to week pensions, this is a significant number, with a further £900 pa from April in the new tax year.

 

Pensioners at the lower end will be better off, those at the other end shouldn’t need it anyway.

 

Farce from start to finish.

 

 

On 5Live this morning it was pointed out to the Housing Minister (I think) that if everyone that is entitled to Pension Credits claims them, then this will cost more than the saving they are aiming to make with this decision. 
 

Apparently there is no other way to fill this back hole. None at all. No Siree.