Starmer the non charmer

With the two tier thing and another poster saying traitor I am thinking more reform type but I could be wrong

We've seen so-called charisma with Johnson. Look how that worked out. I'm more than delighted to have a dull but competent PM.

Well it’s not exactly a challenge to have more charisma the Starmer is it.

I could be wrong but from what I understand the tax made from smoking is more than the cost of smoking?

Regardless, although I'm not 100% certain about the above (maybe someone else will know or maybe if I have time tomorrow I'll have a Google to try to check), I simply can't take seriously any claims of wanting to restrict smoking due to apparent concern for health. Not unless and until there's a massive social housing build.

I don't have the link to hand (it was published in the BMJ) but studies have found that private renting is more harmful to health than smoking. (The studies found that social renting was no worse than owner occupier - likely due to the stability both options provide).

Yep. Very dark times ahead.

He wouldn't be crying, he’d be taxing it.

I'm not after a charmer. I want someone with integrity to sort this shit show out. It's going to be probably painful, take time and be dull as dishwasher.

But I'd rather that than the smoke and mirrors and smug self-interest that the previous bunch of tosspots majored in.

Well. We voted him in. Sit back and enjoy the ride 😂

They are all the same, this conversation happens regularly whether the Tories or Labour are in government. The political choice is apaulling, in fact it feels like there has been no real choice. The Tories knew the state of the economy so have stepped aside to let Labour deal with it for the next 5 years. Then the Tories will be back, telling us how much Labour has cocked up and we need to cut xtz. It's like a merry go round that I want to get off. Consistant waste of money plowed into initiatives costing billions that are then pulled by the consecutive governments it's bloody ridiculous the whole thing. I'm all for democracy don't get me wrong but UK politics is absolute shit show

But unless you’re married to Keir Starmer your husband isn’t setting everyone else’s tax burden, is he?

Taking advantage of a perk is one thing, doing that whilst also removing £300 from a 85-year old whose gross income is £1000 a month and telling them it’s for the greater good, is quite different.

As is accepting the perk yourself then criticising the Tories when they removed the pension cap for everyone else!

Yep. An intern at the Tory HQ is posting them. ‘Make sure you post one a day, Quintus’

And the tax generated from it makes the government a lot of money

I thought you were going to say he can draw his pension without paying tax. My husband has one of those, very nice it is too.

How come the infrastructure was falling apart like schools and hospitals ?
Fine, a minority of rich folk were doing well but what about lesser mortals who depend on public services ?

And why on earth is that ? Do you think unjustified insults ? Free for all because 80% of people were sick of them and their record.

I don’t smoke but my Dad did and he always said smokers contribute lots to the economy with the amount of VAT on cigarettes. Probably fund all their future operations on the NHS themselves if they smoke for years My dad did quit in the end but ended up with a big unhealthy tummy through comfort eating instead.

Based on eight weeks? They haven’t had time to be crap yet.

@Gwynn - Blair inherited a vibrant economy though

Indeed they were. Same as Keir & Co.

Well smoking costs the NHS a lot if money

He’s certainly ‘two tier’ when it comes to tax.

Starmer has been warning us how tough the budget will be, how we’ll have to accept tax rises for the better good. Why it was necessary to remove the winter fuel allowance from pensioners on £12,000 a year.

Did you know he is the proud possessor of a tax-free pension from his time as DPP?

Two-tier tax burden, if not policing.

”The legislation means Sir Keir is exempt from paying tax on pensions savings over £1m.”

Sir Keir Starmer criticised over tax free pension scheme - BBC news

Maybe it is regional, I don't see many people smoking outside pubs just the odd one or two.

The difference is that hardly anybody were to defend the tories. It was just free for all insults.

Kier is going to be a disaster. Rishi was a disaster. The problem is we literally have no viable alternative. Its crazy we cant come up with someone better than bloody Starmer or Sunak.

I thought Churchill did reality, ,This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end, this is just perhaps the end of the beginning.
That wasn't a jolly speech was it, it was real acknowledging how tough it was and would continue to be.

Another one, "I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this government: 'I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat'."

Not fun speeches, tough speeches that treated the British people like adults.