We know all the anti Labour posts are really just about VAT on school fees!

Of course it is a loss to the dc who would have benefited.

This might sound crazy but you can be critical of one party whilst also disliking the other. It's a ridiculous view that if you have concerns about Labour you love the Tories

1% of kids get a full bursary and most of the rest are marketing expenses to attract already talented kids who will make the schools look better. It's literally no loss.

I think we can avoid this tg

Do they bother with pensioners? Not that we are that yet

It certainly is not. I'm far more concerned about the WFA and the very real impact that will have on millions of elderly people.

I'm a single mum with a DS on a scholarship. Money is tight in our house because I chose to let DS take up a scholarship he won at an independent school. VAT will cost me about an extra £3,000 in total. DS is in the 6th form. But I'll work it out. I'll sell stuff or get second job.

If we have a hard winter, the loss of the WFA could cost many old people their lives. And while Starmer has his nice new free (warm!) suits fitted (wool? cashmere?), and Rayner has her freebie holidays. The hypocrisy is nauseating.

If you can't see the difference, then there is something wrong with you. The elderly are frail, they often live in poorly insulated houses and need more warmth, not less. They dread the shame of debt. They are often reluctant to turn on their heating.

THAT is the difference !

Surely this is to prevent benefit fraud though? What’s wrong with that?

Nope. I can afford the VAT. I did feel sorry for the talented kids whose bursaries won’t happen as a result but hey ho. Never mind hey.

You might not care about it but it shows a lack of integrity amongst our leaders. It’s important. Everyone quick enough to jump on any Tory politician doing the same. And putting “grow up” at the end of your post frankly sounds pretty immature - the irony.

Everyone on benefits. The state will have the right to access your bank account.

Yes. But the VAT on schools is popular, in the manifesto, does not affect poor people, is a choice, and appeals to the base. The only possible side effect is that so many private school parents push their kids into state school that it will raise less. But demographics mean they will be easily absorbed within the existing school system and budget, and the migration will be a net benefit to society.

I suspect, however, that it will raise funds, and PS places will not decline much.

I missed this. How many people does this impact? Ie is it just benefits, certain types of benefits that is

I'm not talking about money laundering and tax cheats who are being investigated for fraud. I'm talking about millions of benefit claimants. I don't believe the state should be snooping on people's private financial affairs.

What else should the state snoop on? Texts, phone calls, emails? Do you have any limits to the state?

A lot of it is very bitter - and the comms strategy is terrible, but who can really object to transparency of your account if you get public benefits? The Tories were doing the same.

It is the sound of people who have largely been catered to and accommodated for many years. Some of that is ending; public finances dictate that. They do not like that.

It was straightforwardly stupid, even if it was within the rules. Starmer isn't that popular, but one thing he stood up for, and built his reputation on, was probity in public life. Taking a huge wadge of gifts from a donor just crushes that. They aren't all the same, but this plays into the narrative of "they are all the same."

You might think the country has more important things to talk about, but the papers and opposition parties disagree. It was an unforced error.

Nicely said

Raises about the same as vat on school fees then. Not a lot.

Aw. Tell people you’re bitter about not being wealthy without telling people you’re bitter about not being wealthy

Why don’t you and everyone else carping on about being happy with the VAT on education, think about how you could help to improve all shitty state schools.

Perhaps you might campaign for a universal tax increase, to improve all state schools. Then everyone is happy and reaps the benefit.

No? Thought not.

PS. Of course you know that Starmer and his party are really quite useless, all the mistakes they’ve made to date.. but shhhh it’s all Boris’s fault!! Starmer sausage said as such this morning.

Couldn’t care less about expenses claims. Are they acting legally? Yes. Fine. Surely the country has more important things to talk about. Everything has gone to shut and people are bickering about expenses claims? Grow up.

I am fully supportive of VAT on schools, but removing the pensioners' winter fuel allowance is completely cack-handed.

They did not do an impact assessment. This is very basic.
There are plenty of non-headline making ways of clawing the same amount of money back from wealthy pensioners.
It has a cliff-edge cut off, and will directly impact poorer pensioners.
The take up of UC by poorer pensioners is a good, but unintended consequence which means that it will probably not raise much money.
Pensioners vote, and they will hate Labour for this.
It's picking an entirely unnecessary fight with backbenchers and members who are against it.

Governments need to make necessary but unpopular decisions early in the their term, but this is both unpopular and unnecessary, damages Labour's reputation and raises only £1.5bn at the most.

That poster said they are under “scrutiny” for expensive expenses claims. Well they are! Not one single person seems happy about it.

@ poppyzbrite4

In Norway, everyone’s tax return is published - these days, they’re all put online - so everyone knows how much everyone else earns. I have no problem with this - if it stops fraud, so much the better.

My kids won't go private but we're edge of catchment and the alternatives are awful, so I'll be really pissed off if they don't get spaces. That said I thought he started OK, but having been very sanctimonious about the last government the relationship with Lord Ali and grabbing everything he can for him and his family if not a good look. The amount they are paying to settle the pay disputes is OTT and then taking money from pensioners to do so is just dumb. The Tories deserved to go, but having thought he would get 2 or even 3 terms I wonder if he may not.

No. No I don’t. Not if that ‘privacy’ allows people to cheat the exchequer. £26bn tax was evaded by small business owners last year. We need all the help we can get to stop them.

YABU. If you think that Starmer taking £20k in donations because his son had to revise for his exams and needed a hotel room is acceptable then you need to have a good look at yourself. Our children don't get that treatment so don't kid yourself that he's trying to level the playing field when it comes to private schools because I just don't buy it. And I say that as someone who now has adult state educated children so I have no bias towards private schools.

Nobody is under investigation for excessive expenses claims @Ijustdontcare , that’s just nonsense. People have got worked up because Labour have done something perfectly within the rules (even though I wish they hadn’t).
They can’t stop building hospitals that were fictional in the first place. There were no plans.