To wonder what could Starmer do, to turn things around?

Sorry with attachment

Government spending for 2025.

I don't disagree with protecting spending on education and the NHS but this would mean harder cuts on other areas.

Also I haven't seen any solutions for growing the economy that doesn't involve tax rises or spending cuts.

Sorry meant Rachel Reeves.

How? Family carers already save the state £445 million a year and a high proportion of older people who need care are self funding. 71.6% of the budget goes on social care for working age people.

And social care.

Who’s Angela Reeves?

In terms of managing the economy and boosting economic growth the right and left wing had two different approaches:

1. Right wing promised to grow the economy mainly by cutting taxes funded through increased debt which could then be paid off through the economic growth.

2. The left wing promised to grow the economy mainly by additional state spending funded through increased debt which could then be paid off through the economic growth. (Keynesian economics)

The problem with both approaches is that whilst they work in the short term (say 5 years) the build up of debt will slow economic growth in the long term.

This is currently where we are. Given the eye watering levels of Government debt (30 % to GDP in the early 90s to 100% today) increasing debt to fund growth is now no longer possible.

Liz Truss found this out the hard way by promising to cut taxes funded by debt . And Angela Reeves is also finding out the hard way by funding increased spending by further debt and tax rises.

So the question is then where could the money come from to grow the economy if not debt?

Well the right would say by cutting Government spending they could fund tax cuts. The problem is that the two actions would negate each other.

The left would say by raising taxes they could fund additional Government spending. Again the problem is that the two actions would negate each other.

It's a really difficult trap to escape from and caused by decades of both parties adding and adding to Government debt to create short term economic growth for political advantage to get re elected every 4 or 5 years.

The Reform party and its supporters get very defensive about being defined as far right.

https://bylinetimes.com/2024/10/07/why-reform-uk-is-far-right/

What exactly do you mean by 'far right'? Only last week Labour accused anyone wanting a national enquiry of being 'far right'. Yet a national poll found 75 percent of people polled wanted a national enquiry.

Malta’s lovely. I’d move there in a heartbeat. Outrageously hot in the summer months, though.

Firstly a parent might well have worked outside the home before giving birth and would therefore have made tax contributions. Ditto an adult who cares for a parent.

However, I did not say tax contributions, I said contributions. I believe that having children is, in fact, a contribution to society. That said, working life is longer for most of us than the years it takes to get children safely delivered at adulthood.

And yes, I do believe that everyone should contribute, and paying tax is part of that. The world doesn’t owe anybody a living, and you should seriously consider putting into society as well as taking out. It is what we are all here for.

Anyone who thinks that @KTheGrey 's suggestion is one that the Labour Party would take up with enthusiasm is projecting.

Highly intelligent comeback there raising the tone of the debate. Not.

Personally, because we think moving into a smaller house would be sensible about now, our thinking is that it probably wont be in the UK. Malta? Cyprus? who knows?

Come April 2025, SDLT kicks in at £125K except for first time buyers. That's not going to encourage many buyers is it?

This made me laugh too.

Haha just saw the pp attempt as per

Bit lame but I'll quote this in response

Are you capable of making any post without resorting to insults? Any post at all? Any argument you think you have is lost with the other crap.

Ooooh you’re hard.

Are you capable of making any post without resorting to insults? Any post at all? Any argument you think you have is lost with the other crap.

You re a Tory, so deny people healthcare goes with the badge.

Wow…..that’s pretty ad hominem.

So here we have another ad hominem, because ‘Tory’ is being used as an insult. We are nearly at contradiction though - the phrase ‘deny people healthcare’ suggests an attempt to make a point. It would not get a passing grade at GCSE English, but you can see what the poster thinks they are arguing against.

Interesting that @Alexandra2001 believes people having to contribute to society to get the rewards of society is ‘Tory’ and ‘deny[ing] healthcare’. Seems a rather entitled point of view. I would argue it is in fact promoting social cohesion - nobody expects a contribution beyond what somebody can manage, but everybody who can contribute should. Normal people who pay loads of tax because UK is v tax heavy just think this is actually just sensible and fair.

You re a Tory, so deny people healthcare goes with the badge.

Sorry but anyone who thinks that receiving healthcare or not should be based on your "Tax Contributions" is an idiot and anyone who agrees with them is also an idiot.

Even if the pp is serious and believes this - doubtful - they ve clearly given it no thought, so a parent who stays at home to look after a sick parent/child, they don't get any healthcare as they ve not "contributed"

Or to put it another way: “If you argue with a madman, it is extremely probable that you will get the worst of it; for in many ways his mind moves all the quicker for not being delayed by things that go with good judgment

Haha good one

Assuming to other pp

They aren't, the Tories are to blame for Labour getting in though.

Labour lost badly in 2019 and were on their knees as a party. Most of their limited talent left under Corbyn. Now one election cycle later and they have a huge majority. They aren't and weren't ready.