AIBU to feel the media is pushing Starmer out?

It's a big solution to the problem. Parents would think of the ramifications of who they have kids with.

I never said those claiming benefits were feckless.

Yes you can. But the law now says different so your point outdated.

Yep! A lot of outlets, owned by tories simply don't report on good news regarding Labour. And even things like the BBC, when reporting has a 'yes but' caveat and carry on negatively.

It's tiresome, should be illegal (press should be neutral) but unfortunately it works. Look at how many people think immigrants are the fault of this broken country.

I will judge a PM on what i like.

Absolutely nowhere near the most important issue facing the country.

Complete stupidity to judge a PM on this issue.

And if he couldn’t work? Let’s imagine (just for shits and giggles) he loses his cognitive function due to a brain injury?

What then? What’s your solution to mean that I no longer need to claim child support?

Media is completely to blame, Starmer’s ministers and MPs are in a media fuelled bubble where they allow a seed of doubt or a poor decision to escalate beyond any reasonable point.
The British media is run by rich powerful people, all of whom prefer a right wing, even hard right wing, approach. Where the gap between rich and poor widens and the rich pay less tax. So they have a huge vested interest, and due to social media are able to influence and infiltrate the public mindset more easily than ever before.
We are turkeys voting for Christmas.
Whoever the next leader is needs to get better at shouting very loudly about the wins, quietly getting on with it apparently counts for nothing.
I really hope Andy Burnham is the person who can do this, we can’t keep chopping and changing like this, especially when we are throwing away decent people who genuinely care about all the inhabitants of the country rather than just the wealthy ones.

That would be a solution for me because he could afford it.

There are other CMS paying parents that couldn’t.

So that’s not the solution to the whole problem.

And my point still stands. Claiming benefits does not equal ‘feckless’.

Any of us are only a few life events away from poverty (except the very wealthy). Not everyone can get themselves out of poverty. Facts.

The system is geared to keep the poor and powerless, poor and powerless and the rich and powerful, rich and powerful. A few will be able to move from poverty to wealth but not all.

So what should we do about that as a supposedly civilised society?

Wonderful, dear. Your contribution is needed, as with us all.

My point is: Your ex-husband should be forced to pay more for his kids. He should pay higher taxes.

It's just beyond the pale!

This change is absolutely pointless and stupid at this point of time.
We've had a new MP every 1-2 years.
Where is the stability?
I don't even see what is the horribly wrong thing that KS has done that would legitimise this change? I knew with Bojo and Liz, but here I fail to understand what has happened?
How will the new PM change things? More welfare and even bigger deficit = welcome Reform in the next election?
This country is now ruled by social media and external actors who own big news outlets.

I get child support.

A solution would be taking more than 12% from the absent parent, as it's not enough.

Quite apart from how people feel about Starmer, it's very clear that the media do far more than simply reflecting what is going on within and between different political parties. Every day they 'over egg' and exacerbate disagreement and conflicts in the incessant need for an engaging headline or story. It pressurises people being interviewed to 'take a stance' - often too quickly - and even though they know issues are highly complex and may need to play out. Discourse become shrill and polarised. But it makes for a good debate on Newsnight or Laura Kuensberg, so all good. Who needs sense and moderation? It will be AB next, but give it a few months and they will turn on him. The media don't care who is in and who is out - they just want drama all day and night.

Yes, and it's not enough that you applied for benefits.

12% isn't enough to raise a child.

I have worked in the public sector my whole life. Paid taxes. Paid NI. Child benefit is a universal benefit. He is abusive and won’t pay more than is legally set. What else would you have me do?

I care that a man holding the most responsible position in the country thought women could have a penis and men could have a cervix. It said a lot about his going forward.

Tell me your solution.

My vignette comes from working closely with families over the last 30 years. I’ve never known it so bad.

You don’t have a solution. That’s ok. You are just angry about what you have read about benefits. I understand.

But dig a bit into the causes of poverty and then come back to it.

Well, 12.5% isn't enough, is it?

He is contributing what he is legally obliged to. CSA sets the percentage.

Also, the electorate is not as savvy as we might like to think.

What country are you from? Is it any better politically? Allowing every adult to
vote is always going to mean that some are less informed. It’s the price you pay for democracy I guess

Your imagination is running wild with you.

I will not indulge it.

CSA does take the money if needed and charges the paying parent 20% extra. It is set at 12.5% income.

What is the solution?

Workhouses? Child labour? Hanging for stealing an apple? Eugenics? Gas chambers? Poor houses? Slums?

You tell me how a family who have two parents without many qualifications (due to their childhood growing up in deprivation/neglect), working full time hours a week, minimum wage, only just making ends meet, cost of living spiralling, can improve their situation?

Trickle down economics doesn’t work.
Social inequality causes everyone to have poorer mental health (even the wealthiest)
inequality increases crime and poor health which cost the state but in different ways.
The reasons for poverty are multi layered and multi systemic.

Taxing the wealthiest is the only sensible step if we want a more equal, civilised and thriving society like we built post WWII.

Absolutely.

Mandatory national insurance details on the file.
Mandatory payments are deducted weekly.
Mandatory sanctions if payment is faltering.

I am quite sure it would put a dent in the nonsense.