AIBU to think Burnham’s words may haunt his premiership?

On whether a poster is genuine? What are you accusing them of exactly

It was an observation, are they not allowed anymore?

National security includes energy and food self sufficiency. It includes an ability to defend ourselves economically and culturally in terms of our own independence.

I am not convinced we are remotely able to do this when much of what we consume comes from China or the EU.

Trump has identified (rightly) it's all about access to resources. Trump is a business man first and foremost. We are seeing a rush by the US to control this. It's a power grab. It is ultra capitalism that is absolutely at odds with European values - he sees humans as resources not people. Resources that can be expendable.

We are not ready to wrap our heads around this. We, and many Americans of all political persuasions, still assume he sees it differently and will act in their national interest as their leader.

If he isn't remotely interested in this, then all bets are off and you would see a massive decline in US living standards for many similar to that in Russia post Soviet era.

In 2007 DH and I saw the 2008 crash incoming. (None of this nonsense that was later trotted out that no one saw it coming - they bloody did and a some people got rich by riding the market and shorting it. The fact DH and I could see it even though we were economically unable to do anything either way says a lot). I am seeing and hearing noises that make me think similar but think a crash could be worse. There are people rubbing their hands at the money making opportunities they see with this. This makes me think it's even more likely because there's all these bets now in place on how it will all unravel.

I'm holding my breathe on when the dam bursts.

I note that Burnham met the head of JPMorgan yesterday. Apparently the discussion was about taxing the banks and under the threat of a £3billion exit from the UK by JPMorgan. We've not heard anything about how the meeting went but given how the markets have been all week, I'm not convinced that it would be a favourable meeting for Burnham as I suspect all it would do is give a headache of reality check about how much freedom he has to do this. Or anything else.

Take it up with mnhq instead, if posters want to avoid threads or whatever do that.

I think you have a point, the thread on Andy Burnham / social security / national security thread was started by a poster who only posts threads about Andy Burnham / Labour.

Like literally 95% of all their posts were about Andy Burnham. And a new joiner to MN too.

One issue posters do raise suspicions for me.

One dreads to think of the possibilities..

Quite.

'Are you going to give me a windfall if a new billionnaire moves to the UK?

Ah you see there's a fundamental flaw in your question there.

That’s a good point. Healey resigned over defence spending so why promote spending more on benefits a short time later.

Yet here you are.

It's a bit circular isn't it, non doms enjoyed UK due to not having to pay tax on overseas earnings, so UK get less tax. Now nom doms have found new tax havens, so UK gets less tax.

'Personal Independence Payment (PIP) currently costs the UK government about £23 billion a year, with total spending on disability and health benefits reaching roughly £77.1 billion.

Current PIP Costs and Projections

• Current spending: PIP costs approximately £23 billion annually, supporting around 3.7 million people.
• Future forecasts: Total government spending on sickness and disability benefits—including PIP and the health element of Universal Credit—is projected to rise to about £41 billion for PIP alone and £78 billion overall by 2030.'

Do you believe that mild ADHD (as opposed to your 'a crippled nan') and a host of other mild 'mental' issues should receive a disability payment?

Since they're invariably started by name changing posters and quickly populated by posters consistently hostile to the government, it certainly isn't worth attempting any meaningful debate.

@Greyrock79 during the mini budget crisis, 30 year government bond yields peaked at 5%. For the man on the street, mortgage rates shot up and peaked at 6.51% on 20 October 2022. How was any of that a good thing?

No billionaire is moving to the UK as we are putting in policies that have made it harder to build and grow businesses and more expensive to employ people. It’s okay though because middle England tax payers will make up the shortfall. Andy has that convered in the next budget.

I didn't say no one is bothered, I'm looking at the facts, that if a billionaire wants go from paying £330m pa tax to £100,000k pa tax (i.e. Rokos) then it's not going to matter to them which party is in charge.

Mittal was a big Labour donor but he has left too.

Are you going to give me a windfall if a new billionnaire moves to the UK?

I believe the current chancellor actually stepped down due to defence cuts, so those in the know are angry enough to quit their jobs over it. What does defending the country look like? Off the top of my head a well trained and armed Army and Navy and investing in the latest technologies. What we also tried to do previously was be on good terms with our Allies but Labour couldn’t be arsed to maintain that.

Minimising settlor violence isn't a good look either.

What does defending the country look like and what do you think is not being done?

You're suggesting it’s nominal and therefore who is really that bothered. If it’s that nominal are you stepping in to make up the shortfall?

Well, what were the yields? You haven't actually said.

Quite.

I've been looking at this all week.

The thing is, Trump potentially has incentive to crash the global economy including the dollar. That's what really scares me.

The assumption is he would work in the best interests of the American people. But what if that's not true? What if he is more interested in his own financial interests and power. With the ability to know the inside decisions be can make financial decisions that benefit his empire at the expense of others. An Oligarchs charter if you will.

Putin did similar within Russia and essentially robbed the Russian population.

High unemployment and poverty traps people. Yes riots would happen but that gives the trigger to enact emergency powers too... Messy.

And the power of America isn't lost. It's just gets privatised in Trumps name.

All this noise about Canada and Greenland makes sense if he's looking for mass defaults around the world with US money (private money) being the only way that other economies can bail themselves out of that mess.

The option to tax the super rich or the banks isn't going to be one open to us at that point. Even if a PM wanted to.

Looking at the Iran crisis - Trump has too things here. He wants to destroy the Iranian Republic. He's willing to take down everyone in the process because he doesn't personally lose because disaster capitalism ensures he wins one way or another.

China is acting to insulate itself against an oil supply shock. Take note.

I am struggling to see how there isn't going to be a recession - a big one - with interest rate hikes. And that's not pretty.

It doesn't matter what policy any PM had at this point. We are passengers who aren't in control. That's the issue. We can pretend differently but it won't change much. The 'middle class quality of life' thread which is running may not age well.

It scares me.

I sincerely hoping I'm going to look a prat with this post in twelve months time and my fears never come to pass.

You realise if you don’t defend the country, then the people who live there are at the mercy of whoever steps into the vacuum? It’s like not bothering to lock the front door because you’ve closed an interior door. We have to keep the invaders out as a priority or a country that is perceived as weak is incredibly vulnerable, particularly now as previously peaceful regimes are looking to collect land.