Conservatives closing the gap on reform

The boats can be stopped obviously. We just have to take more drastic action which may be unpalatable and not within current national and international law.

Who knows if it might come to that. If we say we can't stop the boats that means we have given up on a defendable border.

That’s not correct but it doesn’t matter those types of posts aren’t helping them anyway, not even on here.

I do love the posts that claim anything good is down to the Tories but anything bad is down to Labour.

Immigration is down, Labour have been in for 18months, that success is down to them and no one else.

Labour is doing far more than the Tories ever did on x channel migration (and have returned over 50,000 illegal migrants) but unless the French accept back arrivals and or stop at source, short of sinking the boats (yes i know some on here want that) its an extremely difficult issue.

Even Farage has said he wont be able to stop the boats.

Yes and it costs a lot. The pp was incorrect re who did the policies for legal migration falling but if Labour think Chsnnel crossings aren’t a factor they’ll struggle.

We have no idea who anyone coming here is. At least those arriving on boats claiming asylum are in the system and their whereabouts are known. People overstaying visas are invisible.

TBH we don't know who comes here on visas either... plus tourists can come here for 6months, no checks.

There is huge fraud, overstayers, then dependants come in too, almost always from cultures alien to the UK, then again, we did vote for this.

the number of of boat migrants is up on last year, these are the main concern because we’ve no idea who they are.

Have i said otherwise?

People in wheelchairs, generally speaking, will find it harder to get work.

Work, with support for those who need it, can be excellent for the individual but schemes to get people off benefits need to be long term, not a merry-go-round of 6 month placements, chucking them back on benefits for another 2 years before they are eligible again (which is what can happen now)

And it can also destroy it. I was one of those people who worked through life long mental health struggles.

At 57 it became too much. The stress was unbelievable and broke me.

@Southernecho
I don't think it is wrong to ask people on benefits to work if they can-especially young people. People gain a lot from work. And before you say what about disabled people or those with mental health issues. Letting people sit at home doing nothing isn't actually good for anyone. I know two young people in wheelchairs who are adamant they want to work. Work can really improve people's wellbeing and sense of achievement (lots of psychological research on this-look up flow and positive psychology).

You think anything that isn’t brand new must be ‘rags’ 😂😂😂

I could buy new clothes for my kids but I choose not to as I think Vinted is better value, I can buy quality brands and reuse to assist in the general effort to reduce waste.

Are my children now Victorian poorhouse kids?

@Southernecho
Corporation tax in Ireland is 12.5%. I accept that the UK still had low growth when corporation tax was lower (19%) but this is not as low as Ireland's. I also accept that not everyone in Ireland is experiencing the benefits of this economic growth.
Increased employer NI is leading to an increase in unemployment and less economic growth whereas an increase in income tax would not have been so detrimental to the economy. Middle earners in the UK pay less tax than other Western European countries. There could have been an increase in taxation for those earning over £40,000. Capital gains tax could also be increased so it is more in line with income tax (but without a tax on the initial investment +5%) to increase revenue and prevent tax avoidance.
We have the third highest deficit of all the European countries at the moment and our interest payments equal the entire education budget.
We can't keep spending money without being in a precarious position hence my questions about whether the triple lock pension is the best place to spend the money we have or whether we could decreasing child benefit payments after the 1st/2nd child or decreasing benefits for 16-24 year olds who could work. £330 billion is spent on welfare at the moment (about one quarter of all government spending). Would this money to be better spent elsewhere e.g. NHS, education, police, prisons?

Hand me downstairs aren't rags. Thanks very much!! Im not on benefits. My kids (and I) wear hand me downs. I'm not proud. Plus as I said it's better for the environment. Why can't people on benefits do the same? Or at least not have to buy brand new everything for each child?. Just because tax payers are paying and not themselves? It's mad!

Loads of things can be used and worn by both sexes too.

Not sure we are still the 5th richest. Or if we are, we won't be for much longer.

This is surely nonsense by now. She’s polling higher than Starmer.

Hi Kemi

Its not hyperbole, its the logical conclusion of Reform & possibly Tory policies.

They cannot reduce Welfare budgets or curb immigration without drastic measures or it would have been done by now.

Do you think Farage is joking when he says he intends to deport people he doesn't want here?
Do you think he will let them live in their homes whilst they wait to be sent "home"
No, they will be placed in camps...

On Welfare, we will see ever tougher restrictions placed on claimants, with demands that they must work for their benefits (already happening) and "why should the tax payer fund their private housing?" "why can't they live in a hostel?" "Free up their homes for the deserving poor"

We are going full circle.

Agree; welfare and immigration (they also have a toxic relationship with each other).

And no; I’m not talking about cruel or extreme changes to wrangle financial support from severely disabled people, or mass deportation of UK citizens. Before anyone starts the hysterical hyperbole around workhouses and concentration camps.

Some things perhaps (school uniforms, coats) but not shoes, underwear, socks and tbh i don't think a boy should be wearing dresses that are now too small for his sister....

Its all rather depressing, 5th richest country in the World, top 25 per capita, 3m millionaires but the less fortunate can live in rags....

Not true. My kids wear a fair bit of Primark seconds. Vinted is probably cheaper and better anyway for seconds. You don't need to shop at Primark.

I suppose I'm not on benefits though. So handmedowns is all we get!

I’m not sure Primark stands up to lots of hand me downs tbh.

You need a high quality item to be able to hand it down. Like they were in the 70’s. Not the cheap crap we have now. Unless you can afford posh stuff.

Not usually. All my kids wardrobes were hand me downs including shoes. No problem with a few bobbles or holes. We're not fussy. Anyway its better for the environment to recycle clothes. Most people do it (or should) rather than buying new.

Worn ones often look crap. Washed to death, bobbly, stained, holey.

😁😁😁😁

X box: why would a small child want an x box? From her brother 10 years older?
Swings/scooters/slides- not with a 10 year gap
Food is not cheaper in any way with teens. They have hollow legs. Buy in bulk, they’ll eat in bulk
People have Spotify and Netflix with no children. Why does it make it cheaper having more? Yeah, there’s family subs, but there’s always a limit on them anyway.

Your post is nonsense.

I don't understand the problem? I wore hand me downs and so have my kids. Worn ones look much better than pristine new things. And if you are expecting tax payers to fund your kids wardrobes because you can't why would you expect to have brand new things?

I'm sure families struggling don't even have these subscriptions/x boxes and bicycles? you re kidding me....

When just having the heating on is a luxury, even a 2nd hand bike isn't going to happen.

Climbing frame/swing? FFS do you even consider that many poorer people don't even have a fucking garden?

Unbelievable.