What do with think will be in Labour’s budget?

I agree. I'd be very surprised if AB doens't call an early GE as there's nothing but bad news and the economy worsening over the next couple of years. I think he should have called it as soon as he became PM to ride on his "high", as his popularity now seems to be waning given how little he's done and people are becoming disillusioned with him due to lack of any major new policies to help us get out of the rut.

He must be looking back and thinking about how Gordon Brown didn't have the confidence to call a GE when he became Labour leader and was relatively popular and could have won it, instead of backing out and ending up losing a couple of years later as the economy and his popularity fell.

This may be the best time if Labour want a renewed mandate, while Reform and the Greens are losing ground. Badenoch's ratings are up, but the Tories aren't matching her.

Yup, I think it's "now or never" for Labour if they want another term in office. Another couple of years gives Kemi/Tories time to overtake Labour, especially if the Reform popularity is waning (which it is) and the Greens continue to lose popularity due to their very strange leader and their strange/unreasonable/unpopular policies. Libdems will remain in the wilderness with having an invisible leader with barely any media personality and nothing in the way of alternative policies.

Didn’t he just say again there’d be no early election? This morning on looking it up.

I also just saw a headline for NHS consultation strikes so might have to focus on issues.

He’s ruled it out today.

He knows he would lose most of his parliamentary majority. He’d be swapping one set of problems for another.

The latest polls show a Labour majority of 134 seats.

Yes, that's why he should call a GE now, whilst he still has popularity and a chance of a majority in Parliament. 134 seats is still a big fall on the last GE. And will continue to fall the longer he leaves it.

Got your crystal ball out again? It’s purely wishful thinking on your part and constantly repeating it doesn’t make it true. Like many other people I’m sick to death of political churn with PMs changing every five minutes and three elections in just over four years (2015 to 2019). What this country needs now is some stability.

Which polls? That’s only 33 fewer than they have currently.

@Badbadbunny

Yes, that's why he should call a GE now, whilst he still has popularity and a chance of a majority in Parliament. 134 seats is still a big fall on the last GE. And will continue to fall the longer he leaves it.

I am not a great believer in polls as evidenced by how wrong they have been in the past.

For as long as the political parties operate like weather vanes and blow in the direction of polls, UK will not be stable. If there was a GE soon, that would make 5 in 11 years.

Something about pensioners on only the new state pension getting a tax free allowance to the amount it is each year. Personally I think they should raise the lower tax rate for everyone to the pension level each year.

https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/labour-now-lead-8-points-conservatives-second-place-latest-voting-intention-polling

He may as well stick to what he’s saying. No election yet.

Wow, that’s even worse than I thought. We don’t want a return to the 70s when we had two in one year.

Considering that those on the right of the political divide tend to go on and on and on about the cost to the taxpayer of everything, it's illogical for them to demand another GE. They tend to cost the taxpayer rather a lot.

@pointythings

Considering that those on the right of the political divide tend to go on and on and on about the cost to the taxpayer of everything, it's illogical for them to demand another GE. They tend to cost the taxpayer rather a lot.

Opposition parties always want a general election regardless of whether the current government is left or right.

I can’t see where the predicted seats number you quoted is mentioned in that press release? Is it in the download?

The country is 3 TRILLION in debt and paying over a BILLION in interest every year. A GE costing millions is trivial, especially if it means better outcomes in terms of economic growth etc.

There's no guarantees that it will though. Last time round, austerity did huge damage. All the opposition in the UK have is more of that. Meanwhile the IMF isn't knocking on the door, no matter how many are trying to pretend otherwise.

Offering unaffordable tax cuts to the wealthiest is hardly fiscally literate.

Who said anything about tax cuts to the wealthiest?

But if it keeps the wealthiest in the UK and draws the wealthiest into the UK from abroad, and thus increases our tax take and grows the economy, what's not to like?

Badenoch. Free childcare at every income level and exempting residential property completely from IHT.

Is that a tax cut?

Obviously.

No.

You might want to look up what tax cut means.

They are still paying the same tax, but might be getting something out of it for the only reason that it makes it easier for the high rate tax payers to work and pay the huge sums they are paying.