Keir's first day....

[CurlewKate]

Looks pretty good to me! What are people's thoughts?

I know it's GB news but was also reported else where as advice by this advisor!
https://www.gbnews.com/money/state-pension-means-tested-labour

Maybe you are a softie lol 😂 He won’t be getting the kids’ breakfasts and doing the ironing.

"If", "could", "eventually", and "floated" are key phrases in that article.

I do know that thanks! 😉 Never mind. 🙈 Was just empathising with such a huge and exhausting few days. I'm sure they're fine.

I know 🥰. I was only making a silly joke 😀

It’s not a government handout it’s their own fucking money that they’ve paid into their entire working lives!!

@IClaudine ""If", "could", "eventually", and "floated" are key phrases in that article."

Indeed.

As I said, I think the £50 a month dog licence is going to be a real money spinner.

I paid a big chunk in to top mine up recently. Looks like it could be completely wasted money.

@Locusteater "I paid a big chunk in to top mine up recently. Looks like it could be completely wasted money."

It honestly doesn't look like that at all.

I'm more worried about the plans to "reform" the planning process that are currently on the agenda.

Why not?

Because it isn't actual policy. Honestly, the things people will believe! Let's wait and see what comes out as legislation instead of speculating about random ideas that may have been mentioned.

@Locusteater Because it's not a policy. It's fake news.

@Dinnerdinnerchickenwinner "I'm more worried about the plans to "reform" the planning process that are currently on the agenda."

To build on brown sites?

I've read there are plans to build on greenbelt, but that could be wrong.

@Dinnerdinnerchickenwinner My is understanding is that the idea is to preserve the green belt, but simplify the planning process for building on brown belt land-including social housing. So we get more houses faster and also the construction industry will boost which will be good for the economy.

But I could be wrong too!

The power to object is being removed

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13611467/Rachel-Reeves-vows-overhaul-timid-planning-stripping-local-people-powers-object-onshore-wind-farms-opening-parts-Green-Belt-new-homes-big-speech-Chancellor-rejects-union-demands-borrowing.html

It's more nuanced than that, but of course the Fail would champion the NIMBYs.

What Reeves said was that the answer can't always be no. That sounds like common sense to me.

"What Reeves said was that the answer can't always be no. That sounds like common sense to me."

Me too. And that it MUST be a faster process.

I assume you don't live in an area that would be affected by this?

I don’t know how much you think a teacher gets in pension after paying a considerable amount in superannuation monthly (and yes I know it’s subsidised by the government). I get, after 41 years of unbroken service, approx £1800 a month after the latest increase. I realise this will seem like a lot to some people but there are many many people whose pensions are far larger than this - people on huge salaries, people who receive massive bonuses (often undeserved imo) which teachers and NHS staff are not entitled to, no matter how hard they work.
People who have had the opportunity to build up savings and investments - there are a lot of people in this category, more than you might think. They wouldn’t even notice if the state pension was removed from them.

@Dinnerdinnerchickenwinner "I assume you don't live in an area that would be affected by this?"

Not sure. I might.

I suspect I do. Rural area, lots of flat land surrounding me and commutable to several major citites, including London.

I hate the thought of more houses and less countryside but we need more (good quality) houses. However, we also desperately need more infrastructure to support them and I hope this is part of the planning also.

"Alongside these housing targets, Reeves says Labour will reform the planning system to deliver infrastructure needs that have been left "unresolved for far too long"."

Hurrah. I've answered my own question.