Labour isn't working - Thread 17

[TheNuthatch]

A chat thread for those who don't like this Labour government. 💙

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.

Previous thread
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Unlikely but IF the old lady cuts in a minute - it’s because Bailey is throwing Reeves a bone, given the current inflation data.

It will be that blatant.

The signalling will otherwise be key.

Interest rates held at 4%

Yes but split with Bailey casting.

Language skewed towards a pre-xmas cut.

Smith, one of the released has handed himself in. Not sure how long he’s got left on the sentence.

It's zero interest rate policies that got us into this mess. People borrowed more than they could afford and felt rich. House prices soared and here we are, with huge amounts of money being spent on housing benefit and people priced out of the housing market. This situation stems from 2008.

Good, one down I suppose.

Edit as posted too soon.
He was released on the same day that he was sentenced for about 40 months. He appeared via video link from the prison, received his sentence, and then was released 🤯

He looks remarkably relaxed in the clip tbf given what’s going on

Labour on the other hand, what a mess

Geez! Can you imagine

That boomer rebellion piece I've sent to husband who's out and about today. We've disagreed on taking out the 25% lump sum. He won't I disagree.
I've always been the wheeler dealer money wise in our marriage. Working with accountants because we're self employed. I've used gut instinct on a number of occasions. Once bought a house when he was doing a leg of the around the world race. Because we already owned next door which I insisted he buy. So it was a no brainer for me.

I've bought and sold shares for a new kitchen, and other things. It annoys me that he's so passive about this.

In Wales cash is king a land of small businesses where bartering and a cash deal for small things are king. I call them the Tafia. So many skim off cash a bit like the Italians or greeks from farming to hospitality, it's endemic. Sometimes a business gets caught VAT wise but very rarely.

My Chinese takeaway, hairdressers and cleaner are cash only. I go to the ATM regularly.

I just don't trust this government nor do many Welsh.

"Major update over VPN ban in England with all households warned - Birmingham Live" https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/major-update-over-vpn-ban-32806529?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#predetermined

I only just caught this

it is utterly mad isn’t it that this happened - does this give you any confidence we know who is in our prisons if we release the wrong people?

Nope. No confidence at all.
It was a mess before Labour, but its got a lot worse since they took office.

More grim reading for my industry. 😪

The latest bellwether S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index paints a grim picture of weakening order books and little good news ahead as construction braces itself for a doom-laden budget.The index registered 44.1 in October, down from 46.2 in September and below the 50 no- change mark for the tenth consecutive month.October marked the longest period of continuous decline since the global financial crisis more than 15 years ago.https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2025/11/06/construction-buyers-report-fastest-activity-decline-in-five-years/

We were on the fringes of construction until 2007. When we sold the business. They've been on a knife edge for a long time. Our local tech college which ran courses, apprenticeships, around that time fancied itself as a university so pushed hard to be accepted. Construction, hairdressing, nursing, car mechanics were the victims of this inflated ego push. It's still not been accepted 18 years later 🙄

Thanks have forwarded to the two architects in our family.

My autistic DS is selectively mute. He actually can't speak to some people. However, we're trying really hard to either help him grow out of it or (alongside / in the alternative) come up with a way he can take oral assessments via reasonable adjustment (i.e. by involving somebody he will speak to in the assessment).

Guessing they’ll have been feeling it just like us

Brothers construction company just gone into voluntary liquidation
and a friend ( senior architect) made redundant from a well known usually thriving practice

We’re doing OK still as we have a lot of education buildings still moving forward and our Conservation Architecture area is still ticking over. I suppose in that respect if a building is in need of work Planners force it on the owners.

As Architects though we can feel things are similar to the last big recession when we were all
in the office playing cards and not getting paid. Just Glorified phone hoverers

hoping we all weather the storm

@DrPrunesqualer Sorry to hear about your brother's company. Its so bad at the moment, we're in civils.
I'm glad you're hanging in there.

It’s good to know that civil engineering still attracts talent and commitment among people in the UK.

It’s not remotely my area, but I went to a fascinating talk through a friend at the ICE many years ago where a civil engineering lecturer made a compelling case that civil engineering has done more for public health and welfare than everything else put together. Roads, bridges, railways, mass housing, docks, dams, harbours, sewerage, they’ve all made us better and more prosperous.

Another point the speaker made was that governments will always be necessary for civil engineering - planning, legal accommodation etc - but private interest drives everything.

Oh gosh sorry to hear this, it’s so concerning.

Benefits culture is like immigration - people can see in their own communities it isn't working. Ifni was the conservatives I'd be highlighting the nurses who are working all hours, the TAs, the lovely staff at Tesco - all who are contributing to the economy. I know lots of our families (on this thread) pay disproportionately high - but my life looks different enough to those on benefits for it not to be horribly cruel.

I think of all the Mums and Dads who I see pushing buggies in the dark morning and evenings. Or people like my parents who are working into their 70s. Sigh

I hope so too. Have seen it before here 1990-1997.

Friends who build in the public sector, schools, hospitals etc are surviving on public money for now. Seriously wealthy don't need big houses here now. Youngest architect is deep into passive haus design. Trouble is he's a lot smarter, further ahead than planning and councillors who vote yay or nay.

I was at the Lewes Bonfire Night last year. Thought you would all like the effigies of Starmer.

I was a bit surprised Rachel Reeves wasn’t there but it takes ages to make a good effigy.

Thank you for sharing that. My dh would have been in his element at that lecture. 😁

The effigies are so detailed aren't they. I'm really surprised how good they are. I'm sure Reeves will get one in time.