To feel so upset about the government censorship?

[Utterlydisillusioned]

This has just appeared in my news feed and I feel so upset and disillusioned. I was a labour voter, thinking we voted the bad guys out but I'm now really scared about what we've let in...what on earth have we done...? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/08/17/education-secretary-bridget-phillipson-private-school-tax-r/

@ChallahPlaiter thanks so much for your posts on this thread, they have been really useful among some of the bonkers stuff being spouted on here.

@BIossomtoes "Landed gentry rioted? When?"

To be fair, they do play rugger......

er, point of order. It was the British civil war. Just ask anyone in Ireland.

Thank you

It is disgraceful that Starmer who has been in office for only 6 weeks with the majority of that time with Parliament in recess that Starmer as a dictator forced through the Tory Police, Crime, courts and Sentencing bill during the last parliament that introduced tougher sentencing for rioting. Then he allowed judges to implement these changes according to sentencing guidelines.

It does seem like 1984 when history is being rewritten as we speak to support an agenda.

Well, he's not a dictator. We had a general election. Did you not notice that?

You're basically complaining that the law of the land is being followed with regard to the rioters. Tell us why you think they should not be in jail?

Unhinged and ignorant barely begins to cover the degree of battiness on this thread. It's really quite concerning.

It feels like something when you hear publicly appointed officials such as Leaders of the Opposition described as dictators!
Pretty daft too. I’m currently in a country that actually was under dictatorial rule for decades and you really can’t compare UK democracy with all its faults to that.

I read MM's post as sarcasm, very subtle

Hmm. Competition for Armando Ianucci maybe?

or amusing.

I’m not the same poster as @Andante67. Not sure if his/her choice was coincidence or deliberate - if deliberate not sure to what end.
Not that it really matters …..

Fair enough MN, I've entirely missed the point. Apologies all. Back to sleep for me.

It is disgraceful that Starmer who has been in office for only 6 weeks with the majority of that time with Parliament in recess that Starmer as a dictator forced through the Tory Police, Crime, courts and Sentencing bill during the last parliament that introduced tougher sentencing for rioting. Then he allowed judges to implement these changes according to sentencing guidelines.

It does seem like 1984 when history is being rewritten as we speak to support an agenda.

😂😂😂😂

That's satire at its best when I had to read it twice just to make sure you aren't being serious 😂😂

That hadn't occurred to me - sincere apologies if so intended, that's Olympic gold standard stuff.

@MadeleineMummy very clever. I do hope this is what you do for a living

Gosh yes, quite 1984!

don't hyperventilate

passes the smelling salts

don't hyperventilate

passes the smelling salts

😂😂

I just love MN sometimes. Nothing better than a good discussion where people can debate calmly, throw in one liners and stand up and say "I'm sorry" for misunderstanding instead of going on a self defensive attack.

I miss the real MN sometimes. Or rather the Mn I joined all those years decades ago

😂

This is true. The schools will be much much better off. That 20% makes a world of difference. The least they could do is lower the fees to meet parents halfway with the increase.

For most independent schools the most they can reclaim is 5% (as in net increase in costs 15%) as the vast majority of costs are not vatable - staffing, catering, transport being the main ones.

Most schools are planning to pass the 5% back but not all.

FYI I work in the sector in finance, am perfectly happy with the addition of VAT, and the schools that will find this challenging likely have other issues already and this is the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I own a nursery so know all about VAT that can’t be claimed back.

Most schools will save a fortune on agency staff alone. Catering costs can be, and usually are, outsourced. As are transport costs in many cases.

But apart from the day to day stuff, it’s things like building work where schools will be much better off. There’s a big difference between £10,000 and £12,000.

Nurseries are not independent schools.

Catering is outsourced for many but the food costs are not vatable, the biggest catering providers in the sector only charge VAT on the management fees and sundries.

Transport that isn’t for hire or reward isn’t vatable outsourced or not - many schools use the transport for fixtures or ferrying to offsite sports grounds. No VAT.

Our total agency bill last year was £70k. Our salary bill is £4m.

I am for the VAT but schools will not be ‘much’ better off.

Seriously? That's not the experience of the rather middle class Just Stop Oil Protestors now experiencing His Majesty's hospitality - they unaccountably received longer sentences than most of the rioters.

Starmer hasn't intervened in any case, it's basically been a process between the police, prosecuting authorities and the courts.

What do you mean by "impinging"? The Tories had a massive majority when they passed that Act, what do you suggest Labour should have done to prevent it?