To be worried about what the Labour government will do next?

[Scenicgirl]

Let's be honest, Labour has been a massive disappointment for this country, pissing off the pensioners with taking away the WFA, the farmers, NI changes which impact employers, immigration etc and today refusing compensation to the WASPI women after they ridiculed the Conservatives when they didn't commit to a solution. Don't we deserve better than this constant shit show of lies and deceptions which were clearly spouted out purely to gain power?
For the 1st time in my life, I worry about where we are heading.

Boris and Rishi were good PMs. Rishi was an excellent Chancellor. When Rishi became PM he inherited a sinking ship.

Well, you're entitled to your opinion.

The Tory party is responsible for one of the biggest acts of self harm, Brexit that has been seen in the uk. We'll be paying for it for a long time, as will our children. They lied to get it through. We are poorer for it.

@HopelesslyOptimistic
I'm confused by your understanding and worried that this is why we vote in such poor leaders. Kemi isn't going to save you. A lot of your upset is because of the free market. Our utilities have been privatised by Tory governments and they support deregulation, or "small government" , I very much doubt this will help you. Unless you are as rich as Croesus or Mrs Rees Mogg .....

Also, taxes aren't always a bad thing. Do you like your infrastructure? Your a and e being there? Would you agree that you need to pay any tax at all?

To the poster who's worried about Elon funding Farage, this is my biggest worry too. We might well have him as leader next time. Especially in this post truth era.

😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂Boris’s lies gave us Brexit, partygate…

And as for Rishi wow you’ve got a short memory, he’s only been gone a handful of months!

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

Tory PMs only do what is necessary to keep their party, donors and mates happy- that isn’t good for the rest of us.

Have a little think about the achievements and activities of the latest string of Tory PMs.

I think the shop is creaking. It's all very well saying Briton open for business invest but not actually making it palitble for people to invest in the UK.
We are on recession watch, business has stopped hiring, inflation is rising, the city is saying she's tanking the stock market here...

People are stunned by the winter fuel payment threshold. Being so low and I think when figure come out about elderly people dying this year and thier stories it's going to be pretty nasty.

Apparently no prime minister has been so unpopular for years so so soon into office.

No politician wanted this gig, didn’t notice many in the Tory party lining up for it. It’s a relief having somebody who takes on difficult decisions( farmers, and vat on private schools quite poplar polices where I live) as opposed to headlines designed to keep backbenchers happy and stuff everybody else.

Not sure why many elderly will die didn’t they have a pension increase that pretty much equaled the WFA?

You're right, in fact Starmer has effectively put the closed sign up to business.
He is not liked by his contemporaries, and as for "fixing the mess that the Tories left behind", he has added so much more.
As for the elderly, for those who rely solely on SP and those who just over the threshold, let's hope it's not going to be a harsh winter..... Starmer will soon learn that his government has a duty of care and alienating the pensioners maybe wasn't a good idea, come the next election.
He surely is the most unpopular PM with no depth or integrity and has surrounded himself with people with questionable abilities.

Thatcher’s popularity rating was lower at this point in her first term.

Yes that £40 billion is pay for Hunts NI rises, PO & Blood compensation and yes pay rises for teachers soldiers and nurses or should they have got nothing then be on strike?

Yes i do blame the Tories for the above, they never budgeted for any of these, they ignored them and left it for Labour to fund.

How would YOU have funded all of this?

Or are you like Badenoch and want all the good things but oppose all tax increases?

Its the same with water pollution, ignore it, leave it for someone else to fix.

btw the Tories gave us 640 billion of tax increases or a rise of 68%.... "oh but Labour..."

Of course investment in healthcare benefits the wider economy. A healthy population is essential for a healthy economy. People who are sick cannot work or pay taxes, restore them to health and get them back to work and they pay tax and stop claiming benefits. Surely that’s obvious to anyone with half a brain?

Nope, i think you need to look at your statement again?

Taxation can be used for infrastructure and when the UK did a lot better than is does now, taxation was used to fund everything from water to defence to energy generation.
Now our bills go to share holders... & CEO salaries, who have figured out its cheaper to pay the regulator fines than invest in their core product.

NHS? getting people back to work sooner, thats an economic benefit plus some world leading research, as is investment in FE and HE, rail roads all contribute massively too.

Most on the right of politics don't have a half a brain, even after 14 years of disaster after disaster, they still want a Tory or even worse a Reform Govt.

The problem for Labour is their policies have contracted the private sector over the last three months - at a faster rate, bar the pandemic, since 2009

That impacts public sector tor funding. Borrowing is maxed already too

I know this is a completely pointless request but any chance of a link?

Incidentally, the ONS doesn’t agree with you.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/bulletins/gdpmonthlyestimateuk/october2024

There's been quite a lot of achievements under the conservatives

What are they?

The S&P report and PMI figures are standard measures

The pp is looking in the wrong place

Which are?

Where are the links then? The ONS is a reliable source - unless it fails to support your argument apparently.

You went to the trouble of finding the wrong information I'm sure you can google PMI and S&P

It was also covered by the Guardian, FT and other outlets under headline private sector contraction

Given the lack of effort here's the FT

"UK companies are cutting employee numbers at the fastest rate since the pandemic, according to a closely watched survey that highlights the impact of Rachel Reeves’ tax-hiking Budget.

Private sector employment in December fell more than during any month since January 2021, according to the S&P Global flash UK purchasing managers’ employment index.
In the third consecutive month of contraction, the index fell to 45.8, down from 48.9 in November. It was far below the key 50 mark and the lowest since 2009 if the pandemic is excluded.

Any reading below 50 indicates that a majority of business are reducing headcount."

The pp is selectively quoting the S&P reports, the overall indices, is 50.5, ie in positive territory.

She also forgets that the UK was in a recession in the last 2 quarters of 2023, no mention of that by Tory supporters then or now.....

The previous Govt is in opposition because of their gross mis handling of the economy, something that Labour now have to try and put right.

Bit quick to judge after just 5 months.

Anyone championing Labour's policies will have to factor in lower funds due to that contraction

I get many are happy on here to keep paying more - apparently, although it's usually someone else paying

Labour contracting the private sector means it's fixing a growing problem and public sector will feel it

This, this, this!

It appears to be a Europe wide issue. The rest of Europe can’t blame the UK budget.

https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2024/12/16/11060050/eurozone-private-sector-closes-out-2024-in-contraction-as-manufacturing-slows/