Labour's new policies for asylum seekers

[frommyheadtomyfeet]

Are rumoured to follow Denmark's, which include the seizure of valuables from people arriving here to pay their accommodation costs.

Is anyone else disgusted by this?! How will it work, they can take people's jewellery, phones etc., and leave them with nothing? What sort of message does that send?

Thing is right now they ARE very successful - the sheer amount of funding they have dwarfs Labour for eg. They Fe driving media profile, driving social debate and as much as oppose them, their tactics are very effective (the flags campaign - DIY, anyone could do it, highly visible, great for in person and online visibility.) Nigel connects eith some of the people effectively. I am hopeful when see opposition like Zack who connects and cuts through with different politics and has a much better connection with younger under 50 voters. One thing that does give hope is if election is 2029 - we will have a far far different demographic voting (those born in 2013 will be able to vote). So, if younger voters are incentivised to vote we may be able to see off the looms that are reform.

The Greens probably will do quite well, they’ll more likely take Labour’s votes though.

its going to be a long hike to get it done for sure.

Not to veer completely off topic but… it is fascinating to see the breakdown in mainstream aka Labour and Tory dominance. Labour are trying to appease the reform lot at same time as saying true to their Labour roots and that’s impossible. They have massively failed.

I think what may happen at next election is a lot of older folk will fall into tribal line (red / blue). Many will vote tactically. But my guess is that whatever way it leans left or right it will be a coalition again. Very much hoping not reform.

Not quite. A few people doing it doesn’t have nearly the impact of requiring it from everyone. Drops of water in a reservoir do not raise the water level.

Sone will threaten to leave, but if you think that’s realistic please give the numbers who have followed through on this threat in the past - and rates were much higher then. People talk loudly all the time without being prepared to follow through. In fact I always think some of the reports on MN and other social forums about this sound like the voices of ignorant bullies trying to get their way with threats. Even James Dyson came back.

In the natural course of events a few people will be always better off elsewhere. That’s fine. They tend to pack up and go.

I don’t happen to think a wealth tax is the answer but I would like to see the tax system tightened up and yes it will affect me. In the meantime, though, I prefer to donate to charity than to HMG, thanks very much.

It's hard to gauge what will happen with 5 party politics (more in Scotland) and with so much campaigning happening inTikTok or other online platforms I've never heard of as an old person.

The greens are certainly doing well in local by elections, as are the LibDems and Reform. There'll be a few candidates elected on less than 30% of the local vote.

Do you have an idea of income / tax bands you mean? What would you do?

I would tax capital gains and dividends more highly. I suppose there is some argument for encouraging risk taking, but taxes have become too skewed.

I would also more or less tax world wide income. I took American citizenship when I moved there, so I know this can be done. Brits can shelter a lot of money from HMRC in various ways. Perhaps there are a few legitimate reasons for doing so but it has become a parody , with the Duke of Westminster avoiding almost all death duties so the family can preserve ownership of great strips of Central London - and I am not particularly singling one family out; I just happened to remember this case. (I pay tax on worldwide income in the US but the UK-US tax treaty prevents most aspects of double jeopardy)

Since you asked, I pay at the higher rate and DH pays at the additional rate. We have invested with an eye on current tax law but we support a fairer tax policy. (As one point, we don’t see why pensioners who pay higher rate tax should be exempt from NI.)

Ok I get the death duties thing I don’t really know why that’s the case for a few families but on dividends it is pretty equitable when added to CT which is for first pound of profit onwards.

That’s for a new business though, that is where risk comes in. Have either of you started a business? Not having a go just to get a sense of where you’re coming from. Ie paye and investments v starting something from ground up.

To add it’s really good if people take a risk, set up a business and get to the point they’re employing others. That’s why I think dividend tax needs to be looked at with incentives in mind.

We are paye and investments. I do take your point about incentivising risk to some extent, especially because we need growth. I think we need some studies about where the proper balance lies.

I also have the impression that there is a fair amount a moderately wealthy family can do to hide from IHT. We aren’t interested so I don’t know the details. Those loopholes should be closed. Council tax should be standardised nationally and increased (a different pot but a similar principle). I appreciate people worry they can’t afford this but the glorification of home ownership in the UK and US may need a rethink, or people may need to build in a cushion when they buy. These are both easier said than done and require policy changes.

The triple lock on pensions should be abolished but - although this does benefit me (minimally, as I have not lived here long enough that I will get much state pension) - there needs to be enough lead in time for people to plan and I would prefer that our pensions catch up with others in the G7 first.

France is not a war torn country

No you haven't touched a nerve dont worry! It's mumsnet.

My point being its only recently we have been able to discuss immigration without being accused of being racist or far right.

People live in bubbles and don’t realise how rapid non-assimilated immigration can impact them. About ten years ago my husband had jury duty and 3 people on the jury couldn’t speak English well enough to understand anything that was going on. Another member of the jury (by coincidence) spoke their language and could translate. That could be a jury deciding your fate or the fate of one of your dc…

Where do you stand on spending, and specifically the welfare budget, please.

Does anyone know why Labour MPs are such an extraordinary breed of ‘thick as mince’.

One Labour backbenchers criticised Mahmood yesterday saying it feels like they are trying to ‘appease the electorate’.

Shock, horror, a government trying to appease the electorate. In a democracy. These thickos must think they were elected for a reason other than doing stuff that the electorate wants.

Its not just a few Labour backbenchers, who i guess have large numbers of ethnic constituents, its many who support refugees too.

One defending the 700 Albanian families here, living in social housing, who came here under the Tories.

The whole thing is topsy turvy

Can't they see that their stupidity puts at risk the genuine claimant?

I think the dividend tax thing comes up a fair bit as people see the figure and think it too low. When starting a business profits have already been subject to CT at 19% so that needs to be added to overall tax rate.

CT and DT need to be competitive with PAYE otherwise no one will take the risk and start a business and we need those for future jobs, particularly as parents with dc who will want jobs.

I don’t think politicians would touch it as I’m sure they know, but if there’s not enough people creating SMEs who do know voters could push for changes. It would kill the economy stone dead though.

On pp point on what the electorate want often ‘populism’ is applied to democracy which is just people in another group wanting to vote for something.

Corp Tax is already competitive, 19% or 25% over 50k and no NI, they can also sell and get CGT relief

Look at business taxes in Germany? around 36% or the US? flat rate of 21% plus state taxes, up to 11% in addition to the federal rate.

Investors get ISA allowances of 20k per year, 40k as a couple, all tax free, pay just 24% as a higher rate payer and no NI.

It would be better if we junked some CO2 taxes and reduced industry energy costs.

700!!!!!!

Thats what Mahmood said.

Utter bonkers, Albania isn't at war, has no famine.

Prefering diversity over justice. Terrifying. And mental. Why don't the government or any of our governments do something about this ridiculous situation our country is in? Something fundamental rather than tinkering for political expediency.

The ability to understand English is a requirement to be on a jury and interpreters are not allowed.