We don't want the government to lurch to the left

[Bargepole45]

I am absolutely astounded that Labour think it's democratic to decide that they can lurch to the left despite being elected with a very clear promise to not tax and spend. I believe this is absolutely not what the general public want and I am really worried that the economy isn't going to survive this and we will end up with an IMF bailout that will lead to very painful spending cuts for our most vulnerable.

Please vote:
YABU :I want Labour to lurch to the left in order to increase taxation and spending
YANBU: I don't want Labour to lurch to the left and would be against further tax and spending rises

By “taming” spending do you actually mean cuts?

I’d be interested to understand what you think should be cut, and what your personal stake in that is?

For example - we have private health care, so cuts to NHS services wouldn’t impact us as much as others. I still don’t want those cuts, but if that service further deteriorates, it’s no skin off my personal nose.

30% of the budget is welfare - so let’s start there.

I also have private health and use private schooling, and have paid seven figures in personal tax in just the past few years alone.

I am now mitigating my liability everywhere I can - I will not pay this government a penny more than I have to. I am not alone.

14 months in to turning around the damage that the previous government did over 14 years I do not expect miracles

That Labour have and are working towards creating a fairer society

Increase in healthcare spending, working towards recruiting more healthcare professionals, increasing minim wage, laws passed to support workers rights and better support for working families, changed laws to protect tenants better, laws to protect, laws passed to protect victims of domestic abuse better, funding for green projects

this is just some. no one is claiming Labour are perfect but Labour inherited a country where the divide between rich a poor had increased to levels not seen in living memory and that is utterly shameful, we are a country that has a lot of wealth but less and less of this wealth is shared that has to change, that is what Labour are working towards (they should be braver) and that can not happen over night

Are you leaving the country

Their approach so far has been to increase NI which is a tax on jobs pretty much. It’s why payroll numbers are falling, graduates are finding it harder and young people generally. It also means more on benefits.

You can see the hit on jobs on here too look at the ‘brutal job market’ and other threads.

Since were going into AI era actively decreasing jobs for young adult dc is the last thing we need.

7 figures in personal tax is a lot of money, and explains why cutting welfare would be a priority - you're never likely to need it.

I can see a PP has asked if you’re leaving the country, if not I assume your money is?

So if a net contributor supports tax increases it's fine, but if they, say, have an accident, become disabled and need support from the state and still hold the same view they become selfish?

I've probably never been a net contributor because my wages weren't high enough, but I've worked and gone out of my way not to claim JSA or UC. Would have accepted paying more tax even though it would have caused mild difficulties. I'm currently barely earning above the personal allowance, would still accept paying more tax even though it would cause real difficulties now. (And if it's relevant - still not claiming UC, took part-time job to avoid claiming JSA. Do get DLA for DS, DH claims Carers Allowance).

And, no, I'm not going to donate extra money to the government, because me giving an extra £5 on my own won't save any services but will mean skipping an extra meal, and I'm already usually not eating lunch on days I'm in work.

How do you explain Labour’s dire polling versus Reform, please?

I have lived and worked outside the UK for approx ten years, and have been asked to relocate with my current role.

My simple answer has been yes, subject to where.

Please move your car onto private roads and motorways. If you have a medical emergency, please don't let anyone call 999 for you. Wear a special bracelet to let them know to call your private provider.

DIYSteve has just said he has lived and worked outside the UK for ten years. 😳

having taken an absolute battering for having a disabled child

What do you mean? Parents are primarily responsible for their children, people have children knowing this.

Agree
The new Employment Act will make it even harder for employers and whilst I agree with some aspects anything that costs businesses more will result in job losses and lower wages
The new Landlord constraints will, as we’ve seen before ,result in fewer rental properties and a less diverse type of landlord. Result = less choice, availability ,higher rents and the rental market monopolised by large corporate landlords.
These are policies which in the long term will not have a positive effect on people or the economy.

On the basis that most people are not net providers there are going to be a lot of cars in people’s gardens
but at least we won’t have to wait for care in hospital corridors anymore

Terrific post.

Britain has been “colonised” by immigrants who are “costing too much money”, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said.

The billionaire co-owner of Manchester United, who also owns chemicals empire Ineos, called on the country’s politicians to “show some courage” by tackling immigration, welfare dependence and the weak economy.

“You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in,” he told Sky News.

“If you really want to deal with the major issues of immigration, with people opting to take benefits rather than working for a living ... then you’re going to have to do some things which are unpopular, and show some courage.”

One way to achieve a higher tax income for the Government without extra taxes is for everyone to work full time
( appreciate some can’t )
It has become more prevalent for many to limit their hours to 16 hours for example. When This ‘required work hours’ was increased from 12 to the current 16 I recall many upped their hours

Which proves people are chosing to work part time when they could work more

16 hours contrary to what the Government say is not full time.

This is what I don’t get. You have a child knowing that they might be disabled and you might have to look after them, surely? It happens. You’ve got to have a plan B. Downsize our house and one of us stop working was our plan B. It’s our child. I expect to be provided for healthcare services for free by the government but I don’t expect government cash compensation for a disabled child of ours. That’s a crazy attitude.

We both still work. Our “plan B” is to enhance our earnings to have as much money as is possible, for those extra costs, and to stay in our larger house that meets his needs.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to do that, or to plan for a hypothetical disabled child and the approximate additional £1k per month they cost.

If making that plan, for those extra costs, became a requirement for having children, there’d be a huge drop in births - disabled or otherwise.

A few reasons

right wing media backing Reform

people are struggling and want simple answers and people to blame

Farage does connect with some people with his simple blame and hate filled politics

we have many racists in the UK

If it was an understood preparation for family planning in the wider world aswell a reduction in births is a positive
Its not news that We are overpopulated

Blaming a supposedly ‘right wing media’ as opposed to damaging left wing policies, scandals, and u-turns. Brilliant.

’We have too many racists in the UK’. Lazy and insulting to those who are concerned about unchecked illegal immigration, many of whom are second and third generation immigrants themselves.

Honestly, is that the best you can do? So, the dire polling for Labour has nothing to do with Labour then? Straight out of Starmer’s playbook - blame everyone else.

This is precisely how you got Brexit, and Trump - an arrogant, condescending dismissal of the majority.

I said some of the reasons... not the only reasons

Blair courted the right wing media knowing he needed them on his side, its nothing new that the right wing media has sway over public opinion in this country. Surely if you have an interest in politics you will know this

I posted we have many racists in this country - not too many a nice added touch from yourself. Many many people have reported an increase of racism since Brexit and also since Gaza war (including my family). People have not just been putting up the union jack to celebrate being British. I also would not claim that second and third generations who come from immigrant families do not hold prejudice views

Being concerned about immigration is not being racist and I have never claimed it is

I have not claimed all that Labour have done is right, that they are not without fault

Brexit won (imo) because they had they ran a better campaign that voters connected with, few gave much thought about the EU beforehand. I blame MP's that supported having a referendum with minimal debate and discussions beforehand, how they allowed this to go ahead is an absolute travesty

You have decided I am arrogant over opinions that I have not even posted ....

Ok, with respect, your latest post comes across as a little confused, and is confusing.

To recap, I asked you how would you explain Reform’s (strong) polling.

You replied -

‘right wing media backing Reform’
‘people are struggling and want simple answers and people to blame’
‘Farage does connect with some people with his simple blame and hate filled politics’
‘we have many racists in the UK‘

All of which diminishes those who would vote Reform, and a) do not need the media to inform their choice, b) do not subscribe to ‘hate filled’ politics, and c) are not racist.

You also dismiss Labour’s torrid 18-odd months in government, unless you would call it a success.

Many issues in the UK are structural, no question - and just as Labour won a protest vote in the last GE, Reform looks set to benefit from the same protest vote in the next.

Personally, I am not convinced of Reform’s ability to govern, which makes it all the more telling when a significant part of the electorate would rather roll the dice on Reform, than live with a Labour government.

yes and you changed my wording and formed opinions on statements I have never made .. so I put them forward

Time will tell if Reform will ever govern. Personally I do not think they will we do not tend to vote to far to the right or left in this country and a week is a long time in politics and we have a few years until an election needs to be called. The Tories have gained more support recently and Reform now have a number of heavy weight egotistical senior members lets see how this plays out

Media does inform people and have an influence, if it did not why would the parties bother with making statement through the media

We have racists in this country, we have a racist leading Reform. People are openly spouting racist opinions. People may choose to overlook Farage's racism (as they did with Trumps sexism or Corbyn's lean towards antisemitism) voters are quite happy to overlook such issues when they believe in the bigger picture but ask a person who holds racist views who they shall vote for in the next election I am confident in saying the vast majority will vote Reform.