To think Labour is not the party of the working people.

[pinkpalmleaves]

I voted for Labour as I believed their election pledge of being a party for the working people but genuinely I can’t think of one thing, since they’ve been in power, that they’ve done to help me (a single working mother on around £42k a year)! I get zero help from UC, these mystical breakfast clubs don’t exist, people aren’t employing people due to their ridiculous NI implications, they aren’t building affordable housing, energy prices are insanely high and all they talk about is grants (which won’t affect me as I live in a flat)! Genuinely I can’t think of one thing that they’ve done to help working people in the middle. Why are Labour sticking their heads in the sand? Why do they refuse to help the squeezed working class? They are stopping this economy from thriving - as
nobody can afford to spend anything extra (treats, holidays, meals out etc etc)!

I think waiting lists are falling because more people are going private. My GP advised me to go to a private dermatologist because the NHS waiting list was too long to avoid scarring. My daughter's consultant told us to get private physio because she would benefit from having it sooner. My mother just got her hip replacement and cataracts done privately because she wants to be independent and mobile for as long as possible as otherwise other health issues will kick in sooner. I don't have a problem with more people paying for healthcare, but it is hardly good labour stuff. They'll probably slap VAT on it soon to punish people for paying for their own healthcare.

Metella you have just said the unsayable truth. The conscientious devoted younger parents who really pour everything into their kids in our little street all have just one son.

The rough families screaming and shouting in the street have many. Concerning.

Yes! I have already said upthread I would scrap the triple lock immediately & put that money into investment

”The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said the annual cost of the triple lock policy is estimated to reach £15.5bn by 2030”

Any party who proposes that won’t be voted in though, which is my point!!

Our taxes are too "low"?!?!?!

Forgive me as I spend the day picking my jaw up off the floor

I think some politicians genuinely have great intentions but the reality of politics means they can’t do the good things they want to do. I don’t think Starmer believes in half of the shit the party has implemented but he knows he has to play the game. It is one giant game of chess, or risk perhaps. It’s not grounded in reality.

I agree regarding the mythical breakfast clubs. That was quite honestly the one policy we were over the moon about but it’s been two years- almost half way through their tenure and we still don’t have them. In actual fact, our school raised the price.

@Chaffinch78 I would change lots of things, would you like me to list them?

They wont be voted for though.

Let’s hear your ideas for growth?

Very harsh comment in week I have paid my corporation tax 🙈

@Chaffinch78 lower & middle earners are taxed lower than other similar countries but people want similar public services.

@Chaffinch78 well done for picking up on a predictive spelling error!

I sort of agree. The previous government left a huge mess and I do think labour have been improving things. However, I strongly object to them dropping the winter fuel allowance cuts and the 2 child benefits cap. They are not supporting working people and instead increasing taxes on working people to subsidize those who don’t work.

It is really tough at the moment. I voted labour on the basis that they would focus on growth. But then the taxed employers because they’d penned themselves in on not increasing NI or income tax. But without rejoining the EU, what are the current options to solve the problem? I must admit I’m glad I’m not running things. We’re having to pay off the debt of Covid, the cost of Brexit, still haven’t fully recovered form the financial crisis (thanks Brexit), and now we’ve got a potentially oil crisis that might be similar to the 1970s if trump doesn’t regain some measure of sanity.

my question would be what is the solution here? I find it quite hard to see a quick and easy one. The easy one is to blame the illegal immigrants, but even if that stopped tomorrow it would be insignificant cost wise to the national finances. This is the problem, it’s really difficult.

also, Britain had never cared about working people, we’ve only been allowed to vote for 100 years.

As I said the biggest immediate change would be to scrap the triple lock and put that money into R&D, infrastructure etc.

Care in the home needs to be paid for too as opposed to just care out of the home (see how that went for Theresa May). Maybe the cap should be a % as opposed to an amount.

I already said upthread I believe child benefit and the “free” hours should be universal to not penalise high earners.

Build far more social housing and don’t sell it off - again I’ve already said.

Then there would have to be further changes to healthcare & welfare but I would start with the above.

But you cannot do any of the above without getting the electorate on board and having serious honest discussions about what we can afford.

Im off to the gym but will read later.

So do you want low and middle earners to pay more tax?

What is with the comprehension?

Factually low & middle earners pay less vs other European countries. Higher earners are in line.

Stating the above is not a judgement of what I think we should be doing.

Our primary has a breakfast club.... do you have any idea how many schools there are in the UK ?

However, after 14 years of Austerity, Covid, Ukraine and the running down of public services... why do you think 18months is long enough to turn things around?

Personally, i don't think any Govt can turn things around atm, we have become a benefits country.... i don't mean UC i mean the clamour to have "Energy Support" "Cut fuel duty" "i want cheap heating oil, other tax payers can pay for it"

No one says "i'll turn the heating down" i'll drive less/slower"

People on 80k or 90k claiming childcare... why? if you cannot afford kids on that salary, don't fucking have them.

Its all "what can i get from the state"

I'm pretty left wing, but this take take take attitude is destroying the country & not what the Welfare state was set up to do & i didn't support the lifting of the 2 cap limit either.

Hopefully Reeves saying any support will be targeted on the poor might start to change things.

What’s with the comprehension? It was a question.

Yes or no would do it.

Don’t forget the ‘raid’ on the tax free pension payment coming in 2027.

So it sounds like the solutions are to reduced taxes whilst increasing services (and presumably paying off the ever increasing debt at the same time). Should be easy then.