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)!

We need to broaden the tax paying base. We have far too many people who are making little or no contribution to the nation's finances yet drawing benefits and using public services. We need to drop the mentality of it always having to be "the rich" who are expected to pay more tax. Broaden the tax base, get more people paying, but at lower rates, which will help get rid of all the thresholds/cliffedges etc that act as a barrier to people working/earning more due to extra shifts, promotions, etc.

Completely agree with you. I work for a company in manufacturing, my department consists of 10 people, I am the "newbie" and been there 7 years, there are people that have 30 years experience in that company. We are all bilingual, some people even speak 3-4 languages, all relevant to the company, all bar 2 have university degrees and we barely make 1.5 nmw, so just under £40k, it's absolutely ridiculous, after tax, the difference is around 30-35%. We can't afford the crazy increases on everything with our wages constantly going up less than inflation and of course less than NMW, so effectively taken a paycut every year. How is this considered a high wage? Meanwhile people on benefits get every single help and subsidy under the sun because they are on a "low income", I don't believe after getting help with rent, uniforms, childcare, kids meals (even on the school holidays), universal credit that he's up with every child, subsidies for energy costs, etc they are any worse than someone working full time on an average wage, I actually think I they might be even better off! What would really help would be getting g people back to work , lowering taxes on small business and getting the welfare bill under control.

We earned lower wages. Of course we also paid - and continue to pay - the rest of that list apart from student loans. The comparison was a direct one between rates of income tax.

A percentage of a lower wage is a lower tax. You were talking about percentages so rate of earning is irrelevant.

But if you want to talk about wages, your housing costs were lower, train/bus fares were lower, utilities were cheaper, etc etc.

In the past few decades, the rate of increase in housing costs in particular, but other costs too, have increased far faster than wage increases.

Commercial property leases and tenancies are normally written so that the occupier is responsible for maintenance and upkeep. Residential landlords should be operating to higher standards with regard to habitation and safety. It is one of the reasons that I have never contemplated residential rental. The margins are better in commercial property, and you rarely have to deal with emotional crises.

Yes, exactly

And for better quality of life.

Depends on your definition of better quality of life. If you mean more money perhaps. If you measure it in any other way absolutely not.

Yes would be brilliant to have a more progressive tax system ie more bands, the cliff edge of 20% and 40% are very desincentivising.

That depends on the country and what aspects of their "Life" that the individual values.

The countries under discussion are the ME. I’m really tired of you stating the obvious on thread after thread in an attempt to discredit me. Do you think you could stop?

You are being a bit rude about the Middle East. There are some ancient civilisations there...Iran for example (not perhaps the ideal holiday destination at present, admittedly) is one of the oldest in the world. I think you seem to be tarring the whole region with one Dubai brush which is little bit colonialist-mind set of you, perhaps. I don't know what leftys call that sort of closed minded approach to a region.

The weather's a lot nicer too. And its not as far away as many places with constant lovely weather. So there's a lot of reasons people want to live there. And do.

Yes.

I went to a ancient history museum when we went to the ME. I loved it.

We went in December. Weather was lovely, food was amazing and I just felt so safe.

I went to three huge art galleries in one day last week and looked at iconic works of art. It cost me nothing. I wouldn’t be able to do that in the ME however lovely the weather was. Not that it’s relevant, I was inside.

Have you actually written off the whole of the Middle East because they charge for art galleries? I'm worried about your opinion on Europe now as I feel I got fleeced going into the Uffizi. Bastards. Yes stuff Italy too!!

Okay? Are you saying the ME has no art galleries?

And they charge to use the bathroom

cringing reading this

You must be special then. I didn’t pay to go to the loo in the Uffizi last year.

Why?

Are you American? Not a loaded question or anything, just curious.

Labour are the party for the young and the benefit claimants.

Not sure about the young.

True