Has Labour taken it literally when people said they are ‘doom and gloom’ and are now giving discounts to theme parks and kid’s attractions as a bit of fun?

[speckledpinkhen]

Whilst these are all quite ‘sweet’ initiatives and will help some families. Lower price theme park entry and cinema tickets don’t really help average working families with the cost of living crisis. Am I just being a grump?

I think things like this need targeting and the working poor more than those on benefits.

Yes you are being a grump! People on here are always moaning about free universal credit days out and benefits - this helps all families with kids have some days out over the summer.

Great British Summer Savings? It's just embarrassing. They are supposed to be running the country, not a branch of Asda. Or the Sun, collect the vouchers for a cheap day out.

Do you include free bus transport as 'a bit of fun'?

Cutting VAT for certain industries is a normal government activity, they aren’t handing out vouchers

For kids yes!

Free bus fairs for kids in August too! Yippee!
🤷‍♀️

@Swiftie1878yay!

Millions of families are just about managing and aren't entitled to these discounts. It is wrong on so many levels. Those that either don't work or don't work full time and on benefits are able to access attractions that full time workers, not on benefits can't afford. You couldn't make it up.

This kind of thing is why I find it so hard to align my values with labour even though I find most of the other parties pretty repulsive.

They essentially throw out bribes to the electorate that government has no business being involved in (see an election or two ago when they came up with "state run internet" at the last minute).

I spend so much time arguing against family members who think that labour essentially want Britain to be a communist nanny state and then they go and hand out stuff like this.

The government should provide the broad structure for the country to run so that people can live productive lives, not handing out little niceties to people who meet some random criteria of "in need"

What are you on about?

What's going on now?

Labour basically seem to want everyone to have a similar standard of living. Whether you graft and earn a half-decent salary or do nothing or very little. Lets see how this is going to pan out.

What about full time workers who are on benefits? Those exist too and are very much the definition of the working poor.

@bingoitsadingoyes I voted Labour but they are shocking. We have little sprinkling of positive news but unemployment shooting up. Legal migration to the country is down (this is not good), inflation is down slightly but this was before all their NI and MW hikes took place.

The net migration thing is misleading. What was the income/contribution of those that have left and what is the net contribution of those that are coming here?

‘Those on benefits’ have to show they apply for jobs and check in with a work coach. This benefit bashing is stupid.

Also most restaurants do free kids meals in the holidays anyway. Again, this is Labour papering over the cracks. Like their constant drivel on free breakfast clubs which are few and far between (aka non existent) and aren’t properly funding. Counting the years until I can undo my vote. What a let down of a party!

I feel this is absolutely not enough to help working families!!!

Set aside the conversation on free UC days out etc - this is another subject focussing on the proposal here

There are lots of people working, not earning a lot and not eligable to claim ANY benefits classed as JAM (just about managing) round here. These are the people who need help.

Kids shouldn’t have to pay for bus fares - for leisure and all educational - transport should be free until they are 18 ALL YEAR ROUND

a bit of money off biscuits, crisps and dried fruit?? wtf 😬

And on planet offers and other sites there’s often deals on tickets on there.

Im not sure it’s going to make a huge amount of difference to be honest.

I know they aren't. It's a bullshit 2 month bung (prior to a by-election) to generate some headlines that they are "helping". It's pathetic.

Has it occurred to you that although it's being promoted from the angle of helping families, it's actually a deliberate boost to the economy?

Cut VAT on children's meals, restaurants get increased footfall and at least one adult eating as well, thus increasing the business income and making it more likely people will keep their jobs.

Cut VAT on attractions, cinema, theatre tickets, they get increased footfall and at least one adult plus the income from the children (and maybe a friend), thus increasing the business income and making it more likely people will keep their jobs.

Cut VAT on these things, people are more likely to use public transport (especially in the areas where children can now travel free), thus increasing business income and making it more likely that transport services will continue and more people will keep their jobs - particularly as it's for everybody, not just families in receipt of UC (not that it will stop the chronically resentful bitching about how UC is a life of luxury and they can't afford it without a discount - well now you're getting one, too - still unhappy? Of course).

It's a targeted approach to support businesses that are being hit precisely because they'd come under discretionary/optional expenses that people don't do when they are feeling the financial pinch.

@BesidemyselfwithworryTHis! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 nobody is helping us, nobody actually cares! We’re constantly made to feel guilty for ever questioning the benefits system. When I know first hand of two friends who won’t work more than four days a week or work to get a promotion as they lose their benefits. Biggest mistake I ever made was vote for Labour.

@NeverDropYourMooncupyes it has! But there are better ways to boost the economy by helping smaller businesses not large theme parks and cinema chains. And it’s only for two months. It’s another shitty good news story put together by their useless communication department. Probably the same charlatans getting paid a small fortune to get the GC to promote the DOE it’s embarrassing.

When they are available to all children?

The kids who are stuck at home all summer on screens regress massively - tend to gain wait, suffer mentally, go back academically. Every single school teacher will tell you this.
I think it is more about the kids getting out and off screen and away from social media billionaires who are causing actual harm.

The biscuits are a piss take though. Hardly healthy stuff. They were meant to do stuff that is actually good for kids.