Would you vote for Labour/Getting rid of Triple Lock at the next general election?

[mybiggreenfrog]

Yes (YABU)
No (YANBU)

I wouldn’t vote for labour for all the money in the world (because they would tax it 🙄)

It was a lot for the last gov don’t worry. And in some cases other parties still get the focus rather than Labour still even though they’re in power. Unless it’s selling in / positive for the latter.

It’s still possible to discuss politics without rancour, just skip past posts with digs or whatever, some focus on a poster too much not the content.

It’s still possible to discuss politics without rancour, just skip past posts with digs or whatever, some focus on a poster too much not the content.

This sounds like very good advice, thankyou!

I think your last comment is especially pertinent. We are likely to see very steep rises in energy prices this winter but this time there is no Government money available to cushion / rebate the blow.

Exactly all this, well said

It scares me that there are people around with such ignorant and incorrect views.

I know immigrants of every colour and background. Nobody has had free driving lesions, and many pay a hefty contribution to nhs care.

I need to accept that stupid people talk to other stupid people and come up with their own crap theories.

Commandeering empty houses after 6 months. That's what communist would do isn't it?

There’s a simple solution to that.

Forcing every house to buy a TV licence whether they have or use a TV or not. Isn't that what communist would do? Lisa Mandy wants to do this.

What countries are you referring to and do these countries have good infrastructure and public services?

Sorry which not 'what'.

Looks like a global bond sell off - triggered by the US - is causing some headaches. UK 10 year treasury yields the highest since 2002.

Burnham may not want to be ‘at hock to the Bond markets’. But when we are borrowing £140bn a year to maintain our current economic spending; he will soon find out that we are 100% at hock to them.

The Budget will need to make some brutal cuts asap.

You do realise that the ‘National care service’ only covers home visits? It will make zero difference to the problem of scammy care homes charging stratospheric fees for rubbish care.

I think it is important to stress that the Empty Dwelling Management Order currently gives Councils the right to take possession of a property that has remained empty for more than two years. This means the house itself will then be owned by the local authority and the existing owner loses possession.

The change proposed by Burnham is to reduce this to six months.

Now the average probate takes 6 to 12 months for a straightforward estate. Complex or disputed estates much longer. And that is not taking into account any work needed to the house once the estate is resolved.

So we could easily see houses taken into state ownership through no fault of the owners / beneficiaries.

Nightmare. Why rush it to six months?

The ‘triple lock’ was only ever supposed to be a temporary re-setting measure but it has somehow come to signify political shorthand for an attack on all pensioners.

It's not about the TV though is it, it's about whether you watch the programmes on any device that you would need a licence for. Why should I pay for others to watch these programmes for free, this is what I'm personally sick of, people not taking any responsibility for themselves!

There is much talk from Labour and the Greens about not being dictated to by the Bond Markets and that financial markets have no right to interfere in democratically elected governments.

Well as you clearly point out there is a very simple solution to this - dont borrow money from the bond markets and eliminate your national debt. Then Governments can do whatever they like provided they have the money.

But don't expect people to want to lend you money and not have an opinion on the risk and a what interest rate they will charge.

Because "the left hate the right more than they love the poor" George Orwell.

Depressing stuff. Orwell is handy for Labour these days.

Sorry typo that quote should read" the left hate the rich more than they love the poor " George Orwell

I pay a TV licence too but I know people without a TV and don't watch things on any devices as always out doing sport or working. It's too much state interference. BBC should be like other services where people chose to pay to watch or not.

Immigrants don't get benefits. They can only get benefits once they have been accepted for asylum, given leave to remain and enter the workforce. Asylum seekers get housed and an allowance (£49 per week if they buy their own food and £9 is per week if food is included in their housing).

Martin Lewis has written a really good explanation on the pension piece -but in summary.

1. It won't happen until 2030 - giving people who will be affected time to prepare.
2. Pensions will always rise by at least 2.5% or level of inflation whichever is the greater.
3. The triple lock is not going altogether - the 3rd aspect is just being loosened - the part linked to wages. This makes the spending on pensions more predictable and therefore easier to manage, thus making finances overall more predictable allowing money to be ringfenced for care.
4. Part 3 is becoming more obsolete now that all employers need to have an occupational pension scheme (one good thing that the Tories have done). Prior to this it wasn't compulsory to have this and so more people were reliant on state pensions and so the link to wages was more important than it will over time as more people have occupational pensions.
5. The care part - presently if people have the means to pay for care - they have to- whether in their own home or meaning they have to sell to pay for care homes. The aim is to take that worry away so that basic personal care will be covered for all regardless of means.
6. Other parties have discussed getting rid of the triple lock in the past just have not been brave enough to do it. Doing nothing is not an option.

Yes agree with you both. Burnham learnt the folly of not in hoc to the markets line pdq. On day one probably when he saw the debt pile servicing.

It's the same spite that made them add VAT to school fees. They just hate it if others have things they can tax or now comandeer it seems. Empty houses already pay double council tax.