National Politics 🔴 The Labour Party

[Essexyellows]

Fewer jobs..........

Job vacancies at five-year low as smaller firms scale back recruitment

Small firms cite labour and operating costs as reasons for scaling back hiring, the UK's statistics body says.

www.bbc.co.uk

What money?

Labour MP suspended as party launches investigation into Covid loans

Alaba has said he took out two taxpayer-funded loans during the pandemic but insisted he had not tried to avoid paying the money back.

www.bbc.co.uk

Lose the phones! (again).

Burnham exchanged messages with person posing as Trump's chief of staff

Downing Street has declined to comment on the security breach, first reported by Politico.

www.bbc.co.uk

And some good news...........although "24 hour bus travel" aint much good when buses after 10pm in most places are a rare sight.

Free bus travel for disabled people in England to be extended to 24 hours a day

The change, which has been welcomed by campaign groups, will come into effect in England from April.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Peterdev]

The jobs crisis hasn’t been helped by raising NI premiums on employers when they are already struggling.
I’ll comment on the suspension of the Labour MP though and mention that they are lucky to have such a huge majority that it won’t affect them much. However, the large majority will no doubt cause a lot of dissent as to which direction they try and take the party.

 

[Village-Yellow]

So, 70,000 social and affordable homes to be build over....... 10 years! Hailed as a game changer by the housing minister this morning.

The waiting list for a council house stands at 1.3 million households.

UK population is increasing.

I think we now see why the problem is so huge and despite the best of intentions, it is too big to resolve unless you bulldoze through a load of greenbelt and find the necessary workforce and materials to make that 70,000 a year. That might just make a real difference.

Impossible task.

 

[QR]

So, 70,000 social and affordable homes to be build over....... 10 years! Hailed as a game changer by the housing minister this morning.

The waiting list for a council house stands at 1.3 million households.

UK population is increasing.

I think we now see why the problem is so huge and despite the best of intentions, it is too big to resolve unless you bulldoze through a load of greenbelt and find the necessary workforce and materials to make that 70,000 a year. That might just make a real difference.

Impossible task.

Forty five years in the making. Handing most of the market over to private sector builders who build out at a slow enough pace to keep their sales prices high and then wonder why nothing changes.

 

[Essexyellows]

"Before he became prime minister, Andy Burnham had called for the entire 10-year £39bn affordable housing budget for England to be spent on homes for social rent - which means the cost of the unit is about half that of market rents and there are strict criteria for who can apply for it."

So now its 60% which is better than now`t.

However.......... the house builders don`t want to build them, profit margins etc.

That leaves housing associations, so one presumes they will get the money from HMG to boost their ability to deliver?

Do they have the workforce & capacity?

Landowners sat on strategic development land must be rubbing their hands with glee.

And then we have the potential of legal battles if compulsory purchase comes into play............I`ll be very surprised if they get 7,000 built in a year.

 

[Basham Wonderland]

How are they getting on with their target of building 1,000,000 houses in this parliament, anyway? Must be about halfway by now.

Oh and hope you're all looking forward to more tax rises in the Autumn... jobs?? No jobs, the number of graduate roles has decreased by about 50% in the last 12 months (Rachel Reeves and her previous tax increases to blame for that one).

Our benefit spend is currently £1bn per day, borrowing to cover the costs.

So no housing, no jobs, and no money. But still, plenty of space for inward migration apparently.

If our Andeh fancies doing something to reverse the decline, that would be great.

 

[bazzer9461]

How are they getting on with their target of building 1,000,000 houses in this parliament, anyway? Must be about halfway by now.

Oh and hope you're all looking forward to more tax rises in the Autumn... jobs?? No jobs, the number of graduate roles has decreased by about 50% in the last 12 months (Rachel Reeves and her previous tax increases to blame for that one).

Our benefit spend is currently £1bn per day, borrowing to cover the costs.

So no housing, no jobs, and no money. But still, plenty of space for inward migration apparently.

If our Andeh fancies doing something to reverse the decline, that would be great.

Thought it was 1.5 million in this term of this parliament.

 

[Essexyellows]

Paying tribute to the feral criminals in the same breath as the innocent coppers they killed.............

Row breaks out over minister Anna Turley's A66 crash tribute

Home Office Minister Anna Turley paid tribute to all seven victims initially, sparking a backlash from the shadow justice secretary.

www.bbc.co.uk

Thats Labour for you.............

 

[SteMerritt]

Paying tribute to the feral criminals in the same breath as the innocent coppers they killed.............

Row breaks out over minister Anna Turley's A66 crash tribute

Home Office Minister Anna Turley paid tribute to all seven victims initially, sparking a backlash from the shadow justice secretary.

www.bbc.co.uk

Thats Labour for you.............

This quote is in the article...

While she said Cleveland Police had asked her to pay tribute to all victims, the force has not confirmed this and the area's police and crime commissioner told the BBC it does not issue media advice regarding police incidents.

Now this needs clarification, did the police ask that? Seems a bit weird if they did..

 

[Village-Yellow]

Paying tribute to the feral criminals in the same breath as the innocent coppers they killed.............

Row breaks out over minister Anna Turley's A66 crash tribute

Home Office Minister Anna Turley paid tribute to all seven victims initially, sparking a backlash from the shadow justice secretary.

www.bbc.co.uk

Thats Labour for you.............

Fcuking outrageous to even mention those five feral reprobates in the same sentence as any tribute to those two police officers.

And family members looking to attribute some sort of blame on the police force!! Do me a favour.

Boils my p155.

 

[Essexyellows]

This quote is in the article...


Now this needs clarification, did the police ask that? Seems a bit weird if they did..

Almost like Farage and his "police advice"..............

I can`t see the local police asking her to mention the five in the same breath as their own colleagues & friends?

Doubtless there will be 5 balloon releases and 5 Gobeg Me`s for the funerals.from the "local community" as they "weren`t bad lads!............... should just scoop them up with the car and crush the lot.

 

[Essexyellows]

Back on track with HMG................

Household energy bills to hit three-year high as Ofgem announces 4% rise from October

A household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will pay £60 a year more, regulator Ofgem says.

www.bbc.co.uk

Only four years out from the "£300 reduction in energy bills by 2030." although if you`ve already hiked them by 4% a year with another rise predicted in Jan 2027 its going to seem fairly pitiful.

Is Labour's energy plan realistic and how would it affect bills?

BBC Verify examines the claims over the party's plan to stop using fossil fuels for electricity by 2030.

www.bbc.co.uk

Source of Miliband's energy bill pledge casts doubt on savings

The expert behind the research on which a £300 savings pledge is based says the promise is "tricky" to deliver.

www.bbc.co.uk

So glad we got the log burner, solar & battery.

 

[Boris]

Back on track with HMG................

Household energy bills to hit three-year high as Ofgem announces 4% rise from October

A household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will pay £60 a year more, regulator Ofgem says.

www.bbc.co.uk

Only four years out from the "£300 reduction in energy bills by 2030." although if you`ve already hiked them by 4% a year with another rise predicted in Jan 2027 its going to seem fairly pitiful.

Is Labour's energy plan realistic and how would it affect bills?

BBC Verify examines the claims over the party's plan to stop using fossil fuels for electricity by 2030.

www.bbc.co.uk

Source of Miliband's energy bill pledge casts doubt on savings

The expert behind the research on which a £300 savings pledge is based says the promise is "tricky" to deliver.

www.bbc.co.uk

So glad we got the log burner, solar & battery.

I'm not normally a Labour apologist, but I don't think you can blame them for energy prices spiking in the wake of Trump's futile war against Iran

 

[Village-Yellow]

I'm not normally a Labour apologist, but I don't think you can blame them for energy prices spiking in the wake of Trump's futile war against Iran

This is true, although as sure as day follows night, we know Labour would be blaming the Conservatives if roles were reversed.

Just as the Conservatives tell us how they would be putting everything right, forgetting that they have recently had 14 years to do just that.

Politicians

 

[Essexyellows]

I'm not normally a Labour apologist, but I don't think you can blame them for energy prices spiking in the wake of Trump's futile war against Iran

Ed has got that for you...................

Labour and Conservatives blame each other for rise in energy bills

Ed Miliband says the Tories failed to invest in renewables, but they argue cheap energy must be the priority.

www.bbc.co.uk

Its a default position, blame them whoever "they" are.

Politicians eh?

 

[Village-Yellow]

Public inquiry to look at Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre

The Home Office wants to more than double capacity at Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre.

www.bbc.co.uk

Another reason why it takes so long for things to change.

Yet another public enquiry about increasing capacity by what equates to just a couple of boats.

Now, if this was a brand new facility for a few thousand, I could understand it.

 

[Marked Ox]

Tracking UK migration: Small boats, asylum hotels and visas

Use our interactive tracker to explore the latest migration statistics for the UK

www.bbc.co.uk

I'm surprised this hasn't been discussed (unless it has elsewhere) considering how often the subject gets raised. The numbers seem to be going in the right direction across the board.

 

[Essexyellows]

Tracking UK migration: Small boats, asylum hotels and visas

Use our interactive tracker to explore the latest migration statistics for the UK

www.bbc.co.uk

I'm surprised this hasn't been discussed (unless it has elsewhere) considering how often the subject gets raised. The numbers seem to be going in the right direction across the board.

Maybe because................

The hotel residents are just being dumped into HMO`s and our best defence remains "conditions".......oh.....

Hundreds of migrants cross Channel in one day after 10-day lull

Nearly 500 people crossed the Channel in seven boats on Thursday - the first since 17 August.

www.bbc.com

 

[Marked Ox]

Maybe because................

The hotel residents are just being dumped into HMO`s and our best defence remains "conditions".......oh.....

Hundreds of migrants cross Channel in one day after 10-day lull

Nearly 500 people crossed the Channel in seven boats on Thursday - the first since 17 August.

www.bbc.com

So your response is to go to one day whilst ignoring that the numbers have dropped significantly over a year.

Taking a balanced view then............

And on conditions, have you seen what they have been like this summer?

 

[Essexyellows]

So your response is to go to one day whilst ignoring that the numbers have dropped significantly over a year.

Taking a balanced view then............

And on conditions, have you seen what they have been like this summer?

Read the small print in that BBC article.

Then think about where the numbers are being moved on the spreadsheets.

The other crunch is that the fewer folk arrive upstream (Greece) the fewer there are to make the onward journey - which is a good thing but little to do with anything we have done.

"In 2025, around 41,500 people were detected crossing the Channel in small boats. That was 13% more than the year before, and the second-highest annual figure. "

Source: https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac....-crossing-the-english-channel-in-small-boats/

Using the MO graph we have just reached the same (lower) level of arrivals as November 2023......... and it will change again.

A floating rock in the North Atlantic should be perfectly capable of keeping out folk it doesn`t want in........... we managed it with the Germans.

 

[Marked Ox]

Read the small print in that BBC article.

Then think about where the numbers are being moved on the spreadsheets.

The other crunch is that the fewer folk arrive upstream (Greece) the fewer there are to make the onward journey - which is a good thing but little to do with anything we have done.

"In 2025, around 41,500 people were detected crossing the Channel in small boats. That was 13% more than the year before, and the second-highest annual figure. "

Source: https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac....-crossing-the-english-channel-in-small-boats/

Using the MO graph we have just reached the same (lower) level of arrivals as November 2023......... and it will change again.

A floating rock in the North Atlantic should be perfectly capable of keeping out folk it doesn`t want in........... we managed it with the Germans.

So you've now had to go back to the year before and yet your link still says the latest annual numbers have dropped. The policies (including some Tory ones) seem to be having a positive impact.

The deportations of failed claims etc are up and the other numbers are going down. Why can't you just acknowledge that rather than reaching for an article about one day, claiming "conditions" or an earlier year?

Don't think we are sinking boats etc unlike in WW2.

 

[Symp59]

I'm not normally a Labour apologist, but I don't think you can blame them for energy prices spiking in the wake of Trump's futile war against Iran

It won't be futile if they get a nuclear weapon heating for all of mankind will be free ,I wish he has the bottle to finish the job.

 

[Scotchegg]

So we have;

Lower net migration.
Fewer migrants arriving.
Fewer arriving on boats.
Fewer asylum applications.
More returns.
More deportations.
More Foreign National Offenders being removed.

And rather than avknowkedge this, we're changing the subject to WW2?!

OK!

 

[West Oxon U’s]

 

[Village-Yellow]

Hypocritical politicians eh...... who would have thought.

However, lets see what his first budget delivers ..... then we can judge properly rather than suffer all this bullshit speculation and questions. There is enough of that on the transfer/embargo thread

 

[Essexyellows]

So you've now had to go back to the year before and yet your link still says the latest annual numbers have dropped. The policies (including some Tory ones) seem to be having a positive impact.

The deportations of failed claims etc are up and the other numbers are going down. Why can't you just acknowledge that rather than reaching for an article about one day, claiming "conditions" or an earlier year?

Don't think we are sinking boats etc unlike in WW2.

I will happily acknowledge it if the trend is long term.......... if its a dip we`ve seen those before.

If you switch the graph of arrivals to yearly its a far more realistic picture.

People crossing the English Channel in small boats - Migration Observatory

This briefing examines the phenomenon of people crossing the English Channel in small boats.

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk

 

[Marked Ox]

I will happily acknowledge it if the trend is long term.......... if its a dip we`ve seen those before.

If you switch the graph of arrivals to yearly its a far more realistic picture.

People crossing the English Channel in small boats - Migration Observatory

This briefing examines the phenomenon of people crossing the English Channel in small boats.

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk

Is it more realistic? Based on what?

The stats across the board are showing a positive direction, not just small boat arrivals. And unlike the majority of the previous years, these will be affected by all the various introduced policies.

You criticise based on one day as you did earlier but will only acknowledge the positive if it is over years. That seems pretty unreasonable.

 

[Essexyellows]

Is it more realistic? Based on what?

The stats across the board are showing a positive direction, not just small boat arrivals. And unlike the majority of the previous years, these will be affected by all the various introduced policies.

You criticise based on one day as you did earlier but will only acknowledge the positive if it is over years. That seems pretty unreasonable.

And equally affected by proposals that were not introduced.

If someone is now in a scruffy HMO rather than a hotel............ they are still here.

If their asylum claim (however weak thanks to coaching and the like) has been processed......... they are still here.

If they have been deported, removed as offenders or otherwise removed then that is the "win" column because........ they are not still here.

 

[Marked Ox]

And equally affected by proposals that were not introduced.

If someone is now in a scruffy HMO rather than a hotel............ they are still here.

If their asylum claim (however weak thanks to coaching and the like) has been processed......... they are still here.

If they have been deported, removed as offenders or otherwise removed then that is the "win" column because........ they are not still here.

And yet the small boat numbers are down.....

And small boats are only part of the immigration picture with net migration down. I seem to remember some on here complaining a lot about the large numbers with net migration not that long ago.

 

[Essexyellows]

And yet the small boat numbers are down.....

And small boats are only part of the immigration picture with net migration down. I seem to remember some on here complaining a lot about the large numbers with net migration not that long ago.

At the risk of repeating myself........... I have no issue with legal, documented immigration to this country of immigrants.

I do, like many others, have an issue with the illegal, unknown, undocumented arrivals on our shores.

The days of being raided by Vikings stopped a long, long time ago......