National News Sir Keir Starmer

[Scotchegg]

I think this is the crux of it.

Labour made promises on the basis that they had no idea what they may or may not have been dealing with.

So, don’t make promises if you have not assessed the situation properly.

The anti politician in me says first and foremost it was more about getting into no.10.

Labour may well have known more about the extent of the problem but being completely honest in their manifesto was going to damage their chances.

Labour state that the manifesto promises were based on the figures presented by the treasury, and these figures were wrong to the tune of several billion.

I still think that they were a little naive and shouldn't have given themselves so little wriggle room. But if we're labelling people for their dishonesty, then most of the blame has to go to the Tories.

You simply can't have a legitimate political party, who have been in power for years, hiding the bills. And the top trumps naivety every time.

However, you can't have a legitimate political party that has been in power for years hiding the bills.

 

[Village-Yellow]

I'm not sure I agree with that. The biggest criticism constantly made of Labour prior to the election was that people didn't know what it stood for because it didn't say anything.

It was more in the context of promising not to raise VAT, Income Tax and NI for the worker.

They left themselves no leeway to spread the tax burden.

 

[Village-Yellow]

Labour state that the manifesto promises were based on the figures presented by the treasury, and these figures were wrong to the tune of several billion.

I still think that they were a little naive and shouldn't have given themselves so little wriggle room. But if we're labelling people for their dishonesty, then most of the blame has to go to the Tories.

You simply can't have a legitimate political party, who have been in power for years, hiding the bills. And the top trumps naivety every time.

However, you can't have a legitimate political party that has been in power for years hiding the bills.

That being the case, why did they stick to those promises?

 

[Scotchegg]

That being the case, why did they stick to those promises?

They've had to raise x £bn more than they initially expected and presumably chose to do so by cutting WFP and the Farm Inheritance rather than committed freezes to Income Tax and VAT.

The alternative sold be to massively reduce spending at a time when our public services are collapsing.

I don't think that Labour come out of this particularly well, but there's no doubt that they were handed a shitty card by the last lot.

 

[Peterdev]

I always remember in 1970 the trade figures being announced as a £31million deficit. May well have lost them the election. I guess we’d all be happy with that now.
I know Labour promised not to put up income tax but a 2p increase would have caused them less trouble than have had.
The Spectator has the parties neck and neck and another paper Labour 2 points behind. Not a great start after a few months

 

[Sheik djibouti]

The last government knew they were out on their ear from at least late 2022 onwards. They had plenty of time to "prepare the ground" and, quite frankly, we know just exactly how low they could go. Why would they do the incoming government any favours?

 

[Scotchegg]

I always remember in 1970 the trade figures being announced as a £31million deficit. May well have lost them the election. I guess we’d all be happy with that now.
I know Labour promised not to put up income tax but a 2p increase would have caused them less trouble than have had.
The Spectator has the parties neck and neck and another paper Labour 2 points behind. Not a great start after a few months

Approximately 500 farms to pay inheritance tax.

Around 10m people losing £300.

or

37.4m paying increased income tax.

Not sure that this would have passed without concern.

And opinion polls are irrelevant right now. The next election is 4.5 years away. Lots will change on all sides before anyone gets to vote again.

 

[Peterdev]

The interesting one will be a possible by election in the Labour seat where the sitting MP is facing an assault charge.
If he gets more than six months he’s out. If he’s not the constituents can sign a petition to remove him
As you say a long way to go. The last government blew a big majority. This one could do the same

 

[QR]

Maybe Kier should offer him a role in the government as a farming/countryside affairs advisor, much in the same way Timpson has agreed to do it with the Home Office and prisons.

It wouldn't pay enough for him. He's only interested in the publicity that fuels his money making.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

It wouldn't pay enough for him. He's only interested in the publicity that fuels his money making.

He was in the local paper the other week (when isn't he?) bellyaching about the fact that he's losing 400 beer glasses a week from his new Pub because everyone wants one as a souvenir . . . I'm sure he'll find a way to recoup that cost . . .

 

[Village-Yellow]

Inflation creeping back up. Households coming under more financial pressures. Dropping interest rates potentially under threat.

So who do we blame this time?

Conservatives ? (still an overhang)
Labour ? (policies not having an impact)
Global pressures ? (no change)

 

[Village-Yellow]

He was in the local paper the other week (when isn't he?) bellyaching about the fact that he's losing 400 beer glasses a week from his new Pub because everyone wants one as a souvenir . . . I'm sure he'll find a way to recoup that cost . . .

Simple solution… take a glass deposit just like they do at Lords

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Simple solution… take a glass deposit just like they do at Lords

Precisely - complete non-story. But every time Clarkson so much as farts, the local rags are all over it. I can imagine they'll be in meltdown this week after his appearance at the protest in London

 

[SteMerritt]

Simple solution… take a glass deposit just like they do at Lords

...or an even simpler solution, don't have branded pint glasses.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Inflation creeping back up. Households coming under more financial pressures. Dropping interest rates potentially under threat.

So who do we blame this time?

Conservatives ? (still an overhang)
Labour ? (policies not having an impact)
Global pressures ? (no change)

Probably a bit of all three?
Not quite the tsunami of inflation we've previously endured though . . .


It is mostly driven by higher (seasonal) energy price hikes.

Ironically, I've just fixed my rates for the next 12 months at £30 a month LESS than I have been paying for the last 18 months.

 

[QR]

...or an even simpler solution, don't have branded pint glasses.

Pah! You know nothing about self publicity!

 

[Eric Blair]

Shouldn't that be "Are labour" not "is labour"

@SteMerritt can you clarify this as the forum grammar expert!

All organisations are singular

 

[Eric Blair]

All organisations are singular

Sorry. Really tediously late to that

 

[Wandering Yellow]

All organisations are singular

I kind of get it, but I assumed organisations would be plural for some reasons. Most young people aren't good at grammar, so pedants are going to get more and mor annoyed.

 

[Eric Blair]

I kind of get it, but I assumed organisations would be plural for some reasons. Most young people aren't good at grammar, so pedants are going to get more and mor annoyed.

I am socially liberal but linguistically conservative