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| The Labour winter 2024 - 2025. Source: X (Twitter) |
Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Government secured a majority of 120 in the winter fuel allowance vote to cut the payment for all but the country’s poorest pensioners. A few Labour MPs rebelled with a Labour Government, yes, a Labour government, to paraphrase Neil Kinnock's 1985 conference speech, winning by 348 to 228.
As Leader of the Opposition Starmer criticised the Tory Government for even considering moves to cut back the winter fuel allowance. Now in government his excuse for changing his mind was blamed on an 'inherited black hole', much of which results from paying off the Unions which allows engine drivers to manage on £70,000 a year - until they demand their next cost of living increase.
Ah! says Starmer, but pensioners will receive £460 a year extra next April when the triple lock increase is due to be paid, ignoring the fact that April 2025 is after Winter 2024 when pensioners need the money to heat their homes and conveniently forgetting that the pension increase in April is to help pensioners keep up with the cost of living.
Agreed, there are State pensioners with private pensions but many will need to have saved their well earned pension to ease their pain because of long NHS waiting lists. That could mean £20,000 for hip surgery (£13,500) - double for some - and £6,000 for cataracts followed by the prospect of having to pay for one's end of life care.
These are often pensioners who have 'done their bit', serving their country in the armed force on National Service before working hard all their lives to make better lives for their children and grandchildren, only to see their inheritance being squandered.
They will deservedly feel conned as well as feeling the cold as they shiver this winter.
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| Source: X (Twitter) |
Not forgetting everyone's favourite, Rachel Reeves, who allegedly claimed £3,700 for her energy costs when already on a salary of over £90k as well as enjoying subsidised food and alcohol in the House of Commons.
ReplyDeleteHere's betting the thermostat never gets turned down in her manor.
Labour - kinder politics.
Anyone else remember Jim Callaghan's Winter of Discontent in 1978/79?
ReplyDeleteFar too many similarities for comfort, including a numpty in 10 Downing Street.
Instead of beers and sandwiches this time it's more likely to be beers and curry.
I do not believe the government's propaganda about the £22 billion black hole left by the Conservatives. The Tories fought the election with a promise of tax cuts, if elected. How could the Tories cut taxes if there was a £22 billion black hole in the country's finances? It doesn't make sense.
ReplyDeleteLikewise AB, it is time to stop peddling Nigel Farage's propaganda that migrants get everything. Having worked to put a migrant on the right path, I know that migrants do not get given an easy ride. I took him to the DWP believing that he would be given benefits, we left with nothing. I contacted the Council to find him a place to stay. Because he was male, single, and with no children, he was turned away. Many of our cities are awash with migrants sleeping rough. Those who get housed in hotels have children or are women.
We should not forget that this year saw riots in this country because people believed Reform's lies and acted on them. We should also not forget that there are people in this country who are in jail, and others awaiting sentencing, having already been told that they face a prison sentence, and others still who are awaiting a court hearing, where they too, will face jail time. It is time to stop peddling Reform's lies and take the picture down of OAP's crossing the channel before it lands you in trouble.
Smiler
Total twaddle.
DeleteReform was in no way responsible, any more than they were for the revolting Roma in Leeds setting light to a double decker bus over children needing to be taken into care.
It has been well publicised that the culprit behind false information peddled on social media was a muslim Pakistani located in Pakistan.
Didn't take the Doofus long to reappear
I agree with Cymru'r Groes. Having seen pictures and videos of hotels taken over by male immigrants, it is nonsense to say that the infamous hotels only have women and children.
DeleteAnd there is nothing wrong with the picture of OAP's. Actually quite poignant.
Ref the image of white OAPs in a dinghy in the channel, perhaps "Smiler", despite the nom-de-plume, hasn't heard of memes, satire, irony, sarcasm or humour?
DeleteSuggest she tries a prescription of Private Eye.
Here's your lying Reform suppo.rter Doofus.
Deletehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/12/asian-ehsan-hussain-fake-name-telegram-riots-race-hate/
Ehsan Hussein.
Pakistani origin.
On social media, goading other people to go out Paki bashing.
The question now is whether or not 2 Tier Kier's fast-track Justice system will label this racist agitator as a far-right racist and see him imprisoned within the week?
Unless things have changed since 2017, then the 'bleak mid winter' fuel payments perhaps don't apply to clergy ... even that large number of those over-65 pensionable clergy still receiving state pensions in addition to their stipends.
ReplyDeleteUnder remuneration schemes to mitigate perhaps for lower 'salaries' than others of par, clergy receive either from their PCCs or other funds, the full cost of Vicarage, Parsonage, Rectory or other dwelling places for their heating, lighting, telephones and even gardening. This is a huge financial benefit which doesn't discourage them to the green/eco electricity economies either.
And yet when generous annual winter-fuel DWP payments were paid across the board, I never once heard a clergyman send it back with honest letter saying: Thanks, but I don't actually pay my gas or electricity bills ... my parishioners or in England, the Church Commissioners do.
Let's hope the same don't deliver sermons on the increasing plights of parishioners who aren't in that cosy (and warm) position.
But perhaps, as I began, things have changed. Curious to know.
Clergy pensioners in Wales don't get their heating, lighting, telephone or gardening bills paid by anyone but themselves.
DeleteClergy pensioners also feel the cold just like anyone else.
Working clergy who do receive such support, have to include the full details and values of any such benefits in kind, along with any claims for tax relief on a room they use at home as an office or meeting venue, when submitting their annual tax return to HMRC.
The larger the utility bills the more tax that has to be paid on them, so it is entirely untrue to claim there is nothing to "discourage them to the green/eco electricity economies".
You misread mine Sub.Can. I didn't refer to retired (pensioner) clergy. I referred to the growing number of pensionable age (State) clergy still officiating, living in vicarages etc., to age of 70. They too were eligible for the DWP gratis winter fuel allowances .... and their lighting and heating costs paid by either PCC or RB.
DeleteAnd I know which I would prefer. Yep, I'd happily pay the few quid extra to the Taxman based on average clergy tax-code than folk out all my electricity and gas bills myself. And to offset any tax in-kind clergy can of course claim to pay their wives as cleaners or gardeners : a little perk not open to all in the employment sector. I assume this applies also to the same-sex-married clergy too.
Point made I hope without muddying the waters.
With the exceptions of bully boy --Bazza and his nasty cabal, anyone continuing to work for the cult in Wales after 65 ( up to the possible maximum of 70) deserves every penny they can get as far as I'm concerned.
DeleteThere's far far greater savings to be made on all the fraudulent benefits claims and dodgy COVID loans made willy-nilly to every Tom, Dick and Mohammed that made a claim.
Considerably more low-hanging fruit to be found in Mosques than the moribund cult.
Bewildered
I have not nor will I ever vote Tory. I would never vote Lib Dem after they backed the Tories. I stopped voting for Labour when Tony Bliar led them. I wonder if it is worth voting as I just don`t trust politicians.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the young man that I met whilst he volunteered for the Beach Team has the right idea when he said that the big political parties just aren`t working for the people and that we would be better off with independants.
Anyone who thinks that we live in a democracy only has to look at the party system that punishes MPs that do not tow the line to see that this is true.
Punishing the vulnerable by removing their winter fuel allowance shows that our politicians are untrustworthy and they lack any compassion. They are also too weak to tackle the rich by making sure that they pay their fair share without dodging their taxes.
It seems a bit off, not to say unintelligent, to blame the pay increase for train drivers, which was at least 5 years overdue. While they were denied any increase, the MP's got their annual pay rise without any problem.
ReplyDeleteIt is also conveniently forgetting the millions that are paid weekly, housing, and giving benefits to, the illegal(!!) immigrants. Is it any wonder the NHS system is cracking up?
Quite apart from policing the endless pro hamas demonstrations.
AA, the point was intended to be illustrative of the wide discrepancy when robbing Peter to pay Paul.
DeleteThis delightful titbit is priceless.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdx6xvvn25xo
Police Minister has her purse stolen at Police conference. 🤣🤣🤣
If the value of goods stolen was less than £200, Plod won't even want to know.
The smart money is on us being treated to a further display of 2-Tier plodding due to political embarrassment.
You couldn't make it up.
For the benefit of the racists who, on this blog a few months ago, described Calvin Robinson as a Coconut 🥥.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/12/protest-sunak-and-braverman-racial-slur-court/
Looking forward to the outcome.
Unfortunately, she's been found not guilty.
DeleteBewildered
Some more excellent news today
ReplyDeleteTrans conman leaves Scottish rape crisis charity.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/13/trans-boss-scottish-rape-crisis-centre-resigns-victims/
Couldn't happen to a nicer fellah.
Is it just me or has it gone terribly boring since Rufus left. Nobody to argue against. Really is our own echo chamber now.
ReplyDeleteComeBackRufus.