Criticize. You're well within your rights to vote for whoever you like. Whether that's a far left leaning party (which doesn't exist at the moment) or a far right leaning party (of which you have two choices, well more given UKIP and BNP still exist in a form). Just be honest about your preferences. Because all you do politically (though for years you tried to close down all political discussion saying it was a football forum, the irony) is pick up on the right wing media narratives, and don't mention any positives. You ignore what this government inherited. You ignore that we've had 14 years, 16 if you go back to the financial crash of 2008, of under investment, poor to no growth, austerity affecting key services and following the insanity of brexit, a limitation of trade with our closest partner that has hugely harmed GDP. The rich have got richer. The poor have got poorer. But you ignore that. Instead falling on right wing tropes and lazy headlines that frankly, don't stand up to credence but have been on repeat in the Mail and Express and Telegraph for 30 years or more. I've seen many criticize Labour on here to varying degrees. There are plenty who are left wing on this forum who regularly round on Starmer. I've not once called them Reform voters, because they aren't. So again, your assertion is completely false. Reform are very much focussed on whipping up feeling against migrants. Something you repeatedly mention. I have a vague recollection you were once banned? For something along those lines? Forgive me if I misremember. If you want to debate politics properly, please do. But this faux attempt to hide behind a veil as you criticise Labour and nobody else while asserting they are all the same is particularly tedious. Own what you believe in. Being cowardly will only allow people to come to conclusions which may be inconvenient for you, whether they are true or otherwise.
As I said previously, the comparatively lower public sector wages saves the tax payer billions. Also, Public sector pension schemes have had the goalposts moved several times, paying more in , for less out
If you don't vote for Reform then you're voting for the wrong party. It's crystal clear from the opinions you express on here that you are in almost 100% agreement with their policies and ideology. You're doing yourself a massive disservice if you don't vote for them.
I criticise Labour. I don’t get labelled Reform. Probably because I’ve openly mentioned plenty of times that I’m a Green Party member. Vote Green.
I remember debating with you about the budget a while back. I said the tax rises on businesses would lead to a rise in inflation and cost jobs and be bad for small businesses. You defended it...
Interesting you've completely ignored any point put to you or any question asked of you. Inflation is pretty constant over the year Unemployment is pretty constant too. There's certainly been no Truss effect, which your media seem most disappointed about. But we know you don't want to debate. You want to influence and skew. Anytime you wish to answer any single one of the points put to you instead of deflection, whataboutery and contrarianism, do feel free.
As others have said, we've got an aging population. Any proposed changes to the pension, pension age or other pension benefits or changes to taxation are attacked by the media until the government is forced to u-turn. But at the same time increasing the number of taxpayers - through immigration - is equally seen as toxic. You can't have it all ways. We probably need to increase the retirement age - and immediately, not just for some people in future to have the pain. We probably need to scrap the Triple Lock and means test the WFA. We probably need to increase taxes - although I'd target inheritance tax specifically to get people to spend money rather than horde it until they die. We probably also need to increase immigration. But it needs a mature conversation to achieve a national consensus - and while the pensioners are such a powerful voting block this probably won't happen. (BTW, the total annual cost of dealing with asylum seekers is equivalent to the cost of about 4-5 weeks of the state pension. This doesn't include the hundreds of billions spent on social care, winter fuel allowance or healthcare for pensioners - if you consider those, the cost of asylum seekers is about 1 week of the spend on pensioners)
They did try get people off sick and disability benefit and back into work who were able to or at least proposed it but it went down like a lead balloon.
Off topic for this thread. According to the Daily Mail, the 32,0000 asylum seekers staying in hotels were responsible for ~60 sexual assaults over a 3 year period. An accusation rate of roughly 0.2% over that period. According to the England & Wales crime survey, in the year ending March 2022, there were ~800,000 attempted sexual assaults or rapes on women - and another ~275,000 on men - in a one year period. The population is about 40 million, making a rate of ~2% of the adult population are sexually assaulted in a single year. Per capita, a native British person is roughly 10x more likely to attempt to commit a sexual assault than an asylum seeker. Those terrorists who "protested" at Epping should be proscribed like Palestine Action and the ringleaders facing similar punishments.
Can we stop with the misogyny please. You can use her name, call her the Chancellor, and/or criticise her policies and actions as much as you want - but using "Rachel from Accounts" is just a sexist meme meant to undermine her.
I envisage no other outcome than dying at work. It’s a shame things won’t be different and I could enjoy a well earned retirement when the time comes but unfortunately a series of self serving, incompetent governments in this country are the world champions of short termism and excel at spoffing our hard earned away so it won’t happen.
I ain’t into this political thread mate but it was a funny comment and not sexist to me, obviously you have no sense of foooking humour lol lol......I probably get slated for that but ffs, chill out it’s as if folks can’t make innocent jokes these days , I bet you only smile when you fart you!
It is off topic yes anyone who caused violent disorder should be charged and dealt with. The 41 year old migrant who was charged with sexual assault on a 14 year old prior to all that should be deported.