Kemi Badenoch doesn’t really need to speak in public more than once a month and she’ll do ok. In that respect, keeping her head down is proving very effective.

Sniping from the sidelines and criticising everyone clearly has merit. 🙃

You do realise the rule was already in place before the Brexit vote don't you?

1 hour ago, Winchester White said:

Turkeys and Christmas spring to mind.

We hold ALL the cards! 😁

Edited June 10Jun 10 by kent_white

14 hours ago, kent_white said:

You do realise the rule was already in place before the Brexit vote don't you?

We hold ALL the cards! 😁

We'll hold more when Reform get in.

5 minutes ago, bolty58 said:

We'll hold more when Reform get in.

I can absolutely guarantee you we won't.

12 minutes ago, bolty58 said:

We'll hold more when Reform get in.

My Ahnenpass card you mean? 😉

25 minutes ago, kent_white said:

My Ahnenpass card you mean? 😉

Well if you're going to descend into such 'far right' nonsense then no. I meant your Stasi card.

5 minutes ago, bolty58 said:

Well if you're going to descend into such 'far right' nonsense then no. I meant your Stasi card.

🤣 Ich danke dir, inoffizielle Mitarbeiter

3 hours ago, bolty58 said:

We'll hold more when Reform get in.

I'm looking forward to it

So I don't have to wait for their manifesto, can you let me know what these cards will be, you seem so sure, so you must have some inkling

If/When they get in, I expect them to perform as inadequately as the last few have, especially as they have zero experience (other than that of those you suggested earlier have been useless for the last few decades, who have switched party in recent times) - I'm glad you think everything will be great, I'm not convinced

2 hours ago, kent_white said:

🤣 Ich danke dir, inoffizielle Mitarbeiter

Arbeit macht frei

John Healey has resigned. Starmer really is toast isn't he?

Just now, Winchester White said:

John Healey has resigned. Starmer really is toast isn't he?

That's a shame. I liked him.

But he's doing the right thing. Our armed forces desperately needs the funding. And quickly.

21 minutes ago, Winchester White said:

John Healey has resigned. Starmer really is toast isn't he?

He is, but he's 100% going to cling on until the end. Sadly for Labour, I'm not sure there is a credible replacement at the minute

19 minutes ago, kent_white said:

That's a shame. I liked him.

But he's doing the right thing. Our armed forces desperately needs the funding. And quickly.

100% they do, and I'm not defending anybody here, but where does/will this money come from? - And, as I'm sure somebody will pipe up with "stop housing boat people".....I'm not sure that's the immediate answer. We need a ring fenced MOD budget, and it probably needs to be higher than we have at present, but which public services should be cut?

Just now, Sweep said:

100% they do, and I'm not defending anybody here, but where does/will this money come from? - And, as I'm sure somebody will pipe up with "stop housing boat people".....I'm not sure that's the immediate answer. We need a ring fenced MOD budget, and it probably needs to be higher than we have at present, but which public services should be cut?

We're all going to have to put a bit more in. It's too important to mess around with something like this. Especially given the way the world is at the moment.

5 minutes ago, kent_white said:

We're all going to have to put a bit more in. It's too important to mess around with something like this. Especially given the way the world is at the moment.

Agreed, but as soon as anybody mentioned "tax rises" then all hell breaks loose, as the other parties will be all over them (even though they'd have to do the same)

It would be nice, but will never happen, if things like the NHS and MOD were cross party, or an attempt at it anyway - we have real short term thinking on these matters, as the major parties only ever think in 5 year cycles

Just now, Sweep said:

Agreed, but as soon as anybody mentioned "tax rises" then all hell breaks loose, as the other parties will be all over them (even though they'd have to do the same)

It would be nice, but will never happen, if things like the NHS and MOD were cross party, or an attempt at it anyway - we have real short term thinking on these matters, as the major parties only ever think in 5 year cycles

I am in total agreement mate. This is where our adversarial system breaks down unfortunately.

As far as catastrophes for the government go. This is MUCH more serious than the winter fuel payments/Mandleson business.

I was confident that they would get it right on this issue and it looks like a right mess as we stand.

15 minutes ago, Sweep said:

100% they do, and I'm not defending anybody here, but where does/will this money come from? - And, as I'm sure somebody will pipe up with "stop housing boat people".....I'm not sure that's the immediate answer. We need a ring fenced MOD budget, and it probably needs to be higher than we have at present, but which public services should be cut?

Scrap the triple lock on pensions

16 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Scrap the triple lock on pensions

The Daily Express will go into meltdown so it's a good start

16 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Scrap the triple lock on pensions

I've just looked at that, what an incredible amount of money they reckon could be saved. Perhaps this is the way forward, but again, is it a vote loser......although, if they remove all voting rights when you hit 70 (which they should, as they're voting for something that probably won't affect them) then maybe it'll be a vote winner 😀

47 minutes ago, Sweep said:

100% they do, and I'm not defending anybody here, but where does/will this money come from? - And, as I'm sure somebody will pipe up with "stop housing boat people".....I'm not sure that's the immediate answer. We need a ring fenced MOD budget, and it probably needs to be higher than we have at present, but which public services should be cut?

My opinion - every one claiming PIP should be assessed in person by a qualified person, I used to help cons fill forms in an they very rarely got it, some of the reasons they were claiming for were utterly ridiculous. Since COVID, PIP claimants have almost all been assessed by phone, I don't know how much it will save but it will probably be a few quid

Tuppence on the basic rate will cover it. I’m more than happy to pay, if it’s for the security of our nation and its inhabitants.

31 minutes ago, athywhite1958 said:

My opinion - every one claiming PIP should be assessed in person by a qualified person, I used to help cons fill forms in an they very rarely got it, some of the reasons they were claiming for were utterly ridiculous. Since COVID, PIP claimants have almost all been assessed by phone, I don't know how much it will save but it will probably be a few quid

Such reforms were a manifesto pledge but then came the infamous U-turn and the proposed cuts will now only apply to new claimants. This has been unachievable in accordance with Reeves' self-imposed fiscal rules without trimming costs elsewhere such as Net Zero and Defence.

3 minutes ago, Zulu said:

Tuppence on the basic rate will cover it. I’m more than happy to pay, if it’s for the security of our nation and its inhabitants.

Denis Healy in the 1970s who last raised income tax... since then its has been much more stealthy.

If the threat is so serious, maybe we should introduce a war tax as in previous times?

1 minute ago, Dimron said:

Denis Healy in the 1970s who last raised income tax... since then its has been much more stealthy.

If the threat is so serious, maybe we should introduce a war tax as in previous times?

They can call it what they want as long as it’s spent on our Armed Forces.

Now, spending it wisely? Well that’s something else altogether.

6 minutes ago, Dimron said:

Denis Healy in the 1970s who last raised income tax... since then its has been much more stealthy.

If the threat is so serious, maybe we should introduce a war tax as in previous times?

what about stop sending money to Ukraine.........that'll help as well 😉

19 minutes ago, Sweep said:

what about stop sending money to Ukraine.........that'll help as well 😉

That is part of the problem isn't it? Where do we want to stand in the world, it's bloody expensive to head up coalitions of the willing and carry out peace keeping in the Middle East or wherever.

We still have illusions of grandeur with two big aircraft carriers with no battle groups and prone to breakdowns (Prince of Wales spluttered into dock last week).

I recall Mr Z telling Parliament "Give us your jets"... he didn't realise we don't have enough even for our Red Arrows display team