What is that "mate" of mine Sadiq Khan trying to achieve ?

 

You lost you demented little cretin, get over it and concentrate on your job you terrorist sympathiser.

6 minutes ago, BobyBrno said:

The delayed November Budget will determine this government’s future. The last one injured them. This one could be their downfall. They/She doesn’t have many options other than higher taxes or cuts to public services.  It really is as simple as that. 

Starmer has taken his eye off the domestic ball , preferring to mix with other well dressed statespeople on the world stage, in my opinion he is an upper middle class lawyer snob and really doesn't like us hoi polloi... not very socialist.

He has left the dirty domestic stuff to his minions, where he hasn't chosen very well... a housing minister/deputy on the make and a Chancellor who bigged up her CV and fiddled expenses when working for a bank.

To stand any chance he needs to get stuck in and kick the lot of them up their respective arses.

Reeves is so entrenched in Brown/Osborne fiscal rules she will bring the lot tumbling down, even the Guardian editorial recently advised against her rigid self imposed policies... she is totally out of her depth.

 

 

35 minutes ago, BobyBrno said:

The delayed November Budget will determine this government’s future. The last one injured them. This one could be their downfall. They/She doesn’t have many options other than higher taxes or cuts to public services.  It really is as simple as that. 

And what options do your preferred alternative have?

1 hour ago, Spider said:

Not mythical, nor the fault of the current government who must make unpleasant choices to fill it 🥰

 

 

Where the Gap Lies

The composition of the tax gap tells an important story for entrepreneurs and business owners:

• Small businesses account for around 60% (£28.1bn) of the shortfall
• The wealthy contribute just 5% (£2.3bn)

This imbalance has persisted for four years, yet there is little evidence of a coherent government strategy to address it. No other taxpayer group represents more than 15% of the gap.

What the holy bollocks is this?

How the fuck can small businesses account for 60% of the gap? I can understand saying a group account for x% of tax collected, but a % of "the gap" implies there is a shortfall between total tax contribution of small businesses and total expenditure on small businesses. Which is obviously a huge steaming pile of daftness.

Someone please explain.

4 minutes ago, wakey said:

What the holy bollocks is this?

How the fuck can small businesses account for 60% of the gap? I can understand saying a group account for x% of tax collected, but a % of "the gap" implies there is a shortfall between total tax contribution of small businesses and total expenditure on small businesses. Which is obviously a huge steaming pile of daftness.

Someone please explain.

We’re a nation of shopkeepers

1 hour ago, BobyBrno said:

The ones we are all talking about are coming from France. 

Yer man that inspired my comment was from Ethiopia.

57 minutes ago, royal white said:

Would they be jailed in their country? What’s the chances they will be back here 6 months later. Do the crime do the time, or should we start accepting Brits back here who have committed  crimes abroad? 

I'm fully aware of the double standards in my views. But if I have to I'll accept them being shipped back the minute their time inside is up.

54 minutes ago, Cheese said:

And what options do your preferred alternative have?

To quote the Guardian:

Rather than the self-imposed arbitrary constraints, which she already changed last October, the Labour party should be bold and get rid of them altogether. Better the budget features a short statement of how government plans will affect the economy

The full editorial is here, interesting read:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/03/the-guardian-view-on-fiscal-rules-and-financial-myths-britain-must-stop-fearing-imaginary-bond-vigilantes

9 hours ago, Sweep said:

Fear not, only a few more years, and they'll all be stopped, once Reform have the Navy patrolling the channel

They are the only fucking hope of doing so. That has become painfully apparent.

6 hours ago, Dimron said:

He has left the dirty domestic stuff to his minions, where he hasn't chosen very well... a housing minister/deputy on the make and a Chancellor who bigged up her CV and fiddled expenses when working for a bank.

I'd say the opposite. Carefully chosen to minimise threats to his position.

Understandable when he is patently aware of his own limitations.

10 hours ago, frank_spencer said:

Yer man that inspired my comment was from Ethiopia.

There's a hell of a lot of countries between there and here he could've chose to settle in. 

Even parts of his own country.

Wonder what made him end up in Epping?

14 minutes ago, gonzo said:

There's a hell of a lot of countries between there and here he could've chose to settle in. 

Even parts of his own country.

Wonder what made him end up in Epping?

He had a life's ambition to work for deliveroo 

4 hours ago, bolty58 said:

They are the only fucking hope of doing so. That has become painfully apparent.

Needs something radical

4 hours ago, bolty58 said:

I'd say the opposite. Carefully chosen to minimise threats to his position.

Understandable when he is patently aware of his own limitations.

Yep. He’s under pressure from many sides now. McSweeney has had the dreaded vote of confidence so he’ll be gone soon. Lucy Powell is favourite to be deputy PM and she was sacked by him and the Andy Burnham bandwagon is gaining momentum. 

11 hours ago, Dimron said:

To quote the Guardian:

Rather than the self-imposed arbitrary constraints, which she already changed last October, the Labour party should be bold and get rid of them altogether. Better the budget features a short statement of how government plans will affect the economy

The full editorial is here, interesting read:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/03/the-guardian-view-on-fiscal-rules-and-financial-myths-britain-must-stop-fearing-imaginary-bond-vigilantes

So there are other options, which was my point. I highly doubt Boby will agree with the general sentiment of that article though.

6 hours ago, bolty58 said:

I'd say the opposite. Carefully chosen to minimise threats to his position.

Understandable when he is patently aware of his own limitations.

Yep, I agree. And it could really fuck them up moving forward. 

See Boris Johnson for the original blueprint 

2 hours ago, gonzo said:

There's a hell of a lot of countries between there and here he could've chose to settle in. 

Even parts of his own country.

Wonder what made him end up in Epping?

Probably a West Ham fan 

I know he’s Burnham’s mate but I can’t argue with anything he says here. 
 

 

Edited September 25, 2025Sep 25 by BobyBrno

Burnham on manouevres

1 minute ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Burnham on manouevres

 

he's a LOT to do, but would certainly be an excellent choice.

Burnham should definitely be the next Labour leader. He seems somewhat human.

37 minutes ago, Spider said:

 

he's a LOT to do, but would certainly be an excellent choice.

I'm not hugely keen myself but I can't deny he has quite a broad appeal up here

I know of more than a couple of people who typically wouldn't vote Labour who really like him

Burnham is a lot further to the Left than Starmer is, so I find it slightly baffling that even Bolty likes him. It can only be down to personality - which I would agree is something the current cabinet are severely lacking.

17 hours ago, royal white said:

Would they be jailed in their country? What’s the chances they will be back here 6 months later. Do the crime do the time, or should we start accepting Brits back here who have committed  crimes abroad? 

 

Burnham is a cnut, he isn't interested in the ordinary working folk, certainly not in my past experiences with him

7 minutes ago, Cheese said:

Burnham is a lot further to the Left than Starmer is, so I find it slightly baffling that even Bolty likes him. It can only be down to personality - which I would agree is something the current cabinet are severely lacking.

Thats the thing, he has a much further left agenda but these days im sure no one votes on policies just if people like someone.

He does appeal to those in the North at Labour need to win, but his background is very similar to Starmer (again i dont understand this Starmer is a London elite - all perception again, they are both just two very bright working class men, one from Surrey one from Liverpool - again the perception of North/South class divide not being reality)

He's a stronger communicator than Starmer but I just dont see him as PM - plus hes further left than me in general and also this whole discussion isnt good for the sability of the government anyway.