Keir Starmer at it again..

[Deutsch Wolf]

Not sure what you're after.

There were rumours that a leadership challenge would happen and that Streeting was the most likely contender.

There isn't going to be one and everyone has denied it.

Labour don't do internecine warfare like the Tories. Starmer's fairly inexplicable public unpopularity (football and darts fans singing he's a wanker, well he might be, but you didn't bother with that when we had Boris fucking Johnson as Prime Minister) will be an issue at some point though.

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

Okay, thanks for the explanation.
I generally trust the Guardian as a left of centre information source and was genuinely surprised to read an article that was both lacking in facts and so critical of Starmers incompetence. Since I had seen nothing that it might refer to, I thought I had perhaps missed a major story. Apparently not.

 

[leedswolf]

Yes, that's why I asked the question.

The author is a 'sketch writer'...

 

[sycophantia]

Okay, thanks for the explanation.
I generally trust the Guardian as a left of centre information source and was genuinely surprised to read an article that was both lacking in facts and so critical of Starmers incompetence. Since I had seen nothing that it might refer to, I thought I had perhaps missed a major story. Apparently not.

It's almost as if all printed media is shit.

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

THe author is a 'sketch writer'...

It's almost as if all printed media is shit.

Weird that it reached US news.

 

[jlo]

I disagree with the above, the last few days have substance to them even if that doesn’t rear it's head properly until either post budget or May elections, or ever in this parliament.

Wes 100% wants the job, and factions with him and Keir have always existed (and others too). This isn't a nothing story, but whether anything comes of it is a different matter.

 

[Sniffer]

The FT are reporting that they’ve ditched the income tax rise plan. They’ve got an awfully big hole to fill if they’re hoping to find it elsewhere in a non manifesto breaking way.

 

[visage]

So they had all the bad publicity about raising taxes and now they're not going to actually get the money from doing it.

This government makes it very hard to support them sometimes.

 

[sycophantia]

So they had all the bad publicity about raising taxes and now they're not going to actually get the money from doing it.

This government makes it very hard to support them sometimes.

The leadership come across as spineless. Trying to appease everyone, it can't be done.

 

[Del Woppio]

He's bad at politics and optics management as his predecessor was. For a techocrat with no ideology, you'd think he'd be better at shutting out the noise and sticking to the 'difficult decisions'; if they were right last week, they can't be wrong this week, nothing has changed, unless he's been watching the darts

 

[Del Woppio]

Seen some talk that among the measures taken could be lowering the tax thresholds, and also taxing undisclosed salary sacrifice schemes. I know the manifesto specifically said that they wouldn't change the *rate* of income tax, but lowering the thresholds meaning people pay more income tax has the same net effect, it won't protect them from accusations of breaking pledges imo

 

[sycophantia]

Seen some talk that among the measures taken could be lowering the tax thresholds, and also taxing undisclosed salary sacrifice schemes. I know the manifesto specifically said that they wouldn't change the *rate* of income tax, but lowering the thresholds meaning people pay more income tax has the same net effect, it won't protect them from accusations of breaking pledges imo

I'll be raging if they lower the thresholds, I'll be all aboard the Starmer out bandwagon (not just cos it will effect me personally).
Surely a socialist govt should be increasing the thresholds, it's the best way to help low incomes and encourage people not in work back. Just put one or two percent on higher earners. They'll just whinge for a bit but it will have little effect on their lives.

 

[Sniffer]

I’ve read that the plan was dropped due to an improved fiscal forecast.
The build up to this, the briefing, the speeches and the interviews have just created an absolute pantomime for all and sundry to pile into them, deservedly so.
They need to arrange a date earlier next time, say nothing in the build up and if there’s bad news, put up with the crap that comes their way afterwards.
It’s a shit show, all of their own making and consistent with the terrible comms plaguing them since taking office.
Nobody will be talking of the no fault evictions being ended by legislation going through today just the self inflicted media storm elsewhere.

 

[Sniffer]

I'll be raging if they lower the thresholds, I'll be all aboard the Starmer out bandwagon (not just cos it will effect me personally).
Surely a socialist govt should be increasing the thresholds, it's the best way to help low incomes and encourage people not in work back. Just put one or two percent on higher earners. They'll just whinge for a bit but it will have little effect on their lives.

They won’t be lowering thresholds for basic rate tax payers - it would be political suicide if they did.

 

[sycophantia]

They won’t be lowering thresholds for basic rate tax payers - it would be political suicide if they did.

Ah ok, my mistake, got triggered cos Im an idiot.

 

[Del Woppio]

I’ve read that the plan was dropped due to an improved fiscal forecast.

There is a theory that they floated tax rises which caused a fall in the borrowing costs that the OBR used in their forecasts, and now that those forecasts are set they've reversed the decision as the headroom will look more favourable, even though it actually won't be. Proper responsible stuff

 

[EpsomWolf]

I think they’re getting a bit trapped by the tax bands because an awful lot of people in the supposed higher 40% band about to get leathered again are themselves struggling, unable to get in the property ladder and so on.

The 40% threshold is £50,271. The average London wage is (depending on source but reasonably considered to be) £49,692. Very very risky telling average salary earners they need to consider themselves high earners and accept another turn of the screw knowing the thick end of half of what they earn will disappear whilst having to cope with sky high living costs themselves.

Always a difficult balance but I didn’t think they’d gauged it right and needed to have a better look at the bands instead.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Or they could introduce a carefully considered wealth tax...if they got the messaging right they could bring that in, fill a lot of the hole and move the needle with their popularity.

They won't though of course because they are beholden to that 1%, and that is what is important.

 

[Del Woppio]

Super-rich wealth tax - 2% on £10m+ could raise £15bn.

Equalising CGT with income tax - £15bn

Windfall tax on the excessive bank profits because of the interest rates that have punished all of us - £8bn

That's before you tighten inheritence tax loopholes so trust fund cunts get away without paying anything.

There's fucking loads of money in this country, they don't need to pull it from ordinary people.

 

[jlo]

I think they’re getting a bit trapped by the tax bands because an awful lot of people in the supposed higher 40% band about to get leathered again are themselves struggling, unable to get in the property ladder and so on.

The 40% threshold is £50,271. The average London wage is (depending on source but reasonably considered to be) £49,692. Very very risky telling average salary earners they need to consider themselves high earners and accept another turn of the screw knowing the thick end of half of what they earn will disappear whilst having to cope with sky high living costs themselves.

Always a difficult balance but I didn’t think they’d gauged it right and needed to have a better look at the bands instead.

Lots of Henry's - High earners, not rich yet.

I'm not against taxing people more who can afford it, but you are exactly right that many over £50,271 are not in the slightest bit comfortable. The detail will be interesting, if it doesn’t touch basic rate then does that include the top end of the band too?