General Election July 2024

[Kermit power]

isaldiri said:

Sway said:

Mostly pretty small. Belgium hasn't got scandi pop density levels though.

I do think as a concept it has a lot of merit. If you're going for a high tax/high service environment - then have everyone chipping in, and feeling engaged in the solutions and value for money.

Given the belgians are mostly miserable sods, I’d question the ‘happy citizenry’ bit. France I suppose is the poster child for high taxes and good public services that clearly works with a larger population compared to the scandi countries.

Would that be the same France on the verge of electing a far right populist government?

[Kermit power]

carlo996 said:

BigMon said:

egor110 said:

Kermit power said:

I'd start by removing the tax free lump sum on the pension of anyone retiring before state pension age without having had children. That group is most able to afford it as they've not had kids, and has also most contributed to the ageing population crisis for the same reason.

They'd also use less services , no schooling costs , less nhs costs compared to a family of 4 , produce less rubbish so need less bin collections .

If you have read any of Kermit's previous posts regarding the childless you will see they almost all follow the same pattern of punitive charges levied at those who have had the temerity not to breed.

The fact that, to the best of my knowledge, not one person on here has supported his position seems to pass him by.

Edited by BigMon on Sunday 30th June 18:50

Agreed. Total fool.

Good lord! How can I possibly compete with such an erudite poster?

[BikeBikeBIke]

pingu393 said:

It gets a bit tetchy when the government has to balance the tax and spend, though.

You either have to pay more tax, or cut the spend.

The French don't seem to happy to do either.

Yeah. A mate in France is quite open that he likes the spending but doesn't want the tax and, despite accepting that can't work is strongly opposed to it changing. Not sure how a democracy resolves that.

Britain's no better though. The IFS say we'll likely need cuts and neither of the two main parties are even commenting on it. Frankly, I blame the media. They should be pointing this stuff out.

https://youtu.be/qi4wLfsSScE?si=Hob1ZSpr-nBdQ49h

[isaldiri]

Kermit power said:

isaldiri said:

Sway said:

Mostly pretty small. Belgium hasn't got scandi pop density levels though.

I do think as a concept it has a lot of merit. If you're going for a high tax/high service environment - then have everyone chipping in, and feeling engaged in the solutions and value for money.

Given the belgians are mostly miserable sods, I’d question the ‘happy citizenry’ bit. France I suppose is the poster child for high taxes and good public services that clearly works with a larger population compared to the scandi countries.

Would that be the same France on the verge of electing a far right populist government?

Yes that France. The fact they have turned against that prat Macron in a move that was entirely self inflicted doesn’t in any way change that the high taxes and good provision of public services can be done in a country with a significant population.

[Mr Penguin]

Kermit power said:

You're surely not that incapable of looking ahead? You seriously think the only area we're going to have shortages is in social care???

Have you tried getting a builder lately, or a plumber? Needed to try and find a new dentist or book a GP?

There are loads of areas where we.don't have enough people, and with birth rates falling, retirement age static and life expectancy way up, problems are only going to get worse.

But 850k 16-24 year olds not in work or education. Plenty of people here to a lot of that work if they learn the skills.
Many of these are global issues and need a wider view - especially doctors who tend to see Canada or Australia as good places to go.

[Puzzles]

isaldiri said:

Yes that France. The fact they have turned against that prat Macron in a move that was entirely self inflicted doesn’t in any way change that the high taxes and good provision of public services can be done in a country with a significant population.

Havent they had a slap on the wrist for their large deficit and debt?

[isaldiri]

Puzzles said:

Havent they had a slap on the wrist for their large deficit and debt?

Nothing that the french can’t and won’t just ignore with a gallic shrug…..

[egor110]

Kermit power said:

egor110 said:

BigMon said:

egor110 said:

Kermit power said:

I'd start by removing the tax free lump sum on the pension of anyone retiring before state pension age without having had children. That group is most able to afford it as they've not had kids, and has also most contributed to the ageing population crisis for the same reason.

They'd also use less services , no schooling costs , less nhs costs compared to a family of 4 , produce less rubbish so need less bin collections .

If you have read any of Kermit's previous posts regarding the childless you will see they almost all following the same pattern of punitive charges levied at those who have had the temerity not to breed.

The fact that, to the best of my knowledge, not one person on here has supported his position seems to pass him by.

It's amusing he thinks everyone's children are going to help the ageing population crisis .

Because there all currently flocking to those social care jobs looking after the elderly aren't they .

You're surely not that incapable of looking ahead? You seriously think the only area we're going to have shortages is in social care???

Have you tried getting a builder lately, or a plumber? Needed to try and find a new dentist or book a GP?

There are loads of areas where we.don't have enough people, and with birth rates falling, retirement age static and life expectancy way up, problems are only going to get worse.

Of course i have , fact is the young don't want to do manual dirty jobs like building, plumbing so how is more children going to alter that ?

[pingu393]

egor110 said:

Of course i have , fact is the young don't want to do manual dirty jobs like building, plumbing so how is more children going to alter that ?

and those are the types of jobs that AI will struggle to master.

[Puzzles]

Wages will increase and people will take it up

[rscott]

This sums up the current Tory administration - they managed to not purchase key advertising space before announcing the election.
Instead, Labour noticed the increase in betting (several of the online bookmakers publish betting trends on their sites),brealised the announcement was coming and quickly booked most of the prime advertising.

https://x.com/Peston/status/1807500964737458329?s=...

On more than one occasion recently, the Daily Mail has had multiple Labour advertising all over the home page.

[paulw123]

JagLover said:

Murph7355 said:

Apparently, however, "hard working people" shouldn't be expected to pay more tax.

Which sounds like those not working should be. Which is a strange position for Labour to take, but does highlight a significant problem - that not enough people are paying in.

The Labour definition of working people apparently excludes people with any savings.

Yep, go after those people who are wise enough to save some of their hard earned for a rainy day rather than spunk it all each month on Chinese made crap and leased German cars.

[borcy]

Anyone ever been interviewed for an exit poll?

Apparently it's the same 100-120 constituencies.

[pingu393]

rscott said:

This sums up the current Tory administration - they managed to not purchase key advertising space before announcing the election.
Instead, Labour noticed the increase in betting (several of the online bookmakers publish betting trends on their sites),brealised the announcement was coming and quickly booked most of the prime advertising.

https://x.com/Peston/status/1807500964737458329?s=...

On more than one occasion recently, the Daily Mail has had multiple Labour advertising all over the home page.

If they are this competent in government, we should be in safe hands.

[768]

pingu393 said:

rscott said:

This sums up the current Tory administration - they managed to not purchase key advertising space before announcing the election.
Instead, Labour noticed the increase in betting (several of the online bookmakers publish betting trends on their sites),brealised the announcement was coming and quickly booked most of the prime advertising.

https://x.com/Peston/status/1807500964737458329?s=...

On more than one occasion recently, the Daily Mail has had multiple Labour advertising all over the home page.

If they are this competent in government, we should be in safe hands.

I'm sceptical that it's true.

They certainly spent a lot more money on social media advertising, but it didn't start until after the election announcement. We may just be in another set of spinning hands.



FT | Archive

[turbobloke]

rscott said:

This sums up the current Tory administration - they managed to not purchase key advertising space before announcing the election.

Is that not the nature of this problem, if they bought key advertising space before the announcement, it would announce an imminent election to both insiders and outsiders before the announcement.

[President Merkin]

And yet Labour managed to have it in place. The post mortem to this election will inevitably conclude that Sunak rage quit when he should have waited. Had he done so, Farage would have been safely tucked away, tickling Trump's teats, various bits of economic good news would be up for grabs & he wouldn't have pulled the rug from under dozens of his own MP's. The variable yet to be ascertained is why he jumped. We may never know but the idea the letters were flying in & he decided to take revenge is not unattractive.

Edited by President Merkin on Monday 1st July 11:05

[oyster]

President Merkin said:

And yet Labour managed to have it in place. The post mortem to this election will inevitably conclude that Sunak rage quit when he should have waited. Had he done so, Farage would have been safely tucked away, tickling Trump's teats, various bits of economic good news would be up for grabs & he wouldn't have pulled the rug from under dozens of his own MP's. The variable yet to be ascertained is why he jumped. We may never know but the idea the letters were flying in & he decided to take revenge is not unattractive.

Edited by President Merkin on Monday 1st July 11:05

I think it's all down to Rwanda flights.

They were promised in July. Yet they would not have happened in July and the flagship policy would be in tatters.



It's utterly irrelevant now of course, but at the time it probably didn't look that way.

[Collectingbrass]

768 said:

pingu393 said:

rscott said:

This sums up the current Tory administration - they managed to not purchase key advertising space before announcing the election.
Instead, Labour noticed the increase in betting (several of the online bookmakers publish betting trends on their sites),brealised the announcement was coming and quickly booked most of the prime advertising.

https://x.com/Peston/status/1807500964737458329?s=...

On more than one occasion recently, the Daily Mail has had multiple Labour advertising all over the home page.

If they are this competent in government, we should be in safe hands.

I'm sceptical that it's true.

They certainly spent a lot more money on social media advertising, but it didn't start until after the election announcement. We may just be in another set of spinning hands.

Isn't this the difference between booked & paid deposit v paid the final bill though? I wouldn't have thought they'd have known the art work for this week when they saw the bookie's data for example.

Either way the Tories do seem to be living out Brewster's Millions. I wonder what they stand to inherit when they spend the last pound on the bus fare home from the Palace on 5 July.

[thetapeworm]

I wonder if there are any studies that show a decline in business for companies that openly promote a particular candidate rather than just voting for them and keeping quiet?