[s42blue]

isleaiw1, on 19 May 2025 - 07:45 PM, said:

I'm not. He is way too polite. I like to remind some of you that you dont really know what you are talking about and there is another viewpoint even if you like to pretend only you know the solutions. The last lot were rubbish, this lot are rubbish. The last lot showed no respect for the British public, this lot are doing the same in their own way.

Because of course, despite your modest years and life experiences, you will know best...

(cant wait to see what your views are when you are in your 50s and doing OK for yourself... my guess is you will have very different views)

Way too polite? In any debate I’d rather be polite than show the increasingly aggressive, arrogant and patronising traits that have become the norm on here when posting or replying.

I normally enjoy your posts as they’re usually informed and laid out. Normally…

I’ve criticised the previous and current administration many times and like to add some commentary on some subjects (mainly economics and investment these days as I find other subjects peoples views are too ingrained!😂)

Enjoy your day.

[Middle East]

s42blue, on 21 May 2025 - 07:33 AM, said:

Way too polite? In any debate I’d rather be polite than show the increasingly aggressive, arrogant and patronising traits that have become the norm on here when posting or replying.

I normally enjoy your posts as they’re usually informed and laid out. Normally…

I’ve criticised the previous and current administration many times and like to add some commentary on some subjects (mainly economics and investment these days as I find other subjects peoples views are too ingrained!��)

Enjoy your day.

Your views will change once you gain a bit more life experience though...

This post has been edited by Middle East: 21 May 2025 - 09:52 AM

[Mr Mercury]

Starmer signals u turn on winter fuel payments.

Reform putting more money in pensioners pockets with only 5 MPs. Imagine what we can do with a few hundred!

This post has been edited by Mr Mercury: 21 May 2025 - 12:41 PM

[Wooden Spoon]

Mr Mercury, on 21 May 2025 - 12:41 PM, said:

Starmer signals u turn on winter fuel payments.

Reform putting more money in pensioners pockets with only 5 MPs. Imagine what we can do with a few hundred!

While I welcome the u turn, (what’s is it gonna look like?) I vant help but feel it will be half hearted effort that is more like a cobbled together smoke screen - like his new immigration white paper.


So far he’s u turned on his immigration stance, his view on what is a woman and now one of his key election victory “hard choices”



What does this man actually believe in? What does this man stand for?


At least he’s prepared to admit he’s got things wrong I suppose. Not exactly inspired leadership though is it

This post has been edited by Wooden Spoon: 21 May 2025 - 12:48 PM

[Goku]

Not the right decision imo, I'd wager he's burnt his good will with the majority of those who screeched and wailed about the means-testing of the WFP so should just hunker down and press onwards. As we all know by now, nothing bad happened as a result of the WFP removal.

[Mr Mercury]

Wooden Spoon, on 21 May 2025 - 12:46 PM, said:

While I welcome the u turn, (what’s is it gonna look like?) I vant help but feel it will be half hearted effort that is more like a cobbled together smoke screen - like his new immigration white paper.


So far he’s u turned on his immigration stance, his view on what is a woman and now one of his key election victory “hard choices”



What does this man actually believe in? What does this man stand for?


At least he’s prepared to admit he’s got things wrong I suppose. Not exactly inspired leadership though is it

He’s not admitting he’s got things wrong mate, he’s doing what he always does and tries to fly with the wind and be all things to all men. Anyone knows that his change in rhetoric on immigration and now the WFA is something he’s been forced to do by Reforms huge success. And it’ll be burning him inside having to do it.
There’s a political storm brewing and Starmer is quite simply incapable of stopping it.

This post has been edited by Mr Mercury: 21 May 2025 - 12:52 PM

[Valley Blues]

Starmer is toast.

The only thing he could possibly do to have any modicum of hope of winning any support back would be to sanction turning dinghies around mid-Channel.

The influx of illegals across the water is quite simply the single biggest issue for the voting public and Reform know it.

[s42blue]

Middle East, on 21 May 2025 - 09:47 AM, said:

Your views will change once you gain a bit more life experience though...

Yeah I look forward to that .. Omnipotence is just a few more years hence.

As for the WFA it’s going to be spun either way: Starmer is weak and gives in or Starmer listens to the people…. Same coin.

[The Jolly Friar]

The Earl of Chesterfield, on 20 May 2025 - 08:08 PM, said:

Are we finally getting a glimpse of the government for which folk actually voted?

Steps towards sanity with the EU and now a decisive shift in dealing with Netanyahu?

Who today saw UK sanctions imposed upon his far right factions, his ambassador given a dressing down by Downing Street and a joint statement from ourselves, the French and Canadians demanding full access for aid.

Then there're murmurings of a u-turn of sorts in terms of the WFA. I genuinely believe the electorate might forgive - if not necessarily forget - politicians admitting they were wrong more than those digging themselves deeper into a hole.

Back to Netanyahu and he could become even further isolated by a Trump smoozing up to the Saudi's.

A Trump signing multi-billion dollar deals with a regime refusing to progress discussions over the region's rebuild unless the IDF withdraw.

A Trump facing a future flying in his own personal half a billion pound jumbo jet donated by that same hegemony.



I doubt these events are mere coincidence...

Look who comes out of the woodwork.

Is this the guy I'm told wanted another referendum vote. No surpise then he starts to cream himself as Two Tier sticks up a finger to the democratic decision to begin leaving the EU. Is there more? ... oh wait. Still shamelessly hating the leader of a democratic nation defending his country from Islamic terrrorists.

More? oh wait. Lets have another dig at Trump cos he's a republican and doesn't fit his socialist narrative. All wrapped up with an 'insightful' discreditation that Trump is up to no good.

At least we were spared the Reform rats in sewage - for today at least.

This post has been edited by The Jolly Friar: 21 May 2025 - 02:43 PM

[Mr Mercury]

Valley Blues, on 21 May 2025 - 01:36 PM, said:

Starmer is toast.

The only thing he could possibly do to have any modicum of hope of winning any support back would be to sanction turning dinghies around mid-Channel.

The influx of illegals across the water is quite simply the single biggest issue for the voting public and Reform know it.

Well being as hidden in the fine print of Starmers Brexit betrayal is the EU demand that EU youth visas include migrant families as well, didn’t see Stamer shout that from the lectern, and it’s being reported that another 800 illegal immigrants , that’s 800, crossed the channel in small boats today alone, I’d say that not only is he losing on all fronts the British tax payer, the “working people” he claims to support, are as well.

This post has been edited by Mr Mercury: 21 May 2025 - 02:22 PM

[Wooden Spoon]

Mr Mercury, on 21 May 2025 - 12:51 PM, said:

He’s not admitting he’s got things wrong mate, he’s doing what he always does and tries to fly with the wind and be all things to all men. Anyone knows that his change in rhetoric on immigration and now the WFA is something he’s been forced to do by Reforms huge success. And it’ll be burning him inside having to do it.
There’s a political storm brewing and Starmer is quite simply incapable of stopping it.

I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt

[Mr Mercury]

Wooden Spoon, on 21 May 2025 - 03:20 PM, said:

I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt

You’re a better man than me then mate.
Everything he touches just goes absolutely down the drain with rapid speed, even the last few days we’ve seen his anti immigration rhetoric do a full 180 from his previous stance, we’ve seen the EU reset being maligned as a submission, an act of treachery against the Brexit vote, a devise empty gesture that hands control back to the EU in so many areas. And now this, a U turn on the WFA that there’s even been no mention of where or when or how it will happen, just empty words from an empty man leading an empty government. And all of it so easily seen right though by the majority of the general public. I know of nobody in person who actually believes the man anymore.
And rumours now that Angela Raynor is already on manoeuvres in the back ground, and you can see in the house when Starmer is offering up more glib platitudes and lies, she is sat stone faced, almost in contempt of him, whilst the likes of Reeves guffaw in fake awe. It’s actually becoming pitiful to watch his continued slide into the political abyss because he’s taking so much of the country down with him.

This post has been edited by Mr Mercury: 21 May 2025 - 03:49 PM

[isleaiw1]

s42blue, on 21 May 2025 - 07:33 AM, said:

Way too polite? In any debate I’d rather be polite than show the increasingly aggressive, arrogant and patronising traits that have become the norm on here when posting or replying.

I normally enjoy your posts as they’re usually informed and laid out. Normally…

I’ve criticised the previous and current administration many times and like to add some commentary on some subjects (mainly economics and investment these days as I find other subjects peoples views are too ingrained!😂)

Enjoy your day.

said firmly tongue in cheek. You dont seem to get the vitriol I get for being more argumentative towards some of the posters on here - perhaps because you are not as argumentative (hence the too polite reference!). I'm cool with the criticism because I know that sometimes I ask for it... but I am amazed at how some people can only see one side of the coin and probably make no effort to see the other (interestingly I dont include Goku or Earl in that)

I can only really comment on economics and finance as that is what I am trained in

[isleaiw1]

Middle East, on 21 May 2025 - 09:47 AM, said:

Your views will change once you gain a bit more life experience though...

What is it they say, at 30 I thought I knew everything, at 60 I realised I didnt and I still dont.

But I've certainly seen a lot more, experienced a lot more and viewed life through different lenses which definitely gives a different perspective. Losing my wife 10 years ago would be one part, fighting to keep a business in business as an FD was one part, looking at the world my grandkids have to grow up in another...

And from unexpectedly white Derbyshire to multicultural London, everything shapes your outlook... and obviously if you havent done it, it cant shape it...

(That includes voting to kill a final salary pension scheme to keep the company afloat in 2003... maybe that influenced me more than most!)

[isleaiw1]

s42blue, on 21 May 2025 - 01:38 PM, said:

Yeah I look forward to that .. Omnipotence is just a few more years hence.

As for the WFA it’s going to be spun either way: Starmer is weak and gives in or Starmer listens to the people…. Same coin.

I think some of their coins only have one side

When they scrapped it they said it was all or nothing as a mechanism to means test it other than the pension credit mechanism would cost more than the WFA cost... so I'll be interested to know how they have squared that circle....

[dtp]

isleaiw1, on 21 May 2025 - 04:06 PM, said:

I think some of their coins only have one side

When they scrapped it they said it was all or nothing as a mechanism to means test it other than the pension credit mechanism would cost more than the WFA cost... so I'll be interested to know how they have squared that circle....

Unless I am wrong is he not now suggesting that if any changes are to be made in respect of WFP they will be included in a future Budget Statement when, in fact, when the rushed in the original changes they avoided at all cost including it in the pending Budget Statement?

If they are to assess people based on Income or Wealth assessing this could be expensive and outweigh the actual cost of extra payments to be made. This was a reason for paying it out to all OAPs originally as it was simplistic and least costly.

The only other simplistic method I can think of is to determine it by age such as for the over 80s plus those on Pension Credit.

[Wooden Spoon]

s42blue, on 21 May 2025 - 01:38 PM, said:

Yeah I look forward to that .. Omnipotence is just a few more years hence.

As for the WFA it’s going to be spun either way: Starmer is weak and gives in or Starmer listens to the people…. Same coin.

He listens to his advisors not the electorate - there was one on LBC earlier from “the progressive policy think tank”

[Mr Mercury]

The UK Brexit reset deal with the EU in abridged form.

All the fish found in UK waters belong to the EU.
All the illegal immigrants found in UK waters belong to the UK.

This post has been edited by Mr Mercury: 21 May 2025 - 08:27 PM

[isleaiw1]

At least we didnt talk much about inflation going up to a higher rate than expected, nor about the seeming battle between Raynor and Reeves around who is in charge of taxes and spending... maybe this policy on WFA was rushed through to distract from all of the bad news?

[Mr Mercury]

isleaiw1, on 21 May 2025 - 08:47 PM, said:

At least we didnt talk much about inflation going up to a higher rate than expected, nor about the seeming battle between Raynor and Reeves around who is in charge of taxes and spending... maybe this policy on WFA was rushed through to distract from all of the bad news?

A distinct possibility, the old Labour adage of “a good day to bury bad news”.
The Labour problem is it’s hard to bury bad news under more bad, or rather bungled news.