[Tubby Isaacs]

Jonathan Reynolds successfully chatting up Nick Ferrari would be an example of all that's wrong with Labour for some people. They can't really win at the moment, but if the economy improves, they'll be in a stronger position and could be in a reasonably strong position to lead a "sane front" in the next Parliament now that the Tories have given up on attracting Lib Dems over.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Lower Thames Crossing has been approved. No great surprise, and probably the right decision. Given the progress being made on electric vehicles, I don't think the "no more roads" position makes much sense with strategic roads like this. It's of course a different thing round towns and cities, where public transport options are much more viable.

I wonder if we'll get more infrastrcucture announced. The fiscal rule is causing some problems on current spending (where I'd have put up taxes a bit more) but it does allow for capital spending. That ought to boost the economy, and tie in with the "we get stuff built by taking on the blockers" narrative that Labour have tried to appropriate.

Local Kipper MP reacts thus, with a bizarre mix of 1975 Tony Benn and 2025 Lib Dem "localist".

[Tubby Isaacs]

Great reference to "pride and ambition" there. Quite how either is served by not building a new bridge, I don't know. The more working class element of Kippers would generally, I'd guess, say that we need to be getting more stuff like this done. And the posher element (who like drinking wine in France) can see with their own eyes how behind we've got with infrastructure. So it's a strange reaction from McMurdock.

Then again you can hold any position in Reform, provided you don't like immigration. It's easy to laugh at people in Clacton who thought Farage was pro-worker, but how often are they pressed on other stuff? It's like Unionist politics, where you only have to believe in a border, fill in the rest yourself.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Useful money for some councils here. Usual generous media framing.

Second homes to be taxed double by most councils - a 'naked cash grab' or not far enough?
Exclusive Sky News data shows around 75% of councils in England will introduce the discretionary charge from April - essentially doubling the tax on properties classed as second homes.

Not sure whether this was a Labour budget policy or a Tory one. Tory councils are certainly levying it. Something like £500m expected to be raised nationally. Labour not taxing the rich again.

[Andy McDandy]

Reminds me of a letter to Viz, circa 1992: "The problem inherent in the Channel Tunnel project is that sooner or later the French will want to use it."

The costs may seem high, but compared to HS2 they're a drop in the ocean. Then again he's probably thinking that the army did that bridge in Workington in a day so bish bash bosh, job done.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Reeves also promising £2bn social/affordable housing investment. She's said this isn't another "budget event", but hopefully there'll be more capital announced soon. The trouble is that £2bn doesn't get you all that much social housing where it's most needed. 18,000 units may not earn her much credit and probably wouldn't even if it was all spent in Kipperville because "all for immigrants" or something.

£9bn is more than the likely cost of taking HS2 past Birmingham to Crewe, the cheapest part of it, with some of that already spent acquiring land (which nobody is in a hurry to sell off). So we might see that later in the Parliament.

The £9bn for the Lower Thames Crossing is quite a lot- it's a tunnel, not a bridge, like I said before)- but there'll be lost of work on bridges etc. While you'd not do this sort of work otherwise, there are likely benefits in doing it that add to the benefit of the project. Provided you don't scrimp to get the headline cost of the project down. The SNP deserve a lot of credit for getting Borders Rail done at all in the climate of Osbornism, but they scrimped and are probably wishing they hadn't now. It's very hard not to do it, hope Reeves doesn't.

[Killer Whale]

Useful money for some councils here. Usual generous media framing.

Second homes to be taxed double by most councils - a 'naked cash grab' or not far enough?
Exclusive Sky News data shows around 75% of councils in England will introduce the discretionary charge from April - essentially doubling the tax on properties classed as second homes.

Not sure whether this was a Labour budget policy or a Tory one. Tory councils are certainly levying it. Something like £500m expected to be raised nationally. Labour not taxing the rich again.

When Welsh councils started doing it a few years ago it was 'anti-English racism'.

[Andy McDandy]

If all else fails, call it a tax on aspiration.

[Tubby Isaacs]

If the Tories lose a load of councils, then no doubt it'll become exactly that.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Funny, the Tories got about 7 years out of "mess we inherited". Bit of a strange question- of course raising taxes rather than borrowing more or cutting something that affects other people is a choice, but having to do one of these may also be forced upon you by your economic inheritance.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I see Labour held Thurrock council are opposed to the Lower Thames Crossing, so Mr Kipperman's opposition may not be surprising. Not sure what the issue is. Should stop a lot of traffic from heading further west through Thurrock to the Dartford Crossing.

Nice opportunity to collect some tolls off this route, same as the Dartford Crossing which earns about £200m a year.

[Crabcakes]

I’m sure someone (ahem) will be along any minute to explain why this DEFINITELY means workers are worse off and hence Labour are GUARANTEED to lose the next election to the Conservatives

[zuriblue]

Useful money for some councils here. Usual generous media framing.

Second homes to be taxed double by most councils - a 'naked cash grab' or not far enough?
Exclusive Sky News data shows around 75% of councils in England will introduce the discretionary charge from April - essentially doubling the tax on properties classed as second homes.

Not sure whether this was a Labour budget policy or a Tory one. Tory councils are certainly levying it. Something like £500m expected to be raised nationally. Labour not taxing the rich again.

When my mum passed away in 2022 I inherited the house. I got the letter off Northumberland Council telling me that they're taxing it as a second home at 100%. The law changed in 2023 so it's a Tory tax.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Was that not because they thought it was empty? Second homes is something that's coming in the start of next month.

[The Weeping Angel]

I’m sure someone (ahem) will be along any minute to explain why this DEFINITELY means workers are worse off and hence Labour are GUARANTEED to lose the next election to the Conservatives

You can go on bluesky and someone will something very similar.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I’m sure someone (ahem) will be along any minute to explain why this DEFINITELY means workers are worse off and hence Labour are GUARANTEED to lose the next

Blah blah reheated Blairism blah Angela Rayner sidelined blah.

I do still find myself wondering if this combination of policies and rhetoric will win many votes though. Does enough of the modern liberal left really care about workers rights? The Greens have strongly supported them, but it's some way down the list of what they campaign on. They presumably know their target market.

[Tubby Isaacs]

One Bluesky response. I think this is true in terms of winning votes, but I can understand why they do it this way.

The rightwing press can read this stuff in the Guardian and then stick it on the front page with all the outrage they can muster, and Starmer seems fairly sanguine about that.

Investors aren't always people who want to hear about more working rights or higher minimum wage. What they want to hear is what this person calls "Tory lite", ie that they won't pay much extra tax.

[The Weeping Angel]

One Bluesky response. I think this is true in terms of winning votes, but I can understand why they do it this way.

The rightwing press can read this stuff in the Guardian and then stick it on the front page with all the outrage they can muster, and Starmer seems fairly sanguine about that.

Investors aren't always people who want to hear about more working rights or higher minimum wage. What they want to hear is what this person calls "Tory lite", ie that they won't pay much extra tax.

But hasn't Reynolds been promoting this?

[Tubby Isaacs]

No idea. But hardly anybody knows who the Business Secretary is, so I think that fits in with not promoting it as much as they could.

[The Weeping Angel]