[mattomac]

They couldn't take it over because MPs are very powerful, and you can't force them to do what members want. And anyway some of the rightwing MPs were popular locally. Even at peak excitement in the 80s, not all that many Labour MPs got deselected for political reasons rather than personal ones, like not knowing when to quit. And some of those seemed to want to get deselected, like Dave Nellist (who nearly won as an independent) and Terry Fields (who despite being popular locally, came nowhere near winning).

Probably also due to the fact their mass membership wasn’t as mass as they suggested.

[Abernathy]

A “seven-fingered Farage” rather sounds like some sort of bizarre, perverted sexual act, doesn’t it?


Just me, then.

[Abernathy]

Keir Starmer gave an interview to Kuenssberg this morning which I thought very, very impressive. A capable and very considered, serious and intelligent Prime Minister who knows exactly what needs to be done to make the UK decent again, and exactly how he is going to go about it. He has a handle on everything, from the NHS to strategic thinking about Ukraine and the global situation more generally (he's going to Washington this week to talk to Joe Biden on this), and effortlessly called Kuenssberg out for being wrong more than once. It's like he was born to be Prime Minister, and he's making a great job of it.

Deeply impressive . It makes me so glad to know that this man is our Prime Minister - and there's something I haven't been able to say for at least 14 years,

[davidjay]

And that's why he's getting so much abuse.

[RandomElement]

Allotment Jesus would have done it better. / Look at how he's fucked everything up since we were in power. With the media barons helping with the second.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Jez doesn't have to do policy beyond nationalise it, tax it, spend more money on it.

But he's got a point about "spend more money on it" with the current state of public services.

[mattomac]

They are never knowingly telling us where it’s coming from.

I find it odd that some Union types are obsessed with pensioner benefits.

[Crabcakes]

The added bonus is, every time an article or commentary emerges about how good he is in the role, how well regarded he is nationally and internationally, and how prime ministerial he seems, you know that Boris Johnson dies a little bit inside - because he believes the plaudits should be his, the respect should be his and that ultimately the role should be his.

Starmer is so good, in fact, he’s even managed to make Sunak look and behave like a better leader now he’s in opposition. And that’s borderline miraculous.

[Tubby Isaacs]

No 10 said applications for pension credit are up by more than 100% as a result of the government’s campaign to increase take-up.

That's a lot of the most extreme pensioner poverty wiped out, if this continues. Plus all those who'll now get it automatically with Housing Benefit (unless they're already included, sounds like they aren't).

[AOB]

They are never knowingly telling us where it’s coming from.

I find it odd that some Union types are obsessed with pensioner benefits.

So do I. Would they rather the money went to well-off pensioners, couple of cruises a year plus a fortnight in the Algarve types than people close or below the breadline? They surely accept the Tories have left Labour a tough fiscal challenge as a result of the last 14 years of mismanagement (to use one of an abundance of examples, redirecting public money to their mates, PPE springs to mind). Starmer is right to means test it. They should cut him some slack.

[Youngian]

Nearly every government in my lifetime starts their tenure with an unpopular savings or revenue raising measure. VAT on takeaway food was a controversial move in the recession hit early 80s. Hitting those who couldn't afford swanky Tory restaurants. Don't think 'takeaways are for feckless chavs' was a thing back then.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Tim Martin has mined that political seam. Ordinary folk eating in Wetherspoons pay VAT, posho dinner parties don't. I'd put VAT on everything and adjust incomes accordingly. I am very clever, too good for this political world. Or something.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Lib Dems predictably going for the populist opposition. I'd guess Davey himself, who can't even criticise the fiscal position of the Coalition, is personally in favour. I suppose the logic is "Fuck it, they'd do it to us!"

[Tubby Isaacs]

And the SNP. "Austerity" means any cut at all, apparently, even if you've agreed to settle a load of public sector pay claims, and are spending extra on the triple lock and pension credit.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I'm not Liz Kendall's biggest fan generally, but this is good.

Kendall lists the measures Labour is taking to increase pension credit uptake.

We have written to all local authorities to ask them to identify eligible pensioners, including by sharing data.

We are joining forces with Age UK and Citizens Advice to get to make sure pensioners check and apply.

We have launched a major awareness campaign, continuing right up until the deadline to apply on december 21 – and, yes, that will be backdated by three months – backed by 450 extra staff to ensure claims are processed as quickly as possible.

The deputy prime minister is working with housing associations and supported accommodation providers so their residents know what they are entitled to.

I am working with the health secretary to ensure frontline NHS staff can signpost older patients who may be house-bound because of disabilities and chronic conditions.

And for the very first time, we are writing to all pensioners on housing benefits who are potentially eligible to encourage them to claim – something the Conservatives never did. And, in the longer term, because the only way to guarantee uptake is to make the whole process more automated, we will bring forward the merger of housing benefit and pension credit, which members opposite never did.

[AOB]

I'm all for means testing the state pension too.

Of the 12.6 million people in the UK who receive the state pension, 1.1 million have a private pension pot over £1m, according to the most recent Wealth and Assets Survey from the Office for National Statistics. The least wealthy people in this group will have enough to retire at 65 and be paid £60,000 a year for the rest of their lives.

Wealthy pensioners must understand that the country cannot afford to further subsidise the luxuries they already enjoy. What do they value more: an extra holiday a year, or their grandchildren’s education?

I agree with much of the article although whoever wrote the headline has misunderstood or not read it properly.

https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/b ... nsion-fund

[NevTheSweeper]

Why is Starmer doing this? Nobody voted for a government who would take away the winter fuel allowance, and maintain the two-child benefit cap. Nobody voted for government who would raise taxes overall, cut public spending and impose a fresh round of austerity measures, which in the immediate term could lead to further social unrest. Nobody voted for a government which refuses to tackle the asylum crisis in a humane and just way. Nobody voted for a government which upon being elected to office seem so unprepared to tackle the country's deeprooted problems.

I understand the government inherited many of the problems from the Conservatives, but this issue has been self-inflicted. This isn't first time that many commentators have felt that Labour ministers are out of their depth. There were other ways of doing this. Labour have effectively boxed themselves in because they didn't want to be seen in media outlets as wasteful spenders. Rachel Reeves' time as chancellor in this parliament will now be dominated as the person who took away from vulnerable people... and it is tearing the parliamentary party apart. Reports say about between 50 and 60 MPs who are plan to either abstain or vote against this terrible policy could suffer the same fate as the seven who were suspended over the two-child benefit cap. Meanwhile, the opposition parties, the media, and the commentators are having a field day. This will dominate the domestic headlines for weeks to come... and we still haven't heard the bad news that the country will receive in next month's budget.

This country is in for a tough time for the next five years.

[kreuzberger]

"Collateral damage" innit? It's easy to shrug one's shoulders if one is not being collaterally damaged - don't worry, they will whack the non-doms before the first cold snap.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Why is Starmer doing this? Nobody voted for a government who would take away the winter fuel allowance, and maintain the two-child benefit cap. Nobody voted for government who would raise taxes overall, cut public spending and impose a fresh round of austerity measures,

Wish they'd abolish the 2 child benefit cap, but they did say they'd keep it. Winter fuel allowance shouldn't be conflated with the 2 child cap, and they said they couldn't commit to keeping it.

But they aren't cutting public spending- the cost of the public sector pay settlements is going to be way more than this cut.

[Youngian]

Reports say about between 50 and 60 MPs who are plan to either abstain or vote against this terrible policy could suffer the same fate as the seven who were suspended over the two-child benefit cap. Meanwhile, the opposition parties, the media, and the commentators are having a field day.

The fuel payment means testing story will be chip paper by Christmas, pensions rises are index linked throughout this parliament when they could have been frozen. It's not about indulging the media but maintaing market confidence or you'll end up servicing an ever increasing interest repayments on the national debt. Particularly as growth will remain sluggish outside of the SM.
The two children benefit cap is particularly shitty, though and hope they let it slide on the quiet.