Winter fuel payment

[LenT]

8 minutes ago, Boomer54 said:

My only concern is that the TUC may have an underlying motive. That is, if Starmer suffers enough damage to be dislodged is there any chance that their perennial favourite Corbyn could yet arrive at the top via a backdoor opened by them?

Certainly the Unions response later today on the WFA decision could even determine the future course of this new Government.

It may well reveal which is the dog and which is the tail!

I suspect that the Unions are very conscious that their Members ultimately aspire to becoming Pensioners and accepting a LOSS of benefits on their behalf is not a good look for a Trade Union.

However, engineering a Palace Coup to shoehorn Corbyn back into the leadership is not something I can imagine the Party going for - although the new crop of MPs may offer a few surprises!

[The-Acre]

45 minutes ago, Kevin Williams said:

 

Brilliant, sometimes AI is good!

[The-Acre]

Here's a song that describes our politicians!

 

[LenT]

53 minutes ago, LenT said:

Certainly the Unions response later today on the WFA decision could even determine the future course of this new Government.

Apparently trouble at Conference this morning as the Management tries to postpone this vote until Wednesday - the last day - when fewer delegates will be present!

[Phil xxkr]

1 hour ago, Boomer54 said:

My only concern is that the TUC may have an underlying motive. That is, if Starmer suffers enough damage to be dislodged is there any chance that their perennial favourite Corbyn could yet arrive at the top via a backdoor opened by them?

Spot on Malc, but I think it's simpler than that. The WFA argument by the TUC is not about pensioners it's about who "controls" the country. Having caved in to pay claims within days of attaining office the unions know when they see a vulnerable animal. This has all the echoes of a 70's style Arthur Scargill moment. 

[Phil xxkr]

14 minutes ago, LenT said:

Apparently trouble at Conference this morning as the Management tries to postpone this vote until Wednesday - the last day - when fewer delegates will be present!

You couldn't make it up! 

[Phil xxkr]

11 hours ago, steve2006 said:

Now that is interesting as my mp stated “ This is not a decision I took lightly. I have listened to and read the opinions of hundreds of Amber Valley residents both in support of and against restoring this payment as a universal credit.”

I have written back asking for a percentage breakdown of those in support and against along with her claim that all labour mps backed the government when it is documented that 1 voted against the government and many more abstained.

Her claim that the state pension has risen by £900.00 last April with another £480 next April is also misleading and only applies to those in receipt of the new full pension. Those on a reduced pension due to insufficient qualifying years received only a percentage of those figures.

I am also in Derbyshire at least you got a response from your MP! For what it's worth to date I have not met one person yet who supports stopping the WFA. As to the pension numbers this may interest you:

The following table shows the estimated number of people receiving the new state pension, November 2022.

No. of females

No. of males

Total

Received at least £185.15

594,000

934,000

1,528,000

Received less than £185.15

649,000

881,000

1,529,000

Total in receipt of state pension

1,243,000

1,814,000

3,057,000

Source: DWP

Under the old, pre-2016, system, of the 9,576,000 people receiving the basic state pension in November 2022, 26 per cent received less than the full amount of £141.85.

The following table shows the estimated number of people receiving the old basic state pension, November 2022.

 

No. of femalesn

No. of males

Total

Received at least £141.85

3,622,000

3,488,000

7,109,000

Received less than £141.85

1,968,000

498,000

2,466,000

Total in receipt of state pension

5,590,000

3,986,000

9,576,000

Source: DWP

Apologies for lack of formatting but as you can see less than half receive full new SP and 75% of the old one. So no 900/480 for millions of people. 🙁

[GMB]

Lies, damn lies and statistics. I read that the old state pension ( which I gratefully receive as a generous gift from our leaders! ) will be about £350max. Because I have a small private pension that will all be taxed at 20%, so take away £70, that leaves £280 per year. That will not even cover the loss of the £300 WFA or  council tax/water rate rise or one of the car insurance rises never mind the cost of living. Who do they think they are kidding?  Oh, it's us pensioner numbskulls.🤡

BTW this rise is just over £5 per week, that won't even buy a couple of cups of coffee at Costa or Starbucks or similar. On that note I assume that most people will have cut down on visits to expensive coffee shops, as we have.  Work it out - four visits to a coffee shop by a couple £7.60x4x52weeks= £1580.p.a.    As one politician said " You know it makes sense"   Who said that????

[Kevin Williams]

Taxpayers fork out £68,000 for Angela Rayner’s ‘vanity photographer’ as pensioners freeze

Angela Rayner has made history by being the first Deputy PM to be awarded her own £68k photographer, even as pensioners suffer the loss of winter fuel payments

[Phil xxkr]

1 hour ago, GMB said:

Lies, damn lies and statistics. I read that the old state pension ( which I gratefully receive as a generous gift from our leaders! ) will be about £350max. Because I have a small private pension that will all be taxed at 20%, so take away £70, that leaves £280 per year. That will not even cover the loss of the £300 WFA or  council tax/water rate rise or one of the car insurance rises never mind the cost of living. Who do they think they are kidding?  Oh, it's us pensioner numbskulls.🤡

BTW this rise is just over £5 per week, that won't even buy a couple of cups of coffee at Costa or Starbucks or similar. On that note I assume that most people will have cut down on visits to expensive coffee shops, as we have.  Work it out - four visits to a coffee shop by a couple £7.60x4x52weeks= £1580.p.a.    As one politician said " You know it makes sense"   Who said that????

Dell Boy if I remember right 🤣

[Phil xxkr]

40 minutes ago, Kevin Williams said:

Taxpayers fork out £68,000 for Angela Rayner’s ‘vanity photographer’ as pensioners freeze

Angela Rayner has made history by being the first Deputy PM to be awarded her own £68k photographer, even as pensioners suffer the loss of winter fuel payments

Is there no end to their profligacy? And manipulative lack of veracity 

[Malc1]

I did mention earlier …….. seems that’s ages ago now on here 

Starmer  Reeves  Rayner and more 

 

SNOUTS IN THE TROUGH 

 

But there’s absolutely no surprise here …….is there 🤔

freebie expensive

Sponsor Clothes Allowance ………

freebie expensive

Sponsor Football Match  largesse 

Those very large noses

SNOUTS IN TROUGH 

it’s simply an utter disgrace disgrace DISGRACE 

Malc 

 

[GMB]

Rachel Reeves just hit the nail on the head in her speech just now, after 10 minutes of self congratulation.  She said she will improve productivity and get "spades in the ground". I presume this will be needed to bury some of the frozen dead pensioners??    To me the speakers at the Labour conference sound a bit weird - nuff said.

[Phil xxkr]

2 minutes ago, GMB said:

Rachel Reeves just hit the nail on the head in her speech just now, after 10 minutes of self congratulation.  She said she will improve productivity and get "spades in the ground". I presume this will be needed to bury some of the frozen dead pensioners??    To me the speakers at the Labour conference sound a bit weird - nuff said.

Couldn’t agree more. So far it's all been spend spend spend. Self congratulation of being first woman chancellor no mention of first woman prime minister. Trashing the Tories and still in campaigning opposition mode. And £1700 increase in pensions over this parliament. That's equivalent to 3% a year on the full SP of which only 50% claim it. And it conveniently forgets the fiscal drag on not increasing personal allowances meaning more pensioners being drawn into 20% tax. This is pretty despicable stuff from a "honest transparent government 🙁

[GMB]

 

I know it's a bit off topic but this is from that bastion of free speech the Daily express aka  The fear-mongering rag.

BUT- Can anyone tell me which one is Angela Rayner?

[Phil xxkr]

10 minutes ago, GMB said:

 

I know it's a bit off topic but this is from that bastion of free speech the Daily express aka  The fear-mongering rag.

BUT- Can anyone tell me which one is Angela Rayner?

Well the one on the right can't change it's bought clobber! 😂

[LenT]

9 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

Self congratulation of being first woman chancellor no mention of first woman prime minister.

Yes, when listening to her reciting a list of notable female politicians, I did wonder if anyone might interrupt by shouting out THATCHER!

But that might have introduced an unwelcome note of reality into what was the usual wish list - heavy on ambition; light on process.  In effect, par for the course for every incoming new Government.

Unfortunately, no  Labour administration since WWll has managed to leave office with the Nation in a better state in which it found it.  And few have got off to a worst start!

[Phil xxkr]

Heres another beauty - if you're from Yorkshire standby, 

"Last year she published her book ‘The Age of Ageing Better? A Manifesto For Our Future’, aimed at helping policy makers and practitioners to make the radical changes needed to ensure that no one misses out on a good later life."

This refers to Dr Anna Dixon MBE, awarded the gong for running the Centre For Ageing Better and now MP for Shipley who voted FOR cutting the WFA 🤯

Labour the gift that gives giving, 

[Malc1]

529,020.    Signatures now 

AGE. UK. Petition

WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE

 

Malc  

[fourbanks]

23 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

529,020.    Signatures now 

AGE. UK. Petition

WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE

 

Malc  

I keep telling you, you're all wasting your time with this, as Alf Garnett would say 😁

 

 

[Phil xxkr]

1 hour ago, fourbanks said:

I keep telling you, you're all wasting your time with this, as Alf Garnett would say 😁

 

 

The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time. (Bertrand Russell) Thanks Malc for updating us. 🙂

[First_Lexus]

7 hours ago, Phil xxkr said:

Couldn’t agree more. So far it's all been spend spend spend. Self congratulation of being first woman chancellor no mention of first woman prime minister. Trashing the Tories and still in campaigning opposition mode. And £1700 increase in pensions over this parliament. That's equivalent to 3% a year on the full SP of which only 50% claim it. And it conveniently forgets the fiscal drag on not increasing personal allowances meaning more pensioners being drawn into 20% tax. This is pretty despicable stuff from a "honest transparent government 🙁

You don’t have to listen too carefully to hear the screech of brakes and metal colliding to realise you’re watching a huge car crash…

 

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, First_Lexus said:

You don’t have to listen too carefully to hear the screech of brakes and metal colliding to realise you’re watching a huge car crash…

 

I'm not sure I've ever seen a prominent politician go from being so confident to squirming in such a short time!