Renton

Guardian posted a link to this PDF from IPSOS which, as I've been saying for years now, is why the tories are utterly fucked whatever thry do now (aka it's the economy stupid). I'm printing this and putting it in a plastic folder: https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2023-11/Ipsos Nov 2023 Political Monitor Charts_171123_PUBLIC.pdf

It's consistently viewed as the least popular tax iirc. Hey, what do you think about this tax you'll probably never pay compared to this tax on your salary, your food, your energy, the plumber you just used, etc. Another example where Labour have to be brave and frame this correctly, rather than shuffle in their shoes mumbling and say they'll keep this policy.

I get this, but I think its more the misplaced notion its the dead person being unfairly taxed twice. Which is transparently bull shit, because: 1) Dead people are dead, they don't pay taxes. Its the inheritor. 2) Everything in life is double, triple, or quadruple taxed. My salalry is taxed and NIed. I but virtually anything and I buy or use I pay VAT and/or duty, etc. Surely to fuck if it were explained to them most people would prefer less tax on their PAYE?

This lot man, fucking scum. Country is on its knees, record taxation, high inflation, public services beyond fucked. Yet Hunt thinks a tax cut for the richest 4% is needed. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/nov/17/jeremy-hunt-weighing-up-inheritance-tax-cut-autumn-statement Think I reas that would benefit Sunak's children some £300,000,000. What I want to know, is WHY THE FUCK would any normal person be in favour of cutting inheritance tax so this is a vote winner. Not only is it, imo, the most fair tax (as you have done nothing to earn it), it is one of the few levers to stop wealth trickling upwards generationally. Yet somehow, the British thick as fuck public has been brainwashed to think we should scrap it, even though it will not beneift them at all. Funny old World.

He's repeatedly asked for restraint. And the US did not block the latest UN resolution. https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-un-security-council-humanitarian-gaza-7b6d3057f0f754160bd9dbd9d5a88a0a

Bridget's on QT tonight.

Like it.

Whooooah. I was just relaying her whinging, no fucking way am I helping out in this task, sounds a nightmare. 👍

Meanwhile more draconian measure introduced for unemployed people (following cutting PIP for disabled people last week). Just said on the radio now they are going to remove free prescriptions for the unemployed too. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/16/unemployed-benefits-in-jeremy-hunt-autumn-statement But let's focus on the wording of clause which will not make a single iota of difference anyway I guess.

But why didn't he just admit they were terrorists? We're not even talking bog standard European Irish or Spanish terrorists here, we're talking about hate-filled ISIS inspired jihadist baby killing terrorists here. Anf he couldn't bring himself to say it, after 15 repeated questions. He's fucking well managed to make Piers Morgan look the reasonable one. Honestly, maybe I am naive, but I just don't see an ounce of badness in either Starmer or Biden. I don't always agree with their policies, but to equate them to genoicde enablers is just incredibly wrong. Fwiw I don't think Corbbyn is evil either, he's just a stubborn, blinkered fool with relatively little intellect or political nouse. And he is clearly anti-semitic.

You genuinely think Biden wants innocent Palestinians killed to get an "acceptable body count"? I really hope you are wrong.

You're now actually accusing Starmer as being party to genocide in some ficticious future? Just wow. If/when Starmer and Trump get in, which looks likely, I know where you will direct your ire. How about the stance your man Corbyn took in that interview with Morgan? Honestly, he turns my stomach now, not in some hypothetical future. See what I desperately don't want is for religion to become another fucking wedge issue in our politics, which is what the Labout left are doing, knowingly or not. Labour MP who voted with her leader now getting threatened on twitter and having demonstrations against her office. Even the fact we're discussing this on this thread and not the ME one proves the point.

Perhaps I should clarify. She is not the founder of Vintred, she is using it to sell second hand kids' clothes.

Mrs Rents has started sell ing clothes on Vinted, she'll be happy to have a side hustle. Honestly though, once you takeinto account the postin and packing etc, it's a waste of time. Wipe out all your "profit" for a Deliveroo Nandos. Still, it's the new economy. 👈

Dunno if it's just me, or if these zero hour jobs count as "side hustles", but there's few sights more depressing in town than these groups of (nearly exclusively black) lads hanging around Eldon square with there huge "Just Eat" back packs on, waiting for an order pick up for some office worker who is too lazy to get off their arse to walk for lunch. I have not and never will use these services.

Fair point, probably daft making NI comparisons, although we have been a lot closer to peace in in Israel in the past. I just don't see how you can negotiate with people who have your elimination as the main part of their charter? This is from wiki, but presumably accurate "The Covenant [Hamas] proclaims that Israel will exist until Islam obliterates it, and jihad against Jews is required until Judgement Day". Palestinian kids indoctinated with this shit have no chance, as if the bombing weren't enough. The root cause of this is yet again religion. Centuries of war in the Middle East in people who believe in the same Abrahamic sky fairy. And it pollutes everything, even our own politics as last night showed, draining bandwidth away from our own problems. Anyway, this has come up on this thread because of the Labour rebels. My contention is they are in the wrong and Starmer is not a "hoop licker" of people committing genocide. I believe Starmer and indeed Biden are trying to defuse the situation the best they can.

So since the position of Hamas, written in their charter, is the elimination of Israel, if you are correct and they cannot be defeated, then yes, we have an unsolvable problem don't we? In these circumstances I am forced to be more sympathetic to the jewish people of Israel, whatever injustices they have committed historically and presently, because Hamas are a literal existential threat to them. By implication, you have broadened that to the people of Palestine more generally. If two groups cannot co-exist then the only outcome can be the stronger group will eliminate the weaker one. Personally, I disagree and think Hamas can be eliminated. What happens next for the governance of Gaza is then crucial, but we have to take islamic zealotry out the equation somehow (and the equivalent on the jewish side). Northern Ireland, obviously to a much lesser extent, shows what can be done with the right leaders.

And he's rowed back on that, as I am absolutely sure you know, or you could just read the labour amendment today. So, to ask you a question, do you think it's acceptable for Hamas to stay in power? It's fine asking for a ceasefire but what happens afterwards? Anyway, wrong thread.

I was wondering which smart arse would be first to come up with this. Well done, and I still don't think it's true.

I get that you hate Starmer and Labour centrists as much as the Tories, but Howay man ffs, is this really called for. Starmer said today "Alongside leaders around the world, I have called throughout for adherence to international law, for humanitarian pauses to allow access for aid, food, water, utilities and medicine, and have expressed our concerns at the scale of civilian casualties". The bastard! The issue with a ceasefire as I understand it is that it will keep Hamas in place. Personaliy, I am against that. Others may disagree. But what I do know is that it is not in the gift of anybody, least of all the leader of the opposition of an increasingly irrelevant island off the coast of Europe, to grant this. And tbh, it seems to me that most the Labour MPs who are so honourably breaking the whip are doing so I suspect because they have large Muslim populations in their constituency. This is not the fault of the UK and we can't stop this.

Do Hamas wantt a ceasefire? Return the hostages? I haven't heard anything from that side. Meanwhile, the Duntster's take on Sunak today.

A bit early but I was taking a walk past the ground today and something caught my eye in St James Terrace. What's this? Go team sausage!

Sunak confirmed he will break ECHR law. That's what we've become.