It’s definitely appalling that people I know who are on a state pension despite having a huge private pension frequently refer to benefits scroungers. They’re getting that impression from somewhere. These wildly inaccurate beliefs have to start somewhere, they existed long before social media, so probably a mixture of newspapers, TV and politicians.
It’s not a huge private pension, but that’s basically my mum.
It will also not surprise you that’s she’s been reading the Daily Mail for 50+ years.
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Corrupt policies and governments like this are how empires end and collapse
I think it’s fair to say that there’s deep dissatisfaction around the UK. Though apathy and British reserve stops things from getting out of control.
When I see the French setting fires to cities just because there’s been a proposed retirement age change from 60 to 62,
I must admit to wishing we had more of a history of protesting and a recent increase of the retirement age of 67 just basically feels like a “Fuck you” from the previous Government that this one is happy to stick with. There were a couple of people with placards on Parliament Square, probably eating cake and drinking tea from a flask.
That showed 'em huh?
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The renters rights bill cannot come into effect fast enough.
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No one can really deny the McSweeney operation is alot smoother compared to the shitshow under Sue Gray.
I really don’t know long KS can maintain a stance like this untill left leaning support starts to bleed in a serious way. Lib dems, SNP and greens can essentially dust off their tory attack lines with overt proclamations like that from KS.
Inverted Macronism style hyper centrism on full display here.
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Once KS and labour’s approval ratings drop to irreversible levels, they’ll probably be forced to call another general election which will result in Badenock + Nigel Farage leading the country, that will surely lead to better outcomes for the British public right? 
On a serious note, I’m curious as to why Britain needs to raise £5bn? For what purpose exactly?
Our new LW and striker. 
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Starmer isn’t forced to call any election.
Only the PM can decide when the election is and if his support goes they will just have a leadership contest like the 50 tory PM’s we had between 2010 and 2024
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Oh yeah that’s true, I keep forgetting about how many of the last PMs we’ve had were not actually elected by the public.
“Crisis of economic inactivity”. What an utter cunt move from a man with assets and savings north of £4m.
Labour were supposed to make “difficult choices” but instead of closing tax loopholes (estimated cost £70bn+ per year) or chasing-up unpaid taxes (£39bn per year) they go for the easy choice of picking on the vulnerable.
I am so angry about this. I’ll be just about okay if they cut my lower-rate PIP (I’ve got a few kits I can sell) but it’s the language they use to portray people who are less fortunate than themselves that hurts and angers me. It’s demeaning and will lead directly to many suicides.
I’ll say it again, load of cunts! Thank you for letting me vent.
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Vent away brother.
I’m biding my time. Hopefully they relent somehow. For all of us. If I get impacted. Well, I’ll make my feelings very clear then.
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It was never a mystery to most of us what “difficult choices” would mean.
I guess for a supposedly left wing party, hammering the vulnerable could be considered a “difficult choice”, but as you rightly say, it’s the easy one really, because…
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The real “difficult choice” for any government would be to actually take on corporate power, mega wealth and it’s enormous tax privileges and to stand firm in the face of attempts to hold the economy hostage. We have no serious politicians brave enough for that though.
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I’ve made a formal complaint to No.10 about the PM and Cabinet ministers using discriminatory language in the press. I’ve also written to a dozen MPs who are due to meet the PM this week to discuss the issue.
I appreciate that I’m pissing into the Pacific Ocean but I won’t forgive myself for not trying.
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Some good news maybe… some MPS are clearly pushing back on this bullshit
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Suggests they might scrap not making it rise with inflation. But they still want to make it harder to qualify for?
Protections seem to revolve around severely disabled, seems ok but I think anyone with a disability that isn’t visible should still be a bit worried.
Haven’t seen anything in either article about Universal Credit, one of the plans was to cut pay for those judged unfit for work.
Green paper comes out on Tuesday.
Any changes to PIP will have to be put to a vote in Parliament.
What will people do? They’ll have to lie, beg and threaten legal action to get something that doesn’t even cover the cost of heating and Council Tax.
I’m still fuming but the uproar and the potential for Rachel “I lied about my education to get my job as chancellor” Reeves to lose her job over this does make me think that the first big Labour Government U-turn is on its way.
They expected the press and the population to generally applaud them for getting those lazy scroungers back into work but it’s blown-up in their face in spectacular fashion. Even economists are saying this is a bad idea.
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