ITV debate

[JohnD]

I can see why it's hard for you. You've been told that a Labour government did something that made you much poorer than you would have been under a Tory government. And you believed it.

Strangely, nobody mentioned that it's been happening to you for the last 14 years of Tory government.

They didn't tell you how how much you had actually suffered
(because it's very little)
but they talked vaguely about large numbers
(obviously for someone with a million pound pension it would be more, but still only a tiny proportion)

And you don't want to hear that you have been misled.

So you fall back on abuse and refusal to listen.

 

[Andydevon]

John just accept you are a bit of a knob we all know its alright.

 

[JohnD]

John don't you remember Gordon Browns pension raid?

Ah, that was your mistake.

Believing the Daily Mail Group


And not wanting to know the truth.

Never mind.

 

[Andydevon]

must try harder John this is too easy

 

[JonathanM]

So, some light Googling suggests the Gordon Brown policy costs 12% over the lifetime of the average scheme.

These days, this policy seems to be blamed mainly for the closure of many defined benefit schemes. But looking at articles from twenty years ago, when many of these schemes were actually being closed, the blame was actually put on the "pension holidays" which these companies took.

Quick question. Why didn't the Tories just reverse it?

 

[Notch7]

Not for me but to help my son and daughter on their journey from uni to employment and home ownership. In this no new cars no foreign holidays saved where I could and paid off mortgage early to help save a nest egg

It’s hard to know what Labour would do, but whoever gets in will have to make tough choices.
Conservatives tend to look after pensioners because that’s their core vote.

Conservatives have already put significant tax rises in place (mostly personal allowance freezes), but the next govt will need to get more money….Labour are likely to look to raise taxes on capital growth if they can, which wouldn’t be good news for people like you. But if they don’t get it from investments the next govt will have to go after working people, which would impact your children.

I doubt you have much to fear from Labour though

The next generation face a very very hard future, houses are way less affordable, public services are shot and taxes are highest ever…..the only youngsters that will be ok will be those that get help to get on the housing ladder.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Probably more informative

Definitely more interesting than watching all these third rate politicians lying, making false promises and BSing out of control. Politicians = traitors.

 

[Notch7]

Deadly serious

Either

A) you or your children have been through private school

Or

B) it’s just another desperate attempt to get on your hobby horse of hating Starmer.

 

[Notch7]

So, some light Googling suggests the Gordon Brown policy costs 12% over the lifetime of the average scheme.

These days, this policy seems to be blamed mainly for the closure of many defined benefit schemes. But looking at articles from twenty years ago, when many of these schemes were actually being closed, the blame was actually put on the "pension holidays" which these companies took.

Quick question. Why didn't the Tories just reverse it?

Gordon Brown only extended the scheme started by Major

 

[ReganAndCarter]

When I was was a young pup there was an old chap in my local called Derek The Pipe who was a very old fashioned type and drove an Alvis. He dispensed his wisdom while he produced clouds of smoke from his briar. Anyway, he used to say "politicians; why would anyone vote for a politician?" - "I'd shoot the lot of them!"

At the time I just thought he was a negative old crustacean, the way younger people dismiss the wisdom of those much older than them. However, now I have some more years on the clock and the odd grey hair, I realise he was definitely right.

 

[JonathanM]

I've gone back to my original thought about the £2,000 tax claim. I don't think it was a rope-a-dope by Starmer. Rather he was caught unawares by a PM being happy to lie so blatantly. But I don't think it made any difference. In an otherwise deathly debate, where nothing else of note happened, this £2,000 claim would have been the headline whether he challenged it properly or not. At least they know what the Tory strategy is now. Also, I hadn't really appreciated before what an obnoxious and unappealing character Sunak is.

 

[JonathanM]

Nasty jealous policy, they cant improve state school standards so bring everyone down to their level. Private education is an important human right

Nobody is stopping people going private. It just means they won't be getting as much subsidy from the taxpayer.

I'm intrigued by your eclectic range of policy positions!

 

[JonathanM]

This is a very interesting graph. It shows how much private fees have increased. Most of this is nothing to do with actual teaching. I know, through contacts, the enormous amounts spent by our main local private school on state of the art facilities and assorted vanity projects. There is plenty of fat there to cut.

 

[Notch7]

I'm intrigued by your eclectic range of policy positions

I don’t understand why Blup wants more left wing policies, but at the same supports the tax break the wealthy get on private school fees.

The answer is he views everything through a hatred of Keir Starmer, which I don’t get either.

 

[Notch7]

This is a very interesting graph. It shows how much private fees have increased. Most of this is nothing to do with actual teaching. I know, through contacts, the enormous amounts spent by our main local private school on state of the art facilities and assorted vanity projects. There is plenty of fat there to cut

It is because just like universities, private schools can make more money out of foreign students somare offering fancy facilities to attract them.

British education is seen as amongst the best and rich foreigners want to send their children here.