2024 Election thread
Comments
-
If nothing else, it reminds you of the days when politicians didn't just have a series of pre-scripted soundbite responses. True, he should have been aware of the unintended consequences of the policy (specific targets tend to have that effect: people find the easiest way to meet the target, regardless of the knock-ons), but his apparently genuine disbelief that that was happening, and the (also genuine-sounding) "I'll look into that" seem like a lifetime ago.
0 -
Any idea that life before 2008 was rosy needs to be considered in the context of 2008 not going that well.
0 -
I'm less sure, presumably in this case the childless should also get a tax rebate?
Should we go further and refund national insurance to the relatives of people who pop their clogs before reaching pensionable age?!
0 -
-
Happy to pay for other children's education, as they'll pay my pension eventually. And people buy into all sorts of things (private health insurance, private cars, etc) knowing that they are paying taxes for benefits they won't use. If you started going down the à-la-carte tax route, the whole notion of the welfare state (i.e., those who can afford to help those who can't) starts to unravel. It's imperfect, but the least-worst of the options. As we saw with Brxxxx, the least-worst is an unsexy thing to sell, but the hawks will always be waiting for the collapse of established least-worst solutions to complex problems.
0 -
I don't think it's either or to be honest.
I think you can have a more privatised system with fairly strict rules of engagement and floor below which you are covered by the state.
I think for example a better system for healthcare would be a privatised system where you get a sliding scale of state-paid for private healthcare below certain household earnings (i.e. if you're poor you don't pay for your healthcare). In return, the rules around private healthcare are very strict; insurers are not allowed to refuse to insure someone and pre-existing conditions cannot be considered, and all essential healthcare must be covered (i.e anything that's available on the NHS currently).
I think that would allow for more efficient resource allocation without putting the poorest or most unfortunate at any risk.
With education I don't think it's as simple, partly because of its impact on the rest society etc.
0 -
If it worked in the same way as nursery provision, then the government would allocate funds for every child and the parents would decide how to spend it. The result is that the government pays some private nursery fees. This could be extended to the government paying some private school fees. For free market purists, this would produce much better results as schools would compete for the money parents have the control over.
1 -
Correct. Just look at what happened with Jaffa Cakes.
0 -
I would go further and just give the money for childcare as cash to families, as this settup penalises stay-at-home parents (though I understand, the gov't does not want to encourage this).
0 -
Excellent! Boomer average household income is below average wage. Free healthcare for me regardless.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Only two months to go till Rick pays for my prescriptions.
0 -
No to the first, people's children will generally become net contributors over their life. The second is just bad luck. If you're choosing to pay for private healthcare or education then you are actively freeing up capacity for others at your cost but the current system (with healthcare) then penalises you by taxing it as a benefit if you do it through employment. I'd just make that benefit non-taxable (I don't have it as a benefit although I have in the past so not being influenced by it being good for me).
0 -
I'd take the cash, send the kids to work down the mine and blow the money on kit for my various hobbies.
2 -
Not everyone of working age works or has an income or even works full time. So that stat doesn’t line up apples with apples
0 -
Average income for a retired couple is £26,572 p.a.* What would your proposed cut-off be?
*Trying to get a straightforward figure for this without caveats is a nightmare. Why?
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
That’s a fairly technical question around the cost of care per person and what the govt is prepared and can afford to stump up.
0 -
Meh, I was referring to your proposal. Maybe, just maybe, there is no easy solution.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
😀
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
-
I'm thinking above my income, below yours. 😉
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Yeah you’re right it’s a political question. It’s an easier model where you can decide (and change) how much the state bears the sort
0 -
so close to a good idea.
Scrap child benefit and use the savings to fund better childcare and help mothers back into the wokforce
0 -
Have you got it in for babies now? Sponging little shits just take and don't contribute anything...
0 -
The system is stacked in their favour - they get free food & drink, free clothes, free toys, free accommodation, free entertainment, free education and loads of free time. Who will represent interests of the the grown ups?
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
You won't agree on this one, Rick has strong feelings on childcare.
Would child benefit savings actually go far? It's not a huge amount compared to nursery fees.
- Genesis Croix de Fer
- Dolan Tuono0 -
I don't think they should be restricted to working in Chinese restaurants though.
0 -
Yeah I think letting institutions doing the bulk of the care for under 5s is generally not optimal for the children, and general development as well rounded people.
0 -
Go on, why not? We've had four in a row... or perhaps we could have a cabbage instead.
0 -
I'll have a go.
0 -
Would you like to write the job spec before we interview you?
0
