Landlords in Britain have hit back at Keir Starmer, branding him “insulting” and “out of touch”, after he suggested they do not count as “working people” and hence are fair game for tax hikes ahead of the Budget. The Mail has more.
The Government has been asked repeatedly to define the term “working people” in a bid to establish which taxes Chancellor Rachel Reeves could hike next Wednesday.
Now, the Prime Minister suggested those with assets are not “working people” and it is expected they will be targeted by the biggest tax hikes in three decades.
He has already ruled out putting up income tax, employee National Insurance and VAT, leaving Ms. Reeves to target areas such as capital gains and inheritance tax.
Speaking at the Commonwealth summit in Samoa, Sir Keir said a “working person” is somebody who “goes out and earns their living, usually paid in a sort of monthly cheque” but they did not have the ability to “write a cheque to get out of difficulties”.
And when asked if this would include people who get all or part of their income from assets, he told Sky News: “Well, they wouldn’t come within my definition.”
Although Downing Street then tried to clarify that people with small savings did count as working people, the comments have caused fury among landlords.
Among them is Patricia McGirr, of Rossendale, Lancashire, who has been a landlord and small business owner for more than 20 years and said she had “worked long and very hard week in and week out”.
The 59-year-old, who runs the Repossession Rescue Network, told MailOnline: “I worked for the NHS for 14 years and began to invest to safeguard my family.
“The Prime Minister and his Cabinet are out of touch to think small business owners and landlords don’t actually work for their money. Their policies are pushing everyone to the brink when they rely on the private rental sector for much needed capacity.”
Worth reading in full.
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“Moment conspiracy theorist Piers Corbyn crashes XR church service and tells eco-activists they’re ‘working for the Devil’ during rant” Oh dear. Piers Corbyn really doesn’t do himself any favours here and certainly doesn’t help those of us who are pushing back against councils for all their Net Zero and sustainability plans to be taken seriously. Corbyn has some wonderful arguments against man-made climate change nonsense but why open yourself to ridicule like this? It’s as if he is now being brought in to ‘discredit’ our movement rather than promote it. I am disappointed in him to be honest. Clearly something was triggered when these smug-looking climate activists had a church service dedicated to them and to all intents and purposes it really did seem as if the crushing of our lives and freedoms by the insanity of Net Zero was being held up as a part of God’s work!
https://www.eugyppius.com/p/on-epistemological-imbalance-inversion
Phew, what a mouthful the title of the article is. I haven’t read it yet. I’ll have to psych myself up with a cup of tea and a piece of toast for sustenance first. Back later.
I haven’t read the title yet. I’ll have to psych myself up with a cup of tea and a piece of toast for sustenance first.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/04/21/net-zero-fuel-failure-triggers-chaos-across-south-west/
Dearie me, algae produced by green fuels blocking engines v leaves on the lines – same result – no trains, no travel…
At least algae in the fuel is slightly on our side.
Good old Algy, Biggles’ sidekick, to the rescue…oh, er, ALGAE, right! My mishtake!
Good grief! I’m just going to have a full English and not bother reading it at all!
“Chicago Workers who Refused Covid Vaccines to be Reinstated with Back Pay”
YES! now make this law for all workers who were treated this disgustingly!
I have not read the barrister’s report but I can see no reason for Raab to resign but every reason to discipline many civil servants.
for Sunak, Raab’s departure allows him to further tilt the balance the Cabinet in favour of Rejoin. Forget any solution to NI, EU regulations here or to unlimited immigration.
the big story is that the bureaucracy and political class has shown, yet again, they can get rid of Ministers who do not follow their policy preferences. I would argue it happened with Thatcher, Johnson, Truss and Raab. I’m sure other lesser ones too.
Why is everyone testing emergency alerts all of a sudden?
The BBC et al label people conspiracy theorists for saying that an unelected technocratic supranational elite are pulling the strings of democratically elected governments, then these supposedly democratically elected governments all start proposing similar pieces of legislation and policies in lockstep with each other!
…actually been saying this…we are being told China is totalitarian, CBDC’s, lack of freedom, internet censorship etc…then they tout exactly the same stuff…but without the pleasure of a future with a growing economy!!?
Actually ebg I’m not sure freedom and a growing economy go together any longer.
Well you know I don’t believe all the propaganda about China…although I’m not unaware of their faults….….but the IPSOS global happiness study shows that Chinese people are some of the happiest….(Netherlands is up there as well..Mogs!)….
So it doesn’t really chime with the propaganda we get fed….
On average the global south are happier than the West…
affluence, marriage and better educated are all happier…all things that seem to be in decline in the West…..I think that the growing economies make people feel as though they and their children have a future?
I do sometimes wonder what freedoms we have anymore..free to vote, but the game is rigged…freedom of speech? questionable….I don’t feel like I have a say in anything anymore….but I live somewhere that tells me I’m free and democratic…but I’m not sure any more….
I know it’s a poll but it’s quite interesting…..
https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2023-03/Ipsos%20Global%20Happiness%202023%20Report.pdf
And what do you think would happen to any Chinese who said they weren’t happy?
Currently in Spain and coincidentally the Emergency Alerts are going to sound here tomorrow as they are in UK. Spain is also celebrating St George’s Day tomorrow. There has to be some sort of reason for the synchronicity.
Those campaigners the BBC platformed: Tracy and Kevin? No, Indigo and Rupert. They say you know you’ve made it in life when your kids are environmentalists.