RANT CORNER

[firlandsfarm]

For the first time ever on BA Forum, I've finally used the Foe option

It's taken me 15 years, but I cannot be done with seeing any more posts from that deranged bloody moron, Derek27

What an absolute twat that guy is. Jesus

When somebody really gets on my tits, I at least tell them. I don't feel the need to address the rest of the forum.

It's well known Derek and I have crossed the occasional sword! But I've never blanked him even when he childishly blanked me once and then boasted about it. To my mind that said a lot in the context of our then debate. If you blank someone you are refusing to listen to an alternative view. Yes, I find some of his posts trivial but so what, I can live with reading them and putting them in the 'forget' cabinet in my brain.

[firlandsfarm]

I wasn't quite sure where to post this ... I'm not actually ranting, I'm more laughing at the incredulity of it but I guess a rant is more appropriate ...

On 6th Jan this year it was reported in the media that "The [then] Shadow Chancellor has said she "winces" at her bank balance being "increasingly short" at the end of the month despite earning a whopping £86,000 a year. Rachel Reeves takes home more than double the average UK salary which was pre-tax around £38,000 as of November last year.

The Reeves household income has also been much higher than average, with her husband civil servant Nick Joicey earning between £170,000 and £174,999 in 2022 as director general of the Economic and Domestic Secretariat at the Cabinet Office."
(https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics ... ngly-short)

But this same lady who cannot live on a salary of £86,000 a year in a shared household income in excess of £250,000 seems to think pensioners can comfortably live on £11,343.80 a year, the upper threshold for pension credit, and lose the winter fuel allowance. Let's say her salary would have been about £60,000 net. That means she expects pensioners to live on less than 1/5th the income she couldn't live on! Can you imagine the avalanche of "same old Tories" and more that would have befallen a Conservative MP if they had said the same.

That sounds to me like one rule for the poor and one for the rich Labour MPs.

[sionascaig]

I wasn't quite sure where to post this ... I'm not actually ranting, I'm more laughing at the incredulity of it but I guess a rant is more appropriate ...

On 6th Jan this year it was reported in the media that "The [then] Shadow Chancellor has said she "winces" at her bank balance being "increasingly short" at the end of the month despite earning a whopping £86,000 a year. Rachel Reeves takes home more than double the average UK salary which was pre-tax around £38,000 as of November last year.

The Reeves household income has also been much higher than average, with her husband civil servant Nick Joicey earning between £170,000 and £174,999 in 2022 as director general of the Economic and Domestic Secretariat at the Cabinet Office."
(https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics ... ngly-short)

But this same lady who cannot live on a salary of £86,000 a year in a shared household income in excess of £250,000 seems to think pensioners can comfortably live on £11,343.80 a year, the upper threshold for pension credit, and lose the winter fuel allowance. Let's say her salary would have been about £60,000 net. That means she expects pensioners to live on less than 1/5th the income she couldn't live on! Can you imagine the avalanche of "same old Tories" and more that would have befallen a Conservative MP if they had said the same.

That sounds to me like one rule for the poor and one for the rich Labour MPs.

You might be extrapolating a bit there !

I read it as the ridiculous levels of inflation & record breaking tax increasing under the Tories means she see's an ever increasing drop in net income - so think how much worst it must be for those on lower incomes.

[Derek27]

I wasn't quite sure where to post this ... I'm not actually ranting, I'm more laughing at the incredulity of it but I guess a rant is more appropriate ...

On 6th Jan this year it was reported in the media that "The [then] Shadow Chancellor has said she "winces" at her bank balance being "increasingly short" at the end of the month despite earning a whopping £86,000 a year. Rachel Reeves takes home more than double the average UK salary which was pre-tax around £38,000 as of November last year.

The Reeves household income has also been much higher than average, with her husband civil servant Nick Joicey earning between £170,000 and £174,999 in 2022 as director general of the Economic and Domestic Secretariat at the Cabinet Office."
(https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics ... ngly-short)

But this same lady who cannot live on a salary of £86,000 a year in a shared household income in excess of £250,000 seems to think pensioners can comfortably live on £11,343.80 a year, the upper threshold for pension credit, and lose the winter fuel allowance. Let's say her salary would have been about £60,000 net. That means she expects pensioners to live on less than 1/5th the income she couldn't live on! Can you imagine the avalanche of "same old Tories" and more that would have befallen a Conservative MP if they had said the same.

That sounds to me like one rule for the poor and one for the rich Labour MPs.

You might be extrapolating a bit there !

I read it as the ridiculous levels of inflation & record breaking tax increasing under the Tories means she see's an ever increasing drop in net income - so think how much worst it must be for those on lower incomes.

That's what I was gonna say. She did say "increasingly short". She may have been thinking, "If I've only got £15K left, what would a pensioner have?".

[greenmark]

I wasn't quite sure where to post this ... I'm not actually ranting, I'm more laughing at the incredulity of it but I guess a rant is more appropriate ...

On 6th Jan this year it was reported in the media that "The [then] Shadow Chancellor has said she "winces" at her bank balance being "increasingly short" at the end of the month despite earning a whopping £86,000 a year. Rachel Reeves takes home more than double the average UK salary which was pre-tax around £38,000 as of November last year.

The Reeves household income has also been much higher than average, with her husband civil servant Nick Joicey earning between £170,000 and £174,999 in 2022 as director general of the Economic and Domestic Secretariat at the Cabinet Office."
(https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics ... ngly-short)

But this same lady who cannot live on a salary of £86,000 a year in a shared household income in excess of £250,000 seems to think pensioners can comfortably live on £11,343.80 a year, the upper threshold for pension credit, and lose the winter fuel allowance. Let's say her salary would have been about £60,000 net. That means she expects pensioners to live on less than 1/5th the income she couldn't live on! Can you imagine the avalanche of "same old Tories" and more that would have befallen a Conservative MP if they had said the same.

That sounds to me like one rule for the poor and one for the rich Labour MPs.

You might be extrapolating a bit there !

I read it as the ridiculous levels of inflation & record breaking tax increasing under the Tories means she see's an ever increasing drop in net income - so think how much worst it must be for those on lower incomes.

That's what I was gonna say. She did say "increasingly short". She may have been thinking, "If I've only got £15K left, what would a pensioner have?".

All valid points. I confess I am a bit miffed Labour have done this. The best you can say about it is they pledged to seek out those not claiming pension credit they are entitled to. Literally cold comfort for anyone above that threshold.

[Derek27]

You might be extrapolating a bit there !

I read it as the ridiculous levels of inflation & record breaking tax increasing under the Tories means she see's an ever increasing drop in net income - so think how much worst it must be for those on lower incomes.

That's what I was gonna say. She did say "increasingly short". She may have been thinking, "If I've only got £15K left, what would a pensioner have?".

All valid points. I confess I am a bit miffed Labour have done this. The best you can say about it is they pledged to seek out those not claiming pension credit they are entitled to. Literally cold comfort for anyone above that threshold.

I heard a lot of pensioners who qualify for benefit don't claim it. So with the winter fuel payment now means-tested, many pensioners could claim benefit to qualify, substantially reducing the money the chancellor will save.

[sionascaig]

I heard a lot of pensioners who qualify for benefit don't claim it. So with the winter fuel payment now means-tested, many pensioners could claim benefit to qualify, substantially reducing the money the chancellor will save.

Last stats I saw (which was some time ago), said c20% of benefits go unclaimed. Not sure if that was by value or just a count.

Certainly know lot of people that are just to proud to claim an entitlement even if they desperately need it then you get the scumbags that will claim fraudulently... I did laugh when that "ultra-runner" got a court summons and £60k fine for claiming a PIP entitlement whilst competing..

[greenmark]

I heard a lot of pensioners who qualify for benefit don't claim it. So with the winter fuel payment now means-tested, many pensioners could claim benefit to qualify, substantially reducing the money the chancellor will save.

Last stats I saw (which was some time ago), said c20% of benefits go unclaimed. Not sure if that was by value or just a count.

Certainly know lot of people that are just to proud to claim an entitlement even if they desperately need it then you get the scumbags that will claim fraudulently... I did laugh when that "ultra-runner" got a court summons and £60k fine for claiming a PIP entitlement whilst competing..

Yes, the "too proud to claim" depresses me immensely. The government says they are entitled to it. We elected the government. There is no shame in claiming what we all agree is fair. Well, not fair but that's a whole different debate about public attitude and political will. I'll shut up now.

[Derek27]

I heard a lot of pensioners who qualify for benefit don't claim it. So with the winter fuel payment now means-tested, many pensioners could claim benefit to qualify, substantially reducing the money the chancellor will save.

Last stats I saw (which was some time ago), said c20% of benefits go unclaimed. Not sure if that was by value or just a count.

Certainly know lot of people that are just to proud to claim an entitlement even if they desperately need it then you get the scumbags that will claim fraudulently... I did laugh when that "ultra-runner" got a court summons and £60k fine for claiming a PIP entitlement whilst competing..

Yes, the "too proud to claim" depresses me immensely. The government says they are entitled to it. We elected the government. There is no shame in claiming what we all agree is fair. Well, not fair but that's a whole different debate about public attitude and political will. I'll shut up now.

I really don't understand it. Tax on cigarettes and alcohol isn't really tax - it's theft, daylight robbery. You should claim anything you're legally entitled to, with the knowledge that you're still being taken for a ride!

[greenmark]

Last stats I saw (which was some time ago), said c20% of benefits go unclaimed. Not sure if that was by value or just a count.

Certainly know lot of people that are just to proud to claim an entitlement even if they desperately need it then you get the scumbags that will claim fraudulently... I did laugh when that "ultra-runner" got a court summons and £60k fine for claiming a PIP entitlement whilst competing..

Yes, the "too proud to claim" depresses me immensely. The government says they are entitled to it. We elected the government. There is no shame in claiming what we all agree is fair. Well, not fair but that's a whole different debate about public attitude and political will. I'll shut up now.

I really don't understand it. Tax on cigarettes and alcohol isn't really tax - it's theft, daylight robbery. You should claim anything you're legally entitled to, with the knowledge that you're still being taken for a ride!

Those taxes are social engineering. The tax take on fags now dwarfs the cost to society.
The cost to society of booze dwarfs the tax take. But it's like pick a product and make a cost/benefit analysis of its tax level. Not going to happen.
Tax is a blunt instrument. all that matters is the overall bottomline.
Sugar tax, salt tax, Monosodiumglutamate tax?
Anyhow still think the withdrawal of winter fuel allowance is a bit skanky. There is no mechanism to funnel it from those that don't need it to those that do. So Labour have alighted on the pension credit threshold as their standard. There you go. Next council elections an next GE to pass judgement.

[firlandsfarm]

You might be extrapolating a bit there !

That's what I was gonna say. She did say "increasingly short". She may have been thinking, "If I've only got £15K left, what would a pensioner have?".

There is no extrapolation, both values are within range. The facts are indisputable, she found it difficult to live on £86,000 while she thinks those on £11,343 have no need for aid! They are the facts and no amount of spinning will change that!

[Derek27]

You might be extrapolating a bit there !

That's what I was gonna say. She did say "increasingly short". She may have been thinking, "If I've only got £15K left, what would a pensioner have?".

There is no extrapolation, both values are within range. The facts are indisputable, she found it difficult to live on £86,000 while she thinks those on £11,343 have no need for aid! They are the facts and no amount of spinning will change that!

"Difficult to live on"???

"Increasingly short" <> "Difficult to live on". If I won £10M on the national lottery, after I've purchased my mansion and luxury yacht (if I can get one for less than £10M), my bank balance would become increasingly short. That doesn't mean I'm having difficulty living on it!

[Derek27]

When you've got a 30 inch waist, you are completely fucked when it comes to buying clothes.

I would have posted that to Smug Corner if we had one.

[greenmark]

Might be way off here. Just been grazing on pistachios. Salty!! Why add salt to pistachios?
It's like crisps. A well cooked crisp needs just a delicate seasoning. But no.It's HAVE SOME flipping SALT!!!!!!! AND ENJOY GARY LINEKER.... OR ELSE!!!!!!!

[Derek27]

FFS!!

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