One leader had a Korma and beer during covid and one that didn't!

[Claude Blue]

Union leaders talking much more sense than the politicians, what is the world coming to?

Might be worth checking their views on Brexit and Russia's invasion of Ukraine before you eulogise them Paul.

And Dempsey agrees in part with the utterings of a certain Tommy Robinson.

[JamesWales]

Union leaders talking much more sense than the politicians, what is the world coming to?

What's sensible about it? The causes of inflation are not solved by raising wages so doing so at this juncture is just an example of a dog chasing it's tail. If anything, it risks making the situation worse.

All the while, strikes also cost the economy in terms of growth and undermine the very industries that employ them. How many potential customers are now using alternatives to Royal Mail and the rail network for example?

There was a global pandemic and post pandemic demand coupled with a war between Europes two largest nations has driven inflation across all of Europe. Thinking that giving everyone a 10% payrise will fix it isn't a sensible solution to the problem, unfortunately.

[jon1959]

What's sensible about it? The causes of inflation are not solved by raising wages so doing so at this juncture is just an example of a dog chasing it's tail. If anything, it risks making the situation worse.

All the while, strikes also cost the economy in terms of growth and undermine the very industries that employ them. How many potential customers are now using alternatives to Royal Mail and the rail network for example?

There was a global pandemic and post pandemic demand coupled with a war between Europes two largest nations has driven inflation across all of Europe. Thinking that giving everyone a 10% payrise will fix it isn't a sensible solution to the problem, unfortunately.

So we’re all in it together?

Nonsense.

Energy companies and privatised utilities have been racking up their profits for shareholders and executives. Fast tracked ‘mates of Boris’ start ups made a killing with corrupt PPE contracts. Arms companies are cashing in on the Ukraine war (and Yemen).

Enough is enough.

Someone must pay for this crisis but just for a change maybe it shouldn’t be those least able?

[Lither_1927]

So we’re all in it together?

Nonsense.

Energy companies and privatised utilities have been racking up their profits for shareholders and executives. Fast tracked ‘mates of Boris’ start ups made a killing with corrupt PPE contracts. Arms companies are cashing in on the Ukraine war (and Yemen).

Enough is enough.

Someone must pay for this crisis but just for a change maybe it shouldn’t be those least able?

Does profits to shareholders benefit everyone via pension funds? So, in effect it's quite an efficient system.
Jon, Do we finally have common ground in opposition to the American/EU proxy war on Russia? Or do you just want the cost of that zio-con proxy war targeted at the wealthy?

[JamesWales]

So we’re all in it together?

Nonsense.

Energy companies and privatised utilities have been racking up their profits for shareholders and executives. Fast tracked ‘mates of Boris’ start ups made a killing with corrupt PPE contracts. Arms companies are cashing in on the Ukraine war (and Yemen).

Enough is enough.

Someone must pay for this crisis but just for a change maybe it shouldn’t be those least able?

Actually loads of private energy providers went bust last year leading to loads of job losses, so they haven't all been racking up the profits. The producers certainly have and they have (rightly) been hit with a windfall tax and more should follow IMO)

The point is that it will only prolong the issue and make the situation potentially worse if everyone gets massive pay rises. The cause is the war and to a lesser extent the pandemic. That's what will end the rise in inflation. Giving everyone a 10% payrise will just increase inflation further at this juncture.

What would you do if you are a coffee shop and you suddenly pay your staff 10% more as well as all your products costing 10% more? They will just charge you and me 10% more for our coffees at our weekly chinwag.

All the while, the industries in question fall into further bad shape. I made the mistake of getting the train to your city last month. I am off to the East Midlands and driving, so thats £100 not going to the railways.

[the other bob wilson]

Might be worth checking their views on Brexit and Russia's invasion of Ukraine before you eulogise them Paul.

And Dempsey agrees in part with the utterings of a certain Tommy Robinson.

People I tend to class as the scum of the earth voted Leave, but a lot of sensible and decent ones were in favour of it as well - the characterisation of all Leave voters as thick and/or racist does the cause of the progressive left no favours. In fact, I would argue that it does it harm as it helps turn people who have historically been supporters of left wing politics against parties like Labour. To that extent, I have a degree of understanding of the argument which says that some of Tommy Robinson supporters end up the way they are because they don’t think the progressive left care about them.

I’ve not heard what Lynch/Dempsey have to say about Ukraine, I’ve just done a quick Google search and didn’t particularly like what I saw, but I did note that most of it was published by one of the Mail, the Sun and the Telegraph.

[the other bob wilson]

What's sensible about it? The causes of inflation are not solved by raising wages so doing so at this juncture is just an example of a dog chasing it's tail. If anything, it risks making the situation worse.

All the while, strikes also cost the economy in terms of growth and undermine the very industries that employ them. How many potential customers are now using alternatives to Royal Mail and the rail network for example?

There was a global pandemic and post pandemic demand coupled with a war between Europes two largest nations has driven inflation across all of Europe. Thinking that giving everyone a 10% payrise will fix it isn't a sensible solution to the problem, unfortunately.

So, you think that working people being offered something like two and three per cent wage rises (and plenty being offered less than that) should just tug their forelocks while inflation is at nine per cent and predicted to reach twenty two per cent?All of this while the gap between rich and poor continues to grow.

https://equalitytrust.org.uk/scale-e...-inequality-uk

We’ve now got a Prime Minister who when asked yesterday about how her planned axing of the National Insurance rises announced by Sunak would result in the richest gaining up to £1,800 and the poorest taxpayers getting £7, replied that the ones who paid most tax were bound to get the most back and, anyway, lots of people do not pay tax. I did a double take when I heard that, firstly because of the obvious question, so what are you going to do for those who don’t pay tax because they don’t earn enough and, secondly, because it shows incredible insensitivity and political stupidity.

[Wales-Bales]

So we’re all in it together?

Nonsense.

Energy companies and privatised utilities have been racking up their profits for shareholders and executives. Fast tracked ‘mates of Boris’ start ups made a killing with corrupt PPE contracts. Arms companies are cashing in on the Ukraine war (and Yemen).

Enough is enough.

Someone must pay for this crisis but just for a change maybe it shouldn’t be those least able?

“Fair pay, affordable bills, enough to eat and a decent place to live. These aren’t luxuries – they are your rights!”

Enough is Enough is a campaign to fight the cost of living crisis.

We were founded by trade unions and community organisations determined to push back against the misery forced on millions by rising bills, low wages, food poverty, shoddy housing – and a society run only for a wealthy elite.

Our five demands are clear:

1. A real pay rise
2. Slash energy bills
3. End food poverty
4. Decent homes for all
5. Tax the rich

https://wesayenough.co.uk/

----

We are a movement against the rise in energy bills

We demand a reduction in energy bills to an affordable level.
We will cancel our direct debits from Oct 1, if we are ignored.
We will take this action if pledges reach 1 million by then.

https://dontpay.uk/

[Lither_1927]

People I tend to class as the scum of the earth voted Leave,

Wtf Bob
I thought you were so mild mannered and centrist. This vitriol has truly blown me away.

[Lither_1927]

“Fair pay, affordable bills, enough to eat and a decent place to live. These aren’t luxuries – they are your rights!”

Enough is Enough is a campaign to fight the cost of living crisis.

We were founded by trade unions and community organisations determined to push back against the misery forced on millions by rising bills, low wages, food poverty, shoddy housing – and a society run only for a wealthy elite.

Our five demands are clear:

1. A real pay rise
2. Slash energy bills
3. End food poverty
4. Decent homes for all
5. Tax the rich

https://wesayenough.co.uk/

----

We are a movement against the rise in energy bills

We demand a reduction in energy bills to an affordable level.
We will cancel our direct debits from Oct 1, if we are ignored.
We will take this action if pledges reach 1 million by then.

https://dontpay.uk/

They could solve a huge part of their issue by opposing the proxy war and attempt at Russian regime change. Do they oppose this mad war outright?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Truss is scum

Liberal , then a tory

Against Brexit then supported it

Cheated on her husband

Hope she falls out of a tree

[Claude Blue]

People I tend to class as the scum of the earth voted Leave, but a lot of sensible and decent ones were in favour of it as well - the characterisation of all Leave voters as thick and/or racist does the cause of the progressive left no favours. In fact, I would argue that it does it harm as it helps turn people who have historically been supporters of left wing politics against parties like Labour. To that extent, I have a degree of understanding of the argument which says that some of Tommy Robinson supporters end up the way they are because they don’t think the progressive left care about them.

I’ve not heard what Lynch/Dempsey have to say about Ukraine, I’ve just done a quick Google search and didn’t particularly like what I saw, but I did note that most of it was published by one of the Mail, the Sun and the Telegraph.

I certainly don't call leave voters "scum of the earth" so not sure where that comes from! I leave that language to others on this board.

I only pointed their views on a couple of other areas to show the difference at times between politicians and union leaders. I agree with them on their RMT viewpoint but disagree on other matters. Hence caution is required when certain people suddenly get elevated to almost messiah status, as Lynch recently did.

[the other bob wilson]

I certainly don't call leave voters "scum of the earth" so not sure where that comes from! I leave that language to others on this board.

I only pointed their views on a couple of other areas to show the difference at times between politicians and union leaders. I agree with them on their RMT viewpoint but disagree on other matters. Hence caution is required when certain people suddenly get elevated to almost messiah status, as Lynch recently did.

The scum of the earth remark was just me saying what my opinion of a very small number of Leave voters is, I wasn’t referring to anyone else.

I think Lynch is a very grounded person and while I take the general point you make, I’d be surprised if it applied to him.