If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
Next match: Pre-season. Saturday, July 11th | FC Midtjylland (H) @ Cardiff City Stadium, 12:30pm -
All pre-season fixtures
All pensioners with taxable income of less than £35,000 will get the winter fuel allowance from next winter.
But has the damage to Labour already been done?
Who knows? Time will tell I suppose. I'd imagine it will turn a few people and maybe it's far enough from an election that people won't even care/remember.
Significant in the sense that this government was obviously determined to the end the cycle of policy announcement -- U-turn which became so regular in the last 7 years of the conservative governments. They have buckled and now everyone will think they can force a U-turn on everything.
In terms of the policy, not keen on the idea of a universal benefit based on age. I don't think this change satisfies my inclination that benefits should be provided based upon need so I am not a fan.
Damage done in terms of timing more than anything. They had just been elected and had the wind in the sails and the goodwill that comes with it. They used that credit up straight away on this and a couple of other things.
I don't think people were that enthusiastic about Labour anyway. The last General Election win was well described as their support being "a mile wide and an inch deep". At best I think people thought, "well, they'll be better than the Tories", but this policy demonstrably was worse and so I think it instantly annoyed people, probably more than the actual impact of the policy change itself.
All that said, they've probably struck the right balance now and whilst that good will has gone, I don't think it can be used as a reason to actively oppose the party any more. Their opponents will keep referring to it of course but I think the issue will largely go away now. Replaced by something else no doubt.
Damage done in terms of timing more than anything. They had just been elected and had the wind in the sails and the goodwill that comes with it. They used that credit up straight away on this and a couple of other things.
I don't think people were that enthusiastic about Labour anyway. The last General Election win was well described as their support being "a mile wide and an inch deep". At best I think people thought, "well, they'll be better than the Tories", but this policy demonstrably was worse and so I think it instantly annoyed people, probably more than the actual impact of the policy change itself.
All that said, they've probably struck the right balance now and whilst that good will has gone, I don't think it can be used as a reason to actively oppose the party any more. Their opponents will keep referring to it of course but I think the issue will largely go away now. Replaced by something else no doubt.
Until the sequel comes to the cinemas..
WFA 2 - the frozen threshold
I don't even really know who their opponents are anymore, the left of the labour party wanted it universal, the right wanted it universal, the lib dems wanted it universal.
Everyone is shit scared of affecting the richest age-based cohort in British history who are quite ready and willing to pull up the drawbridge behind them.
Comment