More taxes on pensioners and drivers?

Labour aren't messing about!

https://www.express.co.uk/news/polit...nsions-drivers

The move to electric vehicles will leave a £5bn gap in VED per year. Road pricing at 6p per mile was discussed at length by the previous government and had plans in place to introduce it. It's not a Labour initiative, even though the Tory press will undoubtedly call it part of Labour's war on motorists.

I see the Express is admitting that the £22 billion black hole exists.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

I see the Express is admitting that the £22 billion black hole exists.

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I read that government spending is of the order of £1200 billion overall, so the infamous £22 billion seems like petty cash! And the £1 billion saving on the winter fuel allowance is just small change.

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Originally Posted by Gofer Blue

I read that government spending is of the order of £1200 billion overall, so the infamous £22 billion seems like petty cash! And the £1 billion saving on the winter fuel allowance is just small change.

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We need a great reset!

Free bus passes seem the next obvious target I think. Also, yes, a road tax system based on actual mileage could be in the pipeline. This will hit rural folk hardest as public transport is very sparodic and they rely on their cars so much, consequently doing high mileages.

I see DWP Overpayments are insane The total rate of benefit expenditure overpaid in FYE 2024 was 3.7% (£9.7bn), compared with 3.6% (£8.3bn) in FYE 2023. Overpayments due to Fraud were 2.8% (£7.4bn) in FYE 2024, compared with 2.7% (£6.3bn) in FYE 2023.

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Originally Posted by Gofer Blue

I read that government spending is of the order of £1200 billion overall, so the infamous £22 billion seems like petty cash! And the £1 billion saving on the winter fuel allowance is just small change.

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If it was just “petty cash”: why did Jeremy Hunt get in such a state about it when Labour first mentioned it?

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Originally Posted by Gofer Blue

Free bus passes seem the next obvious target I think. Also, yes, a road tax system based on actual mileage could be in the pipeline. This will hit rural folk hardest as public transport is very sparodic and they rely on their cars so much, consequently doing high mileages.

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Well free bus passes should of course be withdrawn

What's the point of millions of pensioners being given free bus passes including all the administration involved when a lot of them just gather dust on the sideboard ? You have cash rich pensioners driving to the golf course and garden centres and taking the grandchildren to barry island and porthcawl .....they don't need or use buspasses

Far better to improve services in areas needed .....like more regular routes .....and ensure those that need travel subsidy get it

Breakfast clubs for kids in poverty not breakfast for every child

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

If it was just “petty cash”: why did Jeremy Hunt get in such a state about it when Labour first mentioned it?

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£22 billion sounds a lot, hence Hunt was probably duty bound to make it sound like a wildly exaggerated figure. Until you discover that total spending is over £1200 billion and £22 billion is just under 2% of the total spend. Interestingly Labour are also making a big issue of it of course, presumably preparing us for more tax rises in the forthcoming budget.

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Originally Posted by Gofer Blue

£22 billion sounds a lot, hence Hunt was probably duty bound to make it sound like a wildly exaggerated figure. Until you discover that total spending is over £1200 billion and £22 billion is just under 2% of the total spend. Interestingly Labour are also making a big issue of it of course, presumably preparing us for more tax rises in the forthcoming budget.

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By any standards £22 billion is a very large amount of money.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

By any standards £22 billion is a very large amount of money.

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£14bn alone wasted on Trick and Discrace ( Track and Trace ) which both governments voted for in parliament £1.7b flagged as fraud of government backed loans during covid ( both parties backed this ) G.P’s paid £1m per year during the pandemic ( backed by both parties - don’t be deceived by doctors proposed pay rises) , they were also paid up to £15 per covid shot …..billions “sent” to a proxy war in Ukraine

Plenty more of things like this are to hand to correctly assign this “black hole”

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

By any standards £22 billion is a very large amount of money.

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Of course it is. Just putting it into perspective that's all. Labour already getting some stick because of recent zero economic growth. The forecast was apparently , wait for it, a mighty 0.2% - wow, shock horror, target not met.

In the spirit of fair play, sportsmanship and balance. I've frequently been known to say 'f*ck the Tories'....well I'm very happy to shift that position and say 'f*ck Labour (under Starmer)'.

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Originally Posted by TWGL1

£14bn alone wasted on Trick and Discrace ( Track and Trace ) which both governments voted for in parliament £1.7b flagged as fraud of government backed loans during covid ( both parties backed this ) G.P’s paid £1m per year during the pandemic ( backed by both parties - don’t be deceived by doctors proposed pay rises) , they were also paid up to £15 per covid shot …..billions “sent” to a proxy war in Ukraine

Plenty more of things like this are to hand to correctly assign this “black hole”

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There's a lot I agree with you here. Especially the black hole that is Ukraine (why oh why do Britain need to constantly side with the USA over this and Israel) when plenty of people are dying and living on the breadline in the UK...hospital waiting lists, mentally ill patients dying whilst waiting for appointments, no plans to treat sick and disabled people with dignity i.e. scrap the money going to totally inadequate private companies for degrading work capability tests and PIP assessments for people with incurable conditions. No hope. No initiatives. No social conscience. No f*cking idea and they've only just started. I thought a Starmer govt. would be bad but even by his duplicitous standards, he's managed to raise the bar within a few weeks of gaining a huge Labour majority.

I loathe all political parties.

...and d'ya know the worst of it? If this is their idea of 'vision' for the UK. Then they're setting it up nicely for those nutters who follow Farage and Reform. We'll just veer further right. Oh the irony.

Right. You'll be pleased to know I'm done for the day. :wave:

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Originally Posted by Citizen's Nephew

There's a lot I agree with you here. Especially the black hole that is Ukraine (why oh why do Britain need to constantly side with the USA over this and Israel) when plenty of people are dying and living on the breadline in the UK...hospital waiting lists, mentally ill patients dying whilst waiting for appointments, no plans to treat sick and disabled people with dignity i.e. scrap the money going to totally inadequate private companies for degrading work capability tests and PIP assessments for people with incurable conditions. No hope. No initiatives. No social conscience. No f*cking idea and they've only just started. I thought a Starmer govt. would be bad but even by his duplicitous standards, he's managed to raise the bar within a few weeks of gaining a huge Labour majority.

I loathe all political parties.

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It does seem like there is a political choice being made that normal people (whether retired or working) will pay for the 'black hole' rather than, idk, people/companies with a shit load of money.

The right wing press have constantly opposed taxing wealth and now seem to be baffled that retired people have been moved into the same crosshairs as working people have been targeted by for decades.

Fundamental change is required in so many different ways and Labour don't appear to be willing to talk in those terms.

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Originally Posted by Eric Cartman

It does seem like there is a political choice being made that normal people (whether retired or working) will pay for the 'black hole' rather than, idk, people/companies with a shit load of money.

The right wing press have constantly opposed taxing wealth and now seem to be baffled that retired people have been moved into the same crosshairs as working people have been targeted by for decades.

Fundamental change is required in so many different ways and Labour don't appear to be willing to talk in those terms.

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💯%👍

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Originally Posted by Gofer Blue

I read that government spending is of the order of £1200 billion overall, so the infamous £22 billion seems like petty cash! And the £1 billion saving on the winter fuel allowance is just small change.

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Saw a report the other day saying how much the government rake in through taxes and other things, it was enormous. Made the spending on the nhs look like throwing a bit of spare change about….black hole my asshole

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Originally Posted by goats

Saw a report the other day saying how much the government rake in through taxes and other things, it was enormous. Made the spending on the nhs look like throwing a bit of spare change about….black hole my asshole

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Think the govt raise i think about £850bn per year through taxation.
The black hole is basically unaccounted spending promises. They've either got to borrow more or spend less to fill the hole.

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Originally Posted by The Bloop

Think the govt raise i think about £850bn per year through taxation.
The black hole is basically unaccounted spending promises. They've either got to borrow more or spend less to fill the hole.

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If the Government don't take taxes were f**ked! It's the oil that makes the machinery work. I often wonder what these people who bellyache about taxes really want....a primordial soup?

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Originally Posted by Dorcus

If the Government don't take taxes were f**ked! It's the oil that makes the machinery work. I often wonder what these people who bellyache about taxes really want....a primordial soup?

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We lost £5.3B in fraud during furlough. UK has committed almost £12.7 billion for Ukraine. Brexit is costing 4% of GDP. We're still paying Maximus, Capita, Serco and Ingeus for Work Capability and PIP assessments which are not needed as we lose around £1B in DWP admin errors.....it's not just the taxation operating in a vacuum though. Labour will have to come up with a better than right-wing budget of austerity and doom and gloom and Tory blame to 'oil the machinary'. Starmer wanted the big boy job. He's got it. Time to lead and not be like the shower of shit we had for 14 years. Right now, it's looking like the coalition gov. of 2010. Let's see what Reeves delivers next month. That's the first test.

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Originally Posted by Citizen's Nephew

In the spirit of fair play, sportsmanship and balance. I've frequently been known to say 'f*ck the Tories'....well I'm very happy to shift that position and say 'f*ck Labour (under Starmer)'.

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Much the same but he robs from pensioners to satisfy Civil Servants, Junior Doctors, Train Drivers and Unions.

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Originally Posted by North Cardiff Blue

Much the same but he robs from pensioners to satisfy Civil Servants, Junior Doctors, Train Drivers and Unions.

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Junior Doctors strike over. Brilliant news.

Well done Labour.

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Originally Posted by North Cardiff Blue

Much the same but he robs from pensioners to satisfy Civil Servants, Junior Doctors, Train Drivers and Unions.

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The level of entitlement it takes to think like that is pretty impressive.