Starmer's vision quest

[Pross]

You sound like you miss him

View attachment 10913

Good to see the needle is still firmly stuck on the same old record. It's nice to have some certainty in this ever changing world.

 

[CXRAndy]

Labour polling in 4th place.

 

[First Aspect]

Good to see the needle is still firmly stuck on the same old record. It's nice to have some certainty in this ever changing world.

Can someone tell him about the link detached 1400sq ft 3 bed new builds 3 minutes walk the other side of the main road into town? That is £400k cheaper.

He's still a dick.

 

[briantrumpet]

I am amused that his posts there are almost identical to stuff he used to post on CS, but most get no response... yet he keeps on posting. I suspect it's a get-it-off-his-chest therapy ,and that having no response is probably better for his mental wellbeing.

 

[Pross]

Can someone tell him about the link detached 1400sq ft 3 bed new builds 3 minutes walk the other side of the main road into town? That is £400k cheaper.

He's still a dick.

I guess that's the part of Cambridge he usually portrayed as some kind of distopian hell hole and not the sort of place you invite the chattering classes for a dinner party to discuss your 6 figure salary though.

 

[briantrumpet]

It's also amusing that he gets more discussion on here than he does on his own Bluesky profile.

 

[First Aspect]

I guess that's the part of Cambridge he usually portrayed as some kind of distopian hell hole and not the sort of place you invite the chattering classes for a dinner party to discuss your 6 figure salary though.

No, it's literally the other side of the road. There aren't even any tracks along that road to be the wrong side of.

He's basically gone to the shop, seen Ultegra that he can afford, and Dura Ace that he wants, and winged that Dura Ace is really expensive and doesn't even have 13 speeds yet.

 

[Stevo 666]

Labour polling in 4th place.

View attachment 10915

Surely we need a thread titled 'Reform, and the death of the Labour Party'. Failing that, the 'Good news only' thread should do.

 

[BoldonLad]

So the latest rumour is changing Council Tax banding / increasing levels for the highest bands. I guess this would play well with the likes of a certain Cake Stopper who would regularly bemoan all the boomers in their multi-million pound houses and to be honest having more bands would make sense to capture those in the largest properties. However, I'm confused how this benefits the national government budget as I assumed the revenue goes to local councils? I guess the government would make a reduction in how much grant they give to the councils to compensate? There is also some discussion about revalueing all properties although it looks like that has been ruled out. I wonder what difference it would make, I suppose it would penalise those in areas where prices have risen faster than the average rate (there are probably a few areas in London particularly that were a bit dodgy in 1991 that are now sought after).

Given the disparity in property prices, between the South East (London in particular) and most of the rest of the UK, I don't see how a single valuation banding system can work. For example, we have a modern 4 bedroom detached house in South Tyneside, Council Tax Band D, value, about £350,000. My son, has an almost identical house in Windsor, not sure what his Council Tax band is, but, house value is about £900,000.

IMHO, the Council tax system was a cobbled together abortion, to replace a poorly thought of Poll tax system, which in turn, replaced, a very old, but, equally defective Domestic Rates System.

Again, IMHO, if we are to have Local Authorities funded (at least in part) by Local Taxation, the only fair way to do it is via a Local Income Tax. Good luck with getting that approved, and, even more good luck in collecting it effectively. We could simply fund Local Authorities from Central Government, if someone can work out a fair and equitable system.

 

[Pross]

Given the disparity in property prices, between the South East (London in particular) and most of the rest of the UK, I dont see how a single valuation banding system can work. For example, we have a modern 4 bedroom detached house in South Tyneside, Council Tax Band D, value, about £350,000. My son, has an almost identical house in Windsor, not sure what his Council Tax band is, but, house value is about £900,000.

IMHO, the Council tax system was a cobbled together abortion, to replace a poorly thought of Poll tax system, which in turn, replaced, a very old, but, equally defective Domestic Rates System.

Again, IMHO, if we are to have Local Authorities funded (at least in part) by Local Taxation, the only fair way to do it is via a Local Income Tax. Good luck with getting that approved, and, even more good luck in collecting it effectively. We could simply fund Local Authorities from Central Government, if someone can work out a fair and equitable system.

It wouldn't appear to be beyond relatively simple algorithms for the property bands to be re-assesed say every 5 years to reflect changes in local markets and to make them relative to the 'average' house price in an area as all that data seems to get regularly updated anyway.

 

[BoldonLad]

It wouldn't appear to be beyond relatively simple algorithms for the property bands to be re-assesed say every 5 years to reflect changes in local markets and to make them relative to the 'average' house price in an area as all that data seems to get regularly updated anyway.

I would agree, except, we are talking about Government, National and Local, cocking things up is a speciality.

 

[Psamathe]

IMHO, the Council tax system was a cobbled together abortion, to replace a poorly thought of Poll tax system, which in turn, replaced, a very old, but, equally defective Domestic Rates System.

I think the purpose of Council Tax should first be properly specified. At present it seems just a means to raise revenue. If it's to pay for Council Services is property valuation really a sensible basis to set amounts? Assuming higher property value equates to higher income/wealth is just flawed - so often cycling around I pass houses and reflect that the value of the Range Rovers parked outside is probably similar to the value of the small bungalow itself.

Reassessing property valuations would seem sensible but maintains what might be a not particularly sensible system. Revaluation doesn't mean increased taxes and likely bandings would shift, Government contributions to Councils would adjust and ... Councils would still be over stretched and fail to provide crucial services (adequately).

 

[First Aspect]

There's a pretty good argument that it should be household income based. But if that's handled nationally you can guarantee even worse postcode lotteries than now.

 

[monkers]

View: https://x.com/TRobinsonNewEra/status/1986734098971267305?t=vY7TjbArLJP0pvYBfOkIyA&s=19

Migrant Sexual Offences​

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/25/3546
Version Date: 10/09/2025
How many sexual offences have been recorded, resulting in charges of males residing in migrant hotels in Dorset (including the Bibby Stockholm barge when it was operating, the Chine Hotel, the Roundhouse Hotel and the Britannia Hotel, all in Bournemouth).

Timeframe: July 2024 - July 2025
The Performance Analysis Department has provided the following information.

One.
https://www.dorset.police.uk/foi-ai...ogs/2025-disclosures/migrant-sexual-offences/

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

He's basically gone to the shop, seen Ultegra that he can afford, and Dura Ace that he wants, and winged that Dura Ace is really expensive and doesn't even have 13 speeds yet.

That's because all the boomers with their £15k custom bike builds have pushed the price of Dura Ace beyond the means of people on a mere £120k salary.