Starmer's vision quest

[Dorset Boy]

So far so plausible, but you have yet to produce any argument to show that NI is disproportionately increased for young people.

I stated in my first post that young people get paid less.
I then explained that they have less experience hence lower wages.
Follow the logic?

 

[bobzmyunkle]

I stated in my first post that young people get paid less.
I then explained that they have less experience hence lower wages.
Follow the logic?

No.

 

[Pblakeney]

Nothing circular in my first post - explain what you think is circular please.

RfA put up employer NI contributions and significantly reduced the threshold at which employers pay it. That was a significant cost increase for small businesses (the engine of the economy) and those lower paid positions became a lot less viable for the employer. Remove the profit from a business, hit their cash flow, and guess what, people lose jobs.

Was there a corresponding boost in jobs from April 2004 when the N.I. was reduced?

 

[First Aspect]

Was there a corresponding boost in jobs from April 2004 when the N.I. was reduced?

The biggest impact seems to have been from the lower thresholds. Did that change in 2004?

 

[Pblakeney]

The biggest impact seems to have been from the lower thresholds. Did that change in 2004?

I guess we are both doing the same 2024/2004 typo. 😂
Yes, there was an impact. I just think it is being overplayed. If you have hundreds of employees then there is going to be an impact on the employer but small businesses don't have hundreds of employees. For small businesses to cut staff based on losing circa £615 per employee then their businesses were already in trouble.

 

[CXRAndy]

Private business is what creates the vast majority of wealth for a country. From time to time government will take the citizens tax money and spend it on infrastructure projects which create work and profits from the project. I cant remember a government project in recent years that hasn't run had runaway costs, with little to show for it

 

[Deleted member 16]

Private business is what creates the vast majority of wealth for a country. From time to time government will take the citizens tax money and spend it on infrastructure projects which create work and profits from the project. I cant remember a government project in recent years that hasn't run had runaway costs, with little to show for it

I agree with this point. I've never understood why every major infrastructure project ends up costing double, sometimes more, and is always late.

The only one I can think of that was finished on time and within budget was the new Forth Road Bridge. That's it.

Does Westminster do any kind of due diligence? Then politicians wonder why no-one likes paying tax. No surprise when it's just wasted.

 

[CXRAndy]

I suspect companies low ball the initial bid to win the contract, then knowing that it's government, they will invariably pay whatever ot takes to complete the job.

I was talking to a civil engineer from Australia at a party we attended. He's involved in the solar industry installing solar farms. He's in the UK working on a variety of projects for the next 5 years. He is here because his wife wanted their children to spend time their grand parents. He told me virtually none of the workers are from the UK, maybe 1 or 2% The rest are subcontractors brought in from wherever they can get them cheap. The main contractor is Turkish based. All materials are sourced mainly from China.

He was telling me they probably have over a £1 billion of projects lined up over the coming years.

I asked why he wasnt working for a UK company. He said there aren't any of any size, unlike in Australia. He said when his time is finished he will go back and continue working for his friend who does the same projects as the UK.

The current site he's working on is being sold to a foreign investor

I did ask him where he was from in Australia, Melbourne he told me, that is what got the conversation going as we have relatives who live near his home. He was missing the weather and lifestyle in Australia.

We used to be a great manufacturer and could do these projects for ourselves.

 

[BoldonLad]

I agree with this point. I've never understood why every major infrastructure project ends up costing double, sometimes more, and is always late.

The only one I can think of that was finished on time and within budget was the new Forth Road Bridge. That's it.

Does Westminster do any kind of due diligence? Then politicians wonder why no-one likes paying tax. No surprise when it's just wasted.

Has your account been hacked?

 

[BoldonLad]

I suspect companies low ball the initial bid to win the contract, then knowing that it's government, they will invariably pay whatever ot takes to complete the job.

I was talking to a civil engineer from Australia at a party we attended. He's involved in the solar industry installing solar farms. He's in the UK working on a variety of projects for the next 5 years. He is here because his wife wanted their children to spend time their grand parents. He told me virtually none of the workers are from the UK, maybe 1 or 2% The rest are subcontractors brought in from wherever they can get them cheap. The main contractor is Turkish based. All materials are sourced mainly from China.

He was telling me they probably have over a £1 billion of projects lined up over the coming years.

I asked why he wasnt working for a UK company. He said there aren't any of any size, unlike in Australia. He said when his time is finished he will go back and continue working for his friend who does the same projects as the UK.

The current site he's working on is being sold to a foreign investor

I did ask him where he was from in Australia, Melbourne he told me, that is what got the conversation going as we have relatives who live near his home. He was missing the weather and lifestyle in Australia.

We used to be a great manufacturer and could do these projects for ourselves.

I assume you have never worked at or for any Government or quasi government organisation?

 

[Deleted member 16]

Has your account been hacked?

No. Why do you ask?

 

[CXRAndy]

I assume you have never worked at or for any Government or quasi government organisation?

No my dealings are in the commercial side

 

[First Aspect]

I guess we are both doing the same 2024/2004 typo. 😂
Yes, there was an impact. I just think it is being overplayed. If you have hundreds of employees then there is going to be an impact on the employer but small businesses don't have hundreds of employees. For small businesses to cut staff based on losing circa £615 per employee then their businesses were already in trouble.

Ah, that one. I don't think the threshold was raised in 2024, and it was lowered along with a hike in percentage in 2025.

Should have been one or the other,.but my understanding is that the threshold change in particular brought part time and lower wage people disproportionately into employer NI. In turn this disproportionately affected small businesses and hospitality. Honestly, I don't understand what they were thinking.

 

[briantrumpet]

Honestly, I don't understand what they were thinking.

There's your mistake right there.

 

[briantrumpet]

Seems like Mahmood is completely legitimising Farage and Yaxley-Lennon this morning and having her refugee announcements endorsed by the far right. I guess she's been radicalised by X, but I'm at a total loss how Labour can think that following her down this rabbit hole is going to win an election for them, let alone square this with a moral conscience, or the needs of a country that is going to rely increasingly on immigration to keep vital services functioning. 'Blue Labour' is completely indistinguishable from Reform now.

I think it's odds-on that the PLP will oust Starmer/GlasmanMcSweeney after an electoral wipeout at the local elections.