Starmer's vision quest

[TailWindHome]

Starmer should scrap the triple lock

 

[CXRAndy]

Err, Donnie has threatened to try to take over the whole of one Nato member and territory of part of another. How is that not dismantling Nato?

By providing additional coverage over the northern ICE cap. Neither EU or Denmark are capable of achieving that.

So many look at the method and not what results Trump is achieving.

 

[Dorset Boy]

Starmer should scrap the triple lock

And leave the State Pension level and not increasing?
Easy to say scrap it but you need to propose an alternative or as the trumpet man likes to say, you are just breaking something.

I'd reform it, not scrap it. First stage, make it an average of the three measures.
Then look to drop the average earnings measure from the equation.

 

[Dorset Boy]

By providing additional coverage over the northern ICE cap. Neither EU or Denmark are capable of achieving that.

So many look at the method and not what results Trump is achieving.

That's utter bollocks, the US already has access to all the bases it needs in Greenland, as you will knoew, a number are currently mothballed.
And you ignore his threats re Canada.

Let me also give you another Donnie result - 96% of the cost of tariffs is being born by the US importers and consumers.
So look through the lies.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Trump doesn't need to annexe Greenland to cover (what was) the northern ice cap.

He just needs to rebuild the numbers US had there during the previous Cold War.

But The Troll knows that.

 

[TailWindHome]

And leave the State Pension level and not increasing?

Yup

 

[CXRAndy]

That's utter bollocks, the US already has access to all the bases it needs in Greenland, as you will knoew, a number are currently mothballed.
And you ignore his threats re Canada.

Let me also give you another Donnie result - 96% of the cost of tariffs is being born by the US importers and consumers.
So look through the lies.

Trump is not a fan of Carney and Canada restrictions on US trade. He is seeking far better trading agreements.

He plays hard for deals he wants, normally settles for something less that he actually wants.

Everyone gets outraged over his methods.

 

[Pross]

And leave the State Pension level and not increasing?
Easy to say scrap it but you need to propose an alternative or as the trumpet man likes to say, you are just breaking something.

I'd reform it, not scrap it. First stage, make it an average of the three measures.
Then look to drop the average earnings measure from the equation.

Why should it be linked to anything other than inflation? Wage growth is irrelevant (or will feed into inflation anyway) and the 1% is a luxury. I understand why uit was initially brought in, to ensure pensions never fell behind inflation and grew a bit if inflation was low, but I'm struggling to see why they should continue to have pensions growing at least as fast as wages and generally more quickly (and I say that despite approaching the age where I'll be in receipt faster than I would like!).

 

[Dorset Boy]

Why should it be linked to anything other than inflation? Wage growth is irrelevant (or will feed into inflation anyway) and the 1% is a luxury. I understand why uit was initially brought in, to ensure pensions never fell behind inflation and grew a bit if inflation was low, but I'm struggling to see why they should continue to have pensions growing at least as fast as wages and generally more quickly (and I say that despite approaching the age where I'll be in receipt faster than I would like!).

My suggestion doesn't take the sledgehammer approach so beloved of this government.
I am proposing dropping the average earnings part.
I propose staging the change to cushion the blow a bit.

Contrary to the belief of the recruitment consultant from Cambridge, not all pensioners have high incomes in retirement.

 

[Pross]

My suggestion doesn't take the sledgehammer approach so beloved of this government.
I am proposing dropping the average earnings part.
I propose staging the change to cushion the blow a bit.

Contrary to the belief of the recruitment consultant from Cambridge, not all pensioners have high incomes in retirement.

I would just heep in linked to inflation. It's probably the one that gets used most at present anyway with inflation being above target and wage growth being pretty stagnant. It fuels the arguments of the likes of RC when it looks like pensioners get preferential treatment whilst everything else is being cut and wages for those still working aren't keeping up.

 

[Dorset Boy]

I would just heep in linked to inflation. It's probably the one that gets used most at present anyway with inflation being above target and wage growth being pretty stagnant. It fuels the arguments of the likes of RC when it looks like pensioners get preferential treatment whilst everything else is being cut and wages for those still working aren't keeping up.

IIRC 2025 and 2026 increases are wage growth related, not inflation.

 

[Dorset Boy]

Anyway, on other matters, Rachel's growth agenda continues to fail dismally with unemployment levels at their highest for about 5 years....

 

[Psamathe]

I would just heep in linked to inflation. It's probably the one that gets used most at present anyway with inflation being above target and wage growth being pretty stagnant. It fuels the arguments of the likes of RC when it looks like pensioners get preferential treatment whilst everything else is being cut and wages for those still working aren't keeping up.

I think the problem is that "inflation" is very different for different groups. Retired face a very different balance of costs from those in employmeny, both because of their lifestyle as well as their age.

So often when inflation figures are released a major contributor to an observed change is irrelevant to specific struggling groups eg a pensioner decideing to eat or heat really isn't badly impact by eg the price of international air flights.

For an extended time food inflation has been way way above the overall inflation figures and this will be significantly affecting those dependent on the state pension.

Hence inflation alone is not a sustainable way forward.

Whilst I dislike it I think means testing is going to have to be the longer term solution. And that will take politicians to pull their fingers out as introducing it will need a fair warning.

 

[Ian H]

I think the problem is that "inflation" is very different for different groups. Retired face a very different balance of costs from those in employmeny, both because of their lifestyle as well as their age.

Indeed! [he exclaimed, having just spent £1000 on new specs].

 

[Pross]

I think the problem is that "inflation" is very different for different groups. Retired face a very different balance of costs from those in employmeny, both because of their lifestyle as well as their age.

So often when inflation figures are released a major contributor to an observed change is irrelevant to specific struggling groups eg a pensioner decideing to eat or heat really isn't badly impact by eg the price of international air flights.

For an extended time food inflation has been way way above the overall inflation figures and this will be significantly affecting those dependent on the state pension.

Hence inflation alone is not a sustainable way forward.

Whilst I dislike it I think means testing is going to have to be the longer term solution. And that will take politicians to pull their fingers out as introducing it will need a fair warning.

They could create a pensioner based index. I'm torn on means testing, it makes sense but at the same time will it simply take away an incentive to build your personal pension pot if it results in you getting a reduced State pension?