Ayatollah Hermione 13856 Posted October 28 Share Posted October 28 I see that the £2 bus fares, which have been universally praised across the board and absolutely helps people out has been completely rendered pointless because it got too close to something actually positive for people in this country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 4376 Posted October 28 Share Posted October 28 It's another defining marker: The "Winter fuel allowance" government. The "Bus fare cap" government. Stupid and pointless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 21561 Posted October 28 Share Posted October 28 (edited) 18 minutes ago, Ayatollah Hermione said: I see that the £2 bus fares, which have been universally praised across the board and absolutely helps people out has been completely rendered pointless because it got too close to something actually positive for people in this country Rising to £3 and still free to all pensioners? I mean ateod someone's got to subsidise this, there's no cap on the Metro and trains which I use. Maybe there should be mind. The cap was/is great in the lakes mind, cut family fares of over £20-30 to £8 for us. Edited October 28 by Renton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 44796 Posted October 28 Share Posted October 28 I must admit, I don't know a lot about the cap, but when I saw this today I thought what the fuck would you do that for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob toonpants 3992 Posted October 28 Share Posted October 28 Quote Starmer also gave a hint that the chancellor might freeze fuel duty once more at this week’s budget, telling a reporter from the Sun, which has campaigned to keep the freeze in place: “I do understand how important it is to you, your readers and others.” https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/oct/28/englands-bus-fare-cap-will-rise-from-2-to-3-in-2025-says-starmer Raise bus fares by 50% but freeze fuel duty. Not really thinking green Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 20110 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 13 hours ago, spongebob toonpants said: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/oct/28/englands-bus-fare-cap-will-rise-from-2-to-3-in-2025-says-starmer Raise bus fares by 50% but freeze fuel duty. Not really thinking green Absolute cunt move if this happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 21561 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 On reflection I thionk a rise to £2.50 would have been better and fair - more in line with inflation. Should also be expanded to local rail. As for fuel duty, nothing is more politically toxic than this for some reason. Interesting nobody is highlighting anything more positive here - increase in minimum wage, the beginning of healthcare reforms. Not to mention: The formation of a national wealth fund. Rail Nationalisation bill. School breakfast clubs. Onshore wind farms. Planning applications reform to encourage new housing. Employment rights bill. Water special measures bill. Scrapping Rwanda, border security command. Cessation of sales of arms to Israel. Probably a few things I have forgotten, but we're only 3 months in, yet it's like reading the Daily Mail thisplace sometimes with the negativity. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex 35056 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 I think the problem most people on here would have with the bus fare thing is it would impact a lot of the lowest paid. If you already spend a tenner on bus fares and your skint dividing another fiver is a pain on the arse. I can understand not looking to claw that back with fuel duty because that’s already high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddockLad 17239 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 I get why they’ve done it, It smacks of picking on the wrong people again… more ammo for the tories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 21561 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 21 minutes ago, Alex said: I think the problem most people on here would have with the bus fare thing is it would impact a lot of the lowest paid. If you already spend a tenner on bus fares and your skint dividing another fiver is a pain on the arse. I can understand not looking to claw that back with fuel duty because that’s already high. Aren't most buses paid by tapping you card nowadays? Honestly, I thought they were moving to cashless because it must be a PITA for drivers to handle cash but might be wrong. Pensioners get bus fares free which is great for their social lives and independence. Low paid workers should benefit more from the NMW increase which should outweigh an extra tenner a week on transport. I don't have any knowledge of the economics behind the scheme, but obviously someone has to pay it and there are always trade offs (including the political optics). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob toonpants 3992 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 If you've got 2 people going to work 5 days a week that's 20 quid a week plus whatever they put kids fares up by to get to school Much of the reason for the cap was to get people using public transport again as it is do much better for congestion and the environment. Bus usage down here has just got back to pre civid levels Fuel prices are down 50p a litre from a couple of years ago so as goid a time as any to end the duty freeze 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 21561 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 42 minutes ago, spongebob toonpants said: If you've got 2 people going to work 5 days a week that's 20 quid a week plus whatever they put kids fares up by to get to school Much of the reason for the cap was to get people using public transport again as it is do much better for congestion and the environment. Bus usage down here has just got back to pre civid levels Fuel prices are down 50p a litre from a couple of years ago so as goid a time as any to end the duty freeze Petrol will increase at some point, it always does. I don't disagree with you btw, but you increase fuel duty and the gammons are howling at the moon. It also inevitably has a knock on effect to the rest of the economy because 99% of goods are tranported by road. And then there is th e town vs rural debate - many rural communities have no bus services operating so no benefit of subsidised bus fares for those residents who you propose to hit with fuel duty to compound this. Nothing is simple. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 33100 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayvin 5217 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 4 hours ago, Renton said: On reflection I thionk a rise to £2.50 would have been better and fair - more in line with inflation. Should also be expanded to local rail. As for fuel duty, nothing is more politically toxic than this for some reason. Interesting nobody is highlighting anything more positive here - increase in minimum wage, the beginning of healthcare reforms. Not to mention: The formation of a national wealth fund. Rail Nationalisation bill. School breakfast clubs. Onshore wind farms. Planning applications reform to encourage new housing. Employment rights bill. Water special measures bill. Scrapping Rwanda, border security command. Cessation of sales of arms to Israel. Probably a few things I have forgotten, but we're only 3 months in, yet it's like reading the Daily Mail thisplace sometimes with the negativity. Do the Red Wall care about any of that stuff though? Labour set their stall out to seduce one specific group of people, and I suppose that's where they're primarily going to be judged. Labour aren't doing enough to appeal to people like us, it's just deckchairs on the titanic stuff iyam. But that's fine, because we're meant to just bend over and take the shafting for 'the team'. The real issue is that all of that stuff you mentioned does fuck all to appeal to the red wall lot. Bus fares and fuel allowance on the other hand... If this version of Labour delivers the Tories again in another 4 years, I am done with moderate centrism for good. Will become and out and out communist ffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 21561 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 40 minutes ago, Rayvin said: Do the Red Wall care about any of that stuff though? Labour set their stall out to seduce one specific group of people, and I suppose that's where they're primarily going to be judged. Labour aren't doing enough to appeal to people like us, it's just deckchairs on the titanic stuff iyam. But that's fine, because we're meant to just bend over and take the shafting for 'the team'. The real issue is that all of that stuff you mentioned does fuck all to appeal to the red wall lot. Bus fares and fuel allowance on the other hand... If this version of Labour delivers the Tories again in another 4 years, I am done with moderate centrism for good. Will become and out and out communist ffs. Well, the collective aim of all this is to produce economic growth and raise living standards and quality of life. This is done incrementally. The sad truth is it can't be done as a revolution because the markets will fuck the country over if we try that because GDP/debt ratio is up the shitter. Two other things. I was thinking last night, I think the reason for aggressive tax rises now (but still within the manifesto) is to get the pain done quickly, which will lead to better economic outcomes in the longer term (for instance, tax more now to pay for the NHS to increase productivity and pay for much needed essential infrastructure). We're 4 1/2 years away from a GE so hopefully in that timeframe there will be some dividends and feel good factor. Secondly, look at the opposition and their leaders man. There is zero chance of either of those ridiculous charlatans leading the tories to victory, imho, of course. You may disagree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayvin 5217 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 28 minutes ago, Renton said: Well, the collective aim of all this is to produce economic growth and raise living standards and quality of life. This is done incrementally. The sad truth is it can't be done as a revolution because the markets will fuck the country over if we try that because GDP/debt ratio is up the shitter. Two other things. I was thinking last night, I think the reason for aggressive tax rises now (but still within the manifesto) is to get the pain done quickly, which will lead to better economic outcomes in the longer term (for instance, tax more now to pay for the NHS to increase productivity and pay for much needed essential infrastructure). We're 4 1/2 years away from a GE so hopefully in that timeframe there will be some dividends and feel good factor. Secondly, look at the opposition and their leaders man. There is zero chance of either of those ridiculous charlatans leading the tories to victory, imho, of course. You may disagree. I think my concern is that the culture war has taken on a life of its own and politicians are just along for the ride. The Tories could be led by a banana in 2029 and people would still vote for it. I do agree with you about getting the pain done early though - if it has to be done at all, now is the time. Also agree in gradual improvement, but the problem with that is that you really need to be singing about it loudly or people are not gonna notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isegrim 9761 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 14 minutes ago, Rayvin said: I think my concern is that the culture war has taken on a life of its own and politicians are just along for the ride. The Tories could be led by a banana in 2029 and people would still vote for it. I do agree with you about getting the pain done early though - if it has to be done at all, now is the time. Also agree in gradual improvement, but the problem with that is that you really need to be signing about it loudly or people are not gonna notice. Unless the banana is shaped in accordance with EU regulation No 1333/2011. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayvin 5217 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 6 minutes ago, Isegrim said: Unless the banana is shaped in accordance with EU regulation No 1333/2011. Masterful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 21561 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 (edited) 41 minutes ago, Rayvin said: I think my concern is that the culture war has taken on a life of its own and politicians are just along for the ride. The Tories could be led by a banana in 2029 and people would still vote for it. I do agree with you about getting the pain done early though - if it has to be done at all, now is the time. Also agree in gradual improvement, but the problem with that is that you really need to be singing about it loudly or people are not gonna notice. I wonder too if culture war stuff really is here to stay? Who under the age of 65 gives a single fuck about it? I don't know anyone who does (I mean from a Daily Mail slant). Edited October 29 by Renton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayvin 5217 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 3 minutes ago, Renton said: I wonder too if culture war stuff really is here to stay? Who under the age of 65 gives a single fuck about it? I don't know anyone who does (I mean from a Daily Mail slant). As I've alluded to before, it's definitely in Gen Z - social media is saturated with it. I hope you're right but I remain worried about it. My younger sister was showing me a video on tiktok the other day about a female influencer who was pushing the idea of being a 'tradwife' (traditional wife), and she's got millions of followers... she's not even directly speaking to the politics of it, and yet she is a soldier in the culture war ultimately. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 21561 Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 15 minutes ago, Rayvin said: As I've alluded to before, it's definitely in Gen Z - social media is saturated with it. I hope you're right but I remain worried about it. My younger sister was showing me a video on tiktok the other day about a female influencer who was pushing the idea of being a 'tradwife' (traditional wife), and she's got millions of followers... she's not even directly speaking to the politics of it, and yet she is a soldier in the culture war ultimately. AYe, that's concerning. I feel maybe the Gen Xers like myself and millenials don't really care, but it casuses issues with the Gen Zers and the boomers who have fuck all else to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 44796 Posted October 30 Share Posted October 30 Andy Burnham talking to someone from Northern Rail. Incredible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzler 9695 Posted October 30 Share Posted October 30 42 minutes ago, Gemmill said: Andy Burnham talking to someone from Northern Rail. Incredible. I don't think I've even seen a fax machine since I left my first job and went to Siemens 14 years ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 33100 Posted October 30 Share Posted October 30 14 minutes ago, Dazzler said: I don't think I've even seen a fax machine since I left my first job and went to Siemens 14 years ago I've never knowingly seen a fax machine. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddockLad 17239 Posted October 30 Share Posted October 30 The now semi-permanent Mrs PL says that many law firms still send legal documents via fax as it’s a lot more secure than email Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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