Budgetary thoughts

 

Money, that's what I want said Barratt Strong in 1960 and in the intervening years little has changed, we want most of our money in our pockets and yet we expect (perhaps rightly) for services such as health, education, social care and so on to be provided collectively for all of us regardless of income.

Wednesday saw Jeremy Hunt's second budget, the one after the Albatruss imploded the UK economy in style requiring emergency treatment after fifty days of mind-blowing madness and it is fair to say stagflation is under control even if the beast isn't dead yet and the UK economy continues to outperform those most sceptical predictions.

The overall tax burden remains stubbornly high even if with everything we've endured since 2019 such as Covid and it's impact, the war in Ukraine and it's implications for fuel and food and so on.

There's scarcely a major economy not grappling and struggling too with these things as much as chaotic, even malfunctioning poltical machinery over hardly helped, not that had the General Election result had been different, there wouldn't of been other problems.

Thus cutting the National Insurance contributions isn't a bad idea nor is leaving taxes on alcohol alone coupled with assistance for the hospitality sector but what cannot be dodged is there is little real room for manoeuvre when it comes to either cutting taxes however desirable (and i.m.h.o it is ) in the medium to long term or increasing public sector commitments where we see the struggles in hospitals, social services and education.

I would rather see more attention paid to reducing "back room" office costs, ending the virtual signaling and non jobs associated with it and looking at more efficient centralized procurement to reduce the costs of providing services which few of us can deny are really needed rather than a race to the bottom of eligibility criteria. 

While I understand and to a point agree people looking for work need to be prepared to take up reasonable offers and be prepared to train for new roles, there still remains too much "shirkers vs workers" rhetoric when in reality many benefit claimants are in fact workers and shamefully what they earn of itself doesn't begin to meet the true costs of living of which massive hikes in food, fuel and rent/mortgage costs have pushed up to worrying levels.

The implied threat to remove free prescriptions from those found to not met revised conditions for benefits is simply wrong. 

There is no connection  at all between employment and such support - a person sacked for a disciplinary offence at work doesn't lose entitlement, a prisoner receives free medical services regardless of his or her crime and yet we are suggesting not taking up an offer (that might be contestable at tribunal) such be denied free medication if needed or legal aid to challenge the very decision at a tribunal???

Nor is expecting disabled people to work from home where the issue may not be getting to work but such things as anxiety, fatigue and so and where you may of been waiting years for any treatment from - yes the very government that seems to think being disabled and out of work is a lifestyle choice. 

That side of things makes little sense and potentially hands over a victory to the opposition parties and for what?

Another week of craziness for Uk Politics

Another crazy week in the pantomime that is U.K. politics which is the big kicker in terms of keeping this blog active really that really kicked off last week when then Home Secretary Suella Braverman let rip in one of the "quality" newspapers basically accusing the police, specifically the Metropolitan Police of being partial in way the police certain protests such as the Stop The Oil and Gaza ones of the last few weeks compared to that of more right of centre ones.

This was always going to be contentious as, rightly, the police are supposed to keep the peace without favour so such an accusation would been as a major slight although I'd say all decisions are made with some reference to what is seen as causing the least issues and that *may* at times lead to questions being asked.

Policing is seldom a simple matter of "The Law is the Law".

This article was submitted to the Office of the Prime Minister where some alterations were outlined but seemingly Ms Braverman elected to ignore which I'd say was very ill advised that so she went from wreath laying at Sunday's remembrance parade in Whitehall to being sacked on Monday.

That meant only one thing: a Cabinet reshuffle with the original purpose to replacement the Home Secretary but as ever the re-arranging of the deck chairs brings a resignation here, a plot there and then there was something few saw coming...

That man who was Prime Minister from 2010 through 2016 when he backed the wrong horse on Brexit (yes dear reader we're so tired of it) is seen walking into Downing Street and into No.10 which I might add I've been in after resigning from being a Member of Parliament.

David Cameron walks out as a Member of the House of Lords as the Foreign Secretary so Mr Cleverly can move from that to Home Secretary!

Deja vu?

Cue unrest on the Conservative right....

Meanwhile The War on Israel by Hamas and subsequent actions in Gaza causes resignations and splits across the Labour opposition both in parliament after Wednesdays amendment vote on the King's Speech and in councils

Just what with domestic issues such as the economy, reduced living standards, terrorism and internationally conflicts and the asylum seeker crisis we don't need for government and opposition as we the people need politicians who are focused on tackling these pressing matters not fighting each other.

Ever felt like staying in bed for a year?

Remembrance 2023

 After an entry into current affairs we'll move into something more personal.

I enjoy a bonfire night as much as anyone but the other thing GirlGuiding is involved in around this time of year is Remembrance  which will be marked today with Armistice Day and in two days time on Remembrance Sunday.

Having taken part in Parades it has a bit of a sombre nature because we think about what men (and women) did both at home and on the battlefield to preserve the liberty, freedom and way of life we have and the sacrifice of lives given to have succeeded in it against great odds in WW2.

It is important for people, especially children to know about this so in guiding with the help of people such as the Royal British Legion, girls are taught about this as in a good number of schools they are too.

This years theme is Service which includes the services of all in scouting such as GirlGuiding not just in the services but at home helping on the home front and recognizes that in that service it isn't that people died but many more bear the scars of injury both physical and mental 

Here we see Brownies at the cenotaph as many will this weekend ,placing their wreath upon it as a symbol of our respect and appreciation of what those people, often young gave for us and our country.

We will remember our war dead.

The Gaza interuption

We're back this week having been away for a few days at The Party doing spooky things of a more child-like nature which is more the sort of thing I like but even then you can't easily avoid what's going on around which in a way isn't so dissimilar to how things were as a child where at least with me childhood was intermingled with with the impact of terrorism and of war being in the family newspapers and on the tv.

Thus in a way that the Invasion of an Israeli kibbutz and horrific murder of over 1,400 women, men and children and the subsequent action in Gaza by the Israeli military should rear its head perhaps ought not to have surprised me although at least people knew when enough had been said and promptly changed subject.

While many felt their sympathies were with Israel, an understandable concern has been getting aid to those most in need, ensuring that would not be taken by Hamas, the terrorist organization that is very much on their ground there and nothing usable for war would be smuggled in.

Related to that is what to do with the sick and injured in hospitals short on medicines and having no mains electricity reliant upon oil fired generators and Hamas having taken oil from all over Gaza for their conflict means they are desperately short of the means of keeping literally the lights on and medicines cool.

Israel is justifiably concerned about oil as aid being intercepted by Hamas which you can't rule out although that's no consolation to the hospitals and so why many of us feel sadly Hamas brought this upon the Gaza people and it could never go unpunished, we are concerned, moved even, to feel international bodies not the least the United Nations need to step in running a safe program, fully escorted to get aid in without the risk of it being used by Hamas for war.

Fortunately some aid is getting through now, although oil remains a sticking point - and why is that 18-30 year men feel it's okay to raid a UN Aid Store helping themselves to what is there for those in need - and some evacuations have began to Egypt including that of those holding UK Citizenship to flee.

It's not perfect but at least something that will make a difference in a messy situation where the only long term answer is learning to live in peace and respect for each other's rights.