Current Affairs

[Mervyn and Trish]

Probably true Screwy, but in the 21st Century with WFH via the internet quite normal, surely it could have been done on Teams or similar.

Can't kiss hands on Teams. Not without causing a fuss anyway.

In the context of what sorting out the cost of living crisis is going to cost an extra private jet is neither here nor there. And if it's good enough for Me-me-meghan.....

I can’t see anything wrong with Me-me-love-her Meghan traveling by private jet when the travel costs are met through other means other than tax payers money.

None at all if she didn't keep banging on about global warming.

P.s. I see those surgeons didn't sort out your Fe-fe-fetish Ol!

[Stephen]

Keith is making a rod for his own back.

[david63]

Keith is making a rod for his own back.

I thought he had already got one - don't tell me he needs another one

[towny44]

Well surprise surprise, the BBC has just been interviewing various opposition MPs and to a man, although they all were women, they just spouted their total opposition to everything she had said, and banged on about wanting detail, detail , detail.
Unfortunately that seems to be the way of politics nowadays, and of course since they can easily trot out their ideas since they won't have to be answerable if these would fail. However you can bet that whatever path she chooses it will have already been proposed by them, BUT, they would not have done it in the same way.
I really am glad that I am in my final years, and not just starting out, since there does not seem to be any politician with the ability to form a govt that is going to improve living standards, and that can only result in increasing unrest leading to the sort of mindless madness we witnessed in Washington in January.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I agree about the opposition spokespeople. I'm quite sure they'd all written their reaction speeches before they even listened to her speech and would have delivered exactly the same words if she'd promised unicorns and fluffy kittens.

[david63]

if she'd promised unicorns and fluffy kittens

You mean to say that we are not getting them

[Chalgrave4]

if she'd promised unicorns and fluffy kittens

You mean to say that we are not getting them

Not till Labour get in

[david63]

Surely Liz Truss is not as naive as she is portraying herself.

First she start off by only having her supporters in the Cabinet - not exactly the best way to try and re-unite the Conservative party, especially when half the party and less than a third of MPs supported her.

Then saying yesterday that she will reduce taxation to "reward the hard workers" - does she not know that may lower paid, non tax payers are hard workers. Since when has being a high earner been equated with being hard working?

And then to top it all she is planning a price cap on energy bills rather than a price freeze. This means that the single mother living in a two up, two down house will have to pay the same as a millionaire living in a 10 bedroom mansion.

She is playing straight into the hands of the Labour Party and today's PMQs should be very interesting.

[Chalgrave4]

David I agree with most of what you say, however with regards to the energy price cap you seem to be falling into the media trap of saying this is a cap on peoples bils. The price cap limits the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity they supply, as well as the associated standing charge for each fuel. It's not the maximum amount every household will pay. If you burn a higher number of units than the average, your annual energy bills will be more than the cap, similarly if you use less than the average you will pay less.

[Manoverboard]

Mogg is lurking and her Cabinet is sans white males ... are they no longer represented ?

[david63]

The price cap limits the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity they supply, as well as the associated standing charge for each fuel. It's not the maximum amount every household will pay.

That is what is currently happening but what is being proposed is to cap the energy bill for consumers at £2,500 meaning that that will be maximum that anyone would pay.

[david63]

her Cabinet is sans white males ... are they no longer represented ?

Nope - got to be politically [sic] correct - any combination of female, black, coloured, LGBTQIA+ is a prerequisite!

[Ray B]

You can’t have both outgoing and incoming Pms in the same aircraft in case of emergency,bit like the 2 pilots have different meals. Not a case of economics I’m afraid.

Would that not be the Deputy Prime Minister's job to step in should the worst happen, until a new prime Minister is appointed?

[Manoverboard]

Perchance the deputy PMs were on the 3rd and 4th planes ...

[screwy]

I would say it’s Protocols Ray.?
If we go with disregard to them, and I’m not saying it’s right one way or tother, then why could Charles not have stepped in and saved all the travel.?

[Chalgrave4]

The price cap limits the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity they supply, as well as the associated standing charge for each fuel. It's not the maximum amount every household will pay.

That is what is currently happening but what is being proposed is to cap the energy bill for consumers at £2,500 meaning that that will be maximum that anyone would pay.

Quote from BBC news website
~The increase in bills to £3,549 - or £2,500 as is now expected - is not a limit on the amount households will actually pay for their energy. Instead, it is an estimate of what a typical household would pay after the price cap changes.

Big energy users would pay more, and people who use less energy would pay less."

[towny44]

The price cap limits the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity they supply, as well as the associated standing charge for each fuel. It's not the maximum amount every household will pay.

That is what is currently happening but what is being proposed is to cap the energy bill for consumers at £2,500 meaning that that will be maximum that anyone would pay.

I don't believe that we know the exact mechanics of the govts proposal as yet, but I would be extremely surprised if your understanding is correct. Primarily because this would mean that no one would need to exercise any restraint on their consumption, which would certainly not be sensible at all.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I think David is victim of media simplification. My understanding is the proposal is to freeze the proce cap, not individual bills. So using more will still cost more.

[Onelife]

The more I think about it the less convinced I am that allowing PMQ to be screened live is in the best interest of political Governance of our country…the opposition parties just use the platform to promote how they could do things better while the media use It to create stories which create brainwashed opinions amongst the voting public.

[Stephen]

Watching PMQ’s the health secretary has got her work cut out.

[barney]

The most important thing Truss can announce is help for the energy bills for small businesses.
Without assistance, most will close.
I know that a few don’t think that shops are even necessary these days and you can live your life online.
Try getting your trousers cleaned online.
Try buying a pint and pub lunch online.
Try popping in for a coffee and cake online.
Try getting your eyes tested online.
Try getting a friendly face and good customer service online.
For quite a few older people, the only person that they will speak to in a day is the local friendly shopkeeper.
Without assistance on energy bills, many of these small businesses will be unable to continue.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I agree Barney 100% that help needs to be extended to small businesses too. I do some stuff online but you can't beat personal face to face service.

[towny44]

I suspect that help with energy Bill's is likely to be required across the board, it is unlikely that any company or organisation can easily absorb these sort of increases.

[Stephen]

Like him or not I though Keir Starmer quizzed Liz well.

[Bensham33]

Like him or not I though Keir Starmer quizzed Liz well.

Not hard is it. I think my mum would have quizzed her well.

Look at her cabinet. Talk about jobs for your mates. Meanwhile any minister that opposed her has been sent to the back benches. All that experience wasted while new people take those roles. That's not in my opinion good leadership.