Election Year or Fear!

[swaledale]

Labour's green deal, shut down. They gave the reason as being the drastic change in how much/little the Exchequer currently has. An eminently sensible decision until such time as they get a look at the figures, IMO.

Tax the rich? It would be a sensible decision. The moment it gets launched we all know the right wing press will have a go at it as will Tories and reform UK parties. Leaving it until election manifesto time to announce it gives the other lot far less time to ram it down people's throats and might be a wise move.

Trouble is MA, this how much/how little the Exchequer has is a weak excuse and the green agenda was a flagship policy, if they can't stand the attacks from the right now, what is their response going to be in an election campaign? IMO they should have stuck to their guns and found ways to fund it, like a windfall tax on energy firms, a tax on bankers bonuses, closing the non dom loophole, levying national insurance on capital gains.

If they go into the election hampering their ability to change things by self imposed fiscal restraints then they will not achieve what's required and could find themselves booted out after 5 years by voters who expect more.

IMO a better response was that we have costed it and how it will be paid for and this will be in our manifesto come the election.

The majority of economists take the view that there has to be a rise in targeted public expenditure in order to stimulate growth, the past 13 plus years of austerity have resulted in a flat lining economy, obviously exacerbated by a disastrous Brexit deal.

One only has to look at the detail of Biden's inflation reduction act, which has stimulated the economy to see whats required, plus if this action is delayed much longer then the necessary work to reduce carbon emissions and create a thriving green economy will not happen and then we will all be ****ed.

[MadAmster]

Trouble is MA, this how much/how little the Exchequer has is a weak excuse and the green agenda was a flagship policy, if they can't stand the attacks from the right now, what is their response going to be in an election campaign? IMO they should have stuck to their guns and found ways to fund it, like a windfall tax on energy firms, a tax on bankers bonuses, closing the non dom loophole, levying national insurance on capital gains.

If they go into the election hampering their ability to change things by self imposed fiscal restraints then they will not achieve what's required and could find themselves booted out after 5 years by voters who expect more.

IMO a better response was that we have costed it and how it will be paid for and this will be in our manifesto come the election.

The majority of economists take the view that there has to be a rise in targeted public expenditure in order to stimulate growth, the past 13 plus years of austerity have resulted in a flat lining economy, obviously exacerbated by a disastrous Brexit deal.

One only has to look at the detail of Biden's inflation reduction act, which has stimulated the economy to see whats required, plus if this action is delayed much longer then the necessary work to reduce carbon emissions and create a thriving green economy will not happen and then we will all be ****ed.

I'd go further. Renationalise all those money making public utilities and use the profits for the national good as well as for repairing the millions of leaky underwater pipes the private companies can't afford to mend because they prefer to give huge dividends to shareholders. Water, gas, electricity, public transport. I'd also invest in lots of, publicly owned, hydrogen producing plants to replace our need for gas.

That's taking back control.