Stop voting for fucking Tories

[SaintK]

Oh and while we're at it. He must have some seriously bad stuff on the Bamfords for them to forgo £30k a month rental on the property. Of course he's only registering the "gift value" at £10k on the MP's gift register

[Hal Jordan]

Which goes done way to explain the Tory love for the hydrogen hopium bullshit.

[SaintK]

The Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen has been suspended from the House of Commons for five days after being found to have breached rules on paid lobbying and declaring interests.

The MP for north-west Leicestershire was found to have repeatedly broken the MPs’ code of conduct by a cross-party committee, which endorsed findings from Kathryn Stone, the parliamentary commissioner for standards.

This will be the same Bridgen MP who lost a recent court case against his family business, when the judge said he clearly lied under oath when giving evidence, asked police to falsely investigate his brother and who has to pay substantive fine? The same Bridgen MP who is going full on anti-vaxer who believes that Invermectin would have saved thousands but was blocked by Big Pharma and that mNRA vaccines are killing people? I wonder what his Serbian Opera singer 2nd wife thinks of him?

Breaking news on Bridgen!!!

MP Andrew Bridgen suspended by Conservative party for spreading misinformation about Covid vaccine, chief whip says

[tabascoboy]

This will be the same Bridgen MP who lost a recent court case against his family business, when the judge said he clearly lied under oath when giving evidence, asked police to falsely investigate his brother and who has to pay substantive fine? The same Bridgen MP who is going full on anti-vaxer who believes that Invermectin would have saved thousands but was blocked by Big Pharma and that mNRA vaccines are killing people? I wonder what his Serbian Opera singer 2nd wife thinks of him?

Breaking news on Bridgen!!!

MP Andrew Bridgen suspended by Conservative party for spreading misinformation about Covid vaccine, chief whip says

So it took until now? His earlier, very well publicised misdemeanours somehow weren't enough?

[fishfoodie]

This will be the same Bridgen MP who lost a recent court case against his family business, when the judge said he clearly lied under oath when giving evidence, asked police to falsely investigate his brother and who has to pay substantive fine? The same Bridgen MP who is going full on anti-vaxer who believes that Invermectin would have saved thousands but was blocked by Big Pharma and that mNRA vaccines are killing people? I wonder what his Serbian Opera singer 2nd wife thinks of him?

Breaking news on Bridgen!!!

MP Andrew Bridgen suspended by Conservative party for spreading misinformation about Covid vaccine, chief whip says

So it took until now? His earlier, very well publicised misdemeanours somehow weren't enough?

It would have been a dangerous precedent to suspend him for perjury, or for being a crook; but their aren't enough anti-vaxers in the Party to make that too dangerous a charge

[tabascoboy]

Breaking news on Bridgen!!!

So it took until now? His earlier, very well publicised misdemeanours somehow weren't enough?

It would have been a dangerous precedent to suspend him for perjury, or for being a crook; but their aren't enough anti-vaxers in the Party to make that too dangerous a charge

Fair point, the domino effect would have been too impactful!

[SaintK]

So it took until now? His earlier, very well publicised misdemeanours somehow weren't enough?

It would have been a dangerous precedent to suspend him for perjury, or for being a crook; but their aren't enough anti-vaxers in the Party to make that too dangerous a charge

Fair point, the domino effect would have been too impactful!

He really needs to be deselected by his constituency party, he's a ccomplete nutter as well as an absolute cunt of a man

In recent weeks, he has become increasingly vocal in his criticism of programmes to vaccinate people against Covid-19.
Posting a link to an article on vaccines earlier, he added: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64236687

[fishfoodie]

It would have been a dangerous precedent to suspend him for perjury, or for being a crook; but their aren't enough anti-vaxers in the Party to make that too dangerous a charge

Fair point, the domino effect would have been too impactful!

He really needs to be deselected by his constituency party, he's a ccomplete nutter as well as an absolute cunt of a man

In recent weeks, he has become increasingly vocal in his criticism of programmes to vaccinate people against Covid-19.
Posting a link to an article on vaccines earlier, he added: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64236687

Hence his appeal to the local Tory Party selection committee !

If they were to deselect him, I imagine he'd immediately defect to the Reform mob, & he'd cannibalize the Tory vote in the next GE.

[Tichtheid]

Not directly the Tories, but GB News, Covid conspiracies and other right wing nut-jobbery

https://www.private-eye.co.uk/media-news

[fishfoodie]

Not directly the Tories, but GB News, Covid conspiracies and other right wing nut-jobbery

https://www.private-eye.co.uk/media-news

GB News is the one funded by Qatar, is it ?

[SaintK]

Not directly the Tories, but GB News, Covid conspiracies and other right wing nut-jobbery

https://www.private-eye.co.uk/media-news

GB News is the one funded by Qatar, is it ?

Nope Dubai based

GB News is owned by All Perspectives Ltd, which is a holding company, headquartered in London. As of August 2022, All Perspectives Ltd is controlled by three significant shareholders, all of whom work for Christopher Chandler's Dubai-based investment firm Legatum.

[fishfoodie]

Seems some of his fellow Tory MPs share our opinion of him; what's interesting is to get such a comment attributed to a named MP.

On Wednesday night, Andrew Percy, a Tory MP and the vice chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-Semitism, demanded Mr Bridgen be told that he cannot stand in his North West Leicestershire seat at the next election for spreading misinformation.
....
Asked on Times Radio whether Mr Bridgen should be allowed to stand as a Conservative MP at the next election, Mr Percy said: “I don’t think anybody who believes this kind of c--- should.

“The Holocaust was the state-sponsored murder of six million Jews and others. To compare that to the vaccine rollout is, frankly, sick. 

“It’s disgusting... sadly, you know it’s not unexpected amongst the anti-vaxxer movement, but for an MP to retweet that I think is just completely and utterly disgraceful.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/20 ... holocaust/

[Biffer]

Seems some of his fellow Tory MPs share our opinion of him; what's interesting is to get such a comment attributed to a named MP.

On Wednesday night, Andrew Percy, a Tory MP and the vice chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-Semitism, demanded Mr Bridgen be told that he cannot stand in his North West Leicestershire seat at the next election for spreading misinformation.
....
Asked on Times Radio whether Mr Bridgen should be allowed to stand as a Conservative MP at the next election, Mr Percy said: “I don’t think anybody who believes this kind of c--- should.

“The Holocaust was the state-sponsored murder of six million Jews and others. To compare that to the vaccine rollout is, frankly, sick. 

“It’s disgusting... sadly, you know it’s not unexpected amongst the anti-vaxxer movement, but for an MP to retweet that I think is just completely and utterly disgraceful.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/20 ... holocaust/

Really wondering if that’s crap or cunt

[fishfoodie]

Seems some of his fellow Tory MPs share our opinion of him; what's interesting is to get such a comment attributed to a named MP.

On Wednesday night, Andrew Percy, a Tory MP and the vice chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-Semitism, demanded Mr Bridgen be told that he cannot stand in his North West Leicestershire seat at the next election for spreading misinformation.
....
Asked on Times Radio whether Mr Bridgen should be allowed to stand as a Conservative MP at the next election, Mr Percy said: “I don’t think anybody who believes this kind of c--- should.

“The Holocaust was the state-sponsored murder of six million Jews and others. To compare that to the vaccine rollout is, frankly, sick. 

“It’s disgusting... sadly, you know it’s not unexpected amongst the anti-vaxxer movement, but for an MP to retweet that I think is just completely and utterly disgraceful.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/20 ... holocaust/

Really wondering if that’s crap or cunt

I was thinking cunt, or cock (does cock even warrant *'s ?)

I think we've invented a new version of wordle

[I like neeps]

We've so successfully created a low tax, high wealth economy from 4 decades of inflating house prices relentlessly we're going to further benefit the people who advantaged from it because it's screwed up our economy.

[Sandstorm]

I've just turned 50, but even I think removing me from my income tax responsibilities is ludicrous!!

[GogLais]

We've so successfully created a low tax, high wealth economy from 4 decades of inflating house prices relentlessly we're going to further benefit the people who advantaged from it because it's screwed up our economy.

Got to be a windup. Surely?

[tabascoboy]

We've so successfully created a low tax, high wealth economy from 4 decades of inflating house prices relentlessly we're going to further benefit the people who advantaged from it because it's screwed up our economy.

Got to be a windup. Surely?

You'd think it would be only at the "under consideration" stage, but let's face it they probably realise that they have to effectively bribe what has been their core support demographic to keep the faith, while they think they can afford to further alienate younger voters?

[ASMO]

We've so successfully created a low tax, high wealth economy from 4 decades of inflating house prices relentlessly we're going to further benefit the people who advantaged from it because it's screwed up our economy.

Got to be a windup. Surely?

You'd think it would be only at the "under consideration" stage, but let's face it they probably realise that they have to effectively bribe what has been their core support demographic to keep the faith, while they think they can afford to further alienate younger voters?

I guarantee there will be some sort of state pension adjustment to balance it out, you pay no income tax from 50, you get a smaller pension

[GogLais]

We've so successfully created a low tax, high wealth economy from 4 decades of inflating house prices relentlessly we're going to further benefit the people who advantaged from it because it's screwed up our economy.

Got to be a windup. Surely?

You'd think it would be only at the "under consideration" stage, but let's face it they probably realise that they have to effectively bribe what has been their core support demographic to keep the faith, while they think they can afford to further alienate younger voters?

If that doesn’t gee up young voters then I can’t see what would.

[yermum]

*throws dead cat onto the dining room table*

that should do it I reckon.

[Lobby]

We've so successfully created a low tax, high wealth economy from 4 decades of inflating house prices relentlessly we're going to further benefit the people who advantaged from it because it's screwed up our economy.

Got to be a windup. Surely?

I think this is probably intended to be a response to the current shortage of workers in several key sectors, and the increasing numbers of 'economically inactive' people in the over 50 age group (that is people who are neither employed nor looking for work).

However, most of the over 50s who are economically inactive are not seeking work because of the tax system, but because of long-term ill health. This has been exacerbated by the pandemic and the effective collapse of large parts of the NHS

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ill-health

"The number of over-50s out of the labour force because of long-term sickness has increased in every part of the UK other than London, with a 20% rise in Wales, and a 13% increase in the north-west of England and the West Midlands.

Figures show the number of working-age adults out of the labour force due to long-term ill health has risen to a record of almost 2.5 million. Almost a quarter would like to work if they felt they had the opportunity or the support to do so....

Some experts, including Andy Haldane, a former Bank of England chief economist, have said underinvestment in public services and lengthy NHS waiting times could be contributing to the decline in workforce participation."

The answer to this problem isn't to reduce their taxes, but to properly fund the healthcare system so that these people can regain their health and return to work. This is yet another example of the Tories' obsession with reducing taxes (especially for their voters) as the answer to every ill.

[Biffer]

The other part of this is that the last ten or fifteen years has made work absolutely fucking miserable for a lot of people. If they can afford not to go back, why the fuck would they?

Edit - the above is true for whole ranges of people as well, from low paid low skill jobs up through management roles and into specialisms like medicine or engineering.

[Tichtheid]

Apparently a fair whack of people in the 50+ age group threw in their cards during the pandemic, thinking, "Fuck this, I can get by, stuff working"

[Biffer]

Apparently a fair whack of people in the 50+ age group threw in their cards during the pandemic, thinking, "Fuck this, I can get by, stuff working"

Yeah, we had a number of senior project managers, mechanical engineers etc retire a few years early.

[Tichtheid]

Apparently a fair whack of people in the 50+ age group threw in their cards during the pandemic, thinking, "Fuck this, I can get by, stuff working"

Yeah, we had a number of senior project managers, mechanical engineers etc retire a few years early.

It's a lot of collective experience that has gone, it's like when the Tories made a whole tranche of the civil service redundant at mid to senior level in the late 80s and 90s and then realised that they had no one left that knew how to run the country.

Oops!

[tabascoboy]

over 50s who are economically inactive

That's me, and through choice of being able to support myself in early retirement through occupational pension. Nothing short of impending absolute penury would force me back into work now - 35 years of commuting and the daily grind were quite enough, thanks.

How many employers want to welcome back over 50s, who will reasonably expect to be paid competitively for their age and experience? I can see some work environments being open to solving short term needs in this way, where skilled workers are in short supply and applicants have recent work experience and no doubt there will be takers but it also risks being a kick in the teeth for people with aspiring careers looking to progress and finding their way blocked by returnees?

[fishfoodie]

I assume this is just a way for the, "Never Rishi's", to attack him ?

Rishi Sunak is facing a major backbench rebellion over the government's plans to prevent harmful material on the internet.

Thirty-six Tory MPs are backing a plan to make social media bosses face prison if they fail to protect children from damaging content online.

Their amendment to the Online Safety Bill is due to be voted on next week.

The idea was suggested under Boris Johnson, but eventually dismissed in favour of higher fines for firms.

The rebellion follows other significant backbench revolts in recent weeks over housing targets for councils and restrictions on onshore wind farms.

On both of those issues, the prime minister backed down and offered concessions to avoid defeat in the House of Commons.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64247034

[Sandstorm]

"The number of over-50s out of the labour force because of long-term sickness has increased in every part of the UK other than London, with a 20% rise in Wales,

Almost a quarter would like to work if they felt they had the opportunity or the support to do so....

REFRY 101

[Dinsdale Piranha]

over 50s who are economically inactive

That's me, and through choice of being able to support myself in early retirement through occupational pension. Nothing short of impending absolute penury would force me back into work now - 35 years of commuting and the daily grind were quite enough, thanks.

How many employers want to welcome back over 50s, who will reasonably expect to be paid competitively for their age and experience? I can see some work environments being open to solving short term needs in this way, where skilled workers are in short supply and applicants have recent work experience and no doubt there will be takers but it also risks being a kick in the teeth for people with aspiring careers looking to progress and finding their way blocked by returnees?

I have been approached by colleagues at 2 companies saying they are desperate for experienced people and I should apply and return to work. In both cases the expression 'you could do the job with your eyes shut' came up :)

One of these companies has a reputation for being pretty ruthless and there's no way they'd be seeking out older people unless they were missing some particular set of skills that their younger folks don't have.

[GogLais]

over 50s who are economically inactive

That's me, and through choice of being able to support myself in early retirement through occupational pension. Nothing short of impending absolute penury would force me back into work now - 35 years of commuting and the daily grind were quite enough, thanks.

How many employers want to welcome back over 50s, who will reasonably expect to be paid competitively for their age and experience? I can see some work environments being open to solving short term needs in this way, where skilled workers are in short supply and applicants have recent work experience and no doubt there will be takers but it also risks being a kick in the teeth for people with aspiring careers looking to progress and finding their way blocked by returnees?

I have been approached by colleagues at 2 companies saying they are desperate for experienced people and I should apply and return to work. In both cases the expression 'you could do the job with your eyes shut' came up :)

One of these companies has a reputation for being pretty ruthless and there's no way they'd be seeking out older people unless they were missing some particular set of skills that their younger folks don't have.

No, I don’t want to go back to being a QS.

[tabascoboy]

over 50s who are economically inactive

That's me, and through choice of being able to support myself in early retirement through occupational pension. Nothing short of impending absolute penury would force me back into work now - 35 years of commuting and the daily grind were quite enough, thanks.

How many employers want to welcome back over 50s, who will reasonably expect to be paid competitively for their age and experience? I can see some work environments being open to solving short term needs in this way, where skilled workers are in short supply and applicants have recent work experience and no doubt there will be takers but it also risks being a kick in the teeth for people with aspiring careers looking to progress and finding their way blocked by returnees?

I have been approached by colleagues at 2 companies saying they are desperate for experienced people and I should apply and return to work. In both cases the expression 'you could do the job with your eyes shut' came up :)

One of these companies has a reputation for being pretty ruthless and there's no way they'd be seeking out older people unless they were missing some particular set of skills that their younger folks don't have.

I'm sure there are some sectors where they are crying out for that. It's reported that skills shortages are highest in in the care, science, engineering and hospitality sectors. Question is enabling flexible working and working from home, especially if declining health is a factor.

According to the ONS

Among those who would consider returning to work (58%), the most important factors when choosing a paid job were flexible working hours (32%), good pay (23%), and being able to work from home (12%).

[Paddington Bear]

Intrigued to see how many 50 somethings really can afford to retire as compared to thought they could. A lot of them will live for 40ish years.

Not directly relevant but my parents’ friends are starting to retire and it seems to be either the absolute best or worst thing to happen to them with little in between

[Dinsdale Piranha]

Intrigued to see how many 50 somethings really can afford to retire as compared to thought they could. A lot of them will live for 40ish years.

Not directly relevant but my parents’ friends are starting to retire and it seems to be either the absolute best or worst thing to happen to them with little in between

I ran the numbers on whether I could afford to retire and "computer said yes" Everything getting really expensive in the last 18 months has definitely reduced the wiggle room.

Also, 2 years of lockdowns wasn't much fun as a single guy and has made me more inclined to look for a job again.

[mat the expat]

I'm 48 - not looking to fully retire as such but definitely easing off

Sold our Unit in Sydney and renting for a bit before buying outside the major cities to have no Mortgage

[Blackmac]

Apparently a fair whack of people in the 50+ age group threw in their cards during the pandemic, thinking, "Fuck this, I can get by, stuff working"

Yeah, we had a number of senior project managers, mechanical engineers etc retire a few years early.

It's a lot of collective experience that has gone, it's like when the Tories made a whole tranche of the civil service redundant at mid to senior level in the late 80s and 90s and then realised that they had no one left that knew how to run the country.

Oops!

Even worse in the Police Service. The governments resolution to the court defeat to their pension changes proved to be far too tempting. About 70% of officers over the rank of Inspector have gone or are about to go, leaving a huge gulf in experience and knowledge.

[C69]

In the NHS there is a pension consultation to address the early retirement issue.
Loads of GPs and NHS staff on the 1995 pension scheme can in the next few years retire at 55.
It's a real issue which may be addressed with some of the new plans. However working conditions mean that tempting people to stay in a failing toxic environment where pay has been eroded will be the main issue.
One of the plans is for returning staff to be able to work more than 16 hours and to introduce partial retirement schemes and allowing people to pay into the new pension scheme on retirement.
I will certainly be looking into the outcome of the consultation.
I think If I can afford it I will be looking at partial retirement in a couple of years and retire fully at 60 at the latest

[Blackmac]

In the NHS there is a pension consultation to address the early retirement issue.
Loads of GPs and NHS staff on the 1995 pension scheme can in the next few years retire at 55.
It's a real issue which may be addressed with some of the new plans. However working conditions mean that tempting people to stay in a failing toxic environment where pay has been eroded will be the main issue.
One of the plans is for returning staff to be able to work more than 16 hours and to introduce partial retirement schemes and allowing people to pay into the new pension scheme on retirement.
I will certainly be looking into the outcome of the consultation.
I think If I can afford it I will be looking at partial retirement in a couple of years and retire fully at 60 at the latest

My wife is going next year at 55. Taking a couple of months off and returning to her post at 20 hours, which is what she works now. Likely for another 3 years. If she can start paying into the Cares scheme she likely will as it builds quite quickly. It would depend on how the treat them when they go after only a few year's contributions to the new scheme.

[Sandstorm]

In the NHS there is a pension consultation to address the early retirement issue.
Loads of GPs and NHS staff on the 1995 pension scheme can in the next few years retire at 55.
It's a real issue which may be addressed with some of the new plans.

It's going to be a huge car-crash for patients. I reckon the only way out of it is selling it off to the Yanks unfortunately. Probably what those Tory donors wanted all along.

[dpedin]

In the NHS there is a pension consultation to address the early retirement issue.
Loads of GPs and NHS staff on the 1995 pension scheme can in the next few years retire at 55.
It's a real issue which may be addressed with some of the new plans. However working conditions mean that tempting people to stay in a failing toxic environment where pay has been eroded will be the main issue.
One of the plans is for returning staff to be able to work more than 16 hours and to introduce partial retirement schemes and allowing people to pay into the new pension scheme on retirement.
I will certainly be looking into the outcome of the consultation.
I think If I can afford it I will be looking at partial retirement in a couple of years and retire fully at 60 at the latest

My wife is going next year at 55. Taking a couple of months off and returning to her post at 20 hours, which is what she works now. Likely for another 3 years. If she can start paying into the Cares scheme she likely will as it builds quite quickly. It would depend on how the treat them when they go after only a few year's contributions to the new scheme.

Only a few folk can retire at 55 ie mental health nurses and medics, in old scheme without incurring an actuarial reduction to their pension. On the old scheme it was retire at 60 without any reductions although you could work on to almost any age you wanted to subject to a ceiling. Subject to employer agreement even those retiring at 60 or older and taking their pension can return to work subject to an earnings limit on pension + salary. However as a retired person superannuation contributions are reduced to 4% to pay into a NEST pension, your employer will also pay 4% - this is a salary sacrifice saving scheme in effect. The main drawback with the new scheme is that it is aligned to the state pension age so although you might build up quicker any amount taken out prior to your state pension age will be subject to an actuarial reduction. It is ok if you plan to work to 66 or 67 or can leave it frozen and don't need the cash in the interim period.

Given the 'baby boom' within the nursing demographic many nurses have already decided to retire on old scheme when they could and to top up wages by working on the internal nurse banks which means they can pick and choose when to work and where they work, avoiding many of the high pressure or physically demanding areas - its hard work for a 60+ nurse! It is known that absence rate goes up by about 1/3% pa once nurses pass the age of 50. This is due to long term health issues mainly due to stress and exhaustion, musculoskeletal and other chronic diseases like diabetes, etc. Many just need a hip of knee replacement due to 30-40 years of walking, bending and lifting every working day = we in effect have run them into the ground. Increasingly thy are working for nurse and doctor agencies such as the biggest in the sector Medacs - which funnily enough is chaired by one Lord Ashcroft a tax exile, a major Tory donor and good mate of the Blonde Bumblecunt.

The problem for GPs and Consultants is the taxation thresholds for both annual and lifetime pension allowances. Given their pension is final salary they have little control over how both increase ie years worked and salary earned. In many cases just by continuing to work full time in the NHS they can exceed either or both and will then get big bills from HMRC. Taking on additional duties or responsibilities will just bring a bigger tax bill. I know of one case where a senior doctor who had worked all his life for NHS was asked to take on a Director role which in turn meant an additional payment - his HMRC bill that year was for in excess of £150k. He retired. The only way for these guys is to reduce tax bills is to reduce their NHS hours and thus reducing their pension years (ie working only 3 days a week = 60% of a pension year). Another way is to volunteer for a wage cut by coming out of scheme and losing the employers contribution to the pension scheme which for these guys is c15% - this would be on top of the real term 11%+ cut in their wages since 2010 . Given many have been in the NHS their whole career then they reach this point about the age of 55, sometimes earlier. The Gov is in effect making these guys pay to come to work for the NHS!

In effect if these senior docs reduce their hours but wish to maintain their salaries but avoid their pension tax bills then they need to find work which is not superannuable or not with the NHS. Setting up a small 'personal services company' or suchlike and then working privately is a route many then go down. This is the Gov in effect providing a steady stream of doctors to staff the private sector.

Many will argue that these doctors get paid a lot anyway and why should we change taxes to make it better for them - think about that when you are on the waiting list for an operation or having an operation with a surgeon who hasn't done many of the complex operation you are going to have. In any other industry these guys - who take a minimum of 10-15 years to fully train up would be protected and rewarded as the key earners of the business - currently our Gov just tells them to fuck off!

PS I am not a doctor!