The UK Politics and EU Referendum thread - merged

[George2Loose]

Torres just seem two steps ahead of Labour. Master stroke announcing both no cuts to both police budget and tax credits.

Really can't see Corbyn in the job past 2016.

[MintTrav]

a few months ago i mentioned that Osborne may look to move to the centre to take the ground vacated by labour and freeze them out in electoral terms..it being the middle floating voter that you need to win

But it wasn't the Review he wanted. The reversals in policy on tax credits and police funding were forced on him.

And there are massive cuts in numerous areas.

[TightEnd]

a few months ago i mentioned that Osborne may look to move to the centre to take the ground vacated by labour and freeze them out in electoral terms..it being the middle floating voter that you need to win

But it wasn't the Review he wanted. The reversals in policy on tax credits and police funding were forced on him.

And there are massive cuts in numerous areas.

well he can u-turn because a) its 4 years to the election and b) the opposition is unable to make much political capital from them, as they don't speak to most voters currently

as it was the OBR, which is independent, gave him favourable forecasts for tax receipts and growth that enabled him to reverse and afford it

in practice, as we all know, in a couple of years time these forecasts may be way off and he has still delivered the £12bn of cuts he was elected on

all smoke and mirrors, but politically masterful.

[arbboy]

Fuel duty escalator will be back soon surely after been frozen for years as the price of a litre gets close to dipping under a pound.  George must be losing a lot of easy cash from decreased VAT/fuel duty revenue at the pumps with the price of oil slumping.  Was there any news on this today?

[TightEnd]

Fuel duty escalator will be back soon surely after been frozen for years as the price of a litre gets close to dipping under a pound.  George must be losing a lot of easy cash from decreased VAT/fuel duty with the price of oil slumping.  Was there any news on this today?

that comes in the budget.

[DaveShoelace]

Torres just seem two steps ahead of Labour. Master stroke announcing both no cuts to both police budget and tax credits.

Really can't see Corbyn in the job past 2016.

Click to see full-size image.

?

[The Camel]

Big change - Stamp duty 3 percent higher on second homes and buy to let -

very centrist, going for labour centre left territory

apprenticeship levy + change to stamp duty gives you 4 billion, that nearly covers the tax credits U-turn

 

Good start.

Now make it 30% and then double it for good measure.

I've not really thought about it, and I imagine I'll agree with you when you tell me, but why is this so pleasing to you? Why do you think second homes and buy to lets should foot more of a stamp duty bill?

To dissuade people from buying houses they aren't going to live in, who are inflating the price of cheap housing so less people can afford to buy them.

[DaveShoelace]

Torres just seem two steps ahead of Labour. Master stroke announcing both no cuts to both police budget and tax credits.

The tax cuts was obviously the first big post election backlash the Tories faced, and was also Corbyn's first major attack as opposition leader. No doubt this U-turn is as a result of that.

Do we think the police budget thing today was a result of the Paris attacks? Obviously we are all very concerned about defence right now, seems a great time to do that.

[DaveShoelace]

Big change - Stamp duty 3 percent higher on second homes and buy to let -

very centrist, going for labour centre left territory

apprenticeship levy + change to stamp duty gives you 4 billion, that nearly covers the tax credits U-turn

 

Good start.

Now make it 30% and then double it for good measure.

I've not really thought about it, and I imagine I'll agree with you when you tell me, but why is this so pleasing to you? Why do you think second homes and buy to lets should foot more of a stamp duty bill?

To dissuade people from buying houses they aren't going to live in, who are inflating the price of cheap housing so less people can afford to buy them.

Can't disagree with that, ty

[TightEnd]

Do we think the police budget thing today was a result of the Paris attacks? Obviously we are all very concerned about defence right now, seems a great time to do that.

how politically can you cut the police budget after Paris? you can't.

as it happens May hadn't settled with Osborne, so her hand became huge just before the river was dealt. after Paris, she was holding the (osborne's) nuts

even andy burnham was advocating only cutting it by 10% so it works all ways for osborne to hold it

[horseplayer]

Keep reading in this thread that Corbyn has had no effect and is a great thing for the tories
Why two massive u turns then?

[Jon MW]

Keep reading in this thread that Corbyn has had no effect and is a great thing for the tories
Why two massive u turns then?

He wasn't the one applying the pressure was he?

[MintTrav]

a few months ago i mentioned that Osborne may look to move to the centre to take the ground vacated by labour and freeze them out in electoral terms..it being the middle floating voter that you need to win

But it wasn't the Review he wanted. The reversals in policy on tax credits and police funding were forced on him.

And there are massive cuts in numerous areas.

well he can u-turn because a) its 4 years to the election and b) the opposition is unable to make much political capital from them, as they don't speak to most voters currently

as it was the OBR, which is independent, gave him favourable forecasts for tax receipts and growth that enabled him to reverse and afford it

in practice, as we all know, in a couple of years time these forecasts may be way off and he has still delivered the £12bn of cuts he was elected on

all smoke and mirrors, but politically masterful.

Yep. Robert Peston said banking the future receipts that may never happen was hypocritical but, as you say, it gets the job done in the meantime.

Think £12bn is just the welfare cuts - total cuts in the manifesto were £30bn.
  

[TightEnd]

Keep reading in this thread that Corbyn has had no effect and is a great thing for the tories
Why two massive u turns then?

because of a) Paris and b) the OBR forecasts

the tax credit u-turn was led by tory backbenchers and the lords.

because the opposition is so bad and the stage of the electoral cycle he can do both, one under the cover of Paris, and lose no political capital whatsoever

[Doobs]

Keep reading in this thread that Corbyn has had no effect and is a great thing for the tories
Why two massive u turns then?

Where have you been reading that?  I can't remember it.