| Rachel's message is clear then 08:33 - Nov 4 with 4307 views | bluelagos |
The economy is totally fcked and we're going to have to pay more in tax.
Thanks to all you Brexiteers for making it worse than it needed to be. Hope you all enjoy your blue passports.
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 10:57 - Nov 4 with 1012 views | lowhouseblue |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 10:42 - Nov 4 by J2BLUE |
She needs to be sacked. Bring in someone who actually has a clue.
Farage is in the news saying he could cut minimum wage for young people. Worse than that, he has repeated his claim that manifesto commitments are just "aspirations".
That's twice now, that I have seen, that he has said similar. Now he will be able to say at least I admit it unlike Labour who lied.
Reform just gain ground on a daily basis. I keep waiting for it to stop. For sanity to prevail but there is just no credible party to unite behind. The only hope is that Labour replace Starmer and Reeves, have a big giveaway budget before the next election and somehow find a way to stop the small boats.
It looks bleak. Especially if we have Trump in office (Bannon claims a plan is in place to let him run again) or another Republican on the more extreme side (Vance etc) who will openly back Farage. [Post edited 4 Nov 2025 11:50]
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in fairness the caerphilly by-election suggests that, even with their current level in the polls, reform won't get anywhere near a majority. the level of ruthless tactical voting to keep them out will be unprecedented. so what the current polls really suggest is an unpredictably hung parliament with reform at most at the current level of the lib dems. i don't know if that's at all reassuring. |  |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:05 - Nov 4 with 979 views | Steve_M |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 10:57 - Nov 4 by lowhouseblue |
in fairness the caerphilly by-election suggests that, even with their current level in the polls, reform won't get anywhere near a majority. the level of ruthless tactical voting to keep them out will be unprecedented. so what the current polls really suggest is an unpredictably hung parliament with reform at most at the current level of the lib dems. i don't know if that's at all reassuring. |
This is where we are nationally at the moment, you're right it isn't necessarily reassuring but there is also no imminent election.
Notable in today's YouGov that the centre/left bloc - Lab/Green/LD/SNP are on 54%. With Reform/Tories on 43%. That's the biggest differential in a long time.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment. — Sam Freedman (@samfr.bsky.social) 2025-11-04T10:23:18.757Z
Since the election almost all the vote movement has been within these blocs rather than between them. The centre/left bloc vote is rising because a lot of Lab24 voters who had been saying "don't know" are now saying "Green". — Sam Freedman (@samfr.bsky.social) 2025-11-04T10:50:40.755Z
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:14 - Nov 4 with 936 views | lowhouseblue |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:05 - Nov 4 by Steve_M |
This is where we are nationally at the moment, you're right it isn't necessarily reassuring but there is also no imminent election.
Notable in today's YouGov that the centre/left bloc - Lab/Green/LD/SNP are on 54%. With Reform/Tories on 43%. That's the biggest differential in a long time.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment. — Sam Freedman (@samfr.bsky.social) 2025-11-04T10:23:18.757Z
Since the election almost all the vote movement has been within these blocs rather than between them. The centre/left bloc vote is rising because a lot of Lab24 voters who had been saying "don't know" are now saying "Green". — Sam Freedman (@samfr.bsky.social) 2025-11-04T10:50:40.755Z
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i actually think it's more extreme than that - you'll also get tactical voting for the tories to keep reform out. | |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:15 - Nov 4 with 936 views | wkj |
Brexit, Covid and The prolonged terrorist attacks in Ukraine happening all in quick succession was never going to be good news for the economy, why Labour attempted to promise something that even a year 7 student could tell was impossible was beyond me, I had high hopes for this government, but clearly they are falling will short of that hope.
In any which case, they may as well start taking donations from Reform as they are doing a great job at handing them more power in a few years. |  |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:24 - Nov 4 with 902 views | Luk38644 |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:05 - Nov 4 by Steve_M |
This is where we are nationally at the moment, you're right it isn't necessarily reassuring but there is also no imminent election.
Notable in today's YouGov that the centre/left bloc - Lab/Green/LD/SNP are on 54%. With Reform/Tories on 43%. That's the biggest differential in a long time.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment. — Sam Freedman (@samfr.bsky.social) 2025-11-04T10:23:18.757Z
Since the election almost all the vote movement has been within these blocs rather than between them. The centre/left bloc vote is rising because a lot of Lab24 voters who had been saying "don't know" are now saying "Green". — Sam Freedman (@samfr.bsky.social) 2025-11-04T10:50:40.755Z
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A liberal coalition who can't agree on anything other than 'wE DoNt LiKe ReFoRm', that'll sort this mess out... |  | | |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:29 - Nov 4 with 878 views | BloomBlue |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 08:37 - Nov 4 by Herbivore |
Promising they wouldn't raise taxes was such a ridiculous manifesto pledge, the economic headwinds were against them and they knew it. If you want to fix a country that the Tories spent 14 years breaking it's going to cost money and you aren't going to suddenly grow a stagnant economy through nothing but hope and vibes. Labour have been a massive disappointment in many ways but arguably the biggest is in their capacity to continually score own goals by saying things they don't need to say and then having to backtrack on them. They were always going to win the last election, they'd have been better off being honest about the need to tax more to make the country better and get the economy going. They are hopeless at politics. |
The irony is, if she had increased tax at the last budget she probably had a better excuse. She could have argued they had been given incorrect data and the black hole was bigger which means they're having to increase taxes.
But she said it was bad, but she was going to fix it, and wouldn't break her manifesto pledge. However now we discover that black hole has increased by 50% in the last year.
But she's trying to blame the Tories again. Sorry but thats bullshlt, it's increased on your watch Rachel. |  | | |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:33 - Nov 4 with 870 views | Steve_M |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:24 - Nov 4 by Luk38644 |
A liberal coalition who can't agree on anything other than 'wE DoNt LiKe ReFoRm', that'll sort this mess out... |
You've paid attention to the 'success' of Reform in local government over the last few months I take it?
To repeat, there's no imminent election and a lot of time for those voting intentions to change several more times. | |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:40 - Nov 4 with 843 views | Radlett_blue |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:29 - Nov 4 by BloomBlue |
The irony is, if she had increased tax at the last budget she probably had a better excuse. She could have argued they had been given incorrect data and the black hole was bigger which means they're having to increase taxes.
But she said it was bad, but she was going to fix it, and wouldn't break her manifesto pledge. However now we discover that black hole has increased by 50% in the last year.
But she's trying to blame the Tories again. Sorry but thats bullshlt, it's increased on your watch Rachel. |
Labour is in a bit of a mess, partly of its own making. No government gets elected on the back of promising to increase taxes so I understood that, but they failed dismally to enact any benefit cuts so they are now in a hole. Increasing income tax would be the fairest way to improve public finances, coupled with cutting some of the middle class tax breaks like cash ISAs to try to placate the left wing.
However, don't let anyone kid themselves that the situation would be any better with the Tories, Reform or the LibDems in power. Most of the developed West faces the same issues and there are no simple solutions. |  |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:44 - Nov 4 with 833 views | mellowblue |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 09:11 - Nov 4 by Herbivore |
It's part of them having no real vision or principles. If you have those things, you can be positive in your messaging and try to drive the narrative. Instead, everything ends up being very reactive. They've spent most of their first year trying to head off Reform by being tough on immigration and the rest of the time blaming the Tories for everything. We know the Tories ruined the country, we want to know what you're going to do to fix it and what kind of country you want us to be. They haven't managed to sell that at all. And they have managed to be much tougher on immigration - or at least much more effective - than the Tories but that gets lost because they are never going to be able to go as far as the rabid right wingers want them to. But they're incapable of changing the script on anything so instead they look like they're bumbling about not really pleasing anyone. [Post edited 4 Nov 2025 9:31]
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The sad thing is they had 14 years to work out coherent strategies and clearly did not. More interested in working how to gain power rather than working on what to do when in power. |  | | |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:31 - Nov 4 with 775 views | Herbivore |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 10:30 - Nov 4 by Luk38644 |
It's clear to see why the polls are currently how they are - people are fed up up of Lab/Con and want a change, those on the left are going to Lib/Greens & those on the right to Reform.
Problem is, can we afford to wait another 3 1/2 years with this government? |
Did you miss the 14 years of Tory government that's led to the country being in this state? I don't rate Labour but even the most capable government isn't going to turn around 14 years of systematic neglect and incompetence in the space of 16 months. |  |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:33 - Nov 4 with 774 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:31 - Nov 4 by Herbivore |
Did you miss the 14 years of Tory government that's led to the country being in this state? I don't rate Labour but even the most capable government isn't going to turn around 14 years of systematic neglect and incompetence in the space of 16 months. |
Herbz, how were things under Cons before brexit and covid ?
I won't pretend i've looked into things much, but it seems like covid and brexit etc wasn;t allowed to be used to describe the uk money issues.. I've always thought that surely those two big events were the cause more than the party incharge at the time? |  |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:36 - Nov 4 with 766 views | giant_stow |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:24 - Nov 4 by Luk38644 |
A liberal coalition who can't agree on anything other than 'wE DoNt LiKe ReFoRm', that'll sort this mess out... |
Such a coalition might keep things from getting much worse. These people promise the moon a stick and blame immigrants for everything - they have no answers. |  |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:37 - Nov 4 with 761 views | HighgateBlue |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 08:37 - Nov 4 by Herbivore |
Promising they wouldn't raise taxes was such a ridiculous manifesto pledge, the economic headwinds were against them and they knew it. If you want to fix a country that the Tories spent 14 years breaking it's going to cost money and you aren't going to suddenly grow a stagnant economy through nothing but hope and vibes. Labour have been a massive disappointment in many ways but arguably the biggest is in their capacity to continually score own goals by saying things they don't need to say and then having to backtrack on them. They were always going to win the last election, they'd have been better off being honest about the need to tax more to make the country better and get the economy going. They are hopeless at politics. |
I completely, completely agree.
Wherever your politics are on the spectrum, promising not to raise taxes come what may is dishonest, foolish, sixth form politics. It made her make constrained, extreme decisions on some minor taxes last year, whilst asserting again that there wouldn't be more tax rises. And yet we're here again.
Be honest in the first place. If you're in favour of higher taxes, make the case, and then put a penny on income tax. Or two. Or five. Or five on the top rate. Whatever it may be. Just make the case and if you get elected, do it. We need honesty and we deserve honesty.
Whether I'm trying to improve my diet and exercise regime to ward to positively maintain and improve my health, or whether I require major heart surgery, I want honesty from doctors and advisers. Politicians of all colours would do well to act in a similar manner. |  | | |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:41 - Nov 4 with 742 views | Herbivore |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:33 - Nov 4 by FrimleyBlue |
Herbz, how were things under Cons before brexit and covid ?
I won't pretend i've looked into things much, but it seems like covid and brexit etc wasn;t allowed to be used to describe the uk money issues.. I've always thought that surely those two big events were the cause more than the party incharge at the time? |
We were a mess before then after years of austerity and a fairly weak recovery from the financial crash of 2009. Those issues made it worse but Brexit was of their own making so they can't use that as an excuse for the weak economy. | |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:45 - Nov 4 with 726 views | reusersfreekicks |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 10:55 - Nov 4 by Luk38644 |
Subjective.
Lots said that Labour was 'grown ups returning to Downing Street' and they'd regain control of finances, that certainly hasn't happened, even by their own admission hence upcoming further tax rises! |
If you really think Reform is the answer then you have the wrong question
Or maybe authoritarianism a la the states is the preference here
Remember brexit lies have helped tank the economy |  | | |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:48 - Nov 4 with 717 views | Radlett_blue |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:37 - Nov 4 by HighgateBlue |
I completely, completely agree.
Wherever your politics are on the spectrum, promising not to raise taxes come what may is dishonest, foolish, sixth form politics. It made her make constrained, extreme decisions on some minor taxes last year, whilst asserting again that there wouldn't be more tax rises. And yet we're here again.
Be honest in the first place. If you're in favour of higher taxes, make the case, and then put a penny on income tax. Or two. Or five. Or five on the top rate. Whatever it may be. Just make the case and if you get elected, do it. We need honesty and we deserve honesty.
Whether I'm trying to improve my diet and exercise regime to ward to positively maintain and improve my health, or whether I require major heart surgery, I want honesty from doctors and advisers. Politicians of all colours would do well to act in a similar manner. |
I agree 100%. Witness the disastrous Major government, which squeaked home in the 1992 General Election, largely because voters feared an incoming Labour government would increase taxes, while the Tories had pledged not to raise the standard rate of income tax. This left them in a bind, as public finances were a mess so Major squared the circle by introducing umpteen other tax increases, such as VAT on domestic fuel, a National Insurance increase, increases in excise duties & introducing a new insurance premium tax. He hoped the public wouldn't notice & while he had kept his Election pledge, the Tories were thrown out. | |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:58 - Nov 4 with 693 views | LeoMuff |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 10:37 - Nov 4 by Steve_M |
Luke, why do you think that the underlying fundamentals - limited growth, ageing population, are going to get better with a different government?
There aren't endless savings to be made by reducing benefits or billions to suddenly be found with a wealth tax and public services are largely fked. |
Heaven forbid Amazon, Google, meta, Cisco, apple etc might have to pay their fair share of tax. |  |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 13:28 - Nov 4 with 647 views | Steve_M |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:58 - Nov 4 by LeoMuff |
Heaven forbid Amazon, Google, meta, Cisco, apple etc might have to pay their fair share of tax. |
How do you hold them to that in a globalised world when the US government has made it abundantly clear that it it will back US companies over the rest of the world as long as they toady up to Trump.
It would be much better if they paid more, especially considering the immense damage several of those have done but it's not an easy win. Also, that's not a wealth tax. | |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 13:50 - Nov 4 with 604 views | JakeITFC |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 11:05 - Nov 4 by Steve_M |
This is where we are nationally at the moment, you're right it isn't necessarily reassuring but there is also no imminent election.
Notable in today's YouGov that the centre/left bloc - Lab/Green/LD/SNP are on 54%. With Reform/Tories on 43%. That's the biggest differential in a long time.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment. — Sam Freedman (@samfr.bsky.social) 2025-11-04T10:23:18.757Z
Since the election almost all the vote movement has been within these blocs rather than between them. The centre/left bloc vote is rising because a lot of Lab24 voters who had been saying "don't know" are now saying "Green". — Sam Freedman (@samfr.bsky.social) 2025-11-04T10:50:40.755Z
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The winds of change seem to be that Net Zero and associated green policies maybe back on the policy block soon - I think the Greens could make significant inroads in that space (being an obvious strength of theirs).
The alternative obviously quite scary. |  | | |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 13:56 - Nov 4 with 585 views | Churchman |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 10:42 - Nov 4 by J2BLUE |
She needs to be sacked. Bring in someone who actually has a clue.
Farage is in the news saying he could cut minimum wage for young people. Worse than that, he has repeated his claim that manifesto commitments are just "aspirations".
That's twice now, that I have seen, that he has said similar. Now he will be able to say at least I admit it unlike Labour who lied.
Reform just gain ground on a daily basis. I keep waiting for it to stop. For sanity to prevail but there is just no credible party to unite behind. The only hope is that Labour replace Starmer and Reeves, have a big giveaway budget before the next election and somehow find a way to stop the small boats.
It looks bleak. Especially if we have Trump in office (Bannon claims a plan is in place to let him run again) or another Republican on the more extreme side (Vance etc) who will openly back Farage. [Post edited 4 Nov 2025 11:50]
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Spot on J2. Farage and the gang live off simple messages that people understand. Since they are not in power, it’s easy to trot out any old rubbish or as they are doing mirror wrecking ball Trump on a tinpot tiny country scale.
However, compare that to a bit of Reeves simpering diet of promises and lies that I heard on the radio coming up to Suffolk this morning and you can see why to the simpletons, Farage’s crazy people are attractive.
His policy re mass immigration will be simple and easy to understand. Is Labour or the Tories’? One lot promised to return a few to Ruanda at a cost of millions. Ludicrous. The other ‘smash the people trafficking gangs’. Oh yeah? How? These are sophisticated well funded operations managed from abroad and supported quietly by the likes of Germany and France. Everyone knows the likes of multi millionaire Starmer isn’t the least bit interested any more than Roland Rat Rishi was.
As for Trump, he will be re-elected. Or one of his puppets. There’s a lot of dark years ahead for America. And worse here unless Starmer and his merry crew start actually doing something beyond playing the blame game and enjoying the free stuff.
God I hope the footballers cheer me up. |  | | |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 15:04 - Nov 4 with 524 views | reusersfreekicks |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 13:56 - Nov 4 by Churchman |
Spot on J2. Farage and the gang live off simple messages that people understand. Since they are not in power, it’s easy to trot out any old rubbish or as they are doing mirror wrecking ball Trump on a tinpot tiny country scale.
However, compare that to a bit of Reeves simpering diet of promises and lies that I heard on the radio coming up to Suffolk this morning and you can see why to the simpletons, Farage’s crazy people are attractive.
His policy re mass immigration will be simple and easy to understand. Is Labour or the Tories’? One lot promised to return a few to Ruanda at a cost of millions. Ludicrous. The other ‘smash the people trafficking gangs’. Oh yeah? How? These are sophisticated well funded operations managed from abroad and supported quietly by the likes of Germany and France. Everyone knows the likes of multi millionaire Starmer isn’t the least bit interested any more than Roland Rat Rishi was.
As for Trump, he will be re-elected. Or one of his puppets. There’s a lot of dark years ahead for America. And worse here unless Starmer and his merry crew start actually doing something beyond playing the blame game and enjoying the free stuff.
God I hope the footballers cheer me up. |
Starmer is a multi multi millionaire? | | | |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 15:22 - Nov 4 with 495 views | Churchman |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 15:04 - Nov 4 by reusersfreekicks |
Starmer is a multi multi millionaire? |
I think I offered only the one multi. According to the internet (hardly the most reliable source) Starmer is worth between £7m and £15m. | | | |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 15:25 - Nov 4 with 493 views | JammyDodgerrr |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 10:42 - Nov 4 by J2BLUE |
She needs to be sacked. Bring in someone who actually has a clue.
Farage is in the news saying he could cut minimum wage for young people. Worse than that, he has repeated his claim that manifesto commitments are just "aspirations".
That's twice now, that I have seen, that he has said similar. Now he will be able to say at least I admit it unlike Labour who lied.
Reform just gain ground on a daily basis. I keep waiting for it to stop. For sanity to prevail but there is just no credible party to unite behind. The only hope is that Labour replace Starmer and Reeves, have a big giveaway budget before the next election and somehow find a way to stop the small boats.
It looks bleak. Especially if we have Trump in office (Bannon claims a plan is in place to let him run again) or another Republican on the more extreme side (Vance etc) who will openly back Farage. [Post edited 4 Nov 2025 11:50]
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The "silent majority" will do enough to keep reform out, we will end up with a coalition government next time around, for sure. Plus it's another 3 years or so away, Farage cannot keep up this act for that long. The councils reform are running are already imploding, his mask keep slipping and he keeps making comments like calling a professional journalist "love" or his ridiculous minimum wage comment yesterday.
Heck, even his "new economic policy" is just what Labour are doing. It won't be sustainable for them, of that I am confident. |  |
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| Rachel's message is clear then on 15:29 - Nov 4 with 490 views | mellowblue |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 12:41 - Nov 4 by Herbivore |
We were a mess before then after years of austerity and a fairly weak recovery from the financial crash of 2009. Those issues made it worse but Brexit was of their own making so they can't use that as an excuse for the weak economy. |
Certainly read the runes wrongly when they agreed to the referendum. Were confident the answer would be to remain. Got it completely wrong. Tories did inherit a mess in 2010. Total public and private indebtedness was at an all time high. | | | |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 17:06 - Nov 4 with 425 views | Herbivore |
| Rachel's message is clear then on 15:29 - Nov 4 by mellowblue |
Certainly read the runes wrongly when they agreed to the referendum. Were confident the answer would be to remain. Got it completely wrong. Tories did inherit a mess in 2010. Total public and private indebtedness was at an all time high. |
But they then had a decade of record low interest rates during which they could have borrowed to invest and actually stimulated a proper recovery. Instead the economy and wages stagnated so people felt poorer, they decimated public services, and spent years working on a damaging Brexit rather than actually making the country a better place to live. Labour have inherited a cracking mess as well and people are on their backs (mainly, though not always, with some justification) after 16 months of not turning things around. The Tories had 14 years and left us in a bigger mess than they found us. | |
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