Living standards this decade are "the worst since the last war" and the outlook for wages is dreadful, independent economists have said. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said workers would earn less in real wages in 2021 than they did in 2008. Other analysis shows the biggest losers between now and 2020 will be lower income families, with the poorest third likely to see incomes drop. ... "This has, for sure, been the worst decade for living standards certainly since the last war and probably since the 1920s," said Paul Johnson, director of the IFS. "We have seen no increase in average incomes so far and it does not look like we are going to get much of an increase over the next four or five years either." 'Dreadful' The "outlook for living standards and for the public finances has deteriorated pretty sharply over the last nine months", he added. Real average earnings - which factor in the rising cost of living - were forecast to rise by less than 5% between now and 2021. That forecast is 3.7% lower than was projected in March. "Half of the wage growth projected for the next five years back in March is not now projected to happen. On these projections real wages will, remarkably, still be below their 2008 levels in 2021," Mr Johnson said. "One cannot stress enough how dreadful that is - more than a decade without real earnings growth. We have certainly not seen a period remotely like it in the last 70 years." More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38090977
All down to the austerity policies of the government which was supposed to restore the budget surplus by 2020, and which they have now admitted defeat on. So all that pain was for absolutely nothing. Thanks guys.
http://news.sky.com/story/bnp-donations-outstrip-ukip-electoral-commission-figures-show-10670055 BNP numbers rising since Brexit or so they claim.
Serious question. Do you honestly believe that a Government, where the majority party is dependent on donations from rich people/corporations, who we are led to believe play fast and loose with the tax laws in order to reduce their tax payments, will actually tackle tax evasion with any real effort, knowing that they could lose future party donations?
Frankly yes I do.......indeed they may want and need to rely on the large corporations for donations. As do everyone of political parties. You wouldn't think the Labour Party would get donations from some corporations after their threat to privatise them, but they do. A lot of the tax dodgers have been brought to justice over the last couple of years and a few more are in the throws of having to pay tax to our government. I would also argue that Most of the large corporations that contribute to the various political parties do pay their share of the tax. It must anger them that others do not. So I do not believe any of the political parties would accept donations as a way of letting people off paying their tax. I would also add that it is not the big corporations that vote governments in it is the people of this country. We may not agree on the politics of the party in power but they are there because they got the majority seats.
In a few years we might regress to the Tory holy grail of "back to Victorian values" with slums and workhouses and the rich taking tours to point and laugh at the poor.
I was born and raised with the adage that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer under a Tory government and unfortunately it seems more true by the day. I try to be agnostic with religion and neutral with politics but it's becoming increasingly difficult with the policies that the Tory government are implementing.
Glancing through the BBC website, I see that Andy Murray is being talked about as being a possible candidate for a knight of the realm. I think we can all acknowledge what a wonderful athlete he is in general, a superb tennis player in particular, leading GB to a rare Davis Cup win and of course winning another GS and the Olympic gold. As things stand, he is well rewarded financially and given the respect by the watching public. However, I do detect that even he is a little embarassed by the suggestion so I would not give him a knighthood. Neither would I give it to any sporting or show business person either. The people who really deserve one are our brave fire-fighters, our doctors and nurses who stitch up patients at the weekend, our train drivers and other people who work unsocial hours.
List of who can now see your internet browsing history, due to new bill. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...-a7436251.html Metropolitan police force City of London police force Police forces maintained under section 2 of the Police Act 1996 Police Service of Scotland Police Service of Northern Ireland British Transport Police Ministry of Defence Police Royal Navy Police Royal Military Police Royal Air Force Police Security Service Secret Intelligence Service GCHQ Ministry of Defence Department of Health Home Office Ministry of Justice National Crime Agency HM Revenue & Customs Department for Transport Department for Work and Pensions NHS trusts and foundation trusts in England that provide ambulance services Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service Competition and Markets Authority Criminal Cases Review Commission Department for Communities in Northern Ireland Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland Department of Justice in Northern Ireland Financial Conduct Authority Fire and rescue authorities under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 Food Standards Agency Food Standards Scotland Gambling Commission Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority Health and Safety Executive Independent Police Complaints Commissioner Information Commissioner NHS Business Services Authority Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Regional Business Services Organisation Office of Communications Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland Police Investigations and Review Commissioner Scottish Ambulance Service Board Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission Serious Fraud Office Welsh Ambulance Services National Health Service Trust Petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/173199
The lid has been prised off by Brexit. I'm bound to say that some of us knew that this was going to be one of the repercussions of that vote. As I mentioned at the time - huge step to the right wing by the ordinary working class. That's what an ill-informed decision does for you.
I don't think you can say that actually. The story is mainly about donations. It says the BNP received one single bequest of £94K in someone's will. That's it, one person. It's possible that person changed their will after the referendum but the story also says the BNP have received £1m in the last five years so I don't think you can say that's anything to do with Brexit. The real story is the lack of funding for UKIP now that Arron Banks seems to have withdrawn his support. That may be the beginning of the end for UKIP. They're certainly doing their best to destroy themselves.
OK. Don't get religion, get political! I heard Alan Bennett describing how Thatcher made him become politically active. If this lot's diet of cuts and austerity leading to lower growth doesn't get people going then it's time to put up the CLOSED sign on the concept of a healthy democracy.
