[Cherie]

Fuel allowance will be means tested...

Manifesto measures include:
Balancing the budget by 2025....was this supposed to happen by 2020
No increase in VAT - but scrapping a 2015 election pledge not to raise income tax or National Insurance broken promise
Increasing the national living wage to 60% of the median earnings by 2020
Restating the commitment to bring net immigration down to tens of thousands a year ...she didn't achieve this as Home Sec and wont now
Increasing NHS spending by a minimum of £8bn in real terms over the next five years
A pledge that a referendum on Scottish independence cannot take place until the Brexit process is completed
Scrapping winter fuel payments to better-off pensioners - at the moment, all pensioners qualify for one-off payments of between £100 and £300 each winter
A reduction of the so-called "triple lock" on pensions to a "double lock" with the state pension to rise by the higher of average earnings or inflation - but to no longer go up by 2.5% if they are both lower than that
An extra £4bn on schools in England by 2022 - partly funded by an end to the current provision of free school lunches for all infant pupils in England
Scrapping the ban on setting up new grammar schools
Measures on immigration, including asking firms to pay more to hire migrant workers, who will in turn be asked to pay more to use the NHS

[smudgie]

I suppose it depends what they mean by well off pensioners.
Perhaps anyone with a private pension as well, or will any other benefits be taken into account, such as PIP or similar?
I am all for it.

[Niamh.]

hhhmm if people saved harder all through their lives to get themselves a better pension is it really fair to take some of that back from them by doing this?

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

hhhmm if people saved harder all through their lives to get themselves a better pension is it really fair to take some of that back from them by doing this?

Yes.
They won't be taking any of your pension, but will have more in the pot for those that really do need it.
Many pensioners have no need of it
I certainly will be very happy to let the people that really need it have it.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by smudgie

Yes.
They won't be taking any of your pension, but will have more in the pot for those that really do need it.
Many pensioners have no need of it
I certainly will be very happy to let the people that really need it have it.

I disagree. It's little incentive to work hard in life

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I disagree. It's little incentive to work hard in life

Fair enough.
I just don't personally feel happy about having a winter fuel pay out if we can manage without one, whereas many families who are struggling don't get it.

[Tozzie]

Originally Posted by smudgie

Fair enough.
I just don't personally feel happy about having a winter fuel pay out if we can manage without one, whereas many families who are struggling don't get it.

My dad has a little savings and I'm all for him having the winter fuel allowance, he's worked hard all his life, paid his taxes and national insurance so its right the government should give him back some of what they took over the years. His few savings makes him feel secure and if not for the winter fuel allowance he would have to dig into them.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I disagree. It's little incentive to work hard in life

I agree, it will be interesting to see what the cut off point will be before considered "wealthy"

If I hear May say this is for "ordinary people" one more time I think I will scream and scream and scream, stop being so bloody patronising with your Mayisms

[Jack_]

Conservatives 2010: 'We'll balance the budget by 2015'

Conservatives 2015: 'We'll balance the budget by 2020'

Conservatives 2017: 'We'll balance the budget by 2025'

And people think they're the party of economic competence...give me a ****ing break

Scrapping free school meals, a 'living' wage that isn't actually a living wage, more grammar schools, a free vote on fox hunting, more workers rights that are irrelevant when employment tribunal fees are unaffordable, etc etc. I can't believe people are going to vote for this ****, it's disgusting

[Loukas]

Originally Posted by Jack_

Conservatives 2010: 'We'll balance the budget by 2015'

Conservatives 2015: 'We'll balance the budget by 2020'

Conservatives 2017: 'We'll balance the budget by 2025'

And people think they're the party of economic competence...give me a ****ing break

Scrapping free school meals, a 'living' wage that isn't actually a living wage, more grammar schools, a free vote on fox hunting, more workers rights that are irrelevant when employment tribunal fees are unaffordable, etc etc. I can't believe people are going to vote for this ****, it's disgusting

couldn't agree more

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Jack_

Conservatives 2010: 'We'll balance the budget by 2015'

Conservatives 2015: 'We'll balance the budget by 2020'

Conservatives 2017: 'We'll balance the budget by 2025'

And people think they're the party of economic competence...give me a ****ing break

Scrapping free school meals, a 'living' wage that isn't actually a living wage, more grammar schools, a free vote on fox hunting, more workers rights that are irrelevant when employment tribunal fees are unaffordable, etc etc. I can't believe people are going to vote for this ****, it's disgusting

You couldn't make it up Honestly.

That promise of clearing the deficit by 2015 in 2010 now being extended to 2025 is an absolute disgrace.
The argument for all the austerity from 2010 was stated as being vital to clearing that deficit in 2015.

It's like the other card she is playing again now too that she has failed on massively herself since 2010.
The immigration card she plays again here as to getting it to tens of thousands.
She'll need to stop students coming then as they make up a number higher than that themselves.

No other party would get away with conning voters like this.
None.

[jaxie]

Originally Posted by Jack_

Conservatives 2010: 'We'll balance the budget by 2015'

Conservatives 2015: 'We'll balance the budget by 2020'

Conservatives 2017: 'We'll balance the budget by 2025'

And people think they're the party of economic competence...give me a ****ing break

Scrapping free school meals, a 'living' wage that isn't actually a living wage, more grammar schools, a free vote on fox hunting, more workers rights that are irrelevant when employment tribunal fees are unaffordable, etc etc. I can't believe people are going to vote for this ****, it's disgusting

Giving children a breakfast is actually more beneficial because more actual learning is done in the morning and hungry children don't concentrate. I saw on the news they are doing something re breakfasts. Being realistic there are few families who can't manage a sandwich for lunch.

Grammar schools allow poor children from council estates to have a better chance at education if they are bright. Anyone who says otherwise has never been a poor bright child.

Why would anyone complain about being given more rights at work?

Re the budget deficit you can thank Labour for the ongoing mess.

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by jaxie

Giving children a breakfast is actually more beneficial because more actual learning is done in the morning and hungry children don't concentrate. I saw on the news they are doing something re breakfasts. Being realistic there are few families who can't manage a sandwich for lunch.

Re the budget deficit you can thank Labour for the ongoing mess.

Yes, and they are not scrapping free school meals, only scrapping the freebies for them that don't need them.

[joeysteele]

I agree with the idea but means testing is also often an expensive exercise.
The detail will be more revealing than the policy as it stands.

Is the means testing as to savings, being on pension credit,both grades, linked to sickness and disability.

It could well be,not done right and this govt. has a deplorable record of getting benefit changes wrong.
This could mean those who do really need it,will be losing it.

I hope she and her Party are really heavily pressed on this to reveal how they will means test it.
Pensioners should be concerned at the lack of detail.

[reece(:]

Should be targeting rich corporation not pensioners. Aren't pensioners pretty much the heart of tory votes as well

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by reece(:

Should be targeting rich corporation not pensioners. Aren't pensioners pretty much the heart of tory votes as well

Don't bite the hand that feeds you?

[Jack_]

Originally Posted by reece(:

Should be targeting rich corporation not pensioners. Aren't pensioners pretty much the heart of tory votes as well

This is what I find so bizarre about this election, generally speaking the Tories are considered the party of less taxes, Labour more, the Tories better for pensioners while Labour aren't, and yet based on policies it's actually the other way round this time...but she's still going to win turkeys voting for Christmas springs to mind

[user104658]

Originally Posted by reece(:

Should be targeting rich corporation not pensioners. Aren't pensioners pretty much the heart of tory votes as well

It's got to the point where they enjoy it, though. Tory voters have started to get so hard for cruel austerity measures that even if it's directed at them, they stll absolutely love every minute of it. "Yes! Yes Mummy Tory! Take more! I am but a pitiful wretch and I deserve nothing but bread and drippings, take it all."

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

It's got to the point where they enjoy it, though. Tory voters have started to get so hard for cruel austerity measures that even if it's directed at them, they stll absolutely love every minute of it. "Yes! Yes Mummy Tory! Take more! I am but a pitiful wretch and I deserve nothing but bread and drippings, take it all."

Sigh...

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

It's got to the point where they enjoy it, though. Tory voters have started to get so hard for cruel austerity measures that even if it's directed at them, they stll absolutely love every minute of it. "Yes! Yes Mummy Tory! Take more! I am but a pitiful wretch and I deserve nothing but bread and drippings, take it all."

I love bread and dripping.

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by Alf

I love bread and dripping.

Yummy, pork dripping from the butchers, spread on bread.
All that jelly at the bottom as well.
Loved it.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

It's got to the point where they enjoy it, though. Tory voters have started to get so hard for cruel austerity measures that even if it's directed at them, they stll absolutely love every minute of it. "Yes! Yes Mummy Tory! Take more! I am but a pitiful wretch and I deserve nothing but bread and drippings, take it all."

Originally Posted by Alf

I love bread and dripping.

I'm the dripping.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by reece(:

Should be targeting rich corporation not pensioners. Aren't pensioners pretty much the heart of tory votes as well

Yes, they are.

This is just like the Tories... they continue to alienate their core vote. It's hard to try to imagine what they hope to achieve.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Livia

Yes, they are.

This is just like the Tories... they continue to alienate their core vote. It's hard to try to imagine what they hope to achieve.

Well Livia at least they are telling us the truth and not filling us with pipe dreams of a perfect Utopia that will never happen, this is one reason I like them,they dont tell people what they want to hear,they don't curry favour with the public, not everything can be sweet for everyone.

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Kazanne

Well Livia at least they are telling us the truth and not filling us with pipe dreams of a perfect Utopia that will never happen, this is one reason I like them,they dont tell people what they want to hear,they don't curry favour with the public, not everything can be sweet for everyone.

I don't know any party promising Utopia.
Labour are predicting really bad things if some things aren't addressed.

We have no detail on how they intend to stop these fuel payments or the means testing they may use.
Which may have people who really need it to slip through the safety net.

Do you know the detail.
It's not in the manifesto or do the Cons just have to day something for it to be right and everyone else wrong.

This policy,like many others such as the bedroom charge,may end up costing to more to implement than the cost now.
I bet the Cons aren't scrutinised and challenged the way Labour, Lib Dems and other Parties are as to the finer detail.

No wonder May won't do any real challenging debates.