Thursday 27th March 2025

[refitman]

Morning all.

[refitman]

Starting the day with a flat battery. Awesome.

[refitman]

Like a lead balloon

[Frog222]

Thanks so much to SKY for explaining last night why he is going away for a few days .

[gilsey]

Reeves offering hostages to fortune this am.

On Times radio she declared that there'll be no need for tax rises in the autumn because "there are loads of things that this government are doing that are contributing to growth".


Sky news:

Asked about the DWP analysis saying the benefit cuts will push another 250,000 people into poverty, Reeves said this would not happen, because that analysis did not take account of the impact of more people getting into work.
I am absolutely certain that our reforms, instead of pushing people into poverty, are going to get people into work.

Absolutely certain.


Toady:

Q: You have a tiny amount of headroom. So you might be back for more tax rises or spending cuts.

Reeves says there are always risks.

But she says her policies will promote growth.

She repeats the point she made in her statement yesterday about the OBR saying families will be £500 a year better off by the end of this parliament.

Q: The Resolution Foundation says lower income families will be £500 a year worse off.

Reeves says the OBR had plenty of time to consider the plans properly, implying its verdict is more reliable.

Don't have time for Nick Robinson usually but stopped clock and all that.

Robinson ended with a broad-brush question.

You came into the job promising change – one word on the Labour manifesto. Was it our mistake not to understand that change under Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, meant cuts for benefits for the poorest, cuts to pensioners’ winter fuel allowance, cuts to overseas aid, a squeeze on public spending, a huge new tax rise on jobs, large scale redundancies amongst public officials, and big increases in the council tax. Is that what change meant.

And Reeves replied with a broad-brush answer defending her record.

NHS waiting lists down for five months, rolling out free breakfast clubs in primary schools, the national living wage going up by £1,400 pounds from next week, 2.5% of GDP spent on defence, including £2.2bn pounds invested next year, record housebuilding, the highest level of housebuilding for 40 years. That’s the change that we promised, that’s the change that we are delivering.

[refitman]

[Frog222]

Two weeks is a long time in NATO ...

[Frog222]

I still haven't finished his book .
A very difficult read .

[Frog222]

" Moving on. What about Donald Trump and the overnight car tariffs? Now the desperation turned to something close to panic. Nick had dared to mention He Who Cannot Be Named. She crossed herself as a precaution. No one in government was allowed to say anything that might offend the Sun-Bed God. Trump was to be praised for his great wisdom at all times. He could do no wrong. Even when he moved in mysterious ways. "

I liked Crace's "Sun-Bed God" , but doesn't his 'tan' come from a bottle ?