Whoever wins the next election is going to need to make some very tough decisions. The country cannot carry on as it is.

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised to see Labour hand it to Reform. Reform would then be 'the bad boys' for doing what Labour wouldn't do. No doubt Reform would be ousted after one term because of their difficult decisions, but also because the 'establishment' would deliberately obstruct them, just as it did with the BREXIT negotiations.

I'm sure St. Nigel will make it all better when Reform win the next general election.

Always the tax-paying majority. But I suspect that Burnham will soon hit a wall of resistance!

Regional Mayors are going to get a share of income takings: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxep7nn66go

I wonder where the government's going to pinch the money from to pay for it (taxpayers, no doubt).

Ultimately, we (the working public) always pay.

What happens when there are no more workers to feed the sponging masses encouraged by Labour? - Oh, they haven't thought about that!

I don't really remember much about it, but it was apparently a lot fairer.

Something else we'll be paying for in the near future: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article- ... e-off.html

You can bet your life that it won't be in our interest.

I was actually in favour of Maggie's poll tax. I thought it was quite a reasonable way of looking at things. Had she adopted a slightly different approach to those unemployed, I think it could have worked well. However, as usual, the vocal and often violent lefties spoiled things.

He's talking about reforming property tax now. We'll all end up paying more: https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/bu ... aul-63187/

I think it's a basic human failing. We're all narcissistic to a degree. Self-preservation is a very strong instinct.

Something I've realised over the years, it's always self interest over the 'cause'.

I lived through it, Lex.

I remember going to a union meeting at a local pub (late 70s), and was greeted with the phrase, "Good evening comrade!" The few members that had turned up were redder than a baboon's ar$e, politically. It was at that meeting that I understood why such silly and unrepresentative policies were being passed down to the rank and file.

Oddly enough, a few weeks later, the union (EETPU) were the very first to go with private health care, something I disagreed with.

I left my employment and went to work at a non union establishment. I tried to resign my union membership and they refused! I stopped paying my dues and was expelled after about 2 years!

I have never joined another union since.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti union, they have done a lot of good in the past. However, the members (all of them) need to take an active interest and participate or the looney fringes will take control.

Here we go. Phrases from my very young days come to mind - 'Looney Left', 'Militant Labour' etc.

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article- ... armer.html

Sickening for those amongst us who have any scruples and are not work-shy!

Looks like more tax rises are likely: https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/bu ... ews-62991/

A lot of people are rapidly coming to that conclusion, Lex.

I remember back in the 80s having similar discussions. Why bother working and grafting when you can sit on your lazy ar$e all day and be as well off?

I was discussing this with some friends in the pub this evening - we concluded that it's not worth trying to improve your lot in life.