Starmer’s chronicles

[jfman]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...isabled-people

Potential u-turn on benefit cuts as it seems that when George Osborne thinks it's a bad idea that's the limit for Starmer's 'centre-left' Government.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by jfman

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...isabled-people

Potential u-turn on benefit cuts as it seems that when George Osborne thinks it's a bad idea that's the limit for Starmer's 'centre-left' Government.

yes even the new nasty party have standards, extremely low standards but they are standards.

[peanut]

Well I'm sure we'll find out tomorrow what their plans are for PIP etc.

I'm totally on the fence with Streeting stating "Mental health conditions are overdiagnosed".

See a GP and say you're feeling a bit down and a bit miserable, or have a bit of anxiety and within minutes you'll probably be prescribed some kind of antidepressant. From there on you're good to go to claim that you have a mental health issue. And from there you could claim on that basis. That's an issue that needs to be dealt with.

But there do need to be a different approach. Sadly to get help or a proper diagnosis isn't so straight forward.

Still, we'll see how things go, but any big changes and Labour will not last long, they've got to be careful with this or else...

[jfman]

Originally Posted by peanut

Well I'm sure we'll find out tomorrow what their plans are for PIP etc.

I'm totally on the fence with Streeting stating "Mental health conditions are overdiagnosed".

See a GP and say you're feeling a bit down and a bit miserable, or have a bit of anxiety and within minutes you'll probably be prescribed some kind of antidepressant. From there on you're good to go to claim that you have a mental health issue. And from there you could claim on that basis. That's an issue that needs to be dealt with.

But there do need to be a different approach. Sadly to get help or a proper diagnosis isn't so straight forward.

Still, we'll see how things go, but any big changes and Labour will not last long, they've got to be careful with this or else...

A diagnosis is one thing however demostrating in a PIP assessment that you need support with mobility or daily living activities to the extent you qualify for even the lower rates is far from straightforward.

This is a long and well trodden path for the DWP where replacing incapacity benefit with employment and support allowance, and replacing disability living allowance with personal independence payment, resulted in years of processing appeals where at the peaks DWP decisions were being overturned 80-90% of the time at tribunals.

[Pierre]

We truly are the sick people of Europe, it’s a joke.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Pierre

We truly are the sick people of Europe, it’s a joke.

That's true. But we're also set for the highest growth rate of all G7 nations except for the US. Funny old world!

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

That's true. But we're also set for the highest growth rate of all G7 nations except for the US. Funny old world!

where did that fantasy come from?

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

That's true. But we're also set for the highest growth rate of all G7 nations except for the US. Funny old world!

That was before Labour took over, wasn’t it?

In any event, please show your working out

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Pierre

That was before Labour took over, wasn’t it?

In any event, please show your working out

I know, I found it hard to believe but here it is. It's a forecast so won't have occurred under the previous government.

Growth forecasts for the biggest three Eurozone economies have been trimmed, with the currency area predicted to expand by 1 per cent in 2025 and 1.2 per cent in 2026. UK growth forecasts were cut to 1.4 per cent this year and 1.2 per cent in 2026.

Despite Trump’s imposition of 20 per cent additional tariffs on China, the OECD lifted the Asian country’s outlook for 2025, with growth tipped to be 4.8 per cent, followed by 4.4 per cent in 2026.

By contrast, the growth forecast for Japan was curbed by 0.4 percentage points to 1.1 per cent this year, and India’s growth will be half a point lower than previously predicted at 6.4 per cent.

https://www.ft.com/content/a5ef2443-...3-1e28e4f8c5b6

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

I know, I found it hard to believe but here it is. It's a forecast so won't have occurred under the previous government.

Link to the source?

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Pierre

Link to the source?

https://www.ft.com/content/a5ef2443-...3-1e28e4f8c5b6

I've also saved you a bit of Googling and dug out the original report for you. See page 6.
https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oec...march-2025.pdf

The predictions didnt do so well in January ...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly3mdlk70no

The UK economy shrank unexpectedly in January, in a blow to the government ahead of its Spring Statement later this month.

The economy contracted by 0.1%, which was weaker than forecast, driven mainly by a decline in the manufacturing sector.

Yeah, it's hard to see where we're getting any growth from.

Cutting benefits, increasing taxes and not spending anything (other than defence and health to be fair) is hardly a recipe for growth.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Damien

Yeah, it's hard to see where we're getting any growth from.

Cutting benefits, increasing taxes and not spending anything (other than defence and health to be fair) is hardly a recipe for growth.

AI is a boom area and is also spurring recruitment in law firms and other professional services firms of people who can apply it in those contexts.
Opportunities in green energy continue.
Closer alignment with the EU single market to cut the cost of exporting there is an opportunity.
And we can potentially take advantage of any increased taxes on spirit exports to the USA from the EU.

Against this, we have the global uncertainty driven by Trump and the April employer's hike in NI.

[jfman]

AI boom is a misnomer. If it works it’s going to be because it’s cost effective and eliminates jobs in the long run.