The 2024 UK General Election - news, speculation and updates

[Bahnhof Strasse]

VAT on private school fees is something of a niche issue, the parents at the superduper expensive ones won't notice it, those at the more hoi polloi ones will but there aren't a great many of those I suspect as a percentage of the total population.
It's not really going to enrage the masses, people complaining about having to cut back to afford school fees aren't really going to get a lot of sympathy from people having to cut back to pay the rent.

Just reply to anyone who whinges that you’re more concerned for the education of the 93% of kids whose parents feel their kids are capable enough to get by in life without their parents trying to purchase an advantage for them.

 

[bemused]

Rishi Sunak aide placed bet on election date days before announcement

Exclusive: £100 bet placed in Montgomeryshire – the constituency of Craig Williams – over July poll

www.theguardian.com

Shady fuckers.

 

[Elpenor]

According to my 'current' MP (a Tory), 1 in 4 pupils in Surrey go to an independent school.

ETA: Looking at Surrey County Council data from 2022 they reckoned it was just under 1 in 5 back then.

That may mean there’s a lot of independent schools many of which will have boarders from all over the country / world who are schooled but may not ordinarily reside in Surrey?

 

[tim]

Different person. Your Oxford Labour Andrew Smith is in his 70s now, the Rejoin one in his late 50s.

I find it difficult to believe that there are two people called Andrew Smith.

 

[bluescreen]

View attachment 428647

I didn't realise Starmer was working class. What did his father do?

 

[brogdale]

I didn't realise Starmer was working class. What did his father do?

didn't drive a bus...surprisingly

 

[A380]

I wonder how many Labour and Lib Dem candidates stood in what were no hope seats and are now a little bit worried they might get elected...

 

[A380]

I didn't realise Starmer was working class. What did his father do?

Toolmaker, apparently.

 

[planetgeli]

Toolmaker, apparently.

How do you know that?

 

[xenon]

didn't drive a bus...surprisingly

But his son will drive a coach and horses through the lives and aspirations of ordinary hard working famlies, amiright.

 

[A380]

How do you know that?

!
He’s mentioned it once or twice… I mean he doesn’t go on and on and on about it….

 

[agricola]

VAT on private school fees is something of a niche issue, the parents at the superduper expensive ones won't notice it, those at the more hoi polloi ones will but there aren't a great many of those I suspect as a percentage of the total population.
It's not really going to enrage the masses, people complaining about having to cut back to afford school fees aren't really going to get a lot of sympathy from people having to cut back to pay the rent.

It is more daft policy than it sounds - there are a lot of forces kids in private school (and not just officer's kids, NCOs as well) and the government currently pays the overwhelming majority of the fees. If they win, Labour will find themselves spending quite a bit more on that than they did before, unless the plan is to scrap that as well.

Many of these kids are or would be all in the same parts of the country too (eg: Lincolnshire) where there is a lot of pressure on school places, and where the better state schools have already developed really quite brutal selection processes that forces kids are seriously disadvantaged by (given that they are often attending primary schools at various bases because of parents moving around).

 

[Cloo]

Only two and a half weeks until we get rid of the fuckers.

 

[Pickman's model]

Only two and a half weeks until we get rid of the fuckers.

Sadly we'll be left with 643 wankers in the commons. Unless eg Andrew feinstein wins

 

[xenon]

Toolmaker, apparently.

You're making it up. He would have mentioned it.

 

[planetgeli]

!
He’s mentioned it once or twice… I mean he doesn’t go on and on and on about it….

Yes, but how do you stay interested enough to listen to the end of his sentences?

 

[cupid_stunt]

Toolmaker, apparently.

He kept that under his hat.

 

[planetgeli]

Only two and a half weeks until we get rid of the fuckers.

Spymaster maths?

 

[lazythursday]

It is more daft policy than it sounds - there are a lot of forces kids in private school (and not just officer's kids, NCOs as well) and the government currently pays the overwhelming majority of the fees. If they win, Labour will find themselves spending quite a bit more on that than they did before, unless the plan is to scrap that as well.

Many of these kids are or would be all in the same parts of the country too (eg: Lincolnshire) where there is a lot of pressure on school places, and where the better state schools have already developed really quite brutal selection processes that forces kids are seriously disadvantaged by (given that they are often attending primary schools at various bases because of parents moving around).

The government will have to pay more in fees for army kids, because of the VAT, which, err, goes back to the government? Or am I missing something?

 

[chilango]

Re. Private schools. Despite their public, and largely performative, scaremongering many that I'm aware of are increasing their numbers and still actively planning on expansion.

They're also "tightening their belts" via teachers' pay and conditions. There have been strikes because of this.

 

[Pickman's model]

Spymaster maths?

Spymastermathics

 

[agricola]

Re. Private schools. Despite their public, and largely performative, scaremongering many that I'm aware of are increasing their numbers and still actively planning on expansion.

They're also "tightening their belts" via teachers' pay and conditions. There have been strikes because of this.

Which is why the best answer to them is to force them to take a % of state school pupils, I think.

 

[agricola]

The government will have to pay more in fees for army kids, because of the VAT, which, err, goes back to the government? Or am I missing something?

The MoD will have to pay more in fees for military kids because of VAT (as will the parents), which will go back to the Treasury. It won't get it back.

 

[Elpenor]

Spymaster maths?

Postal votes will be being counted in 2 weeks time so you could say the process of getting rid of tories had begun by then

 

[Spandex]

Which is why the best answer to them is to force them to take a % of state school pupils, I think.

100% state school pupils would be best.

 

[Petcha]

Beth Rigby is unbelievably bad at this

 

[Sue]

Which is why the best answer to them is to force them to take a % of state school pupils, I think.

Best answer for whom?

 

[planetgeli]

Postal votes will be being counted in 2 weeks time so you could say the process of getting rid of tories had begun by then

I reckon Sunak has started the process already

A) By calling an election when he didn't have to

B) By everything he's done on any given day since calling the election

 

[Petcha]

God. She's so awkward. These constant 'ok, ok' interruptions. Even the ITV one the other night was better and she wasn't great.

 

[not a trot]

God. She's so awkward. These constant 'ok, ok' interruptions. Even the ITV one the other night was better and she wasn't great.

Springwatch is starting in a few minutes.