[The Weeping Angel]

I've always thought it a bit weird that we're subsidising people to keep bikes in their sheds. As someone who has cycled to work since the early 90s, I've never had to take advantage of the scheme. But I know many people who have got free money and used it to buy bikes that only ever come out for a gentle spin at the weekend.
A legacy of the pre-banking crisis days when it seemed we had public money to burn.

It's surprising it lasted so long. My brother in law used it. I'm pretty sure he never cycled to work.

The cap used to be £1,000 but seems to have been abolished 6 years ago, as far as I can tell. Perhaps some London based Tory Spad argued very strongly for it, and they certainly need policies that people who went to university with him/her might like.

Subsidizing.a health activity isn't the worst idea, but there should be a limit on it. Seeing as we can barely afford to run a youth club in most areas.

More on this here from the FT.

https://www.ft.com/content/db771f1c-701 ... dfe6386b9e


Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email licensing@ft.com to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://www.ft.com/tour.
https://www.ft.com/content/db771f1c-701 ... dfe6386b9e

In the arch under London Bridge station that houses his electric bike business, Fully Charged, Dan Parsons looked around at the stock and said he was worried about the upcoming Budget.

Under plans first reported by the Financial Times on Thursday, chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to impose a cap on the maximum value of a bike that can be purchased under the cycle-to-work scheme, first launched in 1999. The scheme allows people to pay for bikes on a “salary sacrifice” basis — out of their pre-tax income — saving 42 per cent of the cost for a higher-rate taxpayer.

Parsons expressed frustration that his sales could be affected by a measure intended to curb the sale of “luxury leisure” high-end performance bikes through the taxpayer-funded scheme. Machines such as the Riese & Müller Load 75 — a cargo bike starting from £8,729 — or the Urban Arrow Active Family Plus — from £4,999 — allowed families to replace cars as a way of ferrying their children around, Parsons insisted.

They are examples of a new breed of cargo bikes, mainly supplied by continental European manufacturers, designed to let parents carry children safely and comfortably.

“I was probably wrongly excited when the Labour government came in because I thought they would be more supportive of small businesses and cycling and walking,” Parsons said.

According to Rob Ford, this counts as hippy punching.

[Youngian]

This performative cruelty towards refugees won't even register with the voters the government is pandering to. As long as there's non white faces and strange accents in the high street, they'll always be too many of 'them.'
What is noticeable to those that care to look is that a network develops between the UK and the country of origin of refugees. Some return when safe, some stay having built a life and many will exist in between these options. Can't think of any downsides for the country developing these ties, why wreck them?

[davidjay]

Surely someone who can afford an eight grand bike can afford to pay tax?

[Tubby Isaacs]

This performative cruelty towards refugees won't even register with the voters the government is pandering to. As long as there's non white faces and strange accents in the high street, they'll always be too many of 'them.'
What is noticeable to those that care to look is that a network develops between the UK and the country of origin of refugees. Some return when safe, some stay having built a life and many will exist in between these options. Can't think of any downsides for the country developing these ties, why wreck them?

It registered in Denmark, didn't it?

I don't think the Government can or should carry on with the emphasis it has had, with a crackdown a week. But it's possible that what it's done beds in and is much less controversial by 2029, and indeed standard across lots of Europe. That's assuming Farage doesn't turn up in tank in Whitehall and force the government out. I think it's the fatigue with the constant migration stuff that's hurting the government more than the measures.

Talking of Farage, he's got 26% in the most credible poll. Is that nailed on to the next election? I don't really get why all those voters are seen as irredeemably lost.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Surely someone who can afford an eight grand bike can afford to pay tax?

Yeah, it's a subsidy for an expensive hobby. Do people even ride those bikes to work, the standard of lots of our roads? A cap that allows for a modest electric bike is well overdue.

This is a classic of the "nobody can ever do anything because articulate pressure group" genre. I wish they'd held firm on the WFA too. If, as most people think, taxes shouldn't go up, then something gives.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Wes Streeting accused of ‘chaotic and incoherent approach’ to NHS reform
Exclusive: thinktank report finds health secretary has failed to improve productivity, with the health service unlikely to meet its targets

From the Institute of Government, so worth taking seriously. But I'm not sure why you'd expect health productivity to be improving at this stage.

I agree about Integrated Care Boards, but the abolition of NHS England seems sensible. Not sure what difference the "chaotic announcement" makes there. And I think Reeves probably had a role in forcing that.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... nhs-reform

[Malcolm Armsteen]

That old bee-bonnet juxtaposition?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Half of all UK jobs shed since Labour came to power are among under-25s
Exclusive: David Blunkett warns Keir Starmer Britain’s youth are in danger of becoming ‘lost generation’ on his watch

[Tubby Isaacs]

Half of all UK jobs shed since Labour came to power are among under-25s
Exclusive: David Blunkett warns Keir Starmer Britain’s youth are in danger of becoming ‘lost generation’ on his watch

Unemployment has risen a bit. Younger people are more likely to be unemployed at any time. That doesn't add up `to "lost generation", as far as I'm concerned. Or "in danger of".

Nice sighting of the Lib Dems who want the employers NI rise scrapped. Something to be said for that, but you need a credible alternative tax rise.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -under-25s

[Tubby Isaacs]

Things will hopefully settled down, but there is a possibility that the extra working rights and higher minimum wage deter employment. There's a trade off with lots of people having better working rights and higher wages, of course. On current form, Labour will get no thanks for the latter and a bucket of shit for the former. And "neoliberalism" will get a good run out.

[The Weeping Angel]

Half of all UK jobs shed since Labour came to power are among under-25s
Exclusive: David Blunkett warns Keir Starmer Britain’s youth are in danger of becoming ‘lost generation’ on his watch

Unemployment has risen a bit. Younger people are more likely to be unemployed at any time. That doesn't add up `to "lost generation", as far as I'm concerned. Or "in danger of".

Nice sighting of the Lib Dems who want the employers NI rise scrapped. Something to be said for that, but you need a credible alternative tax rise.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -under-25s

The Lib Dems' big plan is a cut in VAT

[Bones McCoy]

Surely someone who can afford an eight grand bike can afford to pay tax?

Yeah, it's a subsidy for an expensive hobby. Do people even ride those bikes to work, the standard of lots of our roads? A cap that allows for a modest electric bike is well overdue.

This is a classic of the "nobody can ever do anything because articulate pressure group" genre. I wish they'd held firm on the WFA too. If, as most people think, taxes shouldn't go up, then something gives.

In my experience no.
The ones I knew bought a better bike for weekend use, while keeping their old roadster for commuting.
Or continued driving to work and sold the old bike.

As with most schemes, I'm sure there are plenty of worthy cases who did use it as intended.
But it's a matter of time before the usual suspects figure out how to game the system for profit.
Which eventually spoils it for the honest ones.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Lib Dems' big plan is a cut in VAT

Funded by a bespoke Customs Union that comes about if the UK is "bolder".

The SPS is being taking enough work, with resistance from some member states. How long would this take, if it was possible?

(I may have mentioned this before, a few hundred times)

[The Weeping Angel]

This performative cruelty towards refugees won't even register with the voters the government is pandering to. As long as there's non white faces and strange accents in the high street, they'll always be too many of 'them.'
What is noticeable to those that care to look is that a network develops between the UK and the country of origin of refugees. Some return when safe, some stay having built a life and many will exist in between these options. Can't think of any downsides for the country developing these ties, why wreck them?

It registered in Denmark, didn't it?

I don't think the Government can or should carry on with the emphasis it has had, with a crackdown a week. But it's possible that what it's done beds in and is much less controversial by 2029, and indeed standard across lots of Europe. That's assuming Farage doesn't turn up in tank in Whitehall and force the government out. I think it's the fatigue with the constant migration stuff that's hurting the government more than the measures.

Talking of Farage, he's got 26% in the most credible poll. Is that nailed on to the next election? I don't really get why all those voters are seen as irredeemably lost.

I've seen the likes of Rob Ford say that this will drive voters to the Greens just as the Tories drove voters to the Lib Dems. I'm taking a break from Bluesky for the rest of the month as that place is doing my head in at the moment.

[Youngian]

These shitty measures won't stop the boat crossings and those pictures of black people crammed in dinghies are the ace card for the right. Most people have never met an asylum seeker or likely to.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Aren't a high proportion of asylum seekers boat people? Is it that common any more to claim asylum at immigration in Heathrow? I thought the restrictions on airlines carrying passengers who might claim asylum had cut that massively. And ports are now more secure than they were.

[Youngian]

The latest measures are to forcibly expel people who may have settled with careers and families, its of no consequence how they arrived to claim asylum.

[Youngian]

Calling bollocks on this one.

[davidjay]

Rayneer is just about the only Labour MP who the press would attack harder than Starmer.

[mattomac]

I’ve missed where the latest measures have been announced.

Anyhow it’s about 30/30/30 on boats, overstaying of student visas and overstaying on work Visas. Expect the student one to come down anyhow as there has been a harder approach by Universities over this past year (of course it’s equally increased my workload because of error but still).

As for tax it’s not mentioned that anyone under 45 is likely paying a fair amount in tuition fee loan and with the interest rates on that it’s effectively just another tax, mines about £70 a month.

And because it occurred interest in about 6-7 years where I was barely above the threshold it meant it’s not got a lot paid off. And that was on the old system of 3k.

As for Rayner it won’t happen and I think it’s probably horseshite. As I see it’s eithier Wes (probably sometime down the line), Phillipson or Burnham if he can somehow win a seat. Most challengers that would help Labour and aren’t damaged won’t look at taking over til things may have improved or the right direction is at least showing something.

I do think Starmer goes before the election mind.