Mailwatch(ed) Forum

It's not gone down well BTL.

In fairness, the IFS do say that private pensions tax relief should be reformed.

https://ifs.org.uk/taxlab/taxlab-key-qu ... s-taxation

But there seem to be some errors in this article.

Boiler wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2026 10:38 am Who is this twat? Whoever he is, he can fuck right off.

Private pensions are a publicly subsidised gift to the wealthy

His maths look sound, the richer you are the more tax you can avoid by funneling spare cash into a private pension funds. There are arguments as to why this isn't a bad idea.

What about those of us on defined benefits schemes, we are PAYE, and automatically get 20% taken off

Watchman wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2026 9:41 pm What about those of us on defined benefits schemes, we are PAYE, and automatically get 20% taken off

Correct. Bloke's a twat.

A mate of mine has two defined benefits pensions from previous employment. Add in the state pension and hey presto - he's now in the 40% tax bracket. Explain to me how that's a "gift".

Is this for real?

Harry Potter fans force relocation of £430m undersea cable to avoid Dobby’s ‘grave’

We're really not a serious country any more, are we? (See also, the Clacton by-election)

Boiler wrote: ↑Mon Aug 10, 2026 9:57 am Is this for real?

Harry Potter fans force relocation of £430m undersea cable to avoid Dobby’s ‘grave’

We're really not a serious country any more, are we? (See also, the Clacton by-election)

Did the PM use his executive powers to intervene? At least Andy will have Benji's back if he wanders back onto Salisbury Plain (Yes PM episode).

Yes, I was somewhat bemused by this too. Presumably, it wasn’t too much trouble to avoid the non-existent grave of a fictitious being.

Apparently it generates a lot of tourist coin.

It's a fucking kid's book.

See also The Jacobite steam services operated over Glenfinnan viaduct, which also apparently generates a lot of dosh for the economies along the line (and also generates a lot of twats dressed as Rubeus Hagrid, according to a mate of mine who used to holiday at Glenfinnan and Fort William).