[mattomac]

It was a different problem Truss had. She wanted tax cuts and spending rises. Labour just wants the spending rises. See how things go, but I'd say at some point there's some scope for a "Putin tax". Or a Trump tax, but you couldn't call it that.

Sam Freedman argued the government should impose a defence levy.

Sam Freedman also suggested raising NI back up, problem for people just about managing is their rent won’t reverse itself back to pre NI lowering measures.

I argued this but he didn’t seem to get that. Maybe a reform of tax system is due. I noted Sam didn’t ever raise in fact no one did about putting company NI up.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I agree with Freedman that taxes on most people need to go up, and that you can’t rely on small numbers of rich. But 2p on NI would be a lot for lots of people.

[Boiler]

Sam Freedman argued the government should impose a defence levy.

Isn't that what income tax was introduced for - to fund the Napoleonic Wars?

[Tubby Isaacs]

EU in "not taking any shit unlike weaky Britain" latest. I don't know how far Meloni, Orban and Fico can gum up the works.

Maybe the EU isn't entirely unhappy with Meloni. Perhaps she can josh along with Trump and get some tariffs off wine etc.

https://bsky.app/profile/marxel.bsky.so ... elabhpik23

[Youngian]

As the EU is a cooperative of sovereign countries and not a federal state, it's only as effective as it's members. And they now contain some fucking awful leaders. Most do believe in international institutionalism but they're having to look outwards to circumnavigate Orban and Meloni.

[Tubby Isaacs]

How do trade sanctions work? Nem con?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Maybe Farage does have a hotline to Trump.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Look at those affordable debt rates under George Osborne. Think of all the stuff we could have built with that cheap credit. Not built for no other reason than they had to stick to the "Gordo debt crisis" bollocks from 2009.

[The Weeping Angel]

What can the govt do?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Hope that the trade war gets called off, like it now looks like it might be.

In the meantime, looks like some form of QMV for tariff decisions in the EU. Italy and Slovakia voted for retaliation.

The EU announced 25% tariffs on a range of US imports in a first round of countermeasures. The 27-member bloc has agreed to impose retaliatory tariffs on €21bn (£18bn) of US goods, targeting farm produce and products from Republican states. All member states voted for the retaliation, with the exception of Hungary.

[Youngian]

Not a new strategy. When Dubya proposed steel import tariff the EU targeted Florida heavily with retaliatory tariffs on stuff like oranges when brother Jeb was governor.
Hope the GOP have forgotten who the attack dog trade commissioner was, Ambassador Mandelson.
Bush wasn't going to the wall over it though whereas Trump will as he'll always have a story to shift the blame for the fallout of suicidal trade wars.

[Youngian]

What can the govt do?

As the UK has been hit lightly with tariffs and Reeves is hardly hey big spender it's curious gilt rates have risen.

[Tubby Isaacs]

This'll probably set a few people off, but it sounds positive, not least the Indian visas. I wonder if the apparently silly attitude to student visas announced the other day is because there will be loads allowed in this agreement?

‘We are nearly there’: UK and India agree 90% of free trade agreement
Exclusive: Question of visas for Indian workers said to be nearly resolved and deal may be finalised this year

Switzerland has a free trade deal with China, and still has been able to do deals to reduce trade friction (though it's effectively in the Single Market, and accepts freedom of movement). If that's regarded as politically impossible, I guess this sort of thing we're doing is what you do.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -agreement

[The Weeping Angel]

Meanwhile Universial will open a theme park in Bedford.

[Youngian]

will boost our economy by billions of pounds

Really, sure its not gazillions? Careful now, Noel made similar bold claims about Mr Blobby world.
The man in that costume could now work at Universal World as the Karloff Frankenstein monster.

[The Weeping Angel]

I mean I think the bond markets might care.

[davidjay]

will boost our economy by billions of pounds

Really, sure its not gazillions? Careful now, Noel made similar bold claims about Mr Blobby world.
The man in that costume could now work at Universal World as the Karloff Frankenstein monster.

I remember when Resorts World at the NEC was going to be the UK's Las Vegas.

[The Weeping Angel]

Famously we don't have any theme parks here in Britain.

[The Weeping Angel]

Maybe it's me but outside of immigration when has the government been reform lite?

[The Weeping Angel]

Don't invest in a theme park invest in canals instead.