😹 But how will you know how old he is or recognise him as a kid?

I completed a poll recently and thought very hard about whether or not I agreed with scrapping the triple lock. To be perfectly honest, as long as pensions are linked to the cost of living, that should protect them anyway, but that also means that there isn't going to be as much 'spare' to put into a Social Care Fund as one might think. Raising it by 2.5% may not be enough; Raising it by the same % as wages is also unpredictable - will CEOs' wage rises be included in the calculations or just trade unionists'? Wages may not go up enough to keep up with the cost of living - especially if energy is likely to go up 30% in January, as Martin Lewis warns.

I would be happy to see the triple lock amended to pay for social care - that means more people will be able to keep their house to leave to their family, instead of having to sell it to pay care home fees - but if he's still going to clobber us with major taxes on inheritance, it seems he may be getting things both ways.

Nationalisation is a farce - WHO is going to pay for all the repairs, maintenance, pollution prevention, creation of new treatment plants that are desperately needed to cope with increasing numbers of residents (and immigrants) as well as the thousands of new houses he wants to build? Obviously, it will be the Tax-payer - us. Who will pay for trains that don't run on time? The tax-payer - the people operating them will still be the same. The government will give in to the unions, whereas private companies will fight them when they want to go on strike for obscene pay rises - as seen when Labour came to power. Plus, as Enver says, all the costs in 'buying out' the current private companies. Nationalisation is a cloud-cuckoo-land fantasy.

Dee, I totally agree with you.

In principle, more money for end of life care is something that I think most people would agree with. However, unless he's willing to raise the personal allowance in next month's budget - which is doubtful - then those working for a pittance as carers will be caught in the trap of taxed low wages, a predicament which is already seeing our workforce dwindling and which is no recipe for procuring and keeping dedicated and hard working end of life carers. The motives may be honourable, but it's all talk unless well thought through and enacted.

I’m with you Caroline. It’s good to see a return to traditional caring left wing values and we will all be very grateful if we get a decent social care system. Those of us who have had relatives who have needed social care have seen first hand how desperately needed reform is

I've made independant arrangements for adequate income, so not relying on any state pension, also the private pension endowment rates have fallen.

The problem is most of our utilities & services are in foreign hands & have shareholders,... to try to buy them back would cost an absolute fortune in taxpayers money.

I’m with Caroline and Buttercup. I do feel more hopeful since the change of PM. I’m in agreement with removing the triple lock in order to provide decent free care for those who need it at the point of delivery. I’d consider it a bonus if I don’t need it after contributing. End of life care is lacking and terrible and leaves those left behind utterly traumatised. I’ve always said those that earn it should pay it (tax). Time will tell, I’m prepared to wait and see.

🙋‍♀️Another one here with Caroline.

He spoke my language today. 😁

I really like Andy Burnham and there are some good policies. I only have the state pension which is now taxed due to the triple lock pension rises (which didn't amount to anything anyway as everything else went up). Another tax bill has dropped through my door. Fortunately, I can pay it instalments like I had to last year (through gritted teeth).

I'm with you Caroline, instead of removing the triple lock why doesn't he go after all the millionaire businessmen who pay accountants to find loopholes so they don't pay tax, or very little compared to what they should pay...

I'll probably get laughed at here but I truly am feeling more hopeful now. He really does seem to be espousing true, caring left-wing values again (Starmer was, in my opinion, just a Tory in disguise). Personally, as a pensioner, I should be (and have been) against the idea of them removing the triple lock on pensions, but - as they've explained - they can't currently raise taxes on the highest paid, or anyone else, because of their (Starmer's?) earlier pledge in the manifesto. Therefore I see paying for a decent care system which is so desperately needed by removing the triple lock on pensions as actually quite fair. At least we may all get a decent standard of care in our old age now, rather than having to eat into our savings like we're having to do at the moment. Also things like taking water back into public ownership so that it can be properly regulated (ie. getting rid of all the polluting that's going on) is great too. I also think that, if they really can deliver all these things, then the loud minority on the far right should become quieter. Hope so anyway. :-)

I dread the next few years. Already two areas of our large town have gone to Reform.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-pension-triple-lock-europe-compare-b3058162.html

I've never had an issue with ebay. In fact, even when a buyer alleged that a large item they'd insisted I send (when my listing said it must be collected) was damaged, ended with ebay allowing them to keep the item and allowed me to keep the money in full. Now Amazon is a different story altogether when you have issues.....

Try calling in the morning, round about 8am. I usually get someone from the Irish call centre then and they’re on my wavelength. So they are.

I've had this problem more than once where they refuse a refund. I found the answer is to actually speak to a person on the phone. I really can't tell you how to do that as I go round in circles, often even having to put phone down and start again, but given time I eventually get there, then after much arguing they say they will refund me. I take it but feel they shouldn't if it's the seller that is at fault.

👏👏👏

I'm pleased you got it sorted in the end. Well done.

100%. Don't let them fob you off that THEIR mistake is somehow YOUR fault.

Well done you! 👍 It takes effort to challenge these companies who think they can just fob people off with any reasons that come to their mind. One of the major problems these days is trying to actually speak to a human being, (and one you can understand too!)

I just noticed, another cruise ship not far away says "Moored" (at anchor offshore), whereas the Dream says "Docked" though also not near any land.. So why the difference - I zoomed right in & saw a thin line to the Dream... .she's actually docked on the end of a very long narrow T-shaped pier (over a mile long), that's some walk to get ashore & back! , I suppose there are shuttles of some sort, especially in bad weather?

Many ships are registered in smaller countries that have lower taxes, Bermuda is just one of the main ones. If you go there, you'll probably see a dozen or more Co registration signs outside each door. Any mail arriving they simply forward to the Co's head office or solicitors. [Similar to IOM or Jersey].

I don't think meeting the locals is very high on any cruise line's priority list.

@ Rosy, why am I not surprised! It's been going on for years. I remember that Africa was a favourite place to register way back.

Choc Spaniel, many cruise ships companies are registered in the Bahamas; there are tax advantages in doing so.

I also hope she is having a good time.

I do hope Em is enjoying herself and has made some new friends who understand.

Disney Dream registered in the Bahamas too.

My guess was Steely Dan. 😂

Bless him, at least he didn't swallow it

At least he hadn't picked up a toad! You would have been forgiven for thinking he had rabies! Ours was foaming at the mouth but still she went back, again & again to pick it up!

I don't think anyone would have guessed at that!