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Next Labour Leader

Most likely Labour Leader

  • Chuka Umunna

    Votes: 13 38.2%

  • Andy Burnham

    Votes: 8 23.5%

  • Yvette Cooper

    Votes: 5 14.7%

  • Dan Jarvis

    Votes: 4 11.8%

  • Tristram Hunt

    Votes: 1 2.9%

  • Liz Kendall

    Votes: 1 2.9%

  • David Miliband

    Votes: 1 2.9%

  • Other

    Votes: 1 2.9%

  • Keith Vaz

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    34
Craig B said:
It should become a means tested payment? You apply this principle with absolute generality don't you? If for some it should be removed, for others it should be reduced, presumably. So it would simply become part of means tested social payments to the poorest individuals. If their income increased while they were in receipt of a pension, would it be withdrawn?
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I guess it comes down to the question of "what is the purpose of the State Pension ?".

If it's to protect people from extreme poverty in old age then giving the state pension to people like my father who has a perfectly adequate (state) superannuated pension doesn't make sense.

If it's to top up the income of everyone in the country over a certain age by £x then we're going about it the right way.

Personally I'm in favour of the state pension being based on income (calling it means tested is misleading because IIRC means testing also assessed assets and so forth. IMO its a pejorative phrase used deliberately to scare) so long as:

  • The cost of assessing entitlement does not exceed the savings from making it income based
  • That there isn't a positive disincentive to save for retirement (I can imagine a set of circumstances where a £10 increase in income could result in a £11 reduction in benefits)
  • People are given time to acclimatise to the changes - say 10 years
  • Changes only apply to future recipients

Mrs Don and I hope to have built up enough pension and other savings so that we have a relatively comfortable retirement. In that case we won't need a state pension and that money would be better off going to those in need.
 
Primus said:
If you'd have asked me before the election I'd have said they'd have won comfortably with David in charge. Now I'm not so sure given the extent of the conservative victory. Id think Chuka if they want to win an election or anyone else if they want to lose another one whilst appealing to their core base.
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I like Umunna. I've only seen him on telly once or twice, but I was struck by how articulately he expressed my own opinions/feelings.

He seems intelligent, and would make a beautiful Prime Minister (in its presidential functions, such as being the figurehead for our nation).
 
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The Don said:
Personally I'm in favour of the state pension being based on income (calling it means tested is misleading because IIRC means testing also assessed assets and so forth. IMO its a pejorative phrase used deliberately to scare)
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Shame on you! Others are made of sterner stuff, and when asked if it should be means tested, which means abolishing it, reply bluntly:
Francesca R said:
Correct.
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Having seen an article pointing out that Umunna is a Blairite right leaning type, I'm not so sure. I'd need much more exposure to his thoughts to judge. As someone above said, he's smooth. I was seduced by his persona, and thought he was rational and reasonable. Can't judge from a one minute "interview", which is all I've seen of him.

I'd love to have a young black man representing Britain as PM… shame he's a bit Blairoid.

I retire and await the outcome of this five year ride into dismantling our society, fully expecting disaster, hoping for the best.

Disenfranchised, I give up. Politics… I live my festival going squatting dope smoking two fingers up life in the ruins of the dream. ….. em all.
 
asydhouse said:
Having seen an article pointing out that Umunna is a Blairite right leaning type, I'm not so sure. I'd need much more exposure to his thoughts to judge. As someone above said, he's smooth. I was seduced by his persona, and thought he was rational and reasonable. Can't judge from a one minute "interview", which is all I've seen of him.

I'd love to have a young black man representing Britain as PM… shame he's a bit Blairoid.

I retire and await the outcome of this five year ride into dismantling our society, fully expecting disaster, hoping for the best.

Disenfranchised, I give up. Politics… I live my festival going squatting dope smoking two fingers up life in the ruins of the dream. ….. em all.
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Giving up or despairing that so many people disagree with you is not the same as being disenfranchised.
 
The poll at the top of this thread, I'd guess, now that Chuka Umunna has withdrawn.
 
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