Sunak due to announce new financial measures, at 11am today.

Just having a good grasp of money matters doesn't make him an authority on all things.

It is a dead cat story. Last week, Sunak said it would be silly to do something now, and literally, that the computer won't let him. This week - bread and circuses for all.

What's changed in a week? Oh yes. I remember

volver I suggest you Google Martin Lewis…

I think I agree with Martin Lewis.

Of course, it's been timed to save Johnson's sorry backside, as they've spent weeks telling us nothing will be done until the Autumn budget.

But, people do need help at the moment, so all to the good..

Reports suggest that all households will be helped, not just those on top up means tested benefits, so we'll have to wait and see.?

GrannyGravy13

volver I suggest you Google Martin Lewis…

I know fine who Martin Lewis is.

volver

GrannyGravy13

volver I suggest you Google Martin Lewis…

I know fine who Martin Lewis is.

In that case you know that he knows what he is talking about.

I hope that all households aren't benefitted - as with the winter fuel payments. Some people don't need money, others are desperate. But I guess the admin required for sorting those in need from those not in need would be complicated and time consuming.

It is clear to me that this help is only being given to try to damp down the damage to them from the Sue Gray report.
I am glad it is finally being done but they have known for a long time that people are struggling and have been shamed into doing something about it.

I will repeat my first post.

I really do not give a hoot what the reasons are for dealing with the cost of living crisis now, as long as it helps those who need it.

GrannyGravy13

volver

GrannyGravy13

volver I suggest you Google Martin Lewis…

I know fine who Martin Lewis is.

In that case you know that he knows what he is talking about.

Yes, of course he does.

And I disagree with him about whether this is a dead cat.

Disagreeing is allowed, you know. Even if the other person is a national treasure.

There are still many people who do give a hoot GG13.

And I will repeat my agreement with that. It's nonsense to suggest it wouldn't have happened without 'partygate'. No evidence whatsoever of that.

Germanshepherdsmum

And I will repeat my agreement with that. It's nonsense to suggest it wouldn't have happened without 'partygate'. No evidence whatsoever of that.

I have to go out.

But if you think that, you really haven't been paying attention.

What's happened to critical thought in this country?

GrannyGravy13

I will repeat my first post.

I really do not give a hoot what the reasons are for dealing with the cost of living crisis now, as long as it helps those who need it.

Can I just remind you, before Johnson revisits his 'Captain Hindsight' nonsense, that Labour has been calling for a windfall tax for weeks. And an emergency budget.

I care very much about the reasons for dealing with the cost of living crisis. I said this in a post somewhere else recently; that a government should regard it as its DUTY to protect its citizens and do all it can to mitigate the effects of the crisis. As such, they should have acted some time ago.

There is something quite despicable about a government which has to be forced into doing the right thing Forced into lockdown, forced into providing food for poor children during the pandemic and now forced into a windfall tax and help for people who are struggling.

I'm pleased that something is happening, but there is no virtue in what they are doing.

For some time there has been a call, from Opposition parties and the PMs own back benchers, to alleviate the cost of energy bills by creating a windfall tax. The PM said he couldn’t do it.

It has long been anticipated by some, including me, that he would do it, but that he would wait to announce it until after the Sue Gray report was published. Not a dead cat, but a cynical ploy to create positive headlines.

So he gets no brownie points from me for causing people further hardship in order to alleviate his own problems, but I’m glad that people having to choose whether to heat or eat will finally get some help.

A week ago every single Conservative MP voted against a windfall tax. A couple of weeks ago Rishi Sunak said he would be 'silly' to even consider offering help with energy bills until the autumn.

What's changed in a week or two?

What indeed Richmond.? It’s an obvious ploy.
Though they will have known the much awaited Sue Gray report would be damning...so they say sorry ( even though we didnt know we did anything wrong) and throw the poor a sweet.

Remember that all this was decided by Labour at the beginning of the year.

I would like to add that I will not be awarding Mr.Johnson, Mr. Sunak or any of the current cabinet any brownie points for this.

I am just pleased they are finally doing something, and in no way will it (whatever it turns out to be) alter my feelings towards the Government, they have lost my support.

Live now
www.bbc.co.uk/news

"Energy Profits Levy" so this is the new name for a Windfall Tax that last week Rishi said they would NOT be introducing because they were too busy dealing with serious stuff.
So incompetent and bereft of an original idea but cannot be seen to be taking advice from the opposition parties. At least if the PM stays in post the Tories will be annihilated come the GE.

grannyactivist

For some time there has been a call, from Opposition parties and the PMs own back benchers, to alleviate the cost of energy bills by creating a windfall tax. The PM said he couldn’t do it.

It has long been anticipated by some, including me, that he would do it, but that he would wait to announce it until after the Sue Gray report was published. Not a dead cat, but a cynical ploy to create positive headlines.

So he gets no brownie points from me for causing people further hardship in order to alleviate his own problems, but I’m glad that people having to choose whether to heat or eat will finally get some help.

Precisely. They allow things to get bad for people so they can then make things better. It’s like being in an abusive relationship isn’t it.

I hope the Government is paying Kier Starmer an advisor's salary, as so many of their decisions do seem to be based on his advice, albeit with a built-in time delay

I watched, and am glad to see the government have responded. My 85 year old aunt will receive an additional £300 on her winter fuel payment, and all of us will now receive a £400 'gift' towards our energy bills.

Some households will blow this money, paid direct into their banks.

That £650 should have been a further discount on fuel bills.
A lot of people will blow a cash payment on booze, cigarettes etc.

Its all very well throwing money into a potential black hole. Something neds to be done about the so called "standing charge" which the greedy power companies have raised.