Do you want to discuss boring politics? (38 Viewers)

[Grendel]

For those on limited means and finishing work (thus removing their source of income), when they use the pension pot to buy an annuity. They can't afford to wait for the pot to recover, neither can they take the risk of having an unsecure return based on market fluctations. So they have to use the amount of money in the pot, at the time it is at a low point, to buy a more fixed, usually inflation adjusted, monthly payment. So those payments, and any tax free lump sum they take, will be smaller as they're having to cash in when the market is at a low point.

Of course, those entering that stage should be having it moved into less volatile instruments to minimise the risk, but that is not always the case and with employer pensions it is often just left to whatever the pension provider decides to invest it in.

Ah so it’s literally an annuity. You do realise no one would ever advise that? It’s a tiny percentage who do this? It’s the equivalent of an endowment mortgage these days

 

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[Marty]

Would it be a little selfish to hope it gets resolved soon ... as my pension pot has dipped by £10k? !!

Mines gone up 5k, it doesn't matter anyway unless you plan on retiring next week.

 

[rob9872]

Yes a bit selfish but understandable. What do you think about the decision to attack Iran with very little strategic planning?

In the words of Shaggy - It wasn't me

 

[rob9872]

Mines gone up 5k, it doesn't matter anyway unless you plan on retiring next week.

Well I did, but I'll put it on ice now for 10 years

*edit: you obviously had the foresight to put your money into weapons

 

[Captain Dart]

So many corruption stories today. Broken Britain.

3 men including Labour MP Joani Reid's partner, David Taylor, was arrested on suspicion of spying for China.
David Taylor is the director and sole employee of a company that had an £885,000 increase from £73,000 in cash it held in one financial year. One of the others is the partner of a former Labour MP.

The arrested men are 39-year-old from London A 68-year-old from Powys A 43-year-old from Pontyclun.

The CEO of the Police Federation of England and Wales has been arrested for corruption.

https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/news/city-of-london/news/2026/march/domestic-corruption-unit-make-three-arrests/

A 46-year-old man from Surrey, a 51-year-old man from Wales and a 55-year-old man from Bristol were all arrested on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position.

 

[CCFCSteve]

The population : Taxes are rising, I’ve got no money and public services are shit….oh, and I’m worried about this war starting in the Middle East.

MPs : No worries, we’re giving ourselves a 5% pay rise and continuing practicing for MPs strictly come dancing



This country sometimes

Edit - for balance, I’d imagine the strictly is for charity and I’ve personally got no issue with higher pay for MPs if theyre delivering for the the country but it’s not really the time for either

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

Not a bad salary.

 

[chiefdave]

Obviously its just one poll and you need to look at the overall trend over a period of time but we don't, at least at present, seem to be experiencing the end of the green party as many predicted after their leadership election.

Saw one election analyst speaking about this and talking about how they are close to the tipping point where FPTP works in their favour.

Greens overtake Labour in sensational poll

The Greens have polled higher than Labour in the latest poll by YouGov, which puts them only two points off Reform UK and five ahead of the governing party.

news.sky.com

 

[rob9872]

Obviously its just one poll and you need to look at the overall trend over a period of time but we don't, at least at present, seem to be experiencing the end of the green party as many predicted after their leadership election.

Saw one election analyst speaking about this and talking about how they are close to the tipping point where FPTP works in their favour.

Greens overtake Labour in sensational poll

The Greens have polled higher than Labour in the latest poll by YouGov, which puts them only two points off Reform UK and five ahead of the governing party.

news.sky.com

Why is everyone suddenly bigging up these nut jobs? They'll be just as clueless in power as Reform. 2 cheeks of the same arse, just one that pretends everything is fine and dandy.

I know we're all pretty much disillusioned with the current offering but I'd take another 5 years Labour over either of them!

 

[PVA]

Obviously its just one poll and you need to look at the overall trend over a period of time but we don't, at least at present, seem to be experiencing the end of the green party as many predicted after their leadership election.

Saw one election analyst speaking about this and talking about how they are close to the tipping point where FPTP works in their favour.

Greens overtake Labour in sensational poll

The Greens have polled higher than Labour in the latest poll by YouGov, which puts them only two points off Reform UK and five ahead of the governing party.

news.sky.com

They will lose a lot of support once Polanski gets put under scrutiny with questions on the economy etc, he'll fall apart at leadership debates nearer the election and look a bit of a clown.

(unless he spends the next few years really working on that side of things)

 

[Nick]

Why is everyone suddenly bigging up these nut jobs? They'll be just as clueless in power as Reform. 2 cheeks of the same arse, just one that pretends everything is fine and dandy.

I know we're all pretty much disillusioned with the current offering but I'd take another 5 years Labour over either of them!

Probably because they waved a Palestine flag and hypnotised a few people.

 

[chiefdave]

Why is everyone suddenly bigging up these nut jobs? They'll be just as clueless in power as Reform. 2 cheeks of the same arse

Well that's just it isn't it? Everyone assumed Farage / Reform would go nowhere because he's clueless and easy to see through but they're leading the polls. Same applies with the Greens I guess just on the other end of the political spectrum.

When nobody wants to vote Conservative, Labour or Lib Dem the votes have got to move somewhere. Unless everyone just gives up and doesn't bother.

They will lose a lot of support once Polanski gets put under scrutiny with questions on the economy etc, he'll fall apart at leadership debates nearer the election and look a bit of a clown.

Think it will be fascinating to watch. Same applies with Farage. The only time I've seen him really questioned at all was on the BBC around the time of their conference and he couldn't handle the questioning at all.

Imagine going into a general election debate where they're the two front runners, it would be hilarious for all the wrong reasons but also a sad reflection on the state of politics in this country.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Probably because they waved a Palestine flag and hypnotised a few people.

Same way reform waved a St Georges flag and hypnotised a few people.

People just love having that tribalism feeling.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Well that's just it isn't it? Everyone assumed Farage / Reform would go nowhere because he's clueless and easy to see through but they're leading the polls. Same applies with the Greens I guess just on the other end of the political spectrum.

When nobody wants to vote Conservative, Labour or Lib Dem the votes have got to move somewhere. Unless everyone just gives up and doesn't bother.

Think it will be fascinating to watch. Same applies with Farage. The only time I've seen him really questioned at all was on the BBC around the time of their conference and he couldn't handle the questioning at all.

Imagine going into a general election debate where they're the two front runners, it would be hilarious for all the wrong reasons but also a sad reflection on the state of politics in this country.

Reform voters wouldnt care if he got shown up on the BBC as they have a hate for mainstream media.

 

[fernandopartridge]

They will lose a lot of support once Polanski gets put under scrutiny with questions on the economy etc, he'll fall apart at leadership debates nearer the election and look a bit of a clown.

(unless he spends the next few years really working on that side of things)

Yes, because the Labour/Tory consensus on the economy is so successful isn't it

 

[fernandopartridge]

Lol

 

[PVA]

Yes, because the Labour/Tory consensus on the economy is so successful isn't it

As bad as they are they are lightyears ahead of Polanski who has been made to look a total idiot when pressed on the economy.

He will be made to look very silly unless he improves drastically on it.

 

[Nick]

Lol

 

[fernandopartridge]

As bad as they are they are lightyears ahead of Polanski who has been made to look a total idiot when pressed on the economy.

He will be made to look very silly unless he improves drastically on it.

A lot of people are probably getting to the point where they're willing to take the chance to be honest. You can't tell people who have seen their living standards at best stand still that the economy is functioning well under the prevailing dogma.

 

[Captain Dart]

Lol

Investigations in Companies house show her now dissolved business received a large cash injection from somewhere.

 

[Nick]

A lot of people are probably getting to the point where they're willing to take the chance to be honest. You can't tell people who have seen their living standards at best stand still that the economy is functioning well under the prevailing dogma.

I'm waiting for John Davidson to be an MP and he can have my vote.

 

[fernandopartridge]

Investigations in Companies house show her now dissolved business received a large cash injection from somewhere.
View attachment 49626

She's now liquidated the company and got herself £379k. Rotten to the absolute core.

 

[Nick]

That video of Starmer getting his arm stroked by the Palestinian Ambassador and whispered in his ear, is a bit weird.