In todays news...

[Mr. Dazzle]

Pensions alone cost more than 10 times the UK's annual overseas aid budget, so I'm not sure about the "big money" part of that

[Dodgy69]

Thought our NI contributions paid for our state pensions. Moral of the story being, ain't it about time we put this country of our first.

[Cousin Jack]

Moral of the story being, ain't it about time we put this country of our first.

Carefull ! That is today classed as an ultra right wing view and will probably get you on a list somewhere.

Funny how views that were once mainstream are now classed as toxic, and vice versa.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Thought our NI contributions paid for our state pensions.

Do you also think road tax pays to fix pot holes

[Horse]

Moral of the story being, ain't it about time we put this country of our first.

Carefull ! That is today classed as an ultra right wing view and will probably get you on a list somewhere.

Funny how views that were once mainstream are now classed as toxic, and vice versa.

When considering aid to foreigners, how far back do you want to go?

How about the 1860s?

http://www.maharajahswell.org.uk/

[Count Steer]

Moral of the story being, ain't it about time we put this country of our first.

Carefull ! That is today classed as an ultra right wing view and will probably get you on a list somewhere.

Funny how views that were once mainstream are now classed as toxic, and vice versa.

When considering aid to foreigners, how far back do you want to go?

How about the 1860s?

http://www.maharajahswell.org.uk/

Aid to furriners? We'll have none of that around 'ere. Bah humbug...we don't care wot Herr Hitler gets up to 'cos Yurrups just furriners and furriners are just fer exploitin'. Chariddy begins at 'ome. (Mate).

[Cousin Jack]

Moral of the story being, ain't it about time we put this country of our first.

Carefull ! That is today classed as an ultra right wing view and will probably get you on a list somewhere.

Funny how views that were once mainstream are now classed as toxic, and vice versa.

When considering aid to foreigners, how far back do you want to go?

How about the 1860s?

http://www.maharajahswell.org.uk/

That was aid FROM foreigners. And private aid from a very rich man to a poor English village. I don't suppose anyone would object if a billionaire dropped a few million in aid to whoever they chose. Whereas everyone in the UK, rich, poor or destitute, is contributing to this.

Personally I am happy to give to charity but I want to see assurance that the money will be spent well. Lobbing money into Africa or Asia with little or no visibility of where it goes is a mug's game. Over my lifetime Africa alone has swallowed billions in aid, the only visible signs of where it has gone is in the Swiss bank accounts of several ex-presidents.

[Horse]

How about the 1860s?

http://www.maharajahswell.org.uk/

That was aid FROM foreigners. And private aid from a very rich man to a poor English village.

Yup, I did realise that Point being, obvs, that it hasn't always been 'out'. Although, to be honest, I can't think of any more

However, I do find it odd that the UK sends aid to India to tackle poverty, yet India is poppy off rockets to the Moon.

Although, I seem to recall two almost consecutive news stories:
1. UK gives massive aid to country
2. Country places massive order for British technology.

I don't suppose anyone would object if a billionaire dropped a few million in aid to whoever they chose.

Bill Gates gets a lot of grief.

[demographic]

Thought our NI contributions paid for our state pensions.

Bless.

[Taipan]

Carefull ! That is today classed as an ultra right wing view and will probably get you on a list somewhere.

Funny how views that were once mainstream are now classed as toxic, and vice versa.

When considering aid to foreigners, how far back do you want to go?

How about the 1860s?

http://www.maharajahswell.org.uk/

That was aid FROM foreigners. And private aid from a very rich man to a poor English village. I don't suppose anyone would object if a billionaire dropped a few million in aid to whoever they chose. Whereas everyone in the UK, rich, poor or destitute, is contributing to this.

Personally I am happy to give to charity but I want to see assurance that the money will be spent well. Lobbing money into Africa or Asia with little or no visibility of where it goes is a mug's game. Over my lifetime Africa alone has swallowed billions in aid, the only visible signs of where it has gone is in the Swiss bank accounts of several ex-presidents.

[Dodgy69]

Thought our NI contributions paid for our state pensions.

Bless.

This is one we should agree with.

[wheelnut]

Thought our NI contributions paid for our state pensions.

They used to. When people lived till 75 and then conveniently shuffled off.

Not so much now when most live to 90+ and spend the last 10 years in a nursing home.

[Cousin Jack]

Thought our NI contributions paid for our state pensions.

They used to. When people lived till 75 and then conveniently shuffled off.

Not so much now when most live to 90+ and spend the last 10 years in a nursing home.

That was also when the dole was paid out only when no work existed. If jobs existed you were expected to take them. And you didn't get extra dosh for children unless you were literally starving.

[ZRX61]

Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles has been suspended after it was discovered it was he who called in a bomb threat to City Hall...

The FBI searched the home of a Los Angeles deputy mayor as part of an investigation into a bomb threat made against City Hall, officials said Wednesday.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' office said FBI agents searched the home of Brian Williams, the deputy mayor for public safety, on Tuesday as part of their investigation. The Los Angeles Police Department said Williams was "likely" behind the bomb threat.

It was not immediately clear exactly when or how the threat was made. A spokesperson for Bass said Williams was immediately placed on administrative leave after the FBI searched his home.

"Earlier this year, the LAPD responded to a bomb threat made against Los Angeles City Hall," the police department said in a statement. "Our initial investigation revealed that the source of the threat was likely from Brian Williams, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. Due to the Department’s working relationship with Mr. Williams, the investigation was referred to the FBI. The FBI remains the investigating agency”

[Dodgy69]

Thought our NI contributions paid for our state pensions.

They used to. When people lived till 75 and then conveniently shuffled off.

Not so much now when most live to 90+ and spend the last 10 years in a nursing home.

A wise man might say, " always support the argument that is in your best interest ".

[Taipan]

Thought our NI contributions paid for our state pensions. Moral of the story being, ain't it about time we put this country of our first.

It does. If you haven't paid enough in you wont get full state pension and you need a minimum contribution to get anything. NI also covers dole and maternity pay etc.

[Cousin Jack]

Thought our NI contributions paid for our state pensions. Moral of the story being, ain't it about time we put this country of our first.

It does. If you haven't paid enough in you wont get full state pension and you need a minimum contribution to get anything. NI also covers dole and maternity pay etc.

You have to pay to qualify, but AFAIK ALL taxation goes into the Treasury pot, and separate funds for this and that no longer exist.

[Taipan]

Moral of the story being, ain't it about time we put this country of our first.

Carefull ! That is today classed as an ultra right wing view and will probably get you on a list somewhere.

Funny how views that were once mainstream are now classed as toxic, and vice versa.

The cancer that is woke is to blame for that. Once. is was a source of awarness and compassion that has now been hijacked into a political money making movement.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Thought our NI contributions paid for our state pensions. Moral of the story being, ain't it about time we put this country of our first.

It does. If you haven't paid enough in you wont get full state pension and you need a minimum contribution to get anything. NI also covers dole and maternity pay etc.

You have to pay to qualify, but AFAIK ALL taxation goes into the Treasury pot, and separate funds for this and that no longer exist.

It's bollox, that what it is. I doesn't cover the cost of pensions, let alone anything else on top. It's just no-one has the motivation/nads to bin it off and increase income tax instead. Can't have a simpler tax, can you?

Leaving aside the question of "why do we pay foreign aid to wealthy countries?", which I tend to agree with, the whole "put the UK first" argument is remarkably short sighted. The point of foreign aid is to benefit the UK in the long run.

It also ignores the fact UK welfare spending has been increasing steadily for the last 5 decades, so "putting our country first" is exactly what the budget has been doing.

[Count Steer]

It does. If you haven't paid enough in you wont get full state pension and you need a minimum contribution to get anything. NI also covers dole and maternity pay etc.

You have to pay to qualify, but AFAIK ALL taxation goes into the Treasury pot, and separate funds for this and that no longer exist.

It's bollox, that what it is. I doesn't cover the cost of pensions, let alone anything else on top. It's just no-one has the motivation/nads to bin it off and increase income tax instead. Can't have a simpler tax, can you?

Then they could 'means test' state pension payments and stop this 'I've paid my money into the pension scheme, I demand the return on my investment...for 30+ years' nonsense.