Richard Benyon, Struggling with Family Finances? Options

[NWNREADER]

Well pointed out - I thought I had heard it before! Two things we need to challenge are food waste and wasteful packaging of groceries.

Well said, but I would say wasteful packaging, period.

[Richard Garvie]

But if it's true that families are throwing away £50 worth of food each week for want of knowing how properly to store it isn't it the right thing to say so? £50 a week might well not matter very much to Richard Benyon, but he does appear to understand that it matters to us serfs so good point well made. Whereas you've unhelpfully confused the message by conflating it with leftovers just so you can make a personal attack for political ends.

If Labour is interested in the cost and quality of food and the health consequences of the poor diet of the poorest in society how about doing something positive about it - publicly demand universal access to cheap allotments and challenge the town council to slash their rents that exclude the poorest and have turned Newbury's allotments into a middle-class enclave, and challenge the council to create new sites and actively promote allotmenteering to the unwelcome poor.

One of our policies in 2015 will be to introduce a living wage, which will help to a certain extent.

[Richard Garvie]

I notice it says you've stepped down here

http://www.newburyandthatchamchronicle.co....own/?mode=print

but the article is so badly written by the Chronicle I can't work out what from. What is it you've stepped down from please?

I stepped down as an officer (campaigns) of the local party to focus on becoming parliamentary candidate.

[NWNREADER]

One of our policies in 2015 will be to introduce a living wage, which will help to a certain extent.

You have missed the point - however much money (some) people have, their ability to waste will always leave them 'indisposed'. Many other people manage remarkably well on less money.......

[Richard Garvie]

If those people like Richard had not received a 5% tax cut this year, that is over £3bn which could have been used on various policies to help the poor / vulnerable. Instead, the government are hitting the most vulnerable over and over again, which is why Mr Benyon asking us to eat leftovers is a bit of a slap in the face.

[blackdog]

If those people like Richard had not received a 5% tax cut this year, that is over £3bn which could have been used on various policies to help the poor / vulnerable. Instead, the government are hitting the most vulnerable over and over again, which is why Mr Benyon asking us to eat leftovers is a bit of a slap in the face.

There may be a lot of truth in this statement - but Mr Benyon did not ask us to eat leftovers (not that there in anything wrong in eating leftovers) he asked us not to waste food. In doing so he was repeating Gordon Brown's message from 5 years ago.

The message probably doesn't apply to the poor/vulnerable - who can't afford to waste food.

[JeffG]

Well pointed out - I thought I had heard it before! Two things we need to challenge are food waste and wasteful packaging of groceries.

Well said, but I would say wasteful packaging, period.

Why don't you think food waste is something to be avoided?

[Andy Capp]

Why don't you think food waste is something to be avoided?

[NWNREADER]

Why don't you think food waste is something to be avoided?

Did I say that?
You referred to wasteful food packaging, I suggested all wasteful packaging regardless of what it was for

[NWNREADER]

If those people like Richard had not received a 5% tax cut this year, that is over £3bn which could have been used on various policies to help the poor / vulnerable. Instead, the government are hitting the most vulnerable over and over again, which is why Mr Benyon asking us to eat leftovers is a bit of a slap in the face.

Stop ranting about the truth.
1. There is evidence - within reason - that a lower top tax rate actually brings in more. I don't understand it, but it has happened in recent history in the UK;
2. He has not asked anyone to eat leftovers (although I do on a regular basis, rather than throw away perfectly good food prepared the day before). He has asked people to reflect on the fact waste is a cause of budget problems as well as income.

[JeffG]

Did I say that?
You referred to wasteful food packaging, I suggested all wasteful packaging regardless of what it was for

Not me, but pbonnay referred to food waste and wasteful packaging. You said just wasteful packaging, which led me to assume you didn't think wasting food (nothing to do with packaging) was important.

I think one of us misunderstood something!

[pbonnay]

If those people like Richard had not received a 5% tax cut this year, that is over £3bn which could have been used on various policies to help the poor / vulnerable. Instead, the government are hitting the most vulnerable over and over again, which is why Mr Benyon asking us to eat leftovers is a bit of a slap in the face.

I see nothing wrong with encouraging people to waste less food and even to use leftovers. After we have a roast, I make sure the bones and bits are used to make a stock, and I look forward to bubble & squeak a couple of days later - lovely with some pickles!

It is not about being rich or poor, it is about using resources in the most efficient manner - plain good old-fashioned housekeeping, if you like.

As for your political point, all the main parties know that high top rates of tax are very poor at raising revenue. Labour kept the top rate at 40% for nearly all of its 13 years in power, only putting it up to 50% just before an election they knew they would lose. A cynical political stunt.

[gel]

Let them eat grouse

DT article

[Berkshirelad]

Stop ranting about the truth.
1. There is evidence - within reason - that a lower top tax rate actually brings in more. I don't understand it, but it has happened in recent history in the UK;

It is mainly because at a lower tax rate the cost and bother of avoiding tax (which is perfectly legal; it is tax evasion that is illegal) exceeds the cost of paying the lower rate.

Lower tax rates also attract overseas companies/workers/investors who will quite happily pay a lower rate of tax