Politics 2024/25 General Election Voting Intention (2022)

[Deebs]

So then. A 5% "tourist tax".

A tax on when you go on holiday, a tax on business travel, a tax on small businesses that already pay income tax, national insurance on their incomes and/or the other related business taxes if they're above the threshold. A tax on big businesses, and on hospitality (pubs with rooms etc).

Growth at all costs eh?

We're in a taxation death spiral.

I am waiting for a tax on every toilet over one.

 

[Scouse]

I am waiting for a tax on every toilet over one.

I was going to give you a laugh but I can't really count it out.

 

[Gwadien]

Why don't we do what other countries do and tax foreigners?

 

[Scouse]

Why don't we do what other countries do and tax foreigners?

Make it more expensive for people who choose to come to Britain to spend their money. Lets squeeze them even more eh?

To be fair - we don't want poor people visiting. They're the "wrong sort".

Good thinking that man.

 

[Gwadien]

Make it more expensive for people who choose to come to Britain to spend their money. Lets squeeze them even more eh?

To be fair - we don't want poor people visiting. They're the "wrong sort".

Good thinking that man.

For places that are rammed like York perhaps? and maybe in peak season, where there's not a demand for more tourists.

That being said last time I went to York I was pretty baffled that there was a member of the council staff who stood next to a bollard all day lifting and lowering it which seemed like you don't need a human to be doing that manually...

 

[Deebs]

For places that are rammed like York perhaps? and maybe in peak season, where there's not a demand for more tourists.

That being said last time I went to York I was pretty baffled that there was a member of the council staff who stood next to a bollard all day lifting and lowering it which seemed like you don't need a human to be doing that manually...

Maybe he was a lifelike robot like a Terminator?

 

[Gwadien]

Maybe he was a lifelike robot like a Terminator?

She, you sexist pigdog.

 

[Deebs]

She, you sexist pigdog.

FFS I should give you a fucking slap, (s)he is a transgender robot.

 

[Scouse]

For places that are rammed like York perhaps? and maybe in peak season, where there's not a demand for more tourists.

York is already benefitting massively from tourism - and the taxes getting paid by that economic powerhouse of a tourist city will be enormous.

And they want more money off people?

Your post seems to lean towards discouraging tourism - like tourism at peak times is a bad thing. It's clear that you understand that taxes will discourage that. So that comes back to economic death spiral due to taxation. York (and all of us) can benefit massively from all the business that is raking it in from the people who visit. Do we want to reduce the number of visitors (basically, reduce the number of poor families that can afford to visit) and therefore reduce the overall tax take just to shave £100/month off the rich.

Labour's mindset is a poverty mindset.

That being said last time I went to York I was pretty baffled that there was a member of the council staff who stood next to a bollard all day lifting and lowering it which seemed like you don't need a human to be doing that manually...

Just spent 20 minutes waiting for a "convoy car" to take me down the road past some roadworks. There's 4 people involved in that system. They also have traffic lights, a system that seems to be working fine pretty much everywhere else, but it appears Wales wants to spend taxpayers money really very inefficiently.

But I guess we don't have to worry - the tourist tax will enable these people in non-jobs to keep their non-jobs, whilst making the rest of the principality that little bit poorer overall.

 

[Zarjazz]

York is already benefitting massively from tourism - and the taxes getting paid by that economic powerhouse of a tourist city will be enormous.

And they want more money off people?

Since I'm actually living in York I can answer that. The council tax I pay in York is actually higher than I was paying in the centre of the City of London. But then the services I'm getting are much better too. From the few years since I've moved here it seems to be a pretty well run council and city that's kept clean and all the historic monuments are well maintained, but it will not be cheap to keep it that way. Frankly the tourist tax is probably something they've wanted to do just to reduce the absolutely absurd number of tourists that visit -- at peak times the streets can be packed shoulder to shoulder -- similar to what Barcelona implemented. Unfortunately that will affected the poorest worst of all.

 

[Scouse]

Since I'm actually living in York I can answer that. The council tax I pay in York is actually higher than I was paying in the centre of the City of London. But then the services I'm getting are much better too. From the few years since I've moved here it seems to be a pretty well run council and city that's kept clean and all the historic monuments are well maintained, but it will not be cheap to keep it that way. Frankly the tourist tax is probably something they've wanted to do just to reduce the absolutely absurd number of tourists that visit -- at peak times the streets can be packed shoulder to shoulder -- similar to what Barcelona implemented. Unfortunately that will affected the poorest worst of all.

Yep exactly - it's a massive success, brings in loads of cash and you've got businesses that don't really need to try to succeed. It's a rammed party town. It might not be great for some, but economically?

The only thing that will happen in York with a tourist tax is slightly less tax take overall. It won't make a material difference to the quality of people's lives who live in the centre of York - it'll still be a party town - and the tourist tax will price out people on a margin. It's the same here in Betws Y Coed - it's a party town, and I knew that before I moved here. And most of the locals know that without tourists we wouldn't have seven pubs in the middle of rural wales. In fact, they'd struggle with more than one if it was just the locals.

I knew a guy (a cunt) who moved between Donnington Park Raceway and East Midlands Airport. He then proceeded to complain to the council that Donnington Park Raceway and East Midlands Airport were too loud. And the council took him seriously rather than say "why did you buy a house between the racetrack and the airport". Sometimes you simply accept reality.

What the tourist tax will do is undoubtedly fill the council's coffers to waste inefficiently on pointless shite - but I'd wager that if we introduce this across the country it'll be a net negative in tax take and make struggling businesses struggle more.

You can look at Spain, which was cheap compared to other countries before they introduced their targetted taxes, that's netural to a small positive. Japan's got an exit tax of £5 when you leave, so it doesn't hit the Japanese. Blighty? It's already expensive here, we already charge double or more VAT than most European destinations. If you add 3% on top of that then that tips a poor family from a staycation to a cheap package holiday in Spain - so all that cash goes to Spain, and leaves the UK.

I honestly think Labour can fuck off. They need to cut costs.

 

[Zarjazz]

Yep exactly - it's a massive success, brings in loads of cash and you've got businesses that don't really need to try to succeed. It's a rammed party town. It might not be great for some, but economically?

York isn't a party town, it's an overly busy tourist hotspot. Slight difference. But when there are so many tourists it's effecting the lives of the local residents it's understandable which the council would (and should) prioritize. Hell, at least two thirds of the flats in recent builds have been bought purely as AirBnB lets which often means they are simply left empty at off-peak times. I'm sure that's the next target on their list.

 

[Scouse]

York isn't a party town

I mean. It kinda is now. (By party town I mean tourist hotspot - and when I go there as a tourist, it's to visit the bars, dance, have a nice time. You know - party)..

Was pretty much going that way when I visited in '92. 34 years later it kind of is what it is. I think if you've lived in the centre your whole life and watched succesions of governments - Conservatives, Labour, Coalition, Tory, Labour again - enact policies that have enabled this, then fair enough. But Labour enacting the tourism tax laws isn't because they give a shit about the residents. They just want more moolah to spend.

I look at it this way - at least you're living in a place people want to go. You could live in a shithole town that nobody wants to visit. I know which I'd pick. (And that would be live on the outskirts, and go into the centre when you've got mates around - for bars and nightlife).

 

[Gwadien]

I mean. It kinda is now. (By party town I mean tourist hotspot - and when I go there as a tourist, it's to visit the bars, dance, have a nice time. You know - party)..

Was pretty much going that way when I visited in '92. 34 years later it kind of is what it is. I think if you've lived in the centre your whole life and watched succesions of governments - Conservatives, Labour, Coalition, Tory, Labour again - enact policies that have enabled this, then fair enough. But Labour enacting the tourism tax laws isn't because they give a shit about the residents. They just want more moolah to spend.

I look at it this way - at least you're living in a place people want to go. You could live in a shithole town that nobody wants to visit. I know which I'd pick. (And that would be live on the outskirts, and go into the centre when you've got mates around - for bars and nightlife).

I can't believe how wrong you are.

At 10PM York was dead when I was there (other than students) because it's full of either middle class families or older people, it's already too expensive for the poor, if anything taxing foreign tourists would make it more affordable for them.

That's because it's a cultural city.

Americans on their tour of Europe won't give a fuck about paying an extra 5%.

Maybe they could use the 5% to pay for local schools to visit the sites for free?

Edit - If it is for Brits too then it is silly, yes.

 

[Scouse]

If it is for Brits too then it is silly, yes.

It's for Brits. It's Brits going anywhere in Britain. For holiday or business.

Camping? Tourist tax.

You're also wrong about foreigners. Foreigners are like us too. At some point, things are too expensive, so they go elsewhere. And we already charge double the VAT than most of Europe.

We're already taxing the shit out of tourists.

 

[Embattle]

Ben Delo: Reform receives record £36m donation from cryptocurrency billionaire

Ben Delo's donation, the biggest single sum ever given to a political party in the UK, comes amid scrutiny of Reform's finances.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Scouse]

On that 36m and from the torygraph:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/11/ben-delo-im-giving-reform-millions-make-next-election-fair/

 

[BloodOmen]

“Reform UK receives a generous donation from a mysterious enclave of extremely wealthy German pensioners living in Argentina. Reform insists: ‘It’s simply about making the next election fair.’”


Is it up there for 10 points bob!?



OR


“Reform UK: ‘We need these donations to make the next election fair.’
Electoral Commission: ‘Who gave you the money?’
Reform UK: ‘That's not important.’
Electoral Commission: ‘It really is.’
Reform UK: ‘Okay, it was Count Offshore von Suspicious.’”

 

[Gwadien]

On that 36m and from the torygraph:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/11/ben-delo-im-giving-reform-millions-make-next-election-fair/

Yeah sure, absolutely nothing to do with being pardoned by Trump.

 

[Scouse]

Avoidance (as per).

 

[Gwadien]

Avoidance (as per).

So to clarify you buy this whole 'he's doing it to level the playing field'?

 

[Ormorof]

Convicted crook pardoned by a crook donates money to party full of crooks

Insert surprised pikachu face here

 

[Scouse]

I was just hoping you might comment on some of the substance of the article - including the levels of funding for the Tories and Labour.

Or maybe the transparent attempts to prohibit funding of other parties - which the Unions have pushed back on because if Labour doesn't word it right then they won't be able to donate.

He might actually also be telling the truth - that he doesn't think the Tories or Labour are doing a good job and he wants something else.

I'm not belittling foreign interference in elections @Gwadien - but there's been literal centuries of time for government to settle funding questions, but it's taken an alternative popular party on the rise after decades of clear mismanagement, threatening the comfy two party consensus, before they try to fix the system address the problem.

 

[Gwadien]

I was just hoping you might comment on some of the substance of the article - including the levels of funding for the Tories and Labour.

Or maybe the transparent attempts to prohibit funding of other parties - which the Unions have pushed back on because if Labour doesn't word it right then they won't be able to donate.

He might actually also be telling the truth - that he doesn't think the Tories or Labour are doing a good job and he wants something else.

I'm not belittling foreign interference in elections @Gwadien - but there's been literal centuries of time for government to settle funding questions, but it's taken an alternative popular party on the rise after decades of clear mismanagement, threatening the comfy two party consensus, before they try to fix the system address the problem.

Do you actually think he gives a shit though?

He's a billionaire from doing what the bankers did pre-2008 but on steroids.

Plus he doesn't employ thousands of people like banks do.

Then the fucks off and lives abroad so he doesn't have to pay tax?

Seriously, is this the same Scouse? Incredible.

Classic Trump flood the zone - 'oh we'll make it about how the democratic system isn't fair'. Shouldn't the question really be, who is this guy, why is he giving so much money, what are his actual motivations?

Plus, you are aware that Telegraph article was written by him?

Crypto currency was meant to be this wonderful decentralised thing where it would be awesome for everyone to use etc - the opposite has become the truth, and you're applauding it.

Disgusting.

 

[Scouse]

Plus, you are aware that Telegraph article was written by him?

Yes. That's why I posted it.

We spend so much time talking about who these fuckers are and what their motivations are. Well there you go, in black and white.

Whether we believe him is a different question altogether.

But if we're only prepared to engage in arguments with people we agree with, then we become a tribal echo chamber. So I'm literally bringing his argument to Freddyshouse (which is now an over 70% labour-voting echo chamber).

Your response is predictable - play the man, not the ball. Avoidance.

So here's some ball:

One of the reasons why the old parties have lasted so long is that they have made it very expensive to challenge them.

Both of them have annual budgets that run into the tens of millions. Last year, when there was no general election, Labour spent some £3.9m per month and the Tories about £2.3m per month. Reform only managed around £1.8m per month.

...?

 

[Scouse]

I met @DaGaffer for a pint the other night. I hope I managed to pursuade him I'm not a rabid rightwing asshat and my attempts, like this, are to stimulate debate, play devil's advocate, break the echo chamber. (Although I probably just convinced him that I drink too much).

Your repeated assertions along "is this the same Scouse" lines stems from a seeming inability for you to divorce arguing along those lines and holding views in common with these people. And if I wasn't doing it then where would the discussion be? We'd be stuck in an intellectual circle-jerk.

I'm interested in understanding things, breaking things down not along party lines.

Challenge everything.

 

[Gwadien]

Yes. That's why I posted it.

We spend so much time talking about who these fuckers are and what their motivations are. Well there you go, in black and white.

Whether we believe him is a different question altogether.

But if we're only prepared to engage in arguments with people we agree with, then we become a tribal echo chamber. So I'm literally bringing his argument to Freddyshouse (which is now an over 70% labour-voting echo chamber).

Your response is predictable - play the man, not the ball. Avoidance.

So here's some ball:



...?

Lmao, it's not a 70% labour-voting echo chamber at all, that's in your head.

I think in the last election, the vast majority of people reluctantly voted Labour and are willing to listen to other points of view.

They just refuse to lap up absolute MAGA inspired horseshit.

It's a disgrace that it's been given air time.

So I'll ask - Do you really think he gives a shit about the state of UK democracy or is it purely about his self interest and avoiding getting into trouble with future political parties that he can't bank roll?

 

[Scouse]

Lmao, it's not a 70% labour-voting echo chamber at all, that's in your head.

Sorry. 60.9%. The poll is at the top of the thread m8. Scroll up.

So I'll ask - Do you really think he gives a shit about the state of UK democracy or is it purely about his self interest and avoiding getting into trouble with future political parties that he can't bank roll?

I don't know.

But the argument above. That's interesting:

One of the reasons why the old parties have lasted so long is that they have made it very expensive to challenge them.

Both of them have annual budgets that run into the tens of millions. Last year, when there was no general election, Labour spent some £3.9m per month and the Tories about £2.3m per month. Reform only managed around £1.8m per month

This. Want to address that? That sounds not very good in a democracy at all, does it. A stitch up by encumbants that prevents alternative voices breaking through?

 

[Scouse]

Oh, and:

It's a disgrace that it's been given air time.

Ah. The censorious knee-jerk reaction of a totalitarian.

Much better that people we don't like never get to make those arguments eh?

I'll find something else very relevant and fun to post later.

 

[Embattle]

Not to be outdone:

Reform receives second £36m donation in two days as crypto investor matches record

Cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne says he has equalled a donation from Ben Delo announced late on Friday.

www.bbc.co.uk