Why I am not wholly ashamed that I voted Tony & the labour government in
We sorted out our tax credits today. I finally told the DSS (or whatever it's called nowadays) that i had a job and therefore could not continue to claim carer's allowance for looking after Aggie. It seems a bit unfair really, since we got it on the basis that I help him with his topical traetmnts every night & morning - and I still do that despite the fact that I work now, but the rule is you can not be a carer if you work full time, so I wave goodbye to my£180 per month. I thought I'd have to pay them back this months money, which they've already paid, but apparently it wont stop until I actually get paid (rather than start working as I expected) so there may even be some extra on it's way!!
Yippee 1
Aggie spent some hours on the phone trying to sort out the child tax credit thing. You really need a degree in advanced mathmatics plus a full accountancy qualification to understand these, but basically they said that we're going to get TONS of our child care costs back again. Like, 75%!!! which means I can actually afford to take the job, whatever the negotiations end up at:-) Of course we do tick ALL the boxes: It's a full time job, for barely past minimum wage. I'm returning to work, and Aggie is disabled. We could only be better if we split up *grin* Unlike last time we claimed them, when we both worked full time, but I was just staying in the job & he as still "normal" - then we only got about 20% back!
Yippee 2
So nearly 10 years of Tony haven't all been bad. They did introduce the whole childcare tax credit system (although they took away married tax credit!). They did improve the education system - even if they are fucking it up again now. they did definitely improve the NHS - even if they are fucking it up again now. They did make the country safer - even thought they've now fucked it up way beyond how it was! They did streamline the legal system making my course much easier - even though they tend to legislate on stuff they have no business looking at!
Of course, I didn't vote for them last time, so I get to be totally unembarressed!
The problem is, how much more can they fuck up before they go - and who do we put in their place? No good candidates in either people or parties atm:-(
Yippee 1
Aggie spent some hours on the phone trying to sort out the child tax credit thing. You really need a degree in advanced mathmatics plus a full accountancy qualification to understand these, but basically they said that we're going to get TONS of our child care costs back again. Like, 75%!!! which means I can actually afford to take the job, whatever the negotiations end up at:-) Of course we do tick ALL the boxes: It's a full time job, for barely past minimum wage. I'm returning to work, and Aggie is disabled. We could only be better if we split up *grin* Unlike last time we claimed them, when we both worked full time, but I was just staying in the job & he as still "normal" - then we only got about 20% back!
Yippee 2
So nearly 10 years of Tony haven't all been bad. They did introduce the whole childcare tax credit system (although they took away married tax credit!). They did improve the education system - even if they are fucking it up again now. they did definitely improve the NHS - even if they are fucking it up again now. They did make the country safer - even thought they've now fucked it up way beyond how it was! They did streamline the legal system making my course much easier - even though they tend to legislate on stuff they have no business looking at!
Of course, I didn't vote for them last time, so I get to be totally unembarressed!
The problem is, how much more can they fuck up before they go - and who do we put in their place? No good candidates in either people or parties atm:-(
posted by Juggling Mother @ 5:38 pm
5 Comments:
At Monday, October 23, 2006 6:31:00 pm,
Anonymous said…
I agree with you. The CHild Tax thing is great, just keep tabs on it though. I went from a student to working PT and then after 6 months I stopped working again. Even though I kept telling them all the changes in circumstances they announced that they had overpaid me. Two years later I now don;t get it until I have paid it back (by not paying it to me even though I am entitled)!!!! In April I can have it back again.
I am glad that everything is working out for you
At Tuesday, October 24, 2006 9:43:00 am,
Unknown said…
Hmm Ming,Dave or Gordon...
Well we've still got a while to decide
BTW - Well done on the new job, lets hope they give you the best possible pay/arrangements
At Tuesday, October 24, 2006 1:51:00 pm,
Juggling Mother said…
Ming won't be around too long - he's been put in as a inoffensive caretaker leader imo. Too old!
I wouldn't bet on Gorden getting it:-) I've been saying for years that it's not a foregone conclusion, or within Tony's ability to offer his heirship! I reckon we might see a shocking rise in Labour membership over the next year - just in time to vote for the next leader *evil grin* The problem is - who?
No comment on Dave - he was a bit worrying at first, but he quickly showed his true blue colours and is rapidly becomming as unelectable as the numerous other tory leaders have been;-)
Thanks for the good wishes - It'll work out one way or another.
At Wednesday, October 25, 2006 9:25:00 am,
Unknown said…
Ming - agreed he's not gonna make it to the election - but there's hardley a glittering list of candidates to take his place.
If not Gordon who? Jack Straw? Blunkett? Prescott?
Dave - yeah I'm still thinking a lot of the spin is coming off well...
At Saturday, October 28, 2006 4:07:00 am,
Jenny said…
So far as the "how much more can they fuck up before they go - and who do we put in their place?" goes, we get the same problem in Australia at the next election. Howards been in office for way too long (since I was 8, isn't that crazy?) and even if he does finally decide to retire this time around, there's no obvious successor, all the big-wigs are too hated by the populace.
Such a bother, really, that the right people can't conveniantly turn up in politics just in time. Then again, often they never do, let alone in a timely fashion.
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