The National Union of Linekers . . . .

[Roger]

Hi Teess - did you see this ?     https://youtu.be/94fmdwmwul4

TBH I would probably love to vote Labour but I am appalled by KS's continual shrill and snide opportunism. I did have great hopes for him but that's waning. In the link, that's IMO just one of KS's many shrill and raving efforts.

I don't see many on the Labour front bench that offer more comfort than KS   

Which is a shame. But never mind - apparently Bonkers Boris has been voted through to stand for MP again in the next election . . . . . 

[Teessider]

No  but I saw the budget speech where the richest 1% got a massive tax saving while the tax free allowance has been frozen for the next 3 years.

[Roger]

Teess - yes that was a shocker and I didn't get the reason offered - i.e. to encourage NHS Doctors from retiring early ?

But - here's Charles Moore explaining it : "So a doctor retiring at, say, 60, is guaranteed a pension of, say, £52,000 per annum. If, however, he or she stays another two years, he will continue to pay into his pension. By deferring it, he will also increase its value. He will therefore be penalised if his notional total (20 times the annual pay-out) rises above the LTA. It was because doctors saw this that so many of them retired. Many wanted to go on helping patients, but not to become poorer by doing so." https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/17/scrapping-pension-allowance-doesnt-just-benefit-rich-liberates/

A pension of £52K seems extremely tasty to me but anyway, I can see the point.

[Roger]

In this article it's claimed that Alistair Campbell orchestrated much of this     

In addition : "Lineker’s arrangement with the BBC means that he too is able to top up his £1.35 million salary, by far the highest of any BBC presenter.

No one has tried to make any secret of the various deals, and Campbell in particular makes repeated references to the fact that his The Rest Is Politics podcast – co-hosted by Rory Stewart, a former Tory leadership candidate – is produced by Goalhanger Podcasts, of which Lineker is the biggest shareholder.

The events of the past fortnight have, though, raised fresh questions about the BBC’s relationship with Lineker, 62, whose connections with some colleagues – including financial links in many cases – run deeper than simply sharing the same studio."  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/17/how-gary-lineker-tops-135m-bbc-salary-licence-fee-money/

Nice work if you can get it BUT for me, it's time to clip these wings