@grok @KarlTurnerMP @DavidLammy @UKLabour @sarahsackman @catkinson80 @Grok has Sarah Sackman received funding from Labour Together?
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John Pendegrast
5.5K posts
Sarah Sackman KC is the Labour MP for Finchley & Golders Green (elected July 2024). She’s currently Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services at the Ministry of Justice (appointed Dec 2024), after briefly serving as Solicitor General. A barrister since 2008, she specialised in public, planning, environmental, and election law.
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.@DavidLammy why were Society Labour Lawyers told by Ministers that they cannot say publicly what they think of the jury curtailment plans? Why have they been told not to brief @UKLabour MPs on this stuff? Can @sarahsackman throw any light on this? @catkinson80? 🤷🏼♂️
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Real leadership on display from Kemi here - defending her position with clarity, conviction and accountability while so many other politicians shy away from real policy debate
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Keir Starmer has visited Gorton & Denton ahead of Thursday’s crucial by-election, saying contest is a “straight fight” between Labour and Reform.
It’s quite unusual for PMs - particularly ones with as low approval ratings as this one - to campaign in by-elections.
But it’s in line with growing confidence within Labour - despite Greens making inroads into their vote - that it could win the seat. Party insiders claim that ‘don’t knows’ are splitting for them.
However, the visit also ties Starmer more closely to the result, especially in a tight race. We’ll know within days whether it was a smart move - or not.
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Poor journalism from the Guardian. How was this an “ambush”?
If Badenoch chooses to appear on television she should expect to be questioned by people who know what they’re talking about.
All too often politicians are allowed to make speeches and tell lies without push-back.
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Martin Lewis is calling on the Chancellor to change a key decision on student loans she made in the last budget, calling it a breach of the contract graduates originally signed.
Martin Lewis questions Kemi Badenoch about the Conservatives' proposals.
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Just a reminder MoneySavingExpert does not cold call. If someone knocks at your door (or calls you) claiming to be from us or sent by me, to switch your energy or owt else, it is not true, be careful.
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About to go on @GMB to argue why Chancellor is morally wrong to freeze the Plan 2 student loan repayment threshold, and should reverse the decision...
...while in practice for most with that loan it works like a graduate tax, it was deliberately set up and sold as a loan contract (both so the wealthy didn't need get it and so if you move abroad you still owe it).
Freezing the threshold is a one sided breach of contractual terms. No commercial lender would be allowed to do it, the FCA would strike it down. The govt shouldnt be allowed to do it either, it should at the very least stick to the terms it agreed with students when they took out their loans.
This freeze hits lower and middle earning graduates the hardest. They will end up repaying, at a guesstimate, £300/yr more due to it and do so for the rest of their loan's 30yr life.
While the highest earners will pay more each year too, at least for them it'll mean they'll clear the loan earlier so repay less interest.
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You'd need to ask a lawyer, however when I took legal advice to judicial review the proposed repayment freeze in 2015 I was told it wouldn't succeed. Of course that isnt the same as whether an individual could challenge a breach of contract but that for a lawyer to answer not me.
Dave_Hill@UKfinfan
@MartinSLewis Surely legal action can be taken on this?
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🚨 WATCH: Kemi Badenoch clashes with Martin Lewis on her plans for student loans
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The govt's Student Loan Plan 2 repayment freeze in April 2027 must be reversed. It isn't moral.
I'm concerned that my debate with Kemi Badenoch this morning distracts from the most immediate problem. In April 2027 Rachel Reeves will freeze the Plan 2 student loan threshold until 2030 which by then will increase graduate repayments by £300/yr more.
This is effectively a unilateral negative breach of the student loan contract. Students were told the threshold would rise with average earnings. No commercial lender would be allowed to do this. The govt shouldn't do it either.
Changing the terms of future students loans is a political decision - people may not like it but it is transparent. Negatively changing the terms of contracts already signed, and long in place, is a breach of natural justice.
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@MartinSLewis @KemiBadenoch Idiot - You said students loans were no big deal - don’t worry and now you u-turned !! youtube.com/watch?v=3FiErJ…
YouTube
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The problem with @KemiBadenoch proposal to cut Plan 2 loans interest rates is it is too late for most. While I've long campaigned against above inflation interest rates on student loans, so much interest has already been added to people's accounts that cutting it now, while psychologically appealing, won't reduce by a penny the amount lower and middle earning graduates repay.
While it would be nice to do, assuming they're not planning to spend unlimited funds, or say reduce the actual debt owed, in my view a far better use of the same funds would be to massively increase the repayment threshold (the opposite of what @RachelReevesMP is doing with the disgraceful and damaging freezing of the threshold).
Plan 2 loans were always set up so that most would not repay in full over the 30 years before it wipes. For them it works like a hefty 9% additional tax above the repayment threshold (though psychologically it's a nightmare for many to see the interest grow and grow even if they won't pay it).
The only people who would financially benefit from lowering interest rates to inflation at this point, would be those who earn enough to clear what they owe in the 30 years before the debt wipes. Currently that's predicted to be only the highest earning (or lowest borrowing) 20% to 30% of graduates, but with lower interest maybe it'd be 30% or 40%.
For the rest, the bulk of lower and middle earning graduates, lowering interest rates won't help. They'll still repay the same for the next 30 years.
Yet if you used the same money to increase the threshold so repayments were say 9% of everything above £40,000 (and index link that) rather than the current £28,400. Graduates would have up to £1,000/yr more disposable income each year.
Plus this way many of those who didn't get a graduate premium (ie financially benefitted from their degrees) wouldnt be paying.
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@MartinSLewis @KemiBadenoch @GMB Mr Lewis, you conveniently forget that you “sold” student loans as nothing much to worry about, to students, not so long ago. I am sure someone will soon post these videos of your pontificating of Student Loans here
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Dear @KemiBadenoch, apologies for gate crashing your @GMB interview today. Student loans are so life-impacting that I wanted to ensure the key point was made - that financially, if not psychologically, the repayment threshold is a bigger issue than the interest, (as I explain here: x.com/MartinSLewis/s…)
Thank you for being so courteous after the interruption - you handled it far better than I would have the other way round. I have asked my office to request a meeting, if you are available, to discuss this more calmly.
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@SBarrettBar State capture by Resolution Foundation. …….now controlling the Treasury as well as Number-10 !!!!!!!!!
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My eyeballs are rolling back so hard that I'm worried about permanent damage
We are a joke country.
Politics UK@PolitlcsUK
🚨 BREAKING: Keir Starmer has appointed Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson as his joint Chiefs of Staff
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As Prime Minister, I will always act in the United Kingdom’s national interest.
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We’re changing how public services work — to move fast and fix things and make sure they’re there when you need them most.
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25 reminders that the Tories failed Britain.
One for each of the former Tory MPs who are now planning to do the same through Farage's Reform.
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Reform is stuffed full of Tories who failed Britain. Same people, same chaos and decline.
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🇬🇧 Hartlepool is backing a major bid for a new Veterans Support Centre in the town centre via the Government’s £50m VALOUR programme. Led by East Durham Veterans Trust, backed by local groups, free space thanks to our HDC and free parking thanks to our Council. 💙
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@BethRigby Taking too many Blue pills Beth ? This is not how I would summarise the (not so) Emergency Broadcast
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Been to many PM speeches, this is the gravest I can recall.
PM outlines UK’s response to Trump’s threat on tariffs. Says US remains close ally > but this is moment of great jeopardy. PM clear UK cannot accept US demands. Prospect of trade war & collapse of alliances looms.
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