JohnL

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The chancellor in LAST years budget took away the 10 % band (we pay more) and decreased income tax by a couple of % (we gain) last year for implementation this year. There's something I don't like about this delayed implementation, but the two measures seem to more or less cancel each other out. However he hit some higher earners (and to be honest many in London are) by also introducing the delayed increase of the NI higher earnings limuit coming in again about now (that hits many people earning around 40K pretty hard). This NI higher earnings limit is meant to increase for 3 or 4 years yet too - until it joins with the higher tax bracket - that'll hit the 40K earners for a few years. If I remember the pensioners fuel payment was meant to be a temporary stop-gap until a fairer way of treating pensioners was found.

OK - I know the government wants to increase these - but tonight got charged 3.80 at the bishop (Italian lager) and 3.15 at the EDT (Fosters). I just came back from Birmingham, and Broad Street is charging 1.50 a pint, Swansea (Hometown) charges just under 2.00. Are we paying premium prices - I can't afford this more than once a fortnight- and I'm not getting anything special. I did find a pub in the Old Kent Road that did 2.40 a pint. Can't go on at these prices without changing my habits :)

I find the spitting much worse than fag dropping, I don't want TB thanks. I don't even think spitting is against the law - maybe we should invest in a job lot of spittoons.

A big deterrant is needed to be honest in cases like this - the last few attacks on trains/tubes seem to have been sent down for a while. Three girl muggers caught mind - maybe a bit young for the ones mentioned on here previously. http://icsouthlondon.icnetwork.co.uk/southlondonpress/southwark/tm_headline=teen-girls-arrested-after-attempted-robbery%26method=full%26objectid=20424725%26siteid=50100-name_page.html

James Kirkup did write a short article on this today - so maybe real. No pic though. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/09/npave109.xml

Ladbrokes are just across the road - so i assume they're moving across.