Peter Bowden 🇬🇧 => Refugees cost 0.22% of UK GDP
@b31bowden.bsky.social
Proud Brummie. Sceptic, pedant and is frequently sarcastic, but tries to be polite. Retired from Public Service, ex Local Authority Childcare, ex DWP Fraud, ex IPCC Investigator. Assume nothing, Believe nobody. Check everything.
In this case just 290,000 people are affected. Hardly a flood. If you can drop £2000+ a year into your pension, you aren't earning peanuts.
December 7, 2025 at 10:42 PM
In this case just 290,000 people are affected. Hardly a flood. If you can drop £2000+ a year into your pension, you aren't earning peanuts.
Blighted by emotion? Like this?
December 7, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Blighted by emotion? Like this?
DWP has, for decades, ignored their own failures and blamed claimants for failure to follow complex rules that staff need detailed training* to understand. Just look at how many senior DWP staff are disabled & so understand inequality issues.
*I was a DWP Fraud Investigator.
*I was a DWP Fraud Investigator.
December 7, 2025 at 1:04 PM
DWP has, for decades, ignored their own failures and blamed claimants for failure to follow complex rules that staff need detailed training* to understand. Just look at how many senior DWP staff are disabled & so understand inequality issues.
*I was a DWP Fraud Investigator.
*I was a DWP Fraud Investigator.
It made me think of this (the image, not Captain Picard!)
December 5, 2025 at 11:34 PM
It made me think of this (the image, not Captain Picard!)
Here are some reasons why not👇. Our State Pension is mean & an increasing number of worklers can'tt afford anything on top.
November 25, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Here are some reasons why not👇. Our State Pension is mean & an increasing number of worklers can'tt afford anything on top.
November 25, 2025 at 12:45 PM
It is perhaps appropriate to also point out that many benefits are also taxable but not taxed. A list (not exhaustive)
November 24, 2025 at 1:50 PM
It is perhaps appropriate to also point out that many benefits are also taxable but not taxed. A list (not exhaustive)
Apropos of nothing:
November 22, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Apropos of nothing:
She knows that as well as you did. She also knows that none of this will make the slightest difference to the racists. To quote her, in fact, today:
November 17, 2025 at 9:50 PM
She knows that as well as you did. She also knows that none of this will make the slightest difference to the racists. To quote her, in fact, today:
Neal Ascherson:
November 16, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Neal Ascherson:
Its been tried before:
November 15, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Its been tried before:
Douglas Adams knew:
November 15, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Douglas Adams knew:
This also seems relevant:
November 15, 2025 at 4:53 PM
This also seems relevant:
The BBC needs funding; it doesn't need public support if it has political support.
However, it already has huge public support, apart from people who wouldn't change their minds no matter what they did. So I disagree.
However, it already has huge public support, apart from people who wouldn't change their minds no matter what they did. So I disagree.
November 15, 2025 at 1:31 PM
The BBC needs funding; it doesn't need public support if it has political support.
However, it already has huge public support, apart from people who wouldn't change their minds no matter what they did. So I disagree.
However, it already has huge public support, apart from people who wouldn't change their minds no matter what they did. So I disagree.
All you need to know.
November 11, 2025 at 10:48 PM
All you need to know.
It was ever thus:
November 10, 2025 at 11:41 AM
It was ever thus:
Let me put it a different way:
November 9, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Let me put it a different way:
Everyone else is doing it!
November 9, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Everyone else is doing it!
As a tax paying State Pensioner, I'm fine with that if it improves things. I don't pay higher rate tax though like the Torygraph envisages:
November 7, 2025 at 6:16 PM
As a tax paying State Pensioner, I'm fine with that if it improves things. I don't pay higher rate tax though like the Torygraph envisages:
From the ABC news site:
November 7, 2025 at 3:53 PM
From the ABC news site:
I can't think of a better response than this.
November 7, 2025 at 11:08 AM
I can't think of a better response than this.
From Wikipedia:
November 6, 2025 at 5:47 PM
From Wikipedia:
You cannot get a Motability car unless you score 12 points in the mobility section. Below is how it is scored. The focus has always been exclusively on mobility issues.
www.thecarexpert.co.uk/are-you-elig...
www.thecarexpert.co.uk/are-you-elig...
November 6, 2025 at 2:16 PM
You cannot get a Motability car unless you score 12 points in the mobility section. Below is how it is scored. The focus has always been exclusively on mobility issues.
www.thecarexpert.co.uk/are-you-elig...
www.thecarexpert.co.uk/are-you-elig...
That isn't what is said at all. Extract from your article:
November 6, 2025 at 1:59 PM
That isn't what is said at all. Extract from your article:
From Street View:
November 4, 2025 at 3:28 PM
From Street View: