Conservative manifesto:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39956541

This will affect my business directly, because I have no doubt it will be extended to EU citizens once Brexit happens. My business is already suffering from the effects of Brexit (as I have documented here many times), and I had an especially difficult week last week having to let one of my workers go because German companies have held back on decisions that they had previously committed to.

If this charge extends to all migrant workers (and I think it may do), then I will have little option than to sack someone purely to employ a British person. How restrictive is that, when I no longer have the freedom to make the correct decisions for my business - all to pull in the UKIP scared old farts.

I work for the UK branch of a Chinese company.

My boss and several of my colleagues are Chinese.

There was a time when their willingness to invest here and work here was welcome

No more.

Well done, you FASCIST BASTARDS

Oh Andrew, you do let yourself down for a supposed educated man, not a very good advertisment for Cambridge at all in my view.

I think all the fagging you did for the older boys at Cambridge, warming their beds and toilet seats has finally got to you.

It's amazing isn't it? May is hellbent on burning all our bridges, and the prospect of us quitting the EU with no deal is likely. Undoubtedly, it will be spun as a "no-one tells us what to do".

Now she's looking to deter other businesses from investing, deterring companies from employing the very best elements of a diversified workforce.

Back in the day, I was fortunate to work with an Iranian (she preferred Persian) and a few Indians. I learnt a great deal from all, both professionally and culturally. I lived in the golden age, my kids will grow up in the dark ages.

As yet another thread quickly goes off topic, I've just been reminded about a thread I was going to start, and will now start.

I think, at the moment, we have moved from Patriotic to Nationalistic. Fascism is a few weeks away at best. I'm looking over the Tory manifesto. I read some of those things in the BNP manifesto in 2005 and 2010.

You're just being silly now, but I like it

Patriotism is a step from Nationalism. That is a step from Fascism. The Tory Manifesto has some elements that I've read from more right-wing parties in the past. Those policies disgusted me then, and they amaze me now. The lunatics are no longer on the grass, but are deciding policies.

I've changed the title to a more general "Conservative Manifesto". The more I read, the more I worry.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...-tory-policy-older-people-pay-for-social-care

People will get around this, my family already has done.

I agree about means-testing the Winter Fuel Allowance. My sister worked at a department in the DWP that paid these claims.

She saw a claim from a very famous aging Rock star (probably filled in by his accountant rather than him)
Claims from Brits based overseas in warm countries. One said he needed it to clean his pool!

The pensioners are getting a real kicking from the Tories in this manifesto. That's confidence, because it was the silver vote that got them through in '92. They know they have this in the bag, and are using the opportunity to make old age cheaper (for the Treasury).

I don't think may of us would disagree with the winter fuel allowance being means tested and £100k being ring-fenced if an elderly person has to go into care.

I'm guessing though that administration cost of means testing will be expensive in itself.

I've got a plan for replacing the Winter Fuel Allowance, force the energy companies to sell fuel to all pensioners at wholesale price - with no standing charges.

Its all about who pays for it.

What I'm afraid of is that the young seem to be resenting the old thinking that the elderly are getting a better deal than them, to me that is very wrong, we should look after the elderly as a priority both financially and through the NHS.

I would like the political party's to look into how we are going to fund pensions in the future as more and more of the UK population become pensioners

I never thought I'd be sticking up for the Tories, just goes to show, something is very wrong with the Labour party

The obvious way is to extend retirement age. This is usually strongly opposed, but life expectancy is expected to be 90 fairly soon. Before, pensioners got 5-10 years on average (if they were lucky). Now, they could get 15-20. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to retire at 67. Nor 70. I want to retire at 60. I can still do that (well, in theory!) but I won't get a state pension until 67. If I want to retire earlier then, frankly, I have to make myself a tasty pension so I don't have to rely on the State Pension to determine my retirement age.

I'm from a line of long livers, my granddad is still with us despite two bouts of lung cancer. He is 88. His mother was 85. His father hit 75 despite a lifetime in the mines, and the onset of TB (now treatable). I was all set to retire at 58, but then marriage happened!

It's not just automation that is a threat to UK employment.

The recent influx of cheap EU labour has had a catastrophic effect on low skilled employment opportunities for the British working class.

Gordon Browns promise of "British Jobs for British workers" was a blatant lie, such a promise was in direct contravention of EU law.

Shocking language.

There are ladies on-board you know!

Sorry, just to clarify. Before getting married, I had savings of about £55000. I was 31. Now my savings are at zero, as are my planned chances of retiring at 58!

i fully expect to see the state pension becoming a means tested benefit. so nothing for you lot who could afford to build your own private or workplace pension. tough tit