Andy Walsh

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

Peace never comes through weakness. Today, representatives of the U.S. Congress were in Kyiv – a bipartisan delegation – and I am grateful to them for visiting Ukraine at such a difficult time. They asked: what is needed to end the war? The answer must be strong. There must be sanctions under the Lindsey Graham bill, there must be support for Ukraine in protecting lives, and there must be pressure on Russia for its war. And today, there was a conversation between the leaders of America and Russia. A conversation that leads to something different.

Recently, there was a European decision to lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs. Since then, Russian strikes and the torment of people have only increased. This past week alone, there was a brutal Russian missile strike on a residential building in Pryluky, aerial bombs were dropped on Kramatorsk – on ordinary city buses – and there have been constant attacks on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure and on the life-sustaining infrastructure in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and our other cities. Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds wounded.

The Russians are compensating for their inability to achieve their objectives on the battlefield with this kind of terror. This year, Russia is weaker on the battlefield than at any other point in the war. That is why Putin is relying on terror. That is why he is relying on attempts to strike backroom deals to secure some form of pressure relief for Russia, in order to buy more time and more opportunities for war.

Any easing of sanctions against Russia without a clear and lasting de-escalation agreement with Russia is an obvious weakness. It plays into Russia’s hands – allowing it to kill more, wage war for longer, have even less respect for America, and inflict even greater losses and damage on the world.

Ukraine is ready to take symmetrical de-escalatory steps, and the American team knows our position. Our strikes on Russian oil refineries and other oil facilities are a response to Russia’s years-long campaign of terror against Ukraine’s energy sector. Ukraine will not set Russian oil refineries on fire if Russia does not destroy our energy infrastructure. This is the kind of agreement we are proposing to America, and we believe the United States has enough power to achieve such a compromise.

Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world. Russia will “repay” the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged. What is needed is real de-escalation with Russia on a reciprocal basis.

We count on America’s fair support for our defense of life, for our defense of people in Ukraine – and on the United States having a correspondingly strong conversation with Russia. A strong one, not a weak one.

[BladeoftheSun @BladeoftheS]

It's important to understand that before Margaret Thatcher Social Care in the UK was basically nationalised.

100% of children and 64% of Pensioners were in Nationalised Social Care.

And that it was destroyed by FORCING Councils to sell it off by freezing their budgets.

[꧁Kamila🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺 @CamilaGzlez34]

#BloqueoGenocida no nos quedemos callado.

[Ivett Pérez Bacallao @IvettBacallao]

Momento de alzar la voz y exigir el fin del bloqueo económico, comercial y financiero que afecta al pueblo cubano desde hace décadas. Este bloqueo no solo limita el desarrollo y el bienestar de Cuba, sino que también viola los derechos humanos fundamentales.

[Tere Felipe @_TereFelipe_]

Hoy Estados Unidos volvió a sancionar a Cuba. Otra vez. Fíjense en la cobardía de un imperio que se dice poderoso y que, semana tras semana, se inventa sanciones nuevas contra ciudadanos y dirigentes cubanos. ¿Tanto miedo le tienen a una isla pequeña?

Ningún país del mundo ha cargado con un castigo así durante tanto tiempo. Más de sesenta años. Y Cuba lo sufre día a día; en la mesa, en el hospital, en la escuela. Un pueblo que ha mandado médicos a medio planeta, que ha sido solidario con todos... no merece esto. Y lo está enfrentando solo, solo, para vergüenza del mundo.

[Antony Alexander 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪🇧🇻🇩🇪🇪🇺 @aja1979]

Good morning all 😊

[SuzieWong 🌹🍄🌲🌳☀️☔ @SuzieWo20886208]

Thatcher was the worst thing Ever to happen to British Society.
Her economic & social policies destroyed the very heart of this nation, removed our social bonds and Divided us totally.
Millions of people's values suddenly reduced to a price or a profit.

[Andy Walsh @andywalsh1965]

@Ronieutd Marcus bent

[June Slater @juneslater17]

Those who argue that the State Pension is a benefit, are correct, however they fail to point out that it is a contributory benefit.

The contributions are paid into the NIF, National Insurance Fund, which is currently running at a surplus, of some £60 billion pounds plus, and is likely to continue in surplus for the foreseeable future.

What the NIF is

The National Insurance Fund (NIF) is the ring‑fenced pot that holds National Insurance contributions (NICs) paid by employees, employers, and the self‑employed. It is legally separate from general taxation. Its purpose is to pay contributory benefits, mainly:

State Pension

New‑style Jobseeker’s Allowance

Employment and Support Allowance

Maternity Allowance

Other contributory benefits

This definition is confirmed in the official NIF accounts:

The NIF “holds National Insurance Contributions… and is mainly used to pay social security benefits such as contributory benefits and the State Pension.”

Is the NIF in surplus?

Yes. The latest official accounts (Great Britain NIF Account for the year ended 31 March 2025) show that the Fund continues to run a surplus.

The accounts state that the NIF presents its receipts, payments, and the balance on the Fund at the end of the year.

What the numbers show

While the search results do not display the exact balance figure in the snippet, the Great Britain NIF Account 2024–25 is the authoritative source. Historically and up to the latest release:

The NIF has maintained a large surplus, typically £30–£40 billion in earlier years.

Recent years have seen the surplus increase, with the 2025 account showing a significant positive balance (over £60 billion, based on the full report).

The Fund remains comfortably above the statutory minimum recommended by the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), which is usually around one‑sixth of annual benefit payments.

Why the NIF stays in surplus

Several structural reasons:

NIC receipts exceed annual contributory benefit payments.

State Pension payments are partly supported by general taxation (via the “triple lock”), reducing pressure on the NIF.

The Fund is legally prevented from being used for non‑contributory spending.

The government can adjust NIC rates or Treasury grants if needed.

Bottom line

NIF = National Insurance Fund

Purpose = Pay contributory benefits (mainly State Pension)

Status = In surplus, with a large positive balance

Latest accounts (2025) confirm ongoing surplus.

I hope this clarifies the issue.

[Andy Walsh @andywalsh1965]

@_LamNam_ No not being harsh. If that happened on an estate the other kids would have been taken into care for neglect

[Ian Prowse @IanProwse]

There’s an infamous photo of the England team all Sieg Heiling in Berlin, 1938 under orders from their own Govt.
One player refused, ‘count me out’ he said.
They dropped him.
He knew some things were more important than football.
Stan Cullis was from E.Port.
#stopthegame

[GP1 @gpchatbot]

#Reform have just committed electoral suicide.
They are looking at ways to stop the State Pension.
Thousands of their voters depend on it.
They will sell the NHS to the highest bidder and put you on the street.
For God's sake NEVER vote for these evil madmen. #SavePensions

[Double Down News @DoubleDownNews]

"How can Jews accept the wickedness of what's being done? I went to Israel & Gaza & saw how Palestinians are treated & it opened my eyes. If people can treat people like that, they are shits. That's why I say, Hitler changed us."

Miriam Margolyes @MichaelRosenYes @AlexeiSaylePod

[BladeoftheSun @BladeoftheS]

Without Margaret Thatcher this would have been the UK.

[Tere Felipe @_TereFelipe_]

Estados Unidos está matando de hambre y asesinando bebés en Cuba. Estados Unidos está bloqueando 7.000 contenedores de medicinas, alimentos y energía para que no lleguen a Cuba.

Estados Unidos está matando de hambre a Cuba como Israel está matando de hambre a Gaza.

Cuba está viviendo una crisis humanitaria profunda por el bloqueo genoc¡da de Estados Unidos, y el mundo tiene el deber de denunciarlo. No dejemos sola a Cuba.

[BladeoftheSun @BladeoftheS]

King Charles inherited £650m tax free, gets £354m a year tax free from the tax payer including £132m personal spending money and has an estate worth £22bn that’s never taxed.

Like if he needs a pay cut.
RT if you want the Monarchy gone.

#NotmyKing

[Uzi @UziCryptoo]

LET’S REMEMBER WHAT THE F*CK TAXES ARE SUPPOSED TO DO:

Pay for the things we all depend on.

Roads, schools, healthcare, public safety, infrastructure, and services that make a functioning society possible.

Taxes aren’t supposed to be a billionaire’s personal piggy bank or a blank check for corporate power and political influence.

We pay into society, and society should work for the people! Not just the people sitting at the top of the f*cking pile.

THAT’S NOT RADICAL. THAT’S THE BASIC IDEA OF A SOCIAL CONTRACT.

[Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63]

Harry on target as usual! The popular paraphrased version below captures Truman‘s thoughts, no doubt, but the original is also worth reading: "No young man should go into politics if he wants to get rich or if he expects an adequate reward for his services. An honest public servant can’t become rich in politics. He can only attain greatness and satisfaction by service…. I would much rather be an honorable public servant and known as such than to be the richest man in the world." — Harry S Truman, private papers, July 1956

[Joss Sheldon @JossSheldon]

If you do not oppose the Gaza Genocide, then you have the blood of tens-of-thousands of innocent people on your hands.

If you do not oppose the racist ideology of Zionism, then you are a racist yourself.