The idea of differential risk is beyond much of the UK's male population

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The EU, in a fit of lunatic equality-mongering, plans on making insurance companies charge women more for their motor insurance despite them not being as big a risk on the roads as us men.

If this wasn't stupid enough, the results of a poll conducted by Uswitch reveals that this idea of differential risk is beyond much of the UK's male population:

The survey found that despite the hardship facing female drivers, two-thirds (66%) of men said they believed the new legislation was needed. A fifth (18%) of men felt they had been unfairly paying the lion’s share of premiums, and just under half (45%) believed they have been unfairly discriminated against.

Presumably the next step will be to prevent discrimination on the basis of age - meaning that we'll all be paying insurance premiums made more costly by the risks associated with teenaged boy racers. Who I'm sure feel 'discriminated against'.

The answer to those blokes who feel discriminated against is simple - learn how to drive as safely as women and you'll pay less!

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JRF remind us why lefties shouldn't be let anywhere near housing markets

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I know. I know. JRF are a sainted, untouchable collections of lovely cuddly trendy lefties. But when they write about affordable housing and housing markets we should never forget their massive vested interest as the owner of a substantial stock of housing let at "social rents".

And their latest ideas are pretty strange. They want to change the basis of Council Tax claiming that it skews the housing market because it doesn't accurately reflect housing values. Apparently (or so their spokesman said on the radio this morning) this will sort out the volatility of the housing market.

And JRF propose mortgage credit controls:

There is strong evidence to support the view that the FPC should be given powers to employ
quantitative controls on mortgage credit, as a means of securing financial stability.

On the one hand JRF talk about government supporting people in buying houses (yes folks, I know this was what got us into the mess in the first place) - in this case by a jolly scheme called SHOP designed so poor folk can have default-free mortgages. A scheme AIG would rush at no doubt:

The fund would be used to purchase ‘block’ insurance from the private sector. Block insurance is much cheaper than individually purchased (retail) insurance as the fees/up-front costs are much reduced. In the event of a designated risk (loss of employment, self-employment, accident or sickness) borrowers would be entitled to a fixed period (e.g. 12 months) of non-means tested assistance that would cover both interest and capital payments, after a short period of lender forbearance.

And then they propose mortgage credit controls to stop volatility in the market. The technical economics term for this is: "having your cake and eating it".

Then we get to the crunch of JRF's lobby: loads of lovely subsidy for rented - specifically 'affordable' rented - housing. Note the contradiction between encouraging home-ownership (through promoting softer lending and default-free mortgages) and lobbying for more rented housing!

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...and you know Mr Straw, one of those parasites is your Party!

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Former Home Secretary, Justice Minister and general opportunist politician, Jack Straw has been on about motor insurance:

Motorists are being fleeced of £2billion a year in unnecessary insurance costs caused by money-grabbing ‘parasites’ and ‘dodgy solicitors’ whose actions are little short of criminal, MP’s were told yesterday.

Former Home Secretary Jack Straw took a swipe at lawyers, claims firms, garages, credit hire firms and others engaged in a controversial cash-for-contacts referral fee ‘racket’ which he said in any other walk of life would be condemned as ‘bribery.’ 

Absolutely Jack! So why is it that one of those organisations involved in this "cash-for-contacts referral fee racket" is the Labour Party?

If Flint Bishop Solicitors accepts a personal Injury instruction from a client via Labour Legal Services, Flint Bishop will pay the Labour party a referral fee of £250 + VAT for each instruction.

A nice little earner eh Jack!

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