George Osborne's speech.

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Discussion

Digga

40,156 posts

282 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
There is a horrible 'conspiracy' idea in the back of my mind about the elections; that the Cons know the economy is so totally borked (for some years yet) that they want to 'pass it on' and pick it up when things aren't so dire.

markcoznottz

7,155 posts

223 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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Digga said:
Like the politicos aren't milking the system for all it's worth?!

As I've said before, the most highly paid political figure in Europe is not Merkel, or Lagarde, but the no-mark Baroness (Labour peer) Ashton of Upholland.
That's enough to make any sane person cry. Marksist, ex cnd, only got the job because her husband is a friend of blairs.

martin84

5,366 posts

152 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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hidetheelephants said:
Look on the bright side; it's a choice between Boy George spunking your hard-earned into an ever expanding PSBR or Edney Spheres doing exactly the same thing. The main benefit is George isn't nearly as sanctimonious about it.
Both of them make my skin crawl. I'd rather have a Chancellor who's best feature isn't the fact he's not Ed Balls.


Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

245 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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markcoznottz said:
The only saving grace is that the EU and the USA are in the same boat, we are in the club with America, they have the nukes and that says it all really.
Pertinent summary, and usefully highlights the pointlessness of the "if UK leaves the EU everything will be alright" crowd.

jonny70

1,280 posts

157 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
Digga said:
There is a horrible 'conspiracy' idea in the back of my mind about the elections; that the Cons know the economy is so totally borked (for some years yet) that they want to 'pass it on' and pick it up when things aren't so dire.
I have had these thoughts too. Lat labor win next election , screw up, and Thats why Boris isnt going for a leadership challenge he will do it in 2020.

martin84

5,366 posts

152 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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jonny70 said:
I have had these thoughts too. Lat labor win next election , screw up, and Thats why Boris isnt going for a leadership challenge he will do it in 2020.
Hardly. Boris couldn't challenge for 2015 if he wanted to. For starters he's tied down to London until 2016 so how could he resign that office without being painted as betraying Londoners and losing much of his current popularity? Secondly he's not a Member of Parliament and it'd be up to the Conservative Party to select him for a seat, not Boris himself.

GavinPearson

5,715 posts

250 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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oyster said:
Have you been out of the country lately?!
The benefit cap has been brought in by the Tories, just as you describe. OK limited to £26k rather than the number you have in mind (couple of state pension c. £10k).
I'm an expat, so yes, I have been out of the country.

But 26K is a heck of a lot more than 10K, in fact there are many experienced workers earning about 26K and doing their best to support a family with that.

If the benefits were capped at 11K it would halve the welfare bill and make pensioners (most of whom have genuinely worked all their lives) feel that society is a little more just. It would also provide an incentive for people to get off their behinds and look for work (what a concept).

AJS-

15,366 posts

235 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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crankedup said:
It is 'the going rate' that is the problem. You must know of the ratchet effect.
I know of lots of explanations as to why markets have got it wrong, I just don't know of anyone, government or otherwise, who gets it wrong less often and less damagingly.

AJS-

15,366 posts

235 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Despite all this touching faith in the Conservative party, it's hard to get much more screwed as a country than being 5 years into a debt crisis and 2.5 years into a government who are being lambasted for tough cuts while having public debt of nearly 100% of GDP, a borrowing requirement of nearly 10% of GDP and debt interest as the 4th biggest item of public expenditure on the books. And all set to a backdrop of zero growth, our biggest trading partner struggling to keep it's currency afloat and rising tensions in the middle east that could cause a spike in oil prices any day now.

This isn't an administrative stuff up, it's not a bit of excess to be reigned in. This is a total, fatal meltdown just waiting to to happen.

maxfan

1,622 posts

142 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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I thought his story of the shift worker setting off to work on dark mornings whilst loking up at his unemployed neighbours window as they lay in bed was pure "Hovis" territory and came across a s story told by a posh boy in a posh accent.
Even though the point may be very valid I just cant get Dvoraks New World symphony out of my head

Digga

40,156 posts

282 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
maxfan said:
I thought his story of the shift worker setting off to work on dark mornings whilst loking up at his unemployed neighbours window as they lay in bed was pure "Hovis" territory and came across a s story told by a posh boy in a posh accent.
Even though the point may be very valid I just cant get Dvoraks New World symphony out of my head
I can remember similar points being made by Labour, but of course they did fk all about it.

IMHO, the only reason a lot of lower paid workers bother going to work is because of decency, backbone and a dogged conviction that they'd rather die on their feet and live - grubbing about on handouts - on their knees. We're failing these people by supporting - encouraging even - the feckless.

BigMacDaddy

963 posts

180 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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AJS- said:
Despite all this touching faith in the Conservative party, it's hard to get much more screwed as a country than being 5 years into a debt crisis and 2.5 years into a government who are being lambasted for tough cuts while having public debt of nearly 100% of GDP, a borrowing requirement of nearly 10% of GDP and debt interest as the 4th biggest item of public expenditure on the books. And all set to a backdrop of zero growth, our biggest trading partner struggling to keep it's currency afloat and rising tensions in the middle east that could cause a spike in oil prices any day now.

This isn't an administrative stuff up, it's not a bit of excess to be reigned in. This is a total, fatal meltdown just waiting to to happen.
A thousand times this!