Is Ed Balls the most annoying politician ever?
Discussion
Discuss......
He was just on Sky News, the usual denigrating of the Tories and George Osborne - I expect this from the opposition but coming from the mouth of Balls, it is rank hypocrisy. "Those Tories who gave a tax cut to their rich friends...." ...... Er excuse me the additional rate of tax is currently 45% - lowered from 50% in 2013, which was introduced by Alastair Darling weeks before the 2010 election as a temporary measure. I believe the higher rate of tax was 40% for the 13 years of the last Labour government. WTF is this guy on?
If he is Chancellor in May 2015, this country is totally f
ked.....
He was just on Sky News, the usual denigrating of the Tories and George Osborne - I expect this from the opposition but coming from the mouth of Balls, it is rank hypocrisy. "Those Tories who gave a tax cut to their rich friends...." ...... Er excuse me the additional rate of tax is currently 45% - lowered from 50% in 2013, which was introduced by Alastair Darling weeks before the 2010 election as a temporary measure. I believe the higher rate of tax was 40% for the 13 years of the last Labour government. WTF is this guy on?
If he is Chancellor in May 2015, this country is totally f
ked.....John Humphrys tied him up in knots like a good'un on Today this morning about this.
First Balls said there was "no debate at all on banking regulation" between the government and the opposition when Labour was in charge, then he said later that the Tories were constantly asking them to reduce regulation on the City....so which is it?
Then he said that the top rate of tax was cut, blah blah blah tax cuts for millionaires etc, and said "we need to raise the top rate of tax to help out with the deficit". Humphrys then pointed out that for 99% of the 13 years Labour was in charge, the top rate of tax was actually lower than it is today, so actually having a 45% tax rate was more progressive than Labour had been except for in the very last few weeks of government (which was clearly a landmine for the next government).
The man is a total pillock and I worry hugely if he becomes Chancellor.
First Balls said there was "no debate at all on banking regulation" between the government and the opposition when Labour was in charge, then he said later that the Tories were constantly asking them to reduce regulation on the City....so which is it?
Then he said that the top rate of tax was cut, blah blah blah tax cuts for millionaires etc, and said "we need to raise the top rate of tax to help out with the deficit". Humphrys then pointed out that for 99% of the 13 years Labour was in charge, the top rate of tax was actually lower than it is today, so actually having a 45% tax rate was more progressive than Labour had been except for in the very last few weeks of government (which was clearly a landmine for the next government).
The man is a total pillock and I worry hugely if he becomes Chancellor.
mercGLowner said:
.....lowered from 50% in 2013, which was introduced by Alastair Darling weeks before the 2010 election as a temporary measure.
And which everyone knows was a poison pill for the Tories.If Labour had got in and lowered it back to 40-45%, it will have been because it was 'only a temporary measure'
...however because the Conservatives got in - Labour get to bash them for 'giving the rich a tax break', even though they took the same action that Labour would have.
Mr GrimNasty said:
The fact that Labour are in as strong a position in the polls as they are, given their past performance, and manifest complete lack of credibility, policy, trustworthiness, etc. etc. says all you need to know about a large proportion of the electorate.
Sad but true.
God help this country if Ed Balls gets his greasy little mitts on the treasury after the general election. The man is a buffoon.
Not the most annoying. Yet (he's still young).
What I find surprising, and depressing, is his mien - the 'man of the people' who understands the man in the street etc. and interviews with false bonhomie until he gets properly under stress, whereby he reverts to bully boy tactics.
And all this from a man who's dons at uni rated as one of the brightest of the bunch...
What I find surprising, and depressing, is his mien - the 'man of the people' who understands the man in the street etc. and interviews with false bonhomie until he gets properly under stress, whereby he reverts to bully boy tactics.
And all this from a man who's dons at uni rated as one of the brightest of the bunch...
Steve_T said:
Stevanos said:
The guy is not fit to manage the economy.
He's not fit to run a School tuck shop.And as for being the most annoying? No, not while Nigel "drinking a pint, just like the common man" Farage lives.
The Don of Croy said:
Not the most annoying. Yet (he's still young).
What I find surprising, and depressing, is his mien - the 'man of the people' who understands the man in the street etc. and interviews with false bonhomie until he gets properly under stress, whereby he reverts to bully boy tactics.
...
I agree with this. It's clearly the Labour spin machine policy to get 'cost of living crisis' in at least three times a sentence. No interviewer has yet said....... of course there is/has been a cost of living crisis, this country was almost bought to its knees by the policies of the last Labour Government there was no way we could just continue as we had done....there has been some payback and some pain, the fact we are out the other side should be cause for cautious optimism.What I find surprising, and depressing, is his mien - the 'man of the people' who understands the man in the street etc. and interviews with false bonhomie until he gets properly under stress, whereby he reverts to bully boy tactics.
...
Balls may be intelligent, but being intelligent does not make you always right. Collective wisdom says that Labour have been wide of the mark on economics and the Tories have for it right - not perfect but right.
mercGLowner said:
If he is Chancellor in May 2015, this country is totally fked.....
I don't like him but I don't think your last point will turn out to be true. What these guys say in opposition vs what they do once in power is completely different.ked.....Yes Labour will spend a bit more and tax a bit more but it won't be a million miles different to what Gideon is doing now. Just look at Alistair Darling's spendinf proposals at the last election - again not significantly different to what has happened since.
I hope they don't win back power but even if they do, well life will go on for most of us as it has been.
BlackLabel said:
I don't like him but I don't think your last point will turn out to be true. What these guys say in opposition vs what they do once in power is completely different.
Yes Labour will spend a bit more and tax a bit more but it won't be a million miles different to what Gideon is doing now. Just look at Alistair Darling's spendinf proposals at the last election - again not significantly different to what has happened since.
I hope they don't win back power but even if they do, well life will go on for most of us as it has been.
Can I just remind you that Balls was Brown's right hand man and very much responsible for a lot of the policy that Brown implemented. The man is a living economic nightmare. Yes Labour will spend a bit more and tax a bit more but it won't be a million miles different to what Gideon is doing now. Just look at Alistair Darling's spendinf proposals at the last election - again not significantly different to what has happened since.
I hope they don't win back power but even if they do, well life will go on for most of us as it has been.
Puggit said:
BlackLabel said:
I don't like him but I don't think your last point will turn out to be true. What these guys say in opposition vs what they do once in power is completely different.
Yes Labour will spend a bit more and tax a bit more but it won't be a million miles different to what Gideon is doing now. Just look at Alistair Darling's spendinf proposals at the last election - again not significantly different to what has happened since.
I hope they don't win back power but even if they do, well life will go on for most of us as it has been.
Can I just remind you that Balls was Brown's right hand man and very much responsible for a lot of the policy that Brown implemented. The man is a living economic nightmare. Yes Labour will spend a bit more and tax a bit more but it won't be a million miles different to what Gideon is doing now. Just look at Alistair Darling's spendinf proposals at the last election - again not significantly different to what has happened since.
I hope they don't win back power but even if they do, well life will go on for most of us as it has been.
Attempting to draw parallels between Balls and Darling is at best erroneous and at worst, downright dangerous. Let us not forget either, that Darling, whilst not being as outwardly swivel-eyed (in looks or actions) as Balls, was part of the great team that saw us into the last recession in possibly the worst economic state credibly possible.
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff