Predictions for 2012
Discussion
I don't think terrorists will strike the olympics. It's not in their interests to essentially declare war on all nations. The olympics is one of very few times where all countrys join together.
Iran will flair up but nothing apart from strong words will happen. Perhaps some sort of cyber-war or mini cold war.
I reckon it will be an alright year. Not brilliant, but not the apocolyptic nightmare being cast elsewhere. As long as peoples confidence is kept high, then things might get better. And hopefully the public sector will realise it's their time to make sacrifices.
Iran will flair up but nothing apart from strong words will happen. Perhaps some sort of cyber-war or mini cold war.
I reckon it will be an alright year. Not brilliant, but not the apocolyptic nightmare being cast elsewhere. As long as peoples confidence is kept high, then things might get better. And hopefully the public sector will realise it's their time to make sacrifices.
Edited by maniac0796 on Sunday 1st January 13:30
Edited by maniac0796 on Sunday 1st January 13:31
Many voters work for the state. The current government has done more to spank people out of money than any other over the passed twenty years. If you a public sector worker you face increased pension premiums, no wage increases and the removal of child benefit if you are earning £44k plus.
Miliband is clearly a joke, a modern day Kinnock. However, the Tories have financially wounded too many people for them to be re-electable. They promised to get tough on the work shy but that hasn't materialised either. Instead they just target those who are PAYE.
Next election I predict Labour back in the driving seat.
Miliband is clearly a joke, a modern day Kinnock. However, the Tories have financially wounded too many people for them to be re-electable. They promised to get tough on the work shy but that hasn't materialised either. Instead they just target those who are PAYE.
Next election I predict Labour back in the driving seat.
highway said:
Many voters work for the state. The current government has done more to spank people out of money than any other over the passed twenty years. If you a public sector worker you face increased pension premiums, no wage increases and the removal of child benefit if you are earning £44k plus.
There are more private sector workers who have seen their income, savings and pensions decimated by labour . . . . . . However you may be right as there are a large number of very stupid people in the UK who traditionally have voted labour 
Iran will declare war on the US after they discover a CIA cell operating to bring about the fall of Imadinnerjacket. A nastier version of the Iraq war begins that will end with Iraq using a 'dirty bomb' and the US replying with tactical nukes.
The Olympics surprise everyone by being a huge success.
The economy begins to show signs of improvement in the last half of the year, however the cost of oil at $200 per barrel (due to the Iran war) hinders recovery.
The Olympics surprise everyone by being a huge success.
The economy begins to show signs of improvement in the last half of the year, however the cost of oil at $200 per barrel (due to the Iran war) hinders recovery.
highway said:
Many voters work for the state. The current government has done more to spank people out of money than any other over the passed twenty years. If you a public sector worker you face increased pension premiums, no wage increases and the removal of child benefit if you are earning £44k plus.
Miliband is clearly a joke, a modern day Kinnock. However, the Tories have financially wounded too many people for them to be re-electable. They promised to get tough on the work shy but that hasn't materialised either. Instead they just target those who are PAYE.
Next election I predict Labour back in the driving seat.
Which is fine. But how would you deal with the current £14bn MONTHLY deficit? This year's £167.9 billion shortfall will be added to our national debt which i think is hovering at around £4 Trillion with PFI taken into account?Miliband is clearly a joke, a modern day Kinnock. However, the Tories have financially wounded too many people for them to be re-electable. They promised to get tough on the work shy but that hasn't materialised either. Instead they just target those who are PAYE.
Next election I predict Labour back in the driving seat.
If Labour get back in, they will just carry on and totally Bankrupt us. They want to borrow more money, create more false growth that will apparently save us? They are deluded and cannot see what caused this mess in the first place!
It is okay with this 'nasty tories' stuff but where is the answer with no pain? I do not think one exists.
I'm no leftie. Voted Tory at the last election. The hate whipped up by the media and the government towards the public sector is regrettable. It's outrageous that people working in the private sector who had paid into their pensions should have been robbed of them if the companies failed. That doesn't justify the race to the bottom mentality that many embittered people seem to have, resenting those working for the state who simply and reasonably expect the government (not a company owned by an individual or shareholders) to honour an agreement many signed up for over 15 years ago.
Whilst there are some bizarre occupations in the public sector there are also many that society is the better for having.
Most of the posts here are clearly, unequivocally anti labour. After what they did to the uk whilst in power I'm unsurprised. Yet is the Cameron coalition really effecting change for the better?
I work and the mrs doesn't. Our choice as we have a daughter and didn't want her raised in child care. I thought Cameron wanted to support the 'traditional' family unit. Yet his government have chosen to remove child benefit for people like me whilst nominally, two working parents each earning just a little less than me individually but with a combined income over 50% more than I bring home get to keep it.
Surely it would have saved more money to remove it for everyone if that was the big issue. Or keep it for one child thereby dis incentivising the feckless from continuing to breed. But just targeting that earning low £40k earners is punishing the wrong people. Those people may well be inclined to mete out punishment of their own come election time.
It wouldn't have irked me so much if those who choose life on benefits, with no history or intent to work had been hit as well, as was promised. It hasn't happened though.
If you assume a reasonable wage living in London or the south east is roughly £2k a month after tax, then factor in a mortgage payment of around £850 (average/conservative) then just add on another say £150 per month for council tax then that £2k take home is reduced by 50% before you have gotten started. On benefits, in council accommodation there is no mortgage and a peppercorn rent. No council tax. Free school meals for your kids. Free prescriptions. Do you think many people living on council estates pay for TV licence? By my ready reckoning you are £1k per month up before you get out of bed, which you may well not bother doing.
These are the people I wanted to see the Tories take on and shake up. There just doesn't seem the will to do it, as evidenced by increasing benefits in the last mini budget.
The current economic crisis wasn't caused by teachers, police officers, librarians or refuse collectors. It was caused by politicians and bankers. This is conveniently overlooked when Cameron and Osborne tell us;" we are all in this together"
I should be a natural Tory yet I am very disappointed with how they are doing so far.
Whilst there are some bizarre occupations in the public sector there are also many that society is the better for having.
Most of the posts here are clearly, unequivocally anti labour. After what they did to the uk whilst in power I'm unsurprised. Yet is the Cameron coalition really effecting change for the better?
I work and the mrs doesn't. Our choice as we have a daughter and didn't want her raised in child care. I thought Cameron wanted to support the 'traditional' family unit. Yet his government have chosen to remove child benefit for people like me whilst nominally, two working parents each earning just a little less than me individually but with a combined income over 50% more than I bring home get to keep it.
Surely it would have saved more money to remove it for everyone if that was the big issue. Or keep it for one child thereby dis incentivising the feckless from continuing to breed. But just targeting that earning low £40k earners is punishing the wrong people. Those people may well be inclined to mete out punishment of their own come election time.
It wouldn't have irked me so much if those who choose life on benefits, with no history or intent to work had been hit as well, as was promised. It hasn't happened though.
If you assume a reasonable wage living in London or the south east is roughly £2k a month after tax, then factor in a mortgage payment of around £850 (average/conservative) then just add on another say £150 per month for council tax then that £2k take home is reduced by 50% before you have gotten started. On benefits, in council accommodation there is no mortgage and a peppercorn rent. No council tax. Free school meals for your kids. Free prescriptions. Do you think many people living on council estates pay for TV licence? By my ready reckoning you are £1k per month up before you get out of bed, which you may well not bother doing.
These are the people I wanted to see the Tories take on and shake up. There just doesn't seem the will to do it, as evidenced by increasing benefits in the last mini budget.
The current economic crisis wasn't caused by teachers, police officers, librarians or refuse collectors. It was caused by politicians and bankers. This is conveniently overlooked when Cameron and Osborne tell us;" we are all in this together"
I should be a natural Tory yet I am very disappointed with how they are doing so far.
highway said:
If you assume a reasonable wage living in London or the south east is roughly £2k a month after tax, then factor in a mortgage payment of around £850 (average/conservative) then just add on another say £150 per month for council tax then that £2k take home is reduced by 50% before you have gotten started. On benefits, in council accommodation there is no mortgage and a peppercorn rent. No council tax. Free school meals for your kids. Free prescriptions. Do you think many people living on council estates pay for TV licence? By my ready reckoning you are £1k per month up before you get out of bed, which you may well not bother doing.
These are the people I wanted to see the Tories take on and shake up. There just doesn't seem the will to do it, as evidenced by increasing benefits in the last mini budget.
Afraid this will annoy you then - there was a radio 4 slot in the week before Christmas re. the threat that some benefit holders in London will be moved to cheaper locations. They interviewed one guy, accepting that it was a lot of money he received but with no obvious guilt or embarrassment - seemed in tone to be accepting of it to my ears, and expecting/arguing the right to stay, iirc.These are the people I wanted to see the Tories take on and shake up. There just doesn't seem the will to do it, as evidenced by increasing benefits in the last mini budget.
'It' was housing benefit claimed to be around £100,000 a year! Rent of c. £2000 a week. Paid for by..?
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff