UK - time to stop fooling about

[Ozzie Osmond]

With an ongoing economic crisis isn't it time to stop fooling about and rationalise the UK into a single entity?

To my taste it makes no sense whatsoever to be wasting millions every year on local parliaments for Scotland, Wales etc. What value do they add? Why do medical services and education need to vary from one part of UK to another? Why does Scotland need its own legal system to allow the hollow pretence of releasing al-Megrahi? Surely it's time to end all this p[etty nonsense...

Either that, or independence for the South East!

[perdu]

Err, can we make that South-east below Stafford?

I'm in

[Steffan]

Ozzie Osmond said:

With an ongoing economic crisis isn't it time to stop fooling about and rationalise the UK into a single entity?

To my taste it makes no sense whatsoever to be wasting millions every year on local parliaments for Scotland, Wales etc. What value do they add? Why do medical services and education need to vary from one part of UK to another? Why does Scotland need its own legal system to allow the hollow pretence of releasing al-Megrahi? Surely it's time to end all this p[etty nonsense...

Either that, or independence for the South East!

Agreed but I cannot see the servile, self serving, duplicitous, underhand, double dealing, two faced slimeballs we employ as politicians facing the reality of our situation. They ONLY do what is good for them.

You may feel I dislike and distrust modern politics in the UK. Correct.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Damn right!

[pilchardthecat]

Have you read the Lisbon Treaty? Not the "single entity" you were thinking of?

The only times in history in which the apparatus of state has ever got smaller is when the beaurocrats have been executed as part of a violent revolution.

[Victor McDade]

Westminster just needs to give the Scots and Welsh their own tax raising powers make it clear that any public spending above a certain threshold needs to be paid for by themselves.

[thinfourth2]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Either that, or independence for the South East!

I'll vote for that

Total independence for the south east. They can get their own water, own power, own food, own fuel etc.

[anonymous-user]

Victor McDade said:

Westminster just needs to give the Scots and Welsh their own tax raising powers make it clear that any public spending above a certain threshold needs to be paid for by themselves.

Not yet please, who's going to pay for the Edinburgh tram or the free University places for Scottish University students? Back to the commute londoners!

[Frankeh]

Independence of the south east.. Hmmm.
Is there a break down of income tax paid by county?

[otolith]

thinfourth2 said:

I'll vote for that

Total independence for the south east. They can get their own water, own power, own food, own fuel etc.

I think to a substantial extent they do already, and what they don't, they already have to buy on the open market.

[CzechItOut]

Frankeh said:

Independence of the south east.. Hmmm.
Is there a break down of income tax paid by county?

Not quite by county, but table 7 shows the breakdown by region.

http://www.oef.com/Free/pdfs/ukmpubfinfeat(jul).pd...

I think the biggest problem facing an independent South East England is how they would stop everyone else in the remainder of Britain trying to get in.

[okgo]

CzechItOut said:

Not quite by county, but table 7 shows the breakdown by region.

http://www.oef.com/Free/pdfs/ukmpubfinfeat(jul).pd...

I think the biggest problem facing an independent South East England is how they would stop everyone else in the remainder of Britain trying to get in.

That is funny reading.

Who pays : US
Who benefits : Them!!

Bloody Welsh, Northern, Scots and anyone who isn't from here!

[bp1]

Just an extract:

Regional expenditure
London receives a far greater share of public spending than any other UK region, estimated at between £76.1
billion and £80.6 billion in 2006-07. London is, though, one of the most highly populated regions. While
spending per capita in London remains the highest in England, it is lower than Northern Ireland and similar to
Scotland. In England, spending per capita outside of London is highest in the North East followed by the
North West, with the South East region amongst the lowest. London is unique as a Government Office
Region (GOR) in that it is an urban area. In contrast, other regions have both urban and non-urban areas.
The relative needs of the regions clearly differ, and this will have implications for public sector spending.
Looking at a wider southern region, including London as the metropolitan centre, spending per capita is
actually below that for the UK as a whole.


The last sentence should really read


But this doesnt fit with our remit so were going to change the goalposts therfore spending per capita is actually below that for the UK as a whole.

Statistics, aren't they great.

[thinfourth2]

CzechItOut said:

Not quite by county, but table 7 shows the breakdown by region.

http://www.oef.com/Free/pdfs/ukmpubfinfeat(jul).pd...

I think the biggest problem facing an independent South East England is how they would stop everyone else in the remainder of Britain trying to get in.

Oh thats easy they will just make it the houses stupidly expensive while making everyone look utterly miserable by making them live in an over crowded sthole.

Or have they already done that?

[Parsnip]

You know, they could have some sort of vote, which would let the people in Wales and Scotland decide if they want a devolved parliament with tax raising powers running some of their affairs. Oh, wait...

[chim]

Well, lets think about it. The good old UK is up to its tits in debt and is really close to going down the tubes. Last count was about 1.5 trillion. Scotland are having their vote for independence in the next couple of years. Very nice timing don't you think, britain about to go down the tubes, we Scots vote for Independence.

What debt, thats all those English gits, nothing to do with us mate.

Clean sheet anyone

[Ozzie Osmond]

Maybe we should let Scotland have all the debt in exchange for granting independence?

Their famous financial astuteness would surely enable them to handle it much better than us! Nice role for Gordon Brown to head up the New Bank of Scotland. Ten years of his "prudent management" and all the problems would be behind them....

[chim]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Maybe we should let Scotland have all the debt in exchange for granting independence?

Their famous financial astuteness would surely enable them to handle it much better than us! Nice role for Gordon Brown to head up the New Bank of Scotland. Ten years of his "prudent management" and all the problems would be behind them....

Ah, now thats the thing. The guberment have already cleared the way for the independence vote. If it a yes we are out of the union and nothing parliament can do to stop it. You can then stick your debt up your but, nothing to do with us mate, might even let you keep RBS

ps

Before anyone starts having a rant, I am joking, in fact in do not support the whole independence rubbish. Why would we possible vote to get rid of a big fat cash cow

[Frankeh]

Even if the scotish people vote for independence it's not going to happen. They have a parliament but only because we say they can have one.

We can just amend any bit of law that needs amending and bam, no independence for them.

[chim]

Frankeh said:

Even if the scotish people vote for independence it's not going to happen. They have a parliament but only because we say they can have one.

We can just amend any bit of law that needs amending and bam, no independence for them.

As a famous Scot once said

Oh, so you fking think so do yae

We kicked your ass before, we can do it again.

As the song says,

Proud Edwards army
And sent them homeward, tae think again

FREEDOM

Edited by chim on Wednesday 31st August 11:55