Cameron on R5

[anonymous-user]

Cameron was on R5 being interviewed by the moronic Richard Bacon for an hour and taking calls this afternoon.

He stated that under a Conservative government there would be cuts in all government departments except the NHS and Overseas aid. The NHS is a sacred cow for all the parties so fair enough by why does overseas aid rank ahead of education, dealing with the poor, the security of our nation etc....?

(Bacon seemed most exercised by Camerons refusal to immediately scrap the 50p tax band, self interest no doubt playing a part which underlines how bloated the BBC is that such a talentless nonentity as Dick Pork is earning enough to be affected).

[sato]

While I have no figures to back this up, I was once told that overseas aid normally finds its way back, usually with interest. I assumed this to mean that contracts would be awarded to UK companies.

[Northern Munkee]

While I don't agree in giving cash we have to borrow to give away, and especially to countries like India, that has a nuclear and space programme, the overseas aid budget is 0.7 % of GDP, this is figure is the international standard that all developed countries have signed up to, and for once we were one of the last to reach it, for what I have heard.

Still it is only 0.7%, and a very small compared to the Social Security, NHS and education.

Personally I'd like to see it used as a method of asserting influence & business to the UK rather than any altruism. That would bring us into line with what everybody else does...

[turbobloke]

Any question on scrapping the 50p tax band was entrapment, it would have activated Winky's ludicrous party-political machinations.

[Halb]

When he was on Marr he also would not confirm that he would scrap/reverse the hike in NI either.

[Andy Zarse]

The best thing CMD can do is keep his trap firmly shut about any fiscal promises. The tories need to do a proper audit on the Treasury's books and find out the true (ghastly) picture, not the Nulab stats currently being peddled. Then report back to the country in the first post-election budget. Then it's austerity time, foaming unions, "Tory cuts", riots, strikes and back to the 1980's in a blink... with any luck.

[anonymous-user]

turbobloke said:

Any question on scrapping the 50p tax band was entrapment, it would have activated Winky's ludicrous party-political machinations.

Cameron has confirmed that he will NOT be scrapping it.

[Spiritual_Beggar]

musclecarmad said:

i wouldn't give overseas aid to anyone at the moment but if the above is true it makes sense

This!!!

Why are we giving overseas aid!!!? WHY!!!!!


We are almost broke, so if we're not careful, we'll find ourselves in a position where we won't be able to give overseas aid.



It just makes no sense!

Yes, there is a time to give aid to those that need it. But since WE are the ones that need it at the moment, don't you think we should be keeping that money for ourselves!?

It just makes no sense to me. At least, it makes no sense to me as an election pledge. Maybe you wouldn't stop aid to keep those receiving it happy, but I can't see how that's going to gain support from the public.


Either way....If I was elected tomorrow...this would have been one of the first things I would stop!

[PJ S]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Indeed, but what figure does that £4.5B bring into the country?
If it were £15B in taxes, then it's a net gain of £10.5B that all or most of which may not have been invested/spent here, if it were dispensed with.
So, a bit of "speculate to accumulate" surely?

[XJSJohn]

Andy Zarse said:

The best thing CMD can do is keep his trap firmly shut about any fiscal promises. The tories need to do a proper audit on the Treasury's books and find out the true (ghastly) picture, not the Nulab stats currently being peddled. Then report back to the country in the first post-election budget. Then it's austerity time, foaming unions, "Tory cuts", riots, strikes and back to the 1980's in a blink... with any luck.

Yup, at the end of the day, CMD is the scapegoat wether he knows it or not, (or perhaps he is hoping that he can carry through and do a Mag's) but at the end of the day, whichever leader of a new party coming in is going to be taking on one hell of a stty job that is going to make that person Public Enemy number 1 with the great unwashed, the unions and those who don't like paying tax, however its what will have to be done.

Winky will probably just keep driving the country down in a delusional way, CMD may be closer to the yellow than the blue, but at the end of the day its going to be old school blue driving the advisories in the background.

Wonder who else in the Tory party is looking to step up and be the friendly face once CMD has been sacrificed?