Cuts bite soon-perhaps.

[crankedup]

All the bluster regarding the 'austerity cuts', we haven't yet felt the real pain. That is those that are still employed or employing. Most have been protected from increases in Council tax, increased direct taxation. Even a bit of tax reduction at the top end. Pensioners, like me, have not got to much to grumble about when compared to the under 25 years group.
Sharp increases in food, transport, utilities have made most of us worse off in the pocket, but not as a result of direct action from the Government, or am I missing something.
So just how will the poll ratings look when these cuts do start to bite, talk of a Labour/Lib-Dem coalition being elected next time around doe's not sound as daft when you factor in what will surely be an sharp increase in dissatisfaction.. Its an unsettling prospect for some but in the face of a crisis elsewhere in Europe places to run are limited.
Just observations/thoughts.

[chrisispringles]

I think that with the media bleating on about 'savage cuts' and all those 'too far, too fast' numbskull, people will just believe that Britain is in the grip of a brutal reign of terror aimed at emptying their pockets and leaving them destitute. The sad fact is that most people are just really, really stupid and will think whatever the media tells them to think, even if it goes against what they are experiencing.

[alock]

In my opinion, the cuts are not enough. Not making the cuts now will just lead to bigger cuts having to be made a few years down the line. We are still spending about 11% more per year than we are earning. How can this possibly be sustainable? Do people think our economy is going to magically grow by more then 11% over the next few years?

[London424]

We haven't made any cuts! How many times do people have to keep saying it. We just aren't spending as much as was projected.

We do actually need to make some proper cuts, unfortunately the populous are too used to "free" stuff

[Mst007]

Yeah I did some swotting up on this to counter my leftie pals traditional "growth through spending" tired arguments. The result was that I found during the lifetime of this parliament (assuming it lasts 5 yrs!) the deficit is budgeted to increase another half a trillion quid. More in 5 years than 13 under new Labour. This from the so called "austerity" coalition. What a load of *****. The cuts havent even started yet.

[crankedup]

London424 said:

We haven't made any cuts! How many times do people have to keep saying it. We just aren't spending as much as was projected.

We do actually need to make some proper cuts, unfortunately the populous are too used to "free" stuff

Exactly my point, and when the cuts do arrive will the real pain drive away the 'middle class' back to Labour/Lib-Dem coalition.
I am in favour, and always have been, that we must have infrastructure major projects to bring some employment. Hope EDF may soon want to build a Nuke power station and the railways extend our network.

Edited by crankedup on Tuesday 22 May 16:50

[London424]

crankedup said:

London424 said:

We haven't made any cuts! How many times do people have to keep saying it. We just aren't spending as much as was projected.

We do actually need to make some proper cuts, unfortunately the populous are too used to "free" stuff

Exactly my point, and when the cuts do arrive will the real pain drive away the 'middle class' back to Labour/Lib-Dem coalition.

I think it is likely to be worse and could even be Labour only

[don4l]

crankedup said:

Exactly my point, and when the cuts do arrive will the real pain drive away the 'middle class' back to Labour/Lib-Dem coalition.
I am in favour, and always have been, that we must have infrastructure major projects to bring some employment. Hope EDF may soon want to build a Nuke power station and the railways extend our network.

Edited by crankedup on Tuesday 22 May 16:50

Have you checked any opinion polls lately? The LibDems won't be in any coalition after the next election.


A Tory/UKIP coalition is much more likely.


Don
--

[oyster]

Mst007 said:

Yeah I did some swotting up on this to counter my leftie pals traditional "growth through spending" tired arguments. The result was that I found during the lifetime of this parliament (assuming it lasts 5 yrs!) the deficit is budgeted to increase another half a trillion quid. More in 5 years than 13 under new Labour. This from the so called "austerity" coalition. What a load of *****. The cuts havent even started yet.

When you understand the difference between deficit and debt, it'll make your argument more coherent.

In any case, assuming you mean debt and not deficit, you are utterly misguided on what is causing the debt to rise so much during the current parliament.

The structural deficit is still enormous and was left behind by Labour. The coalition have already eaten into some of this, but it will take more time to get ride of the rest of it.

The cyclical deficit is altogether different and is simply there because we went through a recession (tax receipts down, social security payments up).

[elster]

don4l said:

crankedup said:

Exactly my point, and when the cuts do arrive will the real pain drive away the 'middle class' back to Labour/Lib-Dem coalition.
I am in favour, and always have been, that we must have infrastructure major projects to bring some employment. Hope EDF may soon want to build a Nuke power station and the railways extend our network.

Edited by crankedup on Tuesday 22 May 16:50

Have you checked any opinion polls lately? The LibDems won't be in any coalition after the next election.


A Tory/UKIP coalition is much more likely.


Don
--

Not strictly true. Due to the electoral system the seats that UKIP may have a chance with (possibly 5) are tory seats.

If the Lib Dem vote is reduced then it would be a Labour Majority

[crankedup]

elster said:

don4l said:

crankedup said:

Exactly my point, and when the cuts do arrive will the real pain drive away the 'middle class' back to Labour/Lib-Dem coalition.
I am in favour, and always have been, that we must have infrastructure major projects to bring some employment. Hope EDF may soon want to build a Nuke power station and the railways extend our network.

Edited by crankedup on Tuesday 22 May 16:50

Have you checked any opinion polls lately? The LibDems won't be in any coalition after the next election.


A Tory/UKIP coalition is much more likely.


Don
--

Not strictly true. Due to the electoral system the seats that UKIP may have a chance with (possibly 5) are tory seats.

If the Lib Dem vote is reduced then it would be a Labour Majority

And its far too soon to write off the Lib-dems, my hunch/hope is that a new leader will be elected and drive the poll ratings up.

[Johnnytheboy]

When are these cuts coming in then?

[eharding]

crankedup said:

elster said:

don4l said:

crankedup said:

Exactly my point, and when the cuts do arrive will the real pain drive away the 'middle class' back to Labour/Lib-Dem coalition.
I am in favour, and always have been, that we must have infrastructure major projects to bring some employment. Hope EDF may soon want to build a Nuke power station and the railways extend our network.

Edited by crankedup on Tuesday 22 May 16:50

Have you checked any opinion polls lately? The LibDems won't be in any coalition after the next election.


A Tory/UKIP coalition is much more likely.


Don
--

Not strictly true. Due to the electoral system the seats that UKIP may have a chance with (possibly 5) are tory seats.

If the Lib Dem vote is reduced then it would be a Labour Majority

And its far too soon to write off the Lib-dems, my hunch/hope is that a new leader will be elected and drive the poll ratings up.

Quite frankly, you could drive the Lib Dems' poll ratings up by making Vince Cable visit every household in the country at breakfast time, and have him drop his kecks and plant a huge steaming turd in everyone's cornflakes - it could hardly make them less popular.