George Osborne can't do this job.

[mattx]

So after two and a half years of austerity, [ cuts to a ton of services, pay freezes, etc etc ] and not forgetting inflation getting higher and with unemployment on the rise, the fiscal hole is now LARGER than it was when he first started. I bet he gets a Xmas bonus............

[sparkeh]

I bet he gets a Xmas bonus............

Of course, where do you think the welfare cuts are going?

[tmcd35]

After 2 years of Labour saying "Cut slower, spend more on infrastructure to kickstart the economy", I saw this on BBC News yestersay:

 

BBC News - David Cameron hails plan to switch spending 'to fund schools'

 

Is this the return of BSF under another name?

[jamesreedersmith]

I think we should all call for a "top earners pay cut in the public sector" - eg all government employees earning in excess of say £120,000 take a 6/7 % cut - think how much this could save us and they would all still be earning in excess of £108,000!

[Flatpackhamster]

Yeah, anyone would think that following Gordon Brown's recipe for running the economy would be a runaway success but it turns out that it's a total, total failure.

[mattx]

Yeah, anyone would think that following Gordon Brown's recipe for running the economy would be a runaway success but it turns out that it's a total, total failure.

 

Just like George's then.

[sonofsanta]

I happened to catch a segment on the One Show last night (I still feel dirty) and they were talking about all the expected bad news, then said there is some good news coming - the planned 3p fuel duty rise is expected to be dropped.

 

That's not good news! That's just an absence of bad news, a negation of previous horror. You can't count that as good!

 

I can't remember who first posted this image on here, but I saved it at the time because it was so funny and relevant. That hasn't diminished at all in the intervening time.

[mattx]

I happened to catch a segment on the One Show last night (I still feel dirty) and they were talking about all the expected bad news, then said there is some good news coming - the planned 3p fuel duty rise is expected to be dropped.

 

That's not good news! That's just an absence of bad news, a negation of previous horror. You can't count that as good!

 

I can't remember who first posted this image on here, but I saved it at the time because it was so funny and relevant. That hasn't diminished at all in the intervening time.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]16206[/ATTACH]

 

I dunno who is worse, you for watching the One Show [ and admitting it ] or George for not being able to do his job.......

[sonofsanta]

I dunno who is worse, you for watching the One Show [ and admitting it ] or George for not being able to do his job.......

 

It was the 15 minutes between "episode of IT Crowd on Netflix has finished" and "Eastenders is starting for daughter", and I was sat eating my dinner so had no escape

 

Still, that Alex Jones. Almost makes it bearable.

[Michael]

The thing is, it isn't just George's fault but also the Bank of England's, as well as all these financial experts who advise the Government.

 

I think the problem is no one actually knows what's going on, so they'll just carry on cutting away. There never has been a financial crisis this big. You'd think that these experts would look at previous recessions and learn from these, but I don't think it's purely a numbers issue. There are lots of other factors not seen before, such as a lack of banking regulation but it's too little too late it seems.

[LosOjos]

I'm sick of political parties - they're all a joke. Wouldn't trust a single one of them as far as I could beat them with an iron bar.

 

That's a good idea actually - a massive fight to the death between the members of all parties for each position in cabinet, last remaining survivor from each role gets the job. At least we'd know they could handle themselves if/when we get invaded by "Insert Super Power Here"

[mthomas08]

Is the whole benefit system cut still going ahead? otherwise our taxes will be paying for my younger sister to have her 3rd child.... some one who has lost custody of 1 kid, cant look after number 2 and even denied her existance to the new boyfriend, never worked in her life because she refuses to and has been with the new guy for about 3 months.

Oh and she got a council house in 2 weeks compared to those real couples who are on a 2 year waiting list...

[X-13]

the planned 3p fuel duty rise is expected to be dropped.

 

And?

 

The price of petrol is 40% - 60% tax.

 

FORTY to SIXTY PERCENT TAX!

 

I'm sick of political parties - they're all a joke.

 

At least the Pirate Party/Monster Raving Loony Party admit it.

 

The others, not so much.

 

Is the whole benefit system cut still going ahead? otherwise our taxes will be paying for my younger sister to have her 3rd child.... some one who has lost custody of 1 kid, cant look after number 2 and even denied her existance to the new boyfriend, never worked in her life because she refuses to and has been with the new guy for about 3 months.

Oh and she got a council house in 2 weeks compared to those real couples who are on a 2 year waiting list...

 

That sounds like the majority of my family...

 

Erm... sorry about that.

Edited December 5, 2012 by X-13

[aerospacemango]

Sadly, the original idea of the welfare state was that it gave you enough money to subsist on. That working would be more profitable.

 

This has changed, and that is why your sister can sit on her a**e, knocking out kids, whilst picking up a council house and lots of cash for her 46' telly and xbox for the latest boyfriend. (Sorry to @mthomas08 for making it seem like I'm only taking HIS post as gospel!)

 

This is how the world works now....The rich are "I'm alright, Jack" because they won't get taxed because they may "run away to another country". The people in the middle pay more tax, and more stealth staxes, and the people at the bottom squeeze out another kid or two and they'll be ok on benefits.....

 

 

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

 

[Andrew_C]

I refer the honourable gentlemen (and ladies) to the following statement...

 

 

 

It made me feel quite sick watching him worm and wriggle as we (the poor) go to the wall.

[broc]

You would think by now that the Government would realise that slash & burn tactics applied to public sector finance are not the answer... look at the state of the southern european countries after their austerity measures.

 

Equally, indiscriminate public sector spending growth built entirely on borrowing is unlikely to solve the problem.

 

What we need is for the public sector to get better value for money when it is spending & stop the politicians (local and national) from funding their 'pet' vanity projects & forcing change driven by political dogma, such as in the NHS or with 'free' schools.

 

PFI & BSF are both prime examples of how the Government wastes money. It beggars belief that successive Govts have employed PFI to keep liabilities 'off the books'.......& mortgaged our future & our childrens future for years to come.

 

It is ironic that the Govt has a AAA credit rating & can borrow money for ridiculously low interest rates, but it would rather borrow the money to bail the banks out so they can lend money to businesses so they can build Hospitals, Schools & other public works under PFI..... & then have the taxpayer paying commercial interest on repayments (&shareholder profit) for years to come. Why didn't they just borrow the money & build the schools & hospitals themselves?

Edited December 5, 2012 by broc

[Roberto]

You would think by now that the Government would realise that slash & burn tactics applied to public sector finance are not the answer... look at the state of the southern european countries after their austerity measures.

 

Equally, indiscriminate public sector spending growth built entirely on borrowing is unlikely to solve the problem.

 

What we need is for the public sector to get better value for money when it is spending & stop the politicians (local and national) from funding their 'pet' vanity projects & forcing change driven by political dogma, such as in the NHS or with 'free' schools.

 

PFI & BSF are both prime examples of how the Government wastes money. It beggars belief that successive Govts have employed PFI to keep liabilities 'off the books'.......& mortgaged our future & our childrens future for years to come.

 

It is ironic that the Govt has a AAA credit rating & can borrow money for ridiculously low interest rates, but it would rather borrow the money to bail the banks out so they can lend money to businesses so they can build Hospitals, Schools & other public works under PFI..... & then have the taxpayer paying commercial interest on repayments (&shareholder profit) for years to come. Why didn't they just borrow the money & build the schools & hospitals themselves?

 

This is a post I can get behind. What's needed - by the politicians and those who like to comment on them - is a bit more direct action on the actual problems and a bit less sniping backwards and forwards with political soundbites.

 

And a lot less arguing over what colour to paint the shed while the house is still on fire.

[Gibbo]

I happened to catch a segment on the One Show last night (I still feel dirty) and they were talking about all the expected bad news, then said there is some good news coming - the planned 3p fuel duty rise is expected to be dropped.

 

That's not good news! That's just an absence of bad news, a negation of previous horror. You can't count that as good!

 

Over the past month diesel has gone down by 6p a litre round my neck of the woods. Its now 137.9p a litre.

 

Its funny how people and the media will moan about a rise (and blame the government), but don't seem to have much to say when it does goes down.

[Roberto]

Its funny how people and the media will moan about a rise (and blame the government), but don't seem to have much to say when it does goes down.

 

Just human nature, everyone loves a moan.

When was the last time someone dropped by your helpdesk to say "I just thought I'd mention how nice and fast and reliable the network was today..."

[sted]

 

It is ironic that the Govt has a AAA credit rating & can borrow money for ridiculously low interest rates, but it would rather borrow the money to bail the banks out so they can lend money to businesses so they can build Hospitals, Schools & other public works under PFI..... & then have the taxpayer paying commercial interest on repayments (&shareholder profit) for years to come. Why didn't they just borrow the money & build the schools & hospitals themselves?

 

being synical its so they can arrange it such that them their buddies can make money off it by bidding / share trading etc

 

i dont get why the bank bail out cash diddnt come with stings rather than just here have some money as you have proved you cant be trusted with it

[aerospacemango]

Over the past month diesel has gone down by 6p a litre round my neck of the woods. Its now 137.9p a litre.

 

Its funny how people and the media will moan about a rise (and blame the government), but don't seem to have much to say when it does goes down.

 

Lucky you! It's around 139.9 where I live....but that's beside the point.

 

The point being that the government (And not JUST this current ConDem one) have pushed taxes further and further up. I remember when we had fuel blockades because petrol had hit £1 a litre....I also remember my Dad having a fit when petrol went up from 75 to 77p per GALLON! (1977 before you all ask!)

 

Those days may be gone, but why shouldn't petrol go down as fast as it goes up? I look forward to the greater transparency" that this government promises....

[sted]

Lucky you! It's around 139.9 where I live....but that's beside the point.

 

The point being that the government (And not JUST this current ConDem one) have pushed taxes further and further up. I remember when we had fuel blockades because petrol had hit £1 a litre....I also remember my Dad having a fit when petrol went up from 75 to 77p per GALLON! (1977 before you all ask!)

 

Those days may be gone, but why shouldn't petrol go down as fast as it goes up? I look forward to the greater transparency" that this government promises....

 

it wouldnt be so bad if tax on fuel was spent on roads but motorists are funding everything else and having to put up with a road network that is poor. If its a tax on motorists surely it should be spent on related things if its going to the general pot surely it should be a more general tax

 

as to transparancy that just means you cant see it job done lol

[sonofsanta]

Over the past month diesel has gone down by 6p a litre round my neck of the woods. Its now 137.9p a litre.

 

Its funny how people and the media will moan about a rise (and blame the government), but don't seem to have much to say when it does goes down.

 

I wasn't necessarily having a moan about the price of fuel (136.9 for me now, huzzah. That's still £150 a month though), more the appallingly low standards for "good news" we're now trained to expect from the Chancellor.

[tech_guy]

We're all going to crash and burn and end up living in caves throwing rocks at each other.

 

[X-13]

We're all going to crash and burn and end up living in caves throwing rocks at each other.

 

Nope, we're going to go all "Hunger games" on each other.