Gordon has just confirmed again that he is the de facto chancellor..
Is he doing it because he knows Labour are going to lose the election and he wants to saddle an incoming Tory or coalition government with the bill?
It would fit with his percieved psychological flaws, but I can't believe his cabinet aren't going to rebel at that...
Unfortunately we can't depend on an incoming conservative administration to sort the problem out. Cameron's policies are a return to Butskellism (eg his/Osborne's intention to maintain Labour's spending plans for the first three years of a Conservative administration).
It was only 30 years ago under a determined PM that the UK began to be weaned off the policy of managed decline which had been the de facto post-war policy agreement between Labour and the Conservatives. I feel sorry for the generations born in the 70s onwards since they will have to wait until at least the 2020s for another administration determined enough to restore the finances and basic economic health of the UK. Those of us born in the 40s and 50s thought that the Thatcher economic counter-revolution, tough though it was to live through, had both restored Britain's economic health and ensured that a return to the irresponsibilities of tax and spend was impossible. How naive we were!
"My little business is really struggling - and all the government can do is increase the tax on small companies" - nobody mentions the need to fund public services any more.
People are wising up to how wasteful our public services have become.
"People are wising up to how wasteful our public services have become."
I'm convinced that Gordo knew about the waste (but don't think he understands the power of the people). At least he knew about some future waste, which was why the ID Card project was cut back and has been cut back again. Also HO has overall started to sharpen itself up. But he doesn't seem to have acted anywhere else (although there is news on the bush telegraph of some upcoming changes in DfT which just might bring a little improvement).
Not related to this post.. just thought you'd be interested.
http://www.austinmitchell.org/ne...ervyn-
king.html
Disgusting!
Austin Mitchell should revisit The Exchange Control Act 1949 which lasted until 1980 and covered the period of previous devaluations rather well. In other words, that era was one of managed exchange rates and more control of lending in the economy.
The period after CCC in 1971 saw credit expansion explode and house prices take off - it is not possible to compare the past with the recent past because the basis of credit creation in the economy has changed and Bretton Woods is dead
Wat,
Regarding the U-turn on pay-as-you-throw; I actually like this idea more than paying a flat fee for my council tax, which went up another £20 a month this year.
Of course the following would have to happen:
1. We weren't still paying for it in our C-tax.
2. Fly tippers were prosecuted to the same extent as fraudsters; they are after all stealing cleaning resources from others.
Living on an ex-council estate next to a live council estate you can see the waste associated with a poor lifestyle; my locality just voted in yet another term of Labour councillors to make sure the tap of ongoing welfare and public services aren't turned off and they have to take responsibility for themselves.
Commenting by HaloScan
