We're living in a fool's paradise

Mr_Mumble

The British government are larger spenders than most European countries now (54.1% of GDP next year compared to 48.6% for Germany, OECD figures here).

New Labour can't stop spending, today they've announced funding for a cinema and art gallery. Utterly bonkers and only days after announcing asset sell-offs that produce valuable cash-flows.

I'd rather have Michael Foot in charge! At least old Labour thought they were being productive by saving car factories and nationalising industry. New Labour think that "stimulus" amounts to spending ever more on what artisan fetishists in ivory towers believe is culture.

Why are poor people in the provinces forced to pay tax so millionaires in London can pontificate about cows being cut in half or watch Polanski in luxury?

It's such examples of spending largess, despite warnings of bankruptcy, that will see the collapse of Britain. Politicians simply don't have the backbone to say no to the financially illiterate populous that they 'educated'.

purch

I think most people would prefer tax rises to having American-style public services

There are plenty of American style public services that are far far superior to anything we could dream of, and the Taxes that pay for them far far lower.

penguine

purch wrote: »

There are plenty of American style public services that are far far superior to anything we could dream of, and the Taxes that pay for them far far lower.

Meant to quote you, not thank you, because as an American I have to disagree. I can't think of one public service in the US that is far far superior to its counterpart in the UK.