'What should I ask George Osborne? Question suggestions wanted.' blog discussion

mohthom

I'd like to know what he's going to do to reverse the effects of the Pareto Principle, both in supply and consumption.

Thanks Martin,

MohThoM

JonC2008

Hello,

Whilst I sat thinking of a question to put to Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, I considered the following, would he give an honest answer, would he give an answer at all, would the answer he gave me annoy me and last of all would I want know? I appreciate all of this was an attempt to pre-empt a question I had not yet asked but then decided to deviate from a question and propose a challenge.

I understand the purpose of your time with him is to quiz him on subjects directly related to the public’s concern, hence your request for ideas. However, having considered the fact the man was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, makes the chance of getting an answer with any sort of perspective impossible.

Instead consider the following; if he wants to understand the perils of modern Britain and truly get to grips with its people, then he has to understand them. I honestly cannot say with any degree of conviction that this man understand the vast majority of normal working class people. He was part of a private club along with David Cameron at Oxford where it was not how clever you were which got you into the club, but wealth.

Anyway, before I start to lose what it was I wanted to challenge him on, I propose the following, to truly understand problems people face, he should try spending a month working, living and earning what a single parent earns. He would have no financial support other than the wage he earned and the support he would receive from the government. He would have to apply for the support himself, wait for it to be processed, etc.. etc..

I think from this you can surmise what it is I am trying to say. I believe that experiencing things first hand is the best way to deliver the best results. I myself work as an analyst, when I am faced with a problem; I get myself involved and take on the role of the people who are affected. Personally I see the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer or Chancellor of the Exchequer as no more than an analyst looking to balance an equation and deliver the best possible solution for ALL and until you understand all aspects of the problem (this does not just mean reading through facts and figures on a piece of paper and getting hold of statistics!) then you are not in a position to deliver the best possible solution.

Would the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer be prepared to a) take on this or a similar type of role and b) on a totally different note, what are his opinions on fathers getting just 2 weeks paternity leave and legally only having to be paid statutory sick pay (SSP) for these 2 weeks? Is taking 2 weeks off to spend time with your new born child no more than taking two weeks off on the sick in the eyes of the powers that be in this country? Oh.... and what are his personal experiences, did he get SSP and have just 2 weeks off when his children were born?

Goodbye.

GEORGECURTIS

How will the Tories keep interest rates and retail price index as low as it has been under Labour (important to Pensioners)? Will they reduce VAT back to 15% as it was before they increased it at Poll-Tax time?

Manateeman

Please can you suggest to George that as the City Bankers have got us into this mess (like on every occasion before), then maybe he should tax them more than the rather appolagetic amount he has levied on them, in order to pay off the huge debt they have caused us to run up. I have lived and worked through several recessions now (from late 70's onwards) and each time it is the banks that have caused it. Why do we never learn, it is not good for the country to let them run riot, it is time they did something for us rather than always for themselves. :mad:

dots_thots

Cornish_Pasty wrote: »

I was wondering the other day, we pay tax on our wages, then we pay National Insurance and we also pay Council tax. What do we get for our money, so far I have narrowed it down to emergency services and binmen, although they seem to want to charge more for doing the same job lately.

As a single person, with no kids and fully employed (always have been) I claim no benefits, live in the country, so we have no street lights or kerbs or white lines!!!. so apart from paying for Northern Rocks bonuses, Polititians pay rises, playstations and dvds for prisoners, protection for the likes of John Venables, and police to sit in laybys waiting for the odd speeding ,motorist, where does my money go?

An excellent question, one which I ask myself all of the time...

Well, firstly a huge chunk pays the interest on the national debt to foreigners and the fraudulent debt to the Bank of England (remember... they are a privately owned institution who in the words of their founder William Paterson "...hath benefit of interest on all monies which it creates out of nothing.").

Then we have a huge social security bill.

Lastly, there is a gargantuan and ever-increasing public sector, with overweight bureaucracy branded through it like a stick of rock.

I think the truth is, we get less and less for our money right across the board; the reality is hidden by false-confidence from foreigners willing to lend us money, retirement pension funds buying gilts that believe they'll actually get some money back from the ponsi scheme, cheap consumer goods from the likes of China and debt-based consumption. How long can that last I wonder?

Another thing to ask Osbourne is will he support the abolition of employers NI, with a reduction of other spending to pay for it, so we're not penalising British companies for actually employing people? Now that would be an actual real stimulus.

millie600

See if you can get him to promise to apply the Robin Hood Tax on the banks so that WE don't have to be punished further for the banks malpractises! They are the ones who created this financial crisis and were bailed out using billions of pounds of our money and it should be THEM and not us who pay the penalty! We have already suffered by losing our jobs, homes and businesses and I am fed up of the media and politicians telling us that we're in for even more punishment instead of putting the blame and punishment where it really belongs - with the bankers!! Of course I would never expect a Tory Government to impose a tax on their sponsors and the same can be said for the 3 main political parties nowadays who seem to have formed a 5th column alliance with common purpose, so if you want an honest government go out and vote for your local INDEPENDANT candidate and sit back and enjoy the fun!;):beer:

Robin_Davies

If he wants my vote he has to say that until Britain has recovered from its unprecedented debt crisis, not a penny of taxpayers money will be spent outside this country. Exceptions will have to be unbreakable committments (for example the EU) and the provision of Embassies and Consulates to help our citizens abroad. But there will be no more voluntary handouts of our cash overseas. We're the country that needs financial help now, and we can't afford to give away money we don't have.

dairoid

Will you nationalise the energy companies or form a new government energy company to stop the profiteering. The population would probably switch to a non profit making company if it meant considerably lower bills and then, with the largest customer base , bulk purchases could be secured at even lower prices, passing on more savings. SIMPLE.

tumbo_2

can you ask him why the torys have not capitalised on the gold issue ie,
if as i have read is true that brown sold our gold reserves bought them back for much than they were sold for then sold them again at an even more massive loss, even when a pleb like me researches cause and effects of recession it would appear more than prudent to keep the gold under the bed, now its at its highest and we could do with its value now.
why do the torys not raise this issue with a slogan that us normal folk would understand, like. "HOW CAN YOU VOTE FOR A BUFFOON SUCH AS BROWN AND HIS CRONIES WHO CREATED THIS MESS GAVE AWAY THE FAMILY SILVER TWICE AND NOW ATTEMPTS TO TELL US HE AND HIS ARE THE BEST OPTION TO GET US OUT"
he and his cronies should be sacked and asset stripped!

Retro_Bunny

Two questions for George Osbourne.

Please ask him if he intends to scrap copper coins (1p and 2p), and round all prices off to the nearest 5p (like in Australia)?

I'd love to know how much it costs the Royal Mint to produce 1p and 2p, and how many are lost. The metal costs must be high...
I read an article (maybe on MSE) saying that around 80% of coppers are not in circulation (stuck in charity tins and large whisky bottles etc.) therefore the mint has to keep churning them out to keep enough in circulation.
In order to remove the coppers from circulation, he could do something with the charities to collect them in and recycle the metal? (like with the old European currencies)

Also would he consider asking companies to round off prices to 3 significant figures (or ask companies to stop using pence unless the price is under £100) - I'm getting a little tired of seeing cars or other high priced goods offered at £14,999.99 or similar. It's intend to trick the consumer into thinking that the product is cheaper than it looks (compare the above to £15,000)
This is also a step that would reduce the number of copper coins needed to be in circulation. (maybe all prices over £1 should be rounded off to 5p as an interim step)