More executives back Tory National Insurance plans

Kohoutek

What do you mean CamerOsborne are describing Gershon as a con trick? It's Gershon and Martin Read that are the authors of the Tories recent efficiency savings claim.

I agree both parties are being disingenuous, but if you want to get angry about the Tories' efficiency savings claims, then blame Peter Gershon. I was just noting that in the past, he delivered on his efficiency savings claims.

I agree that it looks absurd for Osborne to criticise Labour's efficiency savings one week and introduce his own the next, but do Labour's efficiency savings have the credibility of being written by someone who has achieved them in the past? Last time I looked, they were based on absurd propositions such as saving £550m from reducing sickies.

Given Gershon has achieved making £21.5 billion in savings in the recent past, I see no reason to dismiss his advice for the Tories out of hand, however badly Osborne presented it.

The reality of all these 'efficiency savings' claims from both parties is they are merely an 'efficient' way of saying public spending cuts, and all the Tories are really doing is pledging to make bigger spending cuts than Labour, in lieu of the NI increase. I think bigger public spending cuts are appropriate instead of tax rises, it disappointing that the Tories will not say that in a honest way and cling to an efficiency savings mantra, but it's still the better policy than funding through an NI increase.

lvader

Isn't it funny how many private companies are able to make big efficiency savings with ease and without affecting revenue, yet the the gorvernment can't make a few small savings without affecting services?

Spartacus_Mills

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

Fine - dont believe Labour and listen to the Tories instead. Just last week Osborne described planned Labour savings of half this amount as bogus. Government efficiency savings used to fund anything are, according to Cameron, a con trick.

If people like me were describing Gershon as a con trick you'd be up in arms. But its not me is it, its CamerOsborne. So were they lying last week or are they lying this week?

Some student of politics you are. More a tribal, partisan, unthinking Labour bunkerbot.

Why should we believe Labour. They have consistently lied to us over the last 13 years. Take Brown, he lied to Chilcot and the House about defence spending, he lied to the house about increases in capital spending and did not have the honesty and integrity to admit it. Zero percent rise indeed. He lied about Tory tax cuts, mr 10 per cent indeed. He lied about the choice at the election - Labour investment versus Tory cuts. The man and his party are addicted to power for the sake of it. Venal, self-serving hypocrites. They are reminiscent of the fag end of the Major years.

Yes, the Tories have questions to answer and a credibility gap but asking us to believe Labour is like asking us to believe Ian Huntley's defence case.

Rochdale_Pioneers

Spartacus_Mills wrote: »

Some student of politics you are. More a tribal, partisan, unthinking Labour bunkerbot.

All I'm doing is quoting Cameron and Osborne's description of what is now their own policy..That has nothing to do with Labour.

Spartacus_Mills

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

All I'm doing is quoting Cameron and Osborne's description of what is now their own policy..That has nothing to do with Labour.

This comment would indicate otherwise "Fine - dont believe Labour and listen to the Tories instead."

Student of politics indeed.

LOL.

StevieJ

Kohoutek wrote: »

When Peter Gershon (the Tory's new efficiency advisor) worked for Brown, he achieved long term savings of £21.5 billion. Therefore actually it's not as implausible as the Nu-Labour frothers are saying that he could find £6 billion of savings to offset not increasing national insurance.

I never realised NuLabour had been so successful at cutting waste.

Kohoutek

StevieJ wrote: »

I never realised NuLabour had been so successful at cutting waste.

They've got Peter Gershon to thank for that, but unfortunately he couldn't do anything to prevent Brown's expansionary policies in the public sector, which have negated the savings which were made, and then some.

StevieJ

Kohoutek wrote: »

They've got Peter Gershon to thank for that, .

You don't buy a dog and then be expected to bark yourself

Rochdale_Pioneers

Spartacus_Mills wrote: »

This comment would indicate otherwise "Fine - dont believe Labour and listen to the Tories instead."

Student of politics indeed.

LOL.

Nice evasion of the point. What I or anyone in the Labour party thinks doesnt matter. What the Tories think of what is now their own policy is that its a bogus con trick.

whathavewedone

Rochdale, Labour have messed this up. It was a bad idea, the tories said all along they disliked it and wanted to avoid it. They've managed to do so and for a change they've also managed to present it well to the media.

Labour, usually ahead of the tories in the media presentation stakes, have been utterly woeful. Instead of neutralising a positive news story for the tories, they managed to give it more legs than a spider.

Having planned to base their election campaign on the uselessness of Osborne, it's a little unfortunate that all of a sudden he's gaining the respect of these influential people who don't take kindly to being called deluded by a man who can't even fill in a mortgage application form properly.

Labour would do well to leave this alone now. All the sniping about Gershon and references to tory businessmen will just keep a positive news cycle for the Conservatives running for longer over the Easter break.