160 Billion Annual Deficit.

Rochdale_Pioneers

Yes. £160bn a year we need to either raise or cut. So lets start drawing up a long list of tax cuts so that we can make that deficit even larger!

cogito

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

Yes. £160bn a year we need to either raise or cut. So lets start drawing up a long list of tax cuts so that we can make that deficit even larger!

And how would you solve the problem, specifically, or are you sticking with your usual mantra that there isn't one?

MissMoneypenny

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Social protection was supposed to go down this year, in line with less out of work. But it's gone up yet again.

From looking on the benefits board, it seems the government are fiddling the figures on unemployment. After a while they put people on a different stage of Job seekers allowance and call it a "training" stage. This means the government then removes these people from the unemployed figures, even though they are still unemployed and still claiming JSA.

goRt

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

From looking on the benefits board, it seems the government are fiddling the figures on unemployment. After a while they put people on a different stage of Job seekers allowance and call it a "training" stage. This means the government then removes these people from the unemployed figures, even though they are still unemployed and still claiming JSA.

Don't forget the 2.5m people on IB (being pushed to ESA now)

Harry_Powell

JonnyBravo wrote: »

Have we got a big jar of coppers we can cash in?

Perhaps your MFW pals could all chip in from their mortgage pigs?

JonnyBravo

Harry_Powell wrote: »

Perhaps your MFW pals could all chip in from their mortgage pigs?

Good idea and I've also got some tesco vouchers I don't mind putting on ebay if it'll be the clincher in the deal.
Fuss over nothing it seems.

Harry_Powell

JonnyBravo wrote: »

Good idea and I've also got some tesco vouchers I don't mind putting on ebay if it'll be the clincher in the deal.
Fuss over nothing it seems.

I'm doing my bit, I've already been down the sides of our sofa. I'll mail the 20p piece and lint to the Treasury, post haste.

jkc_2

which category does the EU come under? spending on the EU is supposed to be 40 million a day.

Afc_2

id like to know information on that 0.001 % tax on all bank transactions that was proposed. the banks should be made to make up the majority of the deficit

maybe some money could be raised through the sale of Northern Rock

or failing that, since we dont have any gold reserves, do we have any platinum or silver or diamonds stashed away somewhere?

A_fiend_for_life

We have massive, growing and avoidable health problems that feed in to unemployment and health spending. I'd have no qualms raising VAT on high sugar and fatty foods.

Obesity and diabetes must be on par with cigarettes and alcohol in terms of costs and mortality.

Supermarkets have whole aisles dedicated to the likes of sugary drinks, biscuits and crisps. All this junk also competes for farming real estate and reduced fruit and veg raising the cost of healthier options.

Sugars and fats also receive a disproportianate amount of common agricultural policy funding so there is potential for reduced costs there too.

I haven't found such a comparison for the UK / EU but here's a US version of the 'recommended diet' and 'food subsidies'.

http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm07autumn/health_pork.html