'Feeling empathy for Gordon' blog discussion

Paul_Herring

While I totally agree with your sentiments..

dizzie wrote: »

I actually think that stopping the NI tax rise is a positive thing for the economy and here's why:

First there are all sorts of companies - big ones, small ones and sizes in between. But they are all out there to make money.

(Not that I've looked, but) how much of our economy is powered by global companies, and how much of any increase in GDP may be powered by 'local' companies?


Hmm. I started this post disagreeing with you - that seems to have fallen apart now.

As you were

(And I still think the NI 'debate' is a false argument, for the reasons I stated earlier - it's too little in the context of the country. It's a lot, however, for the employees who's [strike]tax[/strike] NI will go up as well. Which is why, personally, I will mitigate it through my pension scheme. And the income tax rise that must certainly come (see sig, if Labor get control again.) Or I will do when C&M get their act together....)

dizzie

Yep, taxes will rise...and if one party has promised not to put up income tax...then they'll either break their promise (as has been done on issues before now) or they'll just increase other taxes, like NI or introduce new ones to make up the shortfall...No doubt council tax may be reviewed soon. Maybe I'll be taxed for my nice view of the farmer's sheep in the field next door. Either way, and under whatever title this increased taxation comes...we're gonna have to pay up...and the government should do its bit by reducing waste.

When I used to work for the NHS, I used to get fed up with being told by my manager that I had to buy something to spend the rest of the money in the kitty before the year end. We couldn't roll it over to the next year and save it up to buy something bigger and more useful...and if we didn't spend it, our budget was cut the next year. So we spent it...mostly on stuff we didn't need or really want...yes we wasted that money because the culture and system forced us to. What a pile of nonsense!

sara2323

I agree with Martin, I don't think anyones perfect! we all say and do things, learn from them and move on. Just because he's the Prime Minister does'nt make him any less human!
I don't really understand all the fuss from the media, dont think it would have been an issue if any of the other leaders had been in his place, they're just looking for a reason to slate him. Just to add I am voting Labour.

dizzie

sara2323 wrote: »

Just because he's the Prime Minister does'nt make him any less human!

Not so sure he is human though...that jaw jerking movement that happens between sentences makes me highly suspicious that he has something of the malfunctioning android about him.:eek:
But human or not - can we trust him not to cause a similar gaff... after some important international political meeting for example? "Aye (such and such's) prime minister was a bit of a **** wasn't he? Oh knickers, I forgot to switch ma dam*n microphone off again!"

And for the record, I'd have to be tortured into voting for Labour next week.

sara2323

dizzie wrote: »

Not so sure he is human though...that jaw jerking movement that happens between sentences makes me highly suspicious that he has something of the malfunctioning android about him.:eek:
But human or not - can we trust him not to cause a similar gaff... after some important international political meeting for example? "Aye (such and such's) prime minister was a bit of a **** wasn't he? Oh knickers, I forgot to switch ma dam*n microphone off again!"

And for the record, I'd have to be tortured into voting for Labour next week.

Well that's you decision but I can still remember Obama forgetting his lines!! had that been Gordon he'd probably have got slated for that as well, 'how can he lead the country when he can't recall a few words'

ManyDollarz

Well done Gillian Duffy for asking the questions.
Rochdale folk are reknown for telling it how it is.

And to hear on TV, people in the streets & shopping centres, saying "I've voted Labour all my life" etc etc and how Labour is for the "working man". Well, you're easily brainwashed.

GB, TB, & Labour Party take all working class people for mugs.

How many "working men" do you know who have a £3.6million house then, like TB; or that buy a pair of £250,000 flats for their kids doing University, like TB; or £6000 solar panels on their roof, at our expense, like GB's house in Kirkcaldy?

GB and TB have never been poor. How the f would they ever know what it means to be "working class". GB can't even say those words to you on TV.

The last true Labour MP of the people, for the people, was Dave Nellist from Coventry, who lived off just £13k and gave the rest of his MP pay packet to charity. Couldn't see GB doing that now could you.

viscione

poor GB I hope he wins the election!!

PhylPho

Seems we may be going slightly off topic here. . . but in the debate on this thread about the proposed National Insurance hike, a significant fact has got lost.

Doubtless that suits a former Chancellor who made a career out of Budget Speeches where many a crucial fact was wilfully concealed in small print that no-one had time to read on the day: political cowardice at its most repellent. But it certainly cannot suit anyone else.

The small print issue now isn't about the impact on job creation or the higher taxes (because it is a tax rise by another name) that employees have to face. The issue is the likely massive bill to be paid by employers -- and the repercussions guaranteedto follow.

Why does that matter to anyone here?

Er, well. . . The overwhelming majority of MSE posters are employers. The employers of every UK Local Authority workforce and every UK police force, as can be seen each year when the latest Council Tax bill arrives, divided as it is between local municipal administration and Police Authority.

Labour's proposed National Insurance hike will impose a massive additional wages cost on public sector services. Which is, er, a massive additional financial demand on. . .

You.

Brown, of course, is well aware of this. After all, he was Britain's most brilliant Chancellor. (Even if Economics is not by education or experience a subject in which he has the slightest expertise. Nor, er, has ever shown any, despite all his self-promoting hype.)

Brown also knows something else. That from next year, central Government "settlements" on Local Authorities will have to be frozen (at best) or slashed. From next year, therefore, every Council Tax bill in the UK is going to have to rise anyway.

But if Labour's ludicrous National Insurance hike is allowed to go through, those Council Tax bills will be even higher. (And of course, were Labour still in power, then Brown would pull his usual stunt of blaming everyone else: wot, me? I’m not responsible for what your local Council makes you pay. . .)

It's yet another example of Brown's underlying contempt for "honest hardworking British families everywhere": hit them in every pocket they have and every purse they own but never, ever, tell them the truth of what you're up to.

Happily though, the time seems finally to have come for that contempt to be bounced straight back. The National Insurance hike and unjustifiably excessive 2011 Council Tax bills will be the last example of the wasteful Socialist State so expensively and so unsupportably created by Brown, Blair and ZanuLabour.

If it isn't, then voters only have themselves to blame. Bigots, or not.

Crabman

ManyDollarz wrote: »

or £6000 solar panels on their roof, at our expense, like GB's house in Kirkcaldy?

Where did you get that piece of 'information'?

It appears the panels cost £15,000 and were paid for by the Browns.

Optimist

Crabman wrote: »

Where did you get that piece of 'information'?

It appears the panels cost £15,000 and were paid for by the Browns.

No idea what they cost but Mr Brown claimed £6464 for them on his expenses