Are the middle classes going to bail out the rest of the country?

Sir_Humphrey

Well, the bill cannot be paid by those people who do not have the money to pay it.

I think the middle class are in for another nasty shock. In Canada, a lot of the rapid savings in the central government budget was made by transferring spending to more local levels. This is consistent with the move to "localism" which the ConDems are so keen on (I wonder why - well see below!)

Now, a lot of council services simply cannot be got rid of. So either people are going to end up being charged for services they currently get for free (as is already the case for councils such as LB Barnet/Hammersmith and Fulham) or are going to be facing up to stonking rises in Council Tax (for which Cameron/Clegg can (falsely) deny responsibility).

Blacklight

speedbird1973 wrote: »

People on 50k will gain from the income tax threshold and lose it in the employee NI rise. They'll be about the same as they were before they started.

We'll ALL have to pay. No point in complaining about it we have 13 years of filth to scrub off ourselves!

You didn't notice the 2,5% drop in VAT, you probably won't notice it if it rises. Another £30 a month in direct taxation is a small price to pay to get us out of this mess quicker!

Lets not complain, lets just get on with it.

Unless you're Scottish or Welsh apparently, who think themselves above contributing to the solution.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Well the rich aren't going to.

They have just been gifted BILLIONS

zappahey

Blacklight wrote: »

Unless you're Scottish or Welsh apparently, who think themselves above contributing to the solution.

You may have to explain that for me.

ninky_2

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Well the rich aren't going to.

They have just been gifted BILLIONS

and whose to say they won't get gifted more....

i want to see cleggeron take action against the banking system.

why not have a national high street bank and remove the agreement to cover deposits in other banks if they go under.

then normal people can keep their money somewhere safe and allow the private sector to eat itself if it must.

Blacklight

zappahey wrote: »

You may have to explain that for me.

I recall the SNP and Plaid Cymru stating that they would only lend support to coalition government if they were guaranteed total immunity from forthcoming spending cuts.

How nice of them. Real team players.

Generali

Sir_Humphrey wrote: »

So either people are going to end up being charged for services they currently get for free (as is already the case for councils such as LB Barnet/Hammersmith and Fulham)

Charging for state provided services is big over here. It costs me several hundred dollars a year to send my son to the local state primary school both directly (eg I have to provide the school with various stationery, a library book and some cash) and indirectly (it is expected that all parents will volunteer for one of several voluntary roles within the school for a few hours each year which also costs me because as a contractor I only get paid for the hours I work).

It works pretty well although isn't without its problems (eg my BiL had to hobble around on a busted up leg for a year until he could afford physio).

nicko33

ninky wrote: »

why not have a national high street bank...
then normal people can keep their money somewhere safe

You mean something like an NS&I account run through something like Post Offices ?

drc

Generali wrote: »

Charging for state provided services is big over here. It costs me several hundred dollars a year to send my son to the local state primary school both directly (eg I have to provide the school with various stationery, a library book and some cash) and indirectly (it is expected that all parents will volunteer for one of several voluntary roles within the school for a few hours each year which also costs me because as a contractor I only get paid for the hours I work).

It works pretty well although isn't without its problems (eg my BiL had to hobble around on a busted up leg for a year until he could afford physio).

Sounds good in theory but I suspect we'd get a two-tiered system here whereby those not in work would have to pay nothing and those in work would have to pay twice (for themselves and those that don't work). Not really very fair.

ninky_2

nicko33 wrote: »

You mean something like an NS&I account run through something like Post Offices ?

yes. i believe this was on labour's agenda. to bring back a national bank like giro bank.