Ed gets a pasting

Wookster

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Trouble with Ed Balls, is, as a political commentator likened him the other days, he seems closer to Alistair Campbell, labour spin doctor, than he does to a real MP.

Every word he seems to utter is an attack or seriously spun. To the point recently of all out lies. Even in the face of people telling him it was complete fabrication that he could reduce VAT on the fuel element, he kept on saying it.

He'll most likely end up as labour leader though....for all the wrong reasons. Labour don't seem to be too concerned with politics, and seem more concerned with totally trashing the opposition by whatever means neccesary. So for them, Ed Balls would seem a great leader.

Ed Balls is to politicians as Fred Goodwin is to bankers.

ChiefGrasscutter

B_Blank wrote: »

I want the PM to be someone who has extensive business experience. If they are to run UK PLC then I would like them to have run something in their lifetime!

Trouble is those sorts of people have figured they have better things to do with their lives.
The last one who fitted such a profile would probably have been Michael Hestletine: he had very extensive business experience. But all we ever heard about was how wealthy he was from his family estates.

When I listen to the "luny tunes" who phone in to my local bbc radio station some evenings and one thinks that getting elected means having to listen/deal with/explain things to these people...... even down to the level of having to explain that drama on TV is fiction not fact and hurling abuse at the actor in the street for the character in the drama they play is plain crazy).....I can see why they say they are are not interested - I wouldn't be either.

I haven't even started on the fact that we now have to be 24 hour TV/News/camera friendly to be elected - many astute business people are not. Blair was great at this sort of thing - as was Bill Clinton.

I often wonder whether instead of having some sort of AV/PR electoral system we need a multiple vote system.
Everyone gets 1 vote. Those with some exams/qualifications get another. Those with professional quals' (chartered something/doctor/lawyer etc) get and extra one and so forth, perhaps up to a limit of 5 votes....Discuss!

DervProf

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

Deficit is spend outstripping income. In cutting spending too quickly you cut your income, which kind of knackers your deficit cutting idea. Note how about £25bn was cut from the deficit in Q2 last year from higher tax receipts rather than cuts. the facts are clear - you can balance the two. Its just Tories who have a balance sheet with only the expenditure side on it.

Public spending includes the wages of those who are employed in the public sector. Yes, those people pay tax, but that tax is funded from the tax payer.

Yes, 1000s of public sector workers may find themselves out of work. No doubt many of them will find it difficult to find another job, or certainly one that pays quite so well as their previous one. I expect a lot of them will decide to start working for themselves. No easy answer to this, but if there had been less emphasis put on expanding the public sector, maybe the private sector would have benefited more, and the spending cuts wouldn't have been so severe.

Thrugelmir

ChiefGrasscutter wrote: »

The last one who fitted such a profile would probably have been Michael Hestletine: he had very extensive business experience. But all we ever heard about was how wealthy he was from his family estates.

Interesting man. Built his own fortune. A true entreprenuer.

As far as possible tried not to borrow money from banks. Instead deferred payment to his creditors to fund the business.

blueboy43

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Interesting man. Built his own fortune. A true entreprenuer.

As far as possible tried not to borrow money from banks. Instead deferred payment to his creditors to fund the business.

his actual words were "stave off bankruptcy by only paying when sued and sending out incomplete cheques".


However, far better than almost any politician from the main parties these days.

I also like the comment about him and Thatcher. "at least he stabbed her in the front"

furbix

What is wrong with no growth while we get the house in order, seems like the most prudent thing to do after a government that gave us several generations of debt. I think the way you get growth (proved by countries that are currently growing) is by having a competitive business environment i.e. low taxes, less bureaucracy and regulations - the opposite of labour government policies basically. If you have high taxes, loads of bureaucracy and regulation you go bankrupt, why do so few people realise this.

Some people made the mistake of voting for a labour government (basically economic fascists) and now we're all paying for it. I just don't see how keeping the public sector (and resultant yearly deficit) going in its present form is sustainable for the future and feel terrible about the thought that future (perhaps poorer) generations will be made responsible for an even bigger debt.

markharding557

chewmylegoff wrote: »

doubt ed balls will ever be the leader of the party, he was soundly trounced in the leadership election, i reckon even harperson would beat him.

Let's not forget david milliband,i suspect he would throw his hat in the ring if his brother goes.
Labour chose the wrong man.

nembot

What we need is a group of businessmen in charge, who started with nothing and made something of their life, not a bunch of toffs who have no idea how the other half (or 99%) live. Pay them 2 million a year and I guarantee the UK would be a better place in 3 years time.

Do anyone really think politions give a toss about me and you or care about their pitiful salary in comparison to their actual worth?

The majority are so bloody rich already, their only objective is to subsidise their friends businesses with vast amounts of tax payers money... Arms Sales & Gatso's to give just a couple of examples (in exchange for the fat under the table brown envelope).

Get rid of them all.... worthless lying tw@ts the lot of em.

The interview this morning was just as embarrassing as all the rest and let's be honest here, Evan is a pushover compared to some on R4.

chris_m

chewmylegoff wrote: »

doubt ed balls will ever be the leader of the party, he was soundly trounced in the leadership election, i reckon even harperson would beat him.

Hell, you couldn't get worse than that :-(

chris_m

markharding557 wrote: »

Let's not forget david milliband,i suspect he would throw his hat in the ring if his brother goes.
Labour chose the wrong man.

IIRC it was the unions that tipped the balance towards Ed over David. The Labour party supported David.