Cameron wins German support on EU talks

CLAPTON

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Is included as such in GDP figures.

my comment was that the UK is the worlds 6th largest manufacturer
that status is unaffected by our flow of oil and gas or our GDP.

Conrad

BertieUK wrote: »

I could not agree MORE with many of your points, and if the Prime Minister had trimmed more off the wealthy, just a little bit, and not been as savage with others, then we could understand the state of the economy and understand his reasons. For me it was the arrogant way that it has been handled by the Government and no compromise or discussions.

The medicine is rather bitter to take I must admit but sometimes, as my mother used to say, it will be better for you in the end. But our electorate may not see it that way and go down an uncharted route.

Perhaps if things had been taken at a steadier pace, with a little more thought put into the final outcome, people would be more forgiving and inclined to compromise.

regards
Bob

But we've only had austerity lite, we're still hugely entitled to live way beyond what we earn as a nation.

The markets are charging us super low rates of interest, they would not do that if we didn't have a convincing road map.

As for taxing the rich more, you are AGAIN ignoring the FACT Labour had a 40% rate for 12yrs 11 months, and also your'e forgetting more tax leads to nless private investment and therefore fewer jobs.

Always you folk want simplistic soundbite remedies such as 'tax the rich'.

Wookster

grizzly1911 wrote: »

Perhaps yo would like to give us the benefit of your wisdom?

I'd say that the UK has been in a real recession since the mid to late 1990s due to increased competition and off-shoring of jobs to low cost economies. This has been concealed by central banks allowing massive HPI, an unprecedented credit boom added to which the government running a deficit to fund tax credits and other benefits (chiefly housing benefits).

All the levers to disguise the woeful performance of our economy have been pulled: there is no way out other than to repay or default and to rebalance the economy away from debt fuelled consumption.

CLAPTON

Wookster wrote: »

It is looking at the risks facing the country and formulating policy to mitigate said risks.

I agree with that although it would of course costs lots and lots of money.

Conrad

Thrugelmir wrote: »

With oil and gas production in decline. There's little chance of retaining 6th spot.

I'm more optimistic. There are many examples indicating an improvment in the health of our world wide exports. Always keep in mind we export a lot of soft matter, from music to education, disabled equipment to English law, insurance to architectural expertise.

I think we truly are undergoing a transformation. Just when the caterpillar thought it was all over, it turned into a butterfly.

Wookster

CLAPTON wrote: »

I agree with that although it would of course costs lots and lots of money.

There is so much waste in the public sector that it could be implemented without any extra cost.

Thrugelmir

Conrad wrote: »

I'm more optimistic.

Very difficult to see huge amounts of export growth given the difficulties facing many major economies in the short term.

Better hope is the return to UK of production from the Far East. As cost benefits are rapidly diminishing. US companies are already moving production facilities back to Mexico.

CLAPTON

Wookster wrote: »

There is so much waste in the public sector that it could be implemented without any extra cost.

of course
the solution to extra investment for every government since WW2

Wookster

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Very difficult to see huge amounts of export growth given the difficulties facing many major economies in the short term.

Better hope is the return to UK of production from the Far East. As cost benefits are rapidly diminishing. US companies are already moving production facilities back to Mexico.

That, and a construction boom.

Why we aren't seeing a huge effort to building houses in the South East is more of a damming verdict on our leaders than anything else.

paulmapp8306

GeorgeHowell wrote: »

If the Tories get booted out it will indeed be of their own doing. If they stood on a platform from now on of :- standing up for Britain; making the ordinary citizen believe they are on his/her side; restricting immigration because we just can't take any more people; putting the interests of victims first, not criminals; controlling the cartels such as utilities who screw us; ending the human rights farce; and returning welfare to the safety net that it was originally intended to be, then that would surely get them in comfortably. And if it did not then we might as well turn the lights out and kiss goodbye to the UK.

But they would have to start it all now for people to believe that they really mean it. That would mean calling the LibDems bluff, and assuming that the latter don't want to commit electoral suicide right now.

I agree with a lot of this. Im not sure if they loose it will be of their own doing though. I think it will be a combination of the electorates expectations of how things would go being unrealistic (ie I think too many didnt realies how deep things needed cutting or how quickly it needed doing - nor the impact to everyday life), and not being able to enforce their policies properly due to the LibDem hook up.