Are the Tories going to tear themselves apart?

michaels

vivatifosi wrote: »

I think politicians probably have difficulty knowing how to deal with Altmann, as she isn't particularly aligned to one party. However I trust her in terms of pensions much more. She is more of a subject matter expert than a politician. In that respect, I'd like to know what people at the DWP thought of any schism, rather than other politicians.

Take your point that we'll never know though.

Problem is how do you believe Altman when she said exactly the Tory Party (Cameron and Osborne branch) line?

Problem is how can you believe IDS when his actions have been exactly those that were likely to be most advantageous to the out campaign....

Tromking

kinger101 wrote: »

Slash and burn? I think Osbourn must have used toenail clippers and a disposable lighter.

http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5326/economics/government-spending/

More than one way to skin a cat.
eg. IDS alluded to the unfairness of the pensioners 'triple-lock' in a time of very low inflation.

Thrugelmir

Tromking wrote: »

Osborne style deficit reduction is now politically untenable. Slash and burn of our public services reflected the public mood 6 years ago and was thus acceptable, the Tory win in 2015 was more about the unelectability of Labour than permission for another 5 years of Osborne`s dogma driven austerity. Osborne cannot miss target after target and expect public support ad infinitum. The u-turns on tax credits and now disability benefit reflect the public's weariness to continued cuts to public spending. When IDS is the standard bearer for compassionate conservatism, you know the 'Posh Boys from Eton' have gone too far.

The opposition parties are in disarray in an attempt to come up with viable alternatives. In reality there isn't any as real austerity is painful however you impose it. Seems as if the opposition in the main are all happy for GO to take the heat. Much in the same way that Churchill was a great PM in the war years. Not so in times of peace. Different people for different jobs.

michaels

Thrugelmir wrote: »

The opposition parties are in disarray in an attempt to come up with viable alternatives. In reality there isn't any as real austerity is painful however you impose it. Seems as if the opposition in the main are all happy for GO to take the heat. Much in the same way that Churchill was a great PM in the war years. Not so in times of peace. Different people for different jobs.

Closing the budget gap is non-negotiable, whether it is done by tax increases or spending cuts can be varied?

mwpt

kinger101 wrote: »

Slash and burn? I think Osbourn must have used toenail clippers and a disposable lighter.

http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5326/economics/government-spending/

Wrong chart. You should be posting this one:

Thrugelmir

michaels wrote: »

Closing the budget gap is non-negotiable, whether it is done by tax increases or spending cuts can be varied?

The low lying fruit has been picked. Rationalising Brown's excessive welfare state is more problematic to address.

michaels

mwpt wrote: »

Wrong chart. You should be posting this one:

You could also add the table with budget deficits for the EU where even cluster f****d countries like Greece only running a deficit of 1.4% of GDP.

kinger101

Tromking wrote: »

More than one way to skin a cat.
eg. IDS alluded to the unfairness of the pensioners 'triple-lock' in a time of very low inflation.

Well, I think the triple lock was perhaps a mistake. No point limiting your options. Winter fuel allowance could also be cut for well-off pensioners, but perhaps the administration costs make it not worthwhile.

The fundamental thing for me was the IDS was being asked to make cuts to disability benefits, then Osbourn was handing out a series of tax cuts which the electorate weren't particularly expecting in the background of needing to reduce the deficit.

mwpt

michaels wrote: »

You could also add the table with budget deficits for the EU where even cluster f****d countries like Greece only running a deficit of 1.4% of GDP.

I thought Greece's was higher. Astounding. But how the ffff.. we can be borrowing more than France, practically a socialist country, is unreal.

My opinion is that George has to talk the austerity game because if markets sense a weakness in UK's ability to meet obligations, surely our yields will soar?

kinger101

mwpt wrote: »

Wrong chart. You should be posting this one:

That chart doesn't show public spending, only the portion we need to borrow. There series of charts I posted did. You have to get absolute spending down in real terms if you ever want to achieve a surplus. I don't see a surplus likely in that one.

That was the problem of the last Labour administration. The bars should have crossed the x-axis in 2005-2008.