Liquidity, liquidity, liquidity

Malthusian

Hussel wrote: »

Sounds efficient - let's get our food from half-way round the world rather than grow/rear it nearby.

If the alternative was efficient it wouldn't cost billions of pounds a year in subsidy. The cost of which falls most heavily on those who don't get to eat high-quality anything.

Hussel

So we’ll buy our food from other countries that do subsidise their agricultural production instead?

I’m not pro subsidy but you’ve got to be practical rather than just saying we’ll get rid of all tariffs, import cheap food from countries far away, and everything will be hunky dory. We worry enough about getting gas from Russia, imagine the leverage other countries would have over us if they were responsible for feeding us.

They may not eat healthily but that’s more to do with the type of food they eat rather than its quality...

Linton

To go back again to the original post...


As a retiree with little inflation linked income I believe FatherAs strategy is questionable. Not because of the perceived need for a large cash buffer or "insurance" but rather because of the need for it now when it was not required previously. In our case we have several years expenditure in cash beyond our guaranteed fixed term income and more in cautious investments so I cannot see what good a bit more cash would do.

Perhaps the sudden need for short term insurance when one knows the road ahead is rocky suggests one is investing beyond ones risk tolerance. If so moving more into cash seems sensible, but then reducing the cash % just because one fails to see any particular immediate dangers does not. Even without BREXIT things can go very wrong very quickly.

k6chris

I really don't understand the logic that says "we want control of our laws and borders" but at the sametime is prepared to source all our food from the lowest cost provider around the world. Nonsense.

AnotherJoe

k6chris wrote: »

I really don't understand the logic that says "we want control of our laws and borders" but at the same time is prepared to source all our food from the lowest cost provider around the world. Nonsense.

Looks like a strawman to me. First, ones got nothing to do with the other, second where has any brexiteer stated that all our food must be sourced from the lowest cost provider? (and i know you didnt write "must" but its implicit in your statement, because if its not implied then the statement could be rephrased as "give us the ability to buy some of our food from some cheaper sources if we so choose" which perhaps doesnt suit your agenda.

MK62

k6chris wrote: »

I really don't understand the logic that says "we want control of our laws and borders" but at the sametime is prepared to source all our food from the lowest cost provider around the world. Nonsense.

Where did all the horse meat come from I wonder?....

Type_45

Hussel wrote: »

Sounds efficient - let's get our food from half-way round the world rather than grow/rear it nearby. Apart from New Zealand, I think all those countries have much lower animal welfare standards than the UK so I'm guessing you're promoting zero tariffs to allow in cheap meat from animals who have been treated worse than our current standards.
That's fine, as a proposition. Like I said though, I just don't think that's what the UK population as a whole wants and I'm not sure they've been told that that's what some are proposing.
I'm all for stopping rich landowners milking the CAP but I'll leave you to eulogise Patrick Minford's nutty ideas.

The UK population want cheap products and resources. They don't all have the luxury of choice that a middle-class, lefty like you has.

Hussel

@Type 45
Everyone wants things cheap. But if you want cheap you need to lower standards and Gove isn’t talking about that because it’s a massive vote loser. Every time Liam Fox mentions chlorine-washed chicken he has his mouth zipped up by his advisors.

I’m not against cheap food. I just think we already have pretty cheap food and you can’t make it much cheaper without risking a lot. I also don’t think Brexit is going to help make anything more affordable.

PS: Left-wing? Really? But it’s Trump who’s protecting American farmers with the trade war, isn’t it? Middle-class - I’ve always aspired to it but never quite got there

bostonerimus

If you are going for a bigger cash buffer then a savings bond ladder for inflation protection could be useful. But the other side if the equation is also important ie if inflation takes off you should look to cut spending. This is where having an itemized budget really helps. You should always have a plan on where you can economize and cut 10% or 20% etc of spending.

bostonerimus

Hussel wrote: »

PS: Left-wing? Really? But it’s Trump who’s protecting American farmers with the trade war, isn’t it? Middle-class - I’ve always aspired to it but never quite got there

Trump's tariffs are to "protect" coal and iron and steel workers. China has slapped tariffs on soya beans in retaliation which is hurting US farmers.....FYI the EU has agreed to take more US soya beans, but Trump has still had to promise farmers $billions in subsidies to help then survive. So much for free trade.