Greece now - the UK next?

berliner

What makes anyone think we won't be able to a Mercedes Benz or a good bottle of Claret if we come out of Europe. And will the EU stop the Germans buying a good bottle of scotch.

The Swiss aren't part of the EU. I lived and worked well in Switzerland, you can go and work there yourselves - no probs. The Swiss can come and work here.

Am tired- going to bed , read the UKIP website stuff.

and as for scary foreign languages I can converse in 4 European chitchats but Eeenglish is best.

rick_chasey

berliner wrote:

Am tired- going to bed , read the UKIP website stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT5qRqHHoJo

Might want to tell the leader of UKIP to do the same.

Tom Butcher

There are huge problems with the idea we are all going to work til we are 70- first off there aren't enough jobs for the under 65s, secondly despite increased life expectancy 70 is still old for a lot of people - to expect a full weeks work at that age might be OK for some people in some jobs but for many is going to be flogging them too far - why not just get kids to work from 12 while we are at it ?

Iwingstein

If I thought a vote for UKIP would get them in, I'd give it to them. We didn't fight two wars to have germany and it's puppy france telling us how much tax we pay and what laws we obey. Have you noticed how it's preventing signing off on funding for Greece - call it war any way you like.

As was said, we are a nation of approaching 70 million - that's one hell of a market for potential sales and the french and germans won't want to see that removed. Too many mercs bmw's, renaults and peugeots etc.

It will however give us a chance to develop free trade with others territories - states/asia (very big potential) and likewise russia/mid east.

Unfortunately I can't stand Brown and his obsession with tax/civil servants/pointless laws/tax/tax/etc etc. Clegg will tax the hell out of everything because they'll be too busy being both left and right and Cameron, well, he might be the only hope of getting Brown out. Not much of a choice really.

As I said in conversation earlier, perhaps a ban on the "big three" parties for a change - let the little guy have a go.

rick_chasey

Iwingstein wrote:

If I thought a vote for UKIP would get them in, I'd give it to them.

As I said in conversation earlier, perhaps a ban on the "big three" parties for a change - let the little guy have a go.

:roll:

But he can't even remeber his own manifesto?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT5qRqHHoJo

simonaspinall

Rick Chasey wrote:

Iwingstein wrote:

If I thought a vote for UKIP would get them in, I'd give it to them.

As I said in conversation earlier, perhaps a ban on the "big three" parties for a change - let the little guy have a go.

:roll:

But he can't even remeber his own manifesto?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT5qRqHHoJo

How is he a lord?

Is it possible to be less credible than Kilroy?

Yes, yes it is

daviesee

Here's a thought....

From Government statistics there are

29 million people working
but
5.8 million work for the Government in one way or another
so that means
23.2 million people generating growth.

The national debt is around 900 billion.

That means every employee generating growth has to service a debt of £38,800 - each :shock:

Oh, and keep the country going at the same time........

rick_chasey

daviesee wrote:

Here's a thought....

From Government statistics there are

29 million people working
but
5.8 million work for the Government in one way or another
so that means
23.2 million people generating growth.

The national debt is around 900 billion.

That means every employee generating growth has to service a debt of £38,800 - each :shock:

Oh, and keep the country going at the same time........

Working for the public sector does not mean you do not add value, or "generate growth" as you call it.

After all, you still earn an income, and that is counted towards national GDP.

Your arguments are thus flawed.

TheStone

Rick Chasey wrote:

daviesee wrote:

Here's a thought....

From Government statistics there are

29 million people working
but
5.8 million work for the Government in one way or another
so that means
23.2 million people generating growth.

The national debt is around 900 billion.

That means every employee generating growth has to service a debt of £38,800 - each :shock:

Oh, and keep the country going at the same time........

Working for the public sector does not mean you do not add value, or "generate growth" as you call it.

After all, you still earn an income, and that is counted towards national GDP.

Your arguments are thus flawed.

Not really.

I'm not for a second saying a private sector job is better or more important than a public
sector job (possibly the other way round), but relative to the debt, you should only really
include the private sector (or the net contributors to the treasury). Without that you can't
have a public sector and can't service or pay off debt.

daviesee

Rick Chasey wrote:

daviesee wrote:

Here's a thought....

From Government statistics there are

29 million people working
but
5.8 million work for the Government in one way or another
so that means
23.2 million people generating growth.

The national debt is around 900 billion.

That means every employee generating growth has to service a debt of £38,800 - each :shock:

Oh, and keep the country going at the same time........

Working for the public sector does not mean you do not add value, or "generate growth" as you call it.

After all, you still earn an income, and that is counted towards national GDP.

Your arguments are thus flawed.

Okay, let's include public sector workers.

It is still around £31,000 per employee.
And still a scarey figure!

beverick

Spain and Ireland will be next. At least the UK can service their debt - if only just!

Bob

nolf

Lot of bollox being talked about, a closer relationship with the EU is pretty inevitable, or a closer relationship with the US. Thatcher recognised that in the 80's, the cost of staying out of Europe, was cuddling up with Reagan. So US or EU?

In terms of economics, putting a figure of 30k per person isn't helpful or relevant. Individuals do not contribute the majority of tax, business does. £900bn is a pretty big number, but in terms of a proportion of GDP is still better than most of Europe (EU avg is about 80-85% of GDP I think).

Britain has a lot of good things going for it.
With an independant currency, the value of national debt is related to the currency. A great self regulating system, where if theres a threat of default from UK govt. (altho the threat is tiny, hence UK govt. bonds retaining their AAA rating), value of the currency will fall, and the debt is cheaper to pay off in comparison to an equal debt in Euro's.

We're going to have to put a brake on growth in public services. Thats abundantly clear, and (TBH), desirable. Cutting spending on the NHS will force them to learn a forgotten skill of MANAGEMENT. Having finite funds, and a staunch political will is a great way of teaching govt. organisations to economise, and learn to make do.

To get out of recession, I'm of the view of less credit = better, for a more stable long term solution.

Something to do with drastic fall in house prices will encourage wider investment, and decrease the overall reliance on the housing market as a basis of credit fuelled growth (people unlocking equity through loans). Not sure if that'd work though...

This election is interesting though as for the first time in years we have a real choice between the parties on the economy.

Conservatives are advocating a private sector led regeneration, while labour and lib dems are looking at state led growth.
Thats quite a fundamental difference, and which party gets in will have a significant impact on the shaping of the economy for the next few years.

Personally I belive in private investment trumping govt. spending. Demand boosting govt. spending is short term at best. Greater credit liquidity for businesses would be helpful, indeed most of the businesses that went bust during the recession were due to liquidity issues rather than profitability. So more liquidity and privately led growth, minimising the state so as to payoff govt. debt, and force efficiency on different areas.