I'm with El-bent. The labour govt was definitely in the shadow of Thatcher. That is, no-one would stand for high taxes.

I think more education is needed. Specifically, people need to be informed that higer spending requires higher taxes. You don't get owt for nowt. Seems a lot of people in Scandinavia understand this.

we now have a culture of greed , we want scandanavian levels of services with american levels of taxation, it just isnt possible

Exactly.

"we now have a culture of greed , we want scandanavian levels of services with american levels of taxation, it just isnt possible"

Totally agree!

In the end, the percentage of our income that people in the UK contribute towards 'public goods' is lower than in many Europena countries, in particular the Scandanavian countries. And yet, it would appear that the majority of people are purely motivated by there personal need to keep more money to themselves than to contribute a realistic amount to the services that society needs. Obviously, too many peope would prefer to have a new kitchen or expensive holiday every few years than help support the vulnerable, or the environment, or infrastructure etc

the idea was to take money stashed away in pension pots and put it back into the economy so that finances look healthier

Not entirely true. Pension funds were seen to have too much of an influence on the economy and there's nothing governments dislike more than someone else having power. They were also causing assett inflation because they were finding it hard to find places to put their huge surpluses – pension fund art collections etc. I personally disagree with what Lawson did on placing limits on pension fund surpluses but there were some points in its favour. Contrast with Brown's raids which took place when the funds were not in surplus and needed every help they could get, and which were done against advice from the Treasury and Blair's advisors.

brown was a brilliant thatcherite able to do this and keep inflation down(something the tories always wanted but could never manage)

Well it ain't that low now.

seeing as castirondave has ringfenced education

He may have ringfenced the Governments contribution but local authorities are as bust as then Gov. Daughter is waiting to hear if her contract will be honoured, a staff member has left and not being replaced, recruitment freeze and school is overbudget. All before the election btw.

The old cliche of "we give them the money what they do with it is up to them" will rear it`s ugly head again.

Wifes work(Gov/NHS dept)has had a recruitment freeze since well before election as well as a massive cut to travel budget which may impact on some projects. Ironically she and her co-workers are all victims of the prev Govs cutbacks in civil service jobs esp job centre and agri depts.
The contract for the water/chillers has been cancelled and a water filter/purifier is being fitted. Most will return to taking their own water in again!!!!!

Looks like callmedave is just carying on where G.B. and his crowd left off.

As for the notion that creating loads of apprenticships will happen is pie in the sky.

Just ask yourselves if your firm can/will/could? Would/will there be work for them? Can/could you afford to send to college?
Mine is taking on a few but even though there will be around 60 retirals over the next 2 yrs they are unlikely to be kept on. The current intake have to sweat till Sept.

As mentioned above, 13 years of Blair and Brown and people still think it's all Thatchers fault. And apparently it's Thatchers fault that people are greedy and want to keep more for themselves. Really? So how does that one work? And no, I don't believe that the previous government was open and honest about the true scale of the debt that we have nor the state of the public finances aside from Mr Darlings admission during the Chancellors TV debate that "The cupboard is bare – there is nothing there". Financial prudence eh? I wouldn't trust Gordon Brown with my kids pocket money. If he was a company finance director the government would be calling for him to be prosecuted and held accountable for the financial crimes he has committed. Criminal! Far worse than anything the despised Tories did during their time in office through the 80s. And now everyone is going to complain because we have to take tough steps to try and get ourselves out of the mire before it becomes catastrophic!

The contract for the water/chillers has been cancelled and a water filter/purifier is being fitted. Most will return to taking their own water in again!!!!!

Truly, the scale of the financial problems faced by the public sector is far, far worse than I had previously thought.

Bikingcatastrophe – so much fail in that post I don't know where to start. 🙄

He may have ringfenced the Governments contribution but local authorities are as bust as then Gov. Daughter is waiting to hear if her contract will be honoured, a staff member has left and not being replaced, recruitment freeze and school is overbudget. All before the election btw.

The old cliche of "we give them the money what they do with it is up to them" will rear it`s ugly head again.

Wifes work(Gov/NHS dept)has had a recruitment freeze since well before election as well as a massive cut to travel budget which may impact on some projects. Ironically she and her co-workers are all victims of the prev Govs cutbacks in civil service jobs esp job centre and agri depts.
The contract for the water/chillers has been cancelled and a water filter/purifier is being fitted. Most will return to taking their own water in again!!!!!

That's pretty much the sort of thing that most private companies have been doing for some time

The contract for the water/chillers has been cancelled and a water filter/purifier is being fitted. Most will return to taking their own water in again!!!!!

Jesus, you mean the place hasnt even got running water? oh, no, you mean that they're well paid and middle class enough that the reaction is that they'll buy bottled water instead…

Oh, the ignominy, public employees might be forced to drink tap water like commoners, the horror, the horror!

The contract for the water/chillers has been cancelled and a water filter/purifier is being fitted. Most will return to taking their own water in again!!!!!

Man Person the barricades comrades!

mogrim – Member

The contract for the water/chillers has been cancelled and a water filter/purifier is being fitted. Most will return to taking their own water in again!!!!!

Truly, the scale of the financial problems faced by the public sector is far, far worse than I had previously thought.

All true.
Add to that they are not allowed any fans to cope with the heat generated on hot days due the the huge "designer" glass areas. Dictat from above is to jam open fire doors.

Zulu-Eleven – Member

The contract for the water/chillers has been cancelled and a water filter/purifier is being fitted. Most will return to taking their own water in again!!!!!

Jesus, you mean the place hasnt even got running water? oh, no, you mean that they're well paid and middle class enough that the reaction is that they'll buy bottled water instead…

Oh, the ignominy, public employees might be forced to drink tap water like commoners, the horror, the horror!

There are taps but the water is undrinkable, stinks and tastes awfull. Same at my works.
Ironically the filtr system will take as much maint/cost as much as the bottled water used to if it is anything like the stuff abandoned at my work.

Bikingcatastrophe – so much fail in that post the last government's fiscal competence I don't know where to start

There, corrected it for you Grum. 🙂

Add to that they are not allowed any fans to cope with the heat generated on hot days due the the huge "designer" glass areas. Dictat from above is to jam open fire doors.

I'm truly dismayed at the depths to which management have sunk, how on earth is your wife going to cope?

she will be hoping the H&SE are first to take big hits, and not the emergency services i guess.