GlesgaKiss

If I remember correctly, f1_fan, you are pretty critical of the cutting of the deficit... or basically anything that will make people temporarily worse off. In that case are they not damned if they do and damned if they don't? Because combating inflation would be going further down the road of 'slowing things down', having an adverse effect on GDP, etc.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Niot critical of cutting it at all. Just critical of doing too much too soon. Obviously we need to deal with it, but we can't cut away at an eternally stagnating economy.

What do we do now? Let inflation spiral or put up rates? Hard to know the answer really now we are heading into harder times.

GlesgaKiss

I don't know, it really depends what the goal is, but history shows the hard decision is usually the right one! It's never popular though.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Stop splitting hairs. He IS/WAS the leader, accepted by all other states, including the UK.

If that doesn't make him legally the leader in your eyes, tough.

FlightMan

Brown decided to remove control of interest rates by making the Bank of England responsible for setting them.

The BoE have decided that the current rise in inflation is down to factors outside of their control, and refuses to raise rates.

When will the people in power take some responsibility?

Dingdongler

F1 Fan,

Change the record mate.

You swear blind that you have no particular political axe to grind but it is obvious where your loyalties lie. Nothing wrong with having political ideologies but it's two faced to pretend you don't have them.

. The whole basis of this thread is flawed and a very thinly veiled jibe at Cameron. The question of Libya is a matter that is not in anyway connected to inflation in this country, and do you seriously think that people aren't capable of multi tasking?? Do you think our PM should only ever deal with one problem at one time? So until inflation is under control he should not devote any of his time to anything else?

As for the economy, you say Cameron has f8cked it up but what do you suggest he does? You seem to live in the la la land of economics, where you think we can solve the deep rooted problems without any pain. You say you understand there need to be cuts, but only if nobody notices them. How on earth does that work?

Sorry to say this but you sometimes remind me of a very small child, ie you are ill and want to get better but won't take the medicine because it doesn't taste nice

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

lolol, I shouldn't admit it but that brought a smile to my face

JTaylor

Do you really believe this, f1? That the PM has lobbied the UN and the Arab League to take on a self-proclaimed merciless dictator, and that being on the right side of history and helping to forge the world order is simply a ruse to distract people from the real issue... a 0.4% inflation increase?

Leslie

"Dave" does of course think that the sun shines out of Billy Liar's back passage and has modelled his career on him in an effort to keep winning elections as he furthers his career.

We can expect much more of the same I expect! He will do just what the Eu want of course.

Les

7 Foot

I went for it and cracked up laughing.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Sorry Dingdongler, but you are quite wrong. I have not voted in the last two general elections as I genuinely couldn't see a party to vote for. Greedy dishonest career politicians are not my thing no matter what colour their rosette. Labour did some good things, but the bad things vastly outweighed those during their terms in power and while the economy seemed to be one of their highlights on the outside the way their policies of heavy borrowing left us ill prepared for the global downturn revealed the truth behind what they were doing all that time. Now Cameron is the PM and the Tories are in power and while many hoped for a fresh start I knew what we would get. As Les so rightly says when Cameron idolises and models himself on Blair what can we really expect?

Where have I said any of that? Please try and read and then apply some common sense to your thoughts before the frothing at the mouth starts. I am simply juxtaposing the fact that while Cameron spends billions of pounds on his Libya crusade the economy at 'home' continues to go down the pan. Not saying he can't multi-task as you put it, just saying he is choosing not to. The economy is a mess and while Libya is 'game-on' he has an excuse to ignore it.

Serious question. Where have I said that I understand there needs to be cuts, but only if no one notices them? I haven't have I? So that is a little bit of poetic licence you took there to make your point seem stronger. You have obviously been reading too many of certain other people's posts LOL!

Anyway back to the point of the economy. I have said all along that we need to address not only the deficit, but the debt situation. However, I fundamentally believe that we need to do so carefully so as not to stifle economic growth. Economic growth is the key to getting out of this situation in the long term as you can only cut away so much at a shrinking economy.

As soon as the cuts were announced coupled to the 20% VAT and the fact that fuel was spiralling ever upwards I knew it would have too much of an immediate effect on the 'confidence' of the working man to spend money and the small business owner to invest. in the case of those with jobs and businesses to do so let alone the effect it would have of putting people out of work and more businesses failing and the burden that places on the economy anyway.

Too much too soon is my opinion and maybe he could have looked to cut in other places. Seriously how much is Iraq and Afghanistan costing us every day we are there? Now Libya? How about a proper cut back on benefits, not just a token review, but a real deep and serious cut back to the bear minimums ... something a government would need great spine for, but that could save the country a fortune, how about making the long term unemployed work for their benefit, close the borders to asylum seekers, stop supporting 47 languages in the immigration service and on all government (local and central) forms - we speak English here, if you don't then tough.... etc. etc. There are so many thing a government could do if they were really serious about this, but it would need them to grow a pair and no government since the first 4 years of Thatcher has had that gumption.

As for inflation of course it is rising. Petrol and food are going up and these are things people HAVE to buy hence it looks like the consumer is still spending. They are, but only on the essentials. Will putting rates up help.... I don't know to be honest, it certainly can't make it worse I guess if we just take inflation into account, but do we want the wider effects of that right now e.g. businesses even less likely or able to invest, a slower property market, more repossessions etc.?

Finally the government is now collecting 7p a litre more revenue on petrol/diesel than they were 7 months ago. About half of this is due to the rise in base price. If they really wanted to help the people of this country out they could do something here and while it may not be much it would at least convince the people they are listening and of course fulfilling their election promises on fuel ..... however for me they could have done something even better than that and not get us dragged into another Middle East military mess that appears to have no real clear goal or objective and could go on to be another long drawn out campaign.

Don't be sorry, you can't help how you feel however wrong you may be. Thanks for the comment, I shall remember it and I have a long memory

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Exactly Les and the sad thing is that while the Tories may have been a lot of things over the years weak willed was never one of them until now.

F1 CJE UK

iTrader: (8)

‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

Libya have $6billion in gold reserves, if we take that it will make up for what gormless clown sold

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Now that is a plan

fatherpierre

We're in new water re the current climate.

Inflation is high, but still low in historic terms.
Interest rates are low - virtually nil. This is the fuse....
Unemployment is low, but increasing

Once the cuts hit and they start to really bite this country will like it was pre 97.... We'll see a population decline and a lack of immigration.

I could move to Canada on Monday with my wife, as she's anative after selling my house for a 30% (Ł150k) gain.

I wish. I'm staying to feel the pain.

I love this country, but globalisation is here.

Get your kids more qualified than the other kid. The other kid will have 5 As and yours will only have 4.......

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

The big difference is inflation is being fuelled mainly by essentials and therefore I am not sure how much of an effect putting up interest rates will have on it.

As you said uncharted territory.

As for Canada.... it's got to be worth a thought at least

hodgy0_2

bingo

life is going to get harder and harder because of global competition, you are either surfing the wave or drowning, very little in between.

My eldest son is a chorister at Jesus College Cambridge, every time I walk him to the Chapel (4 times a week) -- through the beautiful College grounds – I say, “work hard, and this is what you get, if you don’t, well I’ll take you to Loughborough university and you can see what second prize looks like”

My eldest daughter’s GSCE options include 2 foreign languages

All my children learn at least one musical instrument

And I would not class us as “pushy” parents, just aspirational and realistic

ps I am a Kiwi citizen so could **** off too

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Okay - I was unpopular for locking the last thread - so I'm trying to cleaning out the crap option this time

(hopefully not pruned too much, but the thread stays open for now, please try and discuss the topic in hand, as said: start a new one about Libya, personally I'd be interested to see people's thoughts on the conflict)

hodgy0_2

agreed, really started to go down hill after my post (often the way tbh)

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

maybe you should start RTM'ing your own posts?

hodgy0_2

if i knew what RTM'ing is

presumably it means Report to Mod -- what sort of tool does that btw

cster

Did you go to Cambridge?

tony de wonderful

You're gonna **** your kids up by driving them with fear.

Only a few people never have to deal with defeat and failure.

Being a hyper-achiever isn't healthy, often it the product of quite the opposite!

hodgy0_2

and that's the point we are not pushy

I am well aware of the dangers of over acheiving and a pressured childhood

my elder brother is a professional chess player (Grand Master) - and was a child prodigy, British chess champion etc etc etc

and he felt pressure

believe me my children are not pressured -- all we ask is that if they want do try something, (and they have access to most things) they give their all and don't simply get the "kit" then give up

we give them a fantastic time -- and they just pay us back

cster

Not trying to pick a fight - we all want the best for our children.
It's just that the word vicarious came to mind when I read your posting.
I am sure that you would be too wary to make such a pitfall.

hodgy0_2

the truth is quite the opposite -- we are the typical wishy washy, liberal sandal wearing Guardian reading softies NSR rails about (our children call us by our first names - my wife is a history of art graduate ffs)

we just realise the actualité of the situation as alluded to by FP – it is gonna get v v competitive

equip your children the best you can -- that's all

cster

I think we figured that out
Back on topic? - I like the way we have destroyed "Gadaffi's" airforce.
The cynic in me thinks it will be good business to re-equip Libya's forces when the good guys have there hands on the money eh.

hodgy0_2

i forgot to add rich with a big **** too

JTaylor

Do you think this is why the United Nations coalition have destroyed Gadaffi's airforce?