I was doing a bit of reading over the weekend on the economy. I keep hearing we are turning a corner, but wasnt convinced. To be balanced though I am one of those who thought the doom and gloom portrayed in the media about recessions etc were overblown. Inflation is going in the right direction, which is crucial. Everybody benefits from this. There are two negatives though in my opinion. GDP figures are weak and the labour market is knackered. I was prompted to look at the labour market because my own job is unsafe (mix of Brexit and immigration policy) and pay rises for the next 2 years are going to make me much poorer. This is a problem across the board, wages across the board are weak. Plus people arent working post covid, with numbers of long term sick and numbers of those who have taken early retirement are significant. Double whammy of reduced tax income and increased health care bill. I have long thought Covid would have a similar long term economic impact to a war and it is looking that way. Be decades before the impact has fully gone in my opinion, and maybe never will. The number of small city centre businesses gone due to reduced footfall now more folk work from home is stark. I know folk think it is an excuse for the govt, but it isnt an excuse, just a factual reality. I reckon overall we are on a shallow increase in terms of economic growth, but it is shallow. It is a long road ahead for me, whoever is in power, as the levers govts have are limited over the challenges we face. Labour are rowing back from their green economy, which is a shame but entirely understandable. They have some headroom, but not much. What does worry me is their latest plan seems to include some form of private investment bonanza. Carney lined up as some kind of salesman to bring that investment in. Targets are for every £1 of public money they will bring in £3 of private money. It has a PIF feel about it all to me and that is still a hindrance today. I hope they have learned some lessons from that because whilst it can seem good on the surface and appear like investment is high, the medium term to long terms can be a bit rubbish. I wont even mention what is happening at local council level, but that certainly doesnt suggest a significant economic turnaround. I wish I hadnt bothered reading to be honest. Feels we are in a grim state all round.
Sounds a bit rude, the things they get up to in that place ... ... at least they're guaranteed a 'new manager bounce' if she gets in
I definitely wouldn't vote for Rishi Washy, but as far as votes are concerned (obviously) I'd definitely give her one Whether I'd be allowed is a different matter
Any old politics mate these days. Boris filled gazillions of pages with his lunacy. He will no doubt weazle his way back in at some point and the thread will always be here for him
Cheers. Just I found the Trump 'bloodbath' thing very interesting as an example of what the media tells us people have said not being what they actually said. 46 million twitter views on his full comments, which were about the Chinese building cars in Mexico. Did anyone else see it?
Paul Bistrow "putting the band back together", need the best 11 on the pitch... talking up the Boris and Rishi dream team... Like rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic
Shame this MP is standing down, I've always thought he was decent and not afraid to question his own PM of which he's had a few. Armed forces minister James Heappey will not stand at next election By Dan Ayers and Hannah Miller BBC News, Somerset 15th March 2024 https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-68573965.amp
Boundary changes mean Mr Heappey would have been standing in the newly-named Wells and Mendip Hills constituency. Electoral Calculus currently predicts the Liberal Democrats have a 56% change of winning the new seat, compared to 38% for the Conservatives. Jumping before losing the seat springs to mind. 60 odd tories not standing at next GE. No wonder Rishi is under si much pressure
