Off Topic Political Debate
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Yesterday I had lunch with someone who has been suffering from cancer for ten years. He came to France all that time ago because the treatment was described as unaffordable in the UK. The treatment here is regarded as research, and the results of his tests are fed back into the study. Although the study is based in the UK results of tests are gathered from all around Europe, with the researchers from around the continent. This type of study can take many years to show benefits, so it is vital for him and others like him to have the treatment continue. As the project is funded 100% by the EU he has good reason to want it to continue. Figures show that funding by the UK research council have dropped back in real terms to something like 1986, so the chances of them picking up the bills are rather slim. The UK has some of the best research in the world and attracts some of the best brains, which is why the country obtains more EU science funding than any other country. Eventually we all hope that cures will be found and our children and grandchildren will not live with this disease that has claimed too many of my friends lives, so to even put this funding at risk is unacceptable to me.
Check his post from first thing this morning. He states that Osbourne has failed to control spending and provided tax cuts that the country cannot afford. We all like paying less Tax, but I am happy to give that back if it means someone who is desperately needy is not impacted.
As I written numerous times on here Yorkie, the challenge is in determining who is genuine and who is not - again like the Bedroom Tax, if it costs more to collect than is collected, why do it? With a government focussed on reducing expenditure and with the welfare bill being the biggest, they are going for that - mind you if we stopped our EU contributions it would save a lot on money!
Same as with Tax avoidance, because of our ancient tax laws, any half arsed tax lawyer can drive a cart and horses through them - the left scream about the corporates not paying their tax, but what about all those plumbers and builders working for cash (who on here has not paid someone in cash?), what about all these celebrities being paid into offshore accounts? Same challenge there. If we had real professional politicians they would look at the real root causes and implement a completely new tax regime.
I was going through some of the posts and i guess he never explicitly said he was happy for the corporation tax cut although he did sort of argue that he was happy with the corporation tax cut by saying he was happy with the budget (i guess there were numerous things) and argue that the lower corporation tax was a good thing and used ireland as an example
Yes, he did. Cutting Corporation Tax is one of those arguments about encouraging large corporates to move onshore through a lower rate as Ireland and to some extent The Netherlands (although they manage also through other unique arrangements) do - argument is that the reduction in tax income is compensated by an increase from the new companies and also that they will create jobs, spend money locally etc. so there is a net benefit.
Interesting announcement by the Scottish government that they were intending to lower Air Passenger Duty for flights in and out of Scottish Airports which would add competition to airports in the North of England...
Just to point out this is not really criticising the tax cuts in the budget. Quite a Tom Daly style back flip once IDS resigned
Is it only the left complaining about corporates not paying tax? Surprising.
Just to point out this is not really criticising the tax cuts in the budget. Quite a Tom Daly style back flip once IDS resigned
There was nothing wrong with the tax cuts if he had not intimated cuts to the disabled at the same time, it was bad politics.
Raising the personal tax allowance helps everybody, the 40% tax rate had been on hold for some time and the ISA limit encourages saving.
However the chancellor has a responsibility to reduce the UK's borrowings and despite his image as a meany he has failed to make a serious dent in the debt.
I would have preferred more austerity and delayed tax cuts until we achieved a reversal in our ever growing national debt. I must say seniors, who by chance are committed voters, have had things too easy. Fuel duty should have been loaded whilst prices are low. Raising the personal allowance was probably unaffordable, especially after the relatively large minimum wage rise.
The problem was politics got in the way of a sensible fiscal policy although this was better than a return to spend, spend spend of the Labour Party.
"spend, spend spend of the Labour Party"
please not that old nonsense again .
The world economy got into a mess because of the naked greed of the bankers and money men ...ie the capitalists , who in this country would be natural tory voters ...it was your lot who cocked things up .
But of course we have to keep hearing the often repeated lie that the mess was caused by Labour .
Sadly, as is always the case the rich recover their losses and continue to be bloated pigs feeding at the trough , while the most vulnerable within our society have to suffer .
I was once interested in Politics , but long ago became fed up of the way the country was run under Thatcher and now all the good achieved by Labour is being undone by the current lot .
The greed of the wealthiest over the globe is sickening .
please not that old nonsense again .
The world economy got into a mess because of the naked greed of the bankers and money men ...ie the capitalists , who in this country would be natural tory voters ...it was your lot who cocked things up .
But of course we have to keep hearing the often repeated lie that the mess was caused by Labour .
Sadly, as is always the case the rich recover their losses and continue to be bloated pigs feeding at the trough , while the most vulnerable within our society have to suffer .
I was once interested in Politics , but long ago became fed up of the way the country was run under Thatcher and now all the good achieved by Labour is being undone by the current lot .
The greed of the wealthiest over the globe is sickening .
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It is interesting to watch and compare when you live abroad. Both the French and UK political systems are in disarray. Today we see the UK Tory party realizing that they have got it wrong and back tracking. The Labour party had an open goal, yet when given the chance their leader failed and hit the corner flag. In France the President who wants to be re-elected has tried to alter employment laws, and has been berated by both the unions and members of his own party who have resigned.
Would Osbourne have got into this mess if he still had Danny Alexander saying he should think again? I doubt it. The right wing Nicolas Sárközy cannot be certain of being nominated to stand again unless he gets the backing of the middle of the road MoDems. Yet again an instance of needing support from the middle of the road party, or at least listening to different viewpoints before making a fool of yourself. Political dogma is to blame for which ever side of the argument you stand.
Would Osbourne have got into this mess if he still had Danny Alexander saying he should think again? I doubt it. The right wing Nicolas Sárközy cannot be certain of being nominated to stand again unless he gets the backing of the middle of the road MoDems. Yet again an instance of needing support from the middle of the road party, or at least listening to different viewpoints before making a fool of yourself. Political dogma is to blame for which ever side of the argument you stand.
Blair and Brown were intertwined with the city financiers, remember Fred the Shred. Peter Mandelson, the architect of New Labour, epitomised the Labour Party who remarked "The Labour Party is intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich" He obviously knew the intentions of Tony Blair.
The LP were particularly incompetent with defence spending and PFI hospital schemes. They bloated the state for purely political means, shocking government.
Political dogma can be just as strong in the middle ground. In the UK the Lib Dems had 5 years to show their worth but were soundly rejected by the electorate and almost annihilated.
And just how far has it got Osbourne? He looks tonight like a man who has lost the plot, in the same way that Hollande has managed to upset people from all shades of the political spectrum.
Osborne is a strange one, apart from not concentrating on the national debt and a few cock ups he has been a relatively successful chancellor. Unfortunately nearly all political careers end in failure.
It is no surprise to hear about Hollande flip flopping, his pre election promises only lasted a few days. The french electorate must be blamed for electing such a clown, they are also not ready for the reforms that France desperately needs.
Six months ago you had him down as one of the best chancellors ever. Boy how times change!
You almost agree with me over Osborne. He was relatively successful while he was held in check. Since that restraint has gone he has slid downhill rapidly.
Apparently the cabinet has recently been less influential on policies than is healthy with Dave and George dominating proceedings. They have been concentrating too much on easing George into Dave's chair, somewhat very unlikely now.
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