Charlotte Church: 'Austerity is not the only option'

[unclebulgaria67]

Is this site swinging towards the extreme right or has it always been?

 

CAG is not political, but some contributors are right wing, some left. I try to be balanced and not so blinkered. Always look for facts and not just blame one party or politician because it suits your politics.

[Conniff]

CAG is not political, but some contributors are right wing, some left. I try to be balanced and not so blinkered. Always look for facts and not just blame one party or politician because it suits your politics.

 

I try to just take the opposing view and get the thread really warmed up.

[SabreSheep]

Gordon Brown and Labour of course.

 

 

I must congratulate both of those for causing a GLOBAL FINANCIAL MELTDOWN

 

Clearly as a country we have more power than anyone else was aware we had

[determindator]

Gordon Brown can, he is a one man walking disaster.

 

He wasn't that powerful. Just keep an eye on the boys at the helm in this government. Will be rocky.

[determindator]

I must congratulate both of those for causing a GLOBAL FINANCIAL MELTDOWN

 

Clearly as a country we have more power than anyone else was aware we had

 

Good grief.

[Conniff]

He wasn't that powerful. Just keep an eye on the boys at the helm in this government. Will be rocky.

 

I think why it is associated with Brown more than anyone else is because he was, (and still is) a pig-headed sod, he would never ever admit to anything, he was always right and everyone else wrong. When he was caught out on serious errors, he just laughed them off.

[determindator]

I think why it is associated with Brown more than anyone else is because he was, (and still is) a pig-headed sod, he would never ever admit to anything, he was always right and everyone else wrong. When he was caught out on serious errors, he just laughed them off.

 

There's always a punch bag.

[Conniff]

In this case deservedly so

[unclebulgaria67]

I think why it is associated with Brown more than anyone else is because he was, (and still is) a pig-headed sod, he would never ever admit to anything, he was always right and everyone else wrong. When he was caught out on serious errors, he just laughed them off.

 

It is called politics. As soon as you admit to any mistake, they move onto another issue they want the same admission for.

 

Modern politics is a game, that does not serve the interests of the country.

[Conniff]

Which is why I don't understand interviewers not insisting on an answer and if they don't get one telling them to bugger off and end the interview.

[unclebulgaria67]

Which is why I don't understand interviewers not insisting on an answer and if they don't get one telling them to bugger off and end the interview.

 

Another game between reporters and politicians. David Frost was the best at gaining answers. The current leading interviewers are not very good.

[determindator]

Which is why I don't understand interviewers not insisting on an answer and if they don't get one telling them to bugger off and end the interview.

 

 

I've also got an issue with the interruptions by an interviewer whilst interrogating:madgrin: the interviewee, to the extent the person answering is stopped in mid flow, never finishing a sentence. So annoying whilst they're answering. It's got to the point now you have two people talking a the same time.

[antone]

Is this site swinging towards the extreme right or has it always been?

 

Dunno mate. If it helps, I'm a left-libertarian anarchist

[SabreSheep]

From my perspective the Site team is a well balanced political rainbow

[Whatnot]

Now then, GB is expected to veto plans to combat industrial scale tax avoidance, and will not be adopting measures to place a common tax avoidance policy proposed by the EU , so says a ministry of the treasury David Gauke.. they you have it, noting is going to change any time soon the likes of Amazon eBay, Costa, as you were, in other words theft by another name in my opinion., we have austerity they have none of it..

[gigs]

A protest against government cuts in London.

 

Thanks for the history lessons (labour/thatcher etc.), but anyone got any summary/cliffs to what these (proposed/current) cuts are and austerity in general? thanks.

[determindator]

Yes, I did think time to get back to topic:madgrin: The main point as I understand from CC is austerity is imposed on those who can least afford it and those implementing are not in it together.

 

Some info

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33221969

 

http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/586215/Austerity-cuts-tax-credits-David-Cameron

 

You then have to question the reason behind the target, as the money saved is a drop in the trillion ocean.

[Andyorch]

And also here.....

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33221966

 

Looks like the working tax credit families are target

[determindator]

And also here.....

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33221966

 

Looks like the working tax credit families are target

 

This 220 bil figure is rather like the money owed by Greece, you don't think we're paying for them do you, if they can claw back the benefit bill.

[antone]

And also here.....

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33221966

 

Looks like the working tax credit families are target

 

The thing about WTC is that it really should be one of the first things to be cut. Oh, don't get me wrong - I'm opposed to capricious cuts to the welfare budget, but WTC is really a form of government handout to employers. It enables them to underpay their staff, distorting the labour market in the process.

 

Of course in the present climate, the effect of any cuts to WTC will be to make people poorer, but I'd love to see a time when it isn't necessary.

[caro]

I think why it is associated with Brown more than anyone else is because he was, (and still is) a pig-headed sod, he would never ever admit to anything, he was always right and everyone else wrong. When he was caught out on serious errors, he just laughed them off.

 

Sounds like Ian Duncan Smith.

[Mr.P]

Mr Cameron said he would "always make sure that work pays

[...]

A welfare system that encourages work - well paid work."

 

Perhaps he would like to ensure that the victims of Mandatory Work Activity placements and those conscripted in to the Community Work Programmes will receive a fair wage. After all, if a job is worth doing, it is worth paying someone to do it.

[SabreSheep]

I think they were also eyeing up removing housing benefit from under 25s at one point.

 

Cant see that is reasonable or practical

[unclebulgaria67]

I think they were also eyeing up removing housing benefit from under 25s at one point.

 

Cant see that is reasonable or practical

 

Why 25 ? If say 33 was the average age of moving out of parents home, perhaps mum and dad can put up with their offspring longer.

 

The average age of a first time buyer is now 40 and I think you can now get mortgages beyond 65 as the norm. Government says people are living longer so can work to an older age than previous generations.

 

Mad world we are in ! The solution is in government hands, as they can borrow at a historically low level of interest. We have a need for about 2 million new homes and are waiting for developers to come up with these. Why is the government not more active to get these houses built. It would create a lot of jobs, a lot of homes for people and general economic prosperity.

 

It is almost as if government are deliberately thwarting the action needed. Are they worried that building too many homes to quickly will lead to a boom and will also affect existing property values and rents too much ?

[caledfwlch]

The thing about WTC is that it really should be one of the first things to be cut. Oh, don't get me wrong - I'm opposed to capricious cuts to the welfare budget, but WTC is really a form of government handout to employers. It enables them to underpay their staff, distorting the labour market in the process.

 

Of course in the present climate, the effect of any cuts to WTC will be to make people poorer, but I'd love to see a time when it isn't necessary.

 

Not wrong, but WTC should only be scrapped if in conjunction with the imposition of a living wage.

 

Scrapping it wont cause Employers to immediately raise wages - they know full well that if employees were to walk out, they would be unable to claim benefits while searching for a new job, as they walked out of the previous one.

 

It would be a blinking game, and I doubt Employers would blink first.

 

Totally agree that WTC is a benefits handout for Employers, not Staff, and was arguing that point on a political forum.

 

Regarding a Living Wage, Employers will scream and wail and gnash their teeth, and shriek that hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost, we're doomed, Doomed I tells ya!"

 

Except, they did the same for Minimum Wage didn't they, and their threats and Fretting never came to pass.