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It is a poor record. However, for balance we need to consider the macro-economic picture, the contingencies that affected all European governments in recent years, and the polices that both main parties supported. One could argue that after an early period of austerity when the Tory government ran the economy on something closer to the US low-tax, low-spending approach, there was a policy change that brought us closer to the European pattern of high-tax, high-spending public finances. In FY 2023-24 total public expenditure is estimated to be Ā£1,189 billion or 46.5% of GDP, equating to about Ā£42.000 per household. Tax revenues were about Ā£1,095 billion. The high spending coincided with a willingness to increase the national debt, which most European countries did in this same period. In the financial year ending March 2024 the UK Govt borrowed Ā£121.4 billion. Total debt rose to 97.9% of annual GDP.
Policies that Labour also supported, and in some cases said should have gone further include: - Furlough scheme. Cost Ā£70 billion (cf cost of PPE, 2019-end 2021, Ā£17.5 billion). - Energy bill relief/energy price guarantee. Cost Ā£30.3 billion + ? for specific measures such as reduced council tax charges (2022-23). - Country-specific protection schemes for persons from Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Cost ? - Assistance to Ukraine following Russian invasion to 2024 Ā£9.5 billion plus Ā£3 billion promised for current FY. - Public support for a growing population of economically inactive people. Cost ?
My point is simply that many of the problems we now face would have been there under any government, and things will not be easy whoever wins the forthcoming election. Certainly, the last few years havenāt seen relentless spending cuts and closures to fund tax reductions. It is more a case of long-term problems of low productivity, sharply rising population and low investment coming home to roost.
[Post edited 22 May 17:35]
Some good points in there to be fair.
WTH regards to your last paragraph, the spending cuts are on the horizon and are likely to be implemented next year, a significant number of Government Departments are facing major cuts. I didnāt include policing in my original post because Boris reversed the cuts introduced by May, but what Boris canāt do is reverse the impact that 10 years of not enough cops, loss of experienced officers/detectives, community cops etc.
I also think Brexit has been poorly executed, there were too many divisions in the Conservative Party and the government have put party unity before the national interest. Boris blatantly lied about the border in the Irish Sea and the fall out from that has hampered our relations with the EU.
I think the new EU border checks will cause carnage at our ports and the Government are calling the GE before all that unfolds.
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General Election on 19:23 - May 22 with 1237 views
Blair was responsible for a significant increase in the standard of living, probably the biggest increase in my lifetime. In eras of the bust, the US sub prime started that and the contagion spread across the world. The consensus among economists was Brown did a tidy job of managing the fall out, but it cost a lot of cash and him a GE.
I never saw Brown as a leader, he struck me as being as someone whoād be good in a team but not having the charisma to be the leader.
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General Election on 19:31 - May 22 with 1228 views
Blair had good legal advice ,being a barrister himself and a High Court judge for a wife . Nice
This time round there is more scrutiny that is why I commented, I can't see things going much further, pressure will be brought to bear, ranks closed, favours called in etc etc Might be the odd suicide if you know what I mean. Them apparently having the evidence doesn't unfortunately mean anything, who said the pen is mighty than the sword.
Continually being banned by Planet Swans for Porthcawl and then being reinstated.
Apparently legal immigration numbers are to be announced tomorrow, and it's predicted that it'll show absolutely insane figures YET AGAIN for a country in the midst of an absolutely appalling NHS, housing and public services crisis.
(QUOTE) : "widely expected to be truly devastating figures tommorrow on legal migration". (END OF QUOTE)
Argus!
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General Election on 21:40 - May 22 with 1063 views
Apparently legal immigration numbers are to be announced tomorrow, and it's predicted that it'll show absolutely insane figures YET AGAIN for a country in the midst of an absolutely appalling NHS, housing and public services crisis.
(QUOTE) : "widely expected to be truly devastating figures tommorrow on legal migration". (END OF QUOTE)
No Rwanda flights before the election announced, but with the obvious pre-ballot box emotional blackmail of " but they will soon follow after", add todays shocking legal immigration figures.... and with Labour's 25 point lead it well and truly looks like sh1t creek time for the Tories.
Net migrationn of 685,000 announced and a U.K population that has increased by 1.9 million people since 2021.
And complete and utter idiots are now celebrating today's reporting of that very 685,000 figure, because its in their warped-loon minds news to rejoice about, because its a slight drop on the previous year. Staggering to contemplate!!!!!
Net migrationn of 685,000 announced and a U.K population that has increased by 1.9 million people since 2021.
And complete and utter idiots are now celebrating today's reporting of that very 685,000 figure, because its in their warped-loon minds news to rejoice about, because its a slight drop on the previous year. Staggering to contemplate!!!!!
I find it incredible emergency action hasnāt been taken to address this issue. That said,we have people encouraging them to come As if we are a land of plenty Itās our biggest problem and one that Conservatives have bottled completely. All talk,no action,no guts
Conservative Party has let down millions of ā ordinary ā folk,the ones without rich chums and who didnāt go to public school
These are the voters ( the vile sscumā who will vote them out
Think Sunak does not want the gig anymore and this is his get out clause . He has one of the safest seats though so he ll continue to top up his wealth .
Blair was responsible for a significant increase in the standard of living, probably the biggest increase in my lifetime. In eras of the bust, the US sub prime started that and the contagion spread across the world. The consensus among economists was Brown did a tidy job of managing the fall out, but it cost a lot of cash and him a GE.
I never saw Brown as a leader, he struck me as being as someone whoād be good in a team but not having the charisma to be the leader.
Yes, they did, they took a million kids out of poverty, put money into education and health. The Tories then reversed it all and with interest.
The disastrous war in Iraq/Afghanistan where the British military got humiliated and thousands of civilian and military lives were lost is unfortunately his legacy
I find it incredible emergency action hasnāt been taken to address this issue. That said,we have people encouraging them to come As if we are a land of plenty Itās our biggest problem and one that Conservatives have bottled completely. All talk,no action,no guts
Conservative Party has let down millions of ā ordinary ā folk,the ones without rich chums and who didnāt go to public school
These are the voters ( the vile sscumā who will vote them out
Over-population and a NHS/housing/public services catastrophe and collapse is a severe existential threat that is absolutely terrifying to contemplate!
None of us have ever seen anything like this before! It's an absolute SHOCKING state of affairs.
And if immigration figures keep on going at the rate that they are, and with additional illegal arrivals and unaccounted numbers added to a total combined sum?
Then we are talking about a population increase of SEVEN MILLION+ over the next upcoming decade. And that's not including the millions upon millions that have come to the U.K since the year 2,000.
At this rate the U.K will, not in the too distant future? Fall victim (YES! FALL VICTIM) to a population increase of approx SEVENTEEN MILLION+ since the year 2,000. And if Labour open "safe and legal routes"? I guess it will likely be a population increase close to TWENTY MILLION!!!!
Over-population and a NHS/housing/public services catastrophe and collapse is a severe existential threat that is absolutely terrifying to contemplate!
None of us have ever seen anything like this before! It's an absolute SHOCKING state of affairs.
And if immigration figures keep on going at the rate that they are, and with additional illegal arrivals and unaccounted numbers added to a total combined sum?
Then we are talking about a population increase of SEVEN MILLION+ over the next upcoming decade. And that's not including the millions upon millions that have come to the U.K since the year 2,000.
At this rate the U.K will, not in the too distant future? Fall victim (YES! FALL VICTIM) to a population increase of approx SEVENTEEN MILLION+ since the year 2,000. And if Labour open "safe and legal routes"? I guess it will likely be a population increase close to TWENTY MILLION!!!!
[Post edited 23 May 11:43]
The NHS can never have enough money sunk into it It will always be number1 political battle ground Countless people who have never contributed to it are taking advantage of our service ,free ? No questions asked
Labour allowing more in will add to this problem
Majority of people want it stopped .few will admit so on public platforms
The NHS can never have enough money sunk into it It will always be number1 political battle ground Countless people who have never contributed to it are taking advantage of our service ,free ? No questions asked
Labour allowing more in will add to this problem
Majority of people want it stopped .few will admit so on public platforms
Wanting unsustainable numbers'stopped' is just sane "grown-up" common sense, critical thinking ability and awareness about capacity and capabilty to meet the circumstance(s) and demmand(s).
A bit like a engineers appraising 'load bearing safety of steel structures' correctly, or the way WOKE lefty loons or incompetent governemnts would do it i.e. build a skyscraper using only 20mm X 20mm box steel and 20mm X 20mm angle iron as opposed to heavy girders.
A large portion of those coming in are from Nigeria and India. They are coming to work in the NHS and care sector, both of which desperately need them. This is why the government constantly goes on about immigration whilst quietly issuing visas in huge numbers for people to come here.
Meanwhile, 1.5 million are registered unemployed and a staggering 23% of people aged 16 - 64 are not in employment and most of them are not seeking employment. Britain isnāt working and weāre relying more and more on immigrants to do the work. Hence 1.25 million visas issued last year.
The small boats is a separate issue and illegal immigration is very small beer in the overall immigration picture. (29000 out of 2,500,000)
A large portion of those coming in are from Nigeria and India. They are coming to work in the NHS and care sector, both of which desperately need them. This is why the government constantly goes on about immigration whilst quietly issuing visas in huge numbers for people to come here.
Meanwhile, 1.5 million are registered unemployed and a staggering 23% of people aged 16 - 64 are not in employment and most of them are not seeking employment. Britain isnāt working and weāre relying more and more on immigrants to do the work. Hence 1.25 million visas issued last year.
The small boats is a separate issue and illegal immigration is very small beer in the overall immigration picture. (29000 out of 2,500,000)
You've forgot to mention incomers bringing their entire family over THAT are not working in the NHS and care sector!
A large portion of those coming in are from Nigeria and India. They are coming to work in the NHS and care sector, both of which desperately need them. This is why the government constantly goes on about immigration whilst quietly issuing visas in huge numbers for people to come here.
Meanwhile, 1.5 million are registered unemployed and a staggering 23% of people aged 16 - 64 are not in employment and most of them are not seeking employment. Britain isnāt working and weāre relying more and more on immigrants to do the work. Hence 1.25 million visas issued last year.
The small boats is a separate issue and illegal immigration is very small beer in the overall immigration picture. (29000 out of 2,500,000)
Why do our people not want to work. Another social issue Also,those not in work will also be procreating leaving the State to take care of the bill.
We are desperate to get these people here to keep the NHS and care sector afloat.
Is it so unreasonable to ask if youāre a nurse in India that you can bring your children with you to work in the NHS?
Do you actually know the gross immigration ammount last year? If only a signifcant proportion did (with parity) actually end up in the NHS hey! Because the NHS would not be in the state it is now! Because the millions of others that have arrived have helped create the state is in now!
Are you aware of imigration strategy that nothing but a giant ponzai/pyramid scheme.
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