Some frankness from a government minister:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... -felt.html
It makes a change to all the rubbish about front line services not being affected by the cuts...
Jeff
Kenneth Clarke: worst of cuts 'has yet to be felt'
Hi Prediction
To a point, I'd agree.
But I'd say there's a difference in emphasis. For a start, his message is downbeat, whereas the government likes to talk up the occasional scrap of good economic news that comes along, and blame bad news on the weather!
Also, Mssrs Cameron and Osbourne have been pretending that back office paper shufflers will be removed from the civil service, saving money without affecting front line services. But Clarke seems to go further than that, by basically saying 'Let's not kid ourselves - this will hurt a lot'.
Clarke also seems to hint that the private sector won't step into the breach to provide employment to civil service staff who've been made redundant (as the government has forecast), when he says that a quick economic rebound isn't likely.
Jeff
To a point, I'd agree.
But I'd say there's a difference in emphasis. For a start, his message is downbeat, whereas the government likes to talk up the occasional scrap of good economic news that comes along, and blame bad news on the weather!
Also, Mssrs Cameron and Osbourne have been pretending that back office paper shufflers will be removed from the civil service, saving money without affecting front line services. But Clarke seems to go further than that, by basically saying 'Let's not kid ourselves - this will hurt a lot'.
Clarke also seems to hint that the private sector won't step into the breach to provide employment to civil service staff who've been made redundant (as the government has forecast), when he says that a quick economic rebound isn't likely.
Jeff
Predicton wrote:It's hardly a surprise, is it? As long as I can remember successive government spokesmen have said a variation of "The good times are over things are going to be tough from now".
Interesting program on a while back, not sure if you can still watch it though?
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/brit ... rror-story
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/brit ... rror-story
Hi Mickey
Just watched it.
It's refreshing to come across program on mainstream British TV that dares advocate a Thatcherite viewpoint!
One of the things I found particularly interesting was that very little of our current national debt is due to the banks. I think the bank bailouts (on which we may yet make a profit) came to something like 70 billion pounds, compared to a national debt of 5 trillion!
Something else that struck me was the argument that, ironically, the government would have more money if it taxed less, as the economy would be better off!
"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan
Jeff
Just watched it.
It's refreshing to come across program on mainstream British TV that dares advocate a Thatcherite viewpoint!
One of the things I found particularly interesting was that very little of our current national debt is due to the banks. I think the bank bailouts (on which we may yet make a profit) came to something like 70 billion pounds, compared to a national debt of 5 trillion!
Something else that struck me was the argument that, ironically, the government would have more money if it taxed less, as the economy would be better off!
"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan
Jeff
mickey wrote:Interesting program on a while back, not sure if you can still watch it though?
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/brit ... rror-story