Strike Action

Yes I would and would add that recent Prime Ministers have been more than generous in spending our money and when they ran out of that, borrowed money, on other “misadventures” nearer home.

Oh, without doubt.

The colossal money drain that was the Great NHS IT Upgrade springs to mind.

Would you agree that the situation vis a vis our public liabilities has hardly been helped by the eagerness of recent Prime Ministers to involve this nation’s armed forces in expensive (in terms of materiel and – which is worse – in terms of the lives and well-being of our servicemen and women) conflicts in far-away nations, in which this country’s interest is marginal at best?

Absolutely; I couldn’t agree more.

Yes I would and would add that recent Prime Ministers have been more than generous in spending our money and when they ran out of that, borrowed money, on other “misadventures” nearer home.

Would you agree that the situation vis a vis our public liabilities has hardly been helped by the eagerness of recent Prime Ministers to involve this nation’s armed forces in expensive (in terms of materiel and – which is worse – in terms of the lives and well-being of our servicemen and women) conflicts in far-away nations, in which this country’s interest is marginal at best?

Not a bad analogy! The figures, as with your household accounts, are affected by variables in the same way. The figures are just a bit bigger, that’s all. But they are just massive numbers produced to illustrate a situation that in reality would never arise. They do illustrate by just how much our public liabilities have risen over the years.

I’m a little confused by the following statement:

The figure, for the end of March 2010, is £332billion higher than the previous year, although £260billion of the rise is due to a fall in bond yields.

Isn’t that a bit like saying ‘my grocery bill is more these days but only because the price of food has gone up’? :rolleyes:

Indeed and as many economic commentators have been warning for many weeks…..

Some rather large numbers from the BBC website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14134847

Thank you Arthur you must admit I was close though!

(now wanders off embarrassed)

Government adviser Jo Moore said it on the 11th September 2001. There was no bad news to bury anyway. She apologized and few months later was fired.

I seem to remember the day Diana Princess of Wales died one of Blairs “spin doctors” said it would be a good day to bury bad news.
Unfortunately I can’t remember what the bad news was now but it blew up in their faces.

BTW what is a spin doctor in plain english?

[QUOTE=AutoStick;1769043]Does not the underlying cause have something to do with the attached???

Up until about 45yrs ago, when the Unions looked after their members and genuinly faught genuine battles for members.
Now the Union leaders are out for what THEY can get out of it for themselves. But thats just my opinion.
Jim.

Lincoln .7

Yea Argentina invaded the Falklands —just to take the populations mind off things………..

Not that there’s anything new about politicians making use of scapegoating as a diversionary tactic, of course.

What are they supposed to do if not that? They ‘re overstressed people, they need a break! In Greece a bit before the vote for the “bail out mk2” they unveiled a football scandal and most channels (90% support the socialists anyway), had the football as 1st news instead of the economy. Talk about diversion… Now that the vote has passed, the football scandal has suddenly disappeared from news. :rolleyes:

When the game becomes tough, you need a diversion.

as an added point :: My father left the RAF in 1946 , took on a 2 year emergency teachers training course & for the rest of his working life was head of the ” Practical Department” at a large comprehensive school. He never once went on stike . He told me once that ” Teaching Unions are full of old women , male and female” !!

Does not the underlying cause have something to do with the attached???http://youtu.be/ABy_06p4bFI

Yea I know then we can get back on track………………….

So, we are now blaming Socrates for all the worlds woes, Infamy :eek:Wasn’t he a Johnny Foreigner ?.
Jim.

Lincoln .7

Public antagonism was muted because there was limited inconvenience but that could change. I’m not sure that the public have much sympathy for those trying to protect their pensions and retirement age.

Given the zeal with which successive UK Governments have tasked their spin doctors with briefing the media against public servants and painting them as feckless, pampered, overpaid ingrates in the eyes of the world at large, it would be surprising indeed if there were much sympathy for their case among the general public.

Not that there’s anything new about politicians making use of scapegoating as a diversionary tactic, of course.

It goes back at least as far as Ancient Greece. 🙂

On a different note, it would be a nice change to have a thread that doesn’t end up blaming Johnny Foreigner for everything from arthritis to zombies, waffling on interminably about “when I were a lad”, or both.

I accept that I’m probably asking a bit much in present company, but Hope springs eternal. :p

Don’t hold your breath Lance :p
Jim

Lincoln .7

My sense is that wiser councils will prevail. It is simply in no one’s interest for them not to. Strike day will have achieved something if it is the spur to resolving the problems.

Public antagonism was muted because there was limited inconvenience but that could change. I’m not sure that the public have much sympathy for those trying to protect their pensions and retirement age.

It has come to a pretty pass if Brits can no longer blame Johnny Foreigner for their woes.;)