[Finance] Seriously, this government is failing us. Schools closing...

[Nigella's Cream Pie]

Er, what? No they don’t.

Oh yes, they do: https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/germany/family/schooling-education/school-schedule

 

[Guy Fawkes]

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/feb/28/school-stockport-close-early-fridays-lack-funding

Get them out. This is the 6th wealthiest country in the world and schools are closing early as they cannot afford to stay open. Schools. Think about that.

Is part of the problem too many different local authorities?

For example, there are councils in London with a large tax surplus, authorities who haven't increased rates for 10 years or so, and have considered giving rebates to local tax payers. Then there are other Local authorities in London who are struggling and having to make cuts to balance the books.

There is no re-balancing between these bodies so money moves to where there's a greater need. Too many public bodies trying to manage smaller and smaller areas imo, and that's contributing to cuts and a way needs to be found to help get the money raised through taxes to the right places to do good.

 

[drew]

[/B]

This assumes, of course, that they are working legitimately and paying taxes. But there is also a knock-on effect to mass immigration - the infrastructure does not always keep up and in order to do so, needs so much more cash.

That applies to everyone though, including UK citizens and not just those that have come in through the back door!!

 

[spence]

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/feb/28/school-stockport-close-early-fridays-lack-funding

Get them out. This is the 6th wealthiest country in the world and schools are closing early as they cannot afford to stay open. Schools. Think about that.

Replace them with the Labour party? Next joke ?

 

[drew]

Corbyn, McDonnell, several key union leaders are lifelong anti EU. No one could argue they don’t care for those at the bottom of the food chain. They’re very clear that the banks and multinationals hold sway with the EU.

“It is also a myth that the EU has won workers’ rights and protections for workers.

Nearly all the laws that protect employment rights, social rights, women’s rights and racial equality in Britain are UK laws which have been won by the struggles and campaigns of the British trade union and Labour movement.”

Of course there are many laws prior to our involvement with the EU and since however there are some important ones the EU has introduced. The 2000 discrimination directive prevents discrimination based on age, sexual orientation or religion. EU directives also prevent discrimination based on being part time or a fixed term worker. The EU gives the right to breaks, paid leave and leave for working parents.

 

[Chicken Run]

You could increase NHS and education funding by a billion to each and they would still **** the numbers up, it’s the people who run these institutions who are as bigger problem!

 

[wellquickwoody]

Thanks to the Tory government I pay very little Income Tax, this is also thanks to my employers who pay very poorly so I have little to tax. I would happily pay more tax if I was paid an extra couple of grand a year.

Have you thought about getting a better paid job to ease your conscience?

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Have you thought about getting a better paid job to ease your conscience?

Get back under your stone you mug.

 

[Gwylan]

As regards your second point, hasn't it been demonstrated that those economic migrants coming in to the country are net contributors to the economy. Take them out then we would be in an even worse fiscal situation!!!

And, as was pointed out earlier, the UK's declining birth rate (which has been low since the 60s) would mean that we would be royally screwed without immigrants. If we'd had zero immigration in the past 50 years, we'd be looking at a situation where half the population would be over 60.

Countries have a choice: continue with immigration or, do what Hungary is now doing, offer large financial incentives to have kids

 

[GOM]

A middle ground in the next parliament, being a coalition, that will raise taxation fairly across the board whilst not for the low paid, scrap HS2, and invest.

Yes, thanks but in what would they invest?

How about infrastructure ? Oh that might include HS2.

A lot of south east based contributors here wanting to scrap HS2 but what about the London centric Crossrail and Crossrail 2 with total costs estimated at £59bn. Should we scrap that too ?

 

[wellquickwoody]

Get back under your stone you mug.

Ooh, Football Factory! Maybe I’m a four eyed lemon too?

 

[drew]

How about infrastructure ? Oh that might include HS2.

A lot of south east based contributors here wanting to scrap HS2 but what about the London centric Crossrail and Crossrail 2 with total costs estimated at £59bn. Should we scrap that too ?

Unfortunately, it's too late to stop crossrail. But really, do you need to get to Manchester in 30 minutes instead of 53? Would you rather see more money spent on schools in your area, or hospitals. Afterall, aren't we heading to more use of video links etc.so business get's conducted that way.

 

[vegster]

Have you thought about getting a better paid job to ease your conscience?

Yes, but not much around in my career and " skill set " of light manufacturing at my age.

 

[GOM]

Unfortunately, it's too late to stop crossrail. But really, do you need to get to Manchester in 30 minutes instead of 53? Would you rather see more money spent on schools in your area, or hospitals. Afterall, aren't we heading to more use of video links etc.so business get's conducted that way.

As has already been mentioned on this thread, the small time saving is merely a by-product of the real purpose which is increased capacity. This is badly needed.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

"There are more children in good or outstanding schools in this country than at any previous time in our history"

"Conservatives delivering for the people of Britain"

(NB Maybot quotes not believed by MG...)

The reason as I am sure you are aware is that the syllabus has been modified to ensure test results fit the inspection criteria and where the pupils don't match the requirements they can find themselves excluded which is something that never happened twenty years ago

Thanks. I'm not actually that well up on the details of how Ofsted ratings are manipulated to create a false impression of maintained standards but I just had this funny instinct, not sure why, that they would be. Cynically excluding the most disadvantaged seems to cover it quite well.

Conservatives delivering for the people of Britain indeed...

 

[Westdene Seagull]

As has already been mentioned on this thread, the small time saving is merely a by-product of the real purpose which is increased capacity. This is badly needed.

Is it ? I've travelled to and from Birmingham many a time and at rush hour as well and never failed to book a ticket and/or get a seat - unlike most Brighton to London trains.

I also note you didn't answer the question put to you - HS2 or education and health ? I assume you would prefer HS2 ?

 

[beorhthelm]

HS2 is a distraction. its a political project, aimed to show investment outside of London. the headline figure is for spending over about a decade, and that money all goes through the economy, taxes from employees, VAT on goods and services. we should be able to do education, health and HS2, if we decided thats what we want to (and we have via elections over the years.)

 

[GOM]

Is it ? I've travelled to and from Birmingham many a time and at rush hour as well and never failed to book a ticket and/or get a seat - unlike most Brighton to London trains.

I also note you didn't answer the question put to you - HS2 or education and health ? I assume you would prefer HS2 ?

I am happy for you getting a seat on the Birmingham train.

I didn't realise we were having a poll to choose either/or where the money was spent. I wouldn't like to have to choose between education or health or anything else.

Have you ever heard the expression ' Assumption is the mother of all f**k ups'

 

[vegster]

Thanks. I'm not actually that well up on the details of how Ofsted ratings are manipulated to create a false impression of maintained standards but I just had this funny instinct, not sure why, that they would be. Cynically excluding the most disadvantaged seems to cover it quite well.

Conservatives delivering for the people of Britain indeed...

The specialist interventions for children failing in Maths and English were stopped at Mrs V's school 2 years ago due to lack of funding. Currently she has 2 pupils who require additional support as they are almost certainly Special Needs but the school can't/won't officially assess them as they will then have to legally supply that extra support...… and there is no money to fund that.

I always listen in to PMQ's and always think of Mrs V when May rolls out " Conservatives delivering for the people of Britain " in her Poundland Thatcher voice.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Need to:
1. Tackle tax fraud/evasion even harder. From the jobbing builder/taxi driver cheating the system...

It takes two to tango.

Don't forget the customers of the above asking for... "a discount for cash", or "do you have to put this through the books?", and paying window cleaners, cleaners, child care etc in cash with no tax or NI.

It's not just the businesses who have to pay their fair share (though it is most certainly that too)...it's also all of us.