So much for George Osborne being a lightweight...

[Chicken Runner61]

My mate bought some parts for his bike for £11 that came from China. That included Delivery by airmail.

The cheapest price for them here was £35 + delivery

How does that work then?

 

[Don Quixote]

When the koreans/indians/chinese standard of living equals ours and it becomes cheaper to make things here.

No it won't because things will be made in Africa which will make it even cheaper.

 

[beorhthelm]

My mate bought some parts for his bike for £11 that came from China. That included Delivery by airmail.

The cheapest price for them here was £35 + delivery

How does that work then?

because theres distributors, wholesalers and retailers who all want a profit margin.

No it won't because things will be made in Africa which will make it even cheaper.

funny that that hasnt happened already. theres a lack of infrastructure and political stability for the investment required so far. that could change... but i'm not counting on it any time soon.

 

[withdeanwombat]

What makes me laugh is that the tories here think that cameron and the tories are different from Blair and New labour.

The biggest laugh is that in order to get the power they desperately fought and lost for they have done a deal with a party who in the main has policies far more left wing than New Labour!

Dear,dear,oh dear.

The biggest laugh,actually,is that you have kicked the hornets nest and reminded right of centre NSCers that we do not have a Conservative government,just the ragged hotchpotch of tory thinkers bodging along with the Liberal regulator on their case.

Now,of course,the somewhat less than lightweight Chancellor has asked us all to suggest what should be cut in a rabid continuation of the populist miasma of "policies" that highlighted the tory campaign in the election.

Perhaps we should have a new thread on what we all want cutting.

I'd start with the defence budget and returning our troops to this country.It would save money,and stop the constant round of memorial services at my local church,which also serves 40 Commando.

In fact,for a tiny country we spend too much time and money on a large defence strategy which is a hangover from those long lost and halcyon days of Edwardian Britain.

 

[folkestonesgull]

Why ISN'T someone doing it then, if it's possible? Why can the Japanese do what we cannot, even in our own country?

My point is really broader than that; we're unlikely to go back to be a manufacturing-dominated country, at least in the short-term, because there are people that will do the job for less than we will. There will continue to be relatively niche operations (and that is what car manufacturing is now realistically in this country) that do well, but attempts to mass produce things are likely to fail while our costs are so easily undercut.

I disagree with this - firstly, brands are global, it doesn't matter what brand car we are making in the UK - the point is that we can fairly pay UK workers to make cars in this country. the Mini is still a british car, owned by a german company who know how to design decent cars.

Secondly - Sweden and Germany are two examples of countries with high salary and tax costs that mass produce goods - yes they may be engines, wind turbines, high spec windows, solar panels etc however high spec/tec goods could easily be mass produced in this country - the UK needs to establish itself as a global leader in the manufacturing of high quality goods

I consider increasing exports is vital in re-establishing the UK in the global market. Relying on a service based economy is high risk.

There has been much talk of waste in the public sector, what about the private sector? The big boom industry of the last 10 years -recruitment consultants.. give me strength...

 

[El Presidente]

you only have to look at Honda, Nissan and Toyota for the evidence. All built by British workers.

Incorrect, all ASSEMBLED by British workers.

This country has a history of low R&D expenditure, a sneering attitude to science and engineering, and as a consequence we have a poor manufacturing base due to underinvestment in new products, processes and techniques.

It won't change, because there is a generation coming through who just want to be famous and have a belief of their entitlements from society far exceeds their contributions to society.

 

[cannedheat]

My mate bought some parts for his bike for £11 that came from China. That included Delivery by airmail.

The cheapest price for them here was £35 + delivery

How does that work then?

#

Fakes

 

[El Presidente]

I'd start with the defence budget

Politicians should start in their own front yard

1: Abolish the House of Lords
2: Abolish the Scottish, Welsh and NI assemblies, these cost many tens of millions a year, and contribution nothing except hot air.

Once having taken the moral high ground, the rest of the public sector will be in less of a position to resist touching its toes when the cuts are wielded.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Final Salary Private Sector Pensions are pretty much a thing of the past now for new employees. For existing workers in the Private Sector employer's contributions have been cut and employees asked to contribute more.

Ring fence whatever pensions have been accrued to date by Public Sector workers and then abolish Public Sector Pensions. Make Public sector workers pay for their own pensions.

BTW my wife works in the Public Sector, so unlike some on here I see both sides of the coin. Some of the tales of wasteage are quite horrific.

 

[Dave the OAP]

BTW my wife works in the Public Sector, so unlike some on here I see both sides of the coin. Some of the tales of wasteage are quite horrific.

as does my wife, and it was announced this week that £41million has been removed from the education budget for one to one assistance with children with special needs.....so basically challenging children with problems are in classrooms with no help for the teacher or teaching assistant.

that is a direct consequence of these cuts.


For all the people receiving f*** off great bonuses for moving money around and speculating on the price of ants testicles, there are real people and real lives being affected because of their incompetancy.

Do the people on this thread supporting these parasites actually thing they give two fucks what the ordinary people think? Their kids go to private schools so why should they care.....that is the real tragedy here...the little people....the old, the sick, the vunerable.

 

[beorhthelm]

Incorrect, all ASSEMBLED by British workers.

This country has a history of low R&D expenditure, a sneering attitude to science and engineering, and as a consequence we have a poor manufacturing base due to underinvestment in new products, processes and techniques.

its a fair observation, but needs to have "recent" placed in front of history to be accurate. a longer history would show Britain as world leaders of innovation and industry.

when did it change and why?


oh, and interesting fact i learnt recently is that manufacturing sector is actually growing and has down ever since the 80's. its just it hasnt grown as fasts as other sectors (so its share of GDP drops) and tends to not be the "dirty" manufacturing we think of.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

George Osborne IS a lightweight. He'll be running to nanny before long. Can't even pass the buck to ginger spin doctor nonentity at the Treasury cos he's on work experience. Osborne is SHITTING himself. Believe it.

 

[simonsimon]

"In fact,for a tiny country we spend too much time and money on a large defence strategy which is a hangover from those long lost and halcyon days of Edwardian Britain. "

Quoted by withdeanwombat

Very True.

Also why do we still spend a fortune on trooping the colour, a mere celebration of our victories in the Napoleonic Wars, culminating in the Battle of Waterloo, some 200 years ago?

We can no longer punch above our weight on the international stage, and we should cut our cloth accordingly.

 

[Don Quixote]

Osbourne the idiot proceeded to tell Dennis Skinner that he should resign today in the treasury questions. What an idiot. You can't speak like that to a 78 year old man even if he is old. He has more dignity than the whole front bench put together does old Dennis.

 

[ROKERITE]

"In fact,for a tiny country we spend too much time and money on a large defence strategy which is a hangover from those long lost and halcyon days of Edwardian Britain. "

Quoted by withdeanwombat

Very True.

Also why do we still spend a fortune on trooping the colour, a mere celebration of our victories in the Napoleonic Wars, culminating in the Battle of Waterloo, some 200 years ago?

We can no longer punch above our weight on the international stage, and we should cut our cloth accordingly.

Trooping the colour is one of those traditions that gives a reason to still be proud of this country, and attracts thousands of tourists as well no doubt.
I believe defence should be one area of spending protected from cuts; defending the nation is the first duty of any government. We should slash spending on the welfare state, particularly Child Benefit and all child related benefits. In this overpopulated country on this overpopulated planet, it is madness to continue giving financial incentives to those who breed irresponsibly.

 

[larus]

It is funny how as you say when you talk to people of different political viewpoints, their aspirations are very similar.

Might turn you 'blue' one day then

 

[simonsimon]

"I believe defence should be one area of spending protected from cuts; defending the nation is the first duty of any government."

Quote by ROKERITE

Who are you afraid of military speaking.

At the moment all threats are economic.

Eventually there will be a Chinese economic dynasty which will last for the rest of mankind.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

What gets me about all you Tory luvers is that you think that cutting the public sector is the answer.

OK, so lets get rid of a million public sector workers. So thats a million claiming redundancy, a million not paying tax or NI, a million getting unemployment pay, a million not having any money to buy the products the private sector wants us to buy, thousands of jobs going in the private sector because the public sector is so slimmed down it doesn't want, need or afford private sector services, etc, etc.

Perhaps if people realised that both public and private sectors rely heavily on each other there would be less glee on these pages from those suggesting massive public sector cuts.

But there is a lot of waste in the public sector, if it was run like a private sector organisation / company, where costs have to be controlled to make them profitable, you wouldn't see anywhere near the numbers employed in those industries, more productivity and therefore better results for the money spent. There is plenty of people in the sector who are in unneccessary jobs, being paid wages paid for by the tax payer, a lot of HR staff for example.

There is plenty of money wasted on needless projects, staff / public surveys and paperwork / red tape that could be saved. Theres equipment being replaced for the sake of it meaning perfectly good equipment is disposed of when its still fit for purpose, and departments spending on anything in late Feb / March to use their budgets up so they have the same budget the following year (or even an increase) rather than see it cut.

There are public projects such as the recent refurb of the Cuilfail tunnel, they had people turning up, doing a couple of hours work and finishing for the night, but the tunnell was closed for the whole night - meaning your paying people for very little in return, the project takes far longer than neccessary, and other contractors are stopped from working as they have to wait for the previous contractors to finish their work.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Final Salary Private Sector Pensions are pretty much a thing of the past now for new employees. For existing workers in the Private Sector employer's contributions have been cut and employees asked to contribute more.

Ring fence whatever pensions have been accrued to date by Public Sector workers and then abolish Public Sector Pensions. Make Public sector workers pay for their own pensions.

BTW my wife works in the Public Sector, so unlike some on here I see both sides of the coin. Some of the tales of wasteage are quite horrific.

I'm a public sector worker and I now pay for my pension, I contribute each month out of my pay.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Might turn you 'blue' one day then

To quote my old man:

"You've got more chance of shitting in the Queens handbag than me turning Tory"

So NO!!!!