You know Britain is more sensible, less brand obsessed and decadent, when

[Zero Liability]

One would think stores like Harrods epitomise decadence, not Waitrose, which is just a premium retailer? I prefer M&S or the Co-op to Waitrose, anyway.

Quite honestly, there is nothing sensible about scrounging for pennies but having a debt addiction in all other aspects of life. It's quite understandable why saving and putting away money for your pension is so deplored in this country, it hardly counts for much.

The article is addressing symptoms, not causes. This sort of thing is common in stagflationary recessions, and is partially why metrics like core CPI mean diddly squat to average consumers; substitution effects and discounting mask the actual impact of the sheer amount of liquidity sloshing about globally. As much as BoE officials want to maintain that QE in the property markets is to remain "surgical" and whatever other nonsense their narcissistic/pathological liar personality disorders make them think is the case ("don't worry, the 'experts' have it sorted" ), it is going to affect other markets, especially because investors seek to maximise returns and not robotically invest in something until MC = MR.

[scooterscot]

We have two parties in government - you know like the Germany model.....

Bollocks we do. The libs have got as much power as fiat 500.

[scooterscot]

Quite.

scooter - I think you'll find the parasites that lorded over us during The Reign of Terror (circa 1997-2010) shoulder most of the responsibility. Let's not get all tribal!

I'm not talking about identity. No. Economic self determination is the only way we're going to make progress on this island if it's allowed to work at local level.

Big government has failed the UK in a spectacular way. If we were following the Germany model we'd have many many strong private businesses turning the wheels of the economy. Instead our government is running them into the ground in favour of supporting big business.

[SueEllen]

Bollocks we do. The libs have got as much power as fiat 500.

The Libs can side with Labour and other minority parties to defeat any Tory policy they don't like e.g. boundary changes.

They are also the ones who put in the personal tax allowance idea and other things the Tories have used to say coalition is working.

[scooterscot]

to say coalition is working.

If it's working, and coalitions are the future why did the tories allow the AV vote result to be measured using a first past the post system?

[SueEllen]

If it's working, and coalitions are the future why did the tories allow the AV vote result to be measured using a first past the post system?

The Tories secretly want Scottish independence.

[scooterscot]

The Tories secretly want Scottish independence.

I'm sure we'll all share the spoils.

[AtW]

I'm sure we'll all share the spoils.

's the lot of 'em

[norrahe]

Sensible? Less brand obsessed? But still insistent on buying cheap imported tasteless vegetables out of season, intensively reared meat and no thought of where food comes from.

Not something to celebrate at all.