I wonder if ...

[Platypus]

British managers don’t understand productivity; they’re like Americans, who think that management is about shouting at people to do lots of overtime instead of investing in training, skills and a good working environment to ensure they do better work in the allotted time.

Well said and well put

[Mich the Tester]

IMHO the currency is an important factor. Britain's long-standing pretence to be wealthier and more productive than we are is now slipping, and with it the overvalued pound, so people are that much less likely to want UK Govt bonds no matter how well rated they are.

If Britain’s financial industry is fooked, then Britain is immediately about 40% less rich. Hence, a 40% fall in the currency, with salaries remaining the same, is about realistic. British managers don’t understand productivity; they’re like Americans, who think that management is about shouting at people to do lots of overtime instead of investing in training, skills and a good working environment to ensure they do better work in the allotted time. NL’s not immune; ClientCo has a lot of these yankee style managers going around; that’s why they’re struggling while traditional Dutch financials are doing relatively well.

[expat]

Over here in NL he was briefly chuckled at on the telly last night, but actually many European governments, including the Dutch government, are following a similar plan. The real difference is that the Dutch finance minister kept the books balanced for the last 10 years or so which means he can easily raise extra money through government bonds, which are very well rated...

IMHO the currency is an important factor. Britain's long-standing pretence to be wealthier and more productive than we are is now slipping, and with it the overvalued pound, so people are that much less likely to want UK Govt bonds no matter how well rated they are.

[Mich the Tester]

Over here in NL he was briefly chuckled at on the telly last night, but actually many European governments, including the Dutch government, are following a similar plan. The real difference is that the Dutch finance minister kept the books balanced for the last 10 years or so which means he can easily raise extra money through government bonds, which are very well rated. Gordon’s been running a deficit for years so now he might find nobody wants to lend him any more money. I NL the government are expecting to run a deficit between 2 and 2.4% next year while giving tax cuts to employees and businesses. Those people who keep their jobs will find their disposable income increases, which might help to keep consumers visiting the shops.

[Purple Dalek]

I wonder if foreigners watching Brown prancing about saying he's fixed the economy, get the same mixed horror and amusement emotion as us watching Mugabe in Zimbabwe going on about the Cholera outbreak is over...