Reply to: Gordon Brown's recession

[AlfredJPruffock]

Vote for whom you will , it is rather like having a different Captain on the Titanic
moving a few deckchairs here and mulling over which colour of paint to use on the decks - ultimately the ship's going down.

[d000hg]

The Tories have been doing that since 1997

So what you're saying is the Tories have deliberately sat there for over 10 years letting the country slowly fall apart, making no real effort to get into power? Maybe they knew they'd set up an economic time bomb when they were finally booted out by Tony, and have desperately been trying to keep Labour in power until it went off.

[Cyberman]

Ah - you meant removal of 150 Billion from the pension funds by taxes. I read it as "removal of 150 billion taxes" ie tax cuts. That's why I found it hard to comprehend.

Perhaps I should have said 'due to taxes', but is it no wonder that all pensions schemes are such a mess after that 'stealth tax' was implemented against the advice of Brown's own expert advisors.
What makes it worse is that the 5 Billion a year has been plainly wasted. The VAT reduction to 15% will cost 12.5 Billion. He could have left 2.5 years of that tax in pension schemes rather than doing that !!

[MrMark]

Not a typo at all !! 5 Billion a year since 1997 = 5 times 12 = 60 Billion

Then you have to add the compounded growth including inflation over 12 years that could have been expected within those pension funds on that 60 Billion. Experts have previously estimated the loss to pension funds of 150 Billion.

Ah - you meant removal of 150 Billion from the pension funds by taxes. I read it as "removal of 150 billion taxes" ie tax cuts. That's why I found it hard to comprehend.

[Cyberman]

Removal of 150 billion in taxes? Surely a typo?

Not a typo at all !! 5 Billion a year since 1997 = 5 times 12 = 60 Billion

Then you have to add the compounded growth including inflation over 12 years that could have been expected within those pension funds on that 60 Billion. Experts have previously estimated the loss to pension funds of 150 Billion.

[TheFaQQer]

Not bad at all. They are still trying to match "Labour isn't working".

Infinitely better than "Labour's Double Whammy"

[TheFaQQer]

He will hold on as long as possible, throwing billions every week at the Banks, in the forlorn hope that all will turn round before June 3rd 2010.

that must be about 70 more weeks, times 10 Billion a week = 700 Billion more to waste perhaps !!

So should he just let the banks go bust? In that case, shut up about Northern Rock!

[Cyberman]

If the economic situation gets much worse, Gordon will be forced to temporarily cancel general elections.

I can also see the potential terrorist aspects of criticising the government in such circumstances.

I think we should cancel Gordon !!!

[Doggy Styles]

If the economic situation gets much worse, Gordon will be forced to temporarily cancel general elections.

I can also see the potential terrorist aspects of criticising the government in such circumstances.

[Cyberman]

I still keep thinking GORDON has a masterplan - after all why did he bottle the chance of an election in Autumn 2007? Yet all the indications and foul-ups seem to suggest otherwise. I can only presume his plan is to hold on as long as possible.

He will hold on as long as possible, throwing billions every week at the Banks, in the forlorn hope that all will turn round before June 3rd 2010.

that must be about 70 more weeks, times 10 Billion a week = 700 Billion more to waste perhaps !!

[MrMark]

Since then we have had virtually all salary-linked pensions wiped out by removal of 150 Billion in taxes on pensions, which also contributed to the downfall of Equitable Life.

Removal of 150 billion in taxes? Surely a typo?

[MrMark]

I still keep thinking GORDON has a masterplan - after all why did he bottle the chance of an election in Autumn 2007? Yet all the indications and foul-ups seem to suggest otherwise. I can only presume his plan is to hold on as long as possible.

[Cyberman]

Perhaps there is a case for keeping quiet for the time being and letting Labour's incompetence speak for itself.

Let's face it, his good polls over the past year or so have been due to Gordon being useless rather than the tories saying much.

The Tories have been doing that since 1997.

Since then we have had virtually all salary-linked pensions wiped out by removal of 150 Billion in taxes on pensions, which also contributed to the downfall of Equitable Life.

We had our gold sold off and ridiculously low prices, costing about 7 Billion.

Just recently we have the VAT reduction costing 12.5 Billion that everybody can plainly see is not achieving anything but wasting our money.

.. and now we have the biggest recession in the UK in history !!

IF LABOUR HAD DONE NOTHING, LIKE THE TORIES HAVE, WE WOULD ALL BE SO MUCH BETTER OFF !!!

[gingerjedi]

See, even the tory blowhards have nothing to say… just like David.

[gingerjedi]

agree - but I think he is playing it a little too cool. He knows he will be in power after the next elections unless something goes really bad for him and his party.

You mean he's keeping his foot out of the bucket!

I don’t know about anyone else but I want to know what he plans to do?