Reply to: Don't worry, it's okay, everything's fine

[hyperD]

More stealthiness - woohooo!

Also, I'm not sure we should be associating a jump in mortgage lending as a sign of a healthy housing market, but as a sign of growing personal debt.

[sunnysan]

Hmmm?

"High levels of borrowing may force the government to take unpopular measures, either scaling back on spending plans or raising taxes, as it attempts to keep its finances under control, analysts said."

Is it going to take an analyst to figure out which one they are going to go for?

[bobhope]

Trade deficit

Anyone looked at the trade deficit recently, that's not looking too rosy either? Strange, but I remember in the 80s, the topic of the trade deficit being reported diligently (e.g. BBC TV news). Today, with a much larger deficit and North Sea oil rapidly declining, it seems to get no coverage whatsoever.

[Dundeegeorge]

Nice quote DP

who's is it?

[DimPrawn]

It's not a deficit, it's an investment and hence Gordon is making lots of big investments for us. What a nice man.










"Politicians are like nappies. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason."

[Dundeegeorge]

Lighten up JG

You do know what deficit means do you Benny - IT IS NOT GOOD!

Remember a deficit is simply a deferred surplus.

Gordon

[John Galt]

STILL waiting for the crash.

You know the one I mean? The one you lot have been forecasting for the last NINE years?

How many of you are out of work by the way?

You do know what deficit means do you Benny - IT IS NOT GOOD!

[DimPrawn]

STILL waiting for the crash.

You know the one I mean? The one you lot have been forecasting for the last NINE years?

How many of you are out of work by the way?

Benn0's right you know. The crash is never going to come. We just have to admit that we were idiots and New Labour have got it right.

The secret to a successful and prosperous economy is high taxation, mass immigration, lots of legislation, huge public spending (sorry I mean investment) and a good old fashioned war.

Can't wait for the next election to give Gordon my full support.

Must go now and check how much my house is worth and get back to my high paying job.

[John Galt]

Gordon Brown says he takes a different view

Well he would do wouldn't he

[benn0]

Not at all. We are living in a socialist utopia and have never had it so good. Ask Benn0 if you don't believe me.

All we need to do is ship a couple of million more immigrants in to keep the housing market propped up and people borrowing. Sorted.

STILL waiting for the crash.

You know the one I mean? The one you lot have been forecasting for the last NINE years?

How many of you are out of work by the way?

[hyperD]

Quite. Add another £26b to the debt sheet please. PFI started under the Tories incidently but although opposed by liebour while in opposition, have now rebranded this as the "3rd way" and have lapped this up with great gusto.

[Lucifer Box]

the bill from the private company for the cancelled PFI hospital in Colchester (is it?) when the project is canned and the company send a bill for £7m for work done to date?
Investment?
Urinary tract to wall interface?
Write-off?
Business expense?
Bad debt (otherwise known as New Labour)?

Quite. The IFS have already said this is blatant cooking of the books and that if it occured in the private sector a corporate fraud charge would be the likely result. Gordon Brown says he takes a different view, it clearly is investment in the future of the country, and in any case he is not bound by the same accounting rules.

[wendigo100]

Lease payments to PFI companies have been reclassified as "investment" in order to make the accounts look better. You know, much like HP payments or rent money are an "investment".

Eh? Oh sorry, I thought you said "rent boys".

[Dundeegeorge]

And how do they classify

Lease payments to PFI companies have been reclassified as "investment" in order to make the accounts look better. You know, much like HP payments or rent money are an "investment".

the bill from the private company for the cancelled PFI hospital in Colchester (is it?) when the project is canned and the company send a bill for £7m for work done to date?
Investment?
Urinary tract to wall interface?
Write-off?
Business expense?
Bad debt (otherwise known as New Labour)?

[Lucifer Box]

Lease payments to PFI companies have been reclassified as "investment" in order to make the accounts look better. You know, much like HP payments or rent money are an "investment".