Reply to: What might the Budget hold?

[fullyautomatix]

It exports by value 1/3 of what Germany does. Germany has only 20 million more people.
That's why the cake is too small

So you agree that the UK does produce good and does export goods.

[Doggy Styles]

It exports by value 1/3 of what Germany does. Germany has only 20 million more people.

In which case the UK still exports a lot more than many people think.

[eek]

Doesn't that coincide with increase in the basic tax allowance though?

Yes, basic tax allowance is increasing above inflation while the 40% rate has been kept static so the better off "pay their fair share".

[The Spartan]

They are quietly getting more people into 40% tax bracket

2011-12 >£35000
2012-13 >£34370
2013-14 >£32010

soon everyone will be paying 40% tax.

Doesn't that coincide with increase in the basic tax allowance though?

[minestrone]

Nothing will happen. The big problem, as said, is that we have no manufacturing base anymore and there really is no wiggle room left now.

Personally I would scrap tuition fees for engineering, science and mathematical degrees. If we reach capacity in places we should give local students first refusal before it is allowed to go to a foreign student. Big problems require bold solutions.

[SandyD]

What about fizzy drinks? Do we have to pay tax on that

Does it include fizzy water or just soft drinks??

[sasguru]

You probably think UK produces a few Rolls Royces and a few Jaguars.

It exports by value 1/3 of what Germany does. Germany has only 20 million more people.
That's why the cake is too small

[eek]

They are quietly getting more people into 40% tax bracket

2011-12 >£35000
2012-13 >£34370
2013-14 >£32010

soon everyone will be paying 40% tax.

Its the £50,000 claim everything back bracket I dislike the look of.

[Andy2]

They are quietly getting more people into 40% tax bracket

2011-12 >£35000
2012-13 >£34370
2013-14 >£32010

soon everyone will be paying 40% tax.

[IR35FanClub]

Easy budget cut of 10% - (actually loads more)

Sack anyone who only collects metrics or manages people.

Their posts can be absorbed by people doing real work.

As far as I know if you are busy doing work. you'll spend less time doing stuff like metrics and mangement which doesn't really matter.

Anyone who does performance measuring or management for a living can become a freelancer. Good luck with that.

I think it would help if everyone doing measuring retrained on a wood working course (measure twice cut once) and manufacturere were legally required to publish life expectancy data for furniture (another job for the measureres). People would stop buying cheap chinese / swedish tat and spend a bit more on something that will last a life time and can survive a house move.

The managers can run job clubs for managers helping them to retrain in how to produce something that requires skills. Whether that is design your own soap, custom made clothing or almost free ipad apps I don't care.

Mass customisation is the way of future manufacturing and it makes sense to have it onshore to cut delivery times. China is already getting too expensive to make anything other than cheap tat, so you can be sure it if says "Made In China" it may as well say "Put in the bin now to avoid cluttering the house".

[Edit] to add real examples - toy cars that don't roll, plastic guns that don't work, light figtings that once you unscrew them to connect the wiring won't go back together, umbrellas that last 2 uses before collapsing, steel (well metal) dining chairs that last less than a year, hand tools that go rusty before coming into contact with water, etc etc. Thankfully my parents are donwsizing and I've picked up half a house full of quality britush made furniture and tools :-)

[MyUserName]

Haven't we banned people for less?

For less than lying down?

[northernladuk]

WSGS

I'm now off for a lie down...

Haven't we banned people for less?

[fullyautomatix]

FFS, read a basic economics book before spouting utter crud.

You probably think UK produces a few Rolls Royces and a few Jaguars.

[sasguru]

You are wrong, the Uk does produce enough goods and services.

FFS, read a basic economics book before spouting utter crud.

[fullyautomatix]

It doesn't matter what the budget holds - nothing will fix the root of the problem: the UK does not produce enough goods and/or services to pay its way in the world.
This can be seen by looking at the data: usually when a currency has been devalued, as has sterling, exports rise. This happened for, e.g. South Korea after their 1998 crisis. Their exports rose 15% helping them out of the crisis. By contrast the UK's exports fell 8% after devaluation.
We have been running a trade and balance of payments deficit since 1998.
There is a deep rooted structural problem here which cannot be fixed by "budgets"

You are wrong, the Uk does produce enough goods and services. But in the past decade the Labour government decided that it will borrow cheaply and splash out billions on unnecessary public sector spending, huge benefits payouts, massive spending on armed forces etc etc. Now that there is no growth and tax take being at lowest levels its all coming to a head.

Its easy to budget really, cut spending by 20%. Reduce public sector wages which have spiralled out of control. Reduce spending on armed forces especially cut half of civilian pen pushing jobs in armed forces. Cut all that waste in NHS. I have seen job ads which go along the lines of PA to PA of administrator. WTF ? Pisstaking.

Put me in charge of the country for a day and I will reduce deficit by 10% guaranteed or money back.