POLITICS CORNER

[plaques]

Manufacturing Investment.
The current mantra is that more investment in manufacturing will lead to more jobs. At first sight this statement in popular terms is a “no brainer”. In the past era an extra machine often required an extra operator in attendance. Unfortunately, technology has moved on. Today’s relatively low cost automation tends to displace people rather than increase them. Typically see “How is it made” “You Tube”. It follows that investment in manufacturing through automation will increase output, dare I say GDP, without increasing employment.
The alternative would be to invest in the development of new technology. However, the main stumbling blocks in the UK are firstly the aversion to risk taking and secondly the monopolistic spread of international companies. ie: build factories where the new markets are. Also we might throw in the mind set that Mr Cameron has shown towards climate change innovations by not being amongst the front runners.
The whole scenario is one of gloom. As a consequence the only “investment” that is likely to take place will do very little to create new industries and at the very best only where foreign firms see an advantage in being in the UK. My view is that thanks to a certain Lady the resurgence of a workshop Britain will never happen.

[Whyperion]

It has been that way for some years. When preparing Regional Development Grant submissions that showed we had one job less than before the investment , we had to justify by saying that the investment protected the other 12 remaining jobs at that rural site.

I don't think it is a 'bad' as Plaques thinks. Manufacturing by value and % of GDP wont reach some of the higher levels , but we still have innovation , much around Barnoldswick for example , that provides leadership in niche industries - which might be the best for UK to aim for. I understand Jaguar-Land Rover's sales last month were among their highest for a long time.

[Tardis]

Chester West does an online budget

You get to move all the sliders around until you think that you have balanced the budget

They still consult me now, because I used to do it. I haven't lived there for over 4 years

But Dean Langton at Pendle will always welcome sensible suggestions with regards to compiling revenue

[Tardis]

One of Nick Clegg's four reasons to stay within the EU is so you can drive to Calais to buy cheap champagne

[Stanley]

'Bob's Bits' this morning is a good analogy for the US budget shenanigans. There was a good discussion about it on R4 last night raising questions about a fundamental split between the urban Republicans and the rest in the US and positing that the current argument could have far reaching consequences for US politics and may be a symptom of a deeper malaise, loss of public confidence in the process of government because both parties have suffered. My mind goes back to a similar crisis in Britain c.1910 when the House of Lords blocked a finance bill because they didn't agree with the introduction of pensions, benefits for the poor and a universal Land Tax. Lloyd George drove the bill through by persuading the king that this was unconstitutional and a threat to good governance. He got agreement to create enough new peers to swamp the adverse vote and the Lords caved in. Since then the House of Lords has not had the power to reject any finance bill coming in from the Commons. A party that is so bereft of political ideas that it has to sink to blackmail and brinkmanship would do well to have a radical rethink. You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.
I was disturbed to see that after three years the government has still not supplied firm figures on the extent of 'benefit tourism', in other words what support of non-UK citizens was costing the UK. Could this be because the scare stories about how much it was costing us have been exactly that?

[Tardis]

Always wanted to know which countries Britain has never invaded?

[plaques]

I was disturbed to see that after three years the government has still not supplied firm figures on the extent of 'benefit tourism', in other words what support of non-UK citizens was costing the UK. Could this be because the scare stories about how much it was costing us have been exactly that?
Re: POLITICS CORNER

It’s a well known ploy that before you unleash an unpopular measure on the general public you first must create an enemy. In this case the Tories, hell bent on reducing benefits and trying to sell off the NHS, have pointed the finger at “benefit tourism”. Mainly immigrants coming into the UK from other EU countries. Of course they know that they cannot take unilateral measures against one particular group. That would unconstitutional. The answer is therefore to apply it across the board under the umbrella of stopping Jonny foreigner. QED.

[Stanley]

I'm sorry to say that I expect you're right P. History is littered with straw threats put up by politicians to justify draconian measures that fit their political dogma. This is nothing new, in Victorian times the bogeyman was 'The Russian Bear', after the genuine threat of Fascism it became Communism and now of course we have by far the worst example. 'The War on Terror'. Our current chimera in UK is the pursuit of 'Sound Money'.
In the US at the moment the rabid Right Wing of the Republicans, mainly the Tea Party are using the epithet 'socialism' as a description of Democratic policies. Important to realise that in American parlance 'socialist' almost equates to 'communist'. This leads to nonsense like the completely spurious 'Budget Crisis' which is, as I write, damaging the global economy, particularly the states least able to defend themselves. Even if they 'find a solution', which of course they will do at the last minute, permanent damage has been done to the status of the US in the world and according to some commentators who know the system, also damaged the relationship between the American electorate and their government. This is a self-inflicted injury largely fuelled by the need of politicians to massage their own importance with no regard for the effects on their country. Those whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad.
As for Plebgate... All I am sure of is that some ill-tempered remarks including swearing at the police (admitted by Mitchell) has now blown up into a major rift between the government and the police. As I have remarked before, how can politicians get it so wrong, it is a basic necessity of government to have a good working relationship with the police. Regardless of what else transpires this was all caused by a bad tempered man who objected to being directed through another gate. Childish behaviour but it is now a crisis.....

[Tizer]

It’s a well known ploy that before you unleash an unpopular measure on the general public you first must create an enemy.

The converse applies too - when you want to cosy up to a another country and benefit from its trade you pretend it's not an enemy, even if it might be. Look at our present government's proposed deals with China, letting them buy big chunks of the UK and encouraging them to fund the building of our essential nuclear power stations. Yet ignoring the terrible human rights abuses in China. We make a big fuss about backing `the people' in countries around the world but we seem to be willing to turn a blind eye to how China treats its people when it suits us to take its money.

[Tardis]

As for Plebgate... All I am sure of is that some ill-tempered remarks including swearing at the police (admitted by Mitchell) has now blown up into a major rift between the government and the police. As I have remarked before, how can politicians get it so wrong, it is a basic necessity of government to have a good working relationship with the police. Regardless of what else transpires this was all caused by a bad tempered man who objected to being directed through another gate. Childish behaviour but it is now a crisis.....

Yes, on a day when Doreen Lawrence took up her seat in The Lords we appear to be reminded of questionable behaviour. Also very noticeable that Ed Miliband who was in the vanguard of calling for the resignation said nothing yesterday

[Tripps]

The opening remarks at PM's questions made no mention of the soldier killed in Afghanistan yesterday. The PM opened with congratulations to the England football team. I appreciate it only happened yesterday, and he has not yet been named, but I'm still annoyed. Perhaps it's the next step in this process. Pretend it didn't happen

[Thomo]

We must always remember that however bad certain things are that Football appears to have become the staple diet of this country, (tongue in cheek). I know exactly what Tripps means, my first reaction on hearing about this Soldier was the total is now 445, and in light of comments from Mr Karzi recently, that 445 too many, Football at one time was a way of letting off steam, for players and supporters alike, it has now joined oil as one of the must have commodities. What never fails to surprise me is the amount of money fans are prepared to pay to support this passion when their own income is but a tiny percentage of that of the object of their affection.

[Stanley]

We'll be hearing a lot of froth today about another fall in the number of unemployed but no recognition from the government that on average the wages are falling in real terms month by month and no signs of a respite for years.
US government passes budget but only a respite. They have kicked the can down the road till after Xmas when, unless mid term electioneering has an affect, they will get in the same mess again. No way to run a railway!
Did you hear Dennis Skinner, God Bless Him! He was attacking the Tories about ATOS and the terrible iniquities it is perpetrating.
Milliband attacks on low pay causing poverty. Funny isn't it but in his second study of York in 1936 Seebohm Rowntree identified low wages as a major cause of poverty. Perhaps we need the Rowntree foundation to do another survey.....

[Tardis]

The Labour party ‘Plebgate’ website they no longer want you to see

http://www.libdemvoice.org/the-labour-p ... gn=twitter

via @libdemvoice

[Tripps]

I see Alan Milburn is lecturing us again. I noted that he said in 2003.

"Thousands of people have already benefited from programmes like Homebuy
that remove barriers to home ownership. But we are just scratching the surface.
You only have to look across the Atlantic to see what could be done.
US government-sponsored enterprise companies have helped 58 million low- and moderate-income families buy their own homes."

-Alan Milburn, November 10 2003, former Health Secretary who went on to run the 2005 election campaign"

What could possibly go wrong.......

[Tizer]

Nice one, Tripps! You should be moonlighting for Private Eye (perhaps you are!).

[Stanley]

Cameron says we should switch energy provider for one that charges less. I wonder what he bases this advice on? It looks as though the grabbed at the first answer he could find. Law, the Energy Minister waffles about regulation and the 'market'. One thing we are all certain about is that regulation is doing nothing to curb the excess profits of the energy companies which are largely hidden by accountancy tricks and that the 'energy market' is to say the least imperfect in that it has all the appearances of being rigged. By the way, he also says there will be no power cuts. Add to this the increasing pressure on the low paid plus those with no work at all and there is a huge reservoir of misery out there. Will Cameron be cold this winter? Put your jumpers on and get hold of some candles and an alternative cooking method.... I've made my preparations, two Tilley Lamps, a stove and half a ton of coal in the yard.

[Tardis]

I find it odd to hear the Labour Party saying the leaked emails about the conduct of Andy Burnham whilst Health Secretary, is being challenged on the validity of the the information released, because it wasn't signed off by the cabinet secretary. Nothing about their contents being inaccurate.

[Tardis]

A great repost to the energy debate was provided, as ever, by Matt today in The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/matt/

[Tardis]

#jumpergate

[Wendyf]

A great repost to the energy debate was provided, as ever, by Matt today in The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/matt/

In my own simple way I do like to try and follow the posts in this topic, but sometimes it is beyond my ken....Is a repost the same as a riposte?

And "#jumpergate"

[Stanley]

Don't worry Wendy, some posts are so phrased as to be inscrutable. Never mind clever articles and ripostes (a fencing term), concentrate on the facts. The poorest people in the UK are being forced to pay 10% more for their energy due to several factors. An imperfect energy market that is being run like a cartel with opportunistic pricing that bears no resemblance to the laws of supply and demand. This is made worse by the government abdicating from responsibility for improving insulation/efficiency, loading the whole cost of infrastructure and reduction of CO2 on the consumer and refusing to accept the reality that energy pricing is in crisis and the result will be that the rich stay warm while the poor and disadvantaged shiver through the winter. For a parallel, look at the Health Minister's speech about the plight of old people in care homes yesterday and recognise that what he didn't say was that the basis of the problem is the lack of funding for social services, not enough investment in training and inspection and the ludicrously low wages paid to carers. Expect a similar impassioned plea later in the winter for 'society' to help those in fuel poverty. This is the Big Society in action! Government abdicating responsibility and shoving it over to the private sector who of course protect their profits by passing it on to the end user. Think train fares.
These politicians sold the family silver for a quick buck, told us that the market would ensure more competition and effective price control and then walked away. You can't sell off the commanding heights of the economy and expect to retain control. By the way, if anyone tells you that the nationalised industries couldn't have coped with modernisation remind them that the rebuilding of the National Grid and the installation of the most efficient and largest generating plants in the world, the tremendously complicated shift from coal gas to North Sea Gas and the modernisation of the coal mining industry were all achieved under nationalisation. It's the 'Not me Guv' syndrome all over again. When there is a problem they point to the providers and 'Global Trading Conditions'.

[Tardis]

Jumpergate is a made up story, alledging some people said "people should wear another jumper if it is cold" and it was all over the meeja yesterday like a bad rash

[Tripps]

It's only a few days since the media were full of stories about the Mail insulting Ed Milliband's father .
Remember that? No - thought not.

[Stanley]

No idea what Jumpergate is or was. But, if you are saying that the constant mantra about people taking more responsibility for their personal situation isn't being misused as justification for laisser faire policies intended to reduce the cost of social care (in all it's forms) and distancing the government from responsibility you are mistaken. We are watching the most serious erosion of living standards in the lower 50% of the population since the bad days of the inter-war depression. A prime example of this is our local MP's obsession with 'good news posts' in the BET. There is no mention of the problems being faced on a daily basis by the poorest and most disadvantaged in the country. It's noticeable that the strongest expression of this recently was from Dennis Skinner on the subject of ATOS assessments and he was brushed aside by Cameron.