Labour

[Hattie]

It's difficult to argue against not giving more to pensioners, those on benefits or public sector workers without coming across as heartless or as some kind of Tory.

However, I think a lot of people think government (whether it's Tory or Labour in Westminster or indeed SNP at Holyrood) are sitting on some huge amount of money and are actively seeking to hurt or harm sections of our economy just through the sheer hell of it.

Let's be honest in the main at Westminster the Tories want to restrict public spending where they can in order to cut taxes. Their belief (and it's true) is that it's good for the economy if people retain more of their money to choose how they spend it. And spending it is good for the economy. In the main Labour don't want to cut taxes. They want to generate as much taxation as possible for public spending. And whatever anyone thinks of New Labour with steady economic growth they absolutely did ramp up public spending and things like winter heating allowances....

Now the environment and reality is completely different. There's been no real economic growth for years. We are at best bumping along. Public services are no longer fit for purpose following years of austerity. They need huge investment. Public service wages have fallen behind. For every £4 the government spends £1 has to be borrowed. Taxation is at an overall huge high historically.

I've no doubt whatsoever that this Labour Government will want to increase public spending to an extent of huge opposition and criticism of the Tories and the right wing media. However, it needs economic growth to generate higher tax receipts.

Tough choices though in the short term is needed. Making the heating allowance means tested wouldn't have been the obvious target but it's obviously been used to send a message. I hope that they make choices on things like land & wealth to generate funds short term. And don't just look at measures to pacify the Daily Mail.

Time will tell. But they need time. And they need to make huge decisions before this year ends otherwise they're heading to inevitable defeat 2029.

Good post

 

[emerald green]

Global warming will see the pensioners are OK

fair point, well made jack

 

[egb_hibs]

It's difficult to argue against not giving more to pensioners, those on benefits or public sector workers without coming across as heartless or as some kind of Tory.

However, I think a lot of people think government (whether it's Tory or Labour in Westminster or indeed SNP at Holyrood) are sitting on some huge amount of money and are actively seeking to hurt or harm sections of our economy just through the sheer hell of it.

Let's be honest in the main at Westminster the Tories want to restrict public spending where they can in order to cut taxes. Their belief (and it's true) is that it's good for the economy if people retain more of their money to choose how they spend it. And spending it is good for the economy. In the main Labour don't want to cut taxes. They want to generate as much taxation as possible for public spending. And whatever anyone thinks of New Labour with steady economic growth they absolutely did ramp up public spending and things like winter heating allowances....

Now the environment and reality is completely different. There's been no real economic growth for years. We are at best bumping along. Public services are no longer fit for purpose following years of austerity. They need huge investment. Public service wages have fallen behind. For every £4 the government spends £1 has to be borrowed. Taxation is at an overall huge high historically.

I've no doubt whatsoever that this Labour Government will want to increase public spending to an extent of huge opposition and criticism of the Tories and the right wing media. However, it needs economic growth to generate higher tax receipts.

Tough choices though in the short term is needed. Making the heating allowance means tested wouldn't have been the obvious target but it's obviously been used to send a message. I hope that they make choices on things like land & wealth to generate funds short term. And don't just look at measures to pacify the Daily Mail.

Time will tell. But they need time. And they need to make huge decisions before this year ends otherwise they're heading to inevitable defeat 2029.

All of which would be more convincing if a huge spend hadn’t just been announced for inflation busting public sector pay rises. And that’s before we get to investment spending being cancelled as well, the kind of spend we are told our creditors prefer. Poor old Liz Truss must be looking on and reflecting she wore the wrong colour rosette.

 

[hibbybilly]

All of which would be more convincing if a huge spend hadn’t just been announced for inflation busting public sector pay rises

Need tae find money tae pay for that. Lets fuck the pensioners.

 

[anti-remaster]

Need tae find money tae pay for that. Lets fuck the pensioners.

Pension forecast 2024/25 = 140 billion.
NHS forecast 2024/25 = 180 billion.
Something wrong somewhere...

 

[egb_hibs]

Pension forecast 2024/25 = 140 billion.
NHS forecast 2024/25 = 180 billion.
Something wrong somewhere...

Annual interest payments on UK debt = ~110 billion

 

[anti-remaster]

Annual interest payments on UK debt = ~110 billion

Everything's spiralling isn't it. I worked in the nhs for 10 years, it'd have cost them less if I just went in each day and burned money.

 

[egb_hibs]

Everything's spiralling isn't it. I worked in the nhs for 10 years, it'd have cost them less if I just went in each day and burned money.

Imagine interest rates went back to 90s levels; that figure would grow by the cost of pensions plus NHS!

Which is why it can't be allowed to happen...which is one reason house prices will keep rocketing.

Somewhat the pickle.

 

[egb_hibs]

On top of everyhing else the FTSE is plunging today; poor old Labour really have had a short honeymoon.

Not their fault this one; America's own
tilt towards recession apparently to blame.

 

[Ryan69]

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Can't really say he's wrong here..

 

[emerald green]

Pension forecast 2024/25 = 140 billion.
NHS forecast 2024/25 = 180 billion.
Something wrong somewhere...

again, none of this money ever filters its way back tae central government eh. Just one way.

 

[emerald green]

On top of everyhing else the FTSE is plunging today; poor old Labour really have had a short honeymoon.

Not their fault this one; America's own
tilt towards recession apparently to blame.

yip. Its about mcdonalds global sales dontcha know

 

[emerald green]

Annual interest payments on UK debt = ~110 billion

oh no. How will we ever pay that back?

 

[Smurf]

All of which would be more convincing if a huge spend hadn’t just been announced for inflation busting public sector pay rises. And that’s before we get to investment spending being cancelled as well, the kind of spend we are told our creditors prefer. Poor old Liz Truss must be looking on and reflecting she wore the wrong colour rosette.

Strikes in the NHS is killing the waiting lists figures. The pay rises came from recommendations from an independent pay review. I suspect at some point with NHS change there will be a conflict between the unions and Labour Government. I suspect there's a plan....

 

[emerald green]

Strikes in the NHS is killing the waiting lists figures. The pay rises came from recommendations from an independent pay review. I suspect at some point with NHS change there will be a conflict between the unions and Labour Government. I suspect there's a plan....

Whos striking in the NHS in Scotland Smurf? Forgive me, I wasnae aware.

 

[kaimendhibs]

My wife is a Unison Shop Steward. Imo, a very good one.
She is asking what strikes?

 

[egb_hibs]

oh no. How will we ever pay that back?

Don’t think we are making the slightest headway there EGers. That’s just the interest in on the 2.5 trillion we owe.

A mere £373k per citizen, man, woman and child. Forecast to rise to 430k this tax year according to some. Given the average UK earner nets in a bit over half a mill in their working life, it’s going to take some belt tightening to really crack it.

Never mind, what could possibly go wrong?

 

[emerald green]

Don’t think we are making the slightest headway there EGers. That’s just the interest in on the 2.5 trillion we owe.

A mere £373k per citizen, man, woman and child. Forecast to rise to 430k this tax year according to some. Given the average UK earner nets in a bit over half a mill in their working life, it’s going to take some belt tightening to really crack it.

Never mind, what could possibly go wrong?

but, but isnt it debthat makes the world go round? What are the uk raking in from all the other countries that owe us in debt? Or like our spending, it jus going one way? (Scotland would be a surplus country as you know. Shame othe scots dinnae understand this... but i digress....).... sooo, what are we bringing in wards in debt interest from the rest of the globe, with our GDP of $3.495 trilion dollars, which, pop pickers, sits us at number 6 in the charts (a shite google search suggests).


We're awe doomed ah tell ye

 

[egb_hibs]

but, but isnt it debthat makes the world go round? What are the uk raking in from all the other countries that owe us in debt? Or like our spending, it just going one way? (Scotland would be a surplus country as you know. Shame othe scots dinnae understand this... but i digress....).... sooo, what are we bringing in wards in debt interest from the rest of the globe, with our GDP of $3.495 trilion dollars, which, pop pickers, sits us at number 6 in the charts (a shite google search suggests).

Let’s leave Scotland aside, because right now we are part of the UK, and if we weren’t we’d be in our own version of this.

I am really really bemused by your above. I hate to say it, but this is not how the world goes round at all. The UK does not collect interest from the rest of the world! I mean this is so out there I’m no even sure where to begin. The UK has been a net importer since the Blair revolution, ie we send more money out of the country for stuff, than comes in for stuff we sell.

But that is entirely separate to this. The UK’s debt is money we owe to the bank for borrowing to cover the fact we can’t fund our own way - for reasons aired ad nauseum. As I say we’ve done that just a smidgeon, I.e. nearly 400k for every person in the UK. The average next generation worker will contribute 600k in tax over their entire working life. All of that, from all of them, won’t come near to the money we have borrowed from their time.

And rhe cost of paying the interest on that debt today further strangles our ability to fund services, meaning we need to…raise more debt to compensate for our existing debt (as well as all the other things we can’t afford). Which in turn increases the interest we will pay in future. And round and round it goes. We are hobbling the Britain our children and grandchildren will inherit. It can’t go on forever and so one day it will stop.

Amazing the faith that some people - not least the greatest sceptics of British ‘greatness’ or exceptionalism - have that the rest of the world will entertain this forever without deciding or currency is basically Monopoly money.

 

[egb_hibs]

The tipping point will come when we start to not be able to pay that interest. At the moment we are like some desperate junkie kept as a permanent cash cow by loan sharks. The moment we can’t pay anymore they’ll break our legs.

At the moment those interest payments consume about 13% of all tax raise. What do you think happens at 25% or 35%? I mean it means the end of pensions or the NHS or something like that.

Be careful of the complacency that surrounds this.

 

[Smurf]

Whos striking in the NHS in Scotland Smurf? Forgive me, I wasnae aware.

The conversation if you are not aware was to do with the UK Government accepting in full the public pay settlements as recommended by the independent pay review boards.

Which has nothing to do with Scotland.

The conversation was to do with public pay deals dealt with by Westminster so of course it has nothing to do with Scotland.

Health is devolved.

I thought it was obvious it had nothing to do with non striking staff in Scotland.

 

[emerald green]

The conversation if you are not aware was to do with the UK Government accepting in full the public pay settlements as recommended by the independent pay review boards.

Which has nothing to do with Scotland.

The conversation was to do with public pay deals dealt with by Westminster so of course it has nothing to do with Scotland.

Health is devolved.

I thought it was obvious it had nothing to do with non striking staff in Scotland.

thanks. Dont think i saw you mention the NHS England in your posts. My mistake. Wonder why they are striking in England, causing the massive waiting lists per one of your previous posts, but not up here? Its a ponder likes.

... and aye mate health is "devolved", we run ours dependent on what money England decides. Im happy that was cleared up for me.

 

[emerald green]

Let’s leave Scotland aside, because right now we are part of the UK, and if we weren’t we’d be in our own version of this.

Why would we bw racking up debt in Scotland? So lets not.

I am really really bemused by your above. I hate to say it, but this is not how the world goes round at all. The UK does not collect interest from the rest of the world! I mean this is so out there I’m no even sure where to begin. The UK has been a net importer since the Blair revolution, ie we send more money out of the country for stuff, than comes in for stuff we sell.

Mate. Countries are in debt to us. They pay intwerest on the debt. Just balancing out your earlier post about the uk debt. Really somple. Nothing more in it.

But that is entirely separate to this. The UK’s debt is money we owe to the bank for borrowing to cover the fact we can’t fund our own way - for reasons aired ad nauseum. As I say we’ve done that just a smidgeon, I.e. nearly 400k for every person in the UK. The average next generation worker will contribute 600k in tax over their entire working life. All of that, from all of them, won’t come near to the money we have borrowed from their time.

maybe.. who knows!

And rhe cost of paying the interest on that debt today further strangles our ability to fund services, meaning we need to…raise more debt to compensate for our existing debt (as well as all the other things we can’t afford). Which in turn increases the interest we will pay in future. And round and round it goes. We are hobbling the Britain our children and grandchildren will inherit. It can’t go on forever and so one day it will stop.

Could we start taxing the rich and the corporations more as a starter? We could sell more weapons tae. Were fucking good at that. Im sure theres loads of ways of reducing a countries debt. its been done before in other countries. Go look see.

Amazing the faith that some people - not least the greatest sceptics of British ‘greatness’ or exceptionalism - have that the rest of the world will entertain this forever without deciding or currency is basically Monopoly money.

...and yet in the main a serious currency. And thanks for no even bothering to note we are the 6th biggest gdp in the world. Our economy is literally trillions of dollars. Its all going to be ok EGB, those days in the sun are coming! keep the faith ya radge.

 

[egb_hibs]

Why would we bw racking up debt in Scotland? So lets not.

Are you serious ? Tell me you are no that carried away with nationalism. We run at a bigger loss than the UK generally. Fuck flags can make folk do the strangest things.

Mate. Countries are in debt to us. They pay intwerest on the debt. Just balancing out your earlier post about the uk debt. Really somple. Nothing more in it.

Who ? A bunch of desperately poor African countries and the like owe us buttons in our terms but a bunch in theirs. It’s coppers dude. Entirely insignificant compared to our accelerating spiral.

maybe.. who knows!

Er we know. The ONS and OBR provide us with, you know, the facts.

Could we start taxing the rich and the corporations more as a starter? We could sell more weapons tae. Were fucking good at that. Im sure theres loads of ways of reducing a countries debt. its been done before in other countries. Go look see.

Where? Who?

Show me an example remotely like a nation that has not turned a profit in decades suddenly generating an extra 400k for every person in the country - when the majority of the country are actually, in economic terms, running as a loss to the economy ?

It would be an impressive turnaround to say the least.

...and yet in the main a serious currency. And thanks for no even bothering to note we are the 6th biggest gdp in the world. Our economy is literally trillions of dollars. It’s all going to be ok EGB, those days in the sun are coming! keep the faith ya radge.

You have such faith in Tory cant EGers. That gdp stat says fuck all. The top ten includes wealthy paradises like Russia, India and Brazil. GDP per capita has flatlined since Blair and Broon opened the immigration floodgates 20 years ago. All we do is bring in cheap labour who are a long term loss to the state coffers (ie cost more to support than pay in taxes) but who raise GDP because they add to the number of people earning…not the amount anyone earns.

And that’s before we get to gdp per capita adjusted for purchasing power which is the measure that shows how financially well off individuals in a country are - take a look, we are basically bottom of the barrel in the developed world and behind plenty who aren’t considered part of it.

List of countries by GDP (PPP) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Honestly did you do an internship with Liz Truss when I had my back turned ?

Your much admired currency has nearly halved in value since the bank crash. That was a necessary move to stop us ending up like Greece, which would have been likely if we were tied to the euro. We devalued our currency like a banana republic, in an economic position nowhere near as bad as it is now. The day we can’t pay interest on our debt is the day the house of cards collapses completely. That won’t be allowed to happen so, like I say, pensions, healthcare and the rest will go over the side instead. Wait and see.

 

[Smurf]

thanks. Dont think i saw you mention the NHS England in your posts. My mistake. Wonder why they are striking in England, causing the massive waiting lists per one of your previous posts, but not up here? Its a ponder likes.

... and aye mate health is "devolved", we run ours dependent on what money England decides. Im happy that was cleared up for me.

The conversation related to the UK Government settling a pay claim with public sector workers in the NHS and a Labour Government so it could only have ever been England...

No that's factually incorrect to say we are dependent on what money England decides for our health.

The Scottish Government decides how much it spends on healthcare from it's budget of £49.6 Billion. In the current financial year the Scottish Government itself decided to spend £19.5 Billion on healthcare. The Scottish Government also decided to spend £750,000 on humanitarian relief for Gaza. England that didn't decide that for Scotland also made their contribution to humanitarian relief for Gaza through the UK Parliament of £70 Million. Choices and politics eh...

 

[kaimendhibs]

No reply to my post. Some folk just open thier bellys and spout gas and wind.
If there were NHS strikes in Scotland, my wife would be front and centre

 

[emerald green]

Are you serious ? Tell me you are no that carried away with nationalism. We run at a bigger loss than the UK generally. Fuck flags can make folk do the strangest things.

You really do come up with some shite mate. I dinnae own any flags. Im nno carried away with anything. FS

Who ? A bunch of desperately poor African countries and the like owe us buttons in our terms but a bunch in theirs. It’s coppers dude. Entirely insignificant compared to our accelerating spiral.

Er we know. The ONS and OBR provide us with, you know, the facts.

Where? Who?

Show me an example remotely like a nation that has not turned a profit in decades suddenly generating an extra 400k for every person in the country - when the majority of the country are actually, in economic terms, running as a loss to the economy ?

It would be an impressive turnaround to say the least.

You have such faith in Tory cant EGers. That gdp stat says fuck all. The top ten includes wealthy paradises like Russia, India and Brazil. GDP per capita has flatlined since Blair and Broon opened the immigration floodgates 20 years ago. All we do is bring in cheap labour who are a long term loss to the state coffers (ie cost more to support than pay in taxes) but who raise GDP because they add to the number of people earning…not the amount anyone earns.

ok. nothing matters your right.

And that’s before we get to gdp per capita adjusted for purchasing power which is the measure that shows how financially well off individuals in a country are - take a look, we are basically bottom of the barrel in the developed world and behind plenty who aren’t considered part of it.

yep. again we are completely fucked with the 6th biggest economy. ill wheesh now

List of countries by GDP (PPP) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Honestly did you do an internship with Liz Truss when I had my back turned ?

patronise away.

Your much admired currency has nearly halved in value since the bank crash.

Your the goat that mentioned currency. I stated 1 fact about it in reply, insomuch as, over the piece, its a strong currency. This is what you do. You state something, so get a reply then fuck off down some other route right off the bat, this one being the bank crash, and low and behold sterling is now much admired by me. Fucking off wi that kind of shit, its fucking tedious

That was a necessary move to stop us ending up like Greece, which would have been likely if we were tied to the euro. We devalued our currency like a banana republic, in an economic position nowhere near as bad as it is now. The day we can’t pay interest on our debt is the day the house of cards collapses completely. That won’t be allowed to happen so, like I say, pensions, healthcare and the rest will go over the side instead. Wait and see.

Ok. i will. I will wait and see. As you often ascertain, every doom and gloom forecast youve ever posted on any subject over the years has come to pass. You really should have been a politician. What a missed opportunity for our country. It saddens me.

 

[Smurf]

My wife is a Unison Shop Steward. Imo, a very good one.
She is asking what strikes?

Nobody has said anywhere that there's strikes in the NHS in Scotland.

 

[emerald green]

The conversation related to the UK Government settling a pay claim with public sector workers in the NHS and a Labour Government so it could only have ever been England...

Fine. but you didnae mention it.

No that's factually incorrect to say we are dependent on what money England decides for our health.

The Scottish Government decides how much it spends on healthcare from it's budget of £49.6 Billion.

Yes. Thats what i said. We get a budget and we are even allowed to spend that budget how we see fit. We have paid, under the SNP, more on the health of it subjects than any other component part of the UK has on theirs. our waiting lists are shorter etc.

In the current financial year the Scottish Government itself decided to spend £19.5 Billion on healthcare.

Yes. We have had to tighten the belts again up here and deliver the same or better service to the People of Scotland that we did before.

The Scottish Government also decided to spend £750,000 on humanitarian relief for Gaza.

Shame it wasnt more eh

England that didn't decide that for Scotland also made their contribution to humanitarian relief for Gaza through the UK Parliament of £70 Million. Choices and politics eh...

Choices and politics aye, spot on mr flip flop. Dinnae worry tho, Labour will do what labour does, then England will get bored and bring in the tories or some bastardisation thereof, and you can flip back over tae being and Independence man

 

[egb_hibs]

You really do come up with some shite mate. I dinnae own any flags. Im nno carried away with anything. FS

You ask, against all the evidence, and including the current reality, why there is any reason to believe Scotland would be racking up debt. If that’s not based on nationalist loyalties, what is it based on?

ok. nothing matters your right.

Sorry but I’m getting the impression you’re not too au fait with our economic position. I mean that is fine, it’s a boring topic, but if you’re going to shoot off on things that don’t make sense, they’re going to get answered. ‘Revenues’ from the pittance some desperately poor countries owe us, is irrelevant here.

yep. again we are completely fucked with the 6th biggest economy. ill wheesh now

Do you feel like you are living in a wealthy country ? I’ve explained what that figure means.

patronise away.

aw ffs.

You’re the goat that mentioned currency. I stated 1 fact about it in reply, insomuch as, over the piece, its a strong currency. This is what you do. You state something, so get a reply then fuck off down some other route right off the bat, this one being the bank crash, and lo and behold sterling is now much admired by me. Fucking off wi that kind of shit, its fucking tedious

Naw. I replied to your point about our strong currency, with the fact we’ve had to devalue it in order to not go under completely. And now it’s half as strong.

Ok. i will. I will wait and see. As you often ascertain, every doom and gloom forecast youve ever posted on any subject over the years has come to pass. You really should have been a politician. What a missed opportunity for our country. It saddens me

Ok mister sarcasm, the economy has been fucked for decades now (and fucked in disguise for longer). Are you really expecting an imminent turnaround? Likewise our social descent - which is not unrelated. Green shoots detected there?

We live in a bubble of assumptions EG, formed by unique experience of a fleeting moment, and reinforced endlessly by messaging.

But just look around. You don’t need to be an economist. There’s nothing doom and gloom about it, it’s just stating things as they are.

 

[emerald green]

You ask, against all the evidence, and including the current reality, why there is any reason to believe Scotland would be racking up debt. If that’s not based on nationalist loyalties, what is it based on?

Its based on what Scotlands economy would be Indepedent of the burdon of, say the country just doon from us which is fucked. Where would be racking our debt up? Specifically?

Sorry but I’m getting the impression you’re not to au fait with our economic position. I mean that is fine, it’s a boring topic, but if you’re going to shoot off on things that don’t make sense, they’re going to get answered. ‘Revenues’ from the pittance some desperately poor countries owe us, is irrelevant here.

You base all your figures on how Scotlands balance sheet is at the mo, tied as it is.

aw ffs.

My response was wholly correct. Your insinuating im some flag wearing dafty. Tae fuck wi that.

Naw. I replied to your point about our strong currency, with the fact we’ve had to devalue it in order to not go under completely. And now it’s half as strong.

No, go back. YOU mentioned currency, I responded (simply that, as currencies go, over long periods, sterling has held up well). You then went on about "the crash" and weve halved its value (which isnt disputed)!

Ok mister sarcasm,

aw ffs

the economy has been fucked for decades now (and fucked in disguise for longer). Are you really expecting an imminent turnaround? Likewise our social descent - which is not unrelated. Green shoots detected there?

Aye eeg, because my posts are strewn with imminent turnaround of our economy.

We live in a bubble of assumptions EG, formed by unique experience of a fleeting moment, and reinforced endlessly by messaging.

But just look around. You don’t need to be an economist. There’s nothing doom and gloom about it, it’s just stating things as they are.

Your doom n gloom about everything mate

(offcourse, you intertwine with threads about nothing here n there to try and balance thing a bit - which i like btw - but you then revert).


Relax, in the main, its going to be alright.

 

[egb_hibs]

Its based on what Scotlands economy would be Indepedent of the burdon of, say the country just doon from us which is fucked. Where would be racking our debt up? Specifically?

On the cost of services which exceeds tax revenue’s ability to fund them. By a distance.

You base all your figures on how Scotlands balance sheet is at the mo, tied as it is.

Yes that’s fair. We can change, and this is my from the head argument for independence which accompanies the from the heart one. But it means an entirely different Scotland from today. With lower taxes and less services until the day we can afford them again. About 20 years or austerity I reckon, but it’s a much better shot than England has.

However this is another topic: I was talking about the UK economy as it is now and trying to avoid such crystal ball gazing. This is where the UK is now, and where Scotland would be on Independence Day one if it happened tomorrow.

My response was wholly correct. Your insinuating im some flag wearing dafty. Tae fuck wi that.

It’s not though. Setting aside the Scotland question, your comments were frankly wrong in the implication that interest we collect from others somehow balances in any way to the tightening vice of our debt. It doesn’t. Nor is sterling some bullet proof currency that will stretch endlessly with the world’s acceptance.

No, go back. YOU mentioned currency, I responded (simply that, as currencies go, over long periods, sterling has held up well). You then went on about "the crash" and weve halved its value (which isnt disputed)!

Our currency is not magic. We are not in the ‘long term’ context of an empire that bestrode the globe. We are a declining island off Northern Europe who has being drowning in ever increasing debt since the cataclysmic Blair era. We no longer have the option to go an loot some sunny part of the world, we have a crumbling welfare state and aging society that has never previously existed in the history of sterling.

The past is a useful reference but we are in uncharted waters.

aw ffs

Aye eeg, because my posts are strewn with imminent turnaround of our economy.


Your doom n gloom about everything mate

(offcourse, you intertwine with threads about nothing here n there to try and balance thing a bit - which i like btw - but you then revert).

It’s not about doom and gloom, and it’s not about reverting. The economic and political threads i comment on are mostly started by others. But whether I started them or not, my comments are about how things are, as I see it. I’m an optimist by nature but that doesn’t mean I’m just going to wish away things right in front of us. These are not speculative things, they are actually existing and underway and systemic, and our attention is, shall we say, not guided towards them by a frightened political class. No one knows what to do.

Relax, in the main, it’s going to be alright.

I doubt that it’s going to be what I suspect you consider alright. Leave it to our betters to worry about the world as it is if you prefer. They kind of depend on that.

 

[emerald green]

On the cost of services which exceeds tax revenue’s ability to fund them. By a distance.

Yes that’s fair. We can change, and this is my from the head argument for independence which accompanies the from the heart one. But it means an entirely different Scotland from today. With lower taxes and less services until the day we can afford them again. About 20 years or austerity I reckon, but it’s a much better shot than England has.

However this is another topic: I was talking about the UK economy as it is now and trying to avoid such crystal ball gazing. This is where the UK is now, and where Scotland would be on Independence Day one if it happened tomorrow.

It’s not though. Setting aside the Scotland question, your comments were frankly wrong in the implication that interest we collect from others somehow balances in any way to the tightening vice of our debt. It doesn’t. Nor is sterling some bullet proof currency that will stretch endlessly with the world’s acceptance.

Our currency is not magic. We are not in the ‘long term’ context of an empire that bestrode the globe. We are a declining island off Northern Europe who has being drowning in ever increasing debt since the cataclysmic Blair era. We no longer have the option to go an loot some sunny part of the world, we have a crumbling welfare state and aging society that has never previously existed in the history of sterling.

The past is a useful reference but we are in uncharted waters.

It’s not about doom and gloom, and it’s not about reverting. The economic and political threads i comment on are mostly started by others. But whether I started them or not, my comments are about how things are, as I see it. I’m an optimist by nature but that doesn’t mean I’m just going to wish away things right in front of us. These are not speculative things, they are actually existing and underway and systemic, and our attention is, shall we say, not guided towards them by a frightened political class. No one knows what to do.

I doubt that it’s going to be what I suspect you consider alright. Leave it to our betters to worry about the world as it is if you prefer. They kind of depend on that.

no. i meant relax, you personally. Youll be on yer pension(s) and holidaying away often and getting away from this dull shitty grey country (as you yourself have mentioned on s previous thread), soon enough, and all will be well.... but fuck me, you dinnae half seem tae have time on yer hands mate

 

[egb_hibs]

no. i meant relax, you personally. Youll be on yer pension(s) and holidaying away often and getting away from this dull shitty grey country (as you yourself have mentioned on s previous thread), soon enough, and all will be well.... but fuck me, you dinnae half seem tae have time on yer hands mate

Sat at fkcn computer with on / off work. That’s my predicament EGers, still at least it’s no 14 to 16 hours a day now.

 

[emerald green]

Sat at fkcn computer with on / off work. That’s my predicament EGers, still at least it’s no 14 to 16 hours a day now.

pleased. that would be bad for your health long term. Then someone likes myself, whos dedicated his professional life to helping others then has tae work harder tae keep you healthy. 7hrs to 7.5hrs a day is quite enough young poet..... (also do the very very least you need to do to be efficient at your job, and not a smidge more). Here endeth the lesson.

 

[egb_hibs]

pleased. that would be bad for your health long term. Then someone likes myself, whos dedicated his professional life to helping others then has tae work harder tae keep you healthy. 7hrs to 7.5hrs a day is quite enough young poet..... (also do the very very least you need to do to be efficient at your job, and not a smidge more). Here endeth the lesson.

Doesn’t work like that in my game and never has. I think I’ve averaged ten hours a day for the first thirty years, but it’s dropped off precipitously in the last couple.

Until a few years back, was still doing 9 til 7 as standard, 8am till 10pm quite often and 7am till 2am on shitty days. Bounce kept me sane tbh until I had to bin it for various reasons including just not having the time.

The joys of being in a line of work constantly competing with offshore, among other things. That said, can’t be compared to physical work; where you just couldn’t do that at nearly 50 as I was. More like flying a plane; 99% boredom and 1% terror lol.

Oh by the way you get a shit load more done in 12 hours than 7 and that’s just a fact; hour 12 is certainly not as productive as hour one, but it’s a lot more than zero. That’s another piece of nonsense - not that I’m advocating people working 12 hours, just it’s best to found arguments in truth imho. I mean that’s quite literally why I had to do it; I was only ever paid for 7.

 

[hibbybilly]

.https://x.com/AnasSarwar/status/1820817591260098777

Two faced cvnt.

 

[Hattie]

.https://x.com/AnasSarwar/status/1820817591260098777

Two faced cvnt.

Summit missing from link mate

 

[hibbybilly]

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[hibbybilly]

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