Youv'e got to admire them, financially..

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/29lsgv8

Why is this country so much in the mess financially, when our politicians are such financial wizards, or do they only use such skills to line their own pockets?

[New Judge]

There are few, if any, “financial wizards” among our politicians, AOG. Any that were so blessed would find employment in the financial industry and gain far richer pickings.

No financial acumen is required to make considerable sums from the allowances and expenses regime to which they are party. The instructions they have are straightforward enough to enable them to claim their entitlements and they have ample assistance from the so-called fees office to help them maximise their income.

The country is in a financial mess because most of our politicians seem hell bent on pouring taxpayers’ money away on things that, given the choice, most taxpayers would never countenance. The list is too long to go into here, but any nation that pay upwards of two million of its inhabitants to “seek jobs” whilst having to import hoards of foreign labour to undertake basic but vital work must question either the calibre or the motives of its elected representatives.

[Gromit]

We are in a mess because a political decision wa taken in the 1980s to change from a manufacturing based economy to a services based one. When the financial services went belly-up we had to borrow hundreds of £billions to bail them out. Meanwhile the Germans are booming and exporting their manufactured goods.

In short, our economy wasn't diverse enough.

[New Judge]

Possibly true, Gromit.

But we may have fared a little better had we not, for the past four years, spent a third of our tax revenues on debt interest and benefits (much of which was paid to sustain people who would not work) whilst continuing to import labour to fill the jobs (many of them in agriculture and manufacturing) that those people would not do.

That is the scandal for which recent politicians are responsible and which has contributed to the current problems to a far greater degree than a decision made thirty years ago.

[Gromit]

New Judge

So you wouldn't have bailed out Northern Rock 3 years ago? (Our finances were OK before that).

// import labour to fill the jobs (many of them in agriculture and manufacturing) that those people would not do. //

I do agree with you on that. The foreign Cockle pickers and land workers were paid less than minimum wage and the gang masters were allowed to get away with it. If the recipients of this cheap Labour, Tescos, Asda, Sainsbury's were prosecuted instead and lieable wages had have been paid for this work, then I am sure the jobs could have gone to British people.

But no Government is brave enough to stand up to Tesco.

[Gromit]

<...liveable wages had have been paid >