Balancing The Books

[Hopkirk]

Everyone knows our public finances are shot through by this pandemic.

Some serious decisions have to be made on taxes and spending.

Is it time now to stop spending billions on nuclear weapons?

Our near neighbours the Germans don't cripple their economy with such things ( although I accept that they are not allowed to, for historical reasons)

[ToraToraTora]

No. We should look at the expensive things like the WSS bill.

[ToraToraTora]

we could have 500 trident subs for what we've spent, drop in the ocean.

[teacake44]

It would have been a drop in the ocean to have invested a few billion in the past to the NHS, but I doubt even now that lessons will have been learn't for the future. May be politicians should practice what they've been preaching to us all over the last twelve months, ( protect the NHS). But as long as they themselves can afford private medical care, it will all soon be forgotten and put on the back burner again.

[davebro]

WSS ?

[ToraToraTora]

TC: "It would have been a drop in the ocean to have invested a few billion in the past to the NHS, but I doubt even now that lessons will have been learn't for the future." - would have made no difference, the NHS needs to be made more efficient, at the moment it will swallow any amount of money like a black hole.

[Jackdaw33]

WSS - a rather derogatory term to describe those unemployed and claiming benefits. The first two letters stand for Workshy.

[davebro]

thx

[emmie]

many have been laid off due to the pandemic, the bill will be a lot higher now for the benefits system

[Bobbisox1]

Like this for example?
We are in dire straits with our economy yet Boris faces a backlash for cutting foreign aid?????

https://news.sky.com/story/utterly-appalling-criticism-as-uk-announces-it-will-cut-aid-to-yemen-by-more-than-half-12232890

[emmie]

i don't know if we give foreign aid to China, India, but we shouldn't be. they are in good economic shape, so the news says. Yemen might be a different story, they are indeed in dire straights, though how to stop the war there is another story...

[ToraToraTora]

bobbi, even in the current crisis TROB still like to give money to foreign despots et al.

[davebro]

Think of all the pension money saved though!

[emmie]

what pension money saved?

[davebro]

100,000 oldies dead x £6000 pa OAP = 600 million a year & their ongoing health costs.

[emmie]

many of those hadn't reached pension age.

[emmie]

those in the NHS working to save lives,

[davebro]

you did ask

[emmie]

it wasn't what i was expecting.... very sour comments.