What has Bottler left us with?

[youngmafbog]

Brown has now admitted that the country's finances are in dire straights. The 'tax cuts' for labour voters will have to be repaid admits Mandy and the country is heading to deflation which of course would trigger a depression says Brown.

One thing I find odd is that no one is shouting down Bottler for saying negative things, yet Osbourne was slated for stating the blindingly obvious(the pound had already lost 30% when he said it) and of course
yesterday proved that the city does what it does without listening to a politician !

So, what exactly have we got in store for us in 2009? Are the IMF correct is Britain in the worse state of all of Europe? Has Bottler spent all the cash on 800,000 civil servants insetad of creating wealth(failed to fix the roof whist the sun shone )?

[kinell]

Mandy says there will be tax rises to recoup these handouts.

Does anyone share the view that the recipients of this hand out will trouser the dosh and of course will not be party to paying it back.

I love labour, I will contribute more towards the pot of the irresponsible and then pay again to build up the pot for the next time.

What a great lose - lose situation...for most of us.

[Gromit]

I'm pretty sure that Brown would never admit the country's finances were in dire straits, and he would definitely not say the country is heading for deflation and a depression.

This could possibly be the reason no one has shouted him down - because he never said it.

I suggest you get your hearing tested.

[Kromovaracun]

Are the IMF correct is Britain in the worse state of all of Europe?

The IMF haven't said this. There' s currently a debate over how severe the coming recession is going to be. The IMF official report has predicted a 0.1% decline in GDP next year (the European Commission have predicted 1% and other groups such as Capital Economics have given other predictions), but another group of IMF economists have been more pessimistic.

So in answer to the question So, what exactly have we got in store for us in 2009? - It's not really possible to say. Inflation is forecast to tumble dangerously (hence the recent interest-rate cut) and the recession will go deeper than it is now. Some economists have forecast a recovery by 2010, others think it'll last much longer be much worse.

Ergo, we don't know.

Has Bottler spent all the cash on 800,000 civil servants insetad of creating wealth(failed to fix the roof whist the sun shone )?

Most of it hasn't gone on civil servants (most of it's gone on govt. spending fuelled by borrowing...), but yes, Brown was most certainly irresponsible in his handling of the Treasury. And it's important to remember that nobody really cared at the time.

[Kromovaracun]

he would definitely not say the country is heading for deflation and a depression.

The Bank of England are certainly quite worried about deflation. He'd look like an idiot if he didn't admit it.

[Gromit]

Brown yesterday claimed his measures were to ensure we didn't hit deflation. That is not admitting it is going to happen, it is a warning that measures (which Brown highlighted) need to be introduced to avoid that possibility.

[VHG]

>And it's important to remember that nobody really cared
>at the time.

Yes they did (me for one) but the trouble is nobody listened.

Things SEEMED OK on the surface, and everybodys house was rising in value, but behind the scenes Brown was borrowing like hell and cooking the books.

I remember saying here on answerbank years ago that Browns time as chancellor was not as great as everyone said.

It was a bit like the millionaire driving round in his Rolls Royce when his house is just about to be re-possessed.

He may seem rich because he has his Rolls Royce, but it was all a facade.

Same as Browns time as chancellor.

[jake-the-peg]

Is this the IMF report that said that Britain was the only country predicted to be in recession about a month ago

Before Germany oficially enterred recession last week?

If you're running a company are you going to keep on staff if the order books are empty?

Are tax cuts going to change that?

How about iif you have government contracts brought forward?

Tory's just have no answers right now - just words!

Not surprising when you look at the shadow chancellor - what a waste of good Oxygen!

[Gromit]

I pretty sure the IMF didn't say that either. Their forecast published in April 2008 predicted UK GDP growth at around 1.5 per cent for both this year and next.

I think you were referring to the OECD, a Paris based organisation which said were were the worse placed of the G7 to weather the downturn.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/new s/oecd-says-uk-is-worst-placed-in-g7-to-withst and-global-downturn-917276.html

[jake-the-peg]

Oh yes

Every other economy surveyed by the organisation � the US, Germany, France, Italy, the eurozone and Canada and, especially, Japan � will see their economies grow during the remainder of the year.

Whoopsie!

[youngmafbog]

Gromit, April ?? Are you mad ? Take a look at this in october, still miles from today.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/oct/08 /recession.globaleconomy

And its the guardian bog paoper too

Brown has screwed up right royally.

Jake: WTF are you on about ?

[Gromit]

youngmafbog

I still cannot see anything in that link that says the UK is in a worse state than the rest of Europe.

Maybe you are now seeing things that aren't there as well as hearing things?

[jake-the-peg]

What am I on about?

Your source seems to be the same one that said the UK will be the only country in recession

2 weeks later Germany confirmed they were offially in recession!

I suggest you re-evaluate where you get your predictions from!

Let's be a bit more specific though - what exactly was it that the Conservatives wanted doing when the "sun was shining"?

Please point to the record of them calling for it at the time

Hansard would be good - but the papers at a push.

(You may have to wade through Tory EuroMPs getting kicked out for corruption or sleazing up to Russian Billionaires to find it though)

[youngmafbog]

Gromit, it doesn't but it does point out growth at 0.1 % not 1.5 - quite a difference. Not got time jsut now to look further, my interntet is playing up - and I work in the city - just.

[Gromit]

You work in the City.

That explains why you are so badly misinformed.

[123everton]

I agree that the Tories are offering nothing, I saw Osborne on Channel 4 News the other day talking about their new tax policy he looked like a man preparing to write his political obituary.
It appears to me IMHO that their solution would condemn everyone on a short term or fixed term contract to be finished up for at least 3 months.
Yes and again look at Tory policy when the sun was shining, all they talked about was less red tape less regulation don't stifle the market, David Cameron is all mouth and trousers and he's been found out.
I'm glad we've got Brown and not that bunch of slimey, corrupt, self serving, lying rat bags of the Tory party in right now.
I feel that Labour's bunch of lawyers are a tad better than the Tories bunch of lawyers.