Sasless, I'm normally very much in agreement with you but you may well have
We fed a lot of you during the war as some of you remind us.
and helped us in a myriad of other ways but don't pretend it was for atruistic reasons, you guys were well paid. So much so that
"Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what outstanding liabilities there are to the United Kingdom of lend-lease loan facilities arranged during the Second World War; [38441]..."
"Ruth Kelly: The information is as follows."...
"Under the Agreement the loans would be repaid in 50 annual instalments [sic] commencing in 1950. However the Agreement allowed deferral of annual payments of both principal and interest if necessary because of prevailing international exchange rate conditions and the level of the United Kingdom's foreign currency and gold reserves. The United Kingdom has deferred payments on six occasions. Repayment of the war loans to the United States Government should therefore be completed on 31 December 2006, subject to the United Kingdom not choosing to exercise its option to defer payment.
As at 31 March 2001 principal of $346,287,953 (£243,573,154 at the exchange rate on that day) was outstanding on the loans provided by the United States Government in 1945. The Government intend to meet its obligations under the 1945 Agreement by repaying the United States Government in full the amounts lend [sic] in 1945. "
we only just manage to pay you off in 3 weeks time, not forgetting a lot of shared technology at the time. Lets not pretend it was all one sided.
Not bitching per se' just making sure the facts get in there, which will make a pleasant change around here.
