Rollingthunder
14th Nov 2000, 01:45
As a depleted convoy of fuel protest lorries heads for london, there is a remarkable lack of any kind of comment on the issue here, unlike the last time.
Secret Squirrel
14th Nov 2000, 02:10
That's because they immediately get moved to 'Non Air Transport Isuues'.
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Very funny, Scotty. Now beam up my clothes!
Georgeablelovehowindia
14th Nov 2000, 03:45
Well, IMHO it's because 60 days ago it was all a bit of a jolly jape, but now the Festive Season is almost upon us. People don't want that disrupted and I rather think Tony and his cronies have sussed it. Additionally, I think that as a nation, we've been very cleverly "spun" AGAIN! I watched Mr. Brown's performance in the Commons last week and I kept growling at the telly and at Mrs.G: "He's up to something, the slikkit Fifer! What's he up to?" (I regret that daily I see myself growing more like one Victor Meldrew and Mrs. Meldrew, sorry, Mrs.G agrees. Poor lass!)
Anyway, on page 8 of the FT Weekend Money, there it was: "High earners face 6.3% National Insurance rise." "Those earning more than £29,900 a year - the new higher level beyond which employees no longer have to pay National Insurance - will see see the annual amount they pay in NI increase by £150.80 to £2,537.60, a rise of 6.3 per cent." Did you have any recollection of this in Mr.Brown's lengthy pre-Budget statement? No? Funny thing, neither do I!
Coincidentally, the byline underneath was "Petrol cost to drop by £20 a year." "Typical drivers can expect to save almost £20 a year from the end of next March because of a freeze on fuel duties announced in this week's pre-Budget report."
Hmmm... It would appear, ladies and gentlemen that the slikkit (Scottish word for sly) Mr. Brown has given with the one hand and taken much more with the other! Gosh! WOT a surprise! Oh, and speaking of hands, if I ever find myself shaking hands with Mr.Brown, rest assured that I'll be counting my fingers VERY carefully afterwards!
In the meantime, I wonder if that plot of land is still for sale in Barbados.....