Tony Blair visit to Iraq
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Vec - Are you dreaming or something ? We have a country which is constantly undermining the industrial base and exporting manufacturing jobs abroad . Likewise service jobs are being exported to the developing economies in the Far East.
Farming is being cut to the bone and some crops which were high profit are now hardly worth seeding. It is by far the most difficult times ahead for U.K farming and if the major U.K supermarkets don't stop needless imports of food we will eventually have a farming industry which cannot recruit new workers.
As for the health system - progressive PFI's and hospitals having their own budgets have now given us the vista of bankrupt trusts which will need to be bailed out by central government. Regards waiting times - the numbers have indeed been reduced -however speak to some old people and there is a genuine fear of going to hospital because of MRSA and a wealth of other bugs that have developed through lax cleaning standards.
The posibility of addressing global warming has been helped by the U.S agreeing to talk . However that is all it amounts to.
The growth of SUV ownership in the U.S is truely frightening - there still isnt an understanding of the peril the planet is in by the U.S leadership and as long as that is the case the problems
won't be dealt with.
Africa and it's problems cannot be addressed by pop concerts and wearing rubber bands on your wrist. Regime change of the type that removed Saddam from power is needed in Africa. Witness the mess that Zimbabwe is in ! - a country that not so long ago was vibrant and forward looking. Similarily South Africa now a multicultural country has some very big problems with crime and people wishing to get out of the country .
To deal with Africa - the leaders of the G8 need to stop selling arms and business jets to the continent. Rampant corruption
won't be dealt with through words.
Mr Blair has fronted many projects - however if you look at the actual gains you will see a burgoning civil service and debt levels increasing . The economy certainly isn't sparkling . Add to this the debate over education reforms with his cabinet unable to publically agree and I think the future for P.M Blair is looking remarkably short.
Farming is being cut to the bone and some crops which were high profit are now hardly worth seeding. It is by far the most difficult times ahead for U.K farming and if the major U.K supermarkets don't stop needless imports of food we will eventually have a farming industry which cannot recruit new workers.
As for the health system - progressive PFI's and hospitals having their own budgets have now given us the vista of bankrupt trusts which will need to be bailed out by central government. Regards waiting times - the numbers have indeed been reduced -however speak to some old people and there is a genuine fear of going to hospital because of MRSA and a wealth of other bugs that have developed through lax cleaning standards.
The posibility of addressing global warming has been helped by the U.S agreeing to talk . However that is all it amounts to.
The growth of SUV ownership in the U.S is truely frightening - there still isnt an understanding of the peril the planet is in by the U.S leadership and as long as that is the case the problems
won't be dealt with.
Africa and it's problems cannot be addressed by pop concerts and wearing rubber bands on your wrist. Regime change of the type that removed Saddam from power is needed in Africa. Witness the mess that Zimbabwe is in ! - a country that not so long ago was vibrant and forward looking. Similarily South Africa now a multicultural country has some very big problems with crime and people wishing to get out of the country .
To deal with Africa - the leaders of the G8 need to stop selling arms and business jets to the continent. Rampant corruption
won't be dealt with through words.
Mr Blair has fronted many projects - however if you look at the actual gains you will see a burgoning civil service and debt levels increasing . The economy certainly isn't sparkling . Add to this the debate over education reforms with his cabinet unable to publically agree and I think the future for P.M Blair is looking remarkably short.
As a result of giving away Ł7bn pounds in rebates during 2008-13 and rising to Ł2bn a year within a decade, I see no mention of how much the average household tax bill is likely to rise from 2008 onwards in order to compensate for such a major show of brinkmanship, no doubt this will be left to dear prudence or his successor to explain away.
With dwindling support from the electorate, the Labour Party and even his own Cabinet, it would appear that old "demon eyes" – only too aware that his days are numbered – is increasingly desperate to leave us a political legacy to be immortalised in our Nations history – not for services to foreign policies I suspect – or sell us out in the process for not supporting him in his final term.
I would not be surprised if Tony’s last decision will be to approve funding for an ‘Abraham Lincoln’ style memorial to be built in his honour next to poor old 'Winnie' in Parliament Square.
Must dash, I’ve a party to go too.
With dwindling support from the electorate, the Labour Party and even his own Cabinet, it would appear that old "demon eyes" – only too aware that his days are numbered – is increasingly desperate to leave us a political legacy to be immortalised in our Nations history – not for services to foreign policies I suspect – or sell us out in the process for not supporting him in his final term.
I would not be surprised if Tony’s last decision will be to approve funding for an ‘Abraham Lincoln’ style memorial to be built in his honour next to poor old 'Winnie' in Parliament Square.
Must dash, I’ve a party to go too.
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According to the Times - That £7Bn giveaway is the equivalent of a two thirds reduction of council tax for every household in the country - nice...
And now for the facts; Unemployment rose for the 10th month in succession in November to 902,000, the longest stretch of increase for almost 13 years. More worryingly, the unemployment rate, regarded internationally as the best guide to the jobs market, rose to 4.9 percent, the highest level since 2003.
This is coupled with a massive influx of migrant workers on an unprecedented scale, who are prepared to accept low wages thereby suppressing inflationary wage pressures (300,000 since last May) – That’s why most of us, despite earning huge amounts of money, can no longer afford to go on holiday any more. We don’t need a 2.5% pay-rise, more like 11% just to keep up.
Inflationary pressures are also capped by removing anything from the RPI that was likely to push it up, house prices and council taxes for example, and when that wizard wheeze starts to burst at the seems redo the calculation of the RPI and trade it for the European RPX.
The massive imports of cheap Chinese goods are also having a deflationary effect but only at the expense of our own manufacturing industry which in turn is killing our pensions. (Plus the £5Bn annual raid)
So for all the apparent short term ‘feel good factor’ long term lasting damage is being done by NuLab and the sooner we can get shot of them the better – Unfortunately generous DLA, unemployment and a raft of other generous long term benefits buys just enough votes to keep these clowns in power.
This country needs to wake up before it’s too late.
And now for the facts; Unemployment rose for the 10th month in succession in November to 902,000, the longest stretch of increase for almost 13 years. More worryingly, the unemployment rate, regarded internationally as the best guide to the jobs market, rose to 4.9 percent, the highest level since 2003.
This is coupled with a massive influx of migrant workers on an unprecedented scale, who are prepared to accept low wages thereby suppressing inflationary wage pressures (300,000 since last May) – That’s why most of us, despite earning huge amounts of money, can no longer afford to go on holiday any more. We don’t need a 2.5% pay-rise, more like 11% just to keep up.
Inflationary pressures are also capped by removing anything from the RPI that was likely to push it up, house prices and council taxes for example, and when that wizard wheeze starts to burst at the seems redo the calculation of the RPI and trade it for the European RPX.
The massive imports of cheap Chinese goods are also having a deflationary effect but only at the expense of our own manufacturing industry which in turn is killing our pensions. (Plus the £5Bn annual raid)
So for all the apparent short term ‘feel good factor’ long term lasting damage is being done by NuLab and the sooner we can get shot of them the better – Unfortunately generous DLA, unemployment and a raft of other generous long term benefits buys just enough votes to keep these clowns in power.
This country needs to wake up before it’s too late.
Last edited by Letsby Avenue; 1st Jan 2006 at 08:07.
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Re: Tony Blair visit to Iraq
RileyDove
Perhaps vecvechookattack should have preceded his post with an acknowledgment that he was quoting the Dear Leader’s New Year message verbatim. Only then would you have been able to realize that, far from dreaming, you were in fact reading the latest fantasy from an office barely surpassed in brass-necked spin by the former cold war Kremlin.
Perhaps vecvechookattack should have preceded his post with an acknowledgment that he was quoting the Dear Leader’s New Year message verbatim. Only then would you have been able to realize that, far from dreaming, you were in fact reading the latest fantasy from an office barely surpassed in brass-necked spin by the former cold war Kremlin.
Re: Tony Blair visit to Iraq
RileyDove,
Undermining our manufacturing base? EVERY developed economy is exporting low tech assembly and manufacturing jobs to low wage economies, not just the UK. If you want to HAVE a manufacturing economy then it is the only way to survive, try and compete with an economy that pays its work force in a year what you pay in a week and see how long it is before you go bust!
We have subsidised farming for decades, no other industry has been so mollycoddled and artificially supported in the history of capitalism.
I agree with what you say about the USA but regime change in Africa? Are you mad? Just look at the popularity of Bush and Blair over Iraq, if they tried it in Africa I think there would be hell to pay, regime change is illegal and rightly so, any tin pot imperialism displayed over Africa would quite rightly be condemned the world over and most probably result in mass civil disobedience here at home.
Hilife,
Germany is increasing its contributions to the EU by 40% more than the UK to make it the largest net contributor, the UK will in fact see a decrease in its net contributions after 2013 even if the growth figures achieved are half what is being forecast.
Letsby Avenue,
My you are desperate, unemployment? We have the highest number of people in work in our history and a record number of vacancies. I remember what it was like under Thatcher in the eighties, we would have given our right arm for figures anywhere near 4.9%, ask the French how they feel about it! An unemployment figure of 902,000? There were over a million out of work in 1940!
Without those migrant workers our economy would be stuffed, we can’t find our own Bus drivers, Dental assistants, Waiters or a whole host of jobs as there are not enough people available in the labour market to do the jobs as they can all find higher paid work elsewhere.
Those massive imports of cheap Chinese produced goods are actually being manufactured for the likes of Hornby, Compaq, Dell, Intel and a whole host of Western companies, they earn profits for them and tie China into the capitalist system which can only be a good thing for all of us.
Generous long term benefits? You are having a laugh, I have clients who live in abject misery on “generous benefits” Don’t believe all you read in rags like the Mail…….
Whilst agreeing that Blair has peaked and his style is now a hindrance to good Government, please leave the histrionics aside.
BTW,
I think Brown will make mincemeat of the Tory Blair clone that is Cameron.
Undermining our manufacturing base? EVERY developed economy is exporting low tech assembly and manufacturing jobs to low wage economies, not just the UK. If you want to HAVE a manufacturing economy then it is the only way to survive, try and compete with an economy that pays its work force in a year what you pay in a week and see how long it is before you go bust!
We have subsidised farming for decades, no other industry has been so mollycoddled and artificially supported in the history of capitalism.
I agree with what you say about the USA but regime change in Africa? Are you mad? Just look at the popularity of Bush and Blair over Iraq, if they tried it in Africa I think there would be hell to pay, regime change is illegal and rightly so, any tin pot imperialism displayed over Africa would quite rightly be condemned the world over and most probably result in mass civil disobedience here at home.
Hilife,
Germany is increasing its contributions to the EU by 40% more than the UK to make it the largest net contributor, the UK will in fact see a decrease in its net contributions after 2013 even if the growth figures achieved are half what is being forecast.
Letsby Avenue,
My you are desperate, unemployment? We have the highest number of people in work in our history and a record number of vacancies. I remember what it was like under Thatcher in the eighties, we would have given our right arm for figures anywhere near 4.9%, ask the French how they feel about it! An unemployment figure of 902,000? There were over a million out of work in 1940!
Without those migrant workers our economy would be stuffed, we can’t find our own Bus drivers, Dental assistants, Waiters or a whole host of jobs as there are not enough people available in the labour market to do the jobs as they can all find higher paid work elsewhere.
Those massive imports of cheap Chinese produced goods are actually being manufactured for the likes of Hornby, Compaq, Dell, Intel and a whole host of Western companies, they earn profits for them and tie China into the capitalist system which can only be a good thing for all of us.
Generous long term benefits? You are having a laugh, I have clients who live in abject misery on “generous benefits” Don’t believe all you read in rags like the Mail…….
Whilst agreeing that Blair has peaked and his style is now a hindrance to good Government, please leave the histrionics aside.
BTW,
I think Brown will make mincemeat of the Tory Blair clone that is Cameron.
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Re: Tony Blair visit to Iraq
It is good to see that, in our Workers' Paradise, the proletariat enjoys the same level of healthcare to us proles as the Dear Leader!
From the BBC:
The independence granted to the Bank of England by Gordon Brown after the 1997 election was a bold and inspired move. It is a shame that it was the only wise economic decision taken over the last 9 years. Leaving aside some social justice tinkering (such as parental leave, which was a positive step) there will be precious little of any New Labour legacy. No great problems have been tackled (the NHS and pensions both require radical and fundamental reform) and a few billions (and many lives) have been squandered in Iraq.
From the BBC:
When Tony Blair had treatment to correct an irregular heartbeat he was back running the country within days looking, as aides said at the time, "fresh and alert".
For Stephen Eeley, who needs the same procedure, the outlook is far less rosy.
He has been kicked off the waiting list at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and now faces a future feeling "tired and breathless".
For Stephen Eeley, who needs the same procedure, the outlook is far less rosy.
He has been kicked off the waiting list at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and now faces a future feeling "tired and breathless".
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Re: Tony Blair visit to Iraq
Proone - The idea of exporting manufacture offshore isn't new as you say . However the problem we get is that it also errodes our ability to retain gifted
engineers who can problem solve. That is a national trait and several U.K companies retain U.K engineers to problem solve foreign manufacture.
As for farming - well then yes U.K farming has benefitted from EU assistance. But farming used to be seen as an essential industry in the survival of our island. The supermarkets have the ability to airfreight from Egypt and the likes but how long can this continue in an increasingly fuel starved world. The crazy thing is that the subsidies continue at a reduced level and actually promote lower production levels which is directly against
what successive governments have promoted . The level of government personnel employed to make sure that this has happened has also spiralled.
Regards employment - it is completely meaningless to compare unemployment with the past. The only way to get any reality to the figures
is to examine the age of the population and what percentages can be employed. Interestingly you mention that influxes of immigrants help to do the jobs that nobody is prepared to do at the wage level. This also is erroneous - I have a Brazilian friend working here at present - he won't do some of the hotel work because the wages are that low. Therefore Polish
workers do the work at a low rate . The hotel however is financially secure -
it's greed that dictates the low wages - not the ability to pay a better wage. Eventually the Polish workers will get fed up with the wages and another group of immigrants will move in. Pay good wages and the number of people relying on the state will decline even more .
engineers who can problem solve. That is a national trait and several U.K companies retain U.K engineers to problem solve foreign manufacture.
As for farming - well then yes U.K farming has benefitted from EU assistance. But farming used to be seen as an essential industry in the survival of our island. The supermarkets have the ability to airfreight from Egypt and the likes but how long can this continue in an increasingly fuel starved world. The crazy thing is that the subsidies continue at a reduced level and actually promote lower production levels which is directly against
what successive governments have promoted . The level of government personnel employed to make sure that this has happened has also spiralled.
Regards employment - it is completely meaningless to compare unemployment with the past. The only way to get any reality to the figures
is to examine the age of the population and what percentages can be employed. Interestingly you mention that influxes of immigrants help to do the jobs that nobody is prepared to do at the wage level. This also is erroneous - I have a Brazilian friend working here at present - he won't do some of the hotel work because the wages are that low. Therefore Polish
workers do the work at a low rate . The hotel however is financially secure -
it's greed that dictates the low wages - not the ability to pay a better wage. Eventually the Polish workers will get fed up with the wages and another group of immigrants will move in. Pay good wages and the number of people relying on the state will decline even more .
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Re: Tony Blair visit to Iraq
BLIAR 
EELEYBBC Website, 3 Jan 2006
'A lifetime of feeling breathless'
The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust has stopped performing a routine heart procedure - a move which wiped around 100 people off its waiting lists.
Only those judged to be desperately in need of cardiac catheter ablation - which corrects irregular heartbeats - will be seen at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford.
The trust says it needs to make budget savings but critics accuse it of putting waiting list targets before patient welfare.
When Tony Blair had treatment to correct an irregular heartbeat he was back running the country within days looking, as aides said at the time, "fresh and alert".
For Stephen Eeley, who needs the same procedure, the outlook is far less rosy.
He has been kicked off the waiting list at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and now faces a future feeling "tired and breathless".
Re: Tony Blair visit to Iraq
JessTheDog,
I agree, what started out with great promise has indeed delivered very little, Blair will for ever be remembered for the Iraq war, much as he would wish it otherwise!
RileyDove,
By far the majority of products manufactured in low cost locations are conceived, designed and engineered in the UK, it is something that we are very good at, even the Renault Clio is UK designed! There are still three and a half million people employed in the UK manufacturing industry, while indeed lots has gone abroad an awful lot is still here.
Farming is no longer an essential industry, it has not been for a long time now, we have long imported a huge percentage of what we eat, why else do you think we had rationing in WW2?
Your Brazilian friend has obviously grown accustomed to a UK standard of living, there are millions in Brazil whom would not dare dream of earning what even the lowest UK hotel work pays-millions earn nothing in Brazil.
Your argument about paying good wages is laudable, however if you are competing against rivals paying what the Chinese and Vietnamese pay, you will go bankrupt, it’s as simple as that.
I agree, what started out with great promise has indeed delivered very little, Blair will for ever be remembered for the Iraq war, much as he would wish it otherwise!
RileyDove,
By far the majority of products manufactured in low cost locations are conceived, designed and engineered in the UK, it is something that we are very good at, even the Renault Clio is UK designed! There are still three and a half million people employed in the UK manufacturing industry, while indeed lots has gone abroad an awful lot is still here.
Farming is no longer an essential industry, it has not been for a long time now, we have long imported a huge percentage of what we eat, why else do you think we had rationing in WW2?
Your Brazilian friend has obviously grown accustomed to a UK standard of living, there are millions in Brazil whom would not dare dream of earning what even the lowest UK hotel work pays-millions earn nothing in Brazil.
Your argument about paying good wages is laudable, however if you are competing against rivals paying what the Chinese and Vietnamese pay, you will go bankrupt, it’s as simple as that.
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Re: Tony Blair visit to Iraq
Bit late, but from Private Eye No 1149, 6 Jan 2006 to show what is happening in what I'm sure Bliar would like to be a "forgotten army".
SANDPIT NEWS
“Delighted British troops in Iraq cheered Tony Blair yesterday after he gave then the perfect Christmas present – news that they are going home”. Oh how many of us choked on our tinned sausages when we read this in the Sun.
After all, some of us had just returned from a two-week deployment in the dodgier bits of Basra and were less than “delighted” to swap a proper rest in our bashers for extra guard duty around the completely safe Divisional HQ watching the prime minister mugging to the cameras.
The only people who got close to him were part of a carefully selected mix of sycophants, gurning squaddies and “soldiers of colour”, including a Fijian choir. Most of these had only been in Iraq for a few weeks.
Those of us who have been here on extended tours know full well that we’ll only be going home when the Iraqis (or Iranians if you’re in the south) can provide their own security, not to mention a police force that is not in cahoots with the insurgents. And that’s going to take years.
As for the perfect Christmas present, some decent kit would be good: we are still having to buy much of our own gear on eBay. Oh and the arrival of our Operation Telic medals, delayed over and over again, would be a welcome seasonal gesture.
’Square Basher’
"SMILE FOR THE CAMERA - IT'S GREAT FOR MY POLS"
SANDPIT NEWS
“Delighted British troops in Iraq cheered Tony Blair yesterday after he gave then the perfect Christmas present – news that they are going home”. Oh how many of us choked on our tinned sausages when we read this in the Sun.
After all, some of us had just returned from a two-week deployment in the dodgier bits of Basra and were less than “delighted” to swap a proper rest in our bashers for extra guard duty around the completely safe Divisional HQ watching the prime minister mugging to the cameras.
The only people who got close to him were part of a carefully selected mix of sycophants, gurning squaddies and “soldiers of colour”, including a Fijian choir. Most of these had only been in Iraq for a few weeks.
Those of us who have been here on extended tours know full well that we’ll only be going home when the Iraqis (or Iranians if you’re in the south) can provide their own security, not to mention a police force that is not in cahoots with the insurgents. And that’s going to take years.
As for the perfect Christmas present, some decent kit would be good: we are still having to buy much of our own gear on eBay. Oh and the arrival of our Operation Telic medals, delayed over and over again, would be a welcome seasonal gesture.
’Square Basher’
"SMILE FOR THE CAMERA - IT'S GREAT FOR MY POLS"
