the Austerity Con or Con

[amateur51]

Britain's not in economic decline relative to most of her peers and hasn't been for a couple of decades at least, thanks in some part to the huge reduction in wildcat strikes.

Britain's problems were (are) due to weak and self-serving managements rather than the capitalist (mixed economy) system itself which, like it or loathe it, has now been embraced by former communist states, which were being left further and further behind economically.

I certainly avoid right-wing and left-wing tabloid propaganda sheets and particularly the Daily Mail and Socialist Worker.

Tell that to young people who can't get jobs, can't get affordable, housing away from the parents, and to all the workers who have top rely on Housing Benefit and other benefits because there is no adequate programme for social housing (reliance on the private sector) and because their take-home pay is just not adequate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23730015

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22860320

It's more involvement in and by Trades unions that's required. British managers pay themselves handsomely and the dividends come second. The workers' pay is way down the list.

[eighthobstruction]

British managers pay themselves handsomely and the dividends come second.

....Not bloomin alf....sick of all the high value Mercs, Volvo's, BMW's, Jag's, Range Rovers, Audi's........passing by the bottom of my road.... (and it is definitely not ENVY....before someone says it.....it's SADNESS....)

[scottycelt]

Tell that to young people who can't get jobs, can't get affordable, housing away from the parents, and to all the workers who have top rely on Housing Benefit and other benefits because there is no adequate programme for social housing (reliance on the private sector) and because their take-home pay is just not adequate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23730015

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22860320

It's more involvement in and by Trades unions that's required. British managers pay themselves handsomely and the dividends come second. The workers' pay is way down the list.

.

Funny you missed this one directly underneath one of your links on the BBC website ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23736707

I won't dream of telling young people anything. From my experience the majority of them are much more worldly-wise than I ever was at their age and few are obsessed with partisan politics and economic theories the way many previous generations were (are). There are actually more people in work in the UK than ever before. Those in work with mortgages are actually doing quite well. Even the 'baby-boomers' didn't have such low interest rates (quite the opposite) but they did get big wage rises to compensate which only fuelled the fire of inflation further.

Youth unemployment is a curse which has dogged many governments and is certainly nothing new. Of course, everything possible should be done to improve the situation. Unofficial wildcat strikes and/or elderly or middle-aged folk marching with banners on political causes certainly won't help our long-term unemployed youth, that's one thing for sure!

[teamsaint]

... yes that was one obvious downside of our generation which I 'sloppily' omitted ... frequent and pointless wildcat strikes, not in any way harming 'the bosses', but simply causing misery and hardship to 'ordinary folks'.

That is one area of life where later generations can undoubtedly consider themselves rather more fortunate.

yeah, absolutely. Nothing like the threat of the sack and 5/10 years of stagnant wages to make people realise how lucky they are.

[eighthobstruction]

Unofficial Wildcat strikes.............Meow.....

[scottycelt]

yeah, absolutely. Nothing like the threat of the sack and 5/10 years of stagnant wages to make people realise how lucky they are.

Let 'people' speak for themselves. At the next General Electon. 'People' are not all stupid. They can see through the fog of propagandist politics whether it comes from the Left or Right, and make up their own minds.

Only socialists seem to believe that 'people' are all the same ... including capitalists it seems!

[teamsaint]

sorry Scotty, are you suggesting that there is a vote that people can cast at the next election that will clear get wages up to sensible levels for ordinary people ?

[amateur51]

sorry Scotty, are you suggesting that there is a vote that people can cast at the next election that will clear get wages up to sensible levels for ordinary people ?

That sound you can hear is scotty's ladder being hauled up

[amateur51]

.

Funny you missed this one directly underneath one of your links on the BBC website ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23736707

House prices are rising, mortgage rates must go up at some point, even this government recognises that the impossibility of finding a satisfactory deposit prevents most young people from obtaining a mortgage.

Extract your head and look around, scotty.

[teamsaint]

If it was just Scotty , i wouldnt be worried. Economic facts of life for youngsters are very, very tough.

A bit of wishful thinking isnt going to sort it out.

Pensions provision is disintegrating.

tough times are here for a good while yet.

[amateur51]

If it was just Scotty , i wouldnt be worried. Economic facts of life for youngsters are very, very tough.

A bit of wishful thinking isnt going to sort it out.

Pensions provision is disintegrating.

tough times are here for a good while yet.

And meanwhile Her Majesty's opposition is almost totally silent, to all intents & purposes. It's becoming difficult to know which to loathe more.

[teamsaint]

And meanwhile Her Majesty's opposition is almost totally silent, to all intents & purposes. It's becoming difficult to know which to loathe more.

don't get me started , Ams !!

At least we know where we stand now, with professional politicians. Labour front benches stuffed with bankers stooges.
Which is why we need to do the little bits we can.

[amateur51]

don't get me started , Ams !!

At least we know where we stand now, with professional politicians. Labour front benches stuffed with bankers stooges.
Which is why we need to do the little bits we can.

You're not suggesting a touch of Tahrir Square are you teams?

Are you?

That'd put it right up all of them, but being Britain of course we'd find a sea of EDL and SWP banners in the mix as soon as you could say 'GO!'

[teamsaint]

Well more a bit of the Balcombe factor.

Standing by and watching the rich and powerful take more and more of everything, including power , isn't really an option any more.

Just because some people who are doing (or did) Ok in the good(?)times are scared of things getting worse if we don't do what the Camerons and Blairs want us to, doesn't mean that they are right to let it all go unopposed.

[scottycelt]

sorry Scotty, are you suggesting that there is a vote that people can cast at the next election that will clear get wages up to sensible levels for ordinary people ?

There are plenty of ordinary people I know who are apparently on very nice wages and with which I myself would have been 'over the moon' to have been offered. There are others who are on unbelievably poor wages like cleaners and many shopworkers, for example. In a free society it is difficult to know the solution to this. Some of us just have to accept what our employers are prepared (or can afford) to pay.

My own feeling is that some sort of tax regime which raised the taxes for those better off to facilitate tax rebates for those at the bottom of the heap might be helpful but with these things there are always problems and, of course, the better-off taxpayers won't like that one jot! However if any candidate can come up with a realistic suggestion at the next Election, other than taking to imaginary barricades, he/she may well get my vote.

Talking about being 'over the moon' and money you have a real prospect in Wanyama, team ... he can be a bit lackadaisical at times but he has all the attributes to be a truly great player. It'll be interesting to see how he develops down there in the EPL.

Sorry, I digress ...