Christmas Tree

1% fraud which includes genuine errors Worth the vitriol that they all get? Its not even them, its the large group that dont work, have the big TV's, are always out on the town etc etc. Now while you will call this conservative conservative crap, I do see it everyday. Dont get me wrong, there not holidaying in Florida but they have a very comfortable existance without the need to work.

You havent being down the inducement road I guess. They asked her to come in last night for 9pm. As its number 4 she assumed they would get things going and be home by lunch time today. As it turns out its a process that may or may not produce a result for upto 48 hours!!! Enough to say that after 20 odd years of marriage there is only so much pleasantries that can occur in a small room. Suffice to say she wants to sleep for a bit with me out the way! And anyway......It takes "I cant come to bed someones wrong on the internet", to a whole new level.

Its notable how much coverage the french action is getting over here You can tell the media is praying for it to kick off.

30 Year old far left scottish shock jock attacks tories....... and in other news....... This such a shabby article that is so flawed it is the sort of stuff I would expect Adrian Durham to come out with on talk sport. Its too late to take it apart and quite frankly its so poor that Im sure most learned political followers on any party can see it for what it is. No its not. Thats the view of Krugman and Stiglitz, as the journalist points out, Adrian Durham is not remotely close to being an analogy and make you look like a fucking idiot. Its an excellent article but could be improved by citing the Eggertson's (2009) neo-keynesian model which predicts a multiplier effect 3 to 4 times that under normal circumstance when the interest rate is at the zero bound, or an in depth look at the two huge 'keynesian' stimulation packages provided by the Chinese governement since 2008. Apart from that its historically and factually correct. The problem is Chez that any elements of truth within it are lost in the sea of bile and non truths.

Both sides will drag up lots of figures on this but I think its hard to dispute to some degree when you simply look at the vast increase in welfare during a boom economic period. I can remember in the 80's and early 90's people were on benefits because of a lack of work, geuine disability or single mums etc. These people could travel through time and look at their counterparts today and would not believe the difference. Nobody can doubt todays equivalents leave a much richer lifestyle. That is what Labour, armed with excellent economic times (left by the tories) chose to do......and..... I agree with a lot of it. But just as their is unfairness when benefits are cut, there is the opposite effect when you choose to increase welfare, without reform. (The main gripe Darling and Powell were talking about). This did lead to not only a benefit culture, but benefits for people who didnt really need them. Hopefully the reforms by IDS will be the right ones which will allow parties of all colours to better get the right money to the right people.

Yeah, I remember that well, I admired him for doing it at the time. In some ways things seem even worse now as the whole concept of being on benefits has become more stigmatised and you are made to feel like a worthless scrounger. I dont agree one bit. Most reasonable people have know problem with benefits going to people who need them, genuinely need them. But there is an large body of people who play the system cos thats what the norm is around them. This is the group that all parties have WANTED to weed out for years but have being unable to do. Just last night, Blairs right hand man, Jonathan powell and Alastiar Darling were discussin this on This Week. They both acknowledged that they wanted to do what the Tories are now doing on welfare but were unable to agree a policy because of the infighting between Blair and Brown. Blair knew it needed to be done but Brown blocked it, instead wanting to just throw more money at it. Welfare grew massively under Labour and while some of the moves were good, a lot were bad. The tax credit system is one of the most abused benefits there is. I remember when it came in lots of families I knew couldnt believe they were suddenly getting a 2 or 3 grand a year for nowt. The problem now is that these families have now absorbed this extra dosh and got used to it so scaling it back will be painful. You should have a watch of this week on I player.

Right then, being kicked out of the delivery room so she can have a nap so lets get started... We're talking net jobs loss here CT. The job market is in constant fluctuation, but we know there will be at least an extra million people put on the dole by the cuts, I don't think anyone is doubting this, not even the coalition (it was there in black and white after all). You seem to have some amazing faith that the private sector will come in and magic up an extra million jobs, despite huge cut backs in government support for regional development agencies. However, most the private sector jobs we have - including yours - are in the service sector as it is, so exactly how is this going to happen? Its not a case of faith, Im just going on the independant figures. The same people who are predicting just under a million job losses as a result of the cuts are the same people who predict that even with these losses, the overall year on year result will be growth in employment resulting in net increases in jobs. As you say its in black and white. Its also worth remembering that after the recessions of the 80's and 90's, the private sector led the growth in jobs. (under a conservative government) One of my underlying fears is that the Conservatives just do not seem to understand - or do not care - what a devastating personal and social effect mass unemployment has. I expect someone like Gideon is about as far removed from the reality of the normal working person as is possible - the same applies to Nick and Dave too. Even you don't seem to understand yourself actually given your many flippant comments even about board member's concerns on here. Is it some inbred tory trait to lack empathy? Silly stuff really Renton. I have said many times that nobody including me wants job losses. You have to remember than the one thing politicians care about more than anything is their own job. They all want to be re-elected in 4 years time and if nothing else surely an educated person such as yourself understand that they all want this to work.

You're lucky theres still a delivery room. good luck btw Ring fenced under the Tories And thanks.

In the delivery room all day waiting for the Tory stork to turn up with little Margeret or David so as much as I'm gagging to reply to all today's nonsense, it will have to wait.

Pud, I'm talking more about the vast majority of the public who are not in the public sector and were expecting all sorts of things that just didn't materialise. They now have more certainty. I think it's also worth noting that this is 19% over 4 years, just under 5% a year. There will also be areas where positions are not replaced rather than redundancies. Naturally. Any job losses are very sad for the families involved but a big proportion will have sighed with relief and started getting on with their lives again yesterday. Just one other word on the job cuts. They have said it's just under 500,000 over 4 years which is 125,000 a year. The private sector created 170,000 jobs in the last three months alone backing up the independent forecasts of overall employment growing over the 4 years.

Todays YOUGOV poll, the first since the cuts were announced results in ..... 58% agreeing that the cuts were unavoidable 29% who though they were avoidable and 13% who have a fence stuck up their arse or are just too thick to form an opinion. Nice to see common sense prevailing.

Dear me Post some of your views and we might be able to judge you.

30 Year old far left scottish shock jock attacks tories....... and in other news....... This such a shabby article that is so flawed it is the sort of stuff I would expect Adrian Durham to come out with on talk sport. Its too late to take it apart and quite frankly its so poor that Im sure most learned political followers on any party can see it for what it is.

The Tories modernised the steel industry. The Tories and then Labour chose not to subsidise industry. The Germans chose to subsidise their industry and hold off the inevitable, however now that the subsidies have stopped they are closing all their coal mines. Industry, on the hole has gone East and no British government has tried or could change that situation. What part of "only European country in surplus" don't you understand? You started the argument about the 80's ffs and now you've whizzed through to the present day One argument at a time surely The laid the groundwork in the 80's when your lot were busy dismantling Britain and selling out the workforce and selling off assets. Thought you were the one giving out history lessons. Really this is playschool stuff for me. Best stick to your crop circles Think I'll continue making you look a muppet in here thanks. Better try harder then.

The Tories modernised the steel industry. The Tories and then Labour chose not to subsidise industry. The Germans chose to subsidise their industry and hold off the inevitable, however now that the subsidies have stopped they are closing all their coal mines. Industry, on the hole has gone East and no British government has tried or could change that situation. What part of "only European country in surplus" don't you understand? You started the argument about the 80's ffs and now you've whizzed through to the present day One argument at a time surely The laid the groundwork in the 80's when your lot were busy dismantling Britain and selling out the workforce and selling off assets. Thought you were the one giving out history lessons. Really this is playschool stuff for me. Best stick to your crop circles

Like this comment from the chronicle website....

9 hours to go ....... And the beed are clearly out to give the government a good kicking over the world service affair. Edit..... and its from Middlesbrough, the town said to be hit hardest by the cuts Brave Tory who turns up tonight

I meant people with suddenly increased disposable income through tax cuts and/or who can afford it expanding the buy-to-let market. This will be particularly lucrative given their policy of moving social housing to market rents. A cynic would suggest a connection. Thats been on the cards since council houses got sold off and governments virtually ceased building them. Even though I know the tories announced a council house building programme yesterday far outweighing anything Labour have undertaken the buy to let market will continue to grow. While details are sketchy, Im all in favour of people who can afford to, paying more realistic rents which might propell some families from council stock into the private sector, therefore freeing up the council stock for those who really need it. A council house will therefore be a benefit for those who need rather than a tax payer gift for those who dont. Again I see this as one of those big areas that needs tackling rather than plodding along with the status quo. I really think these are very interesting times, politically.

I admit to gritting my teeth and saying "sounds good" to a few points. One of the scenarios I can see is the plan "working" and then huge tax cuts being made either before of after the next election. I think if that happens it will cause a huge property bubble - again. Everything comes in cycles ofcourse, but I simply cant see a repeat of the last housing boom happening in my lifetime. Its hard to imagine a mortgage lending scenario where banks are throwing mortgages at people who have no deposit and cant afford them.

Of course they rely on that selfish attitude - I'm not supposed to care about mates who are civil servants or the schools or council facilities I don't use. Shoot me for being brought up correctly but I do. ??? The point is that for a lot the fear of yesterday didnt materialise and they will start spending, thus boosting growth, thus getting out of this mess as soon as possible and one big final thus, then having the choice to spend money not on deficts but on the real needs of the day be that schools, councils or civil servant mates. CT, is this your real prognosis for the NE of England? How confident are you about this? Which bit, that the tories will pay off the deficit allowing more of the tax payers money being spent on things that matter? That the cuts were not as bad as feared? Or that people who were cautious about spending while awaiting yesterdays announcement will now feel a bit more inclined to do so? As revealed by most commentators yesterday, these cuts will take us back to 2007 levels, not the thatcher 80 years that you seem to scaremonger about. The North East wont be a wasteland, seriously. Try and be sensible in your reply, please rather than just trying to score a few points over opinion. How confident are you that there won't be a regional recession, even if there isn't a national one? Given our demographics and reliance on public sector jobs, that is. What private sector jobs are going to come in to replace the gap? Honestly, not being partisan here, but I think the future for this region is quite frightening. Already if you walk through Eldon square half the shops are boarded up, and this is one of the few prosperous shopping areas (as for Shields etc...). For the record I think there would have been really hard times ahead with Labour as well, in fact we know that, I just don't see the need to cut the deficit this quickly and it could still easily backfire - obviously I hope it works as advertised though. Btw, although I haven't looked in great detail, I have to say some parts of the budget look sensible, it's not all bad, but I can't agree with you that it is compassionate. This is going to really hurt low paid people and people out of work through no fault of their own. Now we are getting into opions and ideaology which we will not agree on. My confidence for the economy has risen following the budget for reasons I have already stated. The official independant forecasts for the economy show growth. The official independant forecasts for the employment shows growth The cuts are nowhere near as bad as expected. While pain was never avoidable (imo), I think the cuts are well thought through. With regard to Eldon square etc that is the world we are now living in. Everybody hashad to reign in their spending for several years now and we are no longer maxing credit cards, getting cheap loans and re-mortgaging houses to spend on luxuries. Not a bad thing really for a decent society. You are right that we would have had similar cuts under Labour. They claim they wouldnt have been as bad but could you really have seen a weaker Labour government being anywhere near as bold in reforms as the coalition have been? They would have left welfare for another day / government meaning that departments would probably have been hit just as hard. Infact Darlings plans in March were for 20% cuts. I also think the public like the idea of the pain being out of the way in 4 years rather than over a longer period that would happen under Labours current plans. I promise this is not Partisan, but I also dont think Labour still have the skill set to have run this government. Thats not a dig just a fact that Partys in power use up the best people as they dwindle and imo it takes a period of opposition to clear out the dreggs and give the new people chance to find their way. Can you really imagine a current Labour government with all these problems to sort out, the best people used up and a continuation of infighting, this time with the Millibands both after Gordons job. I dont think I described the budget as compassionate, more Cameron as a compassionate conservative. (have to check). My man love for Cameron knows no limits and I think he is a million miles away from the "nasty tories". And nobody wants job losses whoever they are.

Come on, he may have sold but he was an embarassment otherwise. Got to say this was probably the most shambolic task I have seen in the 5 years of this series. As you say, the Pollard look alike can't even count. £1.86 unit cost for a bun? Is she retarded? He was hopeless on that second pitch in terms of delivering his decision however the decision itself was the correct one. Could tell that Kiwi lass is in merketing - she was just hell bent on booking orders and not giving a fuck if they could deliver or not. There was a massive communication failure across the team and he made the fatal flaw of taking orders before determining what was possible from a manufacturing perspective. But he was far from on his own on both those faults and if anything Paloma was way more divorced from reality than him. Don't forget that Pollard is a food business manager. If she failed at that she's got no fucking hope when it comes to something she knows fuck all about. I hate the way marketing and sales have merged these days.

Come on, he may have sold but he was an embarassment otherwise. Got to say this was probably the most shambolic task I have seen in the 5 years of this series. As you say, the Pollard look alike can't even count. £1.86 unit cost for a bun? Is she retarded? My view totally. The bloke was clueless. Hoping they start to edit out Karen Bradys short skirts and cellulite thighs as well.

Apart from a fuck off new smartphone, there's nothing I really want or need to buy in the near future Smartphones a start. Good on you Just watch the materialistic thread take off

Of course they rely on that selfish attitude - I'm not supposed to care about mates who are civil servants or the schools or council facilities I don't use. Shoot me for being brought up correctly but I do. ??? The point is that for a lot the fear of yesterday didnt materialise and they will start spending, thus boosting growth, thus getting out of this mess as soon as possible and one big final thus, then having the choice to spend money not on deficts but on the real needs of the day be that schools, councils or civil servant mates. CT, is this your real prognosis for the NE of England? How confident are you about this? Which bit, that the tories will pay off the deficit allowing more of the tax payers money being spent on things that matter? That the cuts were not as bad as feared? Or that people who were cautious about spending while awaiting yesterdays announcement will now feel a bit more inclined to do so? As revealed by most commentators yesterday, these cuts will take us back to 2007 levels, not the thatcher 80 years that you seem to scaremonger about. The North East wont be a wasteland, seriously. Try and be sensible in your reply, please rather than just trying to score a few points over opinion.