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Pretty weak, isn't it? The global situation was triggered by the collapse and near-collapse of major banks, and the UK rode it out better than some countries. Clearly we could have done better: the idea that Brown failed to invest for a rainy day certainly has some truth, but one only has to look at Greece, Spain or the Irish Republic to see how much worse it could have been.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1
This "silent majority" are always pretty quiet, aren't they? In fact, they were even silent during this year's general election when the Conservatives couldn't even garner a majority when presented with a massive open goal - the economy struggling, and an unpopular PM.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bolton Midnight
I'm neither stumped nor reduced to the level of playground insults, but I appreciate the invitation.Quote:
But if you're not so sure just call me an idiot, seems the usual retort when stumped
"Read somewhere"? Any chance of a source for this rumour? I've tried Googling but the only reports I can find seem to indicate the problem is with non-UK students defaulting, or problems with the collection process. This report indicates £285M total unpaid debt (out of a loan book of £2.79 billion [2005/6, source]) but doesn't break down the reasons.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bolton Midnight
My maths isn't great (I went to a crap university) but I don't make that 70%.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rollo
The bank bailout is chicken feed compared with what is wasted year after year on public sector non jobs, not to mention the huge ticking bomb which is their lovely pensions.
Labour allowed the banks to act like a Bet Fred I agree. But the public sector costs a lot more - not to mention the bank bail out will be paid back with interest/profit unlike the public sector non jobs who are just parasites, like dole wallers but more costly.
Tories received more votes than either Labour, Lib Dem or all the other nut case parties like the Greens and BNP. Without Labour's crooked boundary changes they would have had a clear majority - sod all to do with Tories being unpopular they weren't they won.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave B
I was trying to find the source of the 70% but couldn't hence why I just put 'read somewhere'. It's not that difficult to follow really it isn't. 2005/6 bit out of date isn't it, as the number at Uni has shot up since then I'd expect the number of unpaid loans to have also shot up - or is that a bit too logical for you to grasp?
They were the latest figures I could find at short notice - but as it wasn't me making the accusation I don't see why I should have had to do the research in the first place.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bolton Midnight
I fully accept that the figures are slightly out of date, but do you honestly believe they've rocketed up from <1% to ~70%?
You're very quick to offer an opinion but hopeless at backing anything up with evidence, and very quick to deflect when you're challenged by somebody else's research.
Let's rewind a few posts and ask you what percentage of the BBC's staff are black and/or disabled. Or is that just more uninformed bluster?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bolton Midnight
(link)Quote:
Government support for Britain's banks has reached a staggering £850bn and the eventual cost to taxpayers will not be known for years, the public spending watchdog says today.
To put that in some kind of context "at the end of March 2010 general government debt was £1000.4 bn" (link)
According to Sir Phillip Green, who was brought in to review government spendng and see where waste could be eliminated:(link)Quote:
no business could survive the level of money that was wasted from the £191bn of spending he reviewed
With regard to public sector pensions:In 2008-9 the taxpayer’s share of costs were £14.9 billion. (link)Quote:
the Government Actuary’s Department projects total payments rising to over £79 billion a year by 2059-60
Those figures were easy to find. Harder to find is any figure on the amount of pulic sector waste. Eric Pickles has, rather like yourself, been very vocal and yet very short on detail. No doubt there is waste in the public sector, as there is in the private sector, but how much?
It would be useful to know so that we can decide what is or isn't "chicken feed".
Yes they did. The Tories received 10,703,754 votes out of a total 29,691,780. Labour received 8,609,527 and the LibDems 6,836,824. No other party received more than a million votes. (source)Quote:
Originally Posted by Bolton Midnight
Or in other words, when faced with the choice of the three main parties, 15,446,351 people did not vote Tory.
Every single book that my child reads has far more brown faces in them than in reality and why? Political Correctness that's why. Labour will have created a new job where some Guardian reading lentil muncher makes sure every kids book is disportionate re number of handicapped and ethnic characters.
CBeebies - blonde with one arm, light on the loafers white bloke, Chinese woman and a black chap - is that representative of the UK population, is it ****.
These students should repay their fees regardless of what income they are on, once they get a job then it should be taken from them at source. Don't know why the start rate has been raised from 15k to 21k, 15k is fine as it is.
Or to put it another wayQuote:
Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1
over 21m voted against Labour, over 72% of the country didn't want Labour, I think that counts as the majority, but wtf I haven't a link for that so it must be untrue.
Yes... There's a government post which determines how childrens' illustrators should colour the faces they draw. You carry on believing that if it makes you feel better. :dozey:Quote:
Originally Posted by Bolton Midnight
How many people appear on CBeebies? And you've found me one with a disability, one of Asian descent, and one of Afro-Carribean descent (I don't understand what "light on the loafers white bloke" means). So a grand total of four people out of... how many? Sounds like an under representation if anything.Quote:
CBeebies - blonde with one arm, light on the loafers white bloke, Chinese woman and a black chap - is that representative of the UK population, is it ****.
Once they start earning they'll be paying basic-rate income tax, which makes a contribution to the pot which funded - amongst many other things - their tuition fees.Quote:
These students should repay their fees regardless of what income they are on, once they get a job then it should be taken from them at source. Don't know why the start rate has been raised from 15k to 21k, 15k is fine as it is.