drat01 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Crony Capitalism? :-) Donate 700,000 to the Tory party and then get awarded a contract worth 774 Million. DeLoitte :-) .......... shhhhhh it's nothing to do with Unions so cannot be spoken about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted January 20, 2012 Moderator Share Posted January 20, 2012 No surprise under these clowns that todays unemployment figures showed an increase of 118000. They are now at their highest since 1996. ....over the latest three month period once again the figures showed that the private sector is not picking up the slack of job losses in the public sector with 67000 jobs lost in the public sector and only 5000 created in the private sector. Just another in a long list of things Osborne has got completely wrong. Do you remember that letter to the Daily Telegraph, signed by 34 prominent Business leaders, in October 2010, which urged the Gov't to do what it's been doing, and how they advised that it was the right course of action, how the Private sector would take up all these jobs and so on? Ever wondered what happened? For a cautious, perhaps even somewhat shy man, Simon Wolfson was unusually forthright. Certain in fact. George Osborne's deficit reduction programme was vital. It would "improve business and consumer confidence" said a letter to the Daily Telegraph, signed by Lord Wolfson and 34 other business leaders back in October 2010. "The private sector should be more than capable of generating additional jobs to replace those lost in the public sector," the letter continued. Full speed ahead. One result in yesterday: sales at Next, where Lord Wolfson is chief executive, are down 7 per cent by some measures. Meanwhile unemployment soars and the deficit is getting wider rather than narrowing. Growth is as near zero as makes no difference, which exacerbates both problems. Next is still a tremendously profitable business and by all accounts Lord Wolfson – or Baron Wolfson of Aspley Guise to give him his formal title (his father is also a Conservative life peer, by complete coincidence, and was also once chairman of Next, ditto) – is a highly skilled retailer. Perhaps he should stick to it. He's allowed to have political views and to donate to a political party (he has, and does), but it's not clear why bosses of public companies should feel the need to define the nation's economic policy. It might be worth having a quick look at the fate of some of the other signatories to this infamous letter. Ben Gordon of Mothercare had to quit after a series of profit warnings. Gerald Corbett of Britvic oversaw a profits warning and a shares slump. Bob Wigley at Yell Group has seen sales tumble at a business struggling for its future. And Charles Dunstone of Carphone Warehouse had to abandon his joint venture with Best Buy due to appalling consumer confidence. The boards and shareholders of these companies might be asking why their chairmen and chief executives were speaking out in favour of policies that were bound to impoverish their own customers. Deficits come and deficits go – even this one will, eventually. In the meantime, what companies like Next need is as many people as possible in full-time employment. By inclination, most top executives are Tories, on the assumption that the party is better for business. It's not always obvious that this is so. The Conservatives can be guaranteed to bend over backwards for the City (New Labour did too) but that's not necessarily the same thing. Perhaps it is time for the 35 business leaders to resend their old letter, making adjustments for events since it was first penned. And perhaps the chief executive starter kit – all new recruits get handed one – needs an addendum: Stay away from macroeconomics. It's not what we pay you for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drat01 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 A interesting map showing how the Tory party continue to favour their own political supporters, i.e. the Home Counties and the South of the UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Some interesting donations and you have to question the motivation behind some of these? Also there are many other donations that make interesting reading Interesting reading Indeed but amusing none the less that another point scoring exercise just shows the hypocrisy of political parties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 What happens to the Labour party if the Unions that fund it decide to stop funding it and go off and createtheir own left party that they believe would hold better to the beliefs of the left wing of policy makers in this country? Same thing that happens to any other party. They have to rely on the donations of individual benefactors and members subs. Both the major parties ie Tory and Labour rely on Corporate or Union funds. The only difference is the Unions have to ask the permission of their members to do so. Will shareholders ever get the same right ? It never ceases to amuse me when I see Tory supporters trying to make out donations, as you rightly say subject to membership votes and subject to some of the strictest rules there are, from unions as being bad, but seemingly happy to receive funds from some very questionable sources into the Tory party. It must be just me. Is my question not clear? Am I starting a debate about the good or perceived bad of party donations or have I asked a question as to what happens to Labour if the unions withdraw funding as some may very well be contemplating? But I suspect you know that is the case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAFC2000 Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 What happens to the Labour party if the Unions that fund it decide to stop funding it and go off and createtheir own left party that they believe would hold better to the beliefs of the left wing of policy makers in this country? Same thing that happens to any other party. They have to rely on the donations of individual benefactors and members subs. Both the major parties ie Tory and Labour rely on Corporate or Union funds. The only difference is the Unions have to ask the permission of their members to do so. Will shareholders ever get the same right ? It never ceases to amuse me when I see Tory supporters trying to make out donations, as you rightly say subject to membership votes and subject to some of the strictest rules there are, from unions as being bad, but seemingly happy to receive funds from some very questionable sources into the Tory party. It must be just me. Is my question not clear? Am I starting a debate about the good or perceived bad of party donations or have I asked a question as to what happens to Labour if the unions withdraw funding as some may very well be contemplating? But I suspect you know that is the case What ifs but and maybees - exacly that...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 What happens to the Labour party if the Unions that fund it decide to stop funding it and go off and createtheir own left party that they believe would hold better to the beliefs of the left wing of policy makers in this country? The unions have already tried to reconstitute Labour back to the leftist party that the country finds unelectable. The retreat to ideological purity is the one thing guaranteed to prevent them getting back in and reflects the kind of insular thinking that was overcome by Mandelson and the Blairites - the most effective and electorally successful team to ever lead the left in the UK. A new lefitist union sponsored party would only split the votes currently going to Labour, Lib Dems and Greens even further, strengthening the Conservative chances of an outright FPTP majority. It would also produce such a bout of infighting and navel gazing that most of the politically engaged electorate would be left bemused given the economic situation. Ed Miliband is the only game in town for the unions, whether they have recognised their mistake in supporting him or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted January 21, 2012 Moderator Share Posted January 21, 2012 What happens to the Labour party if the Unions that fund it decide to stop funding it and go off and create their own left party that they believe would hold better to the beliefs of the left wing of policy makers in this country?...Ed Miliband is the only game in town for the unions... That's probably true. Presumably it works like this - Labour gets a lot of financial support from Union members contributions, as the graph shows. If that was to be taken away, Labour would be up the creek with no paddle. Equally, though, the Unions (mostly) believe that in political terms, Labour is most likely /lest unlikely to to things that would be bad for the Union members. If they stop funding, then their voices will be less listened to. It's basically a bit of sabre rattling, i think. There are Unions which don't pass funds on to Labour. I don't know whether their members think they are better off as a result, or not - if they think Labour ignores their cases, or if they think that donating labour isn't a suitable means of getting the support from politicians they'd want. The same argument, perhaps more so probably applies to Plcs and donations to the tories - a lot give nothing, and the shareholders don't clamour for "Oh but we must give money to the Tories" and plenty do donate, but without ever consulting shareholders on that policy. Were they to do so, probably most shareholders would just go "meh, long as the shares are value, I don't care". I don't have a problem, really with workers donating to Labour, or Industrialists donating to the tories. It would be better if it wasn't split so much across party line. Better for the country if the tories weren't so much the party of big business and the wealthy. Labour made a mistake in moving that way, too. But perhaps they had to, to get elected. In other words, favouring corporations etc was the way to get elected in the past. Whether with corporations now being widely percieved as part of the problem, rather than part of the solution, the landscape will change will be interesting. There's talk (but little action) about the excesses of directors, financial bods and the like, because even the tories know that people feel that the free market and unrestrained capitalism a) failed, and is extremely unpopular now. If there's a recovery, then most people will forget all bout it, mind. If there isn't (and there doesn't look like being one) then it could change the political set up permanently. I hope it does, because what we've got now is rubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drat01 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 As said before the Tory party idea was and still is a shift of emphasis so that people are looking at Ed Milliband which deflects any analysis of what they are doing at the moment. Marketing and spin (paid for by Ashcroft, Hedge fund and other financial backers) is in overdrive at the moment. The reality is that this Gvmt now kicks in (supported by the frankly disgusting parliamentary Lib Dems) with long held views on attacks on certain elements of UK society. The NHS, something that many Tories despise, is under massive attacks now and despite numerous views being said by experts, the Tory party are insistent on bringing in changes which are nothing more than a privatisation of what is a "jewel" in the UK crown. The shite that Cameron spouted last election is actually quite obscene now when you see what he is doing. The very Tory Yorkshire post continue to question some of crackpot ideas that Cameron comes out with Another shite idea The bollox he spots about Europe and human rights is being questioned More people questioning the idiot More and more jobs are lost - another 1000 today at a petrol refinery It's a real mess, a complete and utter shambles, a vindictive political party with a focus on greed and self self self is a return to the bad old days of the evil cow Thatcher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAFC2000 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Great post again Drat. The hardest thing I fail to understand is this. The Likely hood is that thousands of Tories voters have found them selves unemployed or at best on reduced hours, having to pay more for food and living costs, Who will have to pay treble the ammount to send there siblings to Uni, Who will probably have to work a lot longer for a lot less of a penison. who will receive longer waiting hours when they want to see a doctor, who will have more tax credits taken away from them, who will vote Torie again. If they want a Torie government that badly they are welcome to it...! I heard call me Dave talking about fairness today - some one tell Dave to look up a quote on Irony ffs...! cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAFC2000 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Of course none of this will be the responsibility of the Tories will it...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 The Likely hood is that thousands of Tories voters have found them selves unemployed or at best on reduced hours, having to pay more for food and living costs, Who will have to pay treble the ammount to send there siblings to Uni, Who will probably have to work a lot longer for a lot less of a penison. who will receive longer waiting hours when they want to see a doctor, who will have more tax credits taken away from them, who will vote Torie again. That's the caring side of the Tories, paying for their brothers and sisters to go to university :winkold: Not sure about working harder for a reduced dick though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauloBarnesi Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 More and more jobs are lost - another 1000 today at a petrol refinery It's a real mess, a complete and utter shambles, a vindictive political party with a focus on greed and self self self is a return to the bad old days of the evil cow Thatcher. I am not sure what the government could do about a Swiss company going bust? You would have thought that it was the Swiss Governments responsibility? And you would have thought that Swiss companies wouldn’t go bust would you? Its impossible to go back to the bad old days of Thatcher as we no longer have anything like the manufacturing base to get rid of! You would have thought successive governments would have tried to turn back the clock, but instead Cameron is carrying on crappy policies, just like his predecessors, Brown, Blair and Major.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauloBarnesi Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Who will probably have to work a lot longer for a lot less of a penison. To be honest which ever party gets in, will have to deal with this. How can we pay for pensions if we live longer and are pensionable for a longer time? Who is going to pay for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted January 24, 2012 Moderator Share Posted January 24, 2012 Who will probably have to work a lot longer for a lot less of a penison. To be honest which ever party gets in, will have to deal with this. How can we pay for pensions if we live longer and are pensionable for a longer time? Who is going to pay for it? Well if we stop worrying about the population growth and everyone knocks out more kids surely we can tax the shit out of them to pay for us? What do you mean there are no jobs? oh bugger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAFC2000 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 The Likely hood is that thousands of Tories voters have found them selves unemployed or at best on reduced hours, having to pay more for food and living costs, Who will have to pay treble the ammount to send there siblings to Uni, Who will probably have to work a lot longer for a lot less of a penison. who will receive longer waiting hours when they want to see a doctor, who will have more tax credits taken away from them, who will vote Torie again. That's the caring side of the Tories, paying for their brothers and sisters to go to university :winkold: Not sure about working harder for a reduced dick though Of course how else do you reply to that..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauloBarnesi Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 We are buggered whatever way we look at it. We are crippled by mass unemployment. We are crippled by people’s expectations and notion that they have a right to something. We are buggered by our debts. We are buggered by our fighting two world wars. We are buggered by lack of investment and short sightedness, etc, etc. The list goes on and on. Oh and getting rid of grammar schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted January 24, 2012 Moderator Share Posted January 24, 2012 We are buggered whatever way we look at it. We are crippled by mass unemployment. We are crippled by people’s expectations and notion that they have a right to something. We are buggered by our debts. We are buggered by our fighting two world wars. We are buggered by lack of investment and short sightedness, etc, etc. The list goes on and on. Oh and getting rid of grammar schools. Agreed on all points. Glad I got to go to one though, it helps me pay for those who can't be arsed to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieB Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 We are buggered whatever way we look at it. We are crippled by mass unemployment. We are crippled by people’s expectations and notion that they have a right to something. We are buggered by our debts. We are buggered by our fighting two world wars. We are buggered by lack of investment and short sightedness, etc, etc. The list goes on and on. Oh and getting rid of grammar schools. Buy Gold & Silver and become an enemy of the Banking terrorists & the Elite. Silver is up 20% on the year already. I've just been reading that apparently India has bought a load of oil off Iran and is paying for it with Gold. No wonder the US and Israel are itching for a War with Iran. Both Iraq, Libya (and we all know what happened to them) and now Iran are trying to move away from a Dollar Standard Oil price to a Gold Standard. Russia & China can't wait for the day because then the Anglo American stranglehold on the World Economy will have dissappeared over night. Listening to more and more analysts that this Eurozone crisis is getting serious and I can see the day getting nearer & nearer that the West will have no choice but to abandon paper currency and we'll all be dealing instead in a standard of Gold & Silver. So there's perhaps the advice we all need to heed. Do what the Asians, Chinese & Pikeys have been doing for years. If you can possibly afford it. Buy a little Gold & Silver bullion or as jewellery instead of depositing more cash in the banks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauloBarnesi Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I am not sure buying gold & silver is really going to solve our problems? Is it going to bring back all the dead from WWI? Is it going to bring back industry? Is it going to cure the common cold? Is it going to bring back grammar schools? Is it going to stop random acts of violence on our streets? Will it make us happy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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