Comments on: Carry on spending

By: Deborah

Deborah — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:28:35 +0000

This sounds just like my District Council. Frightening.

By: Terry

Terry — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:26:32 +0000

I'm an ex-Labour voter, one of many (I am sure) who feels let down by this government.
Council Tax has more than doubled under Labour and I now dread the outcome of this year's budget which will surely add to the overall tax burden.
The fact that there are so many overruns is worrying but hardly surprising when you consider the record of Gordon Brown's government.

By: mikestallard

mikestallard — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:07:00 +0000

I am sure the EU has something to do with this.
Their books are unchecked and there (is there here?) there is a lot of corruption. Remember Neil Kinnock's anti Corruption Commission? The books have not been signed off for over a decade. Also, you might care to read this if you get a moment: http://www.eursoc.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/2334…
This slapdash attitude spreads like a plague. Especially in Brussels where the Ministers take meals together and, no doubt, compare notes.
Why be careful with money, especially if it is just taxes? "We are not half as corrupt as them etc, etc."
A fish rots from the head down. As the Ministers travel to and fro from Brussels, they begin to be like their masters…..
It is all a sign of slapdash accounting in both places.
And notice the "clever" way this was "buried" the day before the budget. Gad what a fiendishly clever wheeze, Jeeves!

By: Matthew Reynolds

Matthew Reynolds — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:44:55 +0000

Why not have a Growth Rule a la Eire to grow state spending by 1% less than average GDP expansion every year ? This could fund the CBI plan to slash corporate taxes to one 18% rate within 8 years like they did in Holland . This would restore our economic competitiveness by learning from abroad while forcing year on year cuts in QUANGO’s & welfare dependency . What a great pro- growth agenda !

By: Matthew Reynolds

Matthew Reynolds — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:44:55 +0000

Why not have a Growth Rule a la Eire to grow state spending by 1% less than average GDP expansion every year ? This could fund the CBI plan to slash corporate taxes to one 18% rate within 8 years like they did in Holland . This would restore our economic competitiveness by learning from abroad while forcing year on year cuts in QUANGO's & welfare dependency . What a great pro- growth agenda !

By: Stuart Fairney

Stuart Fairney — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:19:43 +0000

I can think of no other sector where such a cavalier approach to budgeting would not have immediately resulted in the dismissal of the persons responsible. Leadership this is not. Just how wrong do they have to get the budgets before they say mea culpa ?

From the outside it seems like any amount of incompetence is tolerated. Bearing in mind Darling will most likely ask us all to pick up the bill tomorrow (whilst no doubt blaming the banks, the world economy, global warming etc etc ad nauseum, everyone but his own profligacy) this is worrying.