Comments on: Public spending – 20% off?

By: Fred Quangp

Fred Quangp — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:04:52 +0000

John, I hear SEEDA are now sacking staff, but unfortunately the waste does not stop there. In traditional Labour style, the QUANGOcrats are being allowed to carry over years of service from other local Government bodies which is resulting in some massive pay offs. This should be stopped now, and only the statutory minimum paid.

By: Stuart Fairney

Stuart Fairney — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:52:05 +0000

You would be quite amazed how fast the private sector can recover if it was left alone and untaxed. Lets consider facts.

All state jobs are funded by sucking wealth out of the productive part of the economy. Ergo, cut these and more cash is available to actually increase wealth. Sure there wil be dislocation, but state jobs are not created in the “magic money bag” State spending comes from somewhere and it would go elsewhere (such as making credit available to companies instead of the government hogging it all).

And it’s not like we have much of a choice to be honest, unless the Weimar republic beckons, and that didn’t really end well.

By: MP’s Expenses – Being Machiavellian to tackle the bigger financial issues « Manicbeancounter’s Weblog

Tue, 12 May 2009 22:33:54 +0000

[...] bigger financial issues 2009 May 12 by manicbeancounter Yesterday I wrote a comment on John Redwood’s blog [...]

By: Denis Cooper

Denis Cooper — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:04:35 +0000

If modern communication methods solved everything, there’d be no reason to stop at 150,000, would there?

By: ManicBeancounter

ManicBeancounter — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:51:49 +0000

Your comment about Cameron demanding that money should be paid back is valid, and is exactly what Cameron has done today. However, Cameron has broadly followed my line. Draw a line in the sand to those who recognise their error and move on. To do as you suggest – essentially sack those the toffs, or those you dislike – is poor leadership.
Political parties are essentially coalitions, and the leaders need to keep a large range of people on board.
As John Redwood has stated, the Conservatives in power will have much bigger battles to wage. Today Cameron has shown he can fight those battles much more effectively than the current Prime Minister.

By: ManicBeancounter

ManicBeancounter — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:04:10 +0000

I profoundly disagree with your comment. I believe that in politics, as in other areas, you should give people a chance to make amends and move on. This is what David Cameron has done today, setting a precedent for the government to follow.
If we start an inquisition it will go on for months. At this time when we need better government to sort out the economic mess we are in, not to turn parliament into a Roman Circus to watch good people being thrown to the lions.
Further, most MPs have acted within the existing rules. They have not “stolen” money, but that have acted dishonourably.

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:16:44 +0000

“The first 10% off public spending could be painless for the public and popular.”

I think you’ve just demonstrated why the Tories will be a disaster, once again, in government. Everyone in the public sector – including doctors, nurses and teachers should fear a Tory government and losing their jobs.

Reply: try reading what I write and understand the figures. No nurse, doctor, teacher is at risk from the Tories and to say otherwise is a typical Labour lie.

By: Donna W

Donna W — Tue, 12 May 2009 08:33:07 +0000

Sorry, but it is going to need much more than punishment of the 3 worst offenders.

This is Cameron’s chance to clear the Party of the Old Guard – the Squire-ocracy who have no understanding of ‘normal’ peoples’ lives.

If he let’s them get away with claiming expenses for swimming pools, moats, chandeliers, horse-manure (how apt); domestic servants etc ….. then the Tory Party will sink like a stone.

He should be demanding they all pay back the money they have mis-appropriated, seek resignations – and if they’re not forthcoming, withdraw the Whip.

By: Donna W

Donna W — Tue, 12 May 2009 08:30:00 +0000

The average constituency consists of around 80,000 people. MPs don’t go knocking on doors …. I have lived in Mole Valley for 16 yeaers and never once met mine.

Constituency sizes were set in the days before email; before most constituents even had cars. With modern communication methods, there is no reason whatsoever why Constituency sizes couldn’t be increased to an average of 120,000 or even 150,000 people.

If the next Parliament is going to be demanding austerity from the rest of us and cutbacks in Public Spending ….. all entirely necessary …. then it should start with Parliament.

By: Denis Cooper

Denis Cooper — Tue, 12 May 2009 08:27:40 +0000

It’s not a case of “the wise government”. It’s a case of a bloody stupid, wasteful, government having got us into a dire position, but of having to proceed from where we are, not from where we would like to be. It isn’t possible to redeploy about 8% of the labour force from work that is funded by the taxpayer to work that is not funded by the taxpayer, except over a period of at least five years; so do you really want to just add all those millions, and some more, to the dole queue?