Thursday 30 December 2010

ROLL ON SPRINGTIME, FOR MORE REASONS THAN ONE


Prime Ministers and First Ministers always think of the glory (and attendant boost in popularity) when they manage to arrange or win a big event for their country. The Olympics and the Commonwealth Games are two obvious examples. They seem to draw the country together and push out the collective chest of England or Scotland. Ironically, even the loss of an event can foster patriotic feelings as happened in England when, despite Cameron’s shuttle diplomacy, England not only lost out, but did so in a spectacular style. Everyone from HRH William down to Bert in the pub was drawn together in collective hatred of FIFA whom, they all agreed were even more corrupt than the House of Lords!

Of course, once you have these things in place, you have to deliver. And there comes the payback. Costs rise 3 or 4 fold, security costs are probably double the cost of the event (although, conveniently, no one is allowed to know what we spend on security). Bit by bit the dirty deals become public and that transient popularity disappears like “sna affun a dyke”. You can be held to ransom by all manner of folks. Railway lines unfinished a week before the Queen is due to ride on the tracks to open the great event, are an embarrassment, and who knows what was paid to the people who had to get the Dome open on time.

So a few weeks ago Camerclegg was over the moon about the marriage of the Willie and Katie, which will doubtless cost enough to keep a hospital open for a year. The nation would be rejoicing; he promised us a holiday, although he quickly admitted it was the Queen who should pronounce on that, only to find out that it was in fact parliaments in all four countries which had to pronounce in it. He even appeared to have persuaded them to marry around the time of the General Elections in the Celtic countries and local elections in England, hopefully reducing the amount of coverage that these will get, and fostering a sense of joy and wellbeing.

If the individuals in the nation did not actually rejoice, as least the media rejoiced for them. The naysayers like me asked who would pay, and the answers came back that the Middletons and the Windsors would foot the bill (but not the security bill which will be in the hundreds of millions if not billions).

But now, of course, comes the downside. At a TUC meeting next month union bosses will make plans to take industrial action in protest at spending cuts between Easter, April 22 – 25, the royal wedding April 29 and the May Day bank holiday on May 2. A union spokesman said that the royal wedding would neither be targeted nor avoided. But we all know that it is the perfect time to cause disruption.

When the eyes of the world are upon England and London, with hundreds of thousands of tourists and more VIPs than you can shake a stick at, nothing will work! It’s a gift from the gods to unions.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “This could well be the year that the country starts to say ‘No’ to Government in a way that they have not since middle Britain made a previous Conservative government abolish the poll tax.”

Whatever is coming in 2011, it will be a bumpy ride for the government of Davnik Cleggeron!


Pics: (1) The Happy Couple; (2) Brendan Barber, TUC; (3) Most people who protest are not militant; (4) Scene from the poll tax riots of March 1990s, the beginning of the end for Mrs T!!

31 comments:

  1. "TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “This could well be the year that the country starts to say ‘No’ to Government"

    I wish we'd said no to the last Government let alone this one.

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  2. tris

    my belief is the real tipping point for Camerons scum party will be when the Mortgage interest rate start to rise then Mr and Mrs we dont give a toss about anyone else.........will feel the pinch(Ouch that hurt) like the rest of society only their anger will be much more fierce more greek or frenchy style....

    one % on the mortgage will be a lot higher to pay then any VAT rise and more painful too seeing as lots have got used to very low interest rates.

    You will hear Toryshire squealing like stuck pigs then oh yes!

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  3. Yes OR. I wish they had too. We need a better balance in political life.

    The TUC should have got rid of Brown, even if the wimps in his own party were too scared to do it.

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  4. Niko:

    There's no doubt that there are many people, who, as Mr Young said, have had a good recession. Mortgage rates incredibly low, prices in shops being pulled down by special offers, etc.

    If you were in a stable job, it was good. But now prices are going to take off, intrest rates will rise and a shed load of people will find themselves homeless.

    Add that to civil strife from students and the TUC joined togetehr, and Cameron will need his water canon.

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  5. The recession would have been good for anyone who had a stable job and had a mortgage to pay, as Tris said - for this type of person, the historically low interest rates meant they could pay more of their mortage off, faster and quicker.

    Additionally, anyone in the manufacturing export market will love the weak pound, actually growing that sector is --- so stop Niko being so black and white about everything.

    And, if all you can say is silly stuff like "scum party" this makes me question your claims to be an adult. How was school Niko? You passing your highers alright?

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  6. LOL Dean. There's no point in having a go at Niko. He's impervious to all criticism....

    No matter what the situation, there are always some who will gain. There will even be winners somewhere when people start to lose their homes.

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  7. Shhhhhhh Niko. He and Niko are very close!

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  8. Deano

    never said i was an adult don't wanna be one who does??

    'they could pay more of their mortage off, faster and quicker.'

    you for real deano i mean really just what you do...

    Deano! This is the UK 2010 not the mythical 1950s in which people were thrifty and frugal nah now we spend spend then borrow and spend some more.
    and as we whiz around this mad hurdy gurdy nobody wants it to stop and no one is prepared to get off........

    here by the way what about Osbornes half a million quid interest only mortgage and he claims the child benefit as well......Blimey oh riley lead by example or what???

    anyway Happy new year

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  9. Niko,

    It has nothing to do with the 1950s, it is all about trying to use economic circumstances (usually beyond ones control) to ones advantage. For example, I know someone who has increased their mortage payments rate, as soon as Quantative Easing Mark I was announced by Gordo Broon (you know, the man who screwed up the economy and calls his supporters bigots) - he has managed to take 3 years of his mortage.

    That isn't anything to do with the 1950s, it is common sense. And that man I mention is a normal bloke, so its a feel good story, hope springing out of the ash of zanulabours recession inflicted on Scotland.

    As for Osborne, once again I shall say this to you - where he comes from doesn't interest me, it is what he is able to contribute that matters.

    Happy new year too btw, and to all.

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  10. Tris,

    Yep, impervious to every and all attempts at reason!

    I agree, recessions can actually aid and help longer term growth by weeding out les well performing firms, improving productivity, and reducing the presence of overmanning in some industries. The human tragedy aside, recessions can be needed, black wednesday for example did much to create the right conditions for the long period of economic growth that zanuLabour wasted.

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  11. ch

    here you are CH


    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WR2V_GVka_M/TRzrgJ9kyII/AAAAAAAABfw/xwX4f7eq5PQ/s320/movie_of_the_weak_fudd.jpg

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  12. DDeano


    aint that Schumpeter ??

    so a mass murderer comes into your house and says

    'i am your new doctor' and you says 'Thats all right'

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  13. Ye gads... you'd think British Airways would try a bit harder not to lose HIS luggage, CH... unless of course it was a disgruntled Labour supporter what done it... on purpose?

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  14. Well, I'm not quite sure I said that Dean... but some people do very well while the recession is on as companies have to compete even harder for custom.

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  15. Good cartoon Niko...

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  16. tris

    deano is not quiet right in the head all that shite about recession being good bit like cutting the grass to encourage new growth.

    all those people familys children some starting their working life some having an abrupt end.
    losing jobs house homes communities smashed
    people living day after day with no hope and no end in sight....

    and he thinks it's all worth it in the end and he thinks I'm nuts well maybe I am but one thing i aint and thats a conservative.

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  17. Our oil was their collateral CH... ?

    Lying swine.

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  18. CH

    Your on a loser there you(and many nats) forget we have listened to Alex Salmond..........Nuff Said

    anyway

    night night..............kerry katona is getting on me tits so i am clearing off out for beer

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  19. No I didn't say that Niko. I said that it was good for some people whose incomes haven't fallen and whose jobs are secure, whose mortgage payments are down and who can take advantage of all the offers in the shops designed for those who have lost their income, or had it reduced.

    It's a good recession for Alex Salmond, Iain Gray, Annabel Goldie, Jacquie Bird, Brian Taylor: No loss of income, but cheaper prices.

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  20. Night Niko... Don't get drunk and have Mrs M waiting at the door with a rolling pin so near to the New Year... :)

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  21. "Your on a loser there you(and many nats) forget we have listened to Alex Salmond..........Nuff Said"

    Please explain your analysis or is it another of GB's 'Boom and Bust banishment' press releases?

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  22. Niko,

    I never said recessions mean its all good in the end, I merely point out (factually accurate) examples of area-specifics which benefit from recessions. Ergo my emphasis on manufacturing exporting, which DOES benefit from recessions when currencies lose some of their value (makes them more competitive with foreign domestic brands)

    More so, middle earners can benefit from lower interest, as they can repay mortages faster for the duration of the lower rates.

    These aren't true for everybody, and of course every unemployement is a tragedy.

    Simples.

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  23. Bless him... I don't think he's got a goat.

    I was wondering though after the patroizing crap that bloke wrote about Arabs if he had heard of Crufts, or cat shows, horse shows....

    Absolutely nothing weird about dressing poodles up in bows and ribbons....and back combing dogs' hair... nah!

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  24. I hope their wedding is targeted in spectactular fashion, and anyone using some emotional argument that it's their special day can fuck off, because thousands of news cameras and press coverage makes it a lot less special than any amount of activists.

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  25. True Laz. It’s not a romantic wedding; they could do that somewhere else with just a few friends. It's being part funded by us as a state event and as such is a legit target for demonstrations, or strikes.

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  26. LOL CH... from the Guardian too!

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