Not long now?

[AMGeed]

I write about his abilities as Chancellor only,

Ah yes, he gave away the bulk of our gold reserves for peanuts and stole pensioners money by axeing tax relief pension funds earned on dividends from stock market investment.
He was a great Chancellor

 

[Craiglxviii]

The gold thing has been a bit overplayed- the loss was around d £100 million. A lot but not multiple billions as would have made a massive difference at the time. The issue is more how it was handled at the time (poorly). It's interesting that the Treasury then considered the reduced profit a good trade off to the then- perceived divested risk of holding onto the gold. Of course they're not laughing now...

He happened to be in the right place at the right time, and not screw up too badly at that time, too often. In his defence that's more than can be said for many other politicians. Does it make him a good one...? Er... no.

 

[Xtractorfan]

Ah yes, he gave away the bulk of our gold reserves for peanuts and stole pensioners money by axeing tax relief pension funds earned on dividends from stock market investment.
He was a great Chancellor

If this was proper mistake then why hasn't it been reversed by the Tories who now have been in power since 2010
Possibly because it has been extremely lucrative and one of the highest yielding tax takes of any chancellor.
As for the Gold sell off it hasn't harmed the Brit economy in any way.
As for sell offs it was Thatcher who sold off the Country's assets to her well heeled friends..

 

[AMGeed]

The gold thing has been a bit overplayed- the loss was around d £100 million. A lot but not multiple billions as would have made a massive difference at the time.

I think you'll find the 60% Brown sold at the lowest gold price in 20 years yielded around $3.5billion. It later rose to a price that would have yielded $19.6 billion.
What was worse was the fact Brown actually advertised the fact he was selling, by auction, which drove the prices even lower.

 

[AMGeed]

If this was proper mistake then why hasn't it been reversed by the Tories who now have been in power since 2010
Possibly because it has been extremely lucrative and one of the highest yielding tax takes of any chancellor.
.

I too can guess its a big money spinner and why its not been reversed.
All I do know is that many of my work colleagues lost a fortune through that one decision. It matters not whether it was a Labour or Tory Chancellor at the time. It was done and it was robbery.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...sion-tax-raid-and-others-since-Seventies.html

 

[Craiglxviii]

I think you'll find the 60% Brown sold at the lowest gold price in 20 years yielded around $3.5billion. It later rose to a price that would have yielded $19.6 billion.
What was worse was the fact Brown actually advertised the fact he was selling, by auction, which drove the prices even lower.

Yes I know that. I'm talking about the loss made in gold prices at the time, that is between what gold was fetching on the open market before the auctions were announced to what they actually sold the stock for during the auction. The estimate of loss varies but is between £100-118m.

If the gold had been kept for another decade then yes the loss is multi-billions, I know. But remember why it was they decided to sell at the time, to divest risk into foreign hard currency reserves, which was seen as much less risky. And at the time, the result of the sale was such that the Treasury considered it a good result. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Not that I'm defending the sale, I think it was a crude instrument to effect risk reduction, very short-sighted and it was chronically badly handled by (Brown's) department (under his very strict control). Far better choices could have been made given the state of knowledge at the time. What I'm saying is that for the effect it had on the country at the time- and for that matter, the effect it has had now- it's a fair bit less than the typical opinion likes to make out.

 

[Xtractorfan]

I too can guess its a big money spinner and why its not been reversed.
All I do know is that many of my work colleagues lost a fortune through that one decision. It matters not whether it was a Labour or Tory Chancellor at the time. It was done and it was robbery.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...sion-tax-raid-and-others-since-Seventies.html

How does that article fare with your workmates who lost fortunes
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/03/01/tory-benefit-cuts-will-le_n_9358394.html

 

[JBell]

How does that article fare with your workmates who lost fortunes
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/03/01/tory-benefit-cuts-will-le_n_9358394.html

Every article states what has been taken away, not what had been given back

For example as from April you will only pay income tax on money earned over £11,500, when Labour were thrown out it was £6,500 so you pay £1000 a year less income tax.

One of the statements by Osbourne and Cameron was "Why not have it in your pay than have to pay it then claim it back". The idea was to simplify the system but people only report on the negative

 

[Xtractorfan]

Every article states what has been taken away, not what had been given back

For example as from April you will only pay income tax on money earned over £11,500, when Labour were thrown out it was £6,500 so you pay £1000 a year less income tax.

One of the statements by Osbourne and Cameron was "Why not have it in your pay than have to pay it then claim it back". The idea was to simplify the system but people only report on the negative

Any statement by Osborne or Cameron was made to placate the Tories and the blue rinse brigade who voted for them. Just like the 'millions' of jobs the Tory government created since they came to power.
Its ok having a higher income threshold for paying tax, if that threshold isn't removed somewhere else.
The Tories never give anything away to the lesser paid workers. They believe that paying those at the bottom of the ladder more only incenses them to want greater things. So pay less and keep them there.
They also believe that a starving individual will strive more to achieve success, so therefore keep him starving until he realises that he has to perform.
This is where substance abuse, prostitution and stealing becomes a way of life.

 

[Frontstep]

Blimey having been at the bottom end income wise and now well not is sufficient for the purpose,

Substance abuse, stealing and prostitution never crossed my mind as a cop out.

Thankfully so many of us chose to work.

 

[JBell]

Just like the 'millions' of jobs the Tory government created since they came to power.

Getting your parties confused there!!!!!

They also believe that a starving individual will strive more to achieve success, so therefore keep him starving until he realises that he has to perform.

Better than just giving it to them creating a society based on entitlement.

This is where substance abuse, prostitution and stealing becomes a way of life.

WOW!!!!!!!

 

[Craiglxviii]

Getting your parties confused there!!!!!



Better than just giving it to them creating a society based on entitlement.



WOW!!!!!!!

I don't know what you could possibly have taken exception to there Jon?

 

[JBell]

I don't know what you could possibly have taken exception to there Jon?

Socialism

 

[Xtractorfan]

If you cannot find a good argument to fit with your views then just turn it around to suit them..brill.
See if you can find some to counter these, I know its the Daily Mirror, but its all there.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/10-big-policy-promises-broken-6965585

 

[JBell]

If you cannot find a good argument to fit with your views then just turn it around to suit them..brill.
See if you can find some to counter these, I know its the Daily Mirror, but its all there.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/10-big-policy-promises-broken-6965585

You can accuse any government of breaking pledges, they all do

 

[davemercedes]

You can accuse any government of breaking pledges, they all do

But we can vote out MPs... Although we can't usuall vote to reverse what they did. *

Will we ever get the chance to vote out the bankers who brought uk to its knees? No, didn't think so - they're probably all going to be on the honours list etc soon!

* I see on the Beeb that Hammond has that to climb down regarding his raid on White Van Man so something stupid' seen reversed!

 

[Craiglxviii]

But we can vote out MPs... Although we can't usuall vote to reverse what they did. *

Will we ever get the chance to vote out the bankers who brought uk to its knees? No, didn't think so - they're probably all going to be on the honours list etc soon!

* I see on the Beeb that Hammond has that to climb down regarding his raid on White Van Man so something stupid' seen reversed!

Now that last is a good thing.

 

[JBell]

* I see on the Beeb that Hammond has that to climb down regarding his raid on White Van Man so something stupid' seen reversed!

So what is he going to do about Osbourns pledge to get rid of Class 2 NI?

 

[davemercedes]

So what is he going to do about Osbourns pledge to get rid of Class 2 NI?

Not a lot... But I think he shot himself in the foot anyway and it will help those who want to gang up and see the back of him.

 

[Xtractorfan]

If they cant get a simple thing like keeping an election pledge.. which Cameron broke quite a few..but he doesn't like other people breaking ones he made... then what chance we will get the full story of how brexit will be handled.