We already know these figures, the numbers are in the papers almost every day.

I'm not subsidising any employer, they employ people on a salary, if governments choose to bump up this salary with "free" money then that's their shout and will be reflected in my thoughts come election day.

Why would employers take on more staff when there are people willing to work the extra for time and a half/double time?
The name "zero hour contracts" may not have existed but I bet the practice did, did bar staff in the local Lib/Lab/Con club have cast iron contracts guaranteeing work? How many shop assistants? I know when I worked in a bar, a long time ago, I didn't. I had 2 pencilled in shifts, Sunday 1There are also increasing numbers ( record numbers in fact) of over 65's still working. '"

Why are people fixated with retiring at an arbitray age - such as 65? If I live that long and am fit enough I'd like to work until at least 75. I'd be happy greeting people at B&Q or whatever. Why not?

Its what the opposition does, its what every opposition party does, there wouldn't be any point in an opposition party if all they did was agree with the government.

But heres the thing - they may object in parliament but it doesn't mean that they wouldn't have done exactly the same thing themselves in the same situation - thats the luxury of being in opposition, you can object and sneer at the governing party all you like and yet offer no alternative or solution or even offer some credible advice - its where the parliamentary party system fails.

Was accidentally reading Osbornes reaction to the bailing out of the banks in 2008, he criticised Darling and Brown for giving any assistance to any bank and blamed everything on Labours economic policies and their wasteful use of public money in those policies - as was his right - yet he offered no suggestion as to what he would have done, nor has he since, as is his right.

I'm expecting nothing, I'm just highlighting how the predictions have failed so miserably over several years and how revision follows revision just as Spring follows Winter...

There's a limit to the number of smilies permitted, so I'll stick with two

Yes you do seem to have a problem with it.
No I don't. I think their economies were affected by a Euro fiscal problem within the Eurozone that required billions of Euros to bail out some of their monetary partners. Fortunately we didn't have that problem as we stayed with the pound. There's a reason it was called a Eurozone crisis.

If you think it affected the UK that badly, how do you explain the fact that UK exports kept increasing during that period?
Not to mention why consumer confidence, business confidence etc would fall so quickly after the Coalition coming into power despite rising just before?

Firstly I am a Tory voter and I will always vote that way - damage limitation in my opinion. The idea that we are in recovery is just fantasy IMO. I do think there is the beginnings of a better feeling but it is the beginnings IMO and it will take several months.

I think your appraisal of a manufacturing supply chain is way off the mark for the majority of businesses. Supply chain planning is one of the most difficult jobs in any organisation and a challenge that even the best - Apple - have not mastered. Even simple supply chains are complex.

The idea that there is no case for labour flexibility - zero hour contracts are a no-no for me - because planning is so easy is so far from reality that it is obvious you know very little about supply chain and manufacturing.

Were we shipping stuff overseas for more money?
Still, i'm sure it's just another crazy, crazy coincidence that the general trend was for export increase despite the economic fall/collapse in the Eurozone like in the UK. It's almost like they're linked.
France
Italy

Not to mention why consumer confidence, business confidence etc would fall so quickly after the Coalition coming into power despite rising just before?'"

So yeah, in the "Real World" where only right wingers do any hard work?


And we've just had some very big downward revisions, not to mention the growth figures are still small, as welcome as they are. Business and consumer confidence were also strong just before the 2010 election. Government policies put paid to that.


That's it, just say it again and it might come true. Think happy thoughts and you might reach Neverland too.


Yes, we've seen what they left behind, an economy growing with virtually all economic indicators in a positive direction. The Chancellor that compared us to Greece and told us to follow Ireland's example and his government's policies turned that around.


Where have I been personal? He is quite clearly an additional account setup by someone already banned or who wants a different persona.
The only one getting personal on here is you with your rather silly attempts at pretending that only the right wingers have jobs.


One that doesn't destroy consumer and business confidence. One that used Britain's record low borrowing rates to invest and get people into work. Creating a virtuous cycle of employment and consumer spending. Pretty much the opposite to the Coalition policy.


Interesting which bits you omitted from there isn't it. Like the one in December 2009 where George Osborne thinks we're like Greece. Or the bit where it mentions the UK had emerged from recession, ie the economy was growing. The graphs prove any effects of the Eurozone were later than when the UK suffered its economic dip, unless somehow the UK was affected earlier than countries actually in the Eurozone.

You can continue to just keep saying "austerity is working" over and over again if you want. You started with that and seems like you're sticking to that tactic even after 19 pages. But it doesn't make it true, 3+ years of a flat economy (in real terms -3.3%) prove that it didn't work. As mentioned by others, if you wait long enough of course the economy will come back on its own, its what you do in the mean time that shows what kind of government you are. The fact is this government did little to nothing to help mitigate the effects of the crash and their policies on the people of this country and took the opportunity to defund public services whilst privatising others.
However the biggest criticism I reserve for this government (aside from the attacks on welfare & public services) is the shameful, disgraceful cut in investment. The last thing a weak economy needs is for government to cut back on investment and that's exactly what they did. Down to negative net figures.

Thanks for proving that exports increased, saved me a job.

Because they were coming from a low base and other markets were sought to export to.
All evidence to show UK exports weren't unduly affected by the Eurozone problems, as was claimed. Again, thanks for proving my point for me.

I wasn't asking about the UK, why were Eurozone exports up despite the Eurozone economic problems?

The only thing proved is the choppy economic conditions in the Eurozone, our largest trading partner, was mirrored over here. By the way, which of these coalition policies caused this choppiness?

The entire context of the discussion was around how the Eurozone problems had affected the UK economy. It was claimed exports had been hit by it. Obviously that isn't the case.
If you want to now change the entire discussion to be about the Eurozone then personally I'd say that deserves another thread.
Even so, the answer is still the same.