Labour predicted to win Stafford in May 2015 General Election by .03% Majority

[andy w]

Ehem..

Raising the retirement age to 70 does not in any way help the financial imbalance we need to address now

The tax we pay today only funds ( or rather fails to fund ) the pension costs of pensioners right now

The money you, I, or anyone pays into the tax system does not get put aside for your, mine or anyone else's pension

The UK needs a whole lot more young people, in work, paying tax - Fact

But don't young people grow old, have children that need educating, need health services and then become pensioners themselves?
My worry is that growing the population to solve our problems is a kind of Ponzi scheme especially when we have seen successive governments not ensuring that enough housing and public services have been provided for the growth in population that we have seen over the past 20 years and having no confidence in them to do so over the next 10 or 20 years. It's all very well aspiring to have an economy as big as Germany but not at the price of ending up with a population above 80 million.
That said, there is strong reasons to have immigration to rebalance the demographics of the UK and to meet the skills shortage, but that should be achieved by having a controlled immigration policy that allows just that and not the free for all we have at present.

 

[John Marwood]

But don't young people grow old, have children that need educating, need health services and then become pensioners themselves?
My worry is that growing the population to solve our problems is a kind of Ponzi scheme especially when we have seen successive governments not ensuring that enough housing and public services have been provided for the growth in population that we have seen over the past 20 years and having no confidence in them to do so over the next 10 or 20 years. It's all very well aspiring to have an economy as big as Germany but not at the price of ending up with a population above 80 million.
That said, there is strong reasons to have immigration to rebalance the demographics of the UK and to meet the skills shortage, but that should be achieved by having a controlled immigration policy that allows just that and not the free for all we have at present.

In essence, we need to import youth, and the imported youth need to work, pay taxes, and breed, all at the same time

Jazz Club


It is also less about overpopulation - more about not relying on importing almost all our food and resources

It is also about embracing new technologies being more efficient and increasing productivity . This all needs investment.

And there comes a point in economics when the cuts must stop and the investment must start in infrastructure, technology and training. On a grand scale.

The UK pays a low rate of interest on its debt purely for one reason. That reason is the people loaning the UK all its money to balance the books see the UK as having the same or greater value than the debt itself. The interest rate on the debt will increase if they do not see good progess in the state of the UK

With an owl

 

[John Marwood]

But don't young people grow old, have children that need educating, need health services and then become pensioners themselves?
My worry is that growing the population to solve our problems is a kind of Ponzi scheme especially when we have seen successive governments not ensuring that enough housing and public services have been provided for the growth in population that we have seen over the past 20 years and having no confidence in them to do so over the next 10 or 20 years. It's all very well aspiring to have an economy as big as Germany but not at the price of ending up with a population above 80 million.
That said, there is strong reasons to have immigration to rebalance the demographics of the UK and to meet the skills shortage, but that should be achieved by having a controlled immigration policy that allows just that and not the free for all we have at present.

Only about 10% of Britain is urban

And only half of that is built on

So only 2.27% of the country contains buildings

Source: Thousand Island

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/28_06_12_uk_national_ecosystem.pdf

 

[Kickstart]

I agree with what you are saying, when do you say enough is enough because things can't carry on the way they are before something has to give.

Population wise I think we passed the point where it started impacting life half a century or more ago. Although it is very regional. Staffordshire is (to me) at about the limit of what I would consider an acceptable population density, possibly a bit beyond it. London and the south east is just an over populated hell hole.

As a country the population density most live under is disguised by large remote areas with tiny populations; Wales, Scotland, Lake District, etc.

It is true we have an ageing population (and people living longer is a very major cause of increased population - while there is a lot of immigration there is also a lot of emmigration), but trying to get more young people to support that is madness. When you are in a hole, stop digging.

As to the election, to a large extent to me the best possible outcome is a hung parliament. Stops them doing too much damage.

All the best

K

 

[Gramaisc]

Well I remember back in the late 80's the consensus was that the population had peaked and that lower birth rate was going to see a population decrease.
Why has the birth rate gone up during the past 25 years?

It's OK, the death rate is due to start going up now - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-32349490 - and funeral prices.

 

[Roland]

As to the election, to a large extent to me the best possible outcome is a hung parliament. Stops them doing too much damage.

All the best

K

Hung parliament sounds good to me, I will supply the rope!

 

[Gramaisc]

After their 2010 election, it took Belgium fifteen months to sort out a hung parliament - didn't seem to do them any harm.

http://www.rttnews.com/1714547/deadlock-broken-in-belgian-government-formation-talks.aspx

 

[andy w]

It's OK, the death rate is due to start going up now - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-32349490 - and funeral prices.

Seems to be the business to be in.
People should be aware of how expensive funerals have become. Over £4,000 for my Mother's funeral
last year.

 

[Floss]

UKIP main manifesto launched today

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/15/ukip-manifesto-2015-the-key-points

 

[John Marwood]

George Osborne refuses to answer how Tories will fund £8bn NHS pledge 15 times in excruciating interview on The Andrew Marr Show



http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...me-from-if-tories-are-reelected-10170622.html

 

[tek-monkey]

If a politician won't even attempt to lie you know what he has planned is much worse than you imagined.

 

[proactive]

George Osborne, a liar? Who'd have thought it...

 

[tek-monkey]

Politician, kinda expected. Find me a completely honest one that really has the peoples best interests at heart and I'll probably have to get you committed. Although st George's is pretty much closed so you'd get a lack of care in the community instead.

 

[Noah]

Seems to be the business to be in.
People should be aware of how expensive funerals have become. Over £4,000 for my Mother's funeral
last year.

Try a green/diy funeral.

http://www.anbg.co.uk/

http://www.goodfuneralguide.co.uk/

 

[Trumpet]

Kill the old? Logans run kinda style.

Feed the unemployable to the homeless.
Soylent Green style.

 

[United57]

Is it just me or are the Tories suddenly a retro party. Selling us something we own lloyds bank similar to Sid. Selling off homes that don't belong to them. Who said Thatcherism is dead. Let's improve zero hour contracts make them cuddly.

 

[John Marwood]

Is it just me or are the Tories suddenly a retro party. Selling us something we own lloyds bank similar to Sid. Selling off homes that don't belong to them. Who said Thatcherism is dead. Let's improve zero hour contracts make them cuddly.

Its you

Plan B is in full swing

Everyone in Britain will win all of those prizes on The Gadget Show every week , everyone

On a Tuesday the hot tap in your kitchen will run red wine , the cold white. On Fridays bitter and lager

All pensioners vote, the under 30's think they are invincible , it's targeted marketing

With an owl

 

[tek-monkey]

I want an owl!

 

[andy w]

British Owls for British People!

 

[tek-monkey]

Can we vote for an owl? I think an owl in number 10 would be great.