If the Conservatives win the election how high will unemployment rise?

[Bedders]

You seem to have a bit of a chip on your shoulder regarding people's pension schemes? Just because you obviously are not in a good one it seems you would take great delight in seeing this benefit, won by the Labour movement, taken away.

Instead of directing your ire at working people why don't you have a go at the

tax avoidance schemes exploited by the Tories backers like Ashcroft and co.

 

It's just a pity that Labour don't want to compensate those ripped off by the Equitable Life scandal when the regulator failed to do it's job correctly!!!

 

Quote:-In July 2008, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman completed a 4 year investigation, described by Equitable's chief executive as the "best chance of compensation". Her 2,819-page report accused the regulators, i.e. the DTI, GAD, and FSA of "comprehensive failure", found the Government guilty of ten counts of maladminstration and called for a compensation scheme "to put those people who have suffered a relative loss back into the position that they would have been in, had maladministration not occurred". Equitable’s chairman estimated that 30,000 policy holders had already died without compensation.[3] In December, the European Parliament issued a press release describing the regulatory failure as an outrage

 

 

Off topic I know but yet more inept public servants....I just keep wondering why smarmy Dave keeps on about eliminating waste?

[wednesday1]

I'm not saying that everything Labour has done is right, but overall I think that they have been a force for good.

We'll find out how good Labour have been soon when Smarmy Dave's got his mit's on the levers!

I always think it's funny when working class people start shilling for the Tories, If you're a good boy they may let you be a beater at the next grouse shoot or a doorman at the huntball!

[Anna B]

However many end up unemployed, I hope people and the media will stop treating them as scroungers and criminals.

It's bad enough having no job without the added stress of being regarded as scum by certain types.

Remember - it could be you tomorrow...

[Anna Glypta]

I'm not saying that everything Labour has done is right, but overall I think that they have been a force for good.

We'll find out how good Labour have been soon when Smarmy Dave's got his mit's on the levers!

I always think it's funny when working class people start shilling for the Tories, If you're a good boy they may let you be a beater at the next grouse shoot or a doorman at the huntball!

 

Sadly much of the increased tax and cuts have already been passed by Alistair Darling in his budgets, but will only be implemented AFTER the election. So public sector jobs cuts, cuts in services and tax increases are certainly coming because the current Labour Government have already introduced them. Did you overlook that fact?

[wednesday1]

Sadly much of the increased tax and cuts have already been passed by Alistair Darling in his budgets, but will only be implemented AFTER the election. So public sector jobs cuts, cuts in services and tax increases are certainly coming because the current Labour Government have already introduced them. Did you overlook that fact?

 

No I didn't everyone knows that there will be spendng cuts to come irrespective of who get's in. It's who you trust to make those cuts the most painless for those who have the least that is the most important issue and to do it in a manner which will not tip the economy back into recession.

 

And the Tories don't have a very good record in this department, remember last time?

[Rupert_Baehr]

...

Unemployment in UK is lower than most of our European competitors. ...

 

You don't actually believe that, do you?

 

According to the government, unemployment is just below 8%.

 

If that figure is correct, then those who are in the workforce and who are not unemployed should comprise the other 92%, shouldn't they?

 

But according to government figures (the same government which claims that fewer than 8% of the population is unemployed) only 72% of the work force is employed (and that includes people with a 6-hour per week part-time job; they're classed as 'employed'.)

 

8% unemployed, 72% employed and 20% we'd rather not talk about because we don't want people to know just how grim the unemployment situation really is.

[Grandad.Malky]

Those comfy coppers pay a third of their salary into their gold plated pensions for 30 years. ?

 

A third of their salary I find that hard to believe

 

 

You contribute 11% of pay (less 1p a week), unless you are ineligible for an ill-health pension, in which case you pay 7.5%.

 

http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/human-resources/police-pensions/1987-pension/membership/

[Berberis]

A third of their salary I find that hard to believe

 

 

 

 

http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/human-resources/police-pensions/1987-pension/membership/

 

Isn't that the new scheme post 2006? I doubt many on the new scheme have retired just yet.

[Tony]

Whatever the rate it doesn't matter. They pay in a large chunk of their earnings in return for serving us. Of all the public servants the police and armed forces are the last that we should criticise for their pension.

 

But on the main point, it's interesting to note that the annual UK police budget (not inc pensions) is £6bn pa - about the same as the annual spend on 'social development' by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

 

This budgeting malarkey isn't so straight forward is it?

[wednesday1]

Isn't that the new scheme post 2006? I doubt many on the new scheme have retired just yet.

 

 

Wait 'till they see Dave's scheme!