The ITV Leaders' Debate

[Anna B]

What would happen if say in years to come the country paid all its national debt off what would be our benefits?

 

First of all it is now actually impossible to pay off the debt, having doubled since the Tories came to power and now standing at £1.5 Trillion.

 

Secondly, I get fed up of hearing about the perils of 'leaving the debt to our children.' The baby boomer generation were left paying off the massive debt from the second world war. We continued to pay this debt to America until the middle of the beginning of this century, (l think it was about 2006ish)

 

It didn't do us any real harm and we haven't been plunged into austerity for the past 70 years because of it.

[Guest sibon]

What millionaires?

 

I don't think you understand what you are on about.

 

You first harped on about football directors, but many football staff are not employed by the club.

 

There are hundreds of agency firms in the UK, headed up by staff who actively go out and find work for people on their books. They are not millionaires, some work very long and hard hours for a modest yearly wage.

 

If someone is working at a football club for an agency, whilst maybe studying at the same time, then yes they should get working tax credit. There will come a time when they will leave their agency post and use their new qualification to earn a wage which does not require a working tax credit.

 

 

I understand a lot more than you. That has become clear during our last few exchanges.

 

Staff working for any institution deserve to be paid properly. Forget agencies, they deserve appropriate remuneration for the work that they do.

 

It is the Tory way to drive down wages, hide behind complex arrangements, protect the rich and sod the rest.

 

I think that many people understand that. It is one of the major reasons why they haven't won an election since 1992.

Edited April 3, 2015 by sibon

[go4it]

Staff working for any institution deserve to be paid properly. Forget agencies, they deserve appropriate remuneration for the work that they do.

 

You don't employ people though, you work for yourself.

 

Trying being the boss and making the numbers add up.

[Guest sibon]

You don't employ people though, you work for yourself.

 

Trying being the boss and making the numbers add up.

 

I am.

 

I do.

 

I don't want to also subsidise the lifestyle of others.

[go4it]

I am.

 

I do.

 

I don't want to also subsidise the lifestyle of others.

 

Trying running an agency where 100+ people are employed.

 

They are vital companies. Businesses and organisations just do not have the time or resources to manage things like cleaning on top of everyday business.

 

You may think a cleaner deserves £8-10 per hour, but that is what the agency charges the client. A profit has to be made, otherwise the agency would not exist.

 

The person who started the agency should be applauded - they are creating jobs, providing a service and getting paid for it. If they want to go on a nice holiday to celebrate then let them.

 

We are very bitter in this country towards anyone successful. You don't get a fantastic lifestyle without working hard.

[Guest sibon]

Trying running an agency where 100+ people are employed.

 

Why not do something useful instead?

 

The 100+ people would be employed anyway. Agencies are just another layer of cost. The bane of my life, actually, as I'm perfectly capable of recruiting my own staff.

 

 

 

We are very bitter in this country towards anyone successful. You don't get a fantastic lifestyle without working hard.

 

Unless you run an agency and make your money by selling people. That's not proper work.

[tzijlstra]

I watched it with waning interest. I thought it would be a lot more dynamic than it was and the whole thing felt horribly scripted throughout. Debate? What debate???

 

I felt Miliband came out of it dreadfully, the man doesn't just lack charisma, he also lacks public speaking ability. Anybody who wants him representing the country must be having delusional fits, I can't put it more politely really.

 

Nat Bennett came off second worst, failed to bring any concrete points forward, I am also wholy unsure what the Plaid Cymru and Sturgeon were doing there, seemed odd and artificial to me, I don't care what they have to say, they deal with another constituency.

 

Bu all in all, the overwhelming message was: We don't do debate, we do shallow electioneering lines..

[altus]

First of all it is now actually impossible to pay off the debt, having doubled since the Tories came to power and now standing at £1.5 Trillion.

 

Secondly, I get fed up of hearing about the perils of 'leaving the debt to our children.' The baby boomer generation were left paying off the massive debt from the second world war. We continued to pay this debt to America until the middle of the beginning of this century, (l think it was about 2006ish)

 

It didn't do us any real harm and we haven't been plunged into austerity for the past 70 years because of it.

 

It's more a case of what could we have done with the money we wouldn't have paid in interest on the national debt.

 

I don't think we need to pay it off with the urgency that the Tories seem to think we do but it would be good to reduce it. We could work on paying it off during boom times and not during bust times. In effect accepting less prosperity when things are good in exchange for less pain when things are bad.

[JFKvsNixon]

I watched it with waning interest. I thought it would be a lot more dynamic than it was and the whole thing felt horribly scripted throughout. Debate? What debate???

 

I felt Miliband came out of it dreadfully, the man doesn't just lack charisma, he also lacks public speaking ability. Anybody who wants him representing the country must be having delusional fits, I can't put it more politely really.

 

Nat Bennett came off second worst, failed to bring any concrete points forward, I am also wholy unsure what the Plaid Cymru and Sturgeon were doing there, seemed odd and artificial to me, I don't care what they have to say, they deal with another constituency.

 

Bu all in all, the overwhelming message was: We don't do debate, we do shallow electioneering lines..

 

If the predictions come true Sturgeon will be the leader of the third biggest party in Westminster after the election, and she will may well be the king maker by deciding who her party will back.

 

I agree about not being much debate, I think that there was too any people there. The debate should just be between the PM and the leader of the opposition, then they can have the freedom to debate subjects.

[go4it]

 

The 100+ people would be employed anyway. Agencies are just another layer of cost. The bane of my life, actually, as I'm perfectly capable of recruiting my own staff.

 

 

No they wouldn't, the agency has brought the work to them. They cannot get the job with the employer direct as the employer has decided to outsource to an agency. The employer does not want to employ direct.

 

Go and visit most office blocks / businesses etc and ask them who the cleaning staff are employed by.

 

Go to SUFC and SWFC and ask the bar staff who they work for.