Keep a low profile if the Eurozone breaks up?

[woolybanana]

Perhaps it might be wise to keep a few kilos of rice under the bed for barter and not be seen driving round in the nice little Porsche that was paid for by the UK State when you retired from running the NHS, chaps. Remember you are a rich foreigner to the poor sod who has just lost her job at the local yoghurt works because the Germans won't buy the stuff any more.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8917077/Prepare-for-riots-in-euro-collapse-Foreign-Office-warns.html

[Bugsy]

We've been wondering for some time whether to open a Post Office account as La Poste does seem to be outside of the mad-loans to bankrupt countries club.

.

[Frederick]

Surely Wooly you are not suggesting the French whom we all get on so well with .Will be so small minded to think we Brits who are not in their Euro might be connected with their financial woes ?

[woolybanana]

Well, better that that blaming themselves.

[Gardian]

Only yesterday my neighbour was sorting through his money to give me a few €'s that he owed me. There wasn't enough, so he went for his fallback position - the old specs case!

I told him not to bother, because he keeps all sorts of rubbish in there, including francs. He proudly extracted a 20FF piece and kissed it - "You'll be back soon ma cherie".

I suggested that France could do worse than join the soon-to-be-formed SterlingZone. He declined, pointing out that the British were all traitors, just like that ******* General Nelson who had surrounded the poor outnumbered French in that sea battle.[8-)]

In the unlikely event of riots down here, we'd be quite safe. Not so any Parisians or Germans.[;-)] 

[NormanH]

Is this a ploy to divert attention from next Wednesday's fight for justice, and the appalling news coming out of the sadly mismanaged  UK economy?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8917161/OECD-figures-suggest-Britains-economy-will-slip-back-into-recession-at-the-start-of-next-year.html

The preliminary findings of the OECD, to be released on the eve of George

Osborne’s Autumn Statement, are said to have “sent a lightning bolt” through

the Treasury and Downing Street.

It was predictable and predicted. With Boy George and Camerwrong in charge you can't expect any thing else..

[Alan Zoff]

Bring back Callaghan and Healey!

[Chiefluwie]

Here is the link that works http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8917161/OECD-figures-suggest-Britains-economy-will-slip-back-into-recession-at-the-start-of-next-year.html

[quote user="NormanH"]Is this a ploy to divert attention from next Wednesday's fight for justice, and the appalling news coming out of the sadly mismanaged  UK economy?

It was predictable and predicted. With Boy George and Camerwrong in charge you can't expect any thing else..

[/quote]

That is not the way I read it Norman, perhaps you need to read it again right to the end!

[Richard51]

Sorry, can't keep out of this "discussion", even though can't get to the link.

I'm very unhappy to say that I'm retiring this year (i.e 3 weeks)  from the public sector and can say "I'm alright Jack! - as far as pensions are concerned anyway".

Given my obvious age I can remember the old adage - "if you can - do - otherwise teach!" I think that this was right  at the time but times do change and its not now appropriate. Teaching is now a sought after profession and well rewarded in comparison to equivalent professions/levels in the private sector. This was not the case when the adage was first used but certainly is now.

Norman - I think that you are really venting your feeling for the lower paid in the public service. I would think that the higher paid in the public sector, at the level of teachers and above, haven't a leg to stand on now in terms of comparison with the private sector. However, I think the same argument now applies to the lower paid. Even the lower paid are better off than the equivalent private sector employees - for example care assistants in the NHS are infinitely better off than those in the private sector who are on zero hours contracts and at the whim of the care home "managers". Keeping excessively higher rewards for public sector employees is not acceptable - in my opinion. This applies throughout the whole spectrum of  work types.

I base my comments on personal experience at the "higher" end, but with observations with colleagues, who are colleagues, at the "lower" end.  I'm not particularly having a go at the teaching profession - I was one once!

In conclusion - this strike on Wednesday is totally indefensible and unacceptable and should be seen for what its worth - keeping highly paid union officials in a job!!.

Mr R51

[woolybanana]

Thank you R51, honestly at last.

 

[blondie]

We hav'nt got a huge ammount of money to lose but would rather hang on to what we do have and our home. Hopefully.

[just john]

[quote user="Richard51"]   this strike on Wednesday is totally indefensible and unacceptable and should be seen for what its worth - keeping highly paid union officials in a job!!.

Mr R51 [/quote]

The voice of reason at last devoid of media spin, and dare I say perhaps the view of the silent majority  . . .

[NormanH]

[quote user="just john "]

[quote user="Richard51"]   this strike on Wednesday is totally indefensible and unacceptable and should be seen for what its worth - keeping highly paid union officials in a job!!.

Mr R51 [/quote]

The voice of reason at last devoid of media spin, and dare I say perhaps the view of the silent majority  . . .

[/quote]

That means that you agree with it. That makes it a majority of one.

[:D]

[woolybanana]

The silent majority who did not support this strike by not taking part in the ballot![:P]

[just john]

[quote user="NormanH"][quote user="just john "] [quote user="Richard51"]   this strike on Wednesday is totally indefensible and unacceptable and should be seen for what its worth - keeping highly paid union officials in a job!!. Mr R51 [/quote]

The voice of reason at last devoid of media spin, and dare I say perhaps the view of the silent majority  . . .

[/quote]
That means that you agree with it. That makes it a majority of one.
[:D]
[/quote]

Normy, aside from who is expected to pay for what is not in the pot, seen this?  .independent. opinion -daily-cartoon-

[Edward Trunk]

Let me see. Gordon Brown's government had to borrow vast sums to recapitalise the banks (at their urgent request). They had got themselves into this state by improvident lending, motivated by vast greed. The present government refuses to force reform on the banks, and refuses to do anything about the gross disparities in income between the highest and lowest paid. Meanwhile, ordinary people are seeing their public services slashed, and their spending power eroded by an inflation rate of 5%. Many of them are losing their jobs, and are seeing their homes repossessed. The British people, who ought to be stringing up bankers on lamp-posts, are instead striking for one day. For this they are called greedy, irresponsible, feckless, etc etc, by those who claim to know the views of the "silent majority." Where is Oliver Cromwell when you need him? He would have sorted the bankers out.

[NormanH]

Sanity at last Edward.

Perhaps it is the air in l'Hérault?

[Russethouse]

Even the lower paid are better off than the equivalent private sector employees - for example care assistants in the NHS are infinitely better off than those in the private sector who are on zero hours contracts and at the whim of the care home "managers".

Quite right - my mother relies totally on agency carers, two half hour calls and two 15 minute calls a day, for a 15 minute call they get the princely sum of £2, which means even if they could do 3 calls in an hour they would still be below minimum wage, take into account the mileage they have to do and traffic and its virtually impossible. Neither do they get the amount of petrol allowance they should and have to claim the balance back from the IR at the end of the year.

Changes in the contracts by local authorities means that they are never secure and they can lose clients through no fault of their own.....(my mother is a private funder but not everyone is)

Edward - the banks were bailed out to save the money of ordinary people, probably including those going on strike ! 

[Pickles]

[quote user="Russethouse"]Edward - the banks were bailed out to save the money of ordinary people, probably including those going on strike ! [/quote]

It would probably have been cheaper to let the banks default, and to reimburse those with lost savings directly from the Treasury. At least the Co-op and Nationwide would still be around.

Regards

Pickles

[Russethouse]

I've discussed this with my accountant before, her theory is that the government couldn't afford it !

[woolybanana]

The money involved in saving the banks is peanuts compared to the unimaginable sums being spent on bloated and sick state in its various forms. How many billion wasted in defence contracts, NHS layers and layers of management and salaries, gold plated pensions for the entire state apparatus, including MPs, contributions to Europe, an utterly discredited benefits system......?

Screwing the bankers is fine and I would alaways agree with fair taxation for all, but the idea that huge swathes of the population should think it is their right to live off the back of the taxpayer is no longer acceptable; by all means help those in need. And let government in all its forms remember that taxation and spending are not a right but a privilege - which has been abused for far too long.

[pachapapa]

Having read the thread and the unison explanatory link; the strike looks perfectly justified.

http://unisonnorthumberland.org.uk/pensions_faq.pdf

[breizh]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

The money involved in saving the banks is peanuts compared to the unimaginable sums being spent on bloated and sick state in its various forms. How many billion wasted in defence contracts, NHS layers and layers of management and salaries, gold plated pensions for the entire state apparatus, including MPs, contributions to Europe, an utterly discredited benefits system......?

Screwing the bankers is fine and I would alaways agree with fair taxation for all, but the idea that huge swathes of the population should think it is their right to live off the back of the taxpayer is no longer acceptable; by all means help those in need. And let government in all its forms remember that taxation and spending are not a right but a privilege - which has been abused for far too long.

[/quote] WOW, and you live in France!

[just john]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

The money involved in saving the banks is peanuts compared to the unimaginable sums being spent on bloated and sick state in its various forms. How many billion wasted in defence contracts, NHS layers and layers of management and salaries, gold plated pensions for the entire state apparatus, including MPs, contributions to Europe, an utterly discredited benefits system......?

Screwing the bankers is fine and I would alaways agree with fair taxation for all, but the idea that huge swathes of the population should think it is their right to live off the back of the taxpayer is no longer acceptable; by all means help those in need. And let government in all its forms remember that taxation and spending are not a right but a privilege - which has been abused for far too long.

[/quote]

You took the words out of my mouth Wools, do people think that the Govt have a secret stash!, or even that the whole crisis was caused by a few fat bankers (lending to people who didn't pay them back)? don't mention  iceland-won-t-pay-for-british-dutch-deposits.
When did these same people buy a kettle made in Europe or any electrical goods?  .channel4 /made-in-britain-products.
I thought the French were Nationalists but out of 4 french neighbours there isn't a french car, but a BMW, Mercedes, a Seat and unbelieveably now a new Kia, (doesn't seem too bad actually[:(]), but where does he think his money is going?. 
Do people expect to lower their expectations or that governments go borrowing?
I used to think it was funny when the Georges mentioned the Economy !

[Frederick]

This lifted from the  "Armagedon  " atricle on the other post

 

An early objective for government
should be to put an end to the state of
national denial over the true condition
of the economy, and to undercut
the delusory sense of individual and
collective ‘entitlement’ that was
fostered in the Labour years. Britain
has no automatic entitlement to high
living standards or a welfare state.
Rather, these benefits have to be
earned, not borrowed.

And how are the government going to get that message over to those dependent on the state for their wages or benefits    And how will they get change implemented peacefully if financial turmoil results in wage and benefits reduction