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Tony Blair

(282 Posts)
Luckygirl Fri 17-Feb-17 22:36:06

Oh no! - he's back! I cannot bear his self-satisfied voice!

It does not matter what he says; he just gives me the creeps.

I doubt he gives a fig for what I think though grin

Jalima Mon 20-Feb-17 19:05:37

A legend:
a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated.
so he didn't state that St George (born in Turkey) slaying the dragon was a fact

durhamjen Mon 20-Feb-17 18:59:20

But it doesn't say that some would argue that St George slayed a dragon to protect England. He didn't.

daphnedill Mon 20-Feb-17 18:55:36

There's a weasel phrase in the George and the dragon quote: "some will argue". In other words, he doesn't believe it himself, but it created the impression that he did. Even in 1997, there were Euro-sceptics in the Labour Party and he was trying to appease them.

durhamjen Mon 20-Feb-17 18:08:00

His grasp of history is suspect as well, then.

petra Mon 20-Feb-17 17:49:17

Quotes from Tone in a previous life.
1982
Above all the European economic community takes away britains freedom to follow the sort of economic policies we need.
1983
We'll negotiate a withdrawal from the eec which has drained our natural resources and distroyed jobs .
1997
On the day we remember the legend that St George slayed a dragon to protect England , some would argue that there is another dragon to be slayed, Europe.
2005
I am a passionate pro- European. I always have been.

POGS Mon 20-Feb-17 15:07:34

Quantative Easing is used by other countries besides the Bank of England and since the Financial Crash in 2008. Japan , The European Central Bank, US Federal Reserve all have used Quantative Easing.

Jalima Mon 20-Feb-17 14:30:57

I must have read some fake news somewhere
smile

durhamjen Mon 20-Feb-17 10:50:53

Osborne used QE for six years. If it was against EU law I think it would have been spotted. Unfortunately, as he said before he was kicked onto the backbenches by May, it just benefited rich people, making the rich even richer.
Strange for him to have developed a conscience then.

daphnedill Mon 20-Feb-17 10:34:15

The people involved in tax avoidance/evasion might very well leave the country, but few of them could take their businesses with them.

Philip Green's businesses 'belong' to his wife, who lives in Monaco, which is how he avoids UK tax. The law would need to be changed to make any income earned in the UK liable for UK tax. Green would almost certainly not close down all his shops.

The EU was on to the tax dodgers' case with country by country reporting, which is one of the reasons some very wealthy fund managers supported Leave.

daphnedill Mon 20-Feb-17 10:26:46

I don't think quantitative easing is against EU rules. It is for countries in the Eurozone, but the UK has its own currency.

My understanding is that QE is a form of devaluation. The B of E creates money electronically which it then uses to buy government bonds. In other words, no actual money is involved. The idea is to boost spending and prevent a depression.

The QE after the 2008 crisis mostly ended up with the banks to stop them collapsing. Very little ended up circulating round the economy in 'normal' people's wallets.

The idea with People's QE is that it would be used specifically for sustainable infrastructure projects, so would create jobs, support businesses and thus increase the tax take...and so it would go round and round.

That's my dummy's understanding anyway.

Read all about it here: www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetarypolicy/pages/qe/default.aspx

trisher Mon 20-Feb-17 10:14:26

So close the tax loopholes, borrow some money both acceptable in my opinion.
I wouldn't mind if there was a small amount added to income tax in order to fund the NHS and proper social care. We could also consider how much the current owners of the rail franchises are making and if this could/should be a source of income or a public service?
As far as I can see no one has posted they disagree with the policies only about how they would be paid for.
So most people are socialists and agree with Corbyn's policies. If you really feel that they are unaffordable which would you be prepared to sacrifice? At the moment everything is being destroyed by the Tory government. What is most important to save?

durhamjen Mon 20-Feb-17 00:35:58

UK national debt now.

www.nationaldebtclock.co.uk/

POGS Sun 19-Feb-17 23:42:22

I don't think government borrowing is the same as quantitative easing, happy to be told otherwise.

durhamjen Sun 19-Feb-17 23:36:52

Where did the Bank of England get its money from to bail out the banks?
It printed it. That's what happens.

www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetarypolicy/Pages/qe/default.aspx

Jalima Sun 19-Feb-17 23:35:01

Isn't PQE against EU rules so that is perhaps why he was a closet Brexiteer?

Jalima Sun 19-Feb-17 23:33:08

But it is still QE isn't it?

Anniebach Sun 19-Feb-17 23:27:55

Problem solved then POGS

POGS Sun 19-Feb-17 23:26:13

Labour will borrow 100 billion.

durhamjen Sun 19-Feb-17 23:14:34

PQE is different from normal QE. It goes to building houses and jobs for the unemployed.

durhamjen Sun 19-Feb-17 23:12:15

PQE, Jalima. Osborne used it but it just made rich people richer as he said himself.

"The Bank of England’s policymakers have defended the QE programme’s impact, arguing it helps to boost aggregate demand and that this supports employment and the incomes of all.

It maintains that without QE, which began in 2009, the economy would have fallen into an even deeper recession and that the only way to get interest rates to a sustainably higher level is for the Bank to stimulate the economy."

From an article in the i last year.

Anniebach Sun 19-Feb-17 23:08:49

Jen,you claim the money will come from tax dodgers.

I asked if they leave the country where will the money come from

I said nothing which supported tax dodgers .

So if fewer tax dodgers where will the money come from?

If you haven't the foggiest then say so not turn it on me

Jalima Sun 19-Feb-17 23:08:25

I can't see that anniebach is sticking up for tax dodgers confused

she is saying what happens if they leave the country?
No tax therefore no funding for these projects.

How is he going to get them to pay?
All suggestions will be gratefully received (by post or email to Labour Party HQ).

Jalima Sun 19-Feb-17 23:04:49

Ana Sun 19-Feb-17 21:11:27
Two minds, one thought Ana

So, how would he fund all those things, laudable thought they may be?
Getting in tax owed from tax evaders will hardly cover it, although if he can manage to do that then I would be pleased.

What does he propose to do to fund it all?
What will he do for the economy and small businesses?

Unfortunately, in trying to bring in revenue for local social care, the Tories have now increased local business rates so many businesses may close down.
Therefore there may well be less revenue coming in to fund the local social care.
What will he do about that?
confused

durhamjen Sun 19-Feb-17 22:58:23

Bloody hell, Annie. Sticking up for tax dodgers now!
Saying that we need tax dodgers in this country, are you? Or are you just arguing with me for the hell of it, and don't really mean what you are saying?

Anniebach Sun 19-Feb-17 22:54:29

So where will the money come from if there are few tax dodgers ?