Pensioning Off Our Right To Retire...!

The Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, has unveiled details of his plan for reform to the welfare system.

While he is correct that the present system is ridiculously complicated and needs simplifying, he is wrong in his assumption that most people want to stay in work indefinitely.

He claims that most people want to work up until, or past, the age of seventy when what we all really want is the choice to work beyond the present retirement age and not to be forced into a longer working life.

Of course, it is convenient for members of the government to take this view, as the longer we all work, the longer we are paying taxes and the longer they can delay paying out the pension. Mismanagement of the pension pot, the increase in our expected lifespan and the larger numbers of those of us who are eligible to claim, means there is a huge black hole in said pot.

Employers, though, do not want to be forced to keep people employed at an age when they are often not as productive as they once were. Healthy business needs new blood, with new ideas and enthusiasm. Most employers will, therefore, work around any legislation by finding loopholes like misdemeanors as a method of dismissing the aged employees. This will cause understandable friction and lack of trust in what were once loyal workforces and happy companies.

If people stay working for longer, the young remain unemployed - and often on benefits - for longer. The assumption there are jobs for all is totally flawed.

So, at one end of the equation we have people paying taxes for longer, while at the other, the government are paying out benefits for longer.

With a reduction in benefits also becoming part of the reforms, it is less costly to pay young people the benefit than it is to pay retired people the state pension. It is nothing more than spreadsheet politics.

Labour MP Stephen Pound summed it up by saying:

‘Forcing people to work on indefinitely condemns young unemployed people to the dole and destroys the life chances of older people who have spent 30 or 40 years working for a productive retirement – it is pretty cruel.’

and

‘Perhaps if you are a hedge fund manager you do not have the same level of exhaustion as a panel beater, but most people have had enough after 40-odd years.’

Well, I am neither of the above but I definitely know when I have had enough!!

Fuel Your Anger At MPs Not Road Users!

With fuel prices continuing to rise on the back of the political unrest in the Middle East, it is understandable that fuel users here are becoming increasingly frustrated.

It is tempting for campaigning groups to contemplate taking direct action by staging ‘go slows’ on major roads or blockading oil refineries.

While it may be understandable that some may see this as the only outlet for their anger and frustration, the problem is: they are harming the very people they are trying to help.

We all have to use the roads and none of us want to be part of the disruption or loss of business arising from demonstrations about high fuel costs.

Ultimately, the only people who can help to alleviate the problem are our politicians. Our coalition government can help by stabilising the amount of revenue collected from the fuel we use.

Many MPs are already sympathetic and those who aren’t will not want to suffer the inconvenience of answering a mountain of complaints from their constituents.

The immediate answer, then, is to sign a petition such as this or write/phone/email your local MP asking him/her where they stand on the issue of fuel pricing and the part taxation plays on the forecourt price of a litre.

You can find the contact details of your local MP here

A Long Time Resting.....

It’s been almost two months since I've posted on here and I am ashamed of myself; I needed a break.

I've also been testing new technologies to make my writing life easier but somehow I never got re-started.

A lot has happened in the world in the time I have been away and if I had been writing, it would probably have included the following earth shattering events:

 

The World:

Tunisians demonstrate and get rid of ‘tyrant’

Egyptians demonstrate for even longer and – eventually – get rid of ‘tyrant’

Other Arab countries start queueing to demonstrate and get rid of ‘tyrants’

Daily Mail tries to create hysteria over Muslim takeover of UK and the world

 

UK Politics

Liberal coalition ministers have been noticeably less ‘visible’ in the media

VAT increases to 20 percent

Fuel prices rocket, yet again, as crude oil prices rise, 1p tax goes on a litre of fuel and VAT is added to that

Inflation rises

Jobless total rises

Coalition still using the old “left with a huge deficit” excuse

More troops lose their lives in Afghanistan

Still no-one is brave enough to ask the question: “how much is this bloody war costing?”

Ministers abstain over vote on EU Court ruling that prisoners should get the vote

Cameron still confuses everyone with Big Society

Coalition announce their intention to modernise (a.k.a privatise) the NHS

Multi-million pound Nimrod air defence aircraft get broken up for scrap to save a few bob.

Coalition announce plans to sell our forests (it’s the only thing left to sell)

 

Celebrity Stuff:

Katie Price announces split from her cage fighting husband after almost a year.

Meanwhile, Peter Andre (Katie’s previous ex-husband) seriously dates Elen Rives (footballer Frank Lampard’s ex-wife)

Katie Price is spotted (mainly in the Daily Mail) partying – lots!

The world’s 2nd most boring couple Katy Perry and Russell Brand allegedly seek counselling after he tweeted a pic of her without makeup

Elton John and his partner have a baby.

 

More UK Politics:

Labour’s Shadow Chancellor resigns after his police protection officer is, allegedly, overly 'protective' of said Shadow Chancellor's wife.

It is revealed that over 50% of Conservative party funding comes from City finance (highest in 5 years)

Coalition go on using the “inherited with a huge deficit” excuse

Our student protesters are no longer 'revolting' – for now at least

Bankers resume paying themselves excessive bonuses

Wikileaks extradition hearing suspended, once more, after the revelation Julian Assange allegedly applied for a ‘missionary position’ in Sweden.

After ‘outrage’ from the Big Society (that’s you and me – I think!) The PM announces a government U-turn on selling the forests (maybe he has turned over a new leaf?)

 

More Showbiz Stuff:

Daily Mail ‘reports’ on actress Emma Watson’s ‘wardrobe malfunction’ as an excuse to publish a paparazzi shot of her nipple

Prince Philip reaches 90 (years old….not number of gaffes!)

Top Gear presenters offend all Mexicans – apparently!

England Rugby team are playing well this year

Big Fat Gypsies hold weddings in our living rooms

Actress and celebrity Kelly Brook poses full frontal wearing nothing but lipstick – all over!

Coronation Street gets more depressing

Emmerdale gets more depressing

Eastenders ……well it was always…… depressing!

Oh and did I mention….?? Kelly Brook posed full frontal wearing nothing but lipstick – all over?

Apparently, her mum said ‘they’ (I presume she was referring to the pictures) have the ‘Wow Factor’!!

Well, you should never argue with a Mum!!

Happy Days!!



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Can We Really Afford The Cost Of Stealing From The Courts?

The Justice Ministry has announced the cuts it will be making to the courts system following the Coalition’s spending review. Justice Minister, Jonathan Djanogly used the customary LibCon ‘get out of jail’ excuse for the cuts saying the present system is “unsustainable”.

93 Magistrates’ courts will be closed along with 49 County Courts but according to the Minister, at least 85 percent of people would be no more than an hour’s travel away from a court if they made use of public transport. That’s good then!

The only flaw to that argument, is many of those who would be likely to appear in front of a magistrate or a judge, do not have the available cash to be able to afford the fare for an hour’s journey using public transport - they will just fail to turn up! The police would then have to waste their own reduced resources in following up and executing any warrant issued.

Those courts still in operation, will be under growing pressure from their increased workload, causing longer delays before cases can be scheduled for a hearing. Both the accused and the accusers are likely to have to wait much longer before justice can be seen to be carried out. Eventually, the system is in danger of becoming gridlocked and cases of being diluted.

The government has argued it will make a saving of at least £15m a year in the day-to-day running costs of courts and around £22m in maintaining the premises. Of course, they will also be able to claw back a considerable sum by selling off the buildings which housed those courts facing the axe.

Overall, though, the saving seems a pittance compared to the total deficit faced by us all. With jobs being lost daily and repossessions on the increase, crime is likely to be one of the only growth industries over the next few years.

Such ‘spreadsheet politics’ could eventually prove to have a greater cost than that we are already paying!

Are Our Students Becoming Our Teachers?

There must be something about the quality of the lectures on a Wednesday afternoon, for only two weeks after the Millbank riots in London, our students are once again …well…revolting.

All over the UK, thousands of young - and presumably intelligent - folk have decided to demonstrate their immense displeasure and opposition to our Coalition Government’s intent to make further education a luxury, rather than a right, through introducing a massive increase in fees and the removal of the Education Maintenance Allowance.

Sadly, though, many are just focusing on the man whom the Tories have set-up to be ‘cannon fodder’ to the students’ ire, Deputy PM Nick Clegg. While this may be understandable, given that he appears to have been economical with the truth while canvassing for them to vote for the Lib Dems back in May, they need to pause for breath and see the bigger picture.

Admittedly, Clegg appears to be a self righteous, pompous, oaf. He is a man who has no hope of defending the indefensible, how ever many times he appears in the media telling us that he now sees things differently from six months ago. He knew then, as did all his colleagues, the state of the nation’s finances. There was, after all, rarely a day when his party’s Vince Cable was not ‘mugging’ the media spotlight telling us all we are on the verge of bankruptcy. Clegg is, therefore, either a fool, or he deliberately misrepresented the truth to gain the maximun student vote.

Sadly, it is not just the students who were hoodwinked by the false promises of the Lib Dem leader. Many of the extremely hard working and loyal members of his party (including those who stood for election) feel betrayed and will now have to face the anger of the people who so willingly gave them their votes. Clegg, meanwhile, will be protected from such front line hostility, by the blanket of security which surrounds a deputy prime minister.

However, Clegg is in reality, just the ‘fall guy’ for the real villains who are the Conservative Party. They aim to destroy the hopes and aspirations of anyone who did not go to a school where 'having a fag' had a totally different meaning to the same expression used to describe smoking by those in a state school.

I sympathise with the students - although not with the violence shown by many - and I hope by their actions they are inspiring other groups, who are similarly under attack from this government’s unfairly targeted cuts, to join the fight against the Tories’ ‘single class’ society.

We are supposed to be a Democracy where opportunity is available to all. Let’s see just how deafening the collective voices of fairness can be!

Boris Johnson's Ethnically Cleansed TV On The Radio!

London Mayor, Boris Johnson's widely reported remarks, criticising the coalition government for their proposed draconian housing benefit reforms, appeared at first sight to be spontaneous.

But, I wonder, if they were that spontaneous, why did he have a television crew filming what was supposed to be a regular radio interview with broadcaster Vanessa Feltz.

It seems his comments might not have been so 'off the cuff' after all!

How To Demonstrate EU Style!

With a high probability we will be seeing mass demonstrations against the cuts announced in our coalition government's spending review, I thought it would be interesting to compare our technique with our European neighbours:

How we demonstrate here in the UK

How they demonstrate in France

How they show their displeasure in Germany

All things considered, I think it advisable to wait on the weather forecast before we follow their lead!

Poorer And Not Really The Wiser!

One day on from Chancellor George Osborne's spending review, aiming to save the nation from the consequences of our profligacy, we are, apparently, still all in this together (although, depending which newspaper you read, some of us seem to be more 'in it' than others).

Overall, I was not as depressed last night as I thought I would be, but I was disappointed that some opportunities were missed and others were clearly misguided.

Whether I am right or wrong about the big things, there is one thing of which I am certain: I am going to feel worse off, I will probably have to work another year and I probably won't have the pension to enjoy the time I do have left!

Oh Happy Days!

The Ins And Outs Of The Economy - It's Simple!

OK. so here’s my theory...

Our country is in a fiscal mess because there is not enough coming in through taxes to cover the amount going out via government spending.

Cutting the number of people claiming benefits from the state and telling them to get jobs will, theoretically, save a large part of our 'overdraft'. The only problem is: there are not enough jobs available for everyone who is currently out of work, let alone those who will come off benefits to seek work.

A recent survey by the Federation of Small Businesses revealed that almost 11% of business owners expect to decrease employment over the next few months, due to weak business confidence in future prospects and revenue growth. Even more workers will, therefore, become unemployed, stop paying tax and start claiming benefits. Result: the country slips into an even worse mess.

For business owners to regain confidence in the economy, we all have to spend money buying their products which in turn allows them to take on more staff, who then pay more tax and increase the government’s revenue, thereby reducing the deficit. Simple isn't it? Errr well not really!

An alternative option is to increase the rate of tax paid by those who are in work and in indirect taxation like VAT. But then, we will all have less disposable income to buy the goods which in turn create the jobs. Companies then collapse, more people are unemployed and the taxes raised decrease yet again

Of course, the experts would tell you it is more complicated than my simple view.

Our coalition government is about to announce a blanket 'cuts all round' programme to immediately claw back some of its losses. For the reasons given above, though, it is likely to be a lose, lose situation.

Whatever the Chancellor decides to do tomorrow, it is certain to cause massive hardship for those who are already struggling.

I am becoming increasingly convinced, we are in danger of causing more problems than we are ever going to solve.

But then.....what the heck do I know?

The Benefits Of A Fairly Unfair System!

I doubt there is anyone who can dispute we are in a financial mess and something needs to be done to control the enormous interest payments we are making to foreign institutions and governments for our borrowing.

The most obvious and headline grabbing saving, is to reform the vastly complicated and financially draining benefits and welfare system. It is a system that many voters regard with contempt, mainly due to the negative stories in the press of benefit cheats and scroungers, so it is a reform that few will oppose. After all, it is rare we get to hear of the majority, who have only survived because of the help they receive from the system.

Chancellor George Osborne, has today announced a total restructure to bring fairness for all, while making the system cheaper to administer and easier to understand.

In the interim, he announced that universal child benefit, payable to all families whatever their income, is to be stopped for those who earn around £44k per year.

At the other end of the scale, no family will be able to claim a total benefit greater than the national average wage received by a family in full-time work - thought to be around £25k per year.

On the face of it, this does seem like a fairer system, as those who can afford it lose a freebie and those who can’t don’t gain financially by remaining out of work.

However, when looking at the figures supplied by the BBC, it seems that those at the top end will only lose around £1.7k for a family with 2 children while a family receiving full benefits will lose anything from £4.5k to £15k per year.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith told the BBC: “I don’t love the idea of this, you know”

Neither will those who are genuinely unable to find work and who are about to be hit the hardest!

Politicians Take Their Seats For 'The Blame Game'

With our new coalition government announcing June 22nd as the date for its emergency budget, the opposing players are taking their places at the table for ‘The Blame Game’.

First to throw a six and keen not to take any blame for the financial suffering we will all be subjected to, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, David Laws, conveniently ‘let slip’ yesterday that he had been left a ‘note’ from his predecessor stating what most of us had long ago realised - there is no money left in the UK’s piggy bank. He also hinted there had been a desperate last minute spending spree, by outgoing Labour, with money they knew they did not have to spend.

Round one to the coalition but I am sure it will not be too long before Labour get their throw with the dice!

Lack Of Government And The Financial Plughole.

According to a respected economist on the BBC this morning, the amount our dying government is spending per day is £550m more than we are collecting in taxes etc. That means in the 4 days of dithering to decide who is going to lead the country after the election, we are a whopping £2bn further into the red.

If we don’t get an agreement soon, the only party left willing to make a deal will be the bailiff!


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Cutting Through UK Nuclear Deterrent With A Knife!

One of the headline grabbing arguments between the leaders of the three main political parties in this election has been the subject of our nuclear deterrent.

While the Liberal Democrats have been very vocal in saying it should be scrapped, both Labour and the Conservatives accuse Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, of being naive.

Sadly, though, they are all right.

We are about to invest billions of pounds into the renewal of a weapons system, which will hopefully never be used, when that money could be filling a large part of the financial hole, from which, we are trying to escape.

A nuclear weapons industry should never have been conceived. It is a technology that could have been harnessed for the good of all and not the destruction of a select few. It has split the world into those countries that 'have' and those that 'have not'. Sadly though, it was not only conceived; it was used.

Of course, those that 'have' justify their position by arguing it is a deterrent and we must maintain it because we are living in an age of terrorism and growing radicalism throughout the world.

The likes of Nick Clegg, they argue, are being naive in thinking otherwise. Unfortunately, I think they are probably right, although before they become too smug, it is worth pointing out the irony in their argument using a domestic parallel example.

The increase in knife crime in the UK has been rising steadily over the last few years with many teenagers losing their lives as a result. One of the arguments they use for being 'tooled up' with knives is that they carry them as a deterrent, in case of attack.

Have you spotted the irony?

Our authorities argue forcibly against such logic and say you are more likely to suffer as a result of carrying a knife.

So, how is it our politicians cannot see the same logic applies to having a nuclear deterrent?

It seems there will be no clear winners in this debate and the cost could, ultimately, be far more than we are prepared to pay!

Greedy Selfish Society - All Is Revealed In Tesco!

This afternoon, I braved the 'blizzard' and nipped down to my nearest Tesco store to get a few necessary supplies.

Bearing in mind it was only just past two in the afternoon, I was amazed to discover that there was not a single loaf of bread to be found along an aisle that must have stretched for fifty feet. The shelves were literally empty.

Now, I am not talking about a small local Tesco Extra here I am talking about a massive Tesco store that sells everything from....well nothing to everything!

When I got to the checkout with less than I had wanted, I asked the lady, using light sarcasm, if they had been visited by a plague of locusts or something.

She told me that from nine this morning it had been "worse than Christmas" with shoppers panic buying almost everything on the shelves. It had got so bad, the management had been forced to limit the number of loaves of bread to 12 per person. Even then, shoppers were still trying to pass up to 25 loaves through the checkout at a time and became very abusive to the staff when they were informed of the new limit.

Come on people....what the hell is the matter with you? How can anyone possibly NEED that much bread let alone EAT it?

Of course what we are witnessing is the selfish 'I'm all right Jack so sod the rest of you' attitude that pervades all areas of society nowadays. It is all about "I want it so I'll get it" and not "Do I really need it".

It is the attitude that has placed millions of people in massive debt from spending funds they do not have and which has almost brought down the financial system of this country and many others. It is about a selfishness and self interest that has destroyed the community spirit that used to be the lifeblood of Britain.

We have reached a stage in our society that is not pretty to see.

To the people who's greed in Tesco today meant there was nothing left for anyone else, I say this....it is only a few days of snow and I hope the bread rots in your stomachs.

To society, I say...it is time we all take a long hard look at ourselves before it is too late!

Dying To Negotiate A Bargain!

According to a report in today's Independent, the average cost of bidding farewell to one's dear departed, is now £7,018 taking into account legal costs, funeral expenses and flowers etc. This is a rise of 42 percent over the last five years.

The funeral industry says the cost of new environmental procedures has been largely responsible for the steep increase, but others say it is a lack of competition amongst funeral directors, since many have been taken over in recent years by larger companies.

Another factor is that bereaved families are often loathe to haggle over the price at such a distressing time.

It seems that we no longer just have to struggle to survive financially when we are living but now we have to worry when we are dead too!

I think I have the answer....

I am going to refuse to die unless they give me a good price first!

Driving Into More Debt!

The much awaited - and feared - budget was announced in Parliament today by the Chancellor. It contained very few surprises and confirmed what we already know - we are heavily overstretched and it will take years to pay back what we have borrowed as a country.

One piece of news that did make the headlines was the £2000 rebate against the purchase of a new British made car. All we have to do is send our old models (over 10 years old) to the scrap yard.

Of course, in theory, this is a good idea, as it helps the environment and gives a vital shot in the arm to our struggling motor manufacturing industry - what little there is left!

So far so good then. Let's all rush out to the nearest showroom and purchase a new eco-friendly car and get shot of the dirty old gas guzzler. But wait.....that is when we run into the problem!

Most of us who drive ten year old cars do so because we cannot afford to have newer models. It is not an eccentricity in our genetic make-up but a necessity. The average price of a new car has to be at least £10,000 leaving an £8,000 shortfall.

The recession we are experiencing, has been exacerbated by the banks refusing to make loans and from people who have overstretched themselves by borrowing too much, when money was in plentiful supply.

There lies the dilemma. On the one hand, it is unlikely that we will be able to find the finance necessary for the car and on the other, if we get the loan, we are just adding to the unmanageable debts we already have.

Someone in the Treasury should have looked up the term Catch 22!