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!!

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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Green Energy Could Make Us All Sick!

A story in today’s Daily Telegraph reports that household electricity bills are likely to rise by around £500 per year to pay for the additional investment needed in green energy.

Britain is obligated to increase its share of energy from renewable sources from 3 per cent to 15 per cent to meet EU targets but of course, these targets have not just suddenly appeared, they have been ignored until the last possible moment.

Q. Why have the utility companies not been re-investing in green technology over the past years?

A. They have been too busy sharing out their large profits through the payment of bonuses and dividends to their shareholders (many of whom are from overseas)

Once again, it is us, the consumers, who will be picking up the bill.

The Debt Just Won't Die!

According to a survey by MyVoucherCodes.co.uk of almost two thousand 18 to 35 year olds, 98pc said they think they'll still be in debt on their death bed.

Eight out of ten of those asked said they thought it was far too easy to borrow money through their bank, or on credit cards.

Other points revealed in the survey were:

• 54pc thought they would always need to borrow money in order to fund the lifestyle they wanted.

• Just over half who owed money did not feel in control of their debt.

• 8pc admitted they had needed to ask for help with repayments from a friend or family member.

• One in five also claimed they were not worried about the possibility of their debts being passed on to their next of kin.

Isn’t it good to know we'll be leaving this world in such safe and positive hands.

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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!

Cameron's 'Extravagant' Arrogance Needs Cuts

In politics, there is a very fine line between arrogance and leadership and today, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, came close to proving my point.

He has told opponents of his coalition’s housing benefits caps to “think again” describing the benefits as “extravagant”

He also said:

"Paying over £20,000 a year for the housing benefit of some families is too high. I do not think taxpayers who pay their taxes will understand why we are being so extravagant,"

(I note, however, he failed to mention those in his cabinet who take measures to avoid paying their taxes)

and:

"There are many people who earn less than £20,000 - their whole income is less than £20,000 - who are paying taxes to house people who are getting rents of £25,000, £30,000, £35,000, £40,000. They don't see that as fair and neither do I."

However, it seems he has completely missed a very large point.

Many families, particularly in parts of London, have been living in the same accommodation for many years. They originally moved into areas that, at the time, were seen as being deprived and populated by low income communities.

As the economy has grown over the years, many of those areas have been developed becoming ‘trendy’ with the wealthier bonus culture ‘city types’ splashing their cash and changing the locality into a fashionable and desirable address to have. They have invested their money wisely and as a consequence have raised the rents.

That is not the fault of the tenants who now find themselves living in such desirable abodes. They do not negotiate the rents with the landlords. They should not be demonised as being “extravagant” or “scroungers”

It is, also, worth remembering that Margaret Thatcher sold off much of the available social housing to buy votes and raise capital but then failed to invest into providing more modern, affordable properties, to replace it - she was the Tory leader that Cameron aspires to be.

I guess the real question, though, is will our national conscience (is there still one?) remain dormant, if thousands of long term tenants are moved out of their ‘high price’ rented accommodation and shipped many miles to areas where the rents are more ‘affordable’.

For that matter, do we really want to see a capital city, that is known for its diverse and colourful population, turned into an overpriced and arrogant ‘ghetto’ of monied bankers and lawyers.

I am guessing this will not be an easy ride for Cameron or his coalition partners.

I am also thinking he is arrogant and not yet, at least, a great leader

He's A Liar Liar

Whether you agree or not, a lot of work must have gone into this!

Try singing along....

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?

Lib Dems - What A Difference A May Makes!!

"If we have learnt one thing from the economic crisis, it is that you can’t build a future on debt."

The words of the Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, on 28th April 2010.

So, how come he is now agreeing to anyone who has aspirations for a better education, leading to a better future, to saddle themselves with debts of up to £40,000 before they even start trying to find a job, in a marketplace where jobs are becoming rarer than hen’s teeth?

What a difference the events of the month of May have made to the credibility of the Liberal Democrats!

Forecast Of Failure In A Big Society

In her article for the Daily Telegraph “We should be bashing bankers not the young, poor and disabled” Mary Riddell wrote:

“Yesterday the Equality and Human Rights Commission's report How Fair Is Britain? showed a widening wealth gap, with the top 10 per cent of households worth an average £853,000 – 100 times higher than the poorest decile. Obviously, rewards cannot be equal, but nor is it fair that those on lower incomes suffer more crime, worse health and die up to seven years sooner.”

They seem refreshingly honest words in a paper that has been traditionally supportive of the Conservatives. They also demonstrate why our prime minister David Cameron’s theory of a Big Society will probably never reach fruition; in reality, some people will always be more equal than others.

The most worrying words in the article, though, are probably these:

Even the cuts announced so far may stunt the hopes of a generation and test the social compact to destruction. It is far from certain that the young – traditionally the future carers for the elders who created a better life for them – will be emotionally inclined or financially equipped to nurture the ageing population that betrayed them.

I hope for all our sakes that time does not prove Ms. Riddell to be a better prophet than she already is a journalist.

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!

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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Not Very Sweet To Sir Alan Sugar!

My favourite quote of today, was heard during a seminar at the Kent 2020 Vision business event in Maidstone this afternoon.

During a seminar on being an entrepreneur, ex The Apprentice contestant, Paula Jones, described her stoney faced television 'boss' Sir Alan Sugar by saying:

"He's quite offensive but indescriminately so"

I was not quite sure whether it was a compliment or an insult but it made me laugh anyway!

The BBC And Its License For Abuse!

I am almost starting to feel sorry for the MPs who were exposed for making excessive use of their expenses.

They have been vilified by the media (quite rightly) and the BBC have been particularly diligent in scrutinising and exposing every claim made.

Today, though, it appears to be a case of ‘pots and kettles’.

The news has broken that three BBC executives managed to claim over £12,650 in taxi fares during a three month period. One managed to blow £675 over two days alone, which makes those duck houses and pork pies claimed by MPs seem like an act of thrift.

A BBC spokesperson (for they have to be politically correct) has said that taxis are the most efficient way of conducting business en route and said of one of the claimants she.....

“....is incredibly busy, so she has to use her time as efficiently as possible.”

and

"Whenever she is travelling to meetings, she will schedule in a number of business calls to make the best use of this travel time. Because of the confidential nature of these discussions, it is not possible to hold them in public."

What a load of old cock! Presumably, they are so confidential they even request drivers who are deaf mutes too!

Thousands of people have the same requirements in their business lives each day, but they manage to use more economically sound ways of being successful. They travel with us ‘common people’ and still manage to get by.

What really irritates me, though, is they are using our ‘common people’ money - through the license fee - to pay for their inflated sense of importance.

Maybe it is time the BBC faced an independent audit after all!

Political Leaders Trying To Sell Us Bankrupt Stock!

This week will see the launch of manifestos from all the main political parties. They will set out their ‘shops’ hoping to convince us to walk through their doors and buy their promises.

Sadly, they all have one thing in common; they have nothing to sell!

Oh sure, they will try and convince us we are purchasing some quality goods but the fact is...they are all broke! We as a nation are broke. If we were actually a high street chain we would have been formally declared bankrupt a long time ago.

Whatever your personal views on how we have borrowed our way both into and out of the recession, we now have to start paying it back and it is going to be painful.

So today, Gordon Brown has announced a list of ‘non-measures’ trying to sell the idea we are going to have more control under Labour and we will all feel better off. He seems to think we suffer from memory loss and have erased the broken promises from the last two elections made when they really did have something to give us - but they failed.

Today's promise of no rise in income tax is just a distraction. He has not made the same promise about VAT. All of us, whether employed or jobless is affected by that tax. It is collected on nearly everything we need to live. Raising the percentage of VAT we have to pay will provide easy money for the treasury and help to cover up the deficit this government has created.

There is no magic ‘get out of jail’ card to reverse the situation we are in and whoever gets the keys to No.10 will be facing the same indesputible facts.

Tomorrow it will be the turn of David Cameron and his Conservatives (he likes it to be portrayed as HIS party).

Just like in an episode of Dragon’s Den, he is going to have a hard time to convince us, the panel, he has a product worthy of investment!

Pubs, Politicians And The Benefits Of Global Warming

If there is one group of people who must relish the prospect of global warming, it is that of those who work in the pub trade.

They have been hit really hard over the last few years with unfair competition from the undercutting supermarkets and customers reducing their spending during the recession. Many pubs have simply gone to the wall, while others have had to diversify into new areas of the hospitality business.

What the above picture proves, however, is there's life in the old dog yet and once we feel a bit of warmth from the sun, we are prepared to venture out of our caves and be both generous and sociable.

I would bet our politicians are hoping that the weather is fine on May 6th and our mood is just as relaxed and generous!


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Cheryl Cole-Text With Ashley And A Night In LA With A Dog!

The media is full of the marital strife of celebrity Cheryl Cole and her footballer husband Ashley, who appears to have been trying to take full advantage of playing offside.

It has been reported that Cheryl, who has been in LA for the weekend, has dumped her husband by text and has been seeking comfort with an American male dancer.

The Daily Mail said today:

‘Mr Hough - a professional on Dancing With The Stars, the U.S. version of Strictly Come Dancing, stayed with Mrs Cole until 4am when he left with his dog.’

Up until then, I was bored by the whole story, but now....!!