Because people in glass houses shouldnt throw stones
Plus the only reason the UK isnt in the same mess is because we have been printing the money to pay our debt interest and finance the deficit something Greece being part of the euro cant do
Message posted by Wynne on 18 November 2011 at 1:45pm - IP Logged
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Thats historic debt, the UK's by the way is rocketing and within 5 years we will have overtaken most of them as we are borrowing £100b+ per year, which adds 10% annually to our current total £1t national debt
This years figure of 80% will become 90% next year, 100% the year after and so on, the amount of money we are borrowing is staggering
Our budget deficit is 10% Greece is 9% in fact Italy which is portrayed as a financial basket case has a far lower budget deficit than the UK
Message posted by kathy3 on 18 November 2011 at 2:44pm - IP Logged
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Again, what started off as a thread about a programme on Greece has descended into knocking the UK.
If we are to "debate" the UK, and knock it, why not start a thread about it?
Greece has big problems, a lot of it their own making so why try and say the UK is just the same? This is a thread about a Greece problem I thought I agree with you Wynne
Message posted by Dave and Kerry on 18 November 2011 at 2:59pm - IP Logged
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They could just have easily done a programme about the milions of British state workers who retire in their 50's on inflation proof pensions most can only dream of...
So while many public sector workers accepted low wages knowing they had a good pension to fall back on, the private sector now whinge and whine and forget all about the bonuses and other perks and high wages they had in the past! Very convenient for certain people out there!
While it is possible the same happened in Greece there are still many people who should be paying their fair share of tax there and in the UK who are not doing so, and the richer you are the more chance you have of avoiding paying it.
Message posted by openside on 18 November 2011 at 3:04pm - IP Logged
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"so while many public sector workers accepted low wages knowing they had a good pension to fall back on, "
The average wage in the public sector is higher than the private sector, has been for donkey years.
They have longer holidays, much better job security and working conditions and retire earlier and on pensions people in the private sector can only dream of.
Not knocking them, its the system at fault but we cant afford 6 million public sector workers on those pay and conditions anymore or we'll end up like Greece
Message posted by Dave and Kerry on 19 November 2011 at 12:39am - IP Logged
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openside ... my other half works for the DWP and has a wonderful wage of around £13k per year!! Many many people dealing with private sector pensions earn a hell of a lot more and with less stress!!
Much better job security? is that so in todays climate! tell that to all those who have lost their jobs in the time that the condems have been in power!
Better pensions? Some will be on £3,000 per year not exactly Gold plated as the Daily Sheep Dip and the Scum would have many believe!
Message posted by Wynne on 19 November 2011 at 6:59pm - IP Logged
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Sorry openside,your analysis is wrong and your figures flawed. Even with the austerity measures the aim is to get the Greek figure down to 120 percent by 2020. It just doesn't work the way you describe it.
To set the facts straight Greece's budget deficit for 2010 was not 9 percent but 10.5 (it had targeted 8 percent but overshot. This year Greece has targeted 9 percent. It remains to be seen what the final figure will be though it will probably fall becaus e large amounts of debt will have been written off. The other important factors are the ability to 'service' your debt and growth. The problem for Greece (and Italy is that they have not been able to borrow at 'German' rates). In terms of growth the latest projections from Greece are that the economy will contract by 5.5 percent this year and 2.8 percent next year with unemployment rising to 17 percent (around twice the current UK rate). The UK situation is bad, but you cannot really compare it with Greece
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13194344
Message posted by Robbos on 21 December 2011 at 12:07pm - IP Logged
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Just watched it. Seems to be factual. It's all a matter of degrees. The orthopaedic surgeon pays his wife £70,000 a year to run his "business"-no other staff-Why? Tax avoidance but legal. I never pay tradesmen by cheque and never get a contract unless a huge job like an extension. Many hairdressers cut their "friends" hair for cash. Why?--Tax avoidance.
Only yesterday it is revealed that HMRC staff are going "soft" on big businesses, negotiating lower than proper tax revenues??? Dodgy or what??? All businesses maximise their expenses to avoid tax even here.
As I said, the morality is the same but the extent and the institutionalisation of corruption is different.
Message posted by Robbos on 21 December 2011 at 12:14pm - IP Logged
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Openside You have to compare like with like (ceteris paribus). A high proportion of Public employees are professionals like teachers, social workers, doctors, nurses, town planners, engineers and even lawyers so put the average salary up when compared to the top-heavy private sector.
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