Friday, March 26, 2010

Government policy - 'Carry on Wasting'

Lost my computer yesterday. It became infected by a particularly vicious bug. Really maddening - especially when Darren of bluedigital (who is trying to fix it for me) jokingly told me that the culprit is probably sitting on a beach in Barbados planning on contacting me, offering to fix it - at a price. Anyway, it gives me a chance to use my netbook.

Its all a bit late to comment on the budget, but there is one point that's bugging me (as opposed to bugging my computer). The main difference between Labour and the Conservatives seems to be one of timing - and the Lib Dems are in agreement with the labour line. The Chancellor is telling us that there must be cuts greater than anything Mrs Thatcher's did in the 1980s (sorting out the financial mess left the last time Labour lost office in 1979) but not yet. The Shadow Chancellor insists that a start should be made immediately. Seems a fair debating point - except that its not. Labour spokespersons have been trawling the studios all day telling us about the billions of waste that can be cut from all departments without any effect on front line services. If that is the case, why on earth cannot a start be made by cutting this waste now?

A similar point cropped up on BBC Wales political programme, Dragon's Eye today. Former Finance Minister, Andrew Davies casually told us that huge savings could be made by cutting back on the over 160 schemes offering business support - many replicating each other. Pity he didn't do something about it when he was Finance Minister. Whatever, the sooner the better that the Assembly Government gets on with the job of cutting this waste. It does seem ridiculous that Governments at both Westminster and Cardiff Bay remain so content to waste billions of taxpayer's money

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Labour is rapidly turning Britain into a third world country with a large proportion of the third world living in it.
(I have nothing against foreigners but we are reaping the effects of the colonialist deracination policies carry out in Africa and the Indian sub-continent years ago as well as the government's lax free-for-all attitude towards immigration). This issue will be prominent in the election no doubt.

Anonymous said...

Does this person sitting on a beach in Barbados pay tax in the UK?

Anonymous said...

Let us cut our contributions to the EU and foreign aid for a start. Then get the lazy jobless out to work, and stop funding so many QUANGOs - the Tax Payers Alliance have identified nearly BILLIONS pounds of cuts that could be made:

www.taxpayersalliance.com/tpamanifesto.pdf

Tcoah said...

You can't honestly expect Labour to do the sensible thing and start cutting back on waste?

Oh no.

They want the UK to have the look and feel of Wales - an economy over dependent on the public sector and suspicious of private companies.

Labour is ruthlessly shutting down private enterprise through strong arm tactics and overwhelming burdens that force managers to spend more time on dealing with ever changing regulation instead of on developing their business all the while chirping they are "all about helping small businesses".

It is like Labour are taking a leaf out of Obama's agenda for destroying jobs instead of creating them (other than in the public sector).

Paul said...

Tax Payers Alliance = Tory's who've left their membership cards at home for the day

Unknown said...

The logical outcome of New Labour socialism is state-controlled communism controlling the private sector through regional devolution, with most jobs in the public sector.
In a nutshell.

Anonymous said...

Paul - Tax Payers Alliance = tories who don't take no s**t from the spendthrift big government brigade.

Alan - tougher immigration controls?!? I beginning to like Plaid now.

Unknown said...

No no Roman, the TPA are Torries, and just loike Ashcroft seek to avoid paying tax.

http://tinyurl.com/tpalliance

Anonymous said...

I think Andrew D should check his facts
Weren't all the business support schemes brought together under one banner. And from what I hear they are so difficult to access there is a massive underspend.I am sure Dylan could tell u more.
Best way to save money is to work smarter -and start with WAG .NAFW and the Local Authorities. Cut down on 22 CEO's all earning 120K plus for a start ,and all those corporate directors earning 80K plus
Put some of that into Economic Development and Regeneration

Anonymous said...

Paul - I know they're Tories. That's not a deal breaker in my book. I think we pay too many taxes in this country, and support those trying to lower them (the TPA). The difference with Ashcroft, and Labour's Lord Paul - is that they don't pay taxes for their OWN benefit, but at least the TPA are fighting for OUR benefit.