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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The budget spread bets – how many times will key words be mentioned?

At 3.30pm the Chancellor, Phillip Hammond will rise to set out his latest budget. I must say that I am still not used to this taking place in November and on a Monday. Throughout my adult life budgets have happened in March or early April and never on a Monday.

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MarqueeMark

Time to fund some unruly MP's to get "order, order" over 4......

MattW

1st or nth where n<10.

MikeSmithson

MarqueeMark said:

Time to fund some unruly MP's to get "order, order" over 4......

It used to be that Budgets were always listened to politely without the need for the Speaker to intervene.

SandyRentool

No 'strong and stable'?

SandyRentool

MikeSmithson said:

MarqueeMark said:

Time to fund some unruly MP's to get "order, order" over 4......

It used to be that Budgets were always listened to politely without the need for the Speaker to intervene.

The Speaker never intervenes - he isn't in the chair.

MikeSmithson

SandyRentool said:

MikeSmithson said:

MarqueeMark said:

Time to fund some unruly MP's to get "order, order" over 4......

It used to be that Budgets were always listened to politely without the need for the Speaker to intervene.

The Speaker never intervenes - he isn't in the chair.

Correct.

ydoethur

'I must say that I am still not used to this taking place in November and on a Monday.'

It's not happening in November this year either, unless my watch has stopped for 48 hours and I've been asleep longer than I realised.

TOPPING

Is the whisky now Diet Coke? Or Irn Bru?

Pulpstar

Unusually the budget speech length looks to be priced correctly. Last year I bought at 54.5 or something.
Educashun educashun educashun for me Buy @ 2.2

ydoethur

TOPPING said:

Is the whisky now Diet Coke? Or Irn Bru?

The budget will be gin with duty on spirits?

MikeSmithson

ydoethur said:

'I must say that I am still not used to this taking place in November and on a Monday.'

It's not happening in November this year either, unless my watch has stopped for 48 hours and I've been asleep longer than I realised.

This feels like November

Richard_Nabavi

I'm not convinced that 'Brexit' is a good buy at 5. Certainly the concept may be referred to more often than that, but not necessarily using that word: more likely, phrases like 'as we leave the European Union..'

Anyway, I went for buying 'education' at 2.2 and (for a smaller stake) 'pension' at 4.3. In both cases, I reckon there's a reasonable chance of quite a few mentions, and at those prices limited downside.

AlastairMeeks

Length of speech looks like a clear sell. The government can't get controversial policies through Parliament so there won't be any (deliberate ones). So with less content we can expect less time. Philip Hammond's joke-telling doesn't rival Ronnie Corbett's.

Richard_Nabavi

On the other hand, Shadsy's buzzword bingo looks like a giant No Bet.

Pulpstar

Richard_Nabavi said:

I'm not convinced that 'Brexit' is a good buy at 5. Certainly the concept may be referred to more often than that, but not necessarily using that word: more likely, phrases like 'as we leave the European Union..'

Anyway, I went for buying 'education' at 2.2 and (for a smaller stake) 'pension' at 4.3. In both cases, I reckon there's a reasonable chance of quite a few mentions, and at those prices limited downside.

Last year all three of the words received two mentions. Which implies the value bet is perhaps with education.

Richard_Nabavi

AlastairMeeks said:

... So with less content we can expect less time. ...

Not sure that follows.

ydoethur

AlastairMeeks said:

Length of speech looks like a clear sell. The government can't get controversial policies through Parliament so there won't be any (deliberate ones). So with less content we can expect less time. Philip Hammond's joke-telling doesn't rival Ronnie Corbett's.

And he doesn't need cough sweets this year.

justin124

SandyRentool said:

MikeSmithson said:

MarqueeMark said:

Time to fund some unruly MP's to get "order, order" over 4......

It used to be that Budgets were always listened to politely without the need for the Speaker to intervene.

The Speaker never intervenes - he isn't in the chair.

Actually until the early 1970s the Speaker did take the chair - and has occasionally done so since!

ydoethur

MikeSmithson said:

ydoethur said:

'I must say that I am still not used to this taking place in November and on a Monday.'

It's not happening in November this year either, unless my watch has stopped for 48 hours and I've been asleep longer than I realised.

This feels like November

As I recall, every budget until 1997 was presented in November. That year Brown had one in July, and then from 1998 it shifted to March.

So it's not really that novel a departure.

Dates are here if anyone is interested:

https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/p05.pdf#page7

Nigelb

ydoethur said:

'I must say that I am still not used to this taking place in November and on a Monday.'

It's not happening in November this year either, unless my watch has stopped for 48 hours and I've been asleep longer than I realised.

If it were November and a Monday, you'd have slept through the entire half term, and missed you first day back in school.

Win/win.

ydoethur

justin124 said:

SandyRentool said:

MikeSmithson said:

MarqueeMark said:

Time to fund some unruly MP's to get "order, order" over 4......

It used to be that Budgets were always listened to politely without the need for the Speaker to intervene.

The Speaker never intervenes - he isn't in the chair.

Actually until the early 1970s the Speaker did take the chair - and has occasionally done so since!

Incorrect. Only twice since 1967 has the Speaker presided - 1968 and 1989. This is because detailed taxation policy was traditionally a matter for the Committee of Ways and Means, not the House of Commons, so it was dealt with by the Ways and Means Committee until its abolition in 1967 (see my link above).

Richard_Nabavi

An interesting chart from the chief executive of Tax Justice:

https://twitter.com/alexcobham/status/1056920059497582593/photo/1

Another way of putting it is: online retailing benefits consumers because it is a lot more efficient.

justin124

ydoethur said:

MikeSmithson said:

ydoethur said:

'I must say that I am still not used to this taking place in November and on a Monday.'

It's not happening in November this year either, unless my watch has stopped for 48 hours and I've been asleep longer than I realised.

This feels like November

As I recall, every budget until 1997 was presented in November. That year Brown had one in July, and then from 1998 it shifted to March.

So it's not really that novel a departure.

Dates are here if anyone is interested:

https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/p05.pdf#page7

Traditionally April was the Budget month - and delivered on a Tuesday. It switched to the Autumn in the early 1990s and Brown reverted to Spring Budgets post-1997.

ydoethur

Nigelb said:

ydoethur said:

'I must say that I am still not used to this taking place in November and on a Monday.'

It's not happening in November this year either, unless my watch has stopped for 48 hours and I've been asleep longer than I realised.

If it were November and a Monday, you'd have slept through the entire half term, and missed you first day back in school.

Win/win.

Rubbish, I would have missed my one chance of a nice break before Easter and had no chance to sort out my paperwork. Much better to go through half term and then sleep through the first week back, although that might cause comment.

AlastairMeeks

Richard_Nabavi said:

AlastairMeeks said:

... So with less content we can expect less time. ...

Not sure that follows.

You have a point, I fear.

One year it would be wonderful if the Chancellor stood up, gave a factual resumé of the country's economic position and then said "I don't believe in pointless tinkering and current tax laws are adequate for the purpose, and rabbits out of hats are for third rate magicians, so I'll sit down now."

I doubt I'll hear that speech in my lifetime though.

ydoethur

justin124 said:

ydoethur said:

MikeSmithson said:

ydoethur said:

'I must say that I am still not used to this taking place in November and on a Monday.'

It's not happening in November this year either, unless my watch has stopped for 48 hours and I've been asleep longer than I realised.

This feels like November

As I recall, every budget until 1997 was presented in November. That year Brown had one in July, and then from 1998 it shifted to March.

So it's not really that novel a departure.

Dates are here if anyone is interested:

https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/p05.pdf#page7

Traditionally April was the Budget month - and delivered on a Tuesday. It switched to the Autumn in the early 1990s and Brown reverted to Spring Budgets post-1997.

Although there hasn't been an October one since 1919.

AlastairMeeks

I'm not very knowledgeable about US politics but even I was a bit astonished at this tweet:

https://twitter.com/JonathanLanday/status/1056912773068808193

ydoethur

AlastairMeeks said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

AlastairMeeks said:

... So with less content we can expect less time. ...

Not sure that follows.

You have a point, I fear.

One year it would be wonderful if the Chancellor stood up, gave a factual resumé of the country's economic position and then said "I don't believe in pointless tinkering and current tax laws are adequate for the purpose, and rabbits out of hats are for third rate magicians, so I'll sit down now."

I doubt I'll hear that speech in my lifetime though.

Bonar Law famously delivered an hour long budget speech in 1917 (I think - might have been 1918) with the aid of a few figures on the back of an envelope.

TheWhiteRabbit

Richard_Nabavi said:

An interesting chart from the chief executive of Tax Justice:

https://twitter.com/alexcobham/status/1056920059497582593/photo/1

Another way of putting it is: online retailing benefits consumers because it is a lot more efficient.

Clearly that is true for manpower.

But on what basis do we charge business rates?

Is its basis in land because the land is somehow important - or is it a proxy for taxing businesses?

Big_G_NorthWales

Watching Sky budget coverage the campaign to remain in the EU is attempting to drown out the broadcast. They do their cause no good whatsover.

david_herdson

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

An interesting chart from the chief executive of Tax Justice:

https://twitter.com/alexcobham/status/1056920059497582593/photo/1

Another way of putting it is: online retailing benefits consumers because it is a lot more efficient.

Clearly that is true for manpower.

But on what basis do we charge business rates?

Is its basis in land because the land is somehow important - or is it a proxy for taxing businesses?

We should abolish business rates and introduce a turnover tax on business.

justin124

ydoethur said:

justin124 said:

SandyRentool said:

MikeSmithson said:

MarqueeMark said:

Time to fund some unruly MP's to get "order, order" over 4......

It used to be that Budgets were always listened to politely without the need for the Speaker to intervene.

The Speaker never intervenes - he isn't in the chair.

Actually until the early 1970s the Speaker did take the chair - and has occasionally done so since!

Incorrect. Only twice since 1967 has the Speaker presided - 1968 and 1989. This is because detailed taxation policy was traditionally a matter for the Committee of Ways and Means, not the House of Commons, so it was dealt with by the Ways and Means Committee until its abolition in 1967 (see my link above).

Having checked Hansard, I can advise that the Speaker did take the chair for the Budgets of 1969, 1970 and 1971!

Richard_Nabavi

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Clearly that is true for manpower.

But on what basis do we charge business rates?

Is its basis in land because the land is somehow important - or is it a proxy for taxing businesses?

I agree with the underlying point you are making: business rates are not fit for the modern world. The tax rate is often far too high as a proportion of the rent, there are bizarre side-effects in that it actively discourages investment by the tenant in some plant & machinery, and it falls disproportionately on a small base of taxpaying companies. It really needs a full overhaul.

philiph

david_herdson said:

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

An interesting chart from the chief executive of Tax Justice:

https://twitter.com/alexcobham/status/1056920059497582593/photo/1

Another way of putting it is: online retailing benefits consumers because it is a lot more efficient.

Clearly that is true for manpower.

But on what basis do we charge business rates?

Is its basis in land because the land is somehow important - or is it a proxy for taxing businesses?

We should abolish business rates and introduce a turnover tax on business.

VAT?

Richard_Nabavi

The build-up to this budget has more than a whiff of a pre-election budget.

Big_G_NorthWales

Richard_Nabavi said:

The build-up to this budget has more than a whiff of a pre-election budget.

Hope not - neither does Brenda from Bristol

AlastairMeeks

Richard_Nabavi said:

The build-up to this budget has more than a whiff of a pre-election budget.

It's certainly a campaign budget. The only question is whether the campaign is inside or outside Parliament.

TheWhiteRabbit

philiph said:

david_herdson said:

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

An interesting chart from the chief executive of Tax Justice:

https://twitter.com/alexcobham/status/1056920059497582593/photo/1

Another way of putting it is: online retailing benefits consumers because it is a lot more efficient.

Clearly that is true for manpower.

But on what basis do we charge business rates?

Is its basis in land because the land is somehow important - or is it a proxy for taxing businesses?

We should abolish business rates and introduce a turnover tax on business.

VAT?

VAT is a tax on consumption, so although it plays an important role in government having sight of supply chains, it is by no means a tax on turnover or indeed profit.

Richard_Nabavi

AlastairMeeks said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

The build-up to this budget has more than a whiff of a pre-election budget.

It's certainly a campaign budget. The only question is whether the campaign is inside or outside Parliament.

Good point.

david_herdson

philiph said:

david_herdson said:

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

An interesting chart from the chief executive of Tax Justice:

https://twitter.com/alexcobham/status/1056920059497582593/photo/1

Another way of putting it is: online retailing benefits consumers because it is a lot more efficient.

Clearly that is true for manpower.

But on what basis do we charge business rates?

Is its basis in land because the land is somehow important - or is it a proxy for taxing businesses?

We should abolish business rates and introduce a turnover tax on business.

VAT?

Yes, that's similar. However, it's also product specific, has substantial exemptions and involves rebates because it's (by definition) only "value added". A full Turnover Tax would be on the company, not its items, and simply on the top-line bar an allowance for small businesses.

Big_G_NorthWales

AlastairMeeks said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

The build-up to this budget has more than a whiff of a pre-election budget.

It's certainly a campaign budget. The only question is whether the campaign is inside or outside Parliament.

Hope it is both

TheWhiteRabbit

Richard_Nabavi said:

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Clearly that is true for manpower.

But on what basis do we charge business rates?

Is its basis in land because the land is somehow important - or is it a proxy for taxing businesses?

I agree with the underlying point you are making: business rates are not fit for the modern world. The tax rate is often far too high as a proportion of the rent, there are bizarre side-effects in that it actively discourages investment by the tenant in some plant & machinery, and it falls disproportionately on a small base of taxpaying companies. It really needs a full overhaul.

I think it's like the TV licence, which increasingly doesn't tax what it should be taxing. Equally like the TV licence you can tweak it in the right direction, but at some point you should give up and go home (and come up with something better).

DavidL

Zzzzz

Hanging in there.

rottenborough

A budget for strivers and carers.

Carers? That'll be the day. Carers Allowance is the lowest of all benefits.

Richard_Nabavi

Do 'strivers' and 'grafters' exist anywhere other than in politicians' speeches?

FrancisUrquhart

Richard_Nabavi said:

The build-up to this budget has more than a whiff of a pre-election budget.

DavidL

Not actually said anything yet.

AlastairMeeks

DavidL said:

Not actually said anything yet.

Good budget then.

old_labour

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Watching Sky budget coverage the campaign to remain in the EU is attempting to drown out the broadcast. They do their cause no good whatsover.

Time to bring out Boris Johnson's water canons for the day.

DavidL

This is why the budget should have been next month. He may not need to spend this money.

Richard_Nabavi

DavidL said:

This is why the budget should have been next month. He may not need to spend this money.

I'm sure other uses can be found for it.

Pulpstar

DavidL said:

Not actually said anything yet.

Will it be commended to the house ?

AlastairMeeks

Looks like we're all going to be suffering from Brexit cell anaemia:

https://twitter.com/paullewismoney/status/1056933996758794240

Richard_Nabavi

OBR growth forecasts of 1.4% in 2020 and 2021; 1.5% in 2022; and 1.6% in 2023 are not exactly tub-thumping.

DavidL

Richard_Nabavi said:

OBR growth forecasts of 1.4% in 2020 and 2021; 1.5% in 2022; and 1.6% in 2023 are not exactly tub-thumping.

Yes but it will be higher. There is some sense in the OBR being cautious but not to the extent it leads to policy errors.

ydoethur

This hasn't been a budget so far, more an extended party political broadcast. His attacks on Labour are almost as vicious as his jokes are bad, although since Labour keep trying to shout him down they clearly worry they're hitting home.

Annelise Dodds looks like she's bitten a wasp.

Richard_Nabavi

DavidL said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

OBR growth forecasts of 1.4% in 2020 and 2021; 1.5% in 2022; and 1.6% in 2023 are not exactly tub-thumping.

Yes but it will be higher. There is some sense in the OBR being cautious but not to the extent it leads to policy errors.

Let's hope so. Of course it depends a lot on world factors outside the UK's control.

Foxy

Richard_Nabavi said:

OBR growth forecasts of 1.4% in 2020 and 2021; 1.5% in 2022; and 1.6% in 2023 are not exactly tub-thumping.

Probably best to err on the cautious side, we may be due a slowdown even excluding Brexit.

MikeL

He didn't explicitly say deficit figure for 18/19.

But it can be worked out.

stjohn

Assured delivery by Hammond. I've had a few quid on him for next Tory leader at 70.0 and 75.0.

Morris_Dancer

Dr. Foxy, we're overdue a standard recession.

TheWhiteRabbit

MikeL said:

He didn't explicitly say deficit figure for 18/19.

But it can be worked out.

£11bn less than the last OBR forecast would put it in the high £20bns

MarqueeMark

ydoethur said:

This hasn't been a budget so far, more an extended party political broadcast. His attacks on Labour are almost as vicious as his jokes are bad, although since Labour keep trying to shout him down they clearly worry they're hitting home.

Annelise Dodds looks like she's bitten a wasp.

My symapathies are with the wasp....

AlastairMeeks

stjohn said:

Assured delivery by Hammond. I've had a few quid on him for next Tory leader at 70.0 and 75.0.

In a rational world he would be favourite. However, as you will no doubt be informed by some of our more intense Leavers, the hatred of the Brexit purists for him surpasseth all understanding.

DavidL

Richard_Nabavi said:

DavidL said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

OBR growth forecasts of 1.4% in 2020 and 2021; 1.5% in 2022; and 1.6% in 2023 are not exactly tub-thumping.

Yes but it will be higher. There is some sense in the OBR being cautious but not to the extent it leads to policy errors.

Let's hope so. Of course it depends a lot on world factors outside the UK's control.

Very true and the EZ is a real concern as is the fiscal flatuence of Trump.

MikeL

TheWhiteRabbit said:

MikeL said:

He didn't explicitly say deficit figure for 18/19.

But it can be worked out.

£11bn less than the last OBR forecast would put it in the high £20bns

Indeed!

Reason he didn't say figure is that it rises in 19/20 - to £31.8bn.

Roger

He's impressive and likeable. The Tories have finally got a leader in the wings.

TheWhiteRabbit

MikeL said:

TheWhiteRabbit said:

MikeL said:

He didn't explicitly say deficit figure for 18/19.

But it can be worked out.

£11bn less than the last OBR forecast would put it in the high £20bns

Indeed!

Reason he didn't say figure is that it rises in 19/20 - to £31.8bn.

Correct, but I would be stunned if it did rise (assuming a deal)

rottenborough

Boost for mental health with "new" crisis teams.

Who though will staff them?

ydoethur

AlastairMeeks said:

stjohn said:

Assured delivery by Hammond. I've had a few quid on him for next Tory leader at 70.0 and 75.0.

In a rational world he would be favourite. However, as you will no doubt be informed by some of our more intense Leavers, the hatred of the Brexit purists for him surpasseth all understanding.

Don't you think the fact he's a year older than May might tell against him as well? It's one of two reasons I don't think he's in the running (the other being that I don't think he wants to be PM).

Richard_Nabavi

Roger said:

He's impressive and likeable. The Tories have finally got a leader in the wings.

And that's where they are going to keep him.

Mortimer

I'm late - whats the Education count so far?

SouthamObserver

Deal dividend, not Brexit dividend. Phil is a grown-up.

stjohn

AlastairMeeks said:

stjohn said:

Assured delivery by Hammond. I've had a few quid on him for next Tory leader at 70.0 and 75.0.

In a rational world he would be favourite. However, as you will no doubt be informed by some of our more intense Leavers, the hatred of the Brexit purists for him surpasseth all understanding.

Yes, I know the various arguments against his prospects and I feel it's unlikely he will become the next Tory leader. It's been reported that he's not interested in the job which, if true, is a major impediment! But as current C of E his odds look too big.

My main bet is Raab.

rottenborough

Don't we have this debate every time he does a Budget? Oh look he's not too bad, he could be leader.

Forgotten within a few days.

TheWhiteRabbit

I like Phil, but the Exchequer is the correct house on Downing St (so to speak)

SouthamObserver

Richard_Nabavi said:

AlastairMeeks said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

The build-up to this budget has more than a whiff of a pre-election budget.

It's certainly a campaign budget. The only question is whether the campaign is inside or outside Parliament.

Good point.

I give you "deal dividend". He is talking to his own side.

ydoethur

Incidentally am I right in thinking the only current member of the Labour front bench with cabinet experience is Nick Brown?

That might be why Hammond is repeatedly banging on about his wider cabinet roles.

GarethoftheVale2

AlastairMeeks said:

stjohn said:

Assured delivery by Hammond. I've had a few quid on him for next Tory leader at 70.0 and 75.0.

In a rational world he would be favourite. However, as you will no doubt be informed by some of our more intense Leavers, the hatred of the Brexit purists for him surpasseth all understanding.

The other problem Hammond has is that he is too temperamentally similar to May. Parties are normally looking for someone who has different qualities to the current leader.

What I suspect the Con MPs will be looking for is someone who is a good debater, will be comfortable meeting the public, while having more orthodox right wing economics and not being Boris.

Recidivist

Hammond looks and sounds like a proper Conservative. Good to know there are a few left.

If they'd got rid of Brexit as well as austerity I might think about voting for them again.

OldKingCole

rottenborough said:

Boost for mental health with "new" crisis teams.

Who though will staff them?

EU citizens? Special skills?

notme

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

An interesting chart from the chief executive of Tax Justice:

https://twitter.com/alexcobham/status/1056920059497582593/photo/1

Another way of putting it is: online retailing benefits consumers because it is a lot more efficient.

Clearly that is true for manpower.

But on what basis do we charge business rates?

Is its basis in land because the land is somehow important - or is it a proxy for taxing businesses?

Properties are rated based on a 'market rent', and it will be around 49p in the pound spent on the market rent, which isnt necessarily the actual rent paid.

ydoethur

That wasn't quite the way I expected education to come up.

I wonder how that money for Bergen Belsen programmes will work in practice and how it will be allocated.

Edit - ah, now he's on to education. He's talking rubbish on OFSTED though - in the last three years OFSTED grades have become no better than guesses, so that statistic is meaningless. Disturbing as well there's more money for potholes than for schools.

stjohn

GarethoftheVale2 said:

AlastairMeeks said:

stjohn said:

Assured delivery by Hammond. I've had a few quid on him for next Tory leader at 70.0 and 75.0.

In a rational world he would be favourite. However, as you will no doubt be informed by some of our more intense Leavers, the hatred of the Brexit purists for him surpasseth all understanding.

The other problem Hammond has is that he is too temperamentally similar to May. Parties are normally looking for someone who has different qualities to the current leader.

What I suspect the Con MPs will be looking for is someone who is a good debater, will be comfortable meeting the public, while having more orthodox right wing economics and not being Boris.

There are excellent arguments against every plausible successor to Theresa May. But one of them has to succeed her.

DavidL

Good news for IT companies where most of that school bonus must surely be spent.

Richard_Nabavi

"Today I am announcing a £400m in-year bonus to help our schools buy the little extras they need.."

Rather patronising turn of phrase.

TheWhiteRabbit

notme said:

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

An interesting chart from the chief executive of Tax Justice:

https://twitter.com/alexcobham/status/1056920059497582593/photo/1

Another way of putting it is: online retailing benefits consumers because it is a lot more efficient.

Clearly that is true for manpower.

But on what basis do we charge business rates?

Is its basis in land because the land is somehow important - or is it a proxy for taxing businesses?

Properties are rated based on a 'market rent', and it will be around 49p in the pound spent on the market rent, which isnt necessarily the actual rent paid.

Oh trust me I could go on about literally speaking how rates are levied on local and national lists etc. etc. etc.

The question is, what are we actually taxing? Do shops require more services than their online equivalent? Or is this just a tax on business handily measured against something - which for centuries until a decade ago - that was unmoveable?

rottenborough

Lovelace mentioned.

I wonder what the Budget Bingo winning on her name would have been

ydoethur

DavidL said:

Good news for IT companies where most of that school bonus must surely be spent.

Depends on what route schools take. Repairs might be more urgent as there is a backlog.

Also, textbooks have been a perennial issue with new courses. However, there is a case for going with tablets and e-books on that. I recommended that in my school and I reckon the failure to follow up on my idea cost us thousands as well as limiting our flexibility in teaching.

Mortimer

Richard_Nabavi said:

"Today I am announcing a £400m in-year bonus to help our schools buy the little extras they need.."

Rather patronising turn of phrase.

Shame he didn't change schools to 'the Department of Education'

Richard_Nabavi

Employment forecasts good but growth forecasts not great means that the OBR expects productivity to remain poor.

Cyclefree

ydoethur said:

That wasn't quite the way I expected education to come up.

I wonder how that money for Bergen Belsen programmes will work in practice and how it will be allocated.

Edit - ah, now he's on to education. He's talking rubbish on OFSTED though - in the last three years OFSTED grades have become no better than guesses, so that statistic is meaningless.

A good move to teach children about the horrors of Bergen-Belsen and anti-semitism and remind them about what the British did to rescue them. Personal note here: my father was one of the doctors who had to go into the camp to help. The horror of what he witnessed was something which stayed with him all his life.

ydoethur

Aaand he's off again. Admittedly it seems to be working to judge from the glum look on Macdonnell's face.

At least he's announcing the end of PFI, which is not before time.

I notice he's forgotten to mention that it first emerged under Major though, however disastrously Labour mismanaged it.

MarqueeMark

Abolishing PFI shoots Labour - and Labour's fox.....

TheWhiteRabbit

Bye bye PFI

ydoethur

Mortimer said:

Richard_Nabavi said:

"Today I am announcing a £400m in-year bonus to help our schools buy the little extras they need.."

Rather patronising turn of phrase.

Shame he didn't change schools to 'the Department of Education'

Because that would be universities as well.

OldKingCole

Cyclefree said:

ydoethur said:

That wasn't quite the way I expected education to come up.

I wonder how that money for Bergen Belsen programmes will work in practice and how it will be allocated.

Edit - ah, now he's on to education. He's talking rubbish on OFSTED though - in the last three years OFSTED grades have become no better than guesses, so that statistic is meaningless.

A good move to teach children about the horrors of Bergen-Belsen and anti-semitism and remind them about what the British did to rescue them. Personal note here: my father was one of the doctors who had to go into the camp to help. The horror of what he witnessed was something which stayed with him all his life.

AIUI children ARE already taught about concentration camps. At least one of the teachers in my family has taken parties to such camps.

El_Capitano

ydoethur said:

DavidL said:

Good news for IT companies where most of that school bonus must surely be spent.

Depends on what route schools take. Repairs might be more urgent as there is a backlog.

If Mrs Capitano's school is anything to go by, it'll be staff. In particular, extra TAs to handle the kids who should be in special schools, were there any left.

ydoethur

OldKingCole said:

Cyclefree said:

ydoethur said:

That wasn't quite the way I expected education to come up.

I wonder how that money for Bergen Belsen programmes will work in practice and how it will be allocated.

Edit - ah, now he's on to education. He's talking rubbish on OFSTED though - in the last three years OFSTED grades have become no better than guesses, so that statistic is meaningless.

A good move to teach children about the horrors of Bergen-Belsen and anti-semitism and remind them about what the British did to rescue them. Personal note here: my father was one of the doctors who had to go into the camp to help. The horror of what he witnessed was something which stayed with him all his life.

AIUI children ARE already taught about concentration camps. At least one of the teachers in my family has taken parties to such camps.

And I've done it three times. However, Bergen Belsen is not one of the ones that gets widely taught about. The death camps in the East tend to get more attention (and that includes from Yad Vashem and HET).

DavidL

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Bye bye PFI

Thank goodness