Sean_F wrote “That sounds like pretty hard luck on the Lithuanians (who have suffered more than their share of bad luck).”
But, the Lithuanians don’t want to live in Lithuania -- their population is declining.
There are empty houses & schools in Lithuania (that is the practical consequence of a declining population).
There are people who need houses.
If there were Lithuanians ready to live in the empty houses, well and good. But there aren’t. Why can’t the houses be use to populate non-Lithuanians?
I am not of course picking on Lithuania. Ultimately, if a country’s population is actually declining, and the global population is rising, then the country with the decline population must accept the consequences of failing to hold on to their own population. One of them is that they should accept more immigration.
Forcing social problems on them against their wishes is a recipe for disaster. You would do better to address the reasons why a country like Bangladesh is such a mess.
Possibly, overcrowding in a very poor, flood-ridden part of the world might have something to do with this, do you not think?
The private sector must (on average) be getting real wage rises, as in the public sector we are continuing to get real terms wage cuts each year. Minus 2% for me.
shall we talk about pensions ?
One reason that I am keen to claim mine! If I take early retirement this year then I get CPI rises each year.
One of many reasons why retention of senior staff is so poor. The finances make it foolish to stay in the job.
I cashed mine in and kept working , suppose you will not have that option.
No, that is definitely an option. I just need to be off work for a month before restarting, with salary, pension and 13.5% payrise as no longer contributing employee superannuation. It would mean a lot of tax though unless i go to 3 days a week, which would put me in status quo for income, more or less.
You just take up to your 25% tax free maximum and stick rest in a tax free SIPP
Have you glanced at the UK trade deficit recently? "We need to be...offering products and services that the world wants..."
Except we don't, right at this moment, offer enough of them.
You are absolutely right. And the EU didn't cause it and Brexit won't of itself solve it. But it could be the necessary catalyst.
Been saying this constantly. Just had a call from a research firm on behalf of UK Government trying to work out how to help SMEs export more. Seems like too little too late at the moment. One of the main questions was why are we not selling more to USA, Australia and China. If the UK thinks these markets will save the UK they are mistaken. USA is a good market but Australia is small and China hyper difficult.
The UK has not looked after manufacturing (see last post). There is a constant feeling we are completely misunderstood. The debate on business rates has all been about the high street. The reality is that after I decided to upgrade my plant so we have a nice tea room for my staff the first thing we get is a new rates bill up £4k a year.
My company operates with almost no debt but the average interest we pay is about 10% pa. A sister company in Switzerland borrows 5 times our levels at 2%.
None of this is going to change with leaving the EU except we will find it harder to buy stuff from abroad. The £ will continue to drop and shortages will appear as foreigners refuse to keep stock in the UK. It could be a long and hard adjustment.
I’ve come up with a way for May to achieve what she wants with all options on the ballot paper for a second referendum
Q1. Do you support the deal agreed by PM Yes / No Q2. If the deal is not supported would you prefer to a) Remain in EU b) Leave with No Deal
This would allow people to express leave or remain, but with the jeopardy that if they don’t support the deal then the opposite of what they want could happen
Have you glanced at the UK trade deficit recently? "We need to be...offering products and services that the world wants..."
Except we don't, right at this moment, offer enough of them.
You are absolutely right. And the EU didn't cause it and Brexit won't of itself solve it. But it could be the necessary catalyst.
Been saying this constantly. Just had a call from a research firm on behalf of UK Government trying to work out how to help SMEs export more. Seems like too little too late at the moment. One of the main questions was why are we not selling more to USA, Australia and China. If the UK thinks these markets will save the UK they are mistaken. USA is a good market but Australia is small and China hyper difficult.
The UK has not looked after manufacturing (see last post). There is a constant feeling we are completely misunderstood. The debate on business rates has all been about the high street. The reality is that after I decided to upgrade my plant so we have a nice tea room for my staff the first thing we get is a new rates bill up £4k a year.
My company operates with almost no debt but the average interest we pay is about 10% pa. A sister company in Switzerland borrows 5 times our levels at 2%.
None of this is going to change with leaving the EU except we will find it harder to buy stuff from abroad. The £ will continue to drop and shortages will appear as foreigners refuse to keep stock in the UK. It could be a long and hard adjustment.
Personally I don't really see the point of an export drive, surely selling more product domestically is just as beneficial.
Comments
The UK has not looked after manufacturing (see last post). There is a constant feeling we are completely misunderstood. The debate on business rates has all been about the high street. The reality is that after I decided to upgrade my plant so we have a nice tea room for my staff the first thing we get is a new rates bill up £4k a year.
My company operates with almost no debt but the average interest we pay is about 10% pa. A sister company in Switzerland borrows 5 times our levels at 2%.
None of this is going to change with leaving the EU except we will find it harder to buy stuff from abroad. The £ will continue to drop and shortages will appear as foreigners refuse to keep stock in the UK. It could be a long and hard adjustment.
Q1. Do you support the deal agreed by PM Yes / No
Q2. If the deal is not supported would you prefer to a) Remain in EU b) Leave with No Deal
This would allow people to express leave or remain, but with the jeopardy that if they don’t support the deal then the opposite of what they want could happen