politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » NEW PB / Polling Matters podcast. How important is the economy

Big_G_NorthWales said:

dixiedean said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

stodge said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

I do support all councils but you have to admit that the Chief Executives and others are very overpaid, they have many wasting assets, and are generally unimaginitive

Social care is a problem and the government have provided more funds for this plus an ability to increae council tax.

County Council CEOs are very highly paid but it's the Councils that set the pay rates and they would argue (I imagine) you need to set appropriate pay levels to get quality candidates.

I don't know what a "wasting asset" is - if you mean land and buildings I doubt there's a pot of gold at the end of any Council property estate rainbow.

You say the Government has "promised funds for social care" but how much and when? An extra 2% precept is a drop in the ocean for what is actually needed and if the Government contribution is reduced in real terms the Councils are forced to apply the maximum increase to stand still.

Here in Aberconwy BC they are proposing a 12% increase in council tax and we have bin collections once every four weeks. And Wales labour get more per head from central government than England

Isn't that a Tory led council? What has Welsh Labour to do with your bins or your Council Tax?

No it is coalition of parties.

The argument has been central government are starving local councils of funding. The same in Wales run by labour who receive more per head than those in England. The council is in deficit starved of funds from Cardiff

Benpointer said:

viewcode said:

FPT

rcs1000 said:

Alistair said:

Yep, well, this is a thing.

https://twitter.com/daraobriain/status/1055163196984692737?s=19

Isn't that a goat?

Ohgod ohgod ohgod I might get this wrong.

1) It's a sheep, not a goat
2) It might be a Swaledale, but the legs are the wrong colour
3) So I think it's a Scottish Blackface, which fits the area.
4) Don't hate me if it's wrong (scurries away and hides)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:British_Isles_livestock

How can anyone think that's a goat?!

viewcode said:

FPT

rcs1000 said:

Alistair said:

Yep, well, this is a thing.

https://twitter.com/daraobriain/status/1055163196984692737?s=19

Isn't that a goat?

Ohgod ohgod ohgod I might get this wrong.

1) It's a sheep, not a goat
2) It might be a Swaledale, but the legs are the wrong colour
3) So I think it's a Scottish Blackface, which fits the area.
4) Don't hate me if it's wrong (scurries away and hides)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:British_Isles_livestock

dixiedean said:

Bloody Metropolitan out-of-touch London elite again. With their namby-pamby inability to identify livestock.

Benpointer said:

viewcode said:

FPT

rcs1000 said:

Alistair said:

Yep, well, this is a thing.

https://twitter.com/daraobriain/status/1055163196984692737?s=19

Isn't that a goat?

Ohgod ohgod ohgod I might get this wrong.

1) It's a sheep, not a goat
2) It might be a Swaledale, but the legs are the wrong colour
3) So I think it's a Scottish Blackface, which fits the area.
4) Don't hate me if it's wrong (scurries away and hides)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:British_Isles_livestock

How can anyone think that's a goat?!

dixiedean said:

Benpointer said:

viewcode said:

FPT

rcs1000 said:

Alistair said:

Yep, well, this is a thing.

https://twitter.com/daraobriain/status/1055163196984692737?s=19

Isn't that a goat?

Ohgod ohgod ohgod I might get this wrong.

1) It's a sheep, not a goat
2) It might be a Swaledale, but the legs are the wrong colour
3) So I think it's a Scottish Blackface, which fits the area.
4) Don't hate me if it's wrong (scurries away and hides)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:British_Isles_livestock

How can anyone think that's a goat?!

Bloody Metropolitan out-of-touch London elite again. With their namby-pamby inability to identify livestock.

Benpointer said:

FPT:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

dixiedean said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

stodge said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

I do support all councils but you have to admit that the Chief Executives and others are very overpaid, they have many wasting assets, and are generally unimaginitive

Social care is a problem and the government have provided more funds for this plus an ability to increae council tax.

County Council CEOs are very highly paid but it's the Councils that set the pay rates and they would argue (I imagine) you need to set appropriate pay levels to get quality candidates.

I don't know what a "wasting asset" is - if you mean land and buildings I doubt there's a pot of gold at the end of any Council property estate rainbow.

You say the Government has "promised funds for social care" but how much and when? An extra 2% precept is a drop in the ocean for what is actually needed and if the Government contribution is reduced in real terms the Councils are forced to apply the maximum increase to stand still.

Here in Aberconwy BC they are proposing a 12% increase in council tax and we have bin collections once every four weeks. And Wales labour get more per head from central government than England

Isn't that a Tory led council? What has Welsh Labour to do with your bins or your Council Tax?

No it is coalition of parties.

The argument has been central government are starving local councils of funding. The same in Wales run by labour who receive more per head than those in England. The council is in deficit starved of funds from Cardiff

But doesn't Cardiff only get what the Tory government in London allows it?

rottenborough said:

viewcode said:

viewcode said:

FPT

rcs1000 said:

Alistair said:

Yep, well, this is a thing.

https://twitter.com/daraobriain/status/1055163196984692737?s=19

Isn't that a goat?

Ohgod ohgod ohgod I might get this wrong.

1) It's a sheep, not a goat
2) It might be a Swaledale, but the legs are the wrong colour
3) So I think it's a Scottish Blackface, which fits the area.
4) Don't hate me if it's wrong (scurries away and hides)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:British_Isles_livestock

D'y'know, a lot of energy has been expended over the past years on PB on nationalism. It usually devolves into arguments between those who think England should be ruled by Brussels, the Anglosphere, the Commonwealth, or Edinburgh/Dublin/whatever. But this is a sheep. It's one of the most British animals ever. You can bang on about robins and adders, but they're pretty rare. They're ubiquitous outside large towns and they're the most docile creatures imaginable. I can't criticise that person for killing the sheep, since I'm partial to a lamb sandwich myself. But hunting one? Lord, what is the world coming to...

http://thenational.scot/news/17004309.fury-over-pictures-of-goat-hunt-on-scottish-island/

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Benpointer said:

FPT:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

dixiedean said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

stodge said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

I do support all councils but you have to admit that the Chief Executives and others are very overpaid, they have many wasting assets, and are generally unimaginitive

Social care is a problem and the government have provided more funds for this plus an ability to increae council tax.

County Council CEOs are very highly paid but it's the Councils that set the pay rates and they would argue (I imagine) you need to set appropriate pay levels to get quality candidates.

I don't know what a "wasting asset" is - if you mean land and buildings I doubt there's a pot of gold at the end of any Council property estate rainbow.

You say the Government has "promised funds for social care" but how much and when? An extra 2% precept is a drop in the ocean for what is actually needed and if the Government contribution is reduced in real terms the Councils are forced to apply the maximum increase to stand still.

Here in Aberconwy BC they are proposing a 12% increase in council tax and we have bin collections once every four weeks. And Wales labour get more per head from central government than England

Isn't that a Tory led council? What has Welsh Labour to do with your bins or your Council Tax?

No it is coalition of parties.

The argument has been central government are starving local councils of funding. The same in Wales run by labour who receive more per head than those in England. The council is in deficit starved of funds from Cardiff

But doesn't Cardiff only get what the Tory government in London allows it?

It gets more per capita than England and wastes it

viewcode said:

rottenborough said:

viewcode said:

viewcode said:

FPT

rcs1000 said:

Alistair said:

Yep, well, this is a thing.

https://twitter.com/daraobriain/status/1055163196984692737?s=19

Isn't that a goat?

Ohgod ohgod ohgod I might get this wrong.

1) It's a sheep, not a goat
2) It might be a Swaledale, but the legs are the wrong colour
3) So I think it's a Scottish Blackface, which fits the area.
4) Don't hate me if it's wrong (scurries away and hides)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:British_Isles_livestock

D'y'know, a lot of energy has been expended over the past years on PB on nationalism. It usually devolves into arguments between those who think England should be ruled by Brussels, the Anglosphere, the Commonwealth, or Edinburgh/Dublin/whatever. But this is a sheep. It's one of the most British animals ever. You can bang on about robins and adders, but they're pretty rare. They're ubiquitous outside large towns and they're the most docile creatures imaginable. I can't criticise that person for killing the sheep, since I'm partial to a lamb sandwich myself. But hunting one? Lord, what is the world coming to...

http://thenational.scot/news/17004309.fury-over-pictures-of-goat-hunt-on-scottish-island/

I don't care what she thinks it is, I think it's a sheep.

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/scottish-black-faced-sheep-islay.html

Benpointer said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

Benpointer said:

FPT:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

dixiedean said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

stodge said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

I do support all councils but you have to admit that the Chief Executives and others are very overpaid, they have many wasting assets, and are generally unimaginitive

Social care is a problem and the government have provided more funds for this plus an ability to increae council tax.

County Council CEOs are very highly paid but it's the Councils that set the pay rates and they would argue (I imagine) you need to set appropriate pay levels to get quality candidates.

I don't know what a "wasting asset" is - if you mean land and buildings I doubt there's a pot of gold at the end of any Council property estate rainbow.

You say the Government has "promised funds for social care" but how much and when? An extra 2% precept is a drop in the ocean for what is actually needed and if the Government contribution is reduced in real terms the Councils are forced to apply the maximum increase to stand still.

Here in Aberconwy BC they are proposing a 12% increase in council tax and we have bin collections once every four weeks. And Wales labour get more per head from central government than England

Isn't that a Tory led council? What has Welsh Labour to do with your bins or your Council Tax?

No it is coalition of parties.

The argument has been central government are starving local councils of funding. The same in Wales run by labour who receive more per head than those in England. The council is in deficit starved of funds from Cardiff

But doesn't Cardiff only get what the Tory government in London allows it?

It gets more per capita than England and wastes it

You can't get away from the fact that the Tory government ultimately controls all the purse strings.

Foxy said:

Goat hunting was quite a popular pastime in NZ when I lived there. Feral goats are quite destructive to indigenous plants. Mostly it was done by stalking. Feral pighunting too, but that was done on horseback with dogs.

NickPalmer said:

dixiedean said:

Bloody Metropolitan out-of-touch London elite again. With their namby-pamby inability to identify livestock.

I was an urban child, and vividly remember the teacher's fury when we were asked to spell the names of animals and I wrote "C-A-L-F" under a lamb. She was convinced I was winding her up, but at age 5 or so I'd never seen either one.

If I'd been asked to spell "pavement" I'd have been fine.

Big_G_NorthWales said:

AndyJS said:

Tommy Robinson had lunch in the House of Lords dining room of all places on Tuesday according to this:

https://news.sky.com/story/loathsome-tommy-robinson-slammed-after-dining-in-parliament-11534373

It is just wrong but

Labour very quiet - I wonder why

Foxy said:

Big_G_NorthWales said:

AndyJS said:

Tommy Robinson had lunch in the House of Lords dining room of all places on Tuesday according to this:

https://news.sky.com/story/loathsome-tommy-robinson-slammed-after-dining-in-parliament-11534373

It is just wrong but

Labour very quiet - I wonder why

Letting UKIP poison itself is a good thing?

Cyclefree said:

NickPalmer said:

dixiedean said:

Bloody Metropolitan out-of-touch London elite again. With their namby-pamby inability to identify livestock.

I was an urban child, and vividly remember the teacher's fury when we were asked to spell the names of animals and I wrote "C-A-L-F" under a lamb. She was convinced I was winding her up, but at age 5 or so I'd never seen either one.

If I'd been asked to spell "pavement" I'd have been fine.

One of my colleagues aged about 40 did not understand where milk came from. Seriously.

Pulpstar said:

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Guys she posted three photos at least, one a goat, one a sheep, and one a stag

The stag is fair enough, the goat - well not to my tastes, but unless that tup is owned by the shooting estate.. that is a farmer's private property. Perhaps it is owned by the hunting estate ( It's not wild like the stag or goat?) But seems weird to keep err sheep as game...
So I wonder if some crime might have been committed here, tups are valuable !

Cyclefree said:

...I quite like bees too. But loathe honey...

HYUFD said:

The economy is often pivotal eg 1979, 1987, 2001, 2010, 1974 but not always, for example even if the economy is doing well if the mood is for change and the opposition is electable it will not save the incumbent party eg 1997 while even if it is bad the government can win if the opposition is seen as worse eg 1992

Jonathan said:

Cyclefree said:

NickPalmer said:

dixiedean said:

Bloody Metropolitan out-of-touch London elite again. With their namby-pamby inability to identify livestock.

I was an urban child, and vividly remember the teacher's fury when we were asked to spell the names of animals and I wrote "C-A-L-F" under a lamb. She was convinced I was winding her up, but at age 5 or so I'd never seen either one.

If I'd been asked to spell "pavement" I'd have been fine.

One of my colleagues aged about 40 did not understand where milk came from. Seriously.

Pull the udder one.

Cyclefree said:

NickPalmer said:

dixiedean said:

Bloody Metropolitan out-of-touch London elite again. With their namby-pamby inability to identify livestock.

I was an urban child, and vividly remember the teacher's fury when we were asked to spell the names of animals and I wrote "C-A-L-F" under a lamb. She was convinced I was winding her up, but at age 5 or so I'd never seen either one.

If I'd been asked to spell "pavement" I'd have been fine.

One of my colleagues aged about 40 did not understand where milk came from. Seriously.

viewcode said:

Cyclefree said:

...I quite like bees too. But loathe honey...

I can't help thinking it's normally the other way around...

rcs1000 said:

Cyclefree said:

NickPalmer said:

dixiedean said:

Bloody Metropolitan out-of-touch London elite again. With their namby-pamby inability to identify livestock.

I was an urban child, and vividly remember the teacher's fury when we were asked to spell the names of animals and I wrote "C-A-L-F" under a lamb. She was convinced I was winding her up, but at age 5 or so I'd never seen either one.

If I'd been asked to spell "pavement" I'd have been fine.

One of my colleagues aged about 40 did not understand where milk came from. Seriously.

40 years old, and never been to a supermarket.

Jesus wept, what is the world coming to?

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

The economy is often pivotal eg 1979, 1987, 2001, 2010, 1974 but not always, for example even if the economy is doing well if the mood is for change and the opposition is electable it will not save the incumbent party eg 1997 while even if it is bad the government can win if the opposition is seen as worse eg 1992

The economy was growing in 97 because the government had previously taken it into the abyss and was not forgiven. It’s like losing your job, your house and then claiming a triumph because you found £5.

The Tories in 1997 left low inflation, low unemployment and a growing economy but yes the 1993 ERM crash legacy and negative equity and high interest rates were still a bad memory for many

It’s not a huge achievement to dig a hole climb in and painfully clamber out of it.

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

The economy is often pivotal eg 1979, 1987, 2001, 2010, 1974 but not always, for example even if the economy is doing well if the mood is for change and the opposition is electable it will not save the incumbent party eg 1997 while even if it is bad the government can win if the opposition is seen as worse eg 1992

The economy was growing in 97 because the government had previously taken it into the abyss and was not forgiven. It’s like losing your job, your house and then claiming a triumph because you found £5.

The Tories in 1997 left low inflation, low unemployment and a growing economy but yes the 1993 ERM crash legacy and negative equity and high interest rates were still a bad memory for many

It’s not a huge achievement to dig a hole climb in and painfully clamber out of it.

Considering the sky high inflation Labour left and mass strikes in 1979, the legacy the Tories left office with in 1997 compares rather better

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

The economy is often pivotal eg 1979, 1987, 2001, 2010, 1974 but not always, for example even if the economy is doing well if the mood is for change and the opposition is electable it will not save the incumbent party eg 1997 while even if it is bad the government can win if the opposition is seen as worse eg 1992

The economy was growing in 97 because the government had previously taken it into the abyss and was not forgiven. It’s like losing your job, your house and then claiming a triumph because you found £5.

The Tories in 1997 left low inflation, low unemployment and a growing economy but yes the 1993 ERM crash legacy and negative equity and high interest rates were still a bad memory for many

It’s not a huge achievement to dig a hole climb in and painfully clamber out of it.

Considering the sky high inflation Labour left and mass strikes in 1979, the legacy the Tories left office with in 1997 compares rather better

The inflation and strikes were there before that govt took office.

Beverley_C said:

viewcode said:

Pulpstar said:

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Guys she posted three photos at least, one a goat, one a sheep, and one a stag

The stag is fair enough, the goat - well not to my tastes, but unless that tup is owned by the shooting estate.. that is a farmer's private property. Perhaps it is owned by the hunting estate ( It's not wild like the stag or goat?) But seems weird to keep err sheep as game...
So I wonder if some crime might have been committed here, tups are valuable !

I don't think it's a crime, especially in the context of tomorrow's dinner, but it's a bit weird boasting about hunting sheep in full camo. Tomorrow: stalking the deadly hamster. "LOOK OUT ITS GOT A WHEEL! FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES!!!"

Camoflage might be very sensible....

"Mutant Marsupials Take Up Arms Against Australian Air Force

The reuse of some object-oriented code has caused tactical headaches for Australia’s armed forces. As virtual reality simulators assume larger roles in helicopter combat training , programmers have gone to great lengths to increase the realism of the their scenarios, including detailed landscapes and — in the case of the Northern Territory’s Operation Phoenix — herds of kangaroos (since groups of disturbed animals might well give away a helicopters position).

The head of the Defense Science and Technology Organization’s Land Operations/Simulations division reportedly instructed developers to model the local marsupials’ movements and reaction to helicopters.

Being efficient programmers, they just re-appropriated some code originally used to model infantry detachments reactions under the same stimuli, changed the mapped icon from a soldier to a kangaroo, and increased the figures’ speed of movement.

Eager to demonstrate their flying skills for some visiting American pilots, the hotshot Aussies “buzzed” the virtual kangaroos in low flight during a simulation. The kangaroos scattered, as predicted, and the Americans nodded appreciatively . . . and then did a double-take as the kangaroos reappeared from behind a hill and launched a barrage of stinger missiles at the hapless helicopter. (Apparently the programmers had forgotten the remove “that” part of the infantry coding).

The lesson? Objects are defined with certain attributes, and any new object defined in terms of the old one inherits all the attributes. The embarrassed programmers had learned to be careful when reusing object-oriented code, and the Yanks left with the utmost respect for the Australian wildlife.

Simulator supervisors report that pilots from that point onwards have strictly avoided kangaroos, just as they were meant to."

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/shoot-me-kangaroo-down-sport/

Freggles said:

I look forward to listening to this tomorrow, while doing some DIY.
I only wish it were available on Spotify for convenience.

Theuniondivvie said:

Perhaps a clue as to the comparative smoothness of the Spain/Gibraltar thing.

https://twitter.com/peterbrownbarra/status/1055061367894499328

Pulpstar said:

TheWhiteRabbit said:

Guys she posted three photos at least, one a goat, one a sheep, and one a stag

The stag is fair enough, the goat - well not to my tastes, but unless that tup is owned by the shooting estate.. that is a farmer's private property. Perhaps it is owned by the hunting estate ( It's not wild like the stag or goat?) But seems weird to keep err sheep as game...
So I wonder if some crime might have been committed here, tups are valuable !

Beverley_C said:

ExiledInScotland said:

Foxy said:

Theuniondivvie said:

Perhaps a clue as to the comparative smoothness of the Spain/Gibraltar thing.

https://twitter.com/peterbrownbarra/status/1055061367894499328

Yes, it looks as if Brexit is not going to change British fisheries by much, and not due to the CFP.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/11/brexit-uk-fishermen-fishing-industry-quotas-uk-government

How many Scottish Tory MPs will lose their seats at the next GE then?

Never mind scottish ones. Fishermen the UK over voted for Brexit to get bigger quotas...

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

The economy is often pivotal eg 1979, 1987, 2001, 2010, 1974 but not always, for example even if the economy is doing well if the mood is for change and the opposition is electable it will not save the incumbent party eg 1997 while even if it is bad the government can win if the opposition is seen as worse eg 1992

The economy was growing in 97 because the government had previously taken it into the abyss and was not forgiven. It’s like losing your job, your house and then claiming a triumph because you found £5.

The Tories in 1997 left low inflation, low unemployment and a growing economy but yes the 1993 ERM crash legacy and negative equity and high interest rates were still a bad memory for many

It’s not a huge achievement to dig a hole climb in and painfully clamber out of it.

Considering the sky high inflation Labour left and mass strikes in 1979, the legacy the Tories left office with in 1997 compares rather better

williamglenn said:

Fishing has been one of the worst examples of using the EU as a scapegoat for domestic policy.

AndyJS said:

"Freezing UK tower block was cash cow for foreign investors

Agents at Liverpool flats faced 13 prosecutions last year as housing benefit flowed abroad"

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/oct/24/freezing-uk-tower-block-was-cash-cow-for-foreign-investors

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

The economy is often pivotal eg 1979, 1987, 2001, 2010, 1974 but not always, for example even if the economy is doing well if the mood is for change and the opposition is electable it will not save the incumbent party eg 1997 while even if it is bad the government can win if the opposition is seen as worse eg 1992

The economy was growing in 97 because the government had previously taken it into the abyss and was not forgiven. It’s like losing your job, your house and then claiming a triumph because you found £5.

The Tories in 1997 left low inflation, low unemployment and a growing economy but yes the 1993 ERM crash legacy and negative equity and high interest rates were still a bad memory for many

It’s not a huge achievement to dig a hole climb in and painfully clamber out of it.

Considering the sky high inflation Labour left and mass strikes in 1979, the legacy the Tories left office with in 1997 compares rather better

DecrepitJohnL said:

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

The economy is often pivotal eg 1979, 1987, 2001, 2010, 1974 but not always, for example even if the economy is doing well if the mood is for change and the opposition is electable it will not save the incumbent party eg 1997 while even if it is bad the government can win if the opposition is seen as worse eg 1992

The economy was growing in 97 because the government had previously taken it into the abyss and was not forgiven. It’s like losing your job, your house and then claiming a triumph because you found £5.

The Tories in 1997 left low inflation, low unemployment and a growing economy but yes the 1993 ERM crash legacy and negative equity and high interest rates were still a bad memory for many

It’s not a huge achievement to dig a hole climb in and painfully clamber out of it.

Considering the sky high inflation Labour left and mass strikes in 1979, the legacy the Tories left office with in 1997 compares rather better

The inflation and strikes were there before that govt took office.

It took the Thatcher and Major government's to rectify the Heath, Wilson and Callaghan legacy and then the Blair government to secure it

The Heath government's main legacy was membership of the ... oh. Never mind.

FrancisUrquhart said:

According to The New York Times, the Chinese are regularly listening to Donald Trump's cellphone calls.

While he has two NSA-hardened iPhones, and a secure landline, he insists on using a consumer-grade iPhone -- even while knowing he's being eavesdropped upon -- because it has his contact list on it. "White House officials say they can only hope he refrains from discussing classified information when he is on them," reports the New York Times. But, officials were also confident that "he was not spilling secrets because he rarely digs into the details of the intelligence he is shown and is not well versed in the operational specifics of military or covert activities"; in other words, security through ignorance. The article mentions the rationale is to be able to listen to his calls to find out what and whom influences him, and that the Russians also listen in, albeit with less frequency because of his unique relationship with Vladimir Putin.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/us/politics/trump-phone-security.html

HYUFD said:

Jonathan said:

HYUFD said:

The economy is often pivotal eg 1979, 1987, 2001, 2010, 1974 but not always, for example even if the economy is doing well if the mood is for change and the opposition is electable it will not save the incumbent party eg 1997 while even if it is bad the government can win if the opposition is seen as worse eg 1992

The economy was growing in 97 because the government had previously taken it into the abyss and was not forgiven. It’s like losing your job, your house and then claiming a triumph because you found £5.

The Tories in 1997 left low inflation, low unemployment and a growing economy but yes the 1993 ERM crash legacy and negative equity and high interest rates were still a bad memory for many

TheValiant said:

AndyJS said:

O/T

"Troubled UK café chain Patisserie Valerie on Wednesday revealed it had awarded millions of pounds of share bonuses to its two top executives without notifying shareholders.

Half of the undisclosed awards were exercised by Paul May, chief executive, and Chris Marsh, finance director, just three months before the fast-growing group suspended its shares after uncovering “significant, and potentially fraudulent” accounting irregularities. The two made £1.7m in profits on the sale of those options, exercised on July 20."

https://www.ft.com/content/074ad1d6-d771-11e8-ab8e-6be0dcf18713

I always quite like this. The 'Company' awarded its directors.... given the company is a legal fiction, who exactly awarded the two directors these bonuses? If it wasn't the shareholders, it can only have been the two directors.

Why don't they just say 'The directors wrote themselves a massive cheque and didn't tell anyone about it'?