Is Stockton on Tees a ****hole?

[Notch7]

Kicking the can down the road; it's what our politicians do (mostly, anyway)

One of huge limitations of democracy.

Politicians can only enact change by getting elected and they can only stay in power by getting re elected.

Hence you get Blair for example building loads of hospitals with PFI.....so a new hospital now (vote winner) and pain of repayment layer (future govts prob)


No such problems in China, a one party state can have long terms plans

 

[Brigadier]

pain of repayment layer (future govts prob)

But "paying later" (ongoing maintenance and, ultimately, replacement) should always be factored in anyway - nothing is built to last forever - it is only the method of that expenditure that should be up for debate.

Not whether to pay it at all.

 

[Notch7]

But "paying later" (ongoing maintenance and, ultimately, replacement) should always be factored in anyway - nothing is built to last forever - it is only the method of that expenditure that should be up for debate.

Not whether to pay it at all.

Of course, but common sense doesn't appear in politics.

"Tax cuts" - vote winner

"Budget of x billions for ongoing infrastructure maintenance" - not a vote winner (Mind you "schools collapsing on kids" - not a vote winner either)


Short termism is one of the reasons, I think, against nationalisation- if you have railways, water, energy etc state run, politicians will always rob those budgets to use elsewhere.

 

[JohnD]

Short termism is one of the reasons, I think, against nationalisation- if you have railways, water, energy etc state run, politicians will always rob those budgets to use elsewhere.

The water and train companies show us that it is also a reason against privatisation.

The governing bodies need to be outside the direct control of the government temporarily in power, so that they can serve the long-term interests of the nation.

Institutions such as the BBC and Bank of England suffer from political interference and toadying placemen.

 

[securespark]

One of the many problems with this country: attitude.

We've recently seen it with the RAAC debacle.



There is absolutely nothing wrong with building something fit-for-purpose but cheap, cheerful, and imperfect, that'll do for a pressing need.

What is the problem is that, as a country, there is no accounting for planned or necessary obsolescence, or replacement.

Rolling programme of investment and replacement, not leave the whole "estate" (by which I mean the schools, the hospitals, the social housing etc) to crumble, then throw one's hands up and cry "we can't afford the £100 billion to replace our schools!"


Kicking the can down the road; it's what our politicians do (mostly, anyway).

Surely they could use the "red bus" money to rebuild this stuff?

And while they're at it, ahem, build some new social housing....

 

[JohnD]

Funnily enough, after 14 years of Tory government, taxes are higher than they've been for generations

By freezing tax allowances despite rampant inflation, income tax has gone up in real terms, and drawn even quite low incomes in

But at the forthcoming election, the Cons are planning to paint Labour as the high tax party.

 

[Mottie]

He's used to it after following the Hammers all those years.

The Hammers are having great success in Europe this year. Just sayin'….

 

[Odds]

The Hammers are having great success in Europe this year. Just sayin'….

Can't remember the last time i looked forward to a game in Europe.

 

[Notch7]

Er I think we know that, so what's the answer to increasing housing that will support 750000 new arrivals annually.
Let's not forget building more hospitals, shops, etc etc to support these new arrivals.

Hospitals are used mostly by elderly British people not working age foreigners

the Tories love to blame their failures on foreigners….which Daily Mail Gant laps up

 

[Vinty]

So Harry didn't get a big financial benefit ?

You can only see what you want to see, gotcha.

Ti's who you are, and what you do

The right to buy scheme introduced by Thatchers government helped a lot of people buy a house that they could not otherwise afford.

I was never a fan of Thatcher but even a broken clock is right sometimes, because of the discount offered on the market value of the property, tenants could buy their home without a deposit.

 

[Notch7]

That would be alright if nation states had any relevance in a globalized world big business just up sticks if they're not getting a return.

thats true, lots of businesses have “upped sticks” since Brexit.

 

[Mottie]

Hospitals are used mostly by elderly British people not working age foreigners

You're having a laugh! Go to any *A&E and just look and listen at who is there. Most are there because they are not eligible to resister at a GP surgery. Is it your wife that works for the NHS? Ask her.

* I forgot, like full supermarket shelves and uncollected rubbish, that won't be seen by you with your special anti-Tory/U.K., pro EU blinkers on.

 

[gant]

the Tories love to blame their failures on foreigners….which Daily Mail Gant laps up

Projection alert.
I've still to have an answer off you on why you can see through daily mail articles but I can't.

 

[gant]

thats true, lots of businesses have “upped sticks” since Brexit.

Only to be replaced, that's what happens in a globalized world.

 

[Notch7]

Only to be replaced, that's what happens in a globalized world.

no they haven’t been replaced.

lots of UK businesses have moved to into the EU to have access to the Single Market, Holland and Ireland being popular destinations. Guess what a marketplace of £16 trillion is more attractive than a marketplace of £2.8 trillion.

poor Gant he voted to make the U.K. worse off