Over the last few days, many of us could be forgiven for gloating just a little. There are those, me included (see previous blogs) who say that the Government have been wholly wrong in the economic strategy they have undertaken and recent days have seen us proved right. Of course, being proved right is great, and under some circumstances, a little gloat would not go amiss. However, when people's jobs and livelihoods disappear and the resulting misery casts a gloomy pall over our communities, gloating is that last thing on many people's minds.
The IMF, an organisation that usually adores Governments who slash public spending and keep taxation low, have issued dire warnings about the British economy. In their eyes, Britain is not heading for growth, and their forecasts have been lowered accordingly. The Government's own figures have added to the gloom, showing a steep rise in borrowing for August - from a Government which claims it will cut Britain's deficit, which you can't really do by increasing borrowing. So the strategy of eradicating the deficit has led us to need to borrow more, creating, yes you guessed it, a larger deficit.
Despite this, we have had to endure both Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander on consecutive editions of the Today Programme, burying their heads in the sand and singing the Government's praises. According to Alexander, Britain has one important asset when it comes to economic renewal. I assumed he was going to praise Britain's technological advances, our manufacturing innovation or at least the hard working people. But no, according to Alexander, the one asset Britain has is the Government. Even for a man like him who has never held a proper job in the real world, that was a remarkably stupid and naive thing to say. If he and his government are the only asset we have got, we may as well all move to Greece.
Speaking of Greece, Nick Clegg had a sneaky little attempt at pulling the wool over people's eyes on Tuesday. "Britain had a worse deficit than Greece," he claimed. Oh, really? Yes it was larger - but so is the British economy. If you earn £10,000 a year and owe £20,000, you're in trouble. If you earn £900,000 and owe £40,000, that is manageable. The debt is bigger, but the wherewithal to pay it off is more readily available. Nice try, Nick, but stop treating voters like idiots. And while we are at it, do you think Liberal Democrats could actually take a breath while they are being interviewed? After all, talking over the person asking the questions just makes you look like the 14 year old with his fingers in his ears singing "la,la, not listening...."
Dodgy claims are very fashionable at the moment. During last week's Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron claimed that an extra 500,000 jobs had been created in the private sector since the last election. the true figure is nowhere near that amount.
But finally, came yesterday's rumours that the Government were considering an extra £5 billion stimulus package for the economy. Initially my hopes were high until I read further. The money could be spent on better broadband access and road projects, finite projects which will not see money being recycled. Where money needs to be spent is in supporting manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Giving incentives to local co-operatives to compete, allowing Local Authorities to inject cash into businesses and economic projects in their areas. Concreting over more greenbelt will only have short term benefits and long term hardships.
Of course, the stimulus package is only a rumour. The hard facts are that the economy is not growing, we are having to borrow more and Plan A is driving the economy into the dust. Still, we are assured that David Cameron and George Osborne would like to get rid of the 50p tax rate. Presumably to prove that we are all in this together.
The IMF, an organisation that usually adores Governments who slash public spending and keep taxation low, have issued dire warnings about the British economy. In their eyes, Britain is not heading for growth, and their forecasts have been lowered accordingly. The Government's own figures have added to the gloom, showing a steep rise in borrowing for August - from a Government which claims it will cut Britain's deficit, which you can't really do by increasing borrowing. So the strategy of eradicating the deficit has led us to need to borrow more, creating, yes you guessed it, a larger deficit.
Despite this, we have had to endure both Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander on consecutive editions of the Today Programme, burying their heads in the sand and singing the Government's praises. According to Alexander, Britain has one important asset when it comes to economic renewal. I assumed he was going to praise Britain's technological advances, our manufacturing innovation or at least the hard working people. But no, according to Alexander, the one asset Britain has is the Government. Even for a man like him who has never held a proper job in the real world, that was a remarkably stupid and naive thing to say. If he and his government are the only asset we have got, we may as well all move to Greece.
Speaking of Greece, Nick Clegg had a sneaky little attempt at pulling the wool over people's eyes on Tuesday. "Britain had a worse deficit than Greece," he claimed. Oh, really? Yes it was larger - but so is the British economy. If you earn £10,000 a year and owe £20,000, you're in trouble. If you earn £900,000 and owe £40,000, that is manageable. The debt is bigger, but the wherewithal to pay it off is more readily available. Nice try, Nick, but stop treating voters like idiots. And while we are at it, do you think Liberal Democrats could actually take a breath while they are being interviewed? After all, talking over the person asking the questions just makes you look like the 14 year old with his fingers in his ears singing "la,la, not listening...."
Dodgy claims are very fashionable at the moment. During last week's Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron claimed that an extra 500,000 jobs had been created in the private sector since the last election. the true figure is nowhere near that amount.
But finally, came yesterday's rumours that the Government were considering an extra £5 billion stimulus package for the economy. Initially my hopes were high until I read further. The money could be spent on better broadband access and road projects, finite projects which will not see money being recycled. Where money needs to be spent is in supporting manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Giving incentives to local co-operatives to compete, allowing Local Authorities to inject cash into businesses and economic projects in their areas. Concreting over more greenbelt will only have short term benefits and long term hardships.
Of course, the stimulus package is only a rumour. The hard facts are that the economy is not growing, we are having to borrow more and Plan A is driving the economy into the dust. Still, we are assured that David Cameron and George Osborne would like to get rid of the 50p tax rate. Presumably to prove that we are all in this together.
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