[Crimson Dynamo]

in terms of politics it will harden the general public's opinion that the Conservatives are much better with money than labour

[Livia]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

in terms of politics it will harden the general public's opinion that the Conservatives are much better with money than labour

That's the way the circle goes, isn't it. Labour spends, the Tories get in a nd have to make cuts to get the economy back on track, Labour gets back in, spend all the money, and so it continues...

[Ammi]

..I don’t profess to understand country black or red bank balances, it’s not my thing at all..but it would feel logical though that a black bank balance could or would be a good thing if the surplus was spent where needed most...if it had a purpose...with this government though, so much money seems to be ‘thrown’ at things like new systems and procedures etc and changing courses...things that just don’t seem to be priority and can often be a money waste because they haven’t been tweaked enough to work effectively...so they can be quite badly thought out or seemingly no thought at all...and nothing or very little throwing in those places in desperate need to be addressed...so a black balance would be a good thing..?..if used correctly and where needed to try to prevent less vulnerable in our world..?...perhaps, because I have very little knowledge of country finance stuff...

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...so they can be quite badly thought out or seemingly no thought at all...and nothing or very little throwing in those places in desperate need to be addressed...so a black balance would be a good thing..?..if used correctly and where needed to try to prevent less vulnerable in our world..?

Well this is the point, isn't it... The national debt or lack of it, being in the black / red etc. means very little to any of us or any other average citizen... The only important factor is how the resources we have are actually being used. So even those who are celebrating being out of the red surely have to see... It is completely and utterly meaningless, if the government don't then start to use that money efficiently to improve our towns, our services, and the day to day lives of normal people. Does it really benefit anyone to say "Oh hooray the government has a positive cash flow now!" if nothing is being spent on improvements or at least on stopping further decay. Towns are literally crumbling across the country... Pretty much everywhere outside of London and affluent SoE areas... It's an embarrassment. Roads and public services are a disgrace. The health service is struggling. The disabled and vulnerable (whether people "see it" or not; I envy those who are in a position not to) have been hammered.

So yes it's great if it truly is an indication that things are on the up... But only if that momentum is used to make actual, meaningful changes and improvements? Otherwise I don't really know why anyone is keen to crow about these achievements.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Well this is the point, isn't it... The national debt or lack of it, being in the black / red etc. means very little to any of us or any other average citizen... The only important factor is how the resources we have are actually being used. So even those who are celebrating being out of the red surely have to see... It is completely and utterly meaningless, if the government don't then start to use that money efficiently to improve our towns, our services, and the day to day lives of normal people. Does it really benefit anyone to say "Oh hooray the government has a positive cash flow now!" if nothing is being spent on improvements or at least on stopping further decay. Towns are literally crumbling across the country... Pretty much everywhere outside of London and affluent SoE areas... It's an embarrassment. Roads and public services are a disgrace. The health service is struggling. The disabled and vulnerable (whether people "see it" or not; I envy those who are in a position not to) have been hammered.

So yes it's great if it truly is an indication that things are on the up... But only if that momentum is used to make actual, meaningful changes and improvements? Otherwise I don't really know why anyone is keen to crow about these achievements.

..it’s the ‘wasted’ spending really, TS...the ‘pointless’ spending that won’t see improvement for anyone...just one little example of something a friend said to me only last week...with the weather conditions of winter..road markings were being addressed on done on some country roads he was travelling on..but no huge pot holes had been filled, so basically just marking around them, type thing...so crazy.....the NHS yeah..but for me personally recently it hasn’t felt ‘lacking’ at all..I have nothing but huge praise for what we have in this day...but I also know I’m fortunate and blessed in my own experiences as well..it’s not so for everyone, sadly...one over the last few years when I was working more in schools...was ‘Prevent’...a huge government focus and expenditure...so did it ‘prevent’, has it prevented...was it justified and was it needed in justification etc..?....hmmm, no real signs that it was tbh...so ‘wasted money’...rather than have been focused expenditure on ‘actuals’, rather than ‘possibles’...?...a black bank balance still can’t afford to ‘waste’, waste is never really affordable...for the majority, regardless of politics or lifestyle...

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

in terms of politics it will harden the general public's opinion that the Conservatives are much better with money than labour

Good at keeping it... Not so good at funding the country.



* waits for the inevitable comment in relation to the world wide recession