[OSBORNE] Announcing biggest cuts since WW II

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 16:03

Just heard on Dutch radio what Mr Osborne has in mind for the UK - I don't dare to translate it here... Check the BBC or some other source on line.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 16:07

You'll read more here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Tiggy


Joined: 25/07/2007
Posts: 1994

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 16:28

Will that be in Double Dutch then ?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 16:32

Very funny, Tiggy, haha. But you won't laugh when you read about it in plain English on the BBC site.

yenibob


Joined: 13/10/2010
Posts: 1203

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 16:36

Seems like a good plan which most of the population will realise is needed to prevent our children paying our debts.

hwilde


Joined: 16/09/2010
Posts: 230

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 16:41

The Army is to have dramatic cuts. In the event of war we are to depend on help from our allies.



If there is an invasion of the UK the Dutch Army will come to help! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

yenibob


Joined: 13/10/2010
Posts: 1203

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 16:44

With cannabis, unions and hair nets! unless things have changed since my day.

Clarissa2


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 1476

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 16:46

Re : Msg4,



It should have been done long time ago.

I see no problems with cuts - it will save money and prevent UK from invading some dodgy countries.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 17:05

For too long the UK has tried to pretend it is a "world power" they have to realise the Empire is finished, and get over it, the money will be far better spent at home, what little there is left.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 17:06

For too long the UK has tried to pretend it is a "world power" they have to realise the Empire is finished, and get over it, the money will be far better spent at home, what little there is left.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 17:07

sorry for double post.

JohnW


Joined: 23/04/2009
Posts: 601

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 17:28

Pugwash



The UK is the 6th biggest economy in the world even now and so is a world power. It has been the ability to project power, by virtue of the armed forces throughout the world, that has kept it so. Without that ability the UK will lose it's permanent seat on the security council and we will all be losers.



For example, we didn't only go to war in the Falklands for the people, the sheep and the oil but to show the Chinese with whom we were negotiating on behalf of the people of Hong Kong that we would not be a push over.

adkdundee


Joined: 01/08/2010
Posts: 86

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 17:35

Msg 12



First sensible post on this subject. The UK have a duty to carry a share of military duties in certain theatres.



Msg 8



"You have no problem with cuts" At least the people in the military are working for an honest wage unlike the dross that have no intention of ever working and spend their lives sponging from the Govt. That's where the cuts should be

JohnW


Joined: 23/04/2009
Posts: 601

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 17:35

Clarrissa2



Afganistan is a dodgy country. Our public excuse for being there is that Al Quaeda and the Taliban are very naughty and a threat to us and the world. Also, of course, we would like to interdict the drug trade. Of course if we wanted to do that we could do it but we haven't. The real reason we are there is not to defeat anyone, which we can't, but to deprive the rest of them of access to the rich uranium deposits in Helmund. You would not want the Taliban and their friends to have unfettered access to uranium would you now. The question is, how many British soldier's lives is it worth a year to pull off that trick? I reckon it must be in the hundreds.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 17:52

I have no problem with the Military or funding them correctly, what I do think is wrong is that the UK pays an unfair share of its "responsibilities" abroad, unlike Germany , France or others.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 18:00

I didn't read it in any report about Mr. Osborne's statement yet, but one of the very few things the UK Government will raise is the financial help for "developing countries": up to 0,7% (0.7 for Bill).

adkdundee


Joined: 01/08/2010
Posts: 86

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 18:04

Msg 15,



Fair point Pugwash. My point is though that the services are doing something useful although at times misused by the powers responsible. The appaling waste of money on false sickness, unemployment and the unbelievable stories re Somalian (and others) receiving massive amounts of housing benefits should be addressed as a matter of urgency.

JohnW


Joined: 23/04/2009
Posts: 601

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 18:15

Pugwash



It's not unfair. We choose to "punch above our weight in the world" and have done since Trafalgar. It is not by chance that our little country of 60m or so is the 6th biggest economy. How do you think we do it when so many millions are uneducated and workshy. Our position in the world is based on the ability of very few people who do the work and protect the rest.



George Orwell said:



"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."



The reason we have the place in the world we do, is for example, because of people like "The Glosters" at Imjin River.



The world is a brutal place and it's no good thinking we would be better off spending the money on the national health.

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 18:54

Pugwash.

'that the UK pays an unfair share of its "responsibilities" abroad, unlike Germany , France or others. '

What responsibilities? Afghanistan might be one,and although they dont pay as much as uk ,they still pay a lot.



Iraq is not the responsibility of anyone but USA and UK,you want to illegally invade other peoples countries then dont expect other people to pull our irons out of the fire.



Message 12

Yeah ,the Chinese were petrified!



message 13,

Looks like there will be more 'dross' ,after the cuts ,3.5 million so far expected. Both public and private sector dross. Why dont we kill two birds with one stone and conscript them into the army,and they can build roads and stuff till needed in another war.

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 19:03

just been watching bbc news , 4skin cuts are still free on the nhs , but be quick , no quarter given lmao .

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 19:03

18 and 19 we should be acting within a NATO led campaign if it is required so that would be "fairer" all round, however we chose not to and the other NATO members just provide very small backing, I don't dispute the dodgy wars and don't agree with them, we shouldn't be there.

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 19:21

msg21, we still think we are a big fish in a small pond , we are in the eu , but support everything usa says and does , if they go to war we follow them , hence the rest of the eu squeezes the pound to death , we are the only member country thats not in the euro ?

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 19:23

msge 14 and 18



Great posts



We need a combination of hard and soft power. Hard military forces have always played a part in protecting trade routes. Whilst certain parts of the world on which we rely are dangerous then we have to play our part.

England will increasingly use soft power. We will influence through the English language, the BBC world service, talented diplomats to open up trading opportunities and increased aid, all designed to help us punch above our weight.



It is good that it seems the government has protected education, transportation and science. We need to develop high tech innovations to sell to developing nations so as to increase`our exports.

gbuck


Joined: 29/06/2009
Posts: 14

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 19:29

msg 22;



No, Sweden, Denmark aren't in the Euro either. Nor are a few of the eastern european states, although unlike Sweden, Denmark and the UK, they are obliged to join once their economies are strong enough.

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 19:43

what a load of tosh msg23 , was it only ENGLAND that fought WW1 and WW2 , the usa has been selling high tech innovations to the world for the past 5 decades ? eh apollo 1 , you cant go much further than where they went ? and without the help of usa , you would be speaking german today ?

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 20:01

And its Tommy this and Tommy that.............



Shame that Tommy is not in the equation when public money is being spent or saved. Would be nice to see some support for Tommy when he needs to train and live like everyone else instead of "lets just cut him back so the next time we let him out he can fail and die for us again".



The SDSR needed to happen but a lot of the good points will never happen as contractors have to have their new cars and bigger houses regardless of Tommy not having the body armour his taxes have paid for.



UK is a small country when you count the population against the overall size of the military it begrudgingly pays to protect it. 2012 games could be interesting if they are needed them to help protect the country - where will the UK get them from?

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 20:03

msge 25



you are suffering from plot loss mate



'was it only ENGLAND that fought WW1 and WW2' - no, but what's your point?



'the usa has been selling high tech innovations to the world for the past 5 decades ? - yes that's true, but what's your point?



'you cant go much further than where they went' - what are you on about?



'you would be speaking german today ? - yes, but again what's your point

adkdundee


Joined: 01/08/2010
Posts: 86

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 20:58

Msg 23,



I think you may find that is more to the UK Forces than the English. The Welsh, Irish and Jocks have always been heavily involved at the sharp end.



Msg 25,



I think you'll find if it was not for the Japs we would be speaking German today!!

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 21:26

msge 28



'I think you may find that is more to the UK Forces than the English. The Welsh, Irish and Jocks have always been heavily involved at the sharp end".



I absolutely agree with you

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 21:37

The cuts were inevitable after the mess Brown left the UK in.



People will have to accept it for a few years and then watch the country prosper.