General Election - December 12th, 2019

[The blue phantom]

That is not how you come across my friend.

Working 120 hours a week can make you look miserable on the internet.

He'll be happy when Borris gets another 5 years.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Working 120 hours a week can make you look miserable on the internet.

What's your excuse?

 

[blueish swede]

Why is it you have your head so DEEPLY in the sand all the time? It's quite bizarre.

There is nothing remotely dishonest in what I said and I made no claims at all about why rates are where they are nor who is to thank for it. I am merely stating facts:

Interest rates prior to the crash were >5% under Labour. They are now 0.75% and this is EXTREMELY low by any historic standards. If they went to a more typical, say 3% half the population would be significantly poorer and many would be in deep shit.

Interest rates are strongly influenced by a number of things:

1. Creditworthiness. If the UK's credit rating were to be further downgraded, they would go up. This is likely if debt rises to levels which the reference agencies regard as dangerous and /or they perceive that borrowing is not under proper control.

2. The value of the pound. A significant drop in the value of the pound (an eventuality John McDickhead has admitted is likely if Labour win) would force the BoE to look at raising rates.

3. Inflation. Higher wages push up manufacturing and distribution costs, which pushes up the cost of finished goods and fuels inflation. This would be exacerbated by a weaker pound and higher imported goods and raw material costs. Also exacerbated by higher demand fueled by increased minimum wage and public sector pay promises.

It is 100% cast iron certain that we'd be forced to raise interest rates significantly were Labour to get in, and that the vast majority of people in the UK would be very badly impacted by this. You can deny and divert and distract all you like, but that is the fact of the matter. Labour would make most people poorer. It's as simple as that.

Although none of those things are affecting interest rates at the moment as much as Brexit is. The most damaging, disruptive and disastorous economic policy in the history of the UK.

Brought to you entirely by the Conservative Party.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Although none of those things are affecting interest rates at the moment as much as Brexit is. The most damaging, disruptive and disastorous economic policy in the history of the UK.

Brought to you entirely by the Conservative Party.

So "diversion" then.

I wondered how you lot would respond to the fact that Labour will make everyone poorer. Diversion from the topic is an accepted ploy.

But in this case not a very good one, since interest rates are spectacularly low, and this is a very good thing. Bad, naughty Brexit for keeping interest rates so low and putting so much money in peoples' back pockets.

FYI my interest-only mortgage cost when I took it out in 2002 was around £1,000 a year. It went up to £1,200, maybe £1,300 a year when I remortgaged and borrowed a bit more in 2005. It's now £380. It was a bit lower obviously when rates were 0.5%. But anyway, it means I've saved something like £700 or £800 a month, every month for the past 10 years, as a result of the low rates. Terrible, just terrible.

 

[Len Rum]

This is what one analyst said yesterday:
“The Labour Party’s proposals to tax dividends at regular income tax rates, could be another “nail in the coffin” for small British businesses. ...
”

Hello mate.
If Labour's proposals are 'another' nail in the coffin for small businesses, then what are the earlier nails (increased business rates?) and who hammered them in ( the Tories?).

 

[Vic]

Why is it you have your head so DEEPLY in the sand all the time? It's quite bizarre.

There is nothing remotely dishonest in what I said and I made no claims at all about why rates are where they are nor who is to thank for it. I am merely stating facts:

Interest rates prior to the crash were >5% under Labour. They are now 0.75% and this is EXTREMELY low by any historic standards. If they went to a more typical, say 3% half the population would be significantly poorer and many would be in deep shit.

Interest rates are strongly influenced by a number of things:

1. Creditworthiness. If the UK's credit rating were to be further downgraded, they would go up. This is likely if debt rises to levels which the reference agencies regard as dangerous and /or they perceive that borrowing is not under proper control.

2. The value of the pound. A significant drop in the value of the pound (an eventuality John McDickhead has admitted is likely if Labour win) would force the BoE to look at raising rates.

3. Inflation. Higher wages push up manufacturing and distribution costs, which pushes up the cost of finished goods and fuels inflation. This would be exacerbated by a weaker pound and higher imported goods and raw material costs. Also exacerbated by higher demand fueled by increased minimum wage and public sector pay promises.

It is 100% cast iron certain that we'd be forced to raise interest rates significantly were Labour to get in, and that the vast majority of people in the UK would be very badly impacted by this. You can deny and divert and distract all you like, but that is the fact of the matter. Labour would make most people poorer. It's as simple as that.

Yeah sure. "(For reference, base rates in 2007 under Gordon Brown were over 5%.)" No reason at all to cite that rate rather than under Brown two years later, or under Thatcher or Major. Purely for reference.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Yeah sure. "(For reference, base rates in 2007 under Gordon Brown were over 5%.)" No reason at all to cite that rate rather than under Brown two years later, or under Thatcher or Major. Purely for reference.

Ok, if it pleases you, "The rates under John Major when Blair took over were 7%"

Does that make my argument any weaker? 0.75% is incredibly low, to the benefit of everyone with a mortgage and everyone who rents their home.

If rates go up, millions of people are worse off. If they go up significantly, millions of people are in deep, deep shit.

And Labour's plans WILL push up interest rates. Labour WILL make millions of people much, much worse off.

 

[Len Rum]

I think the reason for that is that Boris has been utter shite!

I am really struggling with my conscience about voting Tory. I don't want Corbyn at all but it is the only way to keep Labour out where I live.

Labour can't win.
The best that can be hoped for is to keep the Tories in a minority government or at worst a small majority.
For this reason it might be best to hold your nose and vote for Jezz.
Same applies to Remainers in seats which are not Tory/ Lib Dem marginals.
You can get rid of Jezz/Labour in five years or less,.
Brexit is for a lifetime.

 

[The blue phantom]

What's your excuse?

Come on lighten up, just think what this place will be like come election.night and the morning after, at odds of 1/20 and a big lead in the polls, you must be happy.

Although you never know.

 

[Vic]

Although none of those things are affecting interest rates at the moment as much as Brexit is. The most damaging, disruptive and disastorous economic policy in the history of the UK.

Brought to you entirely by the Conservative Party.

Is Brexit affecting interest rates? It will certainly

So "diversion" then.

I wondered how you lot would respond to the fact that Labour will make everyone poorer. Diversion from the topic is an accepted ploy.

But in this case not a very good one, since interest rates are spectacularly low, and this is a very good thing. Bad, naughty Brexit for keeping interest rates so low and putting so much money in peoples' back pockets.

FYI my interest-only mortgage cost when I took it out in 2002 was around £1,000 a year. It went up to £1,200, maybe £1,300 a year when I remortgaged and borrowed a bit more in 2005. It's now £380. It was a bit lower obviously when rates were 0.5%. But anyway, it means I've saved something like £700 or £800 a month, every month for the past 10 years, as a result of the low rates. Terrible, just terrible.

So you've saved £800 a month thanks to low interest rates that started under Labout...

 

[Chippy_boy]

Is Brexit affecting interest rates? It will certainly

So you've saved £800 a month thanks to low interest rates that started under Labout...

Thank-you Gordon for presiding over the 2008 crash. I owe you one.

 

[Len Rum]

Come on lighten up, just think what this place will be like come election.night and the morning after, at odds of 1/20 and a big lead in the polls, you must be happy.

Although you never know.

Indeed you never know.
Norwich vs City?
BoJo might score a spectacular own goal .
Jennifer Arcuri might pop up in the last minute and put one in at the far post.
Bigger than expected turnout of the fans of the underdogs spurs them on to victory.
We can but hope.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Indeed you never know.
Norwich vs City?
BoJo might score a spectacular own goal .
Jennifer Arcuri might pop up in the last minute and put one in at the far post.
Bigger than expected turnout of the fans of the underdogs spurs them on to victory.
We can but hope.

The question is Len, if and when you lose yet another election, not winning one since Tony Blair was PM, will you finally accept that the sorts of policies Corbyn stands for, are not what the UK wants?

Ask yourself this: Just how highly do you rate Boris? What does it tell you if Boris gets a majority? How damning would it be that after 10 years of austerity, 10 years of terrible cuts to public services and with a Tory party which is widely despised and a buffoon of a Tory leader, Corbyn STILL doesn't win?

What would that tell you Len? I mean how long before the penny drops?

 

[BobKowalski]

The question is Len, if and when you lose yet another election, not winning one since Tony Blair was PM, will you finally accept that the sorts of policies Corbyn stands for, are not what the UK wants?

Ask yourself this: Just how highly do you rate Boris? What does it tell you if Boris gets a majority? How damning would it be that after 10 years of austerity, 10 years of terrible cuts to public services and with a Tory party which is widely despised and a buffoon of a Tory leader, Corbyn STILL doesn't win?

What would that tell you Len? I mean how long before the penny drops?

The policies themselves are not unpopular. The public broadly agree with taking railways and utilities into public ownership. The public want more money spent on health and social care. Some policies like a four day week not so much because the public think the country will grind to a halt on Friday. It’s almost as if Saturday didn’t exist.

Labour’s problem pretty much begins and ends with Corbyn. Not enough people like or trust him.

 

[Cheesy]

Labour’s problem pretty much begins and ends with Corbyn. Not enough people like or trust him.

McDonnell is an even bigger problem for me. Their anti-business manifesto has his stench all over it.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

The policies themselves are not unpopular. The public broadly agree with taking railways and utilities into public ownership. The public want more money spent on health and social care. Some policies like a four day week not so much because the public think the country will grind to a halt on Friday. It’s almost as if Saturday didn’t exist.

Labour’s problem pretty much begins and ends with Corbyn. Not enough people like or trust him.

Form my point of view, I think a short sharp shock of socialism would do the country a bit of good; certainly the pendulum has swung too far towards free-market economics; however, I’m not sure such views could ever carry the country.

Corbyn is utterly shite, though.

 

[TheRemainsOfTheDave]

Labour can't win.
The best that can be hoped for is to keep the Tories in a minority government or at worst a small majority.
For this reason it might be best to hold your nose and vote for Jezz.
Same applies to Remainers in seats which are not Tory/ Lib Dem marginals.
You can get rid of Jezz/Labour in five years or less,.
Brexit is for a lifetime.

No chance. The guy's a .... {Insert expletive}

 

[Len Rum]

The question is Len, if and when you lose yet another election, not winning one since Tony Blair was PM, will you finally accept that the sorts of policies Corbyn stands for, are not what the UK wants?

Ask yourself this: Just how highly do you rate Boris? What does it tell you if Boris gets a majority? How damning would it be that after 10 years of austerity, 10 years of terrible cuts to public services and with a Tory party which is widely despised and a buffoon of a Tory leader, Corbyn STILL doesn't win?

What would that tell you Len? I mean how long before the penny drops?

I would refer you to my learned friend BK's reply above @BobKowalski plus the important caveat of media bias in favour of the Tories ( u know like having the ref on your side every game worth at least 15 points a season).
Now if you could reply to my post on small businesses and a previous one you dodged from another poster on why the SAJ refused to publish an impact assessment of Brexit, I would be most grateful as you have a habit of not replying to posts which you find 'challenging' and destroy your credibility.

 

[Len Rum]

Told them sod off. I like people ringing me or knocking on my door so I can tell them to sod off. Probably put me down as a Brexit Party supporter.

Nah, they'd put you down as a (****) insert expletive.

 

[mackenzie]

Form my point of view, I think a short sharp shock of socialism would do the country a bit of good; certainly the pendulum has swung too far towards free-market economics; however, I’m not sure such views could ever carry the country.

Corbyn is utterly shite, though.

Corbyn isn't "shite." Although he is unpalatable for many.
He is much better informed on actual "shop floor" matters than BJ will ever be and it shows. Has a much more comprehensive take on day to day stuff.
BJ is a charlatan of a politician.