Gorgeous George's Autumn Statement

[Frampler]

Politically, it was a great Autumn Statement, and must have guaranteed that he'll be the next Tory leader (unless his generally pro-Europe and pro-immigration views count against him). I'd also put my money on the Tories remaining in power next year, even if they are currently behind in the key marginal seats.

Economically, however, his policies lack coherence - he preaches austerity but is willing to turn on the funding taps for anything ideologically suitable; he complains about boom and bust but stokes a housing boom. For a man who likes to criticise Gordon Brown, he treads a remarkably similar path.

Our increase in GDP has come from population growth - GDP per capita has fallen in recent years. We're getting less productive as a nation and the Government doesn't seem to know what to do about it. If they faced a competent opposition, they would have been toast long ago, but in Ed Balls and Ed Miliband, they're facing a team that even the current Albion first XI could beat.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Nothing to help the poor, as ever. Same old nasties.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Is that really the case?

Samuel Tombs, senior UK economist, Capital Economics
"The early indications from the UK Autumn Statement are that the Chancellor has resisted the temptation to hand households any significant tax cuts before next May's general election. The tax and spending measures - the most significant of which is the reform of the stamp duty - ... amount to only a small net giveaway of just £1bn in 2015/16 and a small tightening beyond. "

The signs are that the spending proposals (eg stamp duty, new roads, flood defences) are being specifically targeted at voters who might waver towards UKIP. This may not be enough.

If they are going to win, Gideon and Dave need to pitch their messages much more towards voters in the cities of northern England. Achieving "English votes for English issues" is a useless strategy, if all it offers is the right of MPs in the south east to decide what will happen in Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I would have thought the Lefties would be quite chuffed that unemployment down to 5.4% next year.

I would, if it wasn't made up of mainly low paid jobs with little security.

 

[mikeyjh]

I would have thought the Lefties would be quite chuffed that unemployment down to 5.4% next year.

If it were that those moved out of the unemployment figures were in good jobs being paid a living wage then yes, we would. But as it's due to the millions being on zero hour and part time contracts, the picture isn't as rosy as that statistic suggests.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

The signs are that the spending proposals (eg stamp duty, new roads, flood defences) are being specifically targeted at voters who might waver towards UKIP. This may not be enough.

I'm a little puzzled how that works - surely the EU and immigration would be subjects they would need to tackle to gain the waivering UKIP voter ?

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Up to £937k will pay less, 98% of sales.
A 275k deal pays £3k not £8k as now but at £2.1m it's £20k more than now....£750m less return to gov

£ 275k would pay £ 3750

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

A person buying a home for £ 300k would pay £ 5000 stamp duty instead of £ 9000

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I can't see a thread on this yet, although I'm not surprised our left-wing fringe are keeping their heads down.

It was an absolute triumph from the chancellor who put the 'Great' back into 'Great Britain' after the last lot highlighted, bolded and underlined the 'bust' in 'boom & bust'.

It's very difficult to pick out an individual highlight when there were so many, but the complete overhaul of the ridiculous stamp duty bands is long overdue. What is your favourite?

My highlights are his statement that borrowing will (yet again) be higher than expected and his statement that growth is slowing.

 

[Buzzer]

A quite brilliant Autumn Statement, made all the more miraculous when you consider that he thinks all this stuff up whilst tripping on mushrooms. Far out man.

[vine]OvJXIE0vp2v[/vine] [yt]AyrP1JHkirU[/yt]

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If it were that those moved out of the unemployment figures were in good jobs being paid a living wage then yes, we would. But as it's due to the millions being on zero hour and part time contracts, the picture isn't as rosy as that statistic suggests.

This.

 

[easynow]

Liking all of that. Tories just got themselves another 4 years.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

I would have thought the Lefties would be quite chuffed that unemployment down to 5.4% next year.

Only a complete idiot would be "chuffed" about our low paid and divided society. Would you fancy a zero hours contract on minimum wage...?

 

[Buzzer]

My highlights are his statement that borrowing will (yet again) be higher than expected and his statement that growth is slowing.

UK economy growing? Wouldn't happen in Germany.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I'm a little puzzled how that works - surely the EU and immigration would be subjects they would need to tackle to gain the waivering UKIP voter ?

It seems to me that, in Tory constituencies, UKIP's main selling point is that it's a refuge for folk who are simply fed up with the Tories. After the recent by-election triumphs, Europe and immigration are now probably secondary issues.

A few give-aways (like stamp duty cuts and a promise to sort out a few traffic jams) might deter some of the doubters.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

As I've said many times, the Tories have not increased their vote, and the SNP have categorically stated they will move to put Ed into power if parliament is hung. It's not Gorgeous George, it's Goodbye George.

 

[mikeyjh]

Duplicate

 

[Buzzer]

As I've said many times, the Tories have not increased their vote, and the SNP have categorically stated they will move to put Ed into power if parliament is hung. It's not Gorgeous George, it's Goodbye George.

Glückschmerz.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

UK economy growing? Wouldn't happen in Germany.

 

[Titanic]

I would, if it wasn't made up of mainly low paid jobs with little security.

Only a complete idiot would be "chuffed" about our low paid and divided society. Would you fancy a zero hours contract on minimum wage...?

If it were that those moved out of the unemployment figures were in good jobs being paid a living wage then yes, we would. But as it's due to the millions being on zero hour and part time contracts, the picture isn't as rosy as that statistic suggests.

“Aren’t most of the jobs being created just people being self-employed?”
Self-employment has been very strong in recent years but the majority of job creation has been people working for someone else. UK employment rose by almost 1.1 million between the summers of 2012 and 2014. And fully two-thirds of these jobs were employee jobs. This is an impressive number. It’s more than we saw in the years leading up to the crisis and it’s more than half of all the people employed in Wales.
“If they’re not self-employed, aren’t they all just low-skilled jobs?”
Again, no. Two-thirds of the employee jobs created between the summers of 2012 and 2014 can be described as ‘high-skilled’. High-skilled refers to people working in professions (medical professionals, engineers, IT professionals etc.) and associate professionals (lab technicians, prison officers, IT technicians etc.). These occupations enjoy weekly earnings premiums, before tax, of 40% and 20% respectively, over the UK average of around £500 per week. In other words, the economy has been creating plenty of high-skilled, high-paid jobs.