I'd also say its a good thing, but it has also masked some problems

we have a lot of structural problems - in training, education, finance and infrastructure - that haven't really been addressed by foreign investment. IMHO, the solutions that are being put into place in these areas take us in the wrong direction - and certainly away from the solutions that work elsewhere in Europe. I also don't buy your optimism on growth in manufacturing. Yes, there are some positive examples, but these are atypical. The long term trend is still for a shrinking manufacturing base (you can model this using Trading Ecomomics (User Posted Link - and one that is at a much lower level than, for instance, Germany. I understand that the current Govt is putting a lot of faith in rebalancing the economy, but sadly the reality is that this isn't working and the solutions being applied are worsening the position through an over reliance on markets and the kind of neo-classical economic theories that were so discredited in the 30's (and arguably had a big part to play in WW2)

Posted By: Tressells Broadbrush on April 9th 2013 at 15:54:18

Message Thread

This is a good article; pretty much echoes my thought. Warning: Beeb link!!!! (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 13:27:16
- in recent days most have glossed over.... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 14:13:54
  - Strange, I feel like I'm never going to hear the end of it. (n/m) (General Chat) - Hertz van Rental, Apr 9, 14:32:11
    - not on here you wont...... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 14:39:56
      - 78 & 79??? We're talking 70 - 74 (n/m) (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 14:41:05
        
        theres a reason (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 14:43:27
        
        I remember 77-79 well Chelts. This country was on its knees. (General Chat) - Pit, Apr 9, 14:47:55
        
        And we are doing so much better now :) (n/m) (General Chat) - Tressells Broadbrush, Apr 9, 14:56:18
        
        not really but different set of problems now. banking crisis is global. (General Chat) - Pit, Apr 9, 15:00:36
        
        And absolutely nothing to do with financial deregulation that was (General Chat) - Tressells Broadbrush, Apr 9, 15:07:17
        
        Surely Bush was more too blame in that he de-regulated further ? (n/m) (General Chat) - Pit, Apr 9, 15:38:28
        
        The conditions for which were sparked off by the casino economics that Thatcher/Reagan (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 15:06:20
        
        trouble is.... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 15:11:42
        
        Interesting digression, selectively put (General Chat) - Tressells Broadbrush, Apr 9, 15:20:39
        
        the best thing to happen to this country in the last 205 years... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 15:29:35
        
        I'd also say its a good thing, but it has also masked some problems (General Chat) - Tressells Broadbrush, Apr 9, 15:54:18
        
        but whats the alternative? (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 16:18:14
        
        Took my eye off this (General Chat) - Tressells Broadbrush, Apr 9, 17:37:29
        
        *20 years - - shitty typo! (n/m) (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 15:31:18
        
        ^vmt.... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 14:52:49
        
        Shame it was all thrown away instead of being reformed and modernised, we might have been (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 15:02:35
        
        slowly but surely.... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 15:06:49
        
        Oh indeed I do and something had to be done. (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 14:47:22
        
        truth in this.... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 14:56:57
        
        Wasn't that that Thatch wanted? (n/m) (General Chat) - Huge Small, Apr 9, 15:21:34
        
        nope... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 15:33:32
        
        I thought you'd done a flounce (General Chat) - Huge Small, Apr 9, 14:47:20
        
        stand by what i said...... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 15:08:57
        
        IGNORANT?? Fuck me, how arrogant can you get. WE KNOW WE WERE FUCKING THERE (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 15:28:30
        
        selective memory then (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 15:36:25
        
        Fuck me, I give up. It's like arguing with your wife (n/m) (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 15:58:18
        
        so 78/79... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Apr 9, 16:29:18
        
        !!!! (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 16:33:49
        
        ^^VMT. (n/m) (General Chat) - Pit, Apr 9, 15:39:58
- Wow (General Chat) - Old Git, Apr 9, 13:44:10
  - around the same time weren?t the tories handing out posters (General Chat) - Brandonio, Apr 9, 13:50:46
    - It was Labour - Peter Someone in Smethwick I think (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Man, Apr 9, 14:09:28
      - Peter Griffiths (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Man, Apr 9, 14:10:48
        
        Just to be totally clear, Griffiths was a Tory (General Chat) - Worzel Scrimmage, Apr 9, 14:14:27
        
        Yes indeed (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Man, Apr 9, 14:32:14
        
        who was a tory (General Chat) - Brandonio, Apr 9, 14:13:52
    - I think that was in Handsworth (n/m) (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 14:00:50
    - Some bi election in 1960's. As Stewart Lee said "if political corrects taught the tories (General Chat) - pants, Apr 9, 13:52:20
- Another one - a bit closer to my thoughts (Indy link) :) (General Chat) - Tressells Broadbrush, Apr 9, 13:44:05
  - Yes. "Throwing the baby out with the bathwater" is the phrase that comes to mind (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 14:06:34
    - Funnily enough it was this period that I got really involved with union nationally (General Chat) - trustsec, Apr 9, 14:35:26
      - Unfortunately Blair was Thatcher Light, rather like Clegg is Callmedave Light (n/m) (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 14:37:47
        
        Was just going to say the same (and agree with the "throwing the baby out" comment (n/m) (General Chat) - Tressells Broadbrush, Apr 9, 14:39:01
        
        Shame us mugs didn't see that before voting him in, although there (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 14:42:06
        
        I thought that in 1979 - my first vote, spoilt my ballot and the rest is history.... (n/m) (General Chat) - Tressells Broadbrush, Apr 9, 14:53:47
        
        Funnily enough for a supposed raving commie, my first vote was for Ted Heath (n/m) (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 15:31:59
- Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I suspect it chimes with those who lived the 70s (General Chat) - trustsec, Apr 9, 13:34:37
  - Can you remember ice on the INSIDE of your bedroom window? (n/m) (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 14:35:54
    - Frozen piss in a potty anyone? (n/m) (General Chat) - Tressells Broadbrush, Apr 9, 14:40:24
      - Ooh no, we were middle class, didn't do potties ;-) (n/m) (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 14:43:07
    - Yes and still can't bear to sleep in a warm bedroom. Window must be open. (n/m) (General Chat) - trustsec, Apr 9, 14:38:44
  - I lived in Newmarket and worked in Cambridge. Loved the 3 day week and power cuts. Seemed (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 13:37:28
    - Lived in a mining area and remember a local milk bottle shortage.. (General Chat) - Tressells Broadbrush, Apr 9, 14:43:49
    - Lived in Linton and worked Babraham. I recall the three day week was rotated and ... (General Chat) - trustsec, Apr 9, 14:29:38
      - Yeah it was, 1974 I think. (n/m) (General Chat) - CB41, Apr 9, 14:32:55

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