Promises, promises

Gordon Brown has spent the last four days promising this and promising that. But, in an almost carbon copy of his allegations about David Cameron, these promises have no substance. In all of his TV interviews Gordon promised to listen and learn, even though Andrew Marr himself accused him of offering nothing new.

Now, that is the problem. Gordon and his cronies have promised to listen to the electorate, but these promises are hollow. Nobody wants an extension of the 28 day limit on terror detention, but Gordon is going to continue with that policy; the tax credit system is flawed, but he will continue with that; and finally your average family is struggling with car and fuel taxes, but we will still have to swallow these increases.

So much for listening. These are just three of many issues that the electorate have real problems with, and the government is offering nothing new.

That brings me nicely on to the 10p tax row. Here we have again a promise by the government to compensate everyone affected by the tax change, through tax credits. Yes that flawed system that wants you to beg the government for some money back. But, like I said this is another promise that so far appears to have no substance, no details, just an undertaking by the government to do it. It was only a couple of days ago that lead rebel Frank Field MP called Alastair Darling's plans as "clear as mud". Have the plans become clearer? Of course not, in fact we just got another promise from number 11 that it will happen. Personally, I'm not sure that this will buy Frank off, not that it should unless the Labour whip manages to pin him down.

So when Gordon Brown next accuses David Cameron of having no substance during PMQ's, not only does the saying about a pot and a kettle spring to mind, but you can hardly blame Cameron for holding his cards to his chest. After all, if the policy is good this tired and useless government will only pinch it, like they did with inheritance tax.

Do as I say, not as I do.

The government is obivously a great follower of the ethos of "do as I say and not as I do "with regards to their dealings with the banks. After all, this morning they will be telling the Cheif's of the leading lenders that they should cut their lending rates in line with the interest rate cuts announced last week.

Fair enough you would think. But one of those banks refusing to cut their rates is Northern Rock, which as we all know is now government owned. So its all right for the government to demand the cutting of rates, but won;t do it in their own bank.

Bloody hypocrites.

Darling's spin and stealth.

It's taken me the best part of a day to digest all of the information contained in Darling's tax grab budget, and find how out just how much more worse off I'll be. Now, I'm not middle class by any stretch of the imagination. Both my wife and I work and have an average household income. I have two cars (a Corsa and an Astra - real gas guzzlers aren't they?), a little bit of savings, two kids, and a mortgage. Basically, your average Joe.

However, yesterday I got royally screwed by Darling's budget. Apart from the fact that the delivery of it was so dull, that most human beings would fall asleep, he basically bored us into submission so as not to spot his admission that the government has got it wrong. This budget is set to hurt, just at a time that the economy is on the verge of falling into recession. Only a radical budget could save it, and this wasn't it.

So how much worse off will I end up? Well, the tax on my cars will increase from £315 to £435, and the scrapping of the 10% income tax threshold in Brown's last budget is about to kick in, which will increase our family tax bill by around £250(-ish). Now factor in the alcohol duty increase, plus changes to tax credits, and my family end up just over £500 a year worse off. Gee thanks!

Now looking at the bigger picture of the budget it concerns me even more. A lot of the announcements really sounded like a bit of gap filling in the speech. This will happen in that year, that will happen the year after, but what about the next twelve months. A lot of pressure groups are saying how welcome the increase in child benefit will, they are almost praising the government. But they have fallen for the spin as this won't come in until next year, and because of last year's crapping of the 10% income tax bracket, families would still be worse of. So, no help to families at all then.

But what worries me the most was summed up by David Cameron's response. Where has the money all gone, and why was nothing kept back while the economy was booming? The fact is that while the money was rolling into the treasury Gordon Brown hemorrhaged money, a billion for this project, another billion or so wasted on failed IT projects. Spending commitments made on growth forecasts that were always wrong. Not once did Gordon Brown get a growth forecast right, he had to down grade every single one of them. The result is that this country is £20billion in debt, and at a time when your average person is being told that they owe too much, the government is hardly setting a good example. He has already downgraded his growth forecast since the pre-budget report, and most analysts think that even 1.75% is seriously optimistic.

Although, one of the biggest omissions from the whole budget was Northern Rock! Not a single mention. Now, considering that as much as £110billion of the treasury's (taxpayer's) money will be tied up in it, you would have thought that the Chancellor would mention how it was going to be paid for, but alas no. Just lots of drivel, and stealth tax after stealth tax.

This was a bad news budget in every sense of the word. The Government (most notably Gordon Brown as Chancellor) has run this economy so badly that it is in debt, at a point when the global economy is teetering on the brink of recession. We are badly in debt, the family silver has been sold off, and the rainy day pot was never contributed to.

The fact is that Gordon Brown handed out money with out a single reform, so we ended up never seeing any improvements in services, and nothing being kept back for that rainy day, and those clouds are brewing now.

So what is their answer, much like I predicted a few days ago, we pay. Yes, we pay for their incompetence at running an economy. They were too busy going for the spin headlines of "millions for this service" that they were never prudent, and it is people like you and me that are paying for it.

Darling's answers

In a flurry of old ideals Alastiar DArling is due to impose yet another tax raising budget on us this week. If you have a drink, drive or buy a new car, then you will be screwed. Petrol will go up, car tax expected to rise, another new car tax to be implemented, and alcohol duty to rise. All the easy targets yet again.

As for the sweetners that were promised in the pre-budget report, I wouldn't hold your breath. Whereas Gordon Brown failed to get his economic forecasts right from year to year, Darling's went out of the window within weeks.

Basically, in this week's budget we will all be hammer for the government's failing in controlling the economy, especially the Northern Rock crisis, and their only answer is to tax more without reforming a single thing.

Old ideas, yet again.

Economic competence wiped out after just six months.

After nearly eleven years in power, Alistair Darling destroyed any confidence the public had left in Labour's running of the economy with five months of dithering, and making decisions based on socialist principles instead of busines ones. The nationalisation of Northern rock cannot possible be seen as anything other than a disaster, even bigger than that of the tories "black Wednesday" all those years ago. In fact, Labour has constantly used the Black Wednesday rhetoric since that day, as their justification for being allowed to run the economy.

But let us not forget the financial facts in this case BLack Wednesday was when the then Chancellorm Norman Lamont, lost his battle to keep the pound in the very tight Exchange Rate Mechanism. A mechnaism that left very little room for manoeuvre by any european economy at that point. The failure of that battle to keep the pound in the ERM cost the British tax payer a mere £10billion! A mere drop in the ocean to the £110billion (possibly more) that the nationalisation of Northern Rock will now cost the taxpayer.

So how did we get into this mess? Well it's partly thanks to Gordon Brown playing party politics, and the rest to Darling's dithering.

The first alarm bells starting ringing as Gordon Brown took over as Prime Minister with Rock issuing profit warnings around the same time. However the Government didn't look into the developing problem as they were too busy hyping up a possible election. But, when the balloon went up, so to speak, and Northern Rock hit the buffers (how many more clichés ! - Ed) Darling didn't act with the net result being the first run on a bank in living memory. So why the inaction?

Well, it could be a number of possible reason, but those not revolving around his competence all seem to point towards the non-election. At the time, a lot of commentators were saying that an election could be used by the government to hide a big problem around the corner. Basically, if they lost it would be the tories fault, but if they won they would have a full term to try and fix it, or at least spin the line that they did. However, what actually happened was that they didn't take any notice until it was too late as Gordon at al. were all too busy trying to destroy the tories than run a country.

The thing is the government did have one last opportunity to save this situation. If they had simply allowed Northern Rock to go into adminstration, then the only cost would have been a possible 6,000 people losing there jobs, with the costs of their payoffs, benefits, retraining, and finding new jobs coming to a mere few million pounds. After all, the mortgage book would have been safe, and the government had claimed that all savings were guarenteed. Instead, because of the socialist left wanting to protect every single last job, and wanting a clause four moment, a return to old Labour was confirmed, and the taxpayer now has a £100billion bill to stump up.

If Darling had made a business decision at the beginning, or at that matter ANY decision, then this country's economy would not be in the bad state that it is now. The bigger problem for Gordon Brown is that he doesn't have the luxury of that full term, that he would have had if he had won that snap election, or by blaming the tories, as they would have been in power had he lost, instead he now just has two years left and we all remember how unforgiving the electorate were over the ERM.

Update: I've just watched Darling's statement to the House, and debate that followed, and saw the Labour spin machine in full effect. The government front bench just sat there with smug smiles on their faces, and just tried to divert attention away from themselves by blaming the tories for everything. Even the Lib Dems joined their spin machine, by having more pops at the opposition than the failing government. A perfect example of why they will never be a serious opposition party. As for Darling he failed to answer a single one of George Osborne's questions. Probably because he has no answers. The Chancellor is dragging this country's economy reputation through the gutter, and worryingly the government views that as "business as usual".

Shameless

In a vain attempt to try and justify his election speculation cock up to his own MPs, Gordon Brown last night told them that he had manipulated the situation in order to flush out tory polices. Well, that bit was successful, if it is true. The tories announced key policies on health, taxation, crime, and education. The biggest headline grabber as we know as that of the issue of inheritance tax.

Now, some time ago when the knives were out for David Cameron for not showing his policies I backed him for that stance, saying that if he came up with anything good, Labour would try and pinch it, and dress it up as their own idea. I would also admit that this was while I was in a major conspiract theory, paranoia type of mood. Little did I think that our government would actually stoop that low.

However, from the looks of today's headlines it appears that I was right. Later today Chancellor Darling, it set to annouce his pre-budget report, and quelle surprise there is a piece about.... you guessed it.....a review of inheritance tax. The blazen way that this government is now blatantly stealing policy ideas from the tories is a clear indication that they have run out of ideas themselves.

But it doesn't stop there. The government's handling of the economy as a whole should also come quite a bit of scrutiny, as the pre-budget report is due to show for the eleventh budget running, that the treasury's forecast for growth was too ambitious, resulting in a squeeze on health and education spending.

It is this lack of realistic planning, and reform that is causing growth to slow. This is a perfect opportunity for George Osbourne to really attack Labour, and their lack of "vision", and blatant theft of ideas. Only he can take that opportunity.

Will he or won't he?

That is the question burning on everyone's lips this week. Will Gordon call a snap election.

Well, passing an objective look over the issues, if I was Gordon, I wouldn't. It has been widely reported and speculated that if he did call an election it's because he is hiding something with the state of the economy. That will obviously ring a few more alarm bells should the call be made.

However, there are lot of pros and cons. The pros would include the poll ratings recently, and the fact he would instantly destroy the tories party conference next week (of which I am not going to because of a number of factors). But on the cons side, is the foot and mouth "all clear" farce, the northern rock debacle, and the EU constitution referendum question.

Besides that, he doesn't need to call one. Like I said if I was him, I wouldn't. Why risk what you have waited for, for over ten years.

Mind you should the call for an election come, something that the Labour spin doctors have failed to grasp on, there has been so much whispering as to whether there will or won't be an election, that most target constituancies already have their election commitees in place, structures set, and are ready and waiting. I should know from the email traffic that I've received over the last week, as I'm in on of those target areas.

It would be a brave decision to risk it by Brown, and somehow don't think that he will rush. Well, not until next May.

Inflation hits record levels under Gordon.

As Gordon's house of cards crumbles before his very eyes, the only thing left that he could use as "justification" for his decision is the performance of the economy. But, even that has turned against him after it was revealed that inflation has hit 3.1%! Which is the highest since Gordon chose the CPI method of measurement when he took over as Chancellor.

Brown's £2billion clanger

For years we have been fed the line that, Gordon Brown is an excellent Chancellor, and he has run the economy extremely well. However, it looks as though that house of cards is coming crashing down around him at the moment.

This Sunday's latest revelation is that he (yet again) defied experts advice and flogged off a portion of the country's gold reserves at a bargain basement price, losing the country £2billion in the process.

Now, i'm no economist, but even I know the "buy low, sell high" principle. In fact, anybody working in the financial sector knows that he has dropped a big clanger. In addition to this, the consequences for anyone in the financial sector losing this much money would be an instant sacking. But, as we seen far too often from this government, if you make a complete fuck up you get promoted. If Gordon can lose such a large amount as Chancellor, can you imagine the damage he will do when the Labour party coronate elect him as the next PM.

IMF warn Gordon Brown against further tax rises.

Gordon Brown has finally been warned by the International Monetary Fund that the soaring burden of tax under Labour risks damaging the economy and extravagant public spending should be reined in.

Now, i'm not an economist, but even I could have told them that years ago.

However, to make matter worse, the IMF have also sounded a warning that another interest rise may well be needed early next year.

The IMF's anxieties has mirrored those on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, whose biggest worry is that present high levels of inflation, and expectations of high rates in future, will stoke up wage demands in the new year pay round.

So, if inflation is set to rise further, the tax burden unlikely to ever come down while Labour are running the country, and interest rates about to rise again in the new year, just how are we better off under Brown? Simple answer we're not.

Consistant in being wrong.

Yet again, Gordon Brown has to had to tell us there is less tax revenue coming in than he had forecast, and rather unsurprisingly, that's the ninth budget, or pre-Budget, in a row that this has happened.

Now, I would never exactly call myself an expert economist, which is why if I can see through his economic policy, everyone should be able too.

Through Gordon Brown's consistant tax,tax,tax approach he has made this country's economy uncompetitive. As a result of that uncompetitiveness, revenues are down. Which then forces the Chancellor to raise taxes further to try and make up the shortfall in the "expected" income.

Or in laymans terms, he's brought this whole situation on himself.

Besides how can ANY chancellor have a shred of credibility when he has got it wrong nine times in a row, and he still won't change his ways.

And he wants to run the country!

Tory tax plans

I have to admit, I am disappointed this afternoon with the Tory Tax proposals issue that is dominating the news. It's not the proposals, but the reporting that is annoying me.

BBC and Sky have been almost pro-Brown in the negative way that the news items have been structured. They are simply doing the spin job without the need for anyone from Labour having to comment.

Personally, I like what I heard. I didn't want to hear a 2009 budget in 2006, I wanted to hear the direction that we need to head. If you simply promise tax cuts here and tax cut there, like we do from the Lib Dems, you will simply be laughed at when it comes round to the election.

The main crux of the report, that I picked up from the news conference, was just how confusing our tax system is, and how other countries have re-aligned their tax systems and have prospered as a result. This country simply isn't competitive anymore thanks to Mr Brown, and this report has highlighted that. George Osbourne is quite right not to commit to anything now, after all we don't how bad the economy will be left by Labour over the next three years.

It's good to see though some real in depth thinking over policies. If policies are thought through and costed correctly the electorate will be more willing to believe them, than a soundbite.

Tax cuts pledges now would be folly

Sometimes I wonder why members of my party seem intent on destroying a good thing. The reports of grassroot dissention over the lack of tax cut pledges is a perfect example.

Yesterday, in his opening conference address, David Cameron spelt out quite clearly that he wouldn't make any promises that he couldn't keep, and that any tax cut would have to be fully funded, and above scrutiny by Labour. But that does not seem to be good enough for some members.

However, David is spot on. After all, we are still three years away from the next election. If David Cameron makes a tax promise now, he may well not be able to keep that when the election comes around, because who knows how much more damage Gordon Brown (and his successor at number 11, if he wins the leadership race) can do. It is perfectly acceptable, and prudent, to say yes we will lower taxes if the economy lets us, but to commit to specific cuts now would be folly.

The leading men calling for tax cut commitments, are John Redwood and Lord Tebbit. Yesterday's men. Sorry but they are, especially John Redwood who, and lets be truthful about this, set the wheels in motion with his leadership challenge against John Major, destroying the party's credibility, and allowing Blair to railroad the next three elections.

So, lets have a reality check please. We are three years away from an election, although I have a sneaky suspicion that Gordon will string it out to four, and ANY policy now, would be either obsolete by then, destroyed by Labour's spin doctors, or even pinched and sold as a Labour idea if it's any good.

David Cameron and his team are right not to make promises that may not be able to keep in three or four years time. The electorate has had to suffer enough broken promises under Labour.

The failures of Chancellor Brown

Economic figures released over the last few days should make us all very concerned. For the last nine years, Gordon Brown has prided himself over "his" economic policy. He is even using his credentials as Chancellor as his platform for his leadership bid.

But the current state of the economy is a far cry from the rose tinted view of Mr Brown.

This morning it was announced that the number of people unemployed in Britain has risen to it highest levels since 2000. In addition, due to the soaring costs of housing, that Mr Brown is unwilling to do anything about, hundreds of thousands of people are failing to maintain mortgage payments and risk losing their homes.

So just how well is the Chancellor doing? Well let me boil it down to the bare bones.

• Unemployment has increased to it highest levels since 2000.
• Inflation is increasing, and isn't within his target.
• Interest rates will be increasing over the next few months, the Bank of England have already told us that.
• Unchecked housing prices are causing people to take in too much debt.
• Some 770,000 people have missed one or more mortgage repayments in the past year, increasing the risk of repossessions.
• NHS defecits are increasing, and NHS chiefs fear cutting services to make the books balance.
• Government borrowing far exceeds Gordon Brown's own rules leaving the country in debt.
• Tax grabs on pension schemes have left companies unable to pay their pensioners, leaving them in poverty.

Gordon Brown needs to look at these issues before claiming he has done so well, as if he's that bad as the Chancellor, just how much trouble will he cause the country as PM?