"we're all in this together"

[Kizzie]

that's already been covered - a 25% cut in govt funds to local authorities, while having greater responsibility dumped onto those local authorities which have to be done out of that vastly reduced pot.

I'd get yourself down the job centre now darlin'.

[benc]

..and i thought all these cuts were going to be acheived by the govt using less paper clips and stuff.

tbh the scale of these cuts are only just begining to concern me and i guess its going to get a lot worse. I really feel sorry for the people at the bottom end of things, they seem to be getting f**ked over the most.

[pehaw]

I actually think that if there was a referendum on abolishing the monarchy, the country would decide to keep them

[RABun]

Danny Alexander (Beaker) looked positively suicidal.

[eFestivals]

Not a lot of details really... Just restating the big numbers and headlines we already know...

That was always going to be the case.

At this point, it's only agreements between the treasury and govt depts on their spending that have been made (with a few exceptions on the bigger budget stuff), and it'll take a few weeks at least for those departments (plus local authorities) to decide how they distribute those cuts.

[the_hedge]

Can't believe they haven't cut the winter fuel allowance for the rich.

Is it right that Cliff Richard and Mick Jagger still get this benefit in the current climate?

[RABun]

Your better way

[Ed209]

Can't believe they haven't cut the winter fuel allowance for the rich.

Is it right that Cliff Richard and Mick Jagger still get this benefit in the current climate?

[worm]

More bullshit, and all ignoring what I've previously said.

[bunique]

Hmm. That was a lot less revealing than I expected it to be. The removal of ring-fencing (which we expected) will mean an enormous bun fight in local authorities which will be made even worse when public health comes to join us in 2013.

Oh well...I have a job for a couple more weeks while our boss tries to work out where the axe will fall

[eFestivals]

Therefore, what they want to achieve is not ideologically specific.

correct.

It doesn't make it 'not ideological' tho, contrary to what you've said.

Oh look, worm wrong again. I'd have never believed it.

[5co77ie]

Hmm. That was a lot less revealing than I expected it to be. The removal of ring-fencing (which we expected) will mean an enormous bun fight in local authorities which will be made even worse when public health comes to join us in 2013.

Oh well...I have a job for a couple more weeks while our boss tries to work out where the axe will fall

[5co77ie]

and 70% of the youth budget (after school activities and such)

[Ed209]

40,000 teachers could lose their jobs!

and 70% of the youth budget (after shool activities and such)

f**k me...

and there's that few billion they've found ( ) to help kids with difficulties, including 2 year olds

it doesn't make any sense. If they're having to cut 40,000 teachers, but have found a few billion somewhere, why don't they keep it for the teachers? It's not as if classrooms are half empty with a surplus of teachers hanging around

[RABun]

I dunno about you, but under a Tory government we had no after school activities at all - so we'd spend our time hanging around bus stops (no idea why bus stops were such a draw back then).

[eFestivals]

I imagine this will come from natural wasteage.

you're imagining far too much.

Local govts have been similarly hoping they manage the same while implementing the far smaller £23Bn's worth of cuts that Labour had already made. It's not worked - because no one is leaving their job because there's no jobs to go to - and they've had to sack people.

So it certainly won't work with bigger cuts in a time when it'll be even harder to get a job.

[lost]

so from reading the beeb, they said around election time the Tories were promising an average of 25% cuts across all departments vs Labours Darling plan which was 20%.

What we've got is 19% cuts with the difference (saving) being made up by bringing the retirement age forward and the introduction of the universal benefit over the next two parliament's. Seems to be alot of if's and buts with most of the savings some time off, hopefully we won't be here again in 4 years time with even more cuts

[MrZigster]

I think it's put loads of tension into working practices between bosses and staff. I'm sure there will be offers of pay cuts, less working hours, and job sharing aplenty...

[5co77ie]

I thought they was not cutting the education budget ?

[eFestivals]

This is going to have a big impact on a lot of working families if they cut after school activities. Which will no doubt see a lot of women leave their jobs and then just end up claiming benefits. Although I think you can't claim benefits once the kid is a certain age so not quite sure what they expect working families to do. I guess it will be something else we have to pay out for.

Not much joined up thinking going on it seems.

Oh, it's joined up. It's joined up enough to create the clear us-and-them divide they're wanting along with the required numbers, as it's their best path to coalition-free power from the next election.

The same idea worked exceedingly well for Thatcher. It's no good having the 'nice' people not having a huge fear of their living standards falling, that makes them comfortable enough to be able to afford a social conscience and vote Labour along with it. It's much better that they're thinking "stick with us and you'll be fine, otherwise we'll make you like THEM too".

[llcoolphil]

I agree 100% with the thing you're sooooo proud () of others having agreed with you over

[llcoolphil]

phil might like this.

the system has lost it's way

[llcoolphil]

She will have as much control over taking music lessons as she has over taking Maths lessons...

As for getting pissed... She also won't be doing smack and e's Well not with my permission and ok, well, unless she shares...

[llcoolphil]

so from reading the beeb, they said around election time the Tories were promising an average of 25% cuts across all departments vs Labours Darling plan which was 20%.

What we've got is 19% cuts with the difference (saving) being made up by bringing the retirement age forward and the introduction of the universal benefit over the next two parliament's. Seems to be alot of if's and buts with most of the savings some time off, hopefully we won't be here again in 4 years time with even more cuts

[Digi]

I like the fact the government are still committed to providing and expanding access to psychological therapy for ill mental health (a major issue all over the world) and have protected the already struggling NHS. I also like the fact that people who sit on their backsides who can't be bothered to work will get less money. Not so good for the people who really can't work and need it though.

Apart from that it is pretty depressing stuff