Public Sector Cuts, the Second Front.

Speaking about public sector cuts is all well and good, but up until now it's been big-state spending thats been for the chop. However, the government have missed a trick: what about the amount of waste that goes on in local government?

Its all well and good cutting central funding, but what happens of council tax goes up to make up the shortfall?

Some legislation needs to be put in place to prevent this sort of action. I've had enough of councils funding one-armed lesbian refuges. Right now public sector spending should be concentrated on absolute essentials: the things we can't live without. and nothing else. I'm sick and tired of these wastes of money. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I used to live in an area of Lancashire with a large Eastern European immigrant population: refugees from Hitler and Stalin. People who fought against such tyrrany alongside our own troops. Did they demand community centres to sustain their ethinc identity paid for out of the public purse? No, they didn't. They got together and paid for it themselves.

Thats the way councils and central government alike should be operating:  essential, front-line services should be ring-fenced, but the dross, the non-essentials, the services that should and could be paid for by local voluntary subscription should be cast aside.

Cameron's Cuts...

David Cameron sounded less than convincing today when he talked about cuts. He's talking that politician's language that not all of the population understand. He really needs to simplify in order to get people to move in his direction.

For instance, we had the bald statistic that government borrowing is up to 700 billion or something and if we don't get the deficit down it'll double to 1.4 Trillion. (See, even I wasn't paying that much attention). What he needs to do is explain the reason why we need to get the debt paid now: Explain it in terms we all understand: a loan. We all know that paying off a loan quicker is better in the long term. I'm sure quite a few people know that paying off the minimum on a credit card bill only means you end up paying more in interest payments. So why doesn't Cameron explain it in those terms: suffer the pain, pay the loan off quicker, then instead of paying billions to the banks in interest over the years (in effect dead money we can't use), we can use that money to fund hospitals, schools, etc. Explain if we let it climb to 1.4 trillion, the interest payments alone will amount to several hospitals, schools, kit for soldiers and lots more besides.

I'm sorry, but like all politicians he's talking too high and mighty for the population to understand. If he doesn't explain to them in terms they understand, get them on-side and get them to follow him, there'll just be resentment across the whole country and the swingeing cuts necessary will not be accepted without a fight.

I'm ambivalent towards Margaret Thatcher, but one thing she was very good at was being able to speak in terms the ordinary population understood. Cameron espouses marketing speak: paradigms, opportunities.... the waffle that says nothing of substance. He really needs to rethink his speechwriting strategy. And soon.

Be Honest With Us Dave

Just a brief sojurn through my blogs today as I scoff breakfast/Lunch in the local wi-fi equipped pub.

I saw David Cameron on the Andrew Marr show this morning. He didn't rule out a VAT rise (which I fully expect WILL happen). Instead he dodged the question.

Sorry Dave, you have to be clearer: if the country's finances are in a parlous state and once George's "independant" audit has confirmed the depth of our financial black hole, you must rule in the option of a VAt rise. To dodge the question is unworthy of the people that voted you in power.

Say it as it is: if Labour fucked things over so badly you have no alternative but to increase VAT, then you'll do it. Obviously it'll be a last resort, but you'll do it. That way you sound decisive and not dithering, definate and not dodging. I've said before, you have to be honest with the population. Open the books up as much as you can and show us how bad things have gotten. We'll never vote a Labour government into power again.

Anything else just reminds us all of Tony Blair.

On the moving front, we've settled into the temporary accommodation. Not that bad considering the swiftness of the move. Still no word from the estate agent about the place we were originally going to move to. I doubt very much if that option will be open in future. I fully expect a long slog to recover costs as well. I hope I'm wrong, but my intuition says otherwise.

What I can do is reflect that my management skills haven't dimmed from not being in that role any more. As I always say,  anyone can be a manager, but its the way you manage problems that shows how good a manager you are and when you really earn your money. The successful and smoth transition last week despite all the setbacks proved I can still do it. Which is nice for my self esteem if nothing else. Pity these days people measure a good manager by how many courses they've been on and how many certificates they've accrued.

Bye for another week or so.