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UK Budget 2021

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    “

    Budget 2021: Five things to look out for

    “

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56207194

    With all the ‘official leaking’ (to the right papers) that’s been going on, it’s hard to know if there are any surprises still to come or not.

    No real signs of meaningful changes of direction away from ‘back to the old normal as soon as possible’.

    This is clearly not going to happen for a significant number of people.

    The people who ought to realise this the most - eg politicians and journalists - have largely kept working throughout the pandemic and perhaps haven’t ‘noticed’ as much as they should have.

    There is no sign that the discovery of the magic money forest has resulted in a change of attitude to public spending.

    It also remains to be seen whether the MMF has been fully harvested and will now need to be sold off.

    Unfortunately the MMF analogy doesn’t really work. There is (under conventional economics) no annual crop. It’s more like the trees have been mortgaged, or already felled, with no plan for sustainable replanting.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    “

    UK urged to create green apprenticeships to help

    Covid recovery Danger of young people’s futures being blighted by climate and Covid crises, say campaigners

    “

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/02/uk-urged-to-create-green-apprenticeships-to-help-covid-recovery

    Posted 3 years ago #

  3. chdot
    Admin

    Tomorrow (and the next few months/years) will be interesting.

    “

    Rishi Sunak will use tomorrow’s budget to signal that the government’s unprecedented and continuing support for jobs and businesses must end once the economy has emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The chancellor will pledge to use all the tax and spending firepower at the government’s disposal to limit joblessness and business failures as the UK gradually lifts the restrictions that have left the economy almost 10% smaller than it was a year ago.

    But Sunak is also expected to announce that the period of doing “whatever it takes” will be relatively short lived and that action will be needed to repair the public finances once the crisis is over and recovery is underway.

    “

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/02/budget-2021-rishi-sunak-to-pledge-more-government-firepower-to-save-jobs-and-businesses

    Posted 3 years ago #

  4. crowriver
    Member

    "action will be needed to repair the public finances"

    Let me guess.

    1. Public sector "austerity" i.e. budget cuts, pay freeze.
    2. Contracting out and privatisation of public services to the private sector to continue apace.
    3. Deregulation, Freeports etc. in order to "improve competitiveness".

    Have I missed anything?

    Posted 3 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    Well you got Freeports.

    No doubt the rest will trickle out.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  6. chdot
    Admin

    Does seem to have found a spare MMF.

    Remains to be seen how many companies move out because of significant increase in Corporation Tax.

    I suspect not too many, so ‘low taxes’ not really the ‘answer’ after all(?)

    Posted 3 years ago #

  7. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/03/budget-2021-key-points-rishi-sunak

    Posted 3 years ago #

  8. crowriver
    Member

    So, I got budget cuts, public sector pay freeze, and Freeports.

    All that plus imminent tax rises makes this the ultimate "belt tightening" punishment budget.

    No surprise that Sunak used to work in finance. The banks are laughing up their sleeves at the idea that the government doesn't have enough money.

    Just waiting on deregulation, contracting out and privatisation to crawl out from the woodwork in due course.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    “

    Cycling UK has accused the government of “airbrushing out any role for cycling in plans for a post-pandemic recovery” after Rishi Sunak’s Budget speech made no mention whatsoever of active travel.

    “

    https://road.cc/content/news/govt-airbrushing-out-cyclings-post-pandemic-role-281493

    Posted 3 years ago #

  10. crowriver
    Member

    John Harris @johnharris1969

    Guardian front page today: the plain fact of English society/politics, woefully unreported elsewhere. But here's the news: 'build back better' is a joke & people are going to suffer even more cuts

    ---

    Swingeing cuts on cards as councils in England face funding crisis, watchdog warns

    At least 25 councils nearly bankrupt as Covid puts pressure on finances, says National Audit Office

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/mar/10/swingeing-cuts-on-cards-as-councils-in-england-face-funding-crisis-watchdog-warns

    Posted 3 years ago #

  11. gembo
    Member

    Tory Westminster Rufus Dufus on R4 making up he thinks will be a tunnel from Great Britain to NI. Deep water full of arms dumps he doesn’t know about?. Not sure he was on top of his brief

    Posted 3 years ago #

  12. LaidBack
    Member

    @gembo - Radio Scot had Grant Shapps on this morning offering to borrow money on ScotGov's behalf to build something that's not part of transport strategy here.
    Michael Mathieson said he spoke to him last night and that Shapps is not even aware of a distinct transport strategy here.
    Assuming they build this underwater covered bridge on stilts they still have the border between NI and Scotland to deal with that BJ kindly arranged.

    BBC and assorted Twitterers claim these funds are some sort of gift from the UK taxpayer. They're not - just go on the GERS tab. To not involve the countries involved in such a link till last minute is really insulting. NI don't want it anyway. They get stuff from EU via new ferries in south now. All part of the Bxt bonus!

    @chdot - re: the Scottish Budget seems to be better funding for active transport but still some way to go? Supported by Greens and LibDems. Anas Sarwar wanted more for social care and half expected Kate Forbes to try and get them on board.

    Posted 3 years ago #

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