buctootim

Not sure that its Labour that has the biggest problems. At least Labour are struggling to decide between two directions. The Tories are struggling for one. They haven't won a convincing majority since 1992, one win in six elections - and that was with less than 37% of the vote and a majority of 12.

Effect of US style metal backed fridge and UK plastic backed one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGQqmOXCSGc

Thats one of the problems of taking housing management away from councils with building regs knowledge and giving it to arms length management organisations - they don't have the skills or knowledge. Cheapest quotes are often cheapest for a reason - because someone is going to cut corners somewhere, and inexperienced or understaffed commissioners wont necessarily spot it. Bait and switch is a well known scam

I read somewhere a week or so or go that at least one contractor was a small popup setup - do a job, don't pay your bills, go bankrupt, get bought for £1 by the previous owner. Its quite possible that what the purchaser specified isnt what they got. Pretty much all celotex boards look alike.

Sure, its possible to slice it in different ways. My main aim was to shoot down Dopey's latest assertion that France and Italy are screwed and we are just dandy - when in reality there isnt much to choose between us in terms of debt.

The figures are dated, but the overall situation has got worse since then, not better, as the figure below shows. The reason the headline figure is lower than elsewhere is because it excludes financial companies debt - and Britain is a financial centre

The issue was Greece wanting to be in the club with the wealthier nations. They thought, wrongly, just by being the same club they would end up as rich as them. It was a bad choice for Greece by Greece, the EU didnt force them into it. Remember only 19 of the 28 countries are in the euro the rest made the free choice to stay out.

The Greeks lied their way in with falsified figures for tax collection and budget deficit. It was financial suicide for them.

Its the same model - Government debt + private debt + corporate debt = total debt. Britain's is around 500% while France and Italy are comparatively home free. Its nice of you to be concerned for them but probably best look closer to home. Heres some economic help for you.

and the sample is self selecting and not randomised, making it meaningless.

Dont be shy, give us the comparable figure for the UK. According to the Taxpayers Alliance on the same measure we are on 500% - ie twice as bad

France's situation disproves your headbanging about the EU dummy. It has some serious structural problems which are slowing growth due to domestic policy. Other EU countries are growing extremely well, therefore most rational people would conclude the EU is not responsible but rather national policy. You should be more concerned about why Britain had the lowest economic growth in the whole of the EU last quarter - bottom out of 28, half the rate of 'sclerotic' France. Your fantasy that the 3m EU workers here are distressed Italian waiters is just that, a fantasy. By far EU immigrants tend to come from the poorer former Soviet bloc economies and they come for higher wages. Far more British people live in France, Spain and Italy than we have their nationals living here.

You havent allowed for Britains population growth. GDP per capita growth has been almost identical.

http://www.independent.co.uk/infact/france-youth-unemployment-oecd-a7752816.html

Head of Trade section. Still a valuable, presumably informed opinion. I dont know anything about Korea.

You might be fine talking about your own industry where (hopefully) you know something about the subject. The trouble is you also spout large on things you know nothing about. Like the radio caller you confuse feelings for knowledge. If you knew more you'd be embarrassed by your claims.

Good article in the Evening Standard about his younger brother yesterday. Supposedly his life aim is to "not be Boris", a dark horse rival to Boris' leadership bid, shades of the Milibands. http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/are-boris-johnson-and-his-brother-jo-in-a-political-power-struggle-for-the-countrys-top-job-a3568986.html

From a clueless uninformed twerp getting perpetually rinsed on a football forum to a star of national radio. Doesn't seem that likely to me.

I know the number of cars on British roads has risen by 50% in 20 years, but the number of miles driven by each has also increased - so I guess the roads are around 2-2.5 times as busy.

I didn't know you were North Korean.

Surely its mainly a good thing? Im sure there were periods in the past where parents bemoaned their offspring's desire to go to school, live past 40 or not be a serf. The problem isnt with kids, its us as a society. My main gripe with the Tories (in particular) is that they treat the population as consumers whose primary role is to create demand for companies instead of putting money into national parks, evening activities for kids and community facilities. Too much emphasis on buying stuff and not enough on doing stuff.

What have you been reading?? California is nearly four times the size of the entire country.

First hand testimony there. It's 'poorly taught'

Semantics. None of it will be formally concluded until the final deal is signed off as a package. However issues will be agreed in principle sequentially. The divorce settlement comes before any ideas of going into business with each other post divorce.

People can get a bit testy after watching their families get burned alive because the council wrapped their concrete homes in flammable plastic.