Nowadays making a ministerial statement is no longer enough to establish a policy. Even publishing a green paper or a white paper is no longer enough. Nothing short of passing an Act is sufficient to amount to a statement of intent. And we are rapidly approaching a position where even an Act is not sufficient.
The overall tax take in France is a little higher than in UK, closer to 50% than our 40% of GDP. As a result, public expenditure is noticeably higher in many areas, including the road network. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is, of course, a matter of heated debate. The UK has a century-old tradition of under-investing in transport infrastructure - in contrast to Victorian times, when investment levels were very high.
is it fair to blame the politician, he is just safeguarding his job,, the ones i blame are the poor fools who listen to them and vote for them again and again every 4 years !!
The best thing about nuclear weapons is they place beyond reach a few billion quid which the Government might otherwise have spent in making our lives a misery. The nukes don't really threaten anyone, they will never be used. They probably don't even work. They just sit there rusting for 30 year until they're obsolete and then we spend a few billion more buying new ones. In the absence of the novel solution of not taking the money from tax payers in the first place I'm happy knowing that at least a few paltry billion quid is safely rotting away in a silo somewhere where politicians can't get hold of it and play with it. Statistically, I'm sure politicians seeking re-election are far more of a threat to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness than nuclear bombs will ever be.
Making an apparent boost to the economy by spending pork fat on road construction is the first sign of a failing economy. Trust me, I live in Japan, where every stream and every hill are coated in concrete with bridges to nowhere, and billiard table smooth roads resurfaced three times a year. illusion of a healthy economy funded by long term debt. Low unemployment, even lower utilisation of human resources. We even still have elevator operators here, pushing the buttons for you. A dozen people in a car part pointing you to the next empty spot, which you are also lead right to by the lights embedded in the floor. Staggering waste of capital and human resources, paucity of ideas.
The idea of repaying a national debt is a load of balls. It will NEVER be repaid and the banks don't want it to be repaid. They can barely pay off the bloody interest. Truth is, Politician's do not understand it all and I think their job is keep everyone from going hysterical when they find out the whole bloody system is wrong. The Americans have the right idea, when the are feeling the pinch, just ring up the Fed and asked them to work the weekend.
C,mon boots, I'm not picking a row here but they're shite. Scotland gets more harsh winters and it shags the road surface. I've done a lot of cycling both north and south and believe me, as a cyclist you definitely notice bad road surfaces.
To be fair MH I was comparing them with ours round my way. Compared to Surrey roads theyre brilliant. Some of the roads on the NW Highlands are in great condition by comparison. I dont cycle, so my viewpoint is as a motorist/biker. Scottish roads are better than ours. Thats all.
Quite possible. One day last summer I cycled from Forfar to Kirkintilloch via Perth, Forteviet etc. It was cracking terrain and scenery but by the time I'd finished my arse and wrists were in rag order.
So I hear every time that I watch the UK news or phone people who I know in the UK. I see no evidence of that living here though. Things have not changed much in the 10 years that I have lived here. There is still no road tax, the equivalent of council tax on my 4 acres with a house is now €490 pa (up from €410 pa ten years ago), my heating bills are about the same as they have been, fuel for the car and bikes are still about the same, the local library is still open, and I could go on. I would love to know exactly what is going to collapse in France.
I wouldn't bet on them being rusty or not working. Judging by the large amount of activity/traffic/employees in the AWE (Aldermaston) area, I think that a lot of work is done to maintain the warheads. On the other hand, some of the investment in that area (huge new building as you drive past, apparently containing a huge laser) may have valuable non-destructive spin-off benefits, eventually: BBC News - UK joins laser nuclear fusion project
Or a great use of tax resources to ensure peolpe have a chance to pay their own way, have something to do and spend, and that all important self-esteem at making a contribution
... mmm ... Courtney Love ... skanky ... I for one will be delighted if something can be done about the A27. Perhaps by spending all £15B on it, it will become a usable trunk road for the South/South East.
