The Good News thread, local jobs, economy etc

[Guest MattP]

Almost as high as when we had a Labour government.

lol

[purpleronnie]

lol

Sorry matt it's true. 12th in 2009.

Edited 3 November 2014 by purpleronnie

[davieG]

Good news or just smoke and mirrors? 

 

 

 

 

 

The UK will only have to pay half of the £1.7bn budget surcharge demanded by the European Union, Chancellor George Osborne has said.

Speaking in Brussels, Mr Osborne said the UK would make two payments next year totalling £850m instead of £1.7bn in a lump sum by December.

This is because the UK's annual rebate will be offset against the sum due.

Mr Osborne said the agreement was a "result for Britain" and "far beyond what anyone expected us to achieve".

But BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson said the deal would be carefully scrutinised.

He said the Treasury was claiming to have cut the 2.1bn euro top-up charge, demanded by Brussels, in half by ensuring the UK's rebate applies to the payment.

Instalments

The surcharge follows an annual review of the economic performance of EU member states since 1995, which showed Britain had done better than previously thought.

The demand sparked anger across the political spectrum, with Prime Minister David Cameron insisting the UK would pay nothing by the December deadline and calling for the overall sum to be re-negotiated.

Mr Osborne welcomed the agreement after a four-hour meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels, in which he said it had also agreed that the UK would pay the additional sum in two interest-free instalments in July and September 2015.

Analysis by BBC's Europe Editor Gavin Hewitt

How has the UK reached this figure of £850m?

It has included the figure of the UK rebate which is calculated on the gross national income figures.

The Treasury argues that it was not at all clear that the rebate would have been applied in full and they gained that assurance after intensive discussions with the Commission.

Others argue that the UK rebate for next year was never in doubt and that a rebate which the UK would have got anyway is, in effect, being used to reduce this surcharge payment.

It is the case that these figures were never discussed at the finance ministers meeting today so the announcement that the UK bill has been halved has been met with some surprise.

He said: "Instead of footing the bill, we have halved the bill, we have delayed the bill, we will pay no interest on the bill, and if there are mistakes in the bill we will get our money back."

"We have also changed permanently the rules of the European Union so this never happens again.

"This is far beyond what anyone expected us to achieve and it's a result for Britain."

Rebate

He also said that if any errors had been made in the calculation, the UK would receive a refund.

Asked how this had been achieved, Mr Osborne said the UK's rebate would be applied in full to the surcharge next year.

The UK rebate is a system dating back to 1984, negotiated by Margaret Thatcher, that provides the UK with a refund on a part of its contribution to the EU budget. It is calculated on the basis of changes in national income.

It was meant to reflect the fact that the UK had a smaller agricultural sector than other nations at a time when most EU money went to farmers.

'Worse off'

Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan suggested that the deal achieved by the chancellor may not represent any reduction to the amount being demanded from the UK.

He said: "The EU sticks us with a bill. Ministers double it, apply the rebate, return to the original figure and claim victory. We're meant to cheer?

"Britain is worse off in absolute terms, but a straw man has been knocked down."

Writing on Twitter, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said Mr Osborne was "trying to spin his way out of disaster", saying the UK was still going to pay the full £1.7bn.

And Austria's finance minister said there was no question of changing the total sums of money being demanded from countries including Britain.

Hans Joerg Schelling told a press conference in Brussels: "Whether the money is to be paid in instalments or as a lump sum is a discussion we can have.

"But the amount cannot be put in question. That was clear from our position and from that of several other countries."

But Financial Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke tweeted: "Contrary to what some are suggesting, £850k is not the same as £1.7bn & December '14 is not the same point in time as July & September '15."

 

 

[Sir Fynwy]

Good news or just smoke and mirrors?

Smoke and mirrors, Osborne paying half of the money with the rebate and the other half still being paid, only benefit is the UK won't be fined for late payment.

[davieG]

Smoke and mirrors, Osborne paying half of the money with the rebate and the other half still being paid, only benefit is the UK won't be fined for late payment.

George Osborne's claim to have halved the UK's £1.7bn EU budget surcharge has been challenged by his EU counterparts.

The UK will pay two interest-free sums next year totalling £850m, instead of a larger lump sum by 1 December, after a rebate from Brussels due in 2016 appears to have been brought forward.

Mr Osborne argued the deal reached on Friday was a "real result for Britain".

But the Dutch finance minister said the UK would not get a "discount" while Labour said it was "smoke and mirrors".

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls accused Mr Osborne of "spin" and said it was "a diplomatic disaster for the government".

The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson said Mr Osborne's assertions would be carefully scrutinised amid claims by opponents and analysts that they did not add up.

[davieG]

The European Court of Justice has ruled that unemployed EU citizens who go to another member state to claim benefits may be barred from some benefits.

The ruling on so-called "benefit tourism", relating to a case in Germany, could set an important legal precedent for the rest of the EU.

It could allow the UK to exclude some unemployed migrants from receiving some benefits such as jobseeker's allowance.

David Cameron is looking a range of options to curb EU migration.

The government has already tightened the rules on the ability of new EU migrants to claim certain benefits for the first three months after they arrive in the UK.

The prime minister has said he wants to go further and will set out his plans in a speech before the end of the year, amid pressure from Conservative backbenchers to act.

Freedom of movement

Tuesday's ruling relates to a case involving a Romanian woman and her son living in Germany who had been denied access to a non-contributory subsistence allowance from the German social security system.

The court decided the German authorities were right to refuse her request, and there was no discrimination involved in denying her access to a non-contributory benefit which is available to German citizens.

It said the defendant did not have sufficient financial resources to claim residency in Germany after the initial three months and therefore could not claim that the rules excluding her from certain benefits was discriminatory.

More broadly, it said the right of EU citizens to live and work in other member states - the principle of freedom of movement - did not stop states passing legislation of their own excluding migrants from some non-contributory benefits available to their own citizens.

National Parliaments have the "competence to define the extent of the social cover" offered in the way of certain non-contributory benefits, it stated.

"The directive thus seeks to prevent economically inactive European Union citizens from using the host member state's welfare system to fund their means of subsistence." the European Court of Justice said in a statement.

"A member state must therefore have the possibility of refusing to grant social benefits to economically inactive European Union citizens who exercise their right to freedom of movement solely in order to obtain another member state's social assistance."

The ruling only applies to non-contributory benefits, benefits where the claimant does not make a contribution through the tax system.

[Leeds Fox]

Britain leapfrogs Germany in list of world's most prosperous nations... but still lags behind Norway, Australia and Iceland

Legatum Institute's 2014 Prosperity Index puts UK 13th and Germany 14th

Britain named as one of the best places in the world to do business

18.3% think it is a good time to find a job, according to the study

I didn't realise Hong Kong was now classes as a nation.

[Rincewind]

Smoke and mirrors, Osborne paying half of the money with the rebate and the other half still being paid, only benefit is the UK won't be fined for late payment.

When I saw my brother the other week before the outcome of this he said that they would have talks then come back and say they have made a good deal. Nice prediction bro. He also does not regard politicians in high esteem of any party and he has owned a business.

As someone once said there are lies dammed lies and statistics.

[MooseBreath]

Is your Bro a city fan ken? Get him to sign uo

[Jon the Hat]

The Tories are obviously scare Ed will be so shit even Labour will have to replace him.  Hence they are making themselves look a little stupid this week to give him enough of a boost to make it to the election, which he will lose. 

[leicsmac]

The Tories are obviously scare Ed will be so shit even Labour will have to replace him.  Hence they are making themselves look a little stupid this week to give him enough of a boost to make it to the election, which he will lose. 

 

Can't see the Tories getting an overall majority either. 

[Jon the Hat]

Can't see the Tories getting an overall majority either. 

 

It isnt likely, but given the last few years a half decent Labour leader would have a decent chance of a majority.

 

I can see the SNP being a key power in Westminster come May.

[Guest MattP]

A Labour/SNP coalition can't happen surely given the last year or so?

 

The only viable two coalitions I can see our Con/Lib Dem and Lab/Lib Dem, and given I'm hoping to be around for a long time and thinking about the future very long term, the latter might be better in the long run for us all given it could finish them off to an extent.

[Kopfkino]

A Labour/SNP coalition can't happen surely given the last year or so?

 

The only viable two coalitions I can see our Con/Lib Dem and Lab/Lib Dem, and given I'm hoping to be around for a long time and thinking about the future very long term, the latter might be better in the long run for us all given it could finish them off to an extent.

 

Sturgeon has said this week that she wouldn't rule it out, but at the same time acknowledged it may be better to not be a formal coalition. At the end of the day the SNP will want to stop the Tories governing again so they may have to jump in with Labour. Moving out of the country would become rather appealing with those two governing the country, christ

[Jon the Hat]

A Labour/SNP coalition can't happen surely given the last year or so?

 

The only viable two coalitions I can see our Con/Lib Dem and Lab/Lib Dem, and given I'm hoping to be around for a long time and thinking about the future very long term, the latter might be better in the long run for us all given it could finish them off to an extent.

 

I could imagine a minority Tory government with some Lib dem and UKIP support facing an opposition of Labour and the SNP.  Makes me unhappy, but better than the other way around.

[Guest MattP]

Sturgeon has said this week that she wouldn't rule it out, but at the same time acknowledged it may be better to not be a formal coalition. At the end of the day the SNP will want to stop the Tories governing again so they may have to jump in with Labour. Moving out of the country would become rather appealing with those two governing the country, christ

 

Such a thought sends shivers down the spine doesn't it?

 

I think all minority parties will now be wary of forming a 'coalition' with mainstream party after what has happened to the Lib Dems, it's suicide for the party in the eyes of the voter.

 

Farage has also used similar language to Sturgeon that if he ended up with a balance of power that instead of entering into a pact or formal coalition they would simply offer to support to a government on key issues that they would agree on, no chance though of voting through things that would be important to the people who put them there ie the Liberals have done with things like tuition fees.

[Jon the Hat]

Such a thought sends shivers down the spine doesn't it?

 

I think all minority parties will now be wary of forming a 'coalition' with mainstream party after what has happened to the Lib Dems, it's suicide for the party in the eyes of the voter.

 

Farage has also used similar language to Sturgeon that if he ended up with a balance of power that instead of entering into a pact or formal coalition they would simply offer to support to a government on key issues that they would agree on, no chance though of voting through things that would be important to the people who put them there ie the Liberals have done with things like tuition fees.

 

The Lib Dems have achieved more of their aims than they ever would have in oppostition.  They should be happy.  Miserable bastards.

[Guest MattP]

The Lib Dems have achieved more of their aims than they ever would have in oppostition.  They should be happy.  Miserable bastards.

 

I agree with you with regards to that.

 

Problem is their voters don't seem to be seeing it that way and they have know lost their support en masse, although when the hardcore of your support seems to be students, hippy style country bumpkins and homosexuals it's probably not a good idea to jump into bed with the Tories.

 

(although their voting core was never as big as it looked, they were still getting a lot of support from people who were voting against the big two that knew nothing of lot of the seedier policy of the Lib Dems)

[leicsmac]

The Lib Dems have achieved more of their aims than they ever would have in oppostition.  They should be happy.  Miserable bastards.

 

The moment they got into bed with the Tories and then reneged on a key manifesto promise (tuition fees) that concerned the greater part of their voting bloc they were finished. I reckon they probably knew this too.

[ADK]

It's Vince Cable I don't like the most. Even if tuition fees were removed I think he wanted to bring in a "student tax" which in my opinion is even worse.

 

They also failed to reform the voting system which I believe could have been achieved with a more coherent, less rushed campaign.

[MooseBreath]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30012854

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30016007

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30019259

An attempt to land on a comet looking good.

Unemployment down (again), real wages now increasing.

Biggest ever fine for misbehaving banks.

[Jon the Hat]

It's Vince Cable I don't like the most. Even if tuition fees were removed I think he wanted to bring in a "student tax" which in my opinion is even worse.

 

They also failed to reform the voting system which I believe could have been achieved with a more coherent, less rushed campaign.

 

Tuition fee loans are a stuent tax.  It isnt that hard to work out really.  Show me another "loan" that you pay back only when you earn a certain amount?

 

Anyone who didnt go to uni becuse of tuition fees is too stupid to benefit from it anyway

[Guest MattP]

Pay rises now outpacing Inflation for the first time since 2009.

 

http://news.sky.com/story/1371766/cost-of-living-pay-rises-outpace-inflation

 

 

Wages are now rising at a stronger pace than inflation for the first time since 2009, easing the squeeze on household budgets.

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said he expected real terms wage growth to rise from zero to about 2% by the end of next year.

Pay has largely lagged behind inflation since the financial crisis of 2008 but the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Wednesday that wages, excluding bonus payments, rose 1.3% on an annual basis in September.

[Harry - LCFC]

Tuition fee loans are a stuent tax.  It isnt that hard to work out really.  Show me another "loan" that you pay back only when you earn a certain amount?

 

Anyone who didnt go to uni becuse of tuition fees is too stupid to benefit from it anyway

 

Exactly. Going to university has no risk associated with it. If you don't get a high paying job you won't be weighed down with debt as the fees are effectively just a bit of additional income tax.

 

I'll admit I wasn't keen at first but after realising what the changes actually I amounted to I now support what the government's done.

[Benji]

I'm shaking with excitement.  It's boom time.  Go Dave, go Boris, you blueeeeees.