Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (NewGolconda) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:19:12 GMT

"In a worst case "stagflation" scenario"

And not entirely inconcievable with a credit crisis coinciding with record commodity prices.

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (hulahoop7) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:42:38 GMT

I also can't understand the critism of the government over Northern Rock. In recent months there was a real risk that quite a few banks might get in to trouble, and they're still not out of the woods.

If the government had done nothing, and confidence had drained away, we might have seen quite a few queues around the block as people scrambled for their cash at other well known branches. A few other banks would have gone under and the UK would have sank into a financial stone...

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (CVA02) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:08:18 GMT

NewGolconda wrote:

A sustained, deep recession caused by a global capital shortage would do far more damage to the MoD budget over thenext ten years than 2 billion pounds.

Beyond the near certainty of an economic downturn, sustained inflation would be similarly damaging to the MOD budget because the defence sector is extremely vulnerable to wage inflation. In a worst case "stagflation"...

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (used to be remf) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:14:31 GMT

when is the defence (not quite a) review due to happen?

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (perfectgeneral) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:08:53 GMT

At least half of any profits from selling off Northern Rock, later, should be put into defence equipment orders.

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (jock) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:46:47 GMT

I think time for Labour and Brown are running out. The chances of Brown getting a 2nd(?) term and Labour a 4th term are diminishing.
Now what will Cameron have to offer?

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (Jim WH) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:22:27 GMT

Screw it: nationalising Northern Rock is about securing the Pound. Without the pound being secured then you can kiss goodbye to the MoD's budget. Need proof, look at what happened to the RN when the pound went south in 1927 and 1957. The GWOT isn't in the same league (important though it is).

Bledlow, right you are, I was getting the US$ and £ versions of the GDP mixed up. And, as you say, it's not an especially important distinction given the orders of magnitude involved.

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (NewGolconda) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:53:32 GMT

"The £50billion subprime bailout is far more urgent to the British public than covering the current £2billion defense shortfall."

Your a wise and worthy man.

A sustained, deep recession caused by a global capital shortage would do far more damage to the MoD budget over thenext ten years than 2 billion pounds.

Perhaps some people should be a little more fogiving of the Northern Rock bailout?

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (CVA02) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:47:49 GMT

Obi Wan Russell wrote:
It seems that although Gordon spent ten years plotting to gain power, he never put any thought into what he would do when he got it! Also we keep hearing the government line that the defence budget is facing a £2bilion shortfall, and there must be disasterous cuts (the only way to describe them). Yet they have no trouble finding £25Billion to bail out Northern Rock and now they are talking about a...

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (Obi Wan Russell) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:30:40 GMT

Jim I agree wholeheartedly. My point was they are trying to peddle the idea that there is no money left 'in the pot' and more defence cuts are the only option. This is a blatant lie, and while cuts are politically acceptable in peacetime, we are at war. Imagine what the response would have been if these kind of cuts were proposed during WW2? The only way to describe defence cuts in time of war is treason, ie giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Bin Laden must be laughing his backside...

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (Bledlow) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:28:51 GMT

Jim WH wrote:
...Now this certainly doesn't absolve Gordy from funding the forces (you're right, HMG should be able to find 2bn in a 2,773bn economy), but it does put a somewhat different spin on things.

I think you've mixed up the dollar & pound figures there. UK GDP for 2007 at current market prices, from the ONS website, is estimated at £1385 billion. Doesn't affect the gist of the...

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (Jim WH) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:47:45 GMT

Important point to make Obi, the temporary nationalisation of Northern Rock is an important bit of policy designed to hold off a run on the pound which would make the 2bn defence shortfall far worse. In the end (i.e once the sub-prime fiasco has cleared up) HMG should be able to divest itself of Northern Rock at parity or greater than the purchasing price (i.e. it was worth sod all when purchased, once turned around and once global finacial markets improve it should be worth at least as much...

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (Obi Wan Russell) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:30:24 GMT

double post deleted

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (Obi Wan Russell) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:30:24 GMT

It seems that although Gordon spent ten years plotting to gain power, he never put any thought into what he would do when he got it! Also we keep hearing the government line that the defence budget is facing a £2bilion shortfall, and there must be disasterous cuts (the only way to describe them). Yet they have no trouble finding £25Billion to bail out Northern Rock and now they are talking about a £50Billion+ fund to bail out the other banks. Bailing out the Defence budget is chickenfeed...

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (BenRoethig) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:13:59 GMT

Hopefully they can tell him what a moron he is when he does.

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (Kendo no sensei) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:12:20 GMT

shaun wrote:
I suspect those Labour MPs will soon be getting a phone call from Gordon Brown

And they'll remember how he climbed down over the 10p rate, even if he tried to give back as little money as possible.

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (shaun) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:31:06 GMT

I suspect those Labour MPs will soon be getting a phone call from Gordon Brown

Re: Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (NewGolconda) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:30:09 GMT

Two out of three Labour MPs don't want more money spent on the "stretched to capacity" Armed Forces, according to a poll that puts the Government under further pressure to contain defence spending.

See, I am a blair generation spin doctor too.

Labour MPs call for bigger Forces budget

feeds@yuku.com (Anthony58) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:37:45 GMT

Last Updated: 1:22am BST 26/04/2008

One in three Labour MPs want more money spent on the "stretched to capacity" Armed Forces, according to a poll that puts the Government under further pressure to increase spending.

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