Sunday, September 13, 2009

Tories and Their "Thinkers": (A) Wrong (B) Miserable (C) Divided


On today's Politics Show the chilling David Frost of British Chambers of Commerce seemed to have a truly lamentable command of Economics and/or a horrendous ideological bias against any and all customers from the Public Sector. Yes, customers. The NHS workers for example who buy their groceries. The teachers who take a holiday. The town hall folk who buy a car, a house, a fridge, a sofa. Thanks to having jobs and all.

And then there are the capital projects. Potentially employing thousands, and all being well driving profits. Fling these people on the dole and we have the near opposite of a multiplier. We could call it a stultifier.

Instead of public sector worker spending £X and let's say one half of that £x/2 going into the pocket of private sector workers and onwards £x/4, £x/8, £x/16 already giving a multiplier of almost two times X going through the economy. And plenty of tax going to the exchequer, at every level. Instead we not only have money going OUT of the exchequer in benefits but also only somewhere between 10 and 20% of X and its multipliers wandering round the economy.

Brendan Barber of the TUC was far better. And best of all was Alan Johnson. Hitting well above Mr Rawnsley's faint praise. Link below. He didn't spell out the economics perhaps. But he did make the case for Brown/Darling calling every decision right while Cameron/Osborne called every decision wrong. Pointing this out, looking forward with positive principles and plans and being united are key to taking the fight to the (a) wrong; (b) miserable; and (c) deeply divided Tories. Labour must find ways to be quietly confident in telling it the way it is.

Mr Frost is not only a lamentable economist and prejudiced parrot but also the epitome of the Tory analysis. Which somehow sees them riding a solid lead, albeit it being perhaps 5% short of what they should have to overwhelm Labour.

Labour accepting an inevitable "sea change" as Andrew Rawnsley has suggested happened in times past, in Observer Comment will allow the worst to happen. A Spring tidal wave of Tory tossery. Wet behind the ears but hard right between those ears new Tory MPs crashing about, damaging everything as their ideologies trump doing the right thing.

Here are some of the demands the weak yet cocky Cameron/Osborne combo face:

The Tory account of what they would have done to save the economy is unconvincing and their prescription for the future is fiercely arguable. The Conservatives remain outside the international consensus when they argue for immediate and deep cuts to public spending.
Economists of the right as well as the left contend that this would choke off the first tentative signs of economic recovery. While David Cameron and George Osborne remain shy of detailing where their axe would fall, some of their fellow travellers have become emboldened to be harshly specific.
The Institute of Directors and TaxPayers' Alliance have just produced a shopping list of cuts for a Tory government, which include the abolition of all Sure Start centres, the end of child benefit and the withdrawal of free travel for pensioners.

Waking the electorate to these nasty realities can and will turn the tide.

9 comments:

Get Real said...

At least the economy is going well in Rochdale according to intrepid reporter/photographer/editor of Rowen Online and closet Tory, Malcolm Porn-O.

In addition to the Paul Rowen parliamentary comunications allowance used for "web services" supplied by Rochdale Online, the murky empire is growing according to his company's own purple helmet prose.

RO sales manager Danny Beer (no relation to "I'm only here for the beer" Paul Rowen) is reported to have been told to say:

"The credit crunch has not really affected sales at Rochdale Online as much as other companies so it was important that we bring in new staff to maximise the opportunities that we can offer to local businesses".

New staff to replace to old journalistic staff?

A lovely photo of the 2 new sales executives appears with them almost touching breasts (is that really appropriate Malcolm?)

But back to the important issue. The Rochdale Online report mentions that the 2 new recruits "bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the successful Rochdale Online sales team".

One is Georgina Dowd. The report explains how Malcolm was able to get his hands on such talent. The detail is clear and specific. Georgina became available "after running a family furniture business with her husband. The success of the company's ecommerce website made for improved sales so they decided to close one of their two stores, leaving Georgina free to join Rochdale Online".

Ecommerce success? As a result of Rochdale Online's help?

Is this the same Georgina Down who traded with Lee Dowd as "The Bedroom" at 8 Shaw Rd, Oldham, OL1 3LQ?
The same business that has kept Oldham County Court busy with unpaid debt turning into CCJ's totalling many thousands of pounds?

If working at Rochdale Online, just keep hold of yer tuppence lass. And as they say, look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves.

Assault on Runway 13 said...

Wassup, Chris? Cat got your typing finger?

Lots of stories in Rochdale at the mo. All of them more interesting than minor staff changes at a minor media outlet.

Most of them seem to centre around your friend and (not) mine, Mr Slyman Dumfuk.

Come on down, you might learn something, but then again.......

Anonymous said...

Malcolm Juerno is a good man. He is rich too and will put his money were is mouth is if there are legal threats about what is pubished on the forum of Rochdale Online (moderated- I should know they have sometimes taken my posting down).

there has to be a stand for good journalsm.

time Rochdale had a proper socailist/left party.

Anonymous said...

"time Rochdale had a proper socailist/left party"

will that be the dislexic branch of the new party Mr Hollingdrake?

go on, treat yourself Mark, crack open another can of Strongbow.

Dave Henniken could join you on a park bench...

Anonymous said...

Is this Strongbow who forgets what his username is? And then switches to being 'Up the Dale' and hopes no one will notice?

Get Real said...

I see Rochdale Online has started publishing advertorials for house building companies in its "news" section.

That didn't take long after replacing journalist Kirsty Rigg with advertising Sales Executive Mirella Natale a young woman with a background in house sales (David Wilson, Harron Homes etc).

But then again few people took Malcolm's entrepreneuarial slant on "news" that seriously in the first place. Better sticking to mucky photos and squatting behind bushes.

Rochdale Council is sick of his editorial threats used as cunning plans to garner advertising space on his troubled organ. Phil Hirst must be getting sick of all this by now. Probably would have been much less hassle to have commissioned a web company just to redesign and maintain the Oldham Cronicle's website rather than have Rochdale's answer to Larry Flint being a pervy billionaire badboy and general tit.

But then again, Rochdale has more odd tits in it than an MJX photography thumbnail sheet.

Anonymous said...

Malcolm Journeaux on learning to photograph some other guy's wife:

"Mike has a very natural easy style of teaching that strikes the right balance between imparting knowledge and allowing the photographer to try the theory out. And the huge bonus for those who attend is the opportunity to shoot his lovely wife 'Diane', she is not only wonderfully photogenic, she really is a great encouragement when one is not used to working and directing models; Diane gave me tips all the way through the shoot; from how to direct, down to small but important details on body shape and accessories. Between them they make an excellent team and I shall be going back to learn even more very soon."

MJX Photography

Anonymous said...

Who is this Malcolm Journeaux tosser?

Amy H. said...

Malcolm can be a sweet guy and generous providing he gets his own way ;-P

but, he is a bit full on, in your face and domineering. Weird is a cruel phrase but some might see him that way. He compensates for things by showing off with his car or throwing money around and name dropping.

Then there is the new photographic hobby with young nude models.

Poor Pauline, she has a lot to cope with. She is the one I feel sorry for the most. XXX