UK Economy grew 0.8% in the Second Quarter and has now recovered ground lost since the downturn

[les_taxi]

Good news - let's not give the keys back to the muppets who crashed the car

[Dedworth]

Andy, Joe ? Are you there ?

[les_taxi]

We are now predicted to be the fastest growing economy in the world over the next 12 months

Why would anyone want to gamble with that?

[grahamw48]

If it wasn't for all the free stuff I get now, as an old person...probably be sleeping on a park bench.

Glad somebody's doing well.

[les_taxi]

It's more a general barometer and, of course, the gap in wages is still high - but it's a good sign. No one can deny that!

[andy222]

If it wasn't for all the free stuff I get now, as an old person...probably be sleeping on a park bench.

Glad somebody's doing well.

There are millions out there like that Graham that is why Labour will win. And I would love to see the faces of the blue rinse brigade when they do.

[SimonH]

There are millions out there like that Graham that is why Labour will win. And I would love to see the faces of the blue rinse brigade when they do.

Care to place a wager on that?

[andy222]

Is my name Les? But we will see.

[les_taxi]

There are millions out there like that Graham that is why Labour will win. And I would love to see the faces of the blue rinse brigade when they do.

Their plight created by the Labour goverment

I'm really starting to think Labour is losing the Electorate - especially while you have Milliband

[fred]

[Dedworth]

Their plight created by the Labour goverment

I'm really starting to think Labour is losing the Electorate - especially while you have Milliband

Miliberk's recent breakfast meeting with President Obama

[SimonH]

Miliberk's recent breakfast meeting with President Obama

Ahh bless, he looks like 'Billy no mates'

[Iani]

Oppositions don't win elections - governments lose them.......or so the saying goes.

Now I don't particularly like the Tories, however with Labour we have these issues (Granted most are historic)

1. Tony Blair, scrapped the primary purpose rule and opened the floodgates in a deliberate attempt to change the social face of Britain, leading directly to the new spouse visa regulations we have now.

2. Tony Blair's government almost immediately changed the rules on pension funding, in basically a tax grab in order to fund payments in benefits they say.

Prior to 1997 the British pension funds were literally the envy of Europe. Final salary schemes were the norm and people were often retiring early - it could be afforded.
In a few years, the pension schemes hit the rocks and final salary is now unaffordable for most - unless you are in taxpayer funded local government.

3. Chancellor Gordon decided to sell off the countries gold reserves - when gold was at a low - and invest instead in Euros. Anyone now thinking this was a good idea isn't fit to be in charge of a cigarette machine never mind the countries finances.

4. Blair on spurious and possibly false evidence took this country into Americas war in the middle east. British lives continue to be lost there. Soon as the British army withdraws, then the Taliban move back in. Lives thrown away for nothing.

5. Labour rags like the Mirror like to crow that the government has cut the forces to the bone. Strangely enough they seem to forget this started with Blair's government, with our local TA depot closed, our local regiment closed down/merged.

6. The hounding of an honourable man David Kelly leading to his suicide. Not going to comment further on this, look it up.

7. Just before losing the election Ed Balls made the policy announcement that for too long some schools were doing too well, not having enough disruptive elements in the classroom, and shock, horror, some kids in mostly middle class areas were getting an okish education.

of course can't be allowed to happen so all schools are to be forced to take a quota of chav headbangers to bring down the education of the others.

Now that isn't exactly how he announced it, but it's what any good parents will realise he really meant to say.

Granted the Tories are little better. Call it what you want though, the coalition came into power, introduced austerity, Labour savaged them for this saying it won't work - but it has worked.

The official Labour responses now are along the lines of "They say the economy has improved - well do you feel rich?"

Of course, people never admit to this and always feel they were better off "back in the old days" so Labour know this is the only attack they can use.

Actually Labour are sending their newsletters out to their members locally with the buzzline "when you agree with the majority, it's time to examine yourself". In other words they officially want to say screw majority public opinion, we know best - typical politicians really, can't blame them for that.

I wouldn't know though, it's not like I meet many Labour politicians, councillors etc - after all, I live in a mixed area, with many newcomers and BTL degregation. There's no way on earth the Labour politicians will live around here, they all live in the expensive leafy Tory areas.

[grahamw48]

Iani....excellent post mate.

[SimonH]

Now if Iani's summary doesn't deserve a rep I don't know what does

[les_taxi]

Top post - rep given

Referring to your remark about no-one admitting to being better off - we always say that - it's a general whinge.
I have definitely seen a steady improvement in my takings - the bars and restaurants are far fuller than a few years ago.
When you put this to Labour they say the improvement has been too slow

I see that as so rich - coming from them it's laughable

I do feel a lot more confident Labour will not get in next year, not saying the Tories will have an outright majority, but people will surely wake up, smell the roses and realise things are getting better

Won't let me give you rep at the moment - will try another time.

[grahamw48]

Now if Iani's summary doesn't deserve a rep I don't know what does

That must be three he's had then.

[grahamw48]

Good to hear that things are picking up Les.

[joebloggs]

The bosom buddies are back together

Iani

1. Tony Blair, scrapped the primary purpose rule and opened the floodgates in a deliberate attempt to change the social face of Britain, leading directly to the new spouse visa regulations we have now.

What utter , the Tory primary purpose rule was one of the main, if not the main reason to refuse a British citizen the right to bring their partner to the UK.

Imagine how many people on here would be refused because an ECO had the opinion that the primary reason your partner had for wanting to come to the UK was not because of love but to escape poverty, well I wonder if your wife, mine or many on here would be refused if Jack Straw had not scrapped this rule.

Floodgates? Tell me how many flooded in on the spouse visa to those that came to the UK from Europe. ??? Don't you think you should have a legal right to bring your partner to the UK? After all, Europeans in the UK have that right!

the Tories have always tried to control immigration with the Primary Purpose Rule and now with the Minimum Financial Requirement. Many in the past were not as lucky as us to get their spouses to the UK because of the primary purpose rule and now the minimum financial requirement. I doubt you would be posting this is you had been refused

As for Brown, I think it was £4 Billion concerning the gold. Well what about Thatcher's £50 billion give away?

[les_taxi]

Great to have you back Joe - we have missed the comedy!

[joebloggs]

Les, never mind what you think, why don't you for the next few days ask the punters in your taxi, if they are better off, never mind your biased opinon

Post your results here, and don't fib about your results

I for one am not better off since the Tories came to power, that's a fact!

[les_taxi]

All you have to do is look around the Town - tourism is thriving, people eating out all the time - and, as far as I am concerned, lots of people using Taxis.

I will give you one concession - Harrogate is an affluent town so it fares better than most towns.

[les_taxi]

I for one am not better off since the Tories came to power, thats a fact!

Most of that time the government has been rebuilding the broken economy (see Labour)

[Iani]

The bosom buddies are back together

Iani

What utter , the Tory primary purpose rule was one of the main, if not the main reason to refuse a British citizen the right to bring their partner to the UK.

Imagine how many people on here would be refused because an ECO had the opinion that the primary reason your partner had for wanting to come to the UK was not because of love but to escape poverty. Well, I wonder if your wife, mine or many on here would be refused if Jack Straw had not scrapped this rule.

Floodgates? Tell me how many flooded in on the spouse visa to those that came to the UK from Europe. ??? Don't you think you should have a legal right to bring your partner to the UK? After all, Europeans in the UK have that right!

The Tories have always tried to control immigration with the Primary Purpose Rule and now with the Minimum Financial Requirement. Many in the past were not as lucky as us to get their spouse to the UK because of the primary purpose rule and now the minimum financial requirement. I doubt you would be posting this is you had been refused

As for Brown, I think it was £4 Billion concerning the gold. Well, what about Thatchers £50 billion give away,

Bosom buddies? I'll get the Vaseline shall I?

Now Joe, you get me wrong, seems I might have touched a raw nerve. For the sake of clarity though, I didn't say the spouse visa system caused the floodgates. Part of society did abuse this however - but that is a different subject.
What I was meaning - thought people would get it, but anyway - there was a deliberate attempt to increase immigration. For good or bad, this is a fact, they have admitted it.
Part of this is down to inter-EU migration. There is nothing the government can currently do about this, however what they can do is attack the spouse visa system.
If immigration had not become such a hot potato under the previous regime, they wouldn't have bothered doing this (Perhaps).
Mind you, if a tory had said what Ann Cryer had said, they'd be screaming racist from the rooftops.

No need to ask my opinion of whether there should be a right to bring your RIGHTFUL partner here, as I've said before that should be a basic human right.

Thatcher's billions? Not sure what you mean. Do you mean the European Exchange Rate Mechanism aka Black Wednesday?
What a balls up that was, although any other government would have still entered that, the same thing would have happened, and politicial analysts have suggested if Kinnock had won, this would have finished Labour off forever as the tories would have said "we told you so".

I can't believe I'm defending the tories They're eejots too.

Change subject - I went to Blackpool last Wednesday.......

[joebloggs]

The £50 billion she got for selling the family sliver, my silver and everyone else's who had paid tax

One of the best things Labour did was scrap the Primary Purpose Rule, and I know most will not thank Labour on here for anything, but its a fact more people on here would have been refused a visa and any appeals.

The burden of proof was on YOU not on the HO


I think with 1 million Poles in the UK, much of it is to do with the EU, the least of it spouse visas, these people who are, after all, BRITISH CITIZENS.

[joebloggs]

Blackpool well you had a sunny day

[les_taxi]

Beautiful in Harrogate (the happiest place to live too) Joe!

[Iani]

Yes I burnt my head!

The sun made the sea almost look inviting though, almost the Med.

[joebloggs]

Beautiful in Harrogate (The happiest place to live)too Joe

You stay there Les, I'll stick to the N/W

Still waiting for a pic that can compete with this Les

[IMG][/IMG]

[les_taxi]

We not a seaside resort
hopefully you will have seen Harrogate in all its glory when stage one of the Tour De France finished here - was amazing

Prefer the East coast - you have the tacky Tower they have the Abbey

[IMG][/IMG]