Where is it really going?

[binny]

Your opinion?

 

[Systreg]

What?

 

[Alien]

Mhmmmmmmm, that's too philosophical for me.

 

[binny]

is poll

 

[VSC]

is poll

poll is

 

[Alien]

Aha, a poll. Discuss!

 

[WigWam]

My opinion is that this countries economy is going nowhere and won't for be the foreseeable future. The reasons are simple;

- High taxes
- Poor work ethic (the majority)
- Decreasing education standards (university tuition).
- Highly uncompetitive compared to countries such as china in virtually all markets

and if we leave the EU we will be trully fooked!

We need to make this country attractive to other countries. If I was in charge of our finances (god forbid) this country would be turned around.

Off the top of my head;

- Businesses earning less than £2mil should be given the option to either pay their tax or use it to directly employ new staff, lowering unemployment - increasing employment tax revenue.
- 15% VAT on all items apart from ones deemed unhealthy ~ 40% VAT on those, used to compensate the healthcare system
- Lower fuel tax for citizens, businesses could receive subsidies based on their efforts to reduce consumption.
- Staged reduction of higher rate income taxes to encourage HI's to live here.
- Open the borders
- Unless you have a long term disability you should not be able to claim jsa for more than 6 months per annum.
- Sell council property
- Minimum of 5 years contribution to the economy before you can claim benefits / state pension.
- Large subsidies & grants to manufacturing companies to relocate to this country. Set-up and purchase unused business premisses and rent them out at highly subsidised rates to new businesses & sole traders.
- Privatise the NHS - impose strict budgets.
- Reduce banking taxes to 0.005%
- Increase investment in renewable energies.
- Increase investment in Africa, South America & SE Aisa - open better trade ties.
- Direct agriculture subsidies
- Compulsory financial studies / money managment in schools
- Allow high street stores to open 24/7/365 if they wish to be

Introduce a system where people can directly vote on issues (similar to epetitions.gov.uk, but it actually counts as a vote towards the subject)



Most importantly, sell Scotland (£50 ono )

The truth is at the moment if you have an idea that you think will make you millions you are either going to set-up in a tax haven (as many members of this forum have) or in a country with cheap labour & manufacturing infrastructure ~ neither of which this country has. Remember china has more 'Gifted and talented' students than the USA has students!

WW.

 

[cc976a]

Definitely agree with teaching money management in schools - this has been an argument for years. Get rid of pointless subjects and replace with something that will help individuals and the nation as a whole.

Nothing is going to change this generation but the Government should start making preparation for the next!

 

[WigWam]

Definitely agree with teaching money management in schools - this has been an argument for years. Get rid of pointless subjects and replace with something that will help individuals and the nation as a whole.

Nothing is going to change this generation but the Government should start making preparation for the next!

Indeed, I was watching the news a few days ago and there was a middle aged man who took out a £500 payday loan so he could afford a flat screen for his living room.

WW.

 

[GreyWing]

Hang fire guys... who is going to teach it

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...te-failing-basic-numeracy-literacy-tests.html

The last generation have started teaching their stupidity now.. Some of my friends are teachers and I just shake my head.

 

[retired_member33]

My opinion is that this countries economy is going nowhere and won't for be the foreseeable future. The reasons are simple;

- High taxes

Started and finished reading here... How on earth can you say that the UK has high taxes? On what?

The main reason for the UK going tits up, and yes it will happen... You all think that Mr Cameron made a good decision and that your all safe from the Euro crisis but your not.... Is that people over here never heard of the word(s) "save money" and neither did the government... Everyone is buying whatever they want and doesn't save a penny.. and if their last penny is spent they will take a payday loan or an (extra) creditcard... This whole country is based on a financial bubble, there is no export at all apart from the financial tricks being done by the magicians in the City.

I am just waiting on the day that the UK is going to be fucked and they need a bailout from the Euro countries...


I could go on about this for ages but I wont bother you...

 

[VSC]

..... Get rid of pointless subjects and replace with something that will help individuals and the nation as a whole .....

Unfortunately this Government is cutting subjects already. Gove and his eBac focus on core subjects only. This has already caused many many schools to cut Design & Technology subjects, along with a range of other subjects Religious Studies, PE etc ).

So who exactly is going to design and make the next range of products? Britain has lost most of it's manufacturing, now it is set to lose most of it's design and inventive power.

While I agree that teaching money management, and making sure that people leave school being able to read, write, etc etc is essential, surely the point of the education system is to produce rounded and self-confident individuals who can contribute to society in multiple ways, and not "just" workers.

 

[VSC]

Hang fire guys... who is going to teach it

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...te-failing-basic-numeracy-literacy-tests.html

The last generation have started teaching their stupidity now.. Some of my friends are teachers and I just shake my head.

While I would like to see the evidence behind that story (it is the Daily Mail after all), the issue is that the Gov has reduced and reduced the qualifications required to become a teacher, as less and less people want to become a teacher.

Unfortunately, the insistence of producing league tables of schools never produced a positive effect. All it has done is force school management to focus on results and not students. The amount of paperwork and database capture that a teacher has to do takes over a third of a week.

Some teachers help their students to such an extent that you have to ask who is doing the work. This does not help - the student ends up thinking that they're good at something they're not.

Subjects that many of us would have been taught are being cut, in favour of subjects that please Gove or schools know they can get high results in.

Stop the league tables, longer training for teachers, less paperwork, and remember that schools are there to help educate and "produce" well rounded individuals, not simply workers ...

 

[aZooZa]

Difficult to know which thread to post this in, given there are a couple going...

Some gems:

How on earth can you say that the UK has high taxes? On what?

On what NOT? I'm getting *ucked sideways and backwards on all manner of non-elective but mandatory taxation - council tax where the lazy bastards can't be arsed to pick up my rubbish, or demand it's all separated out into coloured boxes...VAT, which is a tax at completely unacceptable level - all moodied up stealthily from - what - 8.5% over the years? Analyse the wording: "Value Added Tax". I could go on...

I am just waiting on the day that the UK is going to be fucked and they need a bailout from the Euro countries...

Don't hold your breath for that appeasement...there are measures that could be legislated to turn that around in a heartbeat.

So who exactly is going to design and make the next range of products? Britain has lost most of it's manufacturing, now it is set to lose most of it's design and inventive power.

You're missing the point. Britain has no shortage whatsoever of design and inventive/innovative ingenuity.

The problem - or shall I put it another way - SOLUTION - is to impose British rule of law (Parliament bills) over foreign entities taking over companies here, and to levy swingeing duties over imports - and I really mean 'swingeing' to the point where the duty is competitively impossible - or (better) ban imports if they are not for the common good of the GB economy. I.e., "why should you import when the resources are here to generate that business yourselves (collectively in any SIG)"?

Let's bring back jobs and pride to Great Britain.

So which 'party' is the best candidate? There ain't one (yet).

Admittedly, my 'solution' isn't a quick fix. But in the log term, it might see us back where we were in our heyday.

If I want to buy a 'Mini', I'd sooner buy a 'Cooper S' from Austin/Morris than BMW. The demise of the Rolls Royce car manufacturing in favour of the foreign buyout was an atrocious piss-take. Next things is, we'll have General Electric being allowed to buy out our RR aero division. God forbid.

The UK stock market should be a closed shop also IMHO. Shares traded only in the UK - and only by UK institutions.

I suppose I'm getting old...and probably why I expatriated.

 

[VSC]

You're missing the point. Britain has no shortage whatsoever of design and inventive/innovative ingenuity.

You are missing the point. I made the comment in relation to the comment re the Education system.

Currently, courses in Design and Technology are being cut - right now.

While yes, there may be enough people around now, in 10, 15 years time there won't be, as children will not have the option to study these subjects.

Schools have already sent letters out to parents advising them to get their children to study the eBac subjects, and drop others. Schools are doing this for funding and league table reasons.

Where are the next great UK designers going to come from? Not the UK if this route is followed.

I would have thought that people would have worked out the Education Ministers goals when he said that Latin should be reintroduced in to schools as it was a modern foreign language.

Re your other points ...

High duties on imports, taxes on non-British companies... where do I begin. All that will achieve IMO is Britain being ostracised by the countries that are being hit. It would be so counter-productive as to push GB in to an absolute mire. No country can exist in isolation.

One of the reasons many British industries failed is becuase they kept their heads in the sand. "We make great British products ... why do R&R, improve our products - they're British so they must be great".

It's a world marketplace. Europe, USA are going to be the second / third world in the next decades. Africa, China, the Far East is going to be the new first world.

That doesn't mean we give up. Yes, we have to pull our belts in, educate our children better, motivate our adults more. The future for us and other similar countries in science, engineering advances, design, creativity ... but the system isn't educating us that way.

Rather than looking inwards, we need to look outwards, and develop a new place in the world for ourselves ...

 

[aZooZa]

Started and finished reading here... How on earth can you say that the UK has high taxes? On what?

The main reason for the UK going tits up, and yes it will happen... You all think that Mr Cameron made a good decision and that your all safe from the Euro crisis but your not.... Is that people over here never heard of the word(s) "save money" and neither did the government... Everyone is buying whatever they want and doesn't save a penny.. and if their last penny is spent they will take a payday loan or an (extra) creditcard... This whole country is based on a financial bubble, there is no export at all apart from the financial tricks being done by the magicians in the City.

I am just waiting on the day that the UK is going to be fucked and they need a bailout from the Euro countries...


I could go on about this for ages but I wont bother you...

You are missing the point. I made the comment in relation to the comment re the Education system.

Currently, courses in Design and Technology are being cut - right now.

While yes, there may be enough people around now, in 10, 15 years time there won't be, as children will not have the option to study these subjects.

Schools have already sent letters out to parents advising them to get their children to study the eBac subjects, and drop others. Schools are doing this for funding and league table reasons.

Where are the next great UK designers going to come from? Not the UK if this route is followed.

I would have thought that people would have worked out the Education Ministers goals when he said that Latin should be reintroduced in to schools as it was a modern foreign language.

Re your other points ...

High duties on imports, taxes on non-British companies... where do I begin. All that will achieve IMO is Britain being ostracised by the countries that are being hit. It would be so counter-productive as to push GB in to an absolute mire. No country can exist in isolation.

One of the reasons many British industries failed is becuase they kept their heads in the sand. "We make great British products ... why do R&R, improve our products - they're British so they must be great".

It's a world marketplace. Europe, USA are going to be the second / third world in the next decades. Africa, China, the Far East is going to be the new first world.

That doesn't mean we give up. Yes, we have to pull our belts in, educate our children better, motivate our adults more. The future for us and other similar countries in science, engineering advances, design, creativity ... but the system isn't educating us that way.

Rather than looking inwards, we need to look outwards, and develop a new place in the world for ourselves ...

I've heard some counter-arguments in my time. but yours doesn't hold weight matey. I think you are too young to grasp the reality. You should move to France...don't rely on the UK State to guide your education or that of your sprogs. That's your responsibility. The British make "great British products". Government (or lack of it) has eroded that. Maybe you should think about telling your kids that.

 

[VSC]

I've heard some counter-arguments in my time. but yours doesn't hold weight matey. I think you are too young to grasp the reality. You should move to France...don't rely on the UK State to guide your education or that of your sprogs. That's your responsibility. The British make "great British products". Government (or lack of it) has eroded that. Maybe you should think about telling your kids that.

Okay ...

1. I am not argueing, I am debating.

2. I am not your matey.

3. I am 54.

4. My family is French (I am a dual national), so I know about France, it's services, rights and duties, thank you.

5. You did not read my post. I said that Britain USED to make great products, but most GB Industry stopped developing products as they believed they could just keep producing the same old crap, which caused the downfall of many industries.

I never said that I rely on the UK state to educate my children. My original post was commenting on why Teachers may not be as qualified as they used to be.

You seem to be reading my/other people's posts and selectively picking out comments to comment on.

 

[GreyWing]

I never said that I rely on the UK state to educate my children. My original post was commenting on why Teachers may not be as qualified as they used to be.

You seem to be reading my/other people's posts and selectively picking out comments to comment on.

I never said anything about them being less qualified compared to years gone past... That's the bloody trouble these people are highly qualified and haven't got a clue (not including them all by the way). Not talking about exams either, this goes right down to infant and junior school.

Problem is that if you have a degree then you have a ticket to teach, why? There are more competent people out there to teach kids life skills who don't have any qualifications. Of course the teachers want to promote the idea you need a degree because it gives them exclusivity to ramping up the salary of teachers. they say, "can't just get teachers in because it takes 4 years to train them up, so we got to pay them 30k+ a year or we risk losing them"... Garbage.

 

[VSC]

I never said anything about them being less qualified compared to years gone past... That's the bloody trouble these people are highly qualified and haven't got a clue (not including them all by the way). Not talking about exams either, this goes right down to infant and junior school.

Problem is that if you have a degree then you have a ticket to teach, why? There are more competent people out there to teach kids life skills who don't have any qualifications. Of course the teachers want to promote the idea you need a degree because it gives them exclusivity to ramping up the salary of teachers. they say, "can't just get teachers in because it takes 4 years to train them up, so we got to pay them 30k+ a year or we risk losing them"... Garbage.

Well, actually they are less qualified. There is are several fast track schemes which is part of the problem.

The problem isn't the teachers, it's the continual tinkering with the education system, the league tables (a fiasco), and now Gove and his ill thought out eBac.

Also, a degree isn't the only qualification, you need to do a specific teachers qualification on top.

Salary! By hourly rate I wouldn't want to do it. 55 - 60 hours a week for £25,000 +.

How do I know this - my wife is a teacher. She works on average 55 hours a week. Half term is spent marking, lessson planning and all the jobs she can't do during term time because of all the data capture she now has to do. The main holidays, half the time is spent doing the same.

Here's a thought as to something else that is wrong. In Britain, teachers are allowed to teach subjects that they are not trained in. A teacher who's main specialisation may be English may be asked to teach Science, Art, anything - at the discretion of the timetable and Head. In France? Illegal.

Yes, there are some crap teachers - just like there are some crap builders; police; health workers etc. Don't have a go at the whole teaching profession because of the system.

 

[GreyWing]

I wouldn't say your wife is doing a good or bad job, I don't know. Let me put it this way, if I worked for a factory and we kept producing dud parts, would I put my name to it? I'm sure your wife has come home and bent your ear a few times as to the standard of other teachers.

If I were a teacher and watching some of the rules that come down from on high, then I would have no option but to resign. By being part of this system (yes it comes from up high as well) they are in my opinion contributing to it's failure and maybe just as guilty by accepting their pieces of silver and teaching the curriculum that is nonsense.

Unfortunately a lot of good teachers have resigned and that just means that even more spaces are open to the new breed. It's a downwardly spiralling staircase at the moment.

I think you are right with regards that it should be illegal to teach something you are not qualified in. Just the same as brickies don't give lessons in plumbing.

Arh well, I can't see it changing for sometime to come.. bring back grammar schools and the old thing I was taught "It pays to be a winner".