Everyone knows that the Greek economy is in meltdown and has been for some time. Frankly it is a scandal that Greece was ever allowed into the Euro. At the time everyone knew that the figures provided could not be right, but unlike the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes, there was no little boy [...]
Before I continue let me make it clear that the above is not an accusation but a genuine question, and one which I think needs to be answered urgently. By now there can be few people who have not heard that Sir Paul Stephenson, the Commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police force, resigned last night. In [...]
Anyone with even a passing interest in the relationship between politician and newspaper publishers has knows for many months that it was only a matter of time before the inept cover up of the illegal practices carried on by, or on behalf of, the News of the World would unravel. So it has proven this [...]
As criticism of Tony Hayward grows and with President Obama throwing his toys out of the pram with increasing regularity, many people are wondering what this shows us about the leadership qualities – or lack thereof – of both men. But who is to blame for this disaster? This post has grown from several comments [...]
Back in June of 2008 I told readers of this blog about my discussion with Des Browne, who at that time, in addition to being Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock & Loudon had two Westminster jobs; that of Defence Secretary and Secretary of State for Scotland. A bit odd really to have two part-time jobs, [...]
It has long been suspected that there is widespread under collection of VAT throughout the European Union. But until now no one realised just how big the figures were. Talk about pouring cash down the toilet! There are a number of reasons for the shortfall some relating to systematic fraud (such as “carousel fraud” on [...]
This is the UK government department, headed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which is responsible for managing the country’s public revenues. In recent years it hasn’t had the best of records (despite many ill-informed commentators promoting Gordon Brown as a “prudent” chancellor – HAH!!!) as can clearly be seen by anyone who looks at [...]
£130 Million wasted in yet another “quick fix” Labour initiative! Three years ago the Labour government announced that the UK Passport & Identity Service (part of the Home Office) had estimated that 10,000 false passports were issued every year. This was, they said, unacceptable and a new procedure which would see all new applicants face an [...]
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) next year Britain will have the biggest debt of any major economy. So much for prudent Gordon Brown. According to the IMF Britain’s budget deficit will be a horrendous £191 billion. This equates to £7,600 for every family in the UK. Not only is this much higher than [...]
Harriet Harman, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party but not (thank goodness) the official Deputy Prime Minister, has come up with the daft idea of teaching 5-year old boys that it is wrong to be a wife-beater. Hmmm. I’d have thought that the vast majority of 5-year olds would never have come across or thought [...]
So, according to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, “I take full responsibility for what happened – that is why the person that was responsible went immediately.” Leaving aside the fractured English doesn’t that mean he, Gordon Brown, has resigned? Clearly not. Brown used the “S” word on TV from Glasgow, where the Cabinet was meeting. As [...]
Well there are a few people like me who think he never had the plot to start with. In all honesty since the moment he got into 11 Downing Street as Chancellor the man has been nothing but a total disaster zone. I really found it hard to credit how the media could promote him [...]
On Wednesday of this week European politicians voted to scrap the UK’s long running opt-out from the Working Time Directive which limits the working week to an average of 48 hours. Despite the wishes of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Business Secretary (and former EU Commissioner (Lord) Peter Mandelson) several Labour MEPs voted to [...]
As Chancellor Mr Brown kept telling everyone how successful Britain’s economy was under his stewardship and as Prime Minister he tells us that because of him Britain is in a better position than other countries to weather the credit crunch. Not only have I never believed him but now it seems that his successor as [...]
Well what other conclusion can you come to when a senior opposition MP is arrested, held for nine hours, and has his home and offices searched by anti-terrorism Police simply for doing his job? What was his crime? Embarrassing the Labour Government! Strictly speaking Mr Green was arrested on suspicion of “conspiring to commit misconduct [...]
I enjoy watching Question Time on the BBC each Thursday. It can be amusing and entertaining usually because of the crass stupidity of some of the panellists. I don’t object to politicians and celebrities displaying their ignorance and political bias as at least it helps us make an informed opinion about them, but sometimes they [...]
As small businesses struggle to obtain funds to continue in business the UK Government continue to announce initiatives which are more spin than substance. The motive for the Treasury making available £400bn of taxpayer support last month was to prevent the collapse of the banking system. Quite right too, but anyone who thinks it was [...]
Internet fraudsters are exploiting the banking meltdown by attempting to trick users into handing over details of their bank accounts. These crooks – called Phishers – set up false websites which look like the websites of real banks and send out emails trying to get people to log on to these sites and by so [...]
What can you think when you realise that the chairman of the International Business Advisory Council – charged with safeguarding London’s pre-eminence as a business centre – is about to move his own HQ to Ireland? Such is the position of Sir Martin Sorrell, head of advertising conglomerate WPP, who announced last week that he [...]
Robert Peston, the BBC’s business editor, is coming under fire for his many “scoops” which according to critics helped fuel the flames of the banking crisis and led to the collapse of Northern Rock, Bradford & Bingley and HBOS. Before joining the BBC in 2006 Peston was a successful journailist working for the Financial Times, [...]
