tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post6012274375368759169..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: How Much Has Gordon's Euro Decision Cost Us?Iain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-74032061291718466012009-01-31T14:32:00.000+00:002009-01-31T14:32:00.000+00:00WW - quite right. I've never understood miniature ...WW - quite right. I've never understood miniature corn - what on earth is that? It's horrid, pointless, hard, bitter, bland in colour, difficult to cook and probably has few vitamins.<BR/><BR/>OT Lady Yasmin Allibya Brown of Meirdsville said on Dateline London: "The British always pick on foreigners in times of crisis". Unchallenged by Gavin Esler.<BR/><BR/> The fact that we're the most supine and tolerant country on the bloody planet is, ya know, irrelevant to that vile, racist hypocrite.Dick the Prickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02683095612320513712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-4309865812115660442009-01-31T14:29:00.000+00:002009-01-31T14:29:00.000+00:00Wrinkled Weasel said... “You really should call yo...Wrinkled Weasel said... <I>“You really should call yourself Serverlan...”</I><BR/><BR/>Now admit it. You have absolutely no idea who Servelan was - have you?Simon Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17189501697856123305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-41245650694081881652009-01-31T14:20:00.000+00:002009-01-31T14:20:00.000+00:00Thanks Dick and Simon (You really should call your...Thanks Dick and Simon (You really should call yourself Serverlan, it's sub zero cool)<BR/><BR/>I was beginning to despair that anybody actually thought through the issues on this blog.<BR/><BR/>Thanks. It's made me think, but just to piss you off, it's crazy to buy miniature vegetables, flown in from Kenya.Wrinkled Weaselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05291551539649118631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-79887062384825053272009-01-31T13:50:00.001+00:002009-01-31T13:50:00.001+00:00Fortunately the argument about protectionism is mo...Fortunately the argument about protectionism is moot. We've sold ourselves down the river and both the UK and the US are embarking on pork barrelled fiscal stimuli that will utterly destroy any prospect of recovery. <BR/><BR/> The unions are inept, the government criminally incompetent, the bankers laughing, the people revolting. Protectionism assumes there's something to protect. Our only hope is that PIIGS default.<BR/><BR/> This isn't recession, this is scorched earth.Dick the Prickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02683095612320513712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-80841336458902161072009-01-31T13:50:00.000+00:002009-01-31T13:50:00.000+00:00Wrinkled Weasel said... “Still no explanation of "...Wrinkled Weasel said... <I>“Still no explanation of "protectionism"?”</I><BR/><BR/>Well I think you should probably google it or look in Wikipedia. I’m no economist.<BR/><BR/><B>BUT...</B>. It’s the practice of raising tariff barriers, import restrictions etc against foreign countries’ goods, services, investment and even now labour - so as to protect or insulate your home markets (and hence populations).<BR/><BR/>It’s <B>quite illegal</B> inside the EU - one of the major founding principles of the Common Market/EU. <BR/><BR/>It’s also been widely reduced internationally (outside the EU) by virtue of <I>free trade agreements and treaties</I>, the WTO [World Trade Organisation] etc. It has been imposed on many developing and fragile economies in the third world by the IMF. Britain and the US have been a driving force - particularly New Labour and the US neo-cons.<BR/><BR/>Many <B><I>rabid</I></B> anti-EU Tories (is there any other kind left apart from Ken?) claim that the EU should <I>only</I> be about free trade and against protectionism.<BR/><BR/>The EU itself is somewhat (OK very) protectionist - particularly vis-à-vis African agriculture.<BR/><BR/>With the economy in a spin, there have been the usual widespread calls for more protectionism - not least inside the USA. It looks like those calls will be heeded by the Democrats - despite the fact that much of the drive for more free trade has come from the US.<BR/><BR/>As he left office, Bush imposed a 300 per cent tariff on Roquefort cheese in retaliation for some perceived EU protectionism or other!<BR/><BR/>The Prime Minister has stupidly stirred the pot about protectionism over labour (Poles etc) He has therefore generated a great deal of racism and we were speculating whether that was Michael-Howard-style deliberate.<BR/><BR/>And I’m still no economist.Simon Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17189501697856123305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-23037178894285870852009-01-31T12:47:00.000+00:002009-01-31T12:47:00.000+00:00DespairingLiberal said...“Yes, it used to be the l...DespairingLiberal said...<I>“Yes, it used to be the likes of Michael Howard and William Hague who did the faux-racist foaming”</I><BR/><BR/>It has been interesting and refreshing that Cameron’s lot have so far not done the perennial <I>Howard-style</I> racism. I hope it lasts. All part of the Tories’ master-plan to stop being the “<B><I>nasty party</I></B>”. Maybe they no longer have anyone unprincipled enough now that Howard has gone (surely not)?<BR/><BR/>But the Labour back-benches must be pretty sick at Brown. Unless they are as worried about the BNP as he seems?<BR/><BR/><I>“I always felt you and Blake should have got together by the way.”</I><BR/><BR/>Nah. Servelan was always far too sexy for the likes of goody-two-shoes Blake.Simon Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17189501697856123305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-32794797399043378122009-01-31T12:07:00.000+00:002009-01-31T12:07:00.000+00:00Yes, it used to be the likes of Michael Howard and...Yes, it used to be the likes of Michael Howard and William Hague who did the faux-racist foaming from the comfort of their leather seats in the Haise. Now it's loathsome NuLab cynics.<BR/><BR/>I suppose it's only a matter of time before the Eton Trifles, Cameron & Osborne and their hedge-fund backed pals join in, but things look wierd politically now, with Labour playing for the Right and the Eton boys fighting for the centre.<BR/><BR/>I always felt you and Blake should have got together by the way. You would have made a lovely couple.DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-51946723430414987592009-01-31T12:05:00.000+00:002009-01-31T12:05:00.000+00:00Still no explanation of "protectionism"?Not even S...Still no explanation of "protectionism"?<BR/><BR/>Not even Serverlan? Or anybody from Blake's Seven, since it appears to require the inteellect of a galactic overlord to answer it?<BR/><BR/>At a guess I would say it's about protecting something. Isn't that a good thing?Wrinkled Weaselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05291551539649118631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-32349838446093833122009-01-31T11:56:00.000+00:002009-01-31T11:56:00.000+00:00DespairingLiberal said...“(or is it Serverlan?)”Ho...DespairingLiberal said...<BR/><I>“(or is it Serverlan?)”</I><BR/><BR/>Hooray. You have to be of a certain age to recognize...<BR/><BR/><I>“Seriously though, it is very, very worrying when we start (stunningly immediately!) to slide back into protectionism so rapidly.”</I><BR/><BR/>It’s happened extremely quickly. It’s happening in continental Europe too. But we could have done without the Prime Minister’s fatuous and immoral boost to it some time ago.<BR/><BR/>There’s a suggestion in some quarters that it was done to counter localized BNP electoral gains. How short-sighted can you get?<BR/><BR/>Don’t worry the endemic and mystifying <I>foaming-at-the-mouth</I> BBC bashing will doubtless be resumed shortly. What a paranoid bunch!Simon Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17189501697856123305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-32181779507079198522009-01-31T11:41:00.000+00:002009-01-31T11:41:00.000+00:00Desparing:You talk about protectionism as if it's ...Desparing:<BR/><BR/>You talk about protectionism as if it's some kind of satanic rite.<BR/><BR/>Can you explain what you mean by it?Wrinkled Weaselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05291551539649118631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-90872018828289512942009-01-31T10:54:00.000+00:002009-01-31T10:54:00.000+00:00Simon Gardner (or is it Serverlan?) - yes, Brown m...Simon Gardner (or is it Serverlan?) - yes, Brown made a major pre-planned and carefully focus-group-assessed-no-doubt major screwup. The BBC are right to pick up on it, it's refreshing to see some of the others here not bashing the beeb for a short space of time.<BR/><BR/>They must be fuming in the Von Broon Fuhrerbunker right now about Auntie - can someone come up with one of those Downfall videos suitably edited?<BR/><BR/>Seriously though, it is very, very worrying when we start (stunningly immediately!) to slide back into protectionism so rapidly. It really isn't Europe that are the enemy - we export huge amounts of stuff to them and enjoy our holidays there. We even like some of their food.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, the workers there do have a point and the unions should pick up on it if the foreign worker-based sub-contractors are taking the work by not paying local wage rates.DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-82252338056208692502009-01-31T10:39:00.000+00:002009-01-31T10:39:00.000+00:00“How Much Has Gordon's Euro Decision Cost Us?”And ...<I>“How Much Has Gordon's Euro Decision Cost Us?”</I><BR/><BR/>And your headline made me think there was going to be a rant in favour of <B><I>joining the Euro</I></B>. Never mind. There’s time yet...Simon Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17189501697856123305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-20556853090755919072009-01-31T10:14:00.000+00:002009-01-31T10:14:00.000+00:00“DespairingLiberal said... The "British Jobs for B...<I>“DespairingLiberal said... The "British Jobs for British Workers" slogan is bad for Brown because it is a right-wing xenophobe slogan...”</I><BR/><BR/>Indeed. It sounded <I><B>thoroughly nasty</B></I> (and a mistake) at the time. Now it appears to be coming back to bite him big-time. What a shame.Simon Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17189501697856123305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-5035551130900242652009-01-31T00:22:00.000+00:002009-01-31T00:22:00.000+00:00"Anyone know the answer?"Leave the EU, or is that ..."Anyone know the answer?"<BR/><BR/>Leave the EU, or is that too simplistic?Jeremy Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02014279463894807064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-24552038431414531732009-01-30T23:39:00.000+00:002009-01-30T23:39:00.000+00:00The strikes will escalate. It will bring Brown dow...The strikes will escalate. It will bring Brown down and his Government with him.<BR/><BR/>Rupert Murdoch has already ordered his editors to pull the plug on Brown.<BR/><BR/>The BBC are reporting the strikes.<BR/><BR/>The lumpenproletariat finally understand they have been shafted.<BR/><BR/>All over the world the tectonic plates are shifting.<BR/><BR/>It will either be Waterloo or Peterloo.Wrinkled Weaselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05291551539649118631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-70431937968570132202009-01-30T23:34:00.000+00:002009-01-30T23:34:00.000+00:00J Cook raises the Black Wednesday episode, and I p...J Cook raises the Black Wednesday episode, and I presume like most he is blaming the Tories, who were indeed the Government at the time.<BR/><BR/>What I have never understood is why the fact that Labour were equally thorough advocates of the ERM is not shouted about every time this blame is raised.<BR/><BR/>On WMD Labour always bring up that the Tories supported their actions, why don't we use the same tactic against Labour ?<BR/><BR/>Alan DouglasAlan Douglashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16071898364060640779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-5560862408490128622009-01-30T22:55:00.000+00:002009-01-30T22:55:00.000+00:00I understood that our rebate was given up on the '...I understood that our rebate was given up on the 'understanding' that the EU revised the CAP! <BR/> <BR/>What a bunch of useless fools we have in power. Never mind, Gordon is a Happy Bunny.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14348304882043023603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-29065985993913725632009-01-30T22:48:00.000+00:002009-01-30T22:48:00.000+00:00The "British Jobs for British Workers" slogan is b...The "British Jobs for British Workers" slogan is bad for Brown because it is a right-wing xenophobe slogan, but (some) of the unions are hooking on to it as a way to boost support. It's part of the inevitable rise of protectionism that will unravel (if left to mature unanswered to fester and grow) any potential economic recovery in the future.DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-2809881875445259532009-01-30T22:39:00.000+00:002009-01-30T22:39:00.000+00:00JPT - basically, Yes I do. And of course any Tory...JPT - basically, Yes I do. And of course any Tory statement published by the BBC has to have a load of govt propaganda to 'balance' it.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand - for once the BBC has been doing the Tories job for them. Brown had his 'Pound in your pocket moment' 18 months ago and now it is coming back to haunt him.<BR/><BR/>'British Jobs for British Workers' was Browns slogan to the TUC to get their support for his election as labour leader.<BR/><BR/>Now we see the BBC reporting the strikes which are giving the lie to his claim. These stories are Browns death knell.upeaspiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-87550700610067376322009-01-30T22:20:00.000+00:002009-01-30T22:20:00.000+00:00Grim Reaper - I would love an early morning meetin...Grim Reaper - I would love an early morning meeting - we can have coffee and cakes!<BR/><BR/>My point is not exactly to discredit the messenger in this case, since I accept the basic premise of the story that HM Treasury appears to have made another significant screwup, although understandable at the time, when there was general belief in a permanent high pound - but rather to simply point out that this is old news.<BR/><BR/>In other words, why is Iain panting over this "revelation" when it was already in the Mail a few weeks ago?DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-20417392461168732712009-01-30T22:12:00.000+00:002009-01-30T22:12:00.000+00:00Perhaps I can arrange an early meeting with this D...Perhaps I can arrange an early meeting with this Despairing Liberal person...<BR/><BR/>Why is it that whenever idiots like you see a story you don't like, your first response is to try and discredit the messenger?The Grim Reaperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05543130733645367498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1412083299884638472009-01-30T22:08:00.000+00:002009-01-30T22:08:00.000+00:00Why would the eurofederalist Tories get someone to...Why would the eurofederalist Tories get someone to rehash a story about the EU costing us even more money than expected? Don't forget, the Tories aren't eurosceptic, they're committed to keeping us in the EU and telling the truth about how much it's costing us doesn't fit with Tory policy of ever closer union.wonkotsanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04896256040598397497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-91465966856880852372009-01-30T22:06:00.000+00:002009-01-30T22:06:00.000+00:00trevorsden:Oh dear - do you really think that the ...trevorsden:<BR/>Oh dear - do you really think that the only chance of a response the tories have is PMQ's and tv news bulletins?<BR/>Do they not have access to sympathetic newspaper journalists, local tv/radio/newspapers, BLOGS!! - this is, after all the age of communiction.<BR/>I'm not knocking the tories I'm just saying that with this economic downturn etc and a disastrous labour government - make hay!!!JPThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00796856414981086841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-53141941467421482962009-01-30T21:57:00.000+00:002009-01-30T21:57:00.000+00:00This isn't new - it's a repost of a Daily Mail sto...This isn't new - it's a repost of a <A HREF="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1105768/Britains-EU-rises-4bn-collapse-pound.html" REL="nofollow">Daily Mail story</A> from 5 January. This story itself was a piece of PR spin fluff for Tory Shadow Europe Minister Mark Francois.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps the "reader" who gave you this fell asleep on his copy of the Mail, woke up nearly a month later and you decided to break the news.<BR/><BR/>Or then again, perhaps you ran out of things to say and decided to rehash a Daily Mail headline, as you so often do? Or were you prompted to run this again by Tory HQ?DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-56057354818399075482009-01-30T21:05:00.000+00:002009-01-30T21:05:00.000+00:00JPT your bleatings are tiresome, as are all the ot...JPT your bleatings are tiresome, as are all the other similar ones.<BR/><BR/>Just how many minutes do you think the Tories get on the TV news? Cameron can ask 6 questions at PMQs. He ges 20 seconds if he is lucky on the news and PMQs never make the newspaper headlines.<BR/><BR/>To list all the incompetences by Brown would take all evening. <BR/><BR/>Infantile comments deserve and appropriate response - So grow up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com