Don't like Ed Balls but he is mullering Osborne in the reply to autumn statement

[Insomnia11]

It's a bit like shooting fish in a barrel to be fair though at the moment.

what's happening? can't watch as I have poorly dd watching CBBC...

Thanks for this - have just found it. And I am Ed B's lone admirer.

I should know this - who's the woman next to EdM?

Bbc2 or radio 5live. Osborne back up now.

Rachel Reeves

Hassled Let him go! He bruises easy! It's dh's turn now

I've met him, you know :o.

Hassled when you say 'met'....?

I am not sure that is what is happening
I think he sounds ner ner n ner ner

Both Osborne and Balls have been equally bad today in my books. Neither has a credible plan - just a tinkering, a bit more spending here, a bit more taxing there. We need a clear plan, a big step change to get us out of this mess.

The whole debate between monetarist economiocs (Thatcherism) and Keynsianism (Labour tax and spend) is dead.

We need to adopt Austrian School economic policies of Hayek, von Mises et al. That means a big write off of debts, force bankrupt countries, banks and firms to the wall and allow new entrepreneurs to jump in, buy cheap assets and start economic growth again. Above all, we need Govts to STOP trying to prop up the economy of the World by printing money and accumulating yet more debts.

Unfortunately economic theories are generally flawed in that they do not really account for irrational human behaviour. I'll read the one you linked to Beta but my instinct is that would be a madness in reality.

Pag - he is our robust Labour presence.

And we made polite conversation for a few minutes at a Labour thing once. He was incredibly charming and is one of those people who leave you feeling like you're completely fascinating.

Well anyone can sit on the sidelines and point out what a bad job Osbourne is doing when you don't have to do anything about it.

But the facts are that:

a) The economy is in the shitter. Europe is in the shitter and since it's our largest trading zone, it's no surprise it's affecting us.

b) The mess was already created when the coalition came to power. We'll be lucky if this mess is sorted out in 10 years, let alone 18 months.

c) What the borrowing forecasts show is that in effect the coalition are being forced to borrow more, in actual fact around the amount that Labour said they'd reduce the deficit to, rather than the more ambitious levels the coalition wanted. On that basis, it's rather hypocritical of Labour to be presenting this as "Not working" since had they been in power, this is the plan they were aiming for.

If he is hassled, could he start. Anytime. I have been waiting years now.

Completely charming? Ok, wasn't aware we were using that criteria.

Mullering, that's the best typo ever. is it like smothering somebody in a pudding?

@MoreBeta

The fact that you dismiss Keynesian economics as 'tax and spend' shows that you don't know nearly as much about economics as you think you do.

And as for proposing Austrian School economics as the answer - well! Their template for success is the mediocre economic achievements of a muderous South American dictatorship.

Thanks but no thanks.

Fantastic Voyage - 'murderous South American dictatorship'.

Give it enough time and that is exactly where Europe is heading with the policies we have right now.

Haven't you noticed that the EU deposed the Prime Ministers of Greece and Italy a few weeks back without an election?

Andrew Marr on Sunday morning had Ed B grinning inanely but against the ropes.

munstermum, good point. I had forgotten that.

But, in contrast, I remember how good Osborne was on teh same programme.

Ed Balls was just on Jeff Randall on Sky. Jeff Randal won every point in my view.