Dave's cuts are going be deep and they will hurt

[FellatioNelson]

I've been hearing this all day on the radio. I can't take the suspense any longer. They are going to affect the lives of 'every one of us'

I feel like a person wincing and clenching my teeth in anticipation of the big fuck-off needle the school nurse is wielding, and I'm next in the queue....

Come on then, what's it going to be?

They are MY stats and I likes 'em like that.

Why not stop all government funded overseas aid?

Because they need the money more than we do.

England - there are, however, some manufacturing industries doing well here. Just saying 'give up on manufacturing' is dangerous and far too rough and ready. Pharmaceuticals, for instance. Japanese-owned car manufacturers weren't doing too badly before the recession. And most other European nations have managed to retain a manufacturing base - why can't we do as the French and Germans do?

Even if outsourcing is inevitable (and as a nation we should be arguing in international bodies about wages and workplace safety in developing countries - scandalous if we are merely exporting slavery) the knowledge, the strategic decisions and development can all be done by UK firms or the UK arm of manufacturing firms.

Cappster, obv. I mean SUBSIDIES not funding. If an event can't be self supporting through ticket sales etc then I don't see why the taxpayer should fund it.

I'm in a choir, we're a big one with a full orchestra for performances and we're entirely self funded through ticket sales and other fund raisers (eg as a will writer, I give a donation to the fund for every member of the choir I write a will for).

It's not essential to be going cap in hand to the taxpayer.

Oh, and there is an obvious appeal in the idea of cutting unnecessary layers of management. Thing is, that makes more people unemployed and depending on benefits and not contributing as much in tax revenue. Vicious ruddy circle.

Mind you, apparently Tesco manages on only seven layers - just six layers between a shelf-stacker and Terry Leahy. If true that's quite impressive for such a big firm. Whatever you think of their ethics.

France and germany made it so hard to make someone unemployed, that manafacturers are very reluctant to hire (though also very reluctant to close a French/ german workplace) - both had high unemployment even during the boom - they protected their existing manafacturing bases, but at a cost.

Coalition But are the right people getting the aid

No need to stop overseas aid though, just to stop government funded aid. Individuals are free to donate as they wish, surely this is better?

OK I am no expert but in answer to "why not cut all international aid" I will attempt some sort of an answer.

International aid these days isn't just about charity. We live in a Global economy and by helping others, we help ourselves.If you focus the aid properly, and look at things like creating employment opportunities in (eg) Bangladesh, you are helping them on a long-term path out of dependency. (A bit like helping people on benefits get a job). This will, in theory, lead to less immigration into our country, as well as, in theory, these countries contributing more to the global economy.

There are other things international aid can do which isn't just about throwing away our cash. Eg in the Caribbean and south America, the fewer desperate people there are, the fewer people will be tempted to smuggle drugs in to the UK (small example, but one I do at least know something about).

We also have commitments to the UN in the form of the Millennium Goals, on things like reducing infant mortality and primary education. It would be a sad day when we decided we didn't have enough money to help those most in need in the world.

Like I said I am no expert and very rusty having been out of the workforce for five years, so please feel free to challenge what I have said. There are people on here that sound far more knowledgeable than I.

True EAP. My DH works for a German company and when they start making people redundant in the German office, you know things are bad. I think they have to give everyone something like two years salary? Don't quote me on that - my facts are sketchy! But I know it's a very good disincentive to let people go without serious need. The down-side is they get stuck with alot of dead wood!

Nuttybear - that's a wholly different question.

strandedatsea - Aid is also a Foreign Policy tool.

Everyone else - The UK is the 7th biggest manufacturing country in the world.

Thecoalitionneedsyou - yes, absolutely. It helped create a very good working relationship when I was working in a certain Caribbean country. DfID, FCO and law enforcement agencies worked very closely together. DfID were always the only ones with any money!

Sorry - 6th in 2008.

investing.curiouscatblog.net/2009/10/13/data-on-the-largest-manufacturing-countries-in-2008/

I think programmes like Big Brother and POP Idol etc plus spiralling house prices esp at the lower end have bred a nation of average joes who think big tvs jeeps etc are their divine right and a lifestyle akin th that of cut price Beckhams is the way we 'all' live now.It is time for this BS to stop for a start and a return to a more restrained lifestyle and a cut yopur coat according to your cloth mentality.Obviously I hope those most in need are spared but the rest of us will have to tighten our belts and get on with it.

Agreed noddy.

Just to lighten the mood cameron speech

I think cutting expensive and yet unused defence spending is the way forward. I just do not see the point in Trident. Nuclear deterrent? If someone wants to go nuclear on the UK the fact it can blast them back isn't really going to deter them. And military nuclear waste costs a bundle to decommission, store, keep from killing us all, whatever.

I haven't heard a convincing argument for this kind of spending yet (and I have been listening).

So the government has to decide what kind of country it wants: one that takes care of things at home (with health care, education, social programs) or one that looks like a big shot on the world stage. I think the latter is the wrong choice.

The UK is the 7th biggest manufacturing country in the world

ah, but during the last ten years it has grown at an annual 1% (ie less than inflation, net decrease therefore) - it fell from the 1# position sometime in the 20th C and is continuing to fall (mfacturing hit particularly hard currently) . although i think people are usually referring to heavy-industry mafacturing....when they make comments like that (and this has been in decline, and many of the long-term unemployed are from that variety of job)

Yes - and DESPITE this we are STILL the 7th biggest manufacturing country in the world

(I don't think this is a particularly important or necessarily relevant statistic - it's just quite a fun one )

wubbly - that is class!