????

is it as crap, pretentious and full of coke hounds and wanabees as SohoHouse?

So businesses contribute nothing to our country? er, ooh dear I give up. By and large they and the people they employ pay for the whole kaboodle that is the state and the states employees (yes including their tax) and, if the government's not financing it through further borrowing, the interest on money already borrowed by govts to pay for the state too. I'm reasonably happy that most areas of the state aren't run to make money but either the private sector (or far worse) government borrowing funds this and increasingly the Labour Party and Public Sector rank and file just don't seem to acknowledge this or want to. Companies, especially modern ones in modern industries, also pay for their employees development and continued training and welfare beyond just sucking them up as graduate proleterian 'Labour' into some modern equivalent of a 19th century Salford cotton mill. Marx and Engels have contributed enormously to the way we can think about societies and how they function but applying their views on capital and labour to 21st century modern economies is laughable.

Brendan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Well I believe firmly that everyone is an > arsehole. > > Perhaps I should join the Labour Party. Move to Surrey and have it confirmed

Nope. But I have far less contempt for the denizens of middle england than most of my sophisticated metropolitan mates, and I do believe firmly in Democracy & Universal Suffrage ;-)

david_carnell Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > OliviaDee Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > yes, but unfortunately no-one ever seems happy > > with how any government allocates the budget. i > > didn't vote for this government but even if i > did > > - allocating taxes this way seems appealingly > > democratic and gives the individual and the 'we' > a > > much stronger voice. (all this said knowing the > > idea itself is not sustainable). BUT lets say i > > thought students were a load of tossers and > didn't > > deserve my tax pound i might soon find myself > > forced into a higher argument with myself - do > i > > really want to live a society with badly > qualified > > doctors, nurses, teachers etc... and then, as i > > hear so many people say, also on this thread, i > > would start to properly understand the value of > > funding as a society something that at first > > glance does not seem to pertain directly to me. > > > > > i bet under a system like this (makey-up) one, > > education and health would do better than under > > any government. > > > > the banks probably wouldn't fare so well > > though... > > > > * edited because i spelt education wrong. > > Olivia - an interesting idea. The trouble is that > I barely trust vast swathes of the population to > leave the house in the morning with their pants on > the right way round. > > I have enough trouble allowing these people to > vote let alone have direct control of fiscal > allocation. All the money would be spent on > Facebook causes and the Richard & Judy book club. Aggh the voice of a true socialist, knowing what's best for the plebby proles

I dunno Arsenal Fan Connections with Dulwich Hamlet Seemed to take it as a personal affront when poeple didn't agree with his opinions DID used to shout and swear more than you...you been on anger magmt courses?

Oh go and get a thicker skin Atila, I mean Emerson. It was an answer, it's a Forum. Haven't seen that much fact in your arguments.

Why, then, do so many small businesses go under each week if Britain is a great place to do business? I'm answering that, so if in all honesty you want to opine and don't want your questions answered why put them up eh?

Businesses closing down and starting up is also often a sign of a business friendly environment. Small businesses fail, it ain't a free ride

In a protected, walls up, self sufficient economy maybe. in a global one, madness for the reasons stated. Googless European HQ in Dublin employs 2000 young Irish people trains them, pays them well, skills them and pays taxes to Ireland on top of its employers' tax. Companies like them ever going to invest in the UK if they've got to pay a graduate tax on top of our already higher than Ireland corporation tax rates? Even I had to edit some of the grammatical howlers therin

it's on Flikr Jah. Are you at work? They might block it.

I had mine done next to Bossmans today...but no beer :'(

I'm one

Sean's always spitting feathers and good on him for it. I've never quite got his cuddly image as balanced and non-polemic poster to be honest...I mean this as a compliment. I think he's generally fair but CUDDLY? Forgot question mark...which completley spoiled meaning :))

Take a deep breathe, read again, slowly.

In theory, nope,free market innit.... but the French always seem to do it Ski instructors being a trivial but probably not unique example

I read, somewhere, (which doesn't make it true admittedly) that 70% of jobs created during the 14 years of growth were taken up by immigrants which does suggest that, however hard people try and deny it, that some and probably a significant number of people who weren't working during this time didn't want work and for many of these I suspect taking work was'nt actually a sound rational financial decision. A universal credit sytem and a decent minimum wage (WHICH I SUPPORT!!!!) should help to rectify this although will, of course. by how it is measured ( mean income) push more in the non working category further into poverty. BUT the economic situation now is far from ideal for this to be taking place and it makes it far harsher - these reforms should have happened years ago but were too much of a political hot potato and Labour chickened out, i don't neceessarily blame them structural reforms like this have massive unattended consequences and cause real and unfair hardship to many.

ahhh, why not - It's Friday and I love it, reggae fans and lurkers I give you Ali Baba - John Holt

The beauty of Fellbrigg Road......

I think we have to aspire to this whatever circumstances at home

Students revolting ....all good stuff. It looked really tame compared to even 'Stop the City' and the comprison with the Poll Tax riots is abslutely laughable...and yes, I was there. Even the Freedom to Party march caused more arrests but the usual suspects want it to look like the whole counry's up in arms...

Brendan=Mark Steel

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

...brilliant, Facebook looking to open a European HQ say..."mmm we have to pay tax to the UK governemnt for hiring people? Tell me about our options in Ireland?" ...graduates with poor (and useless) degrees in debt not even able to get jobs in call centres or McDonalds as these emplyers look to non-taxed non-degree holders.. Caroline Lucas et al (surely not you DC?) may seem to think you can run state of the art hospitals and efficient public transport on negative growth, a few windfarms and everyone being a socialworker but back in the real world we need a business friendly enterprise encouraging society so the horrible capitalists generae enough tax revenue to pay for these things

Brendan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So you read the Guardian then do you? Yes - sometimes. Pay attention it's reasonably well known.