"Britain slashes public spending; Government seeks to control soaring deficit" by Sarah Lyall and Alan Cowell, New York Times / October 21, 2010
LONDON — The British government unveiled the country’s steepest public spending cuts in decades yesterday, sharply reducing welfare benefits, raising the retirement age earlier than planned, and eliminating almost half a million public-sector jobs over the next four years as the nation seeks to free itself of crushing debt from the global financial crisis....
All so bankers can get paid.
The National Health Service, one of the most politically sensitive institutions in Britain, would be allocated more funds rather than less to meet a Conservative election pledge, George Osborne, the chancellor of the exchequer, as Britain’s top finance minister is known, said....
Spending on police would be cut by 4 percent a year, he said, but spending on intelligence and security agencies would be strengthened to guard against terrorism and protect London during the 2012 Olympic games.
So the citizens will be less safe as the Brits get more bulls*** terror scares.
It is because the $CANNER$ need to be $OLD, huh?
He also promised to spend $1.4 billion on measures to curb tax fraud, which costs the tax service some $11 billion a year....
Many Britons, like Americans, are angry with big banks perceived in the public eye as leading the world into crisis only to be rescued by taxpayers, then reverting to a culture of bonuses and avarice...
Yeah, the WHOLE WORLD SEES IT!
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I mean, if the stiff-upper-lip and staid Brits are out in the streets of anger....
"Conservative Party offices damaged in London protest; Students angered over plans to cut education funding" by Kitty Donaldson and Chris Spillane, Bloomberg News / November 11, 2010
LONDON — Demonstrating students broke windows at the complex housing the headquarters of Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative Party in London to protest plans to cut funding to universities and increase tuition fees.
Thirty-five people were arrested, and seven police officers and seven protesters were injured in the demonstration, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said by phone.
The protesters smashed glass on the ground floor of the 27-story Millbank Tower on the north bank of the River Thames, close to Parliament, as a planned march turned violent.
I sense agent provocateurs.
Demonstrators started a fire outside the building, burning effigies of Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
That I don't mind so much.
Cameron’s coalition government plans to allow British universities to charge as much as $14,000 a year for tuition, almost triple the current level, as the government seeks to cut subsidies to colleges.
Didn't British taxpayers bailout banks to the tune of billions?
It’s the first major protest since the government outlined its plans on Oct. 20 to reduce spending by $130 billion by 2015 to narrow the record budget deficit.
“We may be becoming more Greek and French in our attitude to economic stringency,’’ Bill Jones, professor of politics at Liverpool Hope University, said in a telephone interview. “Usually the British are much more culturally phlegmatic. This may be a sign of things to come.’’
:-)
About 30 students managed to get on to the roof of the tower to unfurl a banner that read “No to Cuts,’’ while some threw things and sprayed fire extinguishers. Helmeted riot police moved in to guard the building, and office workers were evacuated. Several hundred protesters, some drinking cans of beer, massed in the foyer of the tower, smashing furniture and chanting slogans.
Yeah, just a bunch of drunk hooligans, sure. Obviously not a protest approved by the agenda-pushing media.
The president of the National Union of Students, Aaron Porter, threatened to unseat lawmakers who back the measures. He told reporters in London before the march that students will attempt to force special elections in the districts of Liberal Democrats who renege on pledges made before the May 6 election to oppose any increase. The Liberal Democrats joined the Conservatives in government after the vote....
Porter later used Twitter Inc.’s website to condemn the violent protests. “Disgusted that the actions of a minority of idiots are trying to undermine 50,000 who came to make a peaceful protest,’’ he wrote.
Yeah, we know who those guys are now.
The Metropolitan Police had no immediate estimate, but in a statement, attributed the property damage to “a small minority of protesters.’’
“This was thuggish, loutish behavior by criminals, and we need to ensure that we have a thorough investigation to bring these criminals in front of a court to answer for their crimes,’’ Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson told Sky News television. “It’s not acceptable. It’s an embarrassment for London and an embarrassment for us.’’
So is going to war on lies and torture.
Leanne Johnston, 23, an English and drama student at John Moores University in Liverpool, said the break-in at the tower was carried out by “a group of people that didn’t look like the core group of students.’’ The hard-core protesters looked like “punks,’’ she said in an interview.
Like I said, agent provocateurs.
“Whatever the merits of the points they’re making, there’s absolutely no excuse for a tiny minority to engage in acts of savage and unnecessary brutality,’’ Mayor Boris Johnson of London told Sky.
Unless they are Israel. Then western governments fall all over themselves.
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"Britain unveils new measures to tighten its welfare system; Community service work now linked to benefits" by David Stringer, Associated Press / November 12, 2010
LONDON — Britain announced the most radical overhaul in decades yesterday to its once-generous welfare system, pledging harsh penalties for those who refuse jobs and community work service for the unemployed in return for benefit checks.
How many billions did you guys hand over to banks?
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith unveiled sharp changes to the country’s cradle-to-grave social safety net, introduced after World War II to better protect newborns, families, the jobless, and the sick.
Western civilization in its death throes.
Critics have long said the British system offered hefty benefits unavailable to other citizens across Europe, the United States, and other major economies — encouraging some to snub modest jobs for an easy life on handouts....
Oh, you mean LIKE BANKS?
Under the new plan, many of the 5 million people who claim jobless benefits in Britain will be ordered to regularly do four weeks of unpaid community work to remain eligible for their $105 weekly welfare payment. The stints could include manual labor tasks like removing graffiti or gardening in public parks.
Yes, DO SLAVE WORK English surf -- while BANKERS RACK UP RECORD BONUSES!!
Unemployment claimants routinely also receive other welfare payments to help with housing costs and raising children.
The plan is the centerpiece of Cameron’s legislative program, and one of the keys of his strategy to fix “Broken Britain,’’ his election slogan for the social problems that he says have blighted the nation’s prospects....
Related: Queen Mothers
Her Majesty's Royal Subjects
And you wonder why you are broke?
Duncan Smith insists the changes are not just to reduce the country’s budget deficit but are meant to jolt a group of around 1.4 million Britons who have been without a job for about a decade.
“For too long, the success of our welfare system has been judged by the number of people who are on benefits,’’ said Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. “Our welfare system should be judged by the number of people who are off benefits and into work.’’
I say LET the POLITICIANS LEAD!
GET OFF the PUBLIC DOLE and START DOING some WORK for the PEOPLE you allegedly serve!
Britain’s changes echo a program by Sweden’s center-right government to get more people into the work force and reduce the number of benefit-takers.
Sweden’s motto — “it should pay off to work’’ — was echoed by Duncan Smith.
Instead it pays to be a looting banker.
And now Sweden of all places sucks!
William Oketch, 30, lives at a homeless hostel in Camden, north London, and has received benefits for several years. He acknowledged that many people become dependent on welfare payments because they often amount to more than many-low paid jobs....
Isn't that what Muslims and illegal immigrants are for?
And who could be more dependent on welfare these days than banks?
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Also see: In English village, sights set on royal wedding
Britain’s Prince William, commoner to wed
Hub researchers find Yankee glory in lineage of bride-to-be
UK linguists to track evolution of accents
Her name wouldn't be Eliza Doolittle by chance?
"British court tosses election result" by Associated Press / November 6, 2010
LONDON — A British court threw out the results of a parliamentary election yesterday after deciding that the victor had gone too far in distorting his opponent’s positions. Experts warned the ruling clears the way for judges to referee electoral contests — a potentially messy precedent....
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Related: UK will end voting ban for prisoners
Also see:
Lennon is voters’ overwhelming choice for new British commemorative coin
Jolly good? London buses get makeover
Family’s old vase fetches $83 million
That distract you from the social service guts, I mean, cuts.
