George Osbourne (et al) in Parliament atm

[meanreversion]

Interestingly, they pointed out the other week that the head of the newly created Office for Budget Responsibility, Sir Alan Budd, was until recently a director of that spreadbet company people love to hate, IG Group. When his appointment was announced, his impressive CV was trotted out although strangely this most recent job was omitted, I wonder why.

 

[montmorencyt2w]

Interestingly, they pointed out the other week that the head of the newly created Office for Budget Responsibility, Sir Alan Budd, was until recently a director of that spreadbet company people love to hate, IG Group. When his appointment was announced, his impressive CV was trotted out although strangely this most recent job was omitted, I wonder why.

Private Eye made a similar point, a few weeks ago.
EDIT: Sorry, that's what you were referring to; didn't notice the "they" or see the previous post first.


As well as Osborne being an untried force, I thought that Cable was beginning to sound much less sure-footed in government than in opposition. The other night on Newsnight, he did not sound very convincing, and he was not exactly being given a hard time.

 

[montmorencyt2w]

Basically all you old gits have borrowed beyond your means and stuffed it up for us young ones!

There is some truth in this. "We" certainly screwed up the housing market for the younger generation (though having lived in the same house since 1985 (and no second home(s)), I'm not taking the blame for the more recent bubbles).

 

[Black Swan]

Private Eye made a similar point, a few weeks ago.


As well as Osbourne being an untried force, I thought that Cable was beginning to sound much less sure-footed in government than in opposition. The other night on Newsnight, he did not sound very convincing, and he was not exactly being given a hard time.

Cable was pathetic last night on Newsnight...they enjoyed basking in the limelight for the first 2 weeks, for some reason they (Lib Dems) have been nutured and silenced re. any progressive policy...On the day cuts are announced (amounting to 0.05% of the previous govt.s annual spend) Clegg puts up no resistance to a contract being lost in Sheffield, just trots out the same blame rhetoric..Even the defence cuts are madness given it's actually a fleet of incredibly useful, adaptable and nec. search and rescue helicopters...this is all getting very bizarre.. look at the cuts re. job centres/recruitment at a time when job creation is non existent..

Projects cut

Department for Culture Media and Sport


Stonehenge visitor centre, £25m

Local authority business growth initiative (LABGI), £50m (previously announced)

Regional Development Agencies: Outokumpu site redevelopment, Sheffield, £13m

Department for Communities and Local Government

Local authority leader boards, £16m

Department for Business Innovation and Skills

Sheffield Forgemasters International Limited, £80m

Department for Work and Pensions

Roll-out of the Future Jobs Fund, £290m (previously announced as part of £6bn cuts)

Six-month offer recruitment subsidies, £30m (previously announced)

Extension of Young Person's Guarantee to 2011-201, £450m

Two-year Jobseeker's Guarantee, £515m

Department of Health

Active Challenge Routes, Walk England, £2m

County Sports Partnerships, £6m

North Tees and Hartlepool hospital, £450m

Total: £1.9bn (£370m previously announced)


Projects suspended

Department for Culture Media and Sport


Libraries modernisation programme, £12m

Department for Communities and Local Government

Sheffield retail quarter, £12m

Kent Thameside strategic transport programme, £23m

Department for Business Innovation and Skills

University enterprise capital fund, £25m

Newton scholarships, £25m

Department of Health

Health research support initiative, £73m

Leeds Holt Park Wellbeing Centre, £50m

Ministry of Justice

Birmingham magistrates court, £94m (2010-2011 element previously announced)

Ministry of Defence

Equipment for design phase of Trident replacement programme, £66m

Search and rescue helicopters, £4.7bn

Department for Transport

Search and rescue helicopters joint procurement with MoD, £2.3bn

A14, £1.1bn

Total £8.5bn