Success for the Anti- Austerity Movement!

​New hope as anti- austerity parties gather momentum!​

​The continuing crisis ​and slump​ is still not over, but at least we are now told that we have ​slight improvements.​​ But​ do we?​

And​ at what cost, Zero hour contracts, many part employed and the richest simply get richer. ​The bedroom tax, the nightmare for disability claimants are just examples, to prove we are not ''all in it together''. ​We know the cuts by the coalition are for right wing ideological reasons alone. They care only for their own interests. And how many of us are, or indeed feel better off?

​Austerity does not work and simply enables the rich to become richer​. But the fightback is now beginning with the victory of Syriza in Greece and the Spanish demonstrations. And other counties are poised to follow.
​
This present system has made many desperate attempts to continue, but of those that stand out in the past century, it has to be quantitative easing, wars and almost zero interest rates; which have become the most desperate.​
In all this time, the real​ problems​ have​ eaten more than £12 trillion in public funds. It has been at the root of practically every major political argument in this country, and it affects every aspect of the way we live our lives. In fact, you will certainly see the consequences of this deep rooted problem unfold across the cities, towns and villages of Britain. No one will escape the fallout and pensioners and those vulnerable are likely to be the most affected. Our system needs to be repaired and much more than that, we need to search for alternatives and a new system.​ And as I type, new cuts are being planned for after our General Election​ and even more money is being printed in Europe.

The next phase in this crisis could threaten our very way of life. We know that printing mountains of money can only end in disaster. And, unlike most of the presenters on TV and in the mainstream press, some analysts understand what ​is​ really occurring, but it is in ​their own​ interests to deceive ​us.​

Together with tiny interest rates and fictitious capital it could again end in disaster. ​But the Bankers who were partly responsible for this crisis have no answers other than austerity. More desperate attempts to resolve matters. They avoid the interest rate dilemma and fictitious capital problems.​ And we still hang on to 0.5 percentage interest rate, as the fear of an increase causes trepidation ​unclear signals and bungled and contradictory statements from the Bank of England.
That means the most important trend of the next twenty years is almost certainly rising interest rates, as I have now argued for years.​​Please do not misunderstand, I am not advocating an increase, but the present system needs to raise the rate, as I have previously explained. We are now facing an unprecedented crisis. As interest rates rise, our record 'debts and interest' will become impossible to bear. And at precisely the same time, we need to fund our services such as the NHS. Only a new model can achieve all this together with a fair economic and political system.

​We need to start real debates around the country, to prepare for a new and non speculative system and this is very possible and in the interests of us all. The dithering Bank of England have no answers and continue with their desperate ramblings about interest rates.​
The mainstream parties have failed.

There really are alternatives to austerity and our current system which is designed to protect the interests of the rich.
​
Join us in the forthcoming campaigns around the world. We can make a difference and bring about real changes. Perhaps we need a new anti- austerity party in the UK?

Spies, desperate times and cuts!

Desperate times, but no answers.​

The continuing crisis ​and slump​ is still not over, but at least we now see some slight improvements.​ Or do we?​
And​ at what cost, Zero hour contracts, many part employed and many of the richest simply get richer.
​The bedroom tax, the nightmare for disability claimants are just examples, to prove we are not ''all in it together''. ​
We know the cuts by the coalition are for right wing ideological reasons alone. They care only for their own interests. And how many of us are, or indeed feel better off?

​This system has made many desperate attempts to continue, but of those that stand out in the past century, it has to be quantitative easing, wars and almost zero interest rates, which have become the most desperate.​
In all this time the real​ problems​ have​ eaten more than £12 trillion in public funds. It has been at the root of practically every major political argument in this country, and it affects every aspect of the way we live our lives. In fact, you will certainly see the consequences of this deep rooted problem unfold across the cities, towns and villages of Britain. No one will escape the fallout and pensioners and those vulnerable are likely to be the most affected. Our system needs to be repaired and much more than that, we need to search for alternatives and a new system.​ And as I type, new cuts are being planned!

The same financial problems that have been tracked from bank to bank, from company to company for more than seven years, have now found there way into the very heart of our financial system, which continues in disarray.
And many still insist that we have no alternative other than to follow the same system that has continuously failed.​ The legal system also seems in disarray, which seems to condone the illegal wars been carried out under the name of democracy. We remember previous rulings.
The next phase in this crisis could threaten our very way of life. We know that printing mountains of money can only end in disaster. And, unlike most of the presenters on TV and in the mainstream press, some analysts understand what’s really going on, but it is in ​th​eir interests to deceive us.

​​Together with tiny interest rates and fictitious capital it could again end in disaster.
​But the Bankers who were partly responsible for this crisis have no answers other than austerity. Another desperate attempt to resolve matters. They avoid the interest rate dilemma and fictitious capital problems.​

​This is precisely why the system needs it surveillance to try to reinforce its authority, even over our mild form of democracy.​ Eric King, ​D​eputy D​irector of Privacy International, said the surveillance was ​'​the modern equivalent of the government entering someones house and reading their diary, correspondence and journals'.
​The freedom GCHQ and the NSA had to carry out surveillance was equivalent to "covert, complete, real-time physical and electronic surveillance", he said.
​"Arbitrary powers such as these are the purview of dictatorships, not democracies," he said. "Unrestrained, unregulated government spying of this kind is the antithesis of the rule of law and governments ​must be held accountable for their actions."
​
If we allow​ our precious NHS to be ​completely​ sold off and benefits are scrapped, the confusion will turn into rage and huge campaigns.
Surveillance seeks to control us all, in societies desperate push to retain their precious and often corrupt system. Spying on its citizens in both the UK and the World, attempts to transfer the power balance away from the majority to the minority- but rich elite. It seeks to frighten and control us.
​The system needs its surveillance even more as the worldwide economic system implodes. It’s clear our public finances are in an enormous mess. And to some extent, some politicians will admit it. But add in our financial, personal and private debt and an even darker picture emerges. Our Housing policies are also in dissaray, as I have previously outlined.

And we still hang on to 0.5 percentage interest rate, as the fear of an increase causes trepidation​, unclear signals and bungled statements from the Bank of England.
That means the most important trend of the next twenty years is almost certainly rising interest rates, as I have now argued for years.​

We’re now facing an unprecedented crisis. As interest rates rise, our record debts will become impossible to bear. And what will happen to all those that purchased on a buy to let basis?.
​And at precisely the same time, we need to fund our services such as the NHS. Only a new economic model can achieve this.​
We can’t rely on mainstream commentators to help us​ ​in even giving a fair and unbiased picture.
We need to start real debates around the country, to prepare for a new and non speculative system and this is very possible and in the interests of us all.

​The dithering Bank of England have no answers and continue with their desperate ramblings about interest rates.​

And no, this is not a scaremongering blog.
It is simply written to enable us all to see that there are alternatives.
​Join us in the forthcoming campaigns around the world- we can make a difference and bring about real changes.​

Bloggers, Bonkers and Bankers!

The continuing crisis related to the financial crisis of 2007, is still not over, but at least we now see some slight improvements. But at what cost, zero hour contracts, many part employed and many of the richest simply get richer. We now know the cuts by the coalition are for right wing ideological reasons alone. They care only for their own interests. And how many of us are, or indeed feel better off?

In all this time, the problem has eaten more than £12 trillion in public funds. It has been at the root of practically every major political argument in this country, and it affects every aspect of the way we live our lives. In fact, you will certainly see the consequences of this deep rooted problem unfold across the cities, towns and villages of Britain. No one will escape the fallout and pensioners and those vulnerable are likely to be the most affected. Our system needs to be repaired and much more than that, we need to search for and demand alternatives.

The same financial problems that have been tracked from bank to bank, from company to company for more than at least seven years, have now found there way into the very heart of our financial system, which continues in disarray.

The next phase in this crisis could threaten our very way of life. We know that printing mountains of money can only end in disaster. And, unlike most of the presenters on TV and in the mainstream press, some analysts understand what’s really going on, but it is in there interests to deceive us. Together with tiny interest rates and fictitious capital- it could well again end in disaster. The real bosses of our corrupt system, know all this has to change. So much for the new statistics.

If our precious NHS is sold off and benefits are scrapped, the confusion will turn into rage and huge campaigns.

It’s clear: our public finances are in an enormous mess. And to some extent, some politicians will admit it. But add in our financial, personal and private debt and an even darker picture emerges.

Compared to the size of our economy, Britain is now one of the most heavily indebted countries in the Western world. That’s official. Our total debts stand at more than six times of what our entire economy is worth.

Proportionally, that’s more debt than Italy, Portugal, Spain and almost twice as much debt as Greece. Those are four countries already in the throes of financial crisis. We’re the odd one out because we haven’t collapsed as yet. But things can’t stay that way for long.

The only countries that have more debt than us are Japan, where the economy has stagnated for 20 years and the stock market crashed.

That means the most important trend of the next twenty years is almost certainly rising interest rates.
And as interest rates rise, our record debts will become impossible to bear. And what will happen to all those that purchased on a buy to let basis?

When these events unfold, very few people will have any idea how to respond. Most will see the assets they have worked all their life begin to lose value, rapidly.

It’s essential we all prepare for these events. You can’t rely on mainstream commentators to help you. We need to start real debates around the country to prepare for a new and non speculative system, this is possible and in the interests of us all. And no, this is not a scaremongering blog it is simply written to enable us all to see that there are real alternatives.

Happy Festivities!

Happy Festivities!
Thank you for your support in 2013. Lots more posts to follow in 2014 and a new blog. Keep up the struggle and I hope you are all able to enjoy a Happy New Year and Festivities.

It is so much better when we are united. Ivor

Our Society and corruption!

We now know, thanks to Edward Snowden that GCHQ knowingly perpetrated a mass surveillance programme for which there was no adequate legal authorisation and then sought to stifle any public debate which might generate a challenge under privacy laws.

GCHQ used a clandestine security electronic surveillance programme called Tempora to gain access to large amounts of internet users’ personal data. This is quite frankly appalling on it own. The main telecoms companies lied in response to the Tempora revelations by declaring they simply complied with the law, when in fact they far exceeded what the law provided for.

We now know that the Home Office and GCHQ campaigned to reject the use of intercepts as evidence and not as they said at the time, because of the risk to national security, but because it would expose how far they had gone beyond the law, including accessing communications networks abroad. The governance of Britain’s power institutions has all but collapsed as indeed George Orwell predicted. The ineffective intelligence and security committee should be swept away and replaced by a powerful select committee responsible to Parliament and the people.

But all is not lost a powerful movement is devolpoing lead by Students and the Pensioner movement. What a contrast, but united with ordinary people a force to be reckoned with.

We have all had enough of corruption and lies and a social system that simply does not work.

Spies and lies!

Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, has now published more revelations about how we are all being spied upon. The Guardian in my view was correct to reveal these allegations,

Mr Rusbridger insisted the paper was right to publish files leaked by the US intelligence analyst and had helped to prompt a necessary and overdue debate. Apparently, most European leaders and many millions, in France, Spain, Germany and the UK, have seen their phones tapped and been spied upon.

Mr Snowden, a former CIA contractor, fled to Russia with a wealth of secret data, including that held by GCHQ in the UK's- Britain's electronic eavesdropping agency.

The stories that followed in the Guardian newspaper, based on material provided by Mr Snowden, revealed the huge capacity of British and US intelligence agencies - GCHQ and NSA - to monitor communications. If your mobile is encrypted, they can crack it and your privacy is not safe!.If Parliament's not going to have this discussion then we should.

In his first public speech since his appointment to Director General in April, Mr Parker said intelligence gathered by GCHQ had played a vital role in stopping many UK terrorist plots over the past decade. This is highly debatable and even if if true, at what cost to the average person, who are already suffering from stress and anxiety, caused by the bankers and a corrupt system.

How many lives have been lost as a result of our recent wars, surveillance, artificially low intest rates, quantitative easing and the politics of sheer insanity? Some may be ok with being watched, or their phone is tapped, until it happens to them.

How many pensioners will die this winter as a result of the energy companies greed? The ones who do not survive will not be spied upon- I hope.

All this is simply unacceptable to me and underlines my economic arguments that our present system is politically and financially bankrupt and should be changed.

Spys and our NHS!

Over fifty thousand marched and joined the rally at Manchester on the 29th September 2013 in support of the NHS. Many of the Pensioners Convention members were in attendance, in what the Police described as the largest march seen in Manchester.

The demonstration aimed to highlight the impact of government policies on jobs and spending across the health service, as well as the "rapid selloff" of the most lucrative parts of the NHS to private healthcare companies.

They were in Manchester to protest against the privatisation of the NHS by the Tories and their Lib Dem partners. The growing mood of resistance was fully in evidence. The march wound through the streets for three hours. At its head was public-service Union Unison, a contingent which was itself thousands strong. A huge display of strength was shown by people of all ages. Following the march union leaders were due to address a rally alongside appearances by musicians.

Still lot's more to say on spying including the news that British intelligence agencies have successfully cracked much of the online encryption relied upon by hundreds of millions of people to protect the privacy of their personal data, online transactions and emails, according to top-secret documents revealed by former contractor Edward Snowden. And as I type, the UK is trying to block minor reforms of protection by the European Union. Again very frightening, but some organisations are working on solving the problem in our interests. More soon.

No return to the 1930′s!

Six years since the near collapse of the global financial system, we continue to face an economic and social crisis. Trillions of dollars have been poured into the private banks to stave off disaster and the result has been to transfer their debts onto the books of national governments causing an immense debt crisis. The response of governments, has been to adopt extreme and far reaching austerity policies. In this way, they have sought to make the poor pay for the current crisis whilst attempting to deal with the systemic crisis of the capitalism system by reverting to the form it achieved in the 1930s, without social policies. This meant for example, a visit to the doctor was often unaffordable. Recently discussions around these very topics have just been aired in the UK. Many of the less well of in our society are having to face the burden of this continuing crisis. Universal benefits for pensioners are also being threatened.

Let’s make the future demonstrations and meetings this year the largest ever. Our voice must be heard and acted upon.

And now we have the spectre of the so called ‘green shoots’ but it is only achieved by a pretentious economy, with it’s artificially low interests rates and the continuous printing of money. And there are interconnections with my recent surveillance article and I intend to expand upon this in my next post.

Surveillance needed on the Government and Banks!

CCTV on almost every corner, cameras that record car number-plates and electronic payment and communication systems that record information stored in vast databases.

Together with all this, we face the prospect of a cashless, chequeless society, in which the mobile phone alone will be used as the mechanism of payment for goods.This will mean our every purchase will be monitored. And what will be done to address the serious concerns of the older person and the vulnerable?

And please don’t forget the ID Information revealed by whistle blower Edward Snowden about the PRISM spy programme, which used data from giant internet companies, such as Google and Facebook. This programme apparently carried out mass surveillance of people outside the US and we now have further evidence about the warrantless spying on civilians by the US government and others.

We are so near the big brother state. And our Government is still in denial and is now even considering plans which would lose the UK public £7 billion in flogging off our publicly-owned bank, RBS, on the cheap. We paid to bail it out back in 2007. But surely should now be deciding how to make best use of this huge public asset and a serious option should be to keep this Bank and take over or keep all the other banks under democratic control.

Many of us are getting angry and for starters, perhaps we should recognise that surveillance of the Government and Banks is becoming a real demand, as they both got us into this mess; with a little help from a system in chaos.

These are even more sinister and symbolic developments. Welcome to our so called democratic and free new world.

Crisis in the bedroom and our taxed economy!

This looming crisis is related to the financial crisis of 2007, but it will be infinitely more dangerous. Outgoing Bank of England Governor ‘have a good guess’ Mervyn King- Economist- has urged successor Mark Carney not to spell out how long interest rates will remain low when he takes charge. The low interest rates have as I previously argued create a false economy.

In that time this problem has eaten away trillions in public funds. It has been at the root of practically every major political argument in this country, and it affects every aspect of the way we live our lives. In fact, you will certainly see the consequences of this deep rooted problem unfold across the cities, towns and villages of Britain. No one will escape the fallout and pensioners and those vulnerable are likely to be the most affected. Our system needs to be repaired and much more than that we need to find alternative ways of living and a new system.

The same financial problems that have been tracked from bank to bank, from company to company for more than at least six years, have now found their way into the heart of our financial system which is in disarray. The next phase in this crisis could threaten our very way of life. We know that printing mountains of money can only end in disaster. And, unlike most of the presenters on TV and in the mainstream press, some analysts understand what’s really going on, but it is their interests to deceive us.

Of course, the most important part of this situation is not what is happening, but rather what we can do about it. In other words, will you be prepared when this crisis becomes a national emergency, as can easily be predicted. I fear that most people will not know what to do if banks fold and they are unable to withdraw their savings. They won’t know what to do if the stock exchange suspends trading. They will feel powerless, if their pension income dries up or if their home loses 70% of its value. We need to prepare and commence discussions in all our communities.

If the NHS is sold off and benefits are partially scrapped, the confusion will turn into rage and huge campaigns. By the next general election in 2015, our national debt is estimated to stand at almost £1.4 trillion. It’s clear: our public finances are in an enormous mess. And to some extent, some politicians will admit it. But add in our financial, personal and private debt and an even darker picture emerges. But more cuts will not solve all this.

Compared to the size of our economy, Britain is now one of the most heavily indebted countries in the Western world. That’s official. Our total debts stand at more than six times of what our entire economy is worth. Proportionally, that’s more debt than Italy, Portugal, Spain and almost twice as much debt as Greece. Those are four countries already in the throes of financial crisis. We’re the odd one out because we haven’t collapsed as yet. But things can’t stay that way for long.

The only countries that have more debt than us are Japan, where the economy has stagnated for 20 years and the stock market has crashed by 75% and Ireland, where the housing market has crashed 50%, and the government has been forced to accept a bailout. It could be said that India bucks these trends, unless you examine the underlying criteria.

That means the most important trend of the next twenty years is almost certainly rising interest rates and the way it affects us all and those living in a world of denial.

We’re now facing an unprecedented crisis. As interest rates rise, our record debts will become impossible to bear. And what will happen to all those that purchased on a buy to let basis. When these events unfold, very few people will have any idea how to respond. Most will see any assets they have worked all their life begin to lose value, rapidly.

It won’t matter if you have £2,000 in the bank or £500,000. It won’t matter if you own a five bedroom house in Surrey or a one bedroom flat in Chelsea or costed into the bedroom tax fiasco.This crisis will lay waste to the wealth of anyone who isn’t prepared for it. And prepare we must- profits should not come first!

It’s essential we all prepare for these events. We can’t rely on mainstream commentators to help us. We need to start real debates around the country to prepare for a new and non speculative system, this is possible and in the interests of us all. And no this is not scaremongering blog, it is a reason for us us to demand changes, because there are alternatives.

No crocodile tears!

The stakes are very high. Climate change is accelerating, inequality is at historic levels, unemployment is rampant and many countries are bankrupt. The financial industry continues to teeter on the brink of collapse, threatening the entire global economy. And despite all this our political system has proved incapable of effecting the structural transformations necessary to bring about real change. The time is right for a new approach, a new progressive system and a new economy. Having more of the same failed medicine is clearly never going to work. We cannot simply shed crocodile tears.

The plan that I have consistently argued, begins with the recognition that a huge amount of people around the country understand that the system is broken, and that we must work to replace it with something different. Many of those people are already campaigning through blogs and social networking and some are now beginning to work in their local communities to bring about change; whilst others are campaigning at meetings. Others are just waiting for an opportunity, which we must provide. My hope is to bring these people of all ages together with progressive organisations to build a movement to propel us all towards a new economy. We can achieve a sustainable and fair economy and our blogs can act as a catalyst for change. We cannot continue in a state of denial- our future world and today's environment is at stake.

A money printer for us all!

Britain's poorest people face a nightmare of increasing deprivation as coalition cuts bite even deeper this year. Trade Unions and Charities have recently reported their grave concerns. For our failed societal systems and for those in control, it seems they need to resort to quantitative easing, were money is printed to try to save their system and their wealth. For the remainder and the majority of our society, it leads to increased poverty.

Citizens Advice centres throughout the UK have reported that its bureaus are referring more very hungry families to food banks than ever before. And the charity warned numbers will rise further as welfare cuts take billions out of the economy next month.

In another report, Shelter the Housing Charity warned that more than five million families in England face the choice of putting food on the table or keeping a roof over their heads. Four in every 10 families have had to cut down on food spending, because they were struggling to pay their mortgage or rent, according to a YouGov poll of 4,000 families for the charity.

A Trade Union representative said: "The only growth sector is food banks and soup kitchens." We have only had a 20 per cent so far of the cuts planned by the coalition government''. A point consistently argued at our Birmingham and area meetings.

"The cuts to welfare on April 6 2013 will make the poor pay for multi- national violations and a crisis created by the banks.

A TUC Regional Spokesperson also stated: "The impending cuts, on top of already severe reductions in welfare payments, will drive the most vulnerable people into even deeper poverty. Trade Unions, Pensioner groups and Charities throughout the UK are calling for a change of direction.

In Birmingham, whole communities face having to loose their NHS Walk in Centres. Yet another attack upon our precious NHS. The City also is facing unprecedented cuts. Many other areas face a future of even more reductions in services.

Lets dispose of this dismal future, because society can be changed. We can achieve this, but we must be organised. We can achieve a peaceful world and forge a decent future for us all.

One reason, it is occurring today is down to the Government following an austerity policy, which is clearly not working; but suits those that have wealth and power, and not those that have worked there bones throughout their lives. In one form or another, we have all contributed. The vast majority of the country are not tax dodgers or scroungers. The real culprits are mainly the major worldwide companies, who are often literally bankrupt, and rely upon fictitious capital, but still exploit us all.

Perhaps, we could all be provided with a money printer!

The government is to axe an extra £2.5 billion from Britain's overall welfare budget from April 6th 2013. We surely must resist.

For an alternative economic and political analysis and ways forward, please read my earlier posts. We need a more affective strategy and action to counteract all these cuts and the tissues of lies peddled out by the mainstream media and the Government.

The poorest in our society should not pay for a economic slump; caused mainly by the Banks and a social system out of control. Surely a printer for all is in order! We can do much better and create a fair society!

Ivor Timson Msc(Econ)

Halt privatisation!

The government's obsession with forcing competition in the NHS continues despite continuing opposition from all walks of life. Huge petitions have been organised and I am pleased the organisation I support helped in this process. NHS clinical commissioners interim president Dr Michael Dixon, who helped draft the Health and Social Care Act, expressed dismay at section 75 regulations that will force competition in the NHS and give rights to private companies. Dr Dixon warned GPs risk taking "their eye off the ball" and getting "bogged down" in whether or not they are being competitive.

Dr Dixon also pointed out that clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) may have to defend expensive legal claims from private companies for not having put services out to tender. "It is going to make everyone watch their back and a whole industry of people who challenge things back and forth as to whether they have been sufficiently competitive or not, and opens the window to providers to challenge the CCGs," he said.

A rethink of section 75 has now been announced, but we must all keep up the pressure on our politicians and Government to abandon these proposals in their entirety. Say no to privatisation and please continue to defend our very precious National Health Service. Please at least do your bit and sign a petition. We have little time. Thanks.

Save our NHS!

The National Health Service we all depend upon could soon be just a fond memory, if its place is taken by a profit based health- market, where only money talks. The Government’s new plans for the NHS could spell the end of its precious, pioneering ‘free for all at the point of need’ principle. It could be turned into a profit-driven free-for-all in the very worst sense.

New legislation means that NHS managers are being pressed to order services from profit-making private providers, costing us extra money, at the expense of genuine healthcare. Action we need to take. By persuading these managers to adopt safeguards that will protect our health services from ambitious corporations for whom cost comes before care. What we must do - Encourage the new managers - known as Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) - to adopt two safety clauses that have been drawn up by lawyers for the national campaigning group, 38 Degrees. Important we act now. - Because your local CCG is currently finalising plans that could completely change the way it delivers its service.

Please see my previous post on the Clinical Commissioning Groups, which are making decisions as I type. And please locate or form a local group now and for starters request a meeting as well as organising local campaign groups. It is not too late.

Further savage cuts!

Council leaders in Coventry say they need to save £61m over the next three years to help meet a budget shortfall. The council said the measures it was looking at included cutting £3m from its community services, including adult social care, libraries and wardens. Leaders at the Labour-run council also say council tax will increase by 2% next year. Previously they were also said to be cutting up to 800 jobs. Union officials said the cuts could potentially mean “Armageddon”.

Councils are beginning to determine our local services throughout the coming weeks. As well as further National cuts over the forthcoming years, Birmingham City Council has just announced £600 million of new cuts with the leader saying ”This is the end of local government as we have known it”. Surely yet another attack upon us all and the Pensioner Movement. Please attend our meetings and help to make a difference.

The number of job losses planned at councils in England and Wales because of Government spending cuts has increased to over 37,000 in recent weeks. The GMB union said 27 local authorities had announced or threatened staff losses, with many more set to follow suit as the scale of their budget cuts becomes known. Thousands of workers in Birmingham, Walsall, Croydon, Sheffield and Rhondda Cynon Taff faced having new terms and conditions imposed on them, while councils across the country were having to make huge savings over the next four years, the union added. And please remember only 76 percent of the current cuts have yet to be implemented. We need to plan for even more affective campaigns in the New Year. Happy Festivities!

The Failure of Economics in our NHS!

It was about eight years ago that I felt assured enough and to the best of my knowledge that the economy was going to 'go bust'. Very cheap and easily obtained mortgages was just one of the clues, backed up by historical facts and a little economics. Most economists got it completely wrong, often because they were in complete denial or wanted to protect their own interests in a speculative and so called free world. This continues today. Now things have edged forward, I wish I had been wrong. Please do not believe the new 'green shoots debate'. We simply have to start talking about a different society.

In the meantime, lets try to protect our NHS from any further fragmentation and privatisation. The Clinical Commissioning Groups will play a major role in commissioning health services and will have a nationwide budget of billions of pounds at their disposal. They are tasked with developing Commissioning Plans and replacing the role of Primary Care Trusts.The CCG’s will have responsibility for commissioning or buying health and care services including non-specialist acute services, community services, and continuing healthcare, Mental Health and other important services. The big move to privatisation is the requirement upon CCG’s to contract with any qualified provider’.

Influence over the CCG’s is therefore of paramount importance. Meetings need to be convened to involve local people in campaigning to pressure their CCG’s to make changes to their constitutions. Ivor Timson Diary date: 10th November 2012- Birmingham- 1-15 pm 0nwards. Carr's Lane- Church Centre, Birmingham UK. Who owns our NHS? Speakers and refreshments. Please view this in my wordpress blogs as service does not allow paragraphs and things. Thanks. http://ivortimson.wordpress.com/

Twaddle from the USA!

The Government is failing in its pledge to rebalance the economy, which is now more dependent than ever on financial services and still remains hell bent on destroying our National Health Service. Of course, it has little chance of rebalancing the economy, particularly as it is in denial about so many economic facts. But it can reverse some of it's lunatic policies of further fragmentation of our healthcare system and privatisation.

The worldwide system of capitalism is in a deep and irreparable state of crisis. And do not believe the twaddle from the USA economists. It is a tissue of lies. If you live in or around Birmingham UK- join us at the following meeting.

March and Rally- Who Owns the NHS? 10th November 2012- 1-15pm The list of speakers for this important meeting and rally is now confirmed as; Peter Last WMPC- Chair, Joe Morgan- GMB Regional Secretary, Dr Jacky Davis- NHS Consultants Association, John Partridge- Unite Regional Assistant Secretary, Mary Locke- Unison NEC and Health Worker, Gail Adams- Head of Nursing- Unison- Chair of Mary Seacole Committee- Unison. Meeting at Carr's Lane Church Centre, Birmingham City Centre, Near Birmingham New Street Station- Saturday 10th November 2012- 1-15pm- 5-0pm. Plenty of opportunity for all those attending to speak and contribute to this important debate. Ivor Timson MSc (Econ)

Two diverse societies!

Banks became "detached from society" and still need to reconnect with their customers, the chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland has admitted. In an interview with the BBC's Today programme, Stephen Hester said the industry was "coming down to earth with a bump" following recent scandals. “The converging problems of climate change, growing population and limited resources, which are unevenly distributed, require a change of approach. Capitalism as currently practised exacerbates these problems.” “The corporate world needs to include social responsibility in its policies. Neo-Con capitalism favours consumption and competition, whilst denying and avoiding any responsibility for consequent hardships. “Money as a token of exchange is fine, but when it functions as a lever of unregulated power it becomes corrupted.

Other values that cannot be measured are dismissed – truth, fairness, empathy, aesthetics, ethics. “The corruptions are subtle and pervasive; honesty, for instance, becomes that which is not illegal, and examples of this excuse for unfairness are legion (MPs expenses, tax avoidance, disproportionate remuneration). “If we continue as we are the gap between rich and poor will eventually produce two very diverse societies. The potential exists in that situation for massive social disturbance. It is not often that I quote at this length, but all this seems so relevant to my blog.

The system is unable to contemplate the abyss and modify their political beliefs, before some bright spark found a convenient scapegoat that allowed them to hold onto their convictions and pursue their illusions. Economists, bankers, politicians and presenters are all in denial of the crisis facing us all. And in the meantime and according to a recent report: a global super-rich elite had at least $21 trillion (£13tn) hidden in secret tax havens by the end of 2010, according to a major study. Time for realists and progressive people to take control for all our sakes and for our future. And it is now half a decade since the crisis started, which some of us predicted.

Sack the lot!

The corrupt and greedy bankers have clearly let down their very own system. So much for responsible capitalism. Surely, now the time has come for an accountable National Investment Bank and a People's Bank aligned with all the Countrywide Credit Unions.

The system is in disarray and totally discredited and even the deficit reduction plan has failed. Time for a real campaign and genuine discussion on these alternatives and a new and fair system. We simply cannot allow our precious services to be further fragmented and privatised for the Banks incompetence and failure.

Eurozone Vision?

The European Central Bank president Mario Draghi described the current set-up of the eurozone as "unsustainable". There were rumours that Spain had already gone to the IMF, after the Spanish deputy prime minister went to meet the IMF's managing director Christine Lagarde. "My desire is to not come out and deny these rumours because they are senseless," Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos said on Spanish television. Spain has taken Greece's place as the epicentre of the eurozone crisis as concerns over the health of Spanish banks have shaken markets. Bankia, Spain's fourth largest bank, has asked for another 19bn euros (£15bn) recently from Madrid, but many questions as to whether Spain will be able to afford it. Speaking to the European Parliament, Mr Draghi said: "Can the ECB fill the vacuum of lack of action by national governments on fiscal growth? Can the ECB fill the vacuum of the lack of action by national governments on the structural problem? These questions must be answered.

The next step is to clarify what is the vision for the Eurozone years from now. The sooner this is specified the better. But with no benchmark or alternative policies, surely no real vision is possible. EU economics commissioner Olli Rehn said more austerity was needed if the eurozone was to avoid disintegration. Yes, more cuts and printing even more money. Will they ever learn! We really must organise for even more effective action and resistance to all austerity which only patch up a crisis; caused by the banks and the corrupt systems they support. Ivor Timson MSc (Econ)

The IMF and the Worldwide Slump!

The International Monetary Fund has said the UK’s continuing economic weakness means authorities should consider more quantitative easing- printing money and even cutting interest rates. The body stressed the risks to the UK of the eurozone crisis. “Unfortunately the economic recovery in the UK has not yet taken hold and uncertainties abound,” said IMF managing director Christine Lagarde.

Anyone who witnessed her press conference and her blunderings, would surely have concluded that this unelected figurehead, simply did not understand or comprehend even her own utterings. True there is a Eurozone crisis and the crisis of capitalism is worldwide and includes the bankrupt USA economy. So clearly, creating more fictitious capital and again hitting the older person’s savings will not solve this crisis.

In the UK, the richest 1000 persons increased their wealth over the past three years by £155 billion. That would pay off our entire budget deficit and would still leave this 0.003% of the population with £30 billion spare. We are experiencing a worldwide slump which needs our urgent attention.

Economists and gobbledegook!

The Government recently offered i'ts "final offer" on pensions. Danny Alexander stated that "the new pensions will be substantially more affordable to alternative providers. By offering transferred staff the right to remain members of the public service scheme, we are no longer requiring private, voluntary and social enterprise providers to take on the risks of defined benefit that deter many from bidding for contracts in the first place." Similarly, in his first letter of remit to the new chairman of the School Teachers Review Board, Michael Gove asked them to report on "how the pay framework for teachers should best be made more market facing in local areas," with reference to the private sector. It is not just education that is under attack.

The same process is being carried out across all public services, as the recent passage of the high-profile NHS Bill shows. Against this background interest rates remain at 0.5 per cent which we all subsidise at the expense of savers and others. We face not just savage austerity cuts, but a politically motivated attempt to completely restructure the British economy and effectively abolish the public sector. The economists continue to re- write their own history and talk gobbledegook. This helps to pave the way to move again to a private sector for all, which has been deemed a complete failure as has the capitalist system. And the rich get richer, while many suffer in poverty.

Another wages perspective!

Fightback on wages as the rich get richer. Result of years of below-inflation pay increases, a two-year pay freeze since 2010 and refusal by local government employers to pay the Chancellor's promised £250 to the 69% earning less than £21,000 during the pay freeze, have recently emerged. For part time workers - more than half the workforce - purchasing power is now at 2002 levels and many are working in poverty. Near were I live in Birmingham, the Council prepare for even more cuts which should be resisted.

Key findings from the report from Unison, titled Living on the Edge include: 1. 1.7 million people worked in local government in England and Wales in 2010 - around a quarter of the 6.9 million working in the public sector. Three quarters of the local government workforce are women. Well over half of the workforce works part time.

2. Local government (like the rest of the public sector) has a much higher proportion of women in its workforce than the private sector. Local government has a much higher proportion of part time jobs than the rest of the public sector.

3. Two thirds of the jobs in local government are manual or clerical jobs - almost exactly the same proportion as in the private sector. In the rest of the public sector, only one third of jobs are manual or clerical.

4. Eight per cent of full-time workers and 38% of part-time workers in local government earned less than the Living Wage of £7.20 an hour in 2011. This is a quarter of the workforce.

5. Both full time and part time hourly earnings in local government are well below those in the public sector as a whole. Part time hourly earnings in local government are above those in the private sector (where a quarter earned £6 an hour or less in 2010).

6. High inflation coupled with a pay freeze that began in April 2010 slashed the real value of earnings in local government by 13% between April 2009 and February 2012. A fall this big is unprecedented. Continuing high inflation means that earnings will fall further still.

7. Thanks to the pay freeze and inflation, typical fulltime hourly earnings in local government have sunk back to the levels of the early 1990s. Typical parttime hourly earnings have fallen back to 2002 levels.

8. Low paid local government employees usually need benefits and tax credits to keep their household out of poverty. The higher but still modest minimum income standard is rarely reached.

9. Low paid local government workers and their families are in a financially precarious position. A reduction in hours, a child leaving school or a partner whose eligibility for contribution based social security ceases can all take the household to the edge of poverty. This is despite the fact that the local government employee continues to work. Pay for these workers is poverty pay.

10. Quality of service considerations – and in the case of care workers and others in personal service occupations, considerations of the human rights of clients – are grounds for improving the pay and conditions as well as the training of local government employees.

The pretence that jobs such as caring for elderly, frail or otherwise vulnerable people requires but little skill is a symptom of our society’s inability to recognise and value some of the things in life that matter most to most of us. Thanks to Unison and False Economy.

Mass Campaign to retain our NHS!

The coalition’s NHS ’reforms’, the biggest shake up of the health service in 60 years, are a “damaging, unholy mess ” that will need overhauling in five years’ time, the editors of three leading healthcare publications claim.The health secretary, Andrew Lansley, will attempt to soothe the anger of critics, particularly in the House of Lords where the health and social care bill will return next month, by proposing 200 amendments to the legislation later this week. “The government’s NHS reforms have proved divisive and destructive.

They have slowed the improvement of NHS services and cost the UK money that it can ill afford.” So many other organisations are vociferously opposed to the changes. So for us all, it is still not too late to campaign to overthrow these changes to our precious National Health Service. Please, write, telephone, e-mail, text or visit your MP and a Peer of your choice. Join or form campaigns in your area. Please see the many articles on our websites/ blogs, and please act now on a very urgent basis.

Any alternative and a genuine democratic society must surely have at it’s core, a system of health care which provides a comprehensive range of health services, which are free at the point of use to all residents. The various forms of ‘responsible’ capitalism now being discussed are full of contradictions and can never survive. We need real change with no more tax dodgers, corrupt bankers, politicians, speculators or generic phonies!

Poor standards!

Poor Standards. France has lost- its top AAA credit rating from Standard and Poor's and eight other eurozone governments have also been downgraded by the ratings agency. But who are these people with a very discredited history? And now they seem to have the power to destroy millions of peoples lives. hopes and are accountable to no one. Again, they are speculators and merchants who are desperately trying to save the failed capitalist system. So much for democracy!

Economists and our bonkers system!

How can making millions unemployed make any economic sense? How can continuing wars make any sense? How can bailing out the Banks and Bankers make any sense? Is there any sense left! And there are still buffoons who still advocate- let the market prevail. There is a sound moral and economic case against the policies now unfolding. We must continue to develop radical alternatives to these ‘Tea Party’ politics, which will change the social and political landscape and scapegoat the poor and our services; in favour of the rich and the multi-corporations.

The rich get richer as I type and the tax dodgers still dodge. Lets start a new society based upon grass root democracy, involving all communities. Perhaps, we can start with a huge campaign of resistance which is beginning to develop!

The UK and Europe!

In this particular period of capitalism, global economic forces have produced huge inequalities, environmental damage, and political instability. The interests of global financial stability, and equity require deep reform of the world’s financial structures and trading systems. Europe was thought to have a vital role to play, in helping to create new models of governments that must be both global and democratic. It has simply failed with most countries in deep crisis. The current situation facing the UK Government reveals the contradictions within the system, Europe and the Coalition. The bleak choice was to walk away, as we appear to have achieved and face isolation, or proceed along the Liberal Democrat path to bureaucracy, and further austerity measures. Not much of a choice! The path is open to a new radical system under genuine democratic control. Wishing everyone seasonal greetings.

TUC Birmingham Pensions Justice Day 30 November 2011.

A wonderful display of solidarity ensued over the region and indeed the country. Tens of thousands took to the streets in Birmingham, as many also attended picket lines and the many local rallies. People of all ages joined this mass display of strength in support of pensions justice. Almost every public sector union took part in this co-ordinated action called by the TUC. Pickets were out in force at most larger council and civil service buildings, with earlier pickets at refuse collection depots and other locations.They enjoyed huge public support.

Time for real change!

At long last there now does seem to be some debate about our society and the need for change. There was recently even a mention and a debate about real societal change, and fundamental changes to the banking system on the Jeremy Vine radio show. And the 'occupation movement' does seem to be having a positive impact. We are also seeing widespread opposition to our bankrupt and failed system.

As Marx once explained, a developed credit system both gives greater elasticity to capitalist production and accentuates capital’s tendencies to overproduction and overspeculation.

The crash of 2008 was big enough that governments had to nationalise or bail out major banks, “socialism for the rich”, as it was termed and world trade shrank sharply in 2009.

A crisis, as Marx explained, brings “a tremendous rush for means of payment, when credit suddenly ceases and only cash payments have validity”. Except that in today’s capitalism there is no real “hard” cash. Every form of “cash”, US dollars, British pounds, Euros, are only IOU's issued by one government or another.

The lurch of capitalist policy away from neo-liberalism which many predicted in 2008, has not happened and now surely will not happen.
Capital is still sunken on credit. The global amount outstanding on foreign exchange derivatives rose from $14 trillion in 1999 to $63 trillion in mid-2008, then fell back somewhat, but has risen again to $69 trillion plus in mid-2010.

Governments have more extensive credit than banks. They were able to intervene to save the banks in 2008. But that intervention strained their credit, and in a time when global credit markets were becoming tighter. At the same time governments’ incomes shrank because of the downturn in trade and production following the financial crash and political blunders.

Most governments now depend on getting credit in global financial markets, not on siphoning savings from their own citizens as they used to. For eurozone governments the discipline is especially tight, since they cannot print their own money, and the European Central Bank was set up with rules that limit its assistance to governments.

Some eurozone governments were bound to run into credit difficulties. The first were Greece, Ireland, and Portugal. And most countries have had bail outs and are in deep trouble or indeed bankrupt.

The present and ongoing crisis could well lead to the collapse of the eurozone, and a retreat by European governments back to national currencies. The impact of that on European capital, which depends day to day on the low costs of doing business across Europe, will be huge. They will find some way to patch things up for a while. They are trying to re-write the rules as I type. The previous so-called “bail-outs” patched things up for a while, only to make them worse in the long term. We need a long term plan, for the future of us all.


We should however, not underestimate the power and resourcefulness of a system based upon capital. The cuts programmes in Ireland and Spain are brutal, but they are having an effect, so far, in capitalist terms. Since the EU’s leaders know that the crisis is so dangerous, it is possible they will do something more radical than expected. But radical enough to restabilise government is debatable and they are running out of options and getting very desperate. Unfortunately, wars have historically been a 'solution' and a consequence. Real progressive changes are however now possible.

The project of the European single currency was botched from the outset, in 1999-2000, hurried through on the wave of capitalist triumphalism typical of the time, and with questions about how it would deal with tricky imbalances glossed over. Credit and fictitious capital became the norm, but we were all living on borrowed time.The Eurozone crisis is only one part of the world wide crisis.

So back to today, Greece’s debt should be cancelled, and a new beginning made. Banks should be nationalised under democratic control and a Social- Worldwide Bank should be created. Social equality and workers’ rights should be levelled up across the continent. And new plans should be formulated, which draw upon the lessons of these disasters and create a fair and less greedy society. Again, I call for a real debate about a real change of society.

And on a completely different note the Birmingham March and Rally went very well, despite the pouring rain. Thanks for the considerable support.

Birmingham March and Rally- 27 October 2011- 12- noon!

Well just one more. Bad news about the NHS and the Lords vote. But we must continue the struggle and call for all the groups and organisations to unite in opposition to the new proposals.

And for information a number of Rallies and demonstrations will be taking place over the coming months. This is just one of them called by the WMPC.

The Regional Council are organising their own Demonstration and March in Birmingham. The start will be at 11.30 am from-T&G House, Broad street, Birmingham on Thursday the 27th October 2011- to arrive in Chamberlain Square at 12.00 noon to 1.30 pm, in the amphitheatre in front of the City Library. The meeting will be addressed by speakers from the WMPC, the GMB Trade Union and the Wholesale Market Federation. The Fair Pensions for all and rights in retirement campaign week, is being called by the NPC. Join us for the March or the rally at 12 noon. E- mail or Telephone the Secretary for further details. Placards, banners and speakers. Please note the change to Chamberlain Square 12 noon- 27 October 2011. See you all there! Visit the site!

http://www.westmidlandspensioners.org.uk

Our Health Service!

Well that really was the very last one on this topic. Over the months we have seen politicians imprisoned, further wars, a continuing global economic crisis, high rates of unemployment and that is just for starters. But perhaps one very important matter I have neglected is our precious NHS which now looks in danger. For example:

The Secretary of State’s legal duty to provide a health service will be scrapped. On top of that, a new “hands-off clause” removes the government’s powers to oversee local consortia and give some guarantee of the level of service wherever we live. We can expect increases in postcode lotteries together with less ways to hold the government to account if the service deteriorates.

The NHS will almost certainly be subject to UK and EU competition law. Private health companies will be able to take new NHS commissioning groups to court if they don’t win contracts. Scarce public money could be tied up in legal wrangles instead of hospital beds. Meanwhile, the legislation lifts the cap on NHS hospitals filling beds with private patients. We must avoid a US style system.

And has we now know this bill has now been passed, with only a handful of Lib Dems voting against. So it is now imperative to lobby the members of the House of Lords and join in the demonstrations planned for October.
Enjoy your weekend and I hope you join me on my new Blog planned for October. Ivor Timson MSc (Econ)

Danger Zone!

World markets have entered a “new danger zone”, according to the president of the World Bank. Robert Zoellick, investors had lost confidence in the economic leadership of several key countries.

“What’s happened in the past weeks is there is a convergence of some events in Europe and the United States that has led many market participants to lose confidence in economic leadership of some of the key countries,” Mr Zoellick said.

“I think those events combined with some of the other fragilities in the nature of recovery have pushed us into a new danger zone. I don’t say those words lightly.”

The eurozone faced more serious problems, he said, with a lot of member states “moving from drama to trauma”. There are other major signs of a mounting housing crisis. Further words of gloom and despondency, which unfortunately have been the common thread throughout this blog. I have offered both a prognosis and a diagnosis to the current economic crisis and have tried to evaluate the current state of economics. Urgent action is clearly now required within this societal system; but leadership, the required knowledge, or indeed the desire to radically change is sadly lacking. We continue to worship a unfettered market even thought it has abysmally failed and can only continue to fail.

For these reasons, I am concluding this blog and it’s posts to commence a fresh one offering a new economic zone. Hope you have enjoyed at least some of the posts. Thanks for the e-mails. Ivor Timson MSc (Econ)

Banks and Bombs!

British banks, including the two that were bailed out by taxpayers, are investing hundreds of millions of pounds in companies that manufacture cluster bombs- despite a global ban outlawing the production and trade of these weapons.

The Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Lloyds TSB and HSBC have all funded makers of cluster bombs, even as international opinion opposes such a weapons system that routinely maims or kills civilians and children.

Oliver Sprague, an arms expert at Amnesty International, said: "High street banks like Royal Bank of Scotland are making a mockery of UK law by shamefully investing in companies that make weapons the UK Government and 108 other countries have clearly and quite rightly banned."

Oh dear, it really would be good to post something positive about our society and the banks. So I am taking a month off, to search for some more cheerful news. Enjoy the rest of the summer.

The real 'yobs'.

The real 'yobs' are the Speculators and the Bankers, aided and abetted by the Prime Minister and the Presidents of most countries. They destroyed so many small business's, jobs, homes and people living peacefully in their own communities, that it bears no comparison to the recent damage, which I do not condone.

But with the Police, the Media and the Politicians now seemingly corrupt; what leadership skills do they display, or indeed can they display?

If anyone's home should be taken away, it is the ones that most of us now subsidise via low interest rates- those that live in mortgaged properties. However, I believe no one should loose their home, as it will create future problems and no one should be homeless. But why pick on Council homes only? Let's stop picking on the very poor, as our 'leaders' are fuelling huge discontent for the future.

We can solve this together without the assistance of the 'hang and flog them' brigade supported by the racist EDL, who support no one, but their own selfish and bigoted views.

Danger Zone!

World markets have entered a “new danger zone”, the president of the World Bank has recently stated.

Robert Zoellick said investors had lost confidence in the economic leadership of several key countries. Developing countries were now the source of growth and opportunity, Mr Zoellick said.

In the past two weeks, global stock markets have suffered massive falls on fears about the state of leading economies. But yet again Mr Zoellick offers no solutions.

On the US, he said markets were not afraid that the world’s biggest economy faced imminent problems, but that they had got used to the US “playing a key role in the economic system and leadership”. But surely this cannot continue!

The eurozone faced more serious problems, he said, with a lot of member states “moving from drama to trauma”.

Well they are mainly the words of the President of the World Bank and perhaps put all my Blogs into context. A real and alternative system must surely be found.

Cost of Oil!

Some interesting and live information about the cost of fuel around the world, which affects most costs, including food to us all. The cost of fuel does not reflect the substantial and recent reductions in the cost of oil, again blamed on the speculators.

Worldwide and cash reserves!

Prior to going away for a break, I will try to answer three e-mail questions. Yes, apparently Apple does have a larger cash reserve than the USA according to an article by Andrew Wooden. According to US Treasury figures released this week, the United States has an operating cash balance of $73.768 billion. No small amount, but that’s $3 billion less than the $76.2 Apple has in reserves. 

The worldwide crisis is indeed such and is clearly yet again affecting European countries and others outside the USA. The main thrust of my Blogs to date has been to try to explain that the system is bankrupt worldwide, and has been so for many years. Declining growth, over these years has been patched up and lied about to protect those that own the wealth; and to continue to fuel the 'feel good factor' for materialism; achieved mainly by borrowing and speculation. It was always been doomed to failure and we should grasp this opportunity to debate ways of forming a new society which is based on the needs of us all, and not just a minority of profiteers and the wealthy.


It is no consolation to me to have been proven right over the years, because we have seen little change in society or it's values.

Finally, my understanding is that a trillion is a a million million. I think this helps and puts my last Blog into perspective. So I have answered my e-mails. Enjoy your blogging and breaks.

USA Default and the Tea Party!

The US House of Representatives has passed by 269 votes to 161 in a desperate deal to avoid a debt default.

President Barack Obama, who lectured Europe on why spending and investment is the best cure for a recession, was yesterday contemplating the consequences of an emergency debt-ceiling deal that will take more than $2 trillion out of a bankrupt US economy over the next 10 years. It raises the debt limit by up to $2.4tn  from $14.3tn, and makes savings of at least $2.1tn in 10 years. 

The bill is expected to be approved by the Senate and signed into law by President Barack Obama .

These huge sacrifices, to satisfy demands largely driven by the ultra right Tea Party segment of the Republicans, was approved in the House of Representatives. It will produce deep spending cuts.To the disgust of many in his own party, Mr Obama seemingly caved in to these demands. 


It surely reveals to the rest of the world, just how bankrupt the USA is, as the 'leader of the World Wide' economic system. The implications for the rest of us are enormous.

Collapsed and failing markets!

Apparently a top investment manager has told the BBC that the Bank of England has "failed" in its job of keeping inflation at its target 2%.'' He believes 3%, 4% or even 5% will persist as we import inflation from Asia, where wages are rising. Bill McQuaker of Henderson Global Investors said the Bank's record of forecasting inflation has been "poor".

Mr McQuaker seems to accept that with the worldwide economy facing further recession the Bank has had to balance the danger of raising interest rates and pushing it into further difficulties.

Many older people are clearly suffering from severe hikes in gas and electricity prices and food prices and hardly any interest on there savings. Does he care about them?

So a system with it's collapsed and failing markets, it corruptness, not to mention the media, still totters on. At  least we can now be more positive, there are real alternatives to this system, it's wars, the cuts, manipulation and it's corrupt nature. The main question now must surely be- is the current system fit for purpose?

Let the debate start now!

Unity of purpose and having fun!

The Conservatives supported by the 'Tea Party' and the pretentious Liberal Democrats are of course going to attack us all -the young, single persons, the older person and the disabled to name just a few. Just listen to the 'ideolical'  Gove  today, who was very prepared to let roofs drop on children and the always hopeless 'Economist' Vince Cable. They of course want to weaken the Trade Union Movement. Surely we need a new party offering people real choices. We should all surely support the strikes and demos on the 30th June 2011. The current system is completely bankrupt and one of the factors keeping it in slight control is the very- very low interest rates. But Labour under their new leadership are offering no solutions.

I attended the 'Parliament' at Blackpool and the most inspirational speech according to many delegates, came from John Lister and I personally told him so. Now is surely the time to drop the personalty battles and join together in genuine unity.The 30th is important to us all and we must plan for future and urgent campaigns. It is not too late! We can win if we are genuinely united. And the 30th should be the beginning of a prolonged campaign.

This Thursday was reserved for a huge rally at Birmingham on 30th June 2011. I had the privilege to second a motion at our Regional Council to adjourn our meeting at 11-30 am to join the strikers and protesters. Our entire meeting agreed to march to join the rally.

And to conclude, believe it or not most organisations can and do make time for fun, with trips, meals, socials and days out.

Ivor Timson MSc (Econ)

Social responsibility and our bonkers system!

I recently came across the following advert on how to become a private financial adviser. In other words you can be part of the process that as been destroying our society and continues to do so. Have we not learnt that such traders, together with bankers and speculators are destroying our lifestyle and communities. And the Government still seems intent on privatising all our services, knowing full well that these companies are primarily only interested in profit. The recent issues around care homes surely illustrates this sheer madness. There is no logic to these proposals, apart from of course profit before people and social responsibility.

Hope no one applies, our friends from the other world again think we are bonkers and the TV presenters still indoctrinate us- that there has to be some cuts and some reforms. The market has completely failed!

The article is as follows:

'Have you ever considered a career as a private financial trader?

Did you know many private financial traders take home £100k to £2m per annum, with some traders starting with less than £10k in their trading accounts?

Here are the 4 key reasons why you should do it too:

1. You only need a laptop, internet connection, some relatively inexpensive software and professional training to get started
2. You can trade from anywhere in the world at any time that suits you
3. You can limit the risk on any trade to less than 1% of your account balance and leverage the upside for fantastic profit potential
4. Under current tax laws in the UK, all profits are 100% exempt of tax, and there are no commissions or fees
Knowledge to Action are Europe's largest trader coaching company (and Sunday Times FastTrack 100 Winner) and is running some completely free workshops to show you how you can get started, regardless as to whether you choose to trade full-time or part-time as a positive addition to your income.

These events are entirely free with no obligation and will show you how to ....

• Generate money in rising OR falling stock markets
• Identify exactly which high profit breakout stocks to trade now
• Master an easy way to manage your trades for maximum profit potential
• Understand the 'Secret' Risk Management Formula keeping risk to only 1%
• Automate powerful trading strategies which require only minutes per day
• Know precisely where, when and how to enter and also how to exit trades for maximum income.'

Initially I thought this advert was a joke, but I know no better. Feel free to draw your own conclusions. The continuing of these processes poses a serious threat to the very foundations of our society. There are alternatives and we must make our case for change. The worldwide system of capitalism is bankrupt and in disarray, just have a look at the trillions of USA debt and they still need more. Surely now is the time to have meaningful debate about real alternatives for our long term future.

Cuts and the hardest hit!

The government's prolonged attack on benefits includes the requirement for people receiving incapacity benefit to endure regular assessments, overseen by privateer Atos Healthcare supposedly to determine whether they are "fit for work."

Under the Work Capability Assessment checks, hundreds of thousands of disabled people could lose their benefit based on a box-ticking exercise that asks questions such as "Can you put something in the top pocket of your jacket?"

For many people, incapacity benefit is their sole source of income for food and housing.


The Hardest Hit campaign, which brings disabled people together to resist attacks on their living conditions, is planning a mass demonstration outside Parliament today- May 11th. It seems to be making an impact.

With real inflation spiralling out of control, the threat of new fuel increases and reductions in main core services, many of us are now really feeling the pinch. Next week sees another Demo/ lobby against the Pensions Bill. Since the proposals to speed up equalisation of the State Pension Age, Age UK has been contacted by angry, anxious women who feel the proposal is unfair and will undermine their plans for retirement and, in many cases, cause significant hardship. A lobby of MPs is to take place on Wednesday 18 May 2011 between 1 and 7 pm.

Other demonstrations are planned and now surely is the time for unity involving us all- including both the young, the older person and the disabled.

.

Justice and the economy!

Well eventually some good news and some justice about Ian Tomlinson, after Osama Bin Laden and the wedding diverting us away from the cuts and our bankrupt system. Killing Osama bin Laden was a mistake. He should have been given a fair trial. Many war criminals responsible for the current and past wars remain free and the costs in lives and the economy of these wars is massive.

All this is is very divisive and is taking our thoughts and actions away from the acute financial crisis facing us all and the dramatic consequences of the planned cuts.

The BBC presenters, the truth and inflation.

The biggest joke of the week is that the inflation rate has fallen. Just ask real people shopping. A complete nonsense in the same manner as we are misinformed about house prices and the effects of the price of oil.

On another matter, some asked me who are the real Squekies. The main culprits in my view, are Jeremy Vine who worked at Coventry UK and Andrew Marr who both promote their own friends, accept no liability and persue their own selfish goals. And we all pay the BBC lincence. We have little choice over there appointments. How democratic is that? These people, I think ex-liberals, care not that our system of unfettered global capitalism destroys lives in Japan; even as I type, by sheer market speculation. These are not personal factors, but simply reflect my view on an Economic and Political perspective and the way they promote self preservation, which invariably destroys the truth.

And we still persue wars, when both the UK and the USA are literally bankrupt and rely on fictitious capital.

Enjoy your forthcoming break and take care. I am away for a while and I really will try to be more positive next time. Thanks for the e-mails and response.

Ivor Timson MSc.(Econ)

At it again!

It seems the media, do not have a clue how to spin their way out of the current allegations made against the News of the World and the entire 'empire' built up by Mr Murdoch and his 'loyalist army'. Only yesterday, their main line of defense seemed to be- other media outlets may also be involved. Just imagine being brought before a Court of Law and arguing- there may well be others at it. We would all surely expect to be rebuffed and that would be just for starters.

But these are serious criminal allegations, and although the people being interviewed are clearly intellectually challenged, we should demand a full and transparent enquiry into these matters and they should be dealt with as possible criminal activity.

And finally in Libya, does it not seem odd that apparently we are protecting civilians whilst bombing them at the same time. And how can we afford it? Surely, it can't really all be about oil and economics yet again.

Away for a while, but thanks for the e-mails and response. Ivor Timson

Inflation rate, food and manipulated statistics.

Inflation,

They say the current level of inflation is yes, well above the government and Bank of England’s target of 2.0%. In fact inflation levels have been higher than target for the past two years. Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation (which differs from CPI in that it includes mortgage interest payments) rose from 5.1% in January to 5.5% this month: This is the highest rate for many years and these are manipulated figures.

We all know these figures are way off. Just try shopping for food. It must be up by twenty per cent in the last few months. Whilst people paying rent to a mortgage company or a bank may well have it temporarily easy, it is at the expense of the majority. Watch the housing market in the next few months. Working people have seen their standard of living fall dramatically. Overall, our standard of living has dipped substantially and the people to have been hit the most are the poorest in our 'silly' society.

And quantitative easing, printing money, fiddling the figures and allowing the tax dodgers to continue, really will not suffice. Even a royal wedding will not help. Warmongering and rubbish seems to the order of the day for this awful Government.

I do wish I could be more positive. Ivor Timson

Demonstration and a real alternative!

What a fantastic turnout and huge demonstration today at London and the anti-cuts demonstration. Lot's to learn and some still argue for some cuts. But the majority seem to want a genuine alternative, with demands such as a Robin Hood tax on the banks, the closure of the tax loopholes, the end of tax avoidance by the rich and policies for growth and the environment. Lot's want to cut our wars, costing millions per day. Make no mistake this government is planning a massive assault on the welfare state and the rights it gives to us all. It is nothing less than a declaration of war against the poor by Cameron and his fellow rich friends. The bankers get their bonuses, and big business sees its corporation tax cut, while we see our incomes cut and services decimated.

And we are told, time and time again, this is a crisis of public spending, and that cuts are the only solution. But this crisis was not caused by the public sector, those on low incomes, single parents, the elderly or the disabled. Billions have been handed over to bank shareholders to save them from their own greed. Meanwhile, tax revenues fall because no government has the courage or desire to make the rich pay. The cuts being proposed are for ideological reasons to fulfill the Government's 'tea party'- right wing agenda.

Just imagine what can be achieved in future demonstrations, if the cut's begin to bite even harder. They must be opposed. People are very angry and they are discussing real changes and a real alternative even now. Watch out the Government and the establishment! Ivor Timson

Austerity measures and resistance!

How can making millions of people unemployed make any economic sense? How can the continuing wars and loss of life make sense? Does paying bankers and the banking system millions make any sense? Is there any sense left? The creeping 'Tea Party' politics of massive cuts to our services and the fundamental change to our political and economic landscape, will lead to a collapsed economy. A world in which the poor only exist and the rich prosper from further exploitation of our environment and the few remaining workers. This is no longer alarmist economics.

We must develop a new political programme, which expresses a profound moral and economic case against punishing the people who live in poverty in favour of the speculators, the bankers and the rich. It should be clear by now that that tax increases, cuts in welfare are not halting our sluggish growth. Rising inflation, a spending slowdown and a reduction in our standard of living is already impacting on many families and their own economies. I have already set out a sound economic alternative and a case against the current policies, but through the forthcoming struggles it can be developed.

Perhaps we should start by taking a lead from the student protests and campaign for a massive surge of resistance, if we are to avoid these austerity outrages. Ivor Timson.

The Budget and our Economy.

Today’s budget in the UK gives us time to reflect on our economy. As we look for minimalistic solutions, surely it is time for a complete rethink about the type of society we want and are in desperate need. We need to target banks and in particular the high value speculative transactions. We could engage with the tax dodgers and these two policies alone would save billions, some of which we could spend on environmental projects. We clearly need to move away from our dependency on oil. Our present system also leads to conflict and wars which are hugely expensive. The outline in my main blog if adopted, would mean we would not have to resort to huge cuts now or later. It is difficult to comprehend why we still seem to listen to the same political and economic experts who have simply got it wrong time after time. And let us campaign for a fairer and more objective team of presenters in the Media.

Some of these objectives can start through community groups determining their own outcomes. We surely need a new political programme and a new progressive party. Let’s end these toxic policies and look forward to a new and real big society.

Ivor Timson MSc( Econ.)

Warmongers of the West! Tea Party politics.

Would it not be good for us all in the UK and other countries if we had real democracy. At present we have three 'tea party'- right wing main choices. They all support their own values and society as it stands. They all support war. What a choice!

Broke but yet another war!

Considering the UK is supposed to have a huge deficit, we again seem to be willing to spend millions on yet another war. And are we now going to attack all the other oppressive regimes in the area, such as Saudi Arabia? And despite what we are told, this war is likely to turn into yet another ill thought through and protracted military intervention.

Many are against oppression throughout the world and that includes myself, but have we learnt nothing from our current wars. Perhaps we will now knight the war criminal- Tony Blair, as we have already made him a 'peace envoy'. Another bonkers decision and where does all this leave the economy. Strange we can find the money, when we are told we are broke. Ivor Timson

Tuesday,15 March 2011 Economists, Society, THE BBC- Media Squekies, and their toxic propaganda!.

In my last blog, I inadvertently said the average increase to a average mortgage would be one hundred pounds per calender month. I should have said per week, if interest rates increase to the amount now believed to be the acceptable rate and without quantitative easing or printing money-fictitious capital.

The proposed cuts are clearly for idealogical reasons, and should be campaigned against. We should develop a new programme and if we are to change society a new progressive party. These cuts if implemented will devastate our communities. Ivor Timson

Economists, Society, the BBC- Media, Society and their toxic propaganda.

It really is so difficult to comprehend so much toxic- stupidity in Economists, Politicians and the squieky TV and Radio presenters. Most have been utterly discredited over the past years. Economists cannot even agree whether their subject is a science or a liberal vocation. Based on this systems methods, they would need a crystal ball to predict any economic outcome. So it ought to be understandable why they got it so wrong? Were was all the predictions of the current recession. And why in view of the fact that the unfettered market has utterly failed, do we still finance it and even encourage it’s destructive forces on our services such as the NHS.
Any person visiting from a hypothetical- another world, would think we had all gone completely bonkers. Would they be correct? And whilst we might believe the squiekies- the so called TV and Radio ‘political’ presenters, we forget they are representing their own interests, the status quo and are often in total denial. The ones on BBC radio are often the very worst and have the most to answer for. Continuously telling people that at least some cuts must be accepted, is one example of their indoctrination processes. The bankers of course, also fall into this same category and seem to be very self indulgent. The speculators and the stock market must surely be reformed and controlled on a democratic and international basis. And creating fictitious capital simply will not do. So why exactly have we got into such a severe crisis situation, with a imminent slump in both the overall economy and the housing market around the corner?

Left economists have often called for nationalisation of the banking sector. And now the Bank of England’s deputy governor conceded that taxpayers should not have had to pay for the 2008 collapse. Paul Tucker told the BBC that the taxpayer bailout represented a failure “at the heart of capitalism,” suggesting that investors and shareholders should pick up the bill in any future banking collapse. “If we have a system where banks take the upside but the taxpayer takes the downside, something has gone wrong with capitalism and we need to repair this,” he said. “We want the upside to go to the shareholders and to some extent the managers, but the downside must go with that too. This is going to require big changes internationally.”

Mr Tucker also suggested that banks needed to boost capital reserves in order to stem the flow of a boom and make the finance sector “more resilient” during a bust. His comments were an indication of divisions at the heart of capitalist economic thinking about the state’s role in regulating the finance sector, following the outcry over excessive banking bonuses. Professor of Industrial Relations Roger Seifert said banks “should be nationalised but the state would have to play an increased role in the long term to “regulate banking behaviour.” “The short-term position would be to nationalise failing banks permanently then use them to encourage behavioural change in other banks through more progressive employment and lending policies, linked with community and government projects,” he said. And now Mervyn King-, Governor of the Bank of England has similar reservations. He is of course, caught up in the contradiction of the century regarding interest rates. Whatever decision will lead to slump. The current policy is bringing gains of over one hundred pounds per week to the average mortgage payer, but savers are loosing out. The impact of highering them will be another disaster for the economy as will the status quo. Yet another insolvable contradiction.

Left Economics Advisory Panel co-ordinator Andrew Fisher welcomed Mr Tucker’s acknowledgement that “something had gone wrong with capitalism. “But he added: “To let one of the big banks go bust would see millions lose their savings and tens of thousands lose their jobs. The Labour government was right to step in and nationalise. However, with that nationalisation should have come democratic public control with fair rates for savers and borrower alike and investment targeted at creating sustainable jobs. While Mr Tucker recognises the inherent flaws in the finance capital system, his free-market solution is the exact opposite of what any Left economists have called for. After the Bank of England’s deputy governor conceded that taxpayers should not have had to pay for the 2008 collapse. Paul Tucker told the BBC that the taxpayer bailout represented a failure “at the heart of capitalism,” suggesting that investors and shareholders should pick up the bill in any future banking collapse. Mr Tucker also suggested that banks needed to boost capital reserves in order to stem the flow of a boom and make the finance sector “more resilient” during a bust. His comments were an indication of divisions at the heart of capitalist economic thinking about the state’s role in regulating the finance sector, following the outcry over excessive banking bonuses.

Professor of Industrial Relations Roger Seifert also said banks should be nationalised but the state would have to play an increased role in the long term to “regulate banking behaviour.”
“The short-term position would be to nationalise failing banks permanently then use them to encourage behavioural change in other banks through more progressive employment and lending policies, linked with community and government projects,” he said.
Some believe that capitalism is at the root of all societies problems. Capitalism is driven by competition for profits, not by what people need, which in turn leads to wars and environmental damage. It is a system that denies people work when there’s work to be done and lets people starve when they could be fed. Under capitalism there has always been and always will be a significant section of society that is unemployed. Capitalism simply does not provide employment for everyone and never intends too.

Friedman wrote a book called Capitalism and Freedom, which Naomi Klein states became the rulebook for economic policy in the United States and in Great Britain under Margaret Thatcher, and we believe is continuing under our current government.
These are the rules as stated in a recent newspaper article:
1. Government must remove all rules and regulations standing in the way of the accumulation of profits
2. Government should sell off any assets they own that corporations could be running at a profit
3. Government should dramatically cut back funding of social programs
4. Taxes, when they must exist, should be low and rich and poor should be taxed at the same flat rate
5. Corporations should be free to sell their products anywhere in the world
6. Government should make no effort to protect local industries
7. All prices, including the price of labour should be determined by the market.
These are of course are the policies we have been pursuing now for many years and they have simply failed. We really must be bonkers to continue to pursue them such as privatising the National Heath Service. The banking system has forced us, the tax-payer, to bail out the bankers. Yet they have failed to ensure that the same banks give desperately needed credit to families and independent small businesses.

We need to argue for a fair financial deal, with community banks, credit unions and mutuals. This will ensure those who need financial help are given realistic loans, so they can survive the current economic hardship that they are facing today. We also believe it’s unfair that these irresponsible bankers continue to earn extortionate salaries and bonuses, while at least 420,000 hard working people still earn less than the low minimum wage. Surely it is time for a National Bank under democratic control. This bank could exist with local community banks and credit unions. The rest should be taken over by the state and amalgamated under such a scheme.

Clearly this is not the agenda of the Con-Dem government. They are trying to sell everything and they even tried to sell our forests. Providing a free service such as a library goes completely against what they believe in. Royal Mail is to be sold off, the NHS is being privatised by stealth and our schools over time will become privately owned academies, with an end to free college and university education. This is where Britain is heading, if this government is allowed to get away with its agenda. Similar also to that as advocated by Tony Blair who ‘blindly’ followed the Thatcherite agenda.

And all the parties and the squiekies at present are not only colluding in the process of our so called democracy and manipulating it to their own ends, they are all offering no solution other than we all have to accept huge cuts. This entails yet again propping up a corrupt system, accepting a economic slump, a banking collapse, as the speculative bankers are still free agents gambling with our lifestyle and culture.
House prices will slump as so will the economy. We seem blind even to the recent past. Our fictitious invaders have now returned and after their review have concluded that we are all bonkers. I will drink to that, providing we start to recognise the failure of the system and the necessity to now develop a real progressive alternative. We should be optimistic about planning such a future.

And as a Middle East Revolution now really is in the air, let’s plan for our own. Perhaps we can start by taking on the squiekies in the media and in particular the BBC, who represent the status quo, their own interests and this literally bankrupt society and it’s economy. Our present politicians have lost our trust and their support for the status quo with all it’s corruption, does not aid their cause. The inherent contradictions within this absurd system have now come to a head and we must commence the struggle to form a new society, in order to avoid as previously stated the slump and housing crisis just around the corner.

We need to target banks and in particular the high value speculative transactions. We could engage with the tax dodgers and these two policies alone would save billions, some of which we could spend on environmental projects. We clearly need to move away from our dependency on oil. Our present system also leads to conflict and wars which are hugely expensive. The outline in my main blog if adopted, would mean we would not have to resort to huge cuts now or later. It is difficult to comprehend why we still seem to listen to the same political and economic experts who have simply got it wrong time after time. And let us campaign for a fairer and more objective team of presenters in the Media.

Some of these objectives can start through community groups determining their own outcomes. We surely need a new political programme and a new progressive party. Let’s end this stupidity and look forward to the real big society.

Ivor Timson MSc( Econ.)

Bibliography.

Acknowledgement to all those quoted.