Merkel still backs Juncker...

[+Noteverythingisaconspiracy]

I cant help thinking that substantive Tax Cuts (coupled with low interest rates) increases spending, so driving up demand at the factory gate, thereby increasing employment and, Tax Income to the Treasury. Ergo Sum: Tax cuts (substantive) actually gives the Treasury MORE money to play with?

You have to admit that this quote looks like it is taken out of a "trickle Down economics" textbook. What you actually meant was not at all clear from that post.

But now that we know what you meant, can we be friends again ?

Right now Juncker looks like the new leader of the European Commission. Today our prime minister, that I mentioned earlier, was visiting Merckel, which of course fanned the flames that she was in play for the post of chairman of the European council or EU foreign minister. So it still looks very likely that we are going to have a new PM soon. It is most likely going to be another woman, our current employment minister Mette Frederiksen (social democrat).

Current PM on the right, possible future PM on the left.

[Guest]

Trickle Up is just my take on actually increasing GDP to benefit the 99%, where on earth you get the idea that I am supporting "Trickle Down" nonsensical economics is beyond me.

Because keithco that is exactly what UKIPS economic policy amounts to. its the same old Tory supply side economics based upon the "Trickle Down" Lie. Its not surprising since Farage is on the right wing of the Tory party. If you don't like supply side economics as championed by the Tories then condemn UKIPs economic platform. Otherwise you are a dupe of the Trickle Downers since their tax policy is in no way equitable since most income of the rich is not directly earned and therefore falls outside the Paye system. What is most telling is the abolishion of inheritance taxes - the bug bear of the super rich and UKIP policy.

What I am most strongly objecting to here is this drift to the extreme right wing of politics in the British Public when almost no one actually understands what UKIP actually represent. This is a very slippery slope we are on taking us to a very bad place - and most people just think its a kick up the current governments **** - they couldn't be more wrong. This is only possible because it is Farages specific policy to conceal his real policy platform from the voters (hence will not discuss policy in interviews).

Br Cornelius

Edited June 19, 2014 by Guest

[Space Commander Travis]

I cant help thinking that substantive Tax Cuts (coupled with low interest rates) increases spending, so driving up demand at the factory gate, thereby increasing employment and, Tax Income to the Treasury.

The factory gate? That'd be in China or Korea, then, presumably. So yeah, it might increase employment in Zhangzhou or Pingliang.

[keithisco]

You have to admit that this quote looks like it is taken out of a "trickle Down economics" textbook. What you actually meant was not at all clear from that post.

But now that we know what you meant, can we be friends again ?

Right now Juncker looks like the new leader of the European Commission. Today our prime minister, that I mentioned earlier, was visiting Merckel, which of course fanned the flames that she was in play for the post of chairman of the European council or EU foreign minister. So it still looks very likely that we are going to have a new PM soon. It is most likely going to be another woman, our current employment minister Mette Frederiksen (social democrat).

Current PM on the right, possible future PM on the left.

[keithisco]

The factory gate? That'd be in China or Korea, then, presumably. So yeah, it might increase employment in Zhangzhou or Pingliang.

Intelligent use of Tariffs would make it more attractive to open manufacturing premises in the UK (as happened with Nissan, based in Swindon) which would assist in increasing UK employment.

[stevewinn]

Intelligent use of Tariffs would make it more attractive to open manufacturing premises in the UK (as happened with Nissan, based in Swindon) which would assist in increasing UK employment.

this has already started to happen, many companies are returning to the UK from China. one in six companies have returned in the last year. citing, Difficult communication – Rising prices, Long lead times, Poor quality of production. Airfix the model maker humbrol paints has moved production back to the UK. others include, EEF figures show that 40 per cent of manufacturers have brought some of their capacity back to the UK.

Reshoring driven by quality, not costs, say UK manufacturers

A desire to improve quality, rather than rising wage costs overseas, lies behind the trend towards bringing production back to the UK, manufacturers have said....

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9757ffcc-9fc9-11e3-94f3-00144feab7de.html#axzz356vTq6pf

Why companies are 're-shoring' back to Britain

Video

17 February 2014 Last updated at 23:40 GMT

Off-shoring used to be a buzzword for British industry - with company after company shifting its production to lower cost countries.

But now there are signs that the opposite is happening as some businesses re-locate production to the UK, in a process some are calling "re-shoring".

The BBC's Chief Economics Correspondent Hugh Pym reports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26235707

I've often said it on here, the only way we can compete with the far east is on quality, production levels and skilled work force. If you can build a quality product it retains customers for the future. the trick is retaining those skills in lean times so you can take advantage in the good times.

[Space Commander Travis]

reshoring? It's all good news, but "reshoring"? Please.

[stevewinn]

PM to call 'unprecedented' vote on Juncker EU appointment

David Cameron will call for a vote from fellow EU leaders on the next European Commission president if there is an attempt to rubber-stamp Jean-Claude Juncker in the role.

Mr Cameron opposes the ex-Luxembourg PM, whom he sees as preventing EU reforms, and will demand a vote at a summit next week. But correspondents say it looks likely Mr Juncker will get the job.

The row over Mr Juncker hit the headlines a few weeks ago when Mr Cameron reportedly warned that the UK could leave the EU if Mr Juncker became president of the European Commission - the body which drafts EU laws. Mr Cameron wants a delay in the process in an effort to find a consensus candidate, but if his fellow 27 EU leaders are not even willing to consider alternatives to Mr Juncker, he will call a vote and require them to set out their positions clearly. "British officials have been clear... that if there was the political will to find consensus then the decision on commission president could and should be delayed," a source said.

European Commission

• Drafts EU legislation and enforces compliance with EU treaties
  
• 28 commissioners - one from each member state
  
• Commission now has more powers to shape national budgets
  
• Negotiates EU trade deals with global partners
  

City concern

Meanwhile, writing in the Sunday Times, 54 people - including Conservative donors and two former ministers Lord Lamont and Lord Flight - said they were "extremely concerned" about Britain's "difficulties" in preventing the introduction of new EU financial measures. They say the measures - including a financial transaction tax, bonus caps and bans on short selling - will hit the "unique global standing" of the City and the wider UK financial services industry. "As we enter a period of EU reform and renegotiation, we urge political leaders to remember the significant contribution that our industry plays in Britain's economic success," they said. BBC political correspondent Chris Mason says the letter highlights the challenge David Cameron faces - "convincing people he can reform the UK's relationship with Brussels sufficiently to be able to argue Britain should remain within the EU, in a referendum he'd like to hold in 2017".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27955695

[Guest]

Highlighting where the real push for reform is coming from, the bankers and stock market spivs who have ruined the country out side of the South East. All that lobbying money - all that influence, all so the spivs can carry on fleecing the world and getting paid obscene bonuses for doing so. Nice work Mr Cameron.

What is clear is that outside of the banking/stock market sector the real industrial base of the UK is against a withdrawal from the EU, which again just proves who's pocket the Tories are really in.

http://www.ft.com/in...l#axzz35MU87Syq

But even the financial industry maybe just Turkeys voting for xmas;

The City has already lost a third of its workforce since 2007 and it is slated to lose even more this year, due at least in part to uncertainty regarding the City’s place on the financial world map. The City won’t see all of its banks and funds uproot overnight if the UK withdraws from Europe but it will certainly be affected one way or another. Dismissing that possibility, as remote as it seems, would be negligent on the part of both the politicians of Westminster as well as the money managers in the City.

http://fortune.com/2013/01/31/what-brexit-means-for-londons-financial-center/

I would say wiser heads will prevail if it comes to a referendum and the current wave of nationalist popularism will be shown for what it is.

Br Cornelius

Edited June 22, 2014 by Guest

[stevewinn]

Highlighting where the real push for reform is coming from, the bankers and stock market spivs who has ruined the country out side of the South East. All that lobbying money - all that influence, all so the spivs can carry on fleecing the world and getting paid obscene bonuses for doing so. Nice work Mr Cameron.

Br Cornelius

why put the financial sector of this country in jeopardy, do you not realise the importance to this country and what of the fact we are in competition with other Global financial centres around the world, the likes of New York, Tokyo etc. The Prime minister should be fighting tooth and nail to protect the financial and commercial sector of this country. The EU would love to take that prize away from the UK. Truth is money makes the world function, it makes the world go around, it ain't going to change, its nice to have this moral notion of no underhand dealings or swindling but outside the hippy commune. reality of life continues.

[Guest]

why put the financial sector of this country in jeopardy, do you not realise the importance to this country and what of the fact we are in competition with other Global financial centres around the world, the likes of New York, Tokyo etc. The Prime minister should be fighting tooth and nail to protect the financial and commercial sector of this country. The EU would love to take that prize away from the UK. Truth is money makes the world function, it makes the world go around, it ain't going to change, its nice to have this moral notion of no underhand dealings or swindling but outside the hippy commune. reality of life continues.

I addressed this in my edited post, go back and read it to find out why the Financial industry may come to regret their push for a withdrawal. There is nothing certain about the London mile holding its position post a UK withdrawal.

Br Cornelius

[stevewinn]

I addressed this in my edited post, go back and read it to find out why the Financial industry may come to regret their push for a withdrawal. There is nothing certain about the London mile holding its position post a UK withdrawal.

Br Cornelius

i cannot view your link to the FT, the subscription option pops up. I've just read your other link, The City of London is a global centre, the success doesn't depend on being EU members. its a financial centre the success we have now ranked either number one or second in the world is not down to us being EU members. Nowhere in the EU can replicate the City of London you only have to look their (EU) policies and proposals towards financial sector which proves on the world stage in a global market the EU would put themselves at a disadvantage against the likes of New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo -The EU as this inward closed off to the rest of the world approach they seem to think the EU is the be all and end all. but im sure when the UK leaves the EU the citie of London will continue to be in the top three financial centres of the world after all financial / banking services operate above the EU. the only problem i can foresee is the UK outside the EU - the Financial services wouldn't have anyone lobbying on their behalf like the UK currently does.

Like we seen with the EU's Financial Transaction Tax.

Edited June 22, 2014 by stevewinn

[Space Commander Travis]

Why is Mr. C so concerned about this Junker character? Does he fear that he has ambitions to be a tyrant? is it something murky to do with the world of economics that no ordinary people understand?

[stevewinn]

Why is Mr. C so concerned about this Junker character? Does he fear that he has ambitions to be a tyrant? is it something murky to do with the world of economics that no ordinary people understand?

Because Britain as always been a great reformer in the EU, Juncker will make that process near impossible. We'll soon see, but If Juncker is selected im sure afterwards we'll see some form of token gesture towards the UK. maybe in the form of those re-negotiated terms. but nothing on the scale the UK would like to see. Its clear the UK is trying to stop the EU from becoming a Federation.

in the NEWS

EU leaders giving mixed messages on Juncker, says Osborne

Chancellor George Osborne has accused European leaders of not being upfront about the need to reform - as the UK attempts to stop Jean-Claude Juncker from taking the top job in Brussels. He claims people are saying a lot of things privately that they are not saying publicly.

David Cameron is meeting European Council president Herman Van Rompuy to spell out UK opposition to Mr Juncker.

But his campaign to block Mr Juncker looks doomed to fail. Mr Cameron's meeting with Mr Van Rompuy on Monday will be seen as an opportunity for him to strengthen his opposition to the former Luxembourg prime minister becoming the next European Commission president. He is also set to call for EU leaders to vote on the issue at a summit in Brussels on Friday. Mr Osborne says there is wider unease about the possibility of Mr Juncker becoming the next president.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27973091

[questionmark]

in related news:

David Cameron’s attempts to block the appointment of a committed federalist to the EU’s top job hit yet another obstacle today after a leading ally dismissed his entire European policy as “badly thought through” and incompetent.

The comments emerged in the leaked transcript of secretly recorded conversations involving Radek Sikorski, the Polish foreign minister, who has known Mr Cameron since his time at Oxford when both were a member of the Bullingdon Club.

Read more

[Guest]

in related news:

Thats what happens when you try to pander to the UKIP crowd, you end up looking an idiot with "badly thought out policies".

David Cameron is backing himself into a corner where he is going to have to stand for a withdrawal from the EU - which is the last thing he wants to do. Idiot.

Br Cornelius

[questionmark]

Thats what happens when you try to pander to the UKIP crowd, you end up looking an idiot with "badly thought out policies".

David Cameron is backing himself into a corner where he is going to have to stand for a withdrawal from the EU - which is the last thing he wants to do. Idiot.

Br Cornelius

Or as the Spiegel wrote about 6 months ago: "Cameron is dream walking Britain out of the EU".

[Space Commander Travis]

I'm sorry? The Polish foreign minister? Maybe he ought to ask himself why so many people seem to be so keen to leave his country before criticising anyone else.

[Guest]

I'm sorry? The Polish foreign minister? Maybe he ought to ask himself why so many people seem to be so keen to leave his country before criticising anyone else.

Doesn't change the fact that a friend is telling Cameron that he is starting to look like an arrogant ass who couldn't perform a delicate negotiation to save his life. After all, isn't that what friends are for ?

Cameron has been grandstanding for the last year to attempt to appease his back bench Euroskeptics and its not impressing anyone but a few old Tories, thats got to be considered a fail in anyones books.

Br Cornelius

[stevewinn]

hang on one minute your all saying Cameron, have you not noticed all three political parties Tory, Labour and Lib Dems are all against the appointment of Mr Juncker, what does that tell people. it shows the appointment of Mr Juncker is not in the British interest. so it doesn't matter if its Prime minister Cameron, Ed Miliband or Nick Glegg their all against this appointment.

in related News as Q would say -

No 10 says Cameron has secured EU vote over Juncker

David Cameron has won agreement for a vote on the future president of the European Commission, No 10 has said. It follows "a full and frank" meeting with European Council president Herman Van Rompuy in Downing Street. Mr Van Rompuy "agreed to work through how a vote would proceed", No 10 said, ahead of Friday's summit of EU leaders.

The British prime minister told the EC president that the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker would "politicise and compromise" the European Commission.

Mr Cameron has insisted that if Mr Juncker's name was tabled at Friday's meeting, he would demand an "unprecedented" vote on his nomination to demonstrate the level of opposition to it. He told reporters ahead of the meeting with Mr Van Rompuy that the UK was not alone on the issue.

"I know there are many other heads of state and governments in Europe who don't like this process that has come about; who don't think that this is the right person to lead reform in Europe," he said. "I'm going to do what I said I would do and oppose this process and oppose this person. "Other people will have to make up their mind whether to do what their heart and head tells them or not."

No 10 said that accepting the former Luxembourg prime minister would be "an irreversible step which would hand power from the European Council to the European Parliament" and "end the decades-long practice of always finding a candidate by consensus". It added: "The prime minister asked President Van Rompuy to prepare the European Council for a vote on Mr Juncker's nomination, should the European Council choose to depart from a consensus-led approach when it meets this week. President Van Rompuy agreed to work through how a vote would proceed."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27973091

[questionmark]

No 10 said that accepting the former Luxembourg prime minister would be "an irreversible step which would hand power from the European Council to the European Parliament" and "end the decades-long practice of always finding a candidate by consensus". It added: "The prime minister asked President Van Rompuy to prepare the European Council for a vote on Mr Juncker's nomination, should the European Council choose to depart from a consensus-led approach when it meets this week. President Van Rompuy agreed to work through how a vote would proceed."

http://www.bbc.co.uk...litics-27973091

So suddenly, after all the bit(hing and moaning about the "undemocratic" EU there is a 180 degree turn to take away power from the parliament? Good one, very good one.

[Guest]

So suddenly, after all the bit(hing and moaning about the "undemocratic" EU there is a 180 degree turn to take away power from the parliament? Good one, very good one.

The point I made earlier, this is a stand for un-democracy.

It was clearly stated before the election that the Parliament would be given the decision because they are the elected body of the EU.

Cameron will lose this vote and then where will he be ? Stamping his little foot and crying is my guess.

Br Cornelius

[stevewinn]

So suddenly, after all the bit(hing and moaning about the "undemocratic" EU there is a 180 degree turn to take away power from the parliament? Good one, very good one.

It's all about Britain's National Interest. it's as simple as that. and don't make me laugh about democracy and the EU. go back and read my post about the EPP and why the EU wanted this rule changed as listed in the Lisbon treaty. This NEW process for electing the president is done to ensure the EU get their man. if they continued to use the traditional system it run the risk of the EU not getting their man. its simple as that.

Edited June 24, 2014 by stevewinn

[Guest]

It's all about Britain's National Interest. it's as simple as that. and don't make me laugh about democracy and the EU. go back and read my post about the EPP and why the EU wanted this rule changed as listed in the Lisbon treaty. This NEW process for electing the president is done to ensure the EU get their man. if they continued to use the traditional system it run the risk of the EU not getting their man. its simple as that.

So if Camerons voting block held the majority in the Parliament they would similar select the "EU's man".

That's the trouble with Democracy, you only get what you want if you get the majority.

This is more than a little sour grapes.

Br Cornelius

[stevewinn]

So if Camerons voting block held the majority in the Parliament they would similar select the "EU's man".

That's the trouble with Democracy, you only get what you want if you get the majority.

This is more than a little sour grapes.

Br Cornelius

No, its not sour grapes. how can it be right that the power forming blocks of the EU now decided who the president is. It should be, like it was before the EU constitution/Lisbon treaty (same thing) That the elected leaders of member countries would propose the EU candidate then the floor of the EU parliament vote.

This system worked well for the EU, but year on year the size of the EPP party as been falling, meaning they are losing influence and if the trend continues now and in the future they would be unable to influence the elections and appointments of the top EU officials. Look at all those in the top EU jobs, all of them have been previous members of the EPP party all of them leaders or held high positions in that party.

Its clear in order for the EU to get their man they had to change the system. and so they have, the system in place today enables the EPP to force through their people. and look at Juncker, a EU apparatchik, a true Federalist. who wants ever closer union. It is not in the UK interest for a closer union, the EU needs reforming the whole institution, the recent european elections tell you that. But the appointment of Juncker will make the process of reform impossible, the EU simply ignore the people and do what they do best, ignore the voting ignore the people and continue along the path towards a Federation, regardless.

It's all pointless we already predicted the Germans/EU have picked their man and Juncker will be installed by the end of the week.

why the hell im arguing in favour of EU reform is beyond me, my priority is for the UK to leave the EU, i should be applauding the appointment of Juncker, because his appointment makes that exit even more likely. but doesn't that tell you something.