Blackleaf Posted June 13, 2005 #1 Share Posted June 13, 2005 From The Times - Numbers count Why Britain must make a powerful case for economic reform in Europe There is something almost too prosaic about statistics. Great debates will be held in Europe this week over subjects as immediate and profound as opportunity, poverty, and welfare, and yet much of the rhetoric will be without statistical foundation, and the only numeric competition will be in the stream of adverbs and adjectives deployed to make eloquent but unsustainable arguments. Britain will doubtless suffer more ignominy over its rebate, but far more important issues will remain undiscussed. Absurd claims by several countries, in particular by France and Germany, will, meanwhile, go unchallenged to the detriment of their own citizens and of the region. It is clear that Europe is beginning to divide along two lines, the new and the old, and the successful and the failing, and yet the old and failing are determined that the new and successful should abide by standards that have hobbled their own countries; it is vested, institutional interest taken to the extreme. There is, however, nothing high-minded about the lowest common denominator, as figures provided by Eurostat, the European Union's statistical agency, make clear. For all the fine talk about “fairness”, which of the following three countries is fairer in providing opportunities to its more mature citizens and to women: France, Germany or Britain? In 2004, the employment rate of “older workers”, those aged between 55 and 64, in France was 37.3 per cent, in Germany 39.2 per cent, and in Britain 56.2 per cent. And what of women? The female employment rate last year in France was 57.4 per cent, in Germany 59.9 per cent, and in Britain 65.6 per cent. What European directive has Britain adopted to ensure that its citizens have more opportunities in life? Flexibility in hiring (and in firing) is essential if companies and countries are to provide choices for their citizens. And what of the working poor, those who have clearly taken up the challenge to better themselves and their families? Are they better treated in countries that are conscious of “welfare” or in Anglo-Saxon, for which read “brutal”, Britain? The tax rate on “low wage earners”, as defined by Eurostat, was 45.4 per cent last year in Germany, 32.6 in France and 26.4 per cent in Britain. Surely there must a category in which these two pillars of European society outperform Britain? Indeed there is — unemployment, which is 4.7 per cent in Britain, 10.2 per cent in France, and 11.8 per cent in Germany. At least the jobless on the Continent have the consolation of their leaders’ philosophising. These figures have been duly noted by the new entrants to the EU, whose citizens were endlessly and unfairly caricatured in the French referendum campaign. “Are we so frightening?” a Hungarian cabinet minister asked in Germany last week. And where are the “Polish plumbers” so mocked by the French establishment? Britain's creaking, moaning pipes are calling out urgently for them. The British Government has created a fairer society than that overseen by many of its European allies, and Tony Blair must forcefully make that argument this week as the region’s leaders contemplate a continent without a constitution that would have institutionalised the poverty of the vulnerable and provided bragging rights for a sanctimonious elite. That the sanctimony and smugness is callous and unjustified is statistically provable. thetimesonline.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ames2787 Posted June 13, 2005 #2 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Ooh jeez. ANOTHER article about the greatness of Britain. BORING! I've not even bothered to read this one. Someone should ban this geezer from posting crap every 5 seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erikl Posted June 13, 2005 #3 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Ooh jeez. ANOTHER article about the greatness of Britain. BORING! I've not even bothered to read this one. Someone should ban this geezer from posting crap every 5 seconds. 673419[/snapback] I've stopped reading his articles a loooong time ago... they are all the same . Do you read this blackleaf? no one reads your articles anymore! Bah who am I kidding... he never reads our replies . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ames2787 Posted June 13, 2005 #4 Share Posted June 13, 2005 (edited) That's cos he doesn't read anything that doesn't read: BRITAIN IS GREAT!!!! Here's a British fact that isn't great: it has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in Europe. You can't self defend yourself here over fear of being sued for "assault". The cost of our petrol is about 10 x the amount it is the US, as well as many other of our products - we in fact live in RIP OFF BRITAIN. Students in England and Wales have to pay for University tuition fees despite scraping to make a living. And now Blair wants to add on some top-up fees to make the students even poorer. The list is endless. Yes Britain has great aspects, but it also has some crap aspects, as with everywhere... so SHUT UP! Edited June 13, 2005 by ames2787 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erikl Posted June 13, 2005 #5 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Watch out people for Blackleaf's (possible? or even probable? ) reply... *puts on his helmet and waits * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now