First introduced by Gordon Brown (to give advance notice - which the dolers will ignore - of forthcoming changes).

The prospect of the first surplus in living memory from a Chancellor who has managed the economy superbly, and taught people to live within their means. (No choice, really - as the borrowing capacity had fully run out !)

More cuts ... lovely ! .... squeeze them till their pips squeak, so we can reward those that contribute (to society) and also look after the ones who genuinely need help !

The last surplus was 2001...courtesy of Mr Brown.
You must be younger than we think

Pattaya wrote:
The last surplus was 2001...courtesy of ........


... the previous Tory government who left the finances in a good state !

Downhill - all the way after that, though !

In The Know wrote:
Pattaya wrote:
The last surplus was 2001...courtesy of ........


... the previous Tory government who left the finances in a good state !

Downhill - all the way after that, though !

It took the tory government 17 years to get inflation and unemployment back to the levels they inherited in 1979.
After almost destroying the economy on Black wednesday they finally managed to show a surplus in the final 2 years of government.
The labour government managed 4 straight years from 1997-2001.Was just pointing out the living memory part was inaccurate.

Pattaya wrote:
The labour government managed 4 straight years from 1997-2001.

Yes, thanks to good fiscal management by the previous government !

It takes time to cock things up properly !

And after 1997 - do you remember, rubbish piled-up in the streets?, everyone on strike?, bodies lay un-buried in mortuaries? - things were at such a low (which they usually are when you've had a Labour government!) that the following government was starting from a very low base.

Was just pointing out the living memory part was inaccurate.

I remember what I want too (LOL !)

In The Know wrote:
And after 1997

sorry ... that should say 1979 !

In The Know wrote:
Pattaya wrote:
The labour government managed 4 straight years from 1997-2001.

Yes, thanks to good fiscal management by the previous government !

It takes time to cock things up properly !

And after 1997 - do you remember, rubbish piled-up in the streets?, everyone on strike?, bodies lay un-buried in mortuaries? - things were at such a low (which they usually are when you've had a Labour government!) that the following government was starting from a very low base.

Was just pointing out the living memory part was inaccurate.

I remember what I want too (LOL !)

In real terms the first Labour government(97-01) was possibly the most economically successful since MacMillan (56-59)
So Major's government had a good fiscal record? The same government that wasted billions on Black Wednesday? They did improve later on,but created a recession on these shores while others in the world were doing well.

The industrial problems circa 1979 should not take away the amazing recovery we saw at the end of the 70s.Maggie doubled unemployment,trippled inflation...but don't worry about the fact she almost destroyed the economy...the bins were at least emptied!