(V): thats funny they keep saying £25B, or do you know something else?


***The Times of London and BBC News contributed to this report***. - what does this mean at the end of the story then?

Bernice:  He musta missed that part. 

Artful Dodger: It doesn't matter, the way the info was presented was incorrect. If you read the BBC it says....

"Gordon Brown has announced a £16bn sale of government assets in an effort to reduce the growing budget deficit.

The Dartford crossing, the cross-Channel rail link and the nationalised bookmaker the Tote will be among items going on sale over the next two years.

The prime minister outlined initial plans to raise £3bn, including selling some government real estate."

I also checked other news sources..
I'm sorry, I tried to be more accurate... I didn't realise that was a crime on this board.

From C4...
The prime minister has given details of an initial round of disposals that could raise £3bn. Much of the rest of the funds will be realised by encouraging local authorities to exchange assets for cash..........
.....But shadow chief treasury secretary, Philip Hammond, said Mr Brown was merely spewing out "headline figures" in a bid to save his own electoral skin.

"We think that selling down assets in order to pay off debt, when you are in the sort of state that we are in, is a sensible thing to look at," he told Sky News. "But this is about saving the prime minister. It is about trying to get some headline figures that he can feed into the election."

Lib Dem treasury spokesman Vince Cable said that, given the state of the public finances, asset sales made sense "at least in principle".

But he added: "Attempts to sell off large amounts of government land into a very depressed market such as we have now would be frankly barmy.

"These asset sales should be based on a financial calculation not a political one.""

(V): so much for our idiot prime minister trying to buy us out of recession

Snoopy: With prices at the moment of houses and land still iffy, I don't see them being able to raise what is planned. Plus... who is going to buy it? The companies who've recently been slapped on the wrists for rigging contracts!!

Basically, I think it's to take the attention of the expenses news and that of what is being said about our army's supply problems.

Those I feel are most of the UK people's angers at the mo. That MP's are complaining that they are getting letters to repay money that at heart they knew was wrong to claim as the 'rules' as such were rigged.

... And those who don't repay... I don't see getting re-elected unless the alternatives are worse.

Viva La Revolution!!

(V):  I didn't ask for any of that nonsense.  I simply asked what others thought of the idea.  I made no comment on either side of the issue.  I simply shared a link and asked what others thought.  Obviously I was asking what was thought of the idea of selling government assets to get out of debt.  That's the question. 

Frankly, it sounds like both our governments are a bunch nitwits when it comes to financial matters. 

Artful Dodger: my baddddd. I didn't think being more accurate was a problem.

It's like the lunchtime news re ITN.. the presenter kept saying "oooo the post office workers are going on strike in 48 hours" ... before and after a union rep clearly stated that IF there is a strike it won't happen till the 22nd of this month.

The Government are selling possibly 3 billion pounds of assets, the local councils are being allowed to sell off 13 billion pounds of assets, which the Government does not get a penny of, it is kept by the local councils for use in their localities.

You asked for an opinion.. you got it. based on more in depth info on what is happening.

If the Gov can sell off items that are not essential and can be privately run, or sell of businesses it's had to rescue.. then good for them. But they will have to find buyers and the price *cough* .. excuse the phrase better be right, or it'll just be another nail in their coffin.

Quite frankly our whole system is going through a right of passage... Something you guys over the pond still won't do... And it seems the private sector in the USA is doing it's best to keep you from changing the system as they like you squabbling over left, right, up, down and rotationally.

Bernice:  

Government’s £16bn sale of public assets causes cross-party anger

Brown announces £16 billion asset sell-off

Brown unveils £16bn assets sale

British PM Brown to announce assets sell-off

And notice my question  "So what do UKers think of this idea?"

Besides, I wasn't making a statement.  I was asking for opinions on the UKs strategy.  But all V offered was an ad hominem. 

Most stories that get covered by Fox don't get covered by the other cables or networks (exception is CNN that does a fair job...but only fair).  Since the majority of viewers watch Fox, then it follows that the complainers are in the minority.  And we all know that when you don't have an counter argument, just attack Fox with sarcasm and make unsubstantiated claims against them.  Or in this case, just make stuff up. 

And to be clear, two of the above sources were used by Fox news in their report.  One was the BBC. 

Artful Dodger:

Artful Dodger: I was pulled up rather rudely with all the filthy language thrown in as she pointed out it was 25 billion dollars and not pounds, but it was also said it was 16 billion pounds which was a LOT different to the 3billion(V) was talking about....

I stand corrected of course HAHAHAHAHA

Bernice: When are you going to stop flaming on public boards?