[TShadow383]

(Original post by Captain Crash)
That will never happen, at least not in the forseeable future. If they don't downgrade Japan's credit rating for having a >200% GDP of debt they wouldn't do the same for us.

Japan has been downgraded many times, they have a far lower rating than we do.

(Original post by Captain Crash)
They've been threatening to do that for 2 years now but haven't. Provided the deficit doesn't increase (and all three parties have made commitments to reduce the deficit) the threats will remain simply threates.

Except that with the plans set out by current government we'd have a debt of around £1,500,000,000,000 by the end of the next parliament.
Our present government doesn't plan to balance their books until 2018, by which time we won't have balanced our books for 17 years. If you were a bank and someone who had been running up debts for the past nine years and planned to keep running up debts just to pay the interest for the next eight years at least you would be a little cautious, no?

[usainlightning]

There are economists that back the tories plans as well. To be honest though, i don't really give a **** about what economists think. These academics aren't operating in the real world, i would prefer to take advice from leading businessmen, many of whom back the tory plans.

[.ACS.]

The only issue I have with all these articles about 'leading economists' supporting one party's policies and then other 'leading economists' supporting another party's policies is that you'll find economists (like politicians) who believe something and so support it irrespective. Economics is like an ideology, and let's not forget that.

[.ACS.]

As I read the article and noticed the emphasis that was put on how Tory plans would mean future cuts in public spending, and then when I saw the letter was organised by Lord Skidelsky himself, it's clear these economists have a very Keynesian bias.

In addition, it's ludicrous that Labour is saying these economists are impartial since Lord Skidelsky is himself a Labour peer.

[HARRY PUTAH]

This thread is full of fail.

Economic reality in a goldfish bowl can be seen and manipulated.

We do not live in a bowl, we have an economy that has the rich creating jobs to make THEM richer. if you were to put more taxation onto them, you will simply see them go elsewhere.

Germany and Sweden want to take Londons monopoly of the City Life away from England.

If you want Brown, you're welcome to a socilist state in the near future which will not be good for anybody but those in power.

[Collingwood]

Who are these economists? It doesn't mean a lot without any names.

[danny111]

(Original post by HARRY PUTAH)
This thread is full of fail.

Economic reality in a goldfish bowl can be seen and manipulated.

We do not live in a bowl, we have an economy that has the rich creating jobs to make THEM richer. if you were to put more taxation onto them, you will simply see them go elsewhere.

Germany and Sweden want to take Londons monopoly of the City Life away from England.

If you want Brown, you're welcome to a socilist state in the near future which will not be good for anybody but those in power.

fail.

Do you really think Germany of all countries will be more lenient towards banks than Britain?

[FyreFight]

So Keynesian economists support Keynesian policies? I never saw it coming.

Next they'll be telling us that Trots support communism!

[Ryan W]

(Original post by JW92)
It's a strange state of affairs when you can longer trust the Tories with the economy. As much as you might disagree with Thatcher's effect on the UK (and I do), she made the UK economy go from strength to strength. A vote for the Tories wasn't a vote for equality or society, but it was always a vote for the economy and wealth creation. Now the Tories seem to be both socially injust and economically untrustworthy. Why anyone would vote for them (apart from as a reaction against Labour) is beyond me.

There seems to be a lot of 'because they're not labour' type justification for votes this time around, with the people in question having little idea about what Labour and the Conservatives' policies actually are. It's pretty concerning, really.

[MagicNMedicine]

Like Geoffrey Howe says, an economist is a man who knows 364 ways of making love, but doesn't know any women.

[MagicNMedicine]

(Original post by JW92)
It's a strange state of affairs when you can longer trust the Tories with the economy. As much as you might disagree with Thatcher's effect on the UK (and I do), she made the UK economy go from strength to strength.

Not really, she presided over high inflation and sky high unemployment in her early years, then briefly got inflation down a bit, and still had high unemployment, then inflation went back up to 10% and unemployment was still high when she left. Out of 11 years in charge you could only say really 3 where the economy was performing with strength.

In terms of Conservative economic management, the best period was John Major's era, especially from 93-97. Inflation permanently (so far anyway) knocked on the head, unemployment down to low levels for the long term.

[Apagg]

(Original post by Captain Crash)
That will never happen, at least not in the forseeable future. If they don't downgrade Japan's credit rating for having a >200% GDP of debt they wouldn't do the same for us.

I don't think you really understand how debt works.

[Slick-Jay]

(Original post by Pork and Beans)


Seriously, I wouldn't trust the tories with a fiver, let alone the nation's finances. We're doing well enough as we are.

That means your sig is wrong... A isn't the problem, the Tories are.

[Slick-Jay]

Any way, it's going to be hard to cut the debt a significant amount in only 4 years. I think all the parties are aiming to cut the deficit - the rate at which the debt is rising. But don't listen to me because i'm no economist.

[yoyo462001]

I didn't pay much attention to the business leaders one and I'm not going to be paying much attention to this.

[danny111]

(Original post by MagicNMedicine)
Not really, she presided over high inflation and sky high unemployment in her early years, then briefly got inflation down a bit, and still had high unemployment, then inflation went back up to 10% and unemployment was still high when she left. Out of 11 years in charge you could only say really 3 where the economy was performing with strength.

In terms of Conservative economic management, the best period was John Major's era, especially from 93-97. Inflation permanently (so far anyway) knocked on the head, unemployment down to low levels for the long term.

do you study economics at uni?

[Teaddict]

If I am not mistaken these aren't all UK economists?

Even so, if one cannot find 100 economists to agree with whatever crackpot theory you come up with, then this is a rare occurrence. Remember that economists are very like politicians - They have an ideology that guides their thinking. You get socialist economists, you get very free market economists, I am sure you will get "We hate government" economists.

I would rather trust British business.