But the skills are also in Germany, France, and in a few years Poland. I'm not convinced we have any skills in this country that dont exist in other countries, or can be taught in other countries while we make our long exit. I'm definitely an out voter, but not sure that is the way to go. I'm not swayed by Government propaganda, I'm just trying to look at it without blinkers on and realistically. I still say, that most voters will look at it from the perspective of whether their job will be safe. I could easily say mine would be as nothing I produce is exported, but when you look at the customer you are working for, you wonder if maybe their job is safe? If not, then I'm out of work also. Its all a big circle.
Not picking on FC in particular, just trying to give the money side of things some context............................. Based on the eight billion (which is the figure we end up paying in after we receive our pay out) it is £154 million a week. A shedload of money I agree but bearing in mind that bearing in mind that total UK government spending for 2016 is budgeted at £772 billion it is barely 1%. It's gonna cost a heck of a lot more than eight billion to even scratch the surface of that lot. Just for some context, for 2016 the following is budgeted; Health - £138 billion Pensions - £153 billion Education - £90 billion Defence - £45 billion Welfare - £110 billion. Some more context? The cost of Crossrail 2 is estimated at £30 billion. Sainsbury's annual turnover is about £25 billion. The annual turnover of the National grid is about £15 billion. Red tape free? Not for a good few years. All that will happen is a bill will be passed adopting the current EU regulations that are currently in use and then parliament will have to set about rewriting them and passing them into law.
The main driver of immigration is our shortage of skilled workers and usable "stock" coming out of the education system.
Got to agree. The education system is too academic. We need more hands on people that have not spent 5 yrs at uni, learning about philosophy, then having a gap year or two, just because its a nice lifestyle. Then moan they cant get a job because they are over qualified. Qualified at what, exactly?
Not even that. They can remember facts, figures, formulae etc. but are not taught to understand it. It's not that they're thick but they are being let down by the system.
I think you are only let down by the system if you want to take the easy route. There are plenty out there trying to get on and make a it. Trouble is the system also panders to those that just want a get out, from getting a proper job.
Ah, @longk, the art of numbers I agree that the amounts being bandied about are woolly at best, and that is the problem - none of us can have an accurate representation of the costs in and out. Crossrail, well that is another vanity project as far as I am concerned and that money would have been better invested in improving 'normal' railway rolling stock and expanding the network - - that is if it should all be spent at all? And whilst I also agree that the money saved would be scratching the surface, it has to be remembered that the available money would be in addition to the budgets quoted. So, lets take that £8bn saving and add the £12bn foreign aid budget and make it £20bn. It has been noted on the news on a number of occasions that the cost of repairing our roads properly would be £25bn. So there is a year and a quarter's money gone - - - but, those roads are now fit for another 10-15 years or even more in some cases AND our local authorities shouldn't have to pay as much out in compensation for damage to vehicles. Better still, all the workers that would be needed to do the roads (and clearly it is not all going to happen in one year), would mean gainful employment and the ability to pay rent/mortgage and also contribute to the economy. How many houses would £20bn build? Quite a chunk I would think. Now, what if those houses were 75% rental (as in, council houses) and 25% purchase - or better still, what about a hire purchase scheme where people could buy as they pay their rent (it worked on tellies and washing machines for years!). Two benefits there - firstly, people in secure and affordable housing with more disposable income to boost the economy; secondly, anyone in need of social housing could be given a council house - much cheaper than paying a private landlord, their profit and their mortgage PLUS the standard of housing would be controlled (there are so many rogue landlords nowadays they are even making TV programs about them!) So, while £20bn might be scratching the surface of something, that is just the start.
It's not that they are being 'let down'. They are farmed. The universities are extremely lucrative businesses. At one end of the scale, they rent out professors as consultants at extreme prices. And at the bottom end of the spectrum, they brainwash the youth (and their parents) to believe that they absolutely must pay £9000 per year for four or five years to secure themselves a piece of paper and a debt the size of a small mortgage.
I think the idea of the £9000 debit is to make you think, will I get a job after all this whereby I can pay it back? If you study rubbish, the kind of courses that will not get you a decent job, then hard luck mate. As a tax payer I'm not prepared to stump up for those that just want an easy life. If you do the right courses, the ones that matter, you will get the kind of job that pays back £9000 without too much of a problem.
I have to disagree Pete. In theory, those in uni will go on to contribute to our pensions, and our ever increasing health care among other things. In theory, they will be the future of a strong Britain. In practice, a degree is worth far less than the powers make out. In my industry for example, we constantly see graduate programmers and other IT professionals hatching, and quite honestly, most are worse than useless. They not only can't do the job, but they expect to be paid wellfor at least 2 years while we train them up and make them useful. Eventually many do of course become useful, and then they can start earning, but it is experience, not paper, that makes them valuable to industry.
Oh, Pete, do you really think the Government is concerned about what the Student thinks???? All the Government is concerned about in this age of continuing cutbacks and austerity is how to make the Education Bill less!!
So you want to leave the EU and stop foreign aid! More context - the UK hands out less in foreign aid than HSBC makes in profit every year. Not only that - we are full of righteous indignation when the wealthy use offshore schemes to avoid tax yet we begrudge aid to those who need it. I agree that better oversight of these funds would be good but fundamentally disagree with stopping aid, especially when many of these nations were once colonies of the British Empire which is the foundation of our relatively prosperous lives. Anyway, back to a possible Brexit. Out of the 8 billion lets blow a billion on roads and a billion on houses (12000 houses?). But both these activities will require materials and equipment which will need importing. Then bear in mind that a lot of respected sources now expect the pound to devalue by 10 to 20% if we leave. If that happens the risk of recession increases and tax revenues fall. All theoretical I agree but also quite probable.
