Thames Water

[HawkingsHalfpint]

Another utilities privatisation success story to file next to trains that don’t work, energy companies lacking the capital to build new power stations (or make a profit during a period prices were at an all-time high), and a gross shortage of council homes sold off on the cheap to even the greedy landlords who can no longer afford them. Oh and Royal Fail. 

Does anything in this country work anymore? I can’t even rant at a cloud these days without being subject to an annual rant-review.

£14bn is a colossal amount of money to rack up, even when you’re legally permitted to dump poo in the sea.

[Derek Hardballs]

Another utilities privatisation success story to file next to trains that don’t work, energy companies lacking the capital to build new power stations (or make a profit during a period prices were at an all-time high), and a gross shortage of council homes sold off on the cheap to even the greedy landlords who can no longer afford them. Oh and Royal Fail. 

Does anything in this country work anymore? I can’t even rant at a cloud these days without being subject to an annual rant-review.

£14bn is a colossal amount of money to rack up, even when you’re legally permitted to dump poo in the sea.

Many a shareholder and director have lovely homes and privately educated children though… every cloud has a silver lining.

[CaptainFantastico]

Who are the 28% of people left that say they will vote Tory at the next election? Must be absolutely off their tits

[HawkingsHalfpint]

Who are the 28% of people left that say they will vote Tory at the next election? Must be absolutely off their tits

The worry for me is that when Labour win, are they going to have the financial clout to enact any policies that will actually change anything for the long-term better. 

Politics since the mid-90s has become increasingly vain, self-interested and short-termist. Some of the issues facing this country will take such a long gestation to realise that many who enact them won’t benefit. Like many aspects of modern life, it has all become a little too polarised; and ‘now-focussed’.

Also, no one is really interested in good news anymore. This country (although its OEMs in many associated fields are long gone, and it is OEMs who add real economic value and employ people long-term) is actually somewhat of a global leader in offshore wind, but you don’t read about this much. And nor can (or could ever) the current administration take credit, because it is a policy and position which required years to establish; which perhaps answers why the (since Leveson) government-influenced media don’t praise the decisions made many-a-moon ago.  

Much like the society they represent, ‘government’ has become too interested in quick-fixes and self-protectionism. Changing that - and finding the money to change that - will be among Steamer’s greatest challenges.

‘There’s no money left’ has become a beautiful irony. What a shit state of affairs Little Rishi will be handing over. He looked a beaten man today in PMQs, I doubt he’s fit to lead Dartmouth CC, let alone a G7 nation.

[Borin' Baggie]

Who are the 28% of people left that say they will vote Tory at the next election? Must be absolutely off their tits

The worry for me is that when Labour win, are they going to have the financial clout to enact any policies that will actually change anything for the long-term better.

They're in the paradox of taxes need to go up across the board to cover for the lack of economic and productivity growth over the last 15 years and being unable to up taxes for political reasons. Don't really see how they're going to get out of that box.

Eliminating NI and folding it into income tax would be a start but that is only projected to raise £11bn, and pensioners will have a hissy fit if they do that.

[CarlosCorbewrong]

Another utilities privatisation success story to file next to trains that don’t work, energy companies lacking the capital to build new power stations (or make a profit during a period prices were at an all-time high), and a gross shortage of council homes sold off on the cheap to even the greedy landlords who can no longer afford them. Oh and Royal Fail. 

Does anything in this country work anymore? I can’t even rant at a cloud these days without being subject to an annual rant-review.

£14bn is a colossal amount of money to rack up, even when you’re legally permitted to dump poo in the sea.

Many a shareholder and director have lovely homes and privately educated children though… every cloud has a silver lining.

There's a trickle down metaphor somewhere here... but with sewerage

[Protheroe]

Who are the 28% of people left that say they will vote Tory at the next election? Must be absolutely off their tits

The worry for me is that when Labour win, are they going to have the financial clout to enact any policies that will actually change anything for the long-term better.

They're in the paradox of taxes need to go up across the board to cover for the lack of economic and productivity growth over the last 15 years and being unable to up taxes for political reasons. Don't really see how they're going to get out of that box.

Eliminating NI and folding it into income tax would be a start but that is only projected to raise £11bn, and pensioners will have a hissy fit if they do that.

Which is why it won't happen. 

Those of us who risked our assets to set up limited companies would also have a hissy fit particularly in the light of fiscal drag, the introduction of and the ratcheting up of Dividend Tax, Corporation Tax increases, CGT increases on sale / exit, Business Rates, IPT never mind the plethora of pointless regulation.