Saturday, May 16, 2009

You Couldn't Make It Up

Financial times: Ons gets sums wrong on retail sales

nothing like a bit of vested interest to keep the housing/stock market up then...if MP's aren't flipping properties then are they lobbying the ons to fiddle to ONS statistics.....welcome to new labour the corrupt government revealed

Posted by taffee @ 12:00 PM (987 views) Add Comment

11 Comments

1. dohousescrashinthewoods said...

How can you say "revealed" - they are politicians, corruption is part of the definition.

Maybe one day we'll find a way to alter human nature, but I doubt it.

Saturday, May 16, 2009 12:07PM Report Comment
 

2. denzil said...

The ONS has overstated the volume of retail sales growth by 56%.
Based on other stats produced by the ONS (CPI, RPI), I would say that being 56% out was one of their better efforts.

Saturday, May 16, 2009 12:16PM Report Comment
 

3. shipbuilder said...

1. dohousescrashinthewoods said...

"How can you say "revealed" - they are politicians, corruption is part of the definition.

Maybe one day we'll find a way to alter human nature, but I doubt it."

Not our human nature - their human nature. Do you fiddle your expenses?

Saturday, May 16, 2009 12:19PM Report Comment
 

4. new_order said...

Politicians indeed.

The only person to ever enter Westminster with honest intentions was Guy Fawkes!

Saturday, May 16, 2009 12:35PM Report Comment
 

5. letthemfall said...

This is just a straightforward statistical cockup rather than a fiddle. The way these things are calculated is quite complicated and depends on the validity of certain assumptions. It pays to take all figures with a sack of salt, especially those quoted by VIs.

Saturday, May 16, 2009 12:37PM Report Comment
 

6. crunchy said...

@ 4.

Yeah, and he got hang drawn and quartered not suspended!

Saturday, May 16, 2009 02:30PM Report Comment
 

7. icarus said...

denzil @2 rightly casts doubt on ONS inflation figures. These feed into retail sales (inflation-adjusted), so if inflation is higher than ONS says it is (v likely) then the real growth of retail sales is lower than ONS says it is (apart from other methodological doubts alluded to in the article).

Saturday, May 16, 2009 04:51PM Report Comment
 

8. icarus said...

@4 - H of Commons barman : "Time, gentlemen please. Have you no second homes to go to" (courtesy of Private Eye)

Saturday, May 16, 2009 04:55PM Report Comment
 

9. mark said...

from local councils like Cheshire through to MPs now to other bodies pure corruption all the way, where are the police, they should be investigating all this fraud..

Fraudulent planning apps in Cheshire, lost files in Ellesmere Port council when asked for under freedom of information act, MPs stealing money, ONS fluffing figures, this is all FRAUD and should be investigated and people should go to prison......

Sunday, May 17, 2009 10:35AM Report Comment
 

10. inbreda said...

@9 - the police are too busy taking away our human rights and blowing suspected terrorists heads off.

I wonder - given that MPs profited when selling 2nd homes in the past - if they have to sell them at a loss now, will they expect the taxpayer to make up the shortfall? (rhetorical question as I think they should all be hanged anyway)

Sunday, May 17, 2009 11:44AM Report Comment
 

11. crunchy said...

Low level crime. An unfortunate diversion keeping the paying public looking at the bottom shelf of a very high stacking system.

A trifle without the topping, whilst tasty, lacking in potential.

Sunday, May 17, 2009 02:59PM Report Comment
 

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