What Spending Cuts? Pm Splashes Out £680K Of Your Money On Downing Street

[needsleep]

Isnt the point of HPC.co.uk about wanting a good old fashioned 'free market' bust.. 50%+ off UK peak prices, after the biggest ever free market property bubble in history.

1. No. On many threads it seems to be primarily about bigging up (imaginary) right wing experimental economic policies.

2. Too many people on here fail to see the continuity between governments. What genuine changes are we now seeing?

3. It'd be better not to take the sadistic boom and bust route. No govt seems to manage that.

4. I don't think a rapid 50% correction is a good thing. Socially or economically.

Edited May 28, 2011 by needsleep

[General Congreve]

hope you have the guns too.

You'll be telling me I can't eat it next.

[Driver]

Some people are twisting facts to suit themselves. No wonder we owe so much money.

"The other £653,192.34 was spent on work to the Grade One listed offices and reception rooms inside the Georgian house."

[Bloo Loo]

For a Grade I listed building in London, it seems pretty reasonable, even before you consider the quality of finish required for its diplomatic and state functions.

Heck, there's a bunch of hideous grade I listed council flats in Sheffield, that are expected to cost at least £200k each to refurb - and that's before any 'unexpected' materials cost inflation or work overruns.

Its a good case for getting rid of the Listing System.

[Bloo Loo]

1. No. On many threads it seems to be primarily about bigging up (imaginary) right wing experimental economic policies.

2. Too many people on here fail to see the continuity between governments. What genuine changes are we now seeing?

3. It'd be better not to take the sadistic boom and bust route. No govt seems to manage that.

4. I don't think a rapid 50% correction is a good thing. Socially or economically.

Cameron has two eyes to keep tightly shut.

[Goat]

It's about £1,000,000 less than champagne socialist Michael Martin spent on his flat.

Michael Martin was criticised for spending more than £700,000 on refurbishing the residence between 2000 and early 2008, plus a further £992,000 on the garden and improved security.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/speaker-orders-graceandfavour-flat-facelift-1767518.html

Edited May 28, 2011 by Goat

[Mr Jib Fingers]

You lot on here make me laugh.

If Brown or Blair had had this work done, you'd have gone up the wall knocking them. Instead, as it's Cameron, it's 'OK' because it needed it, or it's reasonable, or whatever you like.

Truth is, you've all been suckered in by the media drip-feeding how bad our finances have been because of a bloated public sector, whilst forgetting it was the banks at fault, and siding with the same pair of Cameron and Osbourne who are back-slipping fat notes to the very bankers that got us into this mess.

It's a shame HPC is so tory and doesn't concentrate on what it's supposed to be about - simple home ownership for all. Not 'I'm all right Jack - once I get my hands on a house... and then wait for it to go up in value so I can change my tune'. This very thread shows how tunes have been changed.

Er...the government was overspending massively regardless of the bank bailout. I suppose you believe the deficit all started in America?

[Mr Jib Fingers]

Yep, nothing more than a Tory-boy love-in at times. It's very strange because the last thing most Tories want is a crash in the price of the very asset class that so defines them. If they're wannabe Tories then they need to take a look at themselves because the real free market loving private sector go-getter wouldn't be moping around a message board - they'd be out there bringing in the money. They'd see that the house price bubble was the closest thing to an unrestrained free market we've had in a long time - the paradox is they'd rather have had the state crawling all over the market like the Stasi, just so they could gain an asset they could use to define themselves as a Tory. You couldn't make it up.

Some people just want a smaller state and expect the Tories to expand it less than the only other alternative to a government in Labour. I suppose it's easier to assume in la-la left-wing land that anyone who isn't to the left of Ken Livingstone is a millionaire Eton going Tory boy.

[Mr Jib Fingers]

1. No. On many threads it seems to be primarily about bigging up (imaginary) right wing experimental economic policies.

How is anything regarding the housing bubble a right-wing free market experiment? There's no free market in money and planning permission is incredibly difficult to obtain. If anything it's a failure in big-state centralised left-wing planning.

You'll be saying Labour were right-wing when in government next.

[tricksters]

You lot on here make me laugh.

If Brown or Blair had had this work done, you'd have gone up the wall knocking them. Instead, as it's Cameron, it's 'OK' because it needed it, or it's reasonable, or whatever you like.

Truth is, you've all been suckered in by the media drip-feeding how bad our finances have been because of a bloated public sector, whilst forgetting it was the banks at fault, and siding with the same pair of Cameron and Osbourne who are back-slipping fat notes to the very bankers that got us into this mess.

It's a shame HPC is so tory and doesn't concentrate on what it's supposed to be about - simple home ownership for all. Not 'I'm all right Jack - once I get my hands on a house... and then wait for it to go up in value so I can change my tune'. This very thread shows how tunes have been changed.

Have to agree there is a tory slant on this forum. An in built dislike of large state and those who would foist it upon us. An instinctive dislike of ghastly characters like Brown, Blair, Balls, Harman and the other reprehensible creatures that the Labour party revere. I share that dislike. Depending on your point of view, Cameron, Hague and the rest of the crew seem less reprehensible and harder to dislike. They just don't come across as being quite so duplicitous, somehow. They seem quite nice, reasonable people. However, they will probably disappoint and be seen as a$$holes pandering to the rich, cozying up to the bankers, and doing little to halt the decline in quality of life in this country. Why is anyone even remotely surprised that this money is being spent on No. 10? It's what "leaders" the world over do.

Beware of men in suits. Don't vote. It only encourages them.

[Goat]

Have to agree there is a tory slant on this forum.

I wonder why the "house price crash forum" might have a bit of a slant against the party that oversaw 13 years of house price insanity.

[billybong]

£680,000 - and they didn't even have to buy any land to do the renovation.

If they regularly have to spend such huge amounts of money on renovation they might as well knock it down and rebuild it as new. Keep the front if they have to.

Although on second thoughts better not because they're all so addicted to spending taxpayers money they'd be back to £680,000 renovations quicker than you can say spendthrift.

[Night]

£680,000 - and they didn't even have to buy any land to do the renovation.

If they regularly have to spend such huge amounts of money on renovation they might as well knock it down and rebuild it as new. Keep the front if they have to.

Although on second thoughts better not because they're all so addicted to spending taxpayers money they'd be back to £680,000 renovations quicker than you can say spendthrift.

Would we bat an eyelid if any other state spent a million quid on their seat of government? Should we be global paupers who run the country from a garden shed? Cameron paid for the kitchen refurbishments - will he reclaim the cost from whoever moves in next?

[onesmallstep]

Would we bat an eyelid if any other state spent a million quid on their seat of government? Should we be global paupers who run the country from a garden shed? Cameron paid for the kitchen refurbishments - will he reclaim the cost from whoever moves in next?

well we are all in it together aren't we

[@contradevian]

Yep, nothing more than a Tory-boy love-in at times. It's very strange because the last thing most Tories want is a crash in the price of the very asset class that so defines them. If they're wannabe Tories then they need to take a look at themselves because the real free market loving private sector go-getter wouldn't be moping around a message board - they'd be out there bringing in the money. They'd see that the house price bubble was the closest thing to an unrestrained free market we've had in a long time - the paradox is they'd rather have had the state crawling all over the market like the Stasi, just so they could gain an asset they could use to define themselves as a Tory. You couldn't make it up.

Hilarious, Labourites blaming the Tories for Labour's mess.

You'll be blaming Thatcher next!

[needsleep]

Hilarious, Labourites blaming the Tories for Labour's mess.

You'll be blaming Thatcher next!

Don't get me wrong I hate that Labour did nothing to control the housing market. It was their biggest mistake. And it's why I'm here.

Then again, maybe there was a spark of genius there - the pain endured by Tory boy bigots as they got gazumped by hairdressers, binmen and hospital porters.

[Mr Jib Fingers]

Why do you brand people who have a different political view from yourself as bigots? I really don't understand the bile that pours from the left in this country.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Mr Jib Fingers

[needsleep]

Why do you brand people who have a different political view from yourself as bigots? I really don't understand the bile that pours from the left in this country.

Because a lot of Tory boys are bigots. In fact many right wing traits are inherently bigoted. Wiki says this and I think it's fair:

"The predominant usage in modern English refers to persons hostile to those of differing race, ethnicity, nationality, inter-regional prejudice, gender and sexual orientation, homelessness, various medical disorders particularly behavioral disorders and addictive disorders and religion or spirituality."

So, bigots a lot of the Tory boys are, IMO.

[needsleep]

Why do you brand people who have a different political view from yourself as bigots? I really don't understand the bile that pours from the left in this country.

Edited May 28, 2011 by needsleep

[Mr Jib Fingers]

Because a lot of Tory boys are bigots. In fact many right wing traits are inherently bigoted. Wiki says this and I think it's fair:

"The predominant usage in modern English refers to persons hostile to those of differing race, ethnicity, nationality, inter-regional prejudice, gender and sexual orientation, homelessness, various medical disorders particularly behavioral disorders and addictive disorders and religion or spirituality."

So, bigots a lot of the Tory boys are, IMO.

But that's a result of years of branding anything bad as right-wing regardless of whether it is actually right-wing or whether it has anything to do with the Conservatives.

You're basically using a circular argument saying that they're bigots because they are.

[billybong]

Would we bat an eyelid if any other state spent a million quid on their seat of government? Should we be global paupers who run the country from a garden shed? Cameron paid for the kitchen refurbishments - will he reclaim the cost from whoever moves in next?

Almost certainly not as it's not UK taxpayers money - so why should we but the UK is supposed to be undergoing austerity because "the country has run out of money" and "things are going to be tough for everyone" and "we're all in it together" then after the election the apparent discovery that "things are even worse than we thought".

As for the kitchen and Cameron paying for it apparently the bulk of the work done was using the allowance that is apparently given to all new incumbents of the office and paid for electrical rewiring and plumbing work etc. Who knows, he'll likely be taking it with him when he leaves.

As for being paupers whenever he thinks it's opportune he as good as claims that for the UK. Was Downing Street a garden shed already?

That's not to say that the other main parties are any better because they're not but the current incumbent lot are catching onto spendthrift (of other peoples money) all too fast when and where it suits them.

Edited May 29, 2011 by billybong

[needsleep]

But that's a result of years of branding anything bad as right-wing regardless of whether it is actually right-wing or whether it has anything to do with the Conservatives.

You're basically using a circular argument saying that they're bigots because they are.

Not at all. I'm sure most conservatives and conservative supporters are rational, tolerant and very nice people.

[libspero]

But that's a result of years of branding anything bad as right-wing regardless of whether it is actually right-wing or whether it has anything to do with the Conservatives.

You're basically using a circular argument saying that they're bigots because they are.

I think some Labour proponents are just a bit frustrated that the Tories can seemingly do no wrong..

[it hasn't crossed their mind that people are not actually hugely pro Tory, more that they just detest Labour for what they did while in power]

[libspero]

Not at all. I'm sure most conservatives and conservative supporters are rational, tolerant and very nice people.

Then again, maybe there was a spark of genius there - the pain endured by Tory boy bigots as they got gazumped by hairdressers, binmen and hospital porters.

Have you been on the dizzy water tonight..?!

[Mr Jib Fingers]

Have you been on the dizzy water tonight..?!

I think he needs sleep.

I'm not even pro-Tory. I just get annoyed with people who tend to vote Labour ignoring the complete and utter mess that they cause every time they get near power as long as they keep the 'evil Tories' out.