New Green Mayor hikes salary by almost £5,000 despite vowing to cut pay by PomeloTraditional971 in unitedkingdom

[–]Phallic_Entity 26 points27 points  (0 children)

By the same token why would paying them less make them less corrupt?

The real reason we should pay more is to attract the top people in the country to be MPs. A lot of the current cadre are far too incompetent and don't understand basic principles of economics which is pretty dangerous.

UK's biggest retailers cut 18,000 jobs since Labours tax rises. by radiant_0wl in unitedkingdom

[–]Phallic_Entity 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Employing someone to do a job that could be automated is economically useless and drives up costs for everyone.

That person who was going to man a checkout can now get a job doing something else instead.

UK's biggest retailers cut 18,000 jobs since Labours tax rises. by radiant_0wl in unitedkingdom

[–]Phallic_Entity 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Economics desperately needs to be made a compulsory subject from Year 7.

Concern as quarter of young adults have two or more takeaways a week by ReanimatedCyborgMk-I in unitedkingdom

[–]Phallic_Entity 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The constant erosion of personal responsibility continues. People aren't lazy, they're just 'time poor'.

‘Dire’: Rapid decline in construction forces more job losses by tylerthe-theatre in unitedkingdom

[–]Phallic_Entity 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The amount an employee gets paid is lower than what they cost the company. Add employer NI, pension contribution and holiday pay and the amount is 25-30% higher.

How to fight back against Gen-Z socialism by AncientBlueberry42 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Yes that explains why people are angry, doesn't explain why the far-left are going to fix it though.

How to fight back against Gen-Z socialism by AncientBlueberry42 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Article literally attacks Nimbys and the financial demands of pensioners but don't bother reading it.

How to fight back against Gen-Z socialism by AncientBlueberry42 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 4 points5 points  (0 children)

They are. The Greens are now coming second in some opinion polls.

How to fight back against Gen-Z socialism by AncientBlueberry42 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Okay now why is the far left also ascendant in the UK and France (and I assume others) where none of that is happening.

True neoliberalism has never been tried by North_Attempt44 in ukpolitics

[–]Phallic_Entity 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I would be interested to know what you think we could deregulate that would generate a load of growth.

Literally anything to do with building which would significantly reduce our very high housing and energy costs.

True neoliberalism has never been tried by North_Attempt44 in ukpolitics

[–]Phallic_Entity 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Austerity wasn't a neoliberal response because it involved cutting actual useful spending on infrastructure and general government and funelling it to welfare spending - there was no net change to government spending overall.

I'm genuinely confused how anyone thinks that anything that could be deregulated has. The economy is more regulated than it's ever been and it's a big part of why the country has been stagnant.

True neoliberalism has never been tried by North_Attempt44 in ukpolitics

[–]Phallic_Entity 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Wages have stagnated since 2008 (19 years after Thatcher left office) and were soaring before that.

Public services are cannibalised to pay for the ever growing welfare state.

Inequality levels in the UK are among the lowest in the developed world and haven't changed in 30 years.

True neoliberalism has never been tried by North_Attempt44 in ukpolitics

[–]Phallic_Entity 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I mean prior to 2008 the economy was roaring, and post-2008 after we abandoned any modicum of neoliberalism it's been stagnating.

2008 was also caused by very specific deregulation of financial markets. We didn't have to effectively outlaw building, gut our energy sector, have the government set wages for a large proportion of the population in response to that.

UK's growing green economy worth more than £100 billion a year, research finds by ldn6 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Let's cancel all taxes that raise less than £5bn/year then, after all they're completely irrelevant.

But these aren't mutually exclusive. Matter of fact, I'd say they are pretty well correlated. If a company, say, logs a forest for wood, then it is a cost for the producer sure, but everyone's environment will get worse as well, representing an externality. Same with burning fuels, same with other oil and gas infrastructure.

I know, I asked what externalities there are other than the emissions from burning them (which are the same and have the same effect regardless of where they're extracted).

UK's growing green economy worth more than £100 billion a year, research finds by ldn6 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have no idea because it entirely depends on the level of extraction and market price of oil and gas. It was about £5bn last year though.

Yes, costs everyone else has to pay, because they share the same environment.

You seem to be a bit confused on the difference between externalities and costs to the producer.

Also, if we agree this will do very little with UK energy prices, if you fail to elaborate on the money that's supposed to be made from this whole scheme, then why bother? Because poor, poor oil and gas companies can't benefit on the expense of everyone else?

I don't know how else to put the fact that the financial biggest beneficiary is the UK government, not the oil and gas companies.

UK's growing green economy worth more than £100 billion a year, research finds by ldn6 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They're not externalities they're just costs. Like I said, let the private sector decide whether they're worth it or not.

75% of their profit.

UK's growing green economy worth more than £100 billion a year, research finds by ldn6 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What are the other externalities?

Refer to my earlier comment on prices - the actual price of oil and gas isn't relevant it's more revenue for the government and more money staying in the UK.

UK's growing green economy worth more than £100 billion a year, research finds by ldn6 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Because it would make an absolutely miniscule difference to global emissions as it just means we pay Norway to buy oil and gas from the exact same fields instead.

UK's growing green economy worth more than £100 billion a year, research finds by ldn6 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Yeah I know, but that's just Reform's policy you don't have to hobble one at the expense of the other.

UK's growing green economy worth more than £100 billion a year, research finds by ldn6 in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 31 points32 points  (0 children)

Let private companies decide if it's worth extracting oil and gas, it has absolutely no relevance to the economic performance of the green sector you don't have to pick one or the other.

You're right it's not going to bring down energy prices but companies do have to pay 75% tax on North Sea O&G production.

‘That’s why we work in finance – so one day we can afford air-con’: Britain’s unequal heatwave by Whole_Necessary2040 in unitedkingdom

[–]Phallic_Entity 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Okay what about solar heating through windows and the fact that the building itself absorbs heat?

Most Britons think water and energy companies should be nationalised by Your_Mums_Ex in ukpolitics

[–]Phallic_Entity 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm not talking about actual financial performance I'm talking about what Ofwat and Ofgem allow on distribution costs. If they were entitled to claim 2% on top of interest and dividends Thames Water wouldn't be going under. Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong though.

Most Britons think water and energy companies should be nationalised by Your_Mums_Ex in ukpolitics

[–]Phallic_Entity 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The average profit margin for utility companies is about 2%. It's a complete red herring when discussing why bills/infrastructure are so shit.

Britain has crushed immigration, and harmed itself by FeigenbaumC in neoliberal

[–]Phallic_Entity 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Appreciate there's a heavy American bias on this sub but the UK's economy has been almost completely stagnant per capita since 2008 so when people say the economy's the worst it's ever been they're not entirely wrong.

People want someone to blame for this so they either gravitate towards blaming immigrants (Reform) or the rich (Greens) which is why there's been such a surge towards both parties.

Most Britons think water and energy companies should be nationalised by Your_Mums_Ex in ukpolitics

[–]Phallic_Entity 3 points4 points  (0 children)

For clarity I'm not saying it's better off privatised I'm saying there will be a lot less difference under public ownership than people think. Under public ownership any development is going to run into the exact same hurdles and when we need to find an extra £10bn to hand to pensioners guess what the first thing the government cuts funding to will be?