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Foreign Aid spending
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Pussay Patrol  17 Apr 16 4.34pm |
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How is HS2 a waste? Improving our rail network is a no brainer
Paua oouaarancì Irà chiyeah Ishé galé ma ba oo ah |
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 becky  over the moon 17 Apr 16 6.06pm |
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Originally posted by Pussay Patrol
How is HS2 a waste? Improving our rail network is a no brainer So spending millions and millions, cutting across and destroying swathes of beautiful countryside, knocking down people's beloved homes and ruining several SSSI's to shave just 20 minutes off the journey north is an improvement?
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 davenotamonkey 17 Apr 16 6.36pm |
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Originally posted by becky
So spending millions and millions, cutting across and destroying swathes of beautiful countryside, knocking down people's beloved homes and ruining several SSSI's to shave just 20 minutes off the journey north is an improvement? HS2 is an EU-enforced project. It is part of the "Trans-European Transport Network" (TEN-T) as defined back in 1996 (Decision 1692/96/EC) laid down as an EU Council Directive (96/48/EC). All this rubbish about Osborne "announcing" these projects is utter rubbish - we are forced to implement it. Whilst other countries are plied with our UK taxpayer money, all we get in order to complete this £55bn+ EU-mandated project is £30m. This is why we're "stronger in Europe" (sic; EU not Europe) apparently. We can't stop it, as (once again) we're subservient to EU law on the matter. If you want to stop HS2, then you must vote to Brexit.
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leifandersonshair  Newport 17 Apr 16 8.30pm |
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Originally posted by Pussay Patrol
How is HS2 a waste? Improving our rail network is a no brainer But I'd rather those billions were invested in the wider national network, rather than in merely shaving 30 minutes off the travel time to London. I suspect there are hundreds of local lines that need upgrading far more urgently. And by waste, I mean the typical ballooning of costs governments seem to always manage- by over a third, in this case, to over £40 billion. I'd rather see that £40 odd billion spread around a bit more- local rail services, social services, the NHS, whatever. Anything but a white elephant vanity project (which, we are assured, will 'boost the economy' although no one seems quite sure how).
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| El_Macca Nottingham 17 Apr 16 8.50pm |
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I really don't understand the need for HS2, CPO's in Nottingham where I live have seen people forced out of their homes some of which had been through 2/3 generations of families.
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| El_Macca Nottingham 17 Apr 16 8.57pm |
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While I'm at it, i'D also cut foreign spending, I work in social housing and see first hand our own people living in poverty and off food banks, food that's paid for by now struggling housing authorities who have no money to maintain their stock letting the countries social housing fall into disrepair, while we hand 13 billion a year to other countries! I just can't fathom it.
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| JL85 London,SE9 18 Apr 16 12.40am |
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Originally posted by matt_himself
Grow up.
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Attachment: | Pussay Patrol 18 Apr 16 8.41am |
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Originally posted by leifandersonshair
But I'd rather those billions were invested in the wider national network, rather than in merely shaving 30 minutes off the travel time to London. I suspect there are hundreds of local lines that need upgrading far more urgently. And by waste, I mean the typical ballooning of costs governments seem to always manage- by over a third, in this case, to over £40 billion. I'd rather see that £40 odd billion spread around a bit more- local rail services, social services, the NHS, whatever. Anything but a white elephant vanity project (which, we are assured, will 'boost the economy' although no one seems quite sure how). But if they did that your money would be poured into a black hole, throwing good money after bad. At least you will get something tangible with HS2
Paua oouaarancì Irà chiyeah Ishé galé ma ba oo ah |
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| Midlands Eagle 18 Apr 16 9.10am |
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Originally posted by Pussay Patrol
Who is "you" as I certainly won't get anything tangible apart from a few years of upheaval whilst they build it followed by extra noise from a railway line that runs 200 metres from my home
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| Willo South coast - west of Brighton. 18 Apr 16 9.16am |
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| jamiemartin721 Reading 18 Apr 16 10.01am |
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Originally posted by Pussay Patrol
Sorry, you gotta grease those palms and keep certain people sweet, us more than anyone Is the correct answer. Whilst some foreign aid is arguably humanitarian, most aid given by the UK government is effectively targeted towards UK interests - notably companies based in the UK. When I worked for Thames Water UK, every single one of our foreign engineering projects involved UK foreign aid covering a percentage. Typically, the UK would provide aid and loans that covered some or all of the initial construction of water projects, and the foreign nation would be locked into maintenance and support contracts for 10-15 years. Same works with military aid, the UK will lend money to nations as well as give some to build an runway. Then BAE and UK based companies will get all manner of contracts to cover the planes, electronics, communications etc which will massively exceed the initial sum over the 10-15 years lifespan. Odd as it seems, its actually a loss leader to buy an airforce the planes, if you get the contracts for the supply, support, maintenance, training, weapons and systems necessary to keep that plane flying (every hour a jet fighter spends flying is more than 50 hours of work to keep it flying). If you spend that money in the UK, then it will not generate income for the UK finance, engineering and technology sectors
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| jamiemartin721 Reading 18 Apr 16 10.06am |
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Originally posted by Midlands Eagle
Who is "you" as I certainly won't get anything tangible apart from a few years of upheaval whilst they build it followed by extra noise from a railway line that runs 200 metres from my home We get a lot of international work and consultancy from foreign aid, which accumulates into jobs in the UK, wages and tax revenue - More cynically it also makes countries dependent upon 'us' rather than developing technologies themselves (we will build a water purification plant, but it will be built and dependent on a UK based company, parts and expertise). The misconception is to think we just 'give it away'. That is not how capitalism works. We buy favour and preference. Ever wonder why so many UK citizens work in Saudi Arabia in areas which you'd assume the Kingdom of Saud could be self dependent. The same will occur with Trident, the US will likely provide some foreign aid towards the missile system (either to the supplier or the UK).
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