You are here: Home > Message Board > News & Politics > Foreign Aid spending
March 29 2024 5.54am

Foreign Aid spending

Previous Topic | Next Topic


Page 2 of 3 < 1 2 3 >

 

Pussay Patrol Flag 17 Apr 16 4.34pm

How is HS2 a waste? Improving our rail network is a no brainer

 


Paua oouaarancì Irà chiyeah Ishé galé ma ba oo ah

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Quote this post in a reply
View becky's Profile becky Flag over the moon 17 Apr 16 6.06pm Send a Private Message to becky Holmesdale Online Elite Member Add becky as a friend

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?

 


A stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell give some indication of expected traffic numbers

Alert Alert a moderator to this post | Board Moderator Edit this post Quote this post in a reply
View davenotamonkey's Profile davenotamonkey Flag 17 Apr 16 6.36pm Send a Private Message to davenotamonkey Add davenotamonkey as a friend

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.

 

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Edit this post Quote this post in a reply
View leifandersonshair's Profile leifandersonshair Flag Newport 17 Apr 16 8.30pm Send a Private Message to leifandersonshair Add leifandersonshair as a friend

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).

 

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Edit this post Quote this post in a reply
View El_Macca's Profile El_Macca Flag Nottingham 17 Apr 16 8.50pm Send a Private Message to El_Macca Add El_Macca as a friend

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.
TOrn down so people can get to London less than 1/2 an hour quicker? What an absolute disgrace.
The financial sums mentioned in developing this vanity project are unreal.
I could partly understand if we were getting Japanese style bullet trains but we're not...

 

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Edit this post Quote this post in a reply
View El_Macca's Profile El_Macca Flag Nottingham 17 Apr 16 8.57pm Send a Private Message to El_Macca Add El_Macca as a friend

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.
I'm a believer in redistribution of wealth and helping foreigners, however when we have so many issues here we really should be looking after our own.

 

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Edit this post Quote this post in a reply
View JL85's Profile JL85 Flag London,SE9 18 Apr 16 12.40am Send a Private Message to JL85 Add JL85 as a friend

Originally posted by matt_himself

Grow up.

Queen-Elizabeth-II-008.jpg Attachment: Queen-Elizabeth-II-008.jpg (24.00Kb)

 

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Edit this post Quote this post in a reply
Pussay Patrol Flag 18 Apr 16 8.41am

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

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Quote this post in a reply
View Midlands Eagle's Profile Midlands Eagle Flag 18 Apr 16 9.10am Send a Private Message to Midlands Eagle Add Midlands Eagle as a friend

Originally posted by Pussay Patrol


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

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

 

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Edit this post Quote this post in a reply
View Willo's Profile Willo Flag South coast - west of Brighton. 18 Apr 16 9.16am Send a Private Message to Willo Add Willo as a friend

[Link]

 

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Edit this post Quote this post in a reply
jamiemartin721 Flag Reading 18 Apr 16 10.01am

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

 


"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Quote this post in a reply
jamiemartin721 Flag Reading 18 Apr 16 10.06am

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).

 


"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

Alert Alert a moderator to this post Quote this post in a reply

 

Page 2 of 3 < 1 2 3 >

Previous Topic | Next Topic

You are here: Home > Message Board > News & Politics > Foreign Aid spending