Is Daniel Hannan insane?

Green Politics

On his blog, Daniel Hannan preempted the pre-Budget report with a recipe for economic disaster. He urges the UK to adopt Ireland's catastrophic policy.

The gift that keeps on giving, is at it again. On his Telegraph blog, Daniel Hannan preempted the pre-Budget report with a recipe for economic disaster. Repeating his post in full he says:

“If you were overdrawn and in negative equity, with debts on a dozen credit cards and unpaid bills littering the table, what would you do? Would you try to spend less, or would you set out to spend more?

“Ireland is trying to spend less, with cuts across the board. Everyone will share the pain, from cabinet ministers to benefits claimants. The Taoiseach, who is expected to take a 20 per cent salary reduction, reckons that the new budget will reduce Ireland’s deficit by 4 billion euros.

“The United Kingdom, by contrast, wants to spend more. Alistair Darling will continue to expand the budget, and will raise taxes accordingly.

“I have been disobliging about Biffo Cowen in the past, but the fellow is at least trying to do the right thing, acting in the national interest, even if that means dropping in the polls. Labour, by contrast, would rather bankrupt Britain than alienate its remaining supporters in the public sector. Who are the patriots here? Who the rogues?”

The facts:

– Irish unemployment is 12.5 per cent
– the country is experiencing deflation at -6.6 per cent deflation
– GDP has fallen 7.4 per cent over the past year (and GNP by 11.6 per cent).
– And despite the cuts they have still had their credit rating downgraded.

Don’t forget the Chancellor’s line that, “The choices are between going for growth or putting the recovery at risk.” Well said, Darling.

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27 Responses to “Is Daniel Hannan insane?”

  1. Anon E Mouse

    George – Clearly WE can’t afford a stimulus – just heard Declan Curry on Five Live and say that Darling “could” (if they pay) raise £0.5 billion from taxing the bankers more…

    …at the same time he said the increase in National Insurance on the poor WILL raise £3 billion…

    …once again Labour punishes the poor for good behavior and good work and rewards the rich for bad behavior. Nothing changes. As usual Liam Byrne popped up to tell us not to worry it wasn’t until 2011 – Wow thanks Liam.

    I’m trying to avoid the TV at the moment in case Yvette Cooper is being interviewed and starts droning on and on whilst opening here eyes wide and nodding furiously attempting to look earnest.

    Just the thought is enough to give a sane person nightmares.

  2. george

    what do you think Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper actually talk about at home?

    “Ed, can you fix the roof, the sun’s shining?”

    “Fuck it. Doesn’t look like rain”

  3. Tom

    That whole “didn’t fix the roof while the sun was shining” meme is such bollocks. Labour not only *reduced* debt as a proportion of GDP – such that by 2007 it was one of the lowest in the G7, second only to Canada – but they spent billions building real roofs on schools and hospitals and fixing up the public services that had gone to pieces in the preceding 18 years. The only accurate thing about that dumb soundbite is the admission that the Tories left us with a country in a mess, and one that needed fixing.

  4. Paul Evans

    Have a look? Is Daniel Hannan insane? http://url4.eu/u8bz

  5. Anon E Mouse

    Tom – All that’s in the past. It doesn’t matter what you say it’s over. Billions spent? Have you forgotten PFI?

    I love the way New Labour rewrite history.

    Every Labour government, without exception leaves this country in financial ruin. Every Labour government, without exception blames someone else for that financial ruin.

    Pound in your pocket Tom? We deserve the thrashing the electorate will (rightly) deliver at the election next year. It’s over and we blew it.

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