At some point during the past three years we've all heard the cliche that there's "no money left". Obviously there is - there's never no money left or else the country would grind to a complete halt - but the phrase has become accepted wisdom due in large part to the success of the government in popularising the idea.
At some point during the past three years we’ve all heard the cliche that there’s “no money left”. Obviously there is – there’s never no money left or else the country would grind to a complete halt – but the phrase has become accepted wisdom due in large part to the success of the government in popularising the idea.
Much like those “libertarians” who find themselves calling for censorship when there is a chance the BBC may play a song which might offend their sensibilities, the government’s austerity hawks are able to conjure up reams of cash when they happen to approve of where the money is being spent.
Margaret Thatcher’s funeral tomorrow is expected to cost around £10 million pounds.
Whether one agrees with that or not, it would indicate that there is (at least some) money left. Here are a few other things that £10 million might buy:
- 177,777 jobseekers’ allowance claims of £56.25 for one week
- Two years of foreign aid to Iraq
- 152 MPs’ salaries
- The upkeep and maintenance of England’s cathedrals for one year
- 1,999 students’ annual tuition fees
- 25,773 household electricity and water bills for one year
- Double the UK’s funding for global human rights projects on sexual violence against women and girls
- Pay for the monarchy for three months
- Double the funding designed to boost innovation in offshore wind turbines.
- 269 paramedics
- 322 nurses for one year on £31,095 each
- Buy two tonnes of European white truffles (£2,300 a pound)
- A mortgage on Dracula’s Castle in Romania (full value £86 million).
Source: Andrew Spooner: http://momentofcrisis.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/thatchers-funeral-in-numbers.html
It’s interesting to note that the Taxpayers’ Alliance have been relatively silent about the cost of Lady Thatcher’s funeral on the public purse. I say relatively silent because Matthew Sinclair, the chief executive of the group, will be giving a speech.
29 Responses to “Things you could do with £10 million”
jenb
the magic money tree?
jenb
Churchill was a mass murdering, racist, warmonger – more in the mould of Tony Blair than the great Thatch’
jenb
Philpott was a creation of the Labour government’s vote buying from the non-working class. Maybe Labour voters should foot the bill. Or we could just dock it off their benefits at source
Cole
Sounds like you don’t know much about history. Ever heard about 1940 and Hitler about to invade?
Cole
How do you know ‘most’ of the cost was for the policing? Another thing you’ve made up?