Audit Commission

[gynn]

The Coalition Government is to abolish the Audit Commission, the watchdog for waste and inefficiency in government.

It raises the question as to who advised them to do this, as surely the best placed organisation to do so would be.....the Audit Commission themselves.

But turkeys rarely vote for Christmas. do they!

 

[Barrie Yates]

Were they operative during the Blair/Brown administaration? Did they acheive anything during that period when no doubt they were receiving substantial salaries/expenses

 

[Mancie]

The Audit Commission has not been abolished.. the name may change but the commission is to be replaced with a new private company which will be subsidised by the government for the next 4 years.
And so bye bye the Audit Commission..but a good day to cover the bad news that the defence budget will be cut by a massive 30%..now am I the only one that thinks if the last Government had even hinted at defence cuts there would be hell to pay in the press, and on this forum?...those that like to make excuses for this government can maybe explian why there should be cuts in defence.. will your argument be that Labour spent to much on defence?..prey tell.

 

[jaysay]

The Audit Commission has not been abolished.. the name may change but the commission is to be replaced with a new private company which will be subsidised by the government for the next 4 years.
And so bye bye the Audit Commission..but a good day to cover the bad news that the defence budget will be cut by a massive 30%..now am I the only one that thinks if the last Government had even hinted at defence cuts there would be hell to pay in the press, and on this forum?...those that like to make excuses for this government can maybe explain why there should be cuts in defence.. will your argument be that Labour spent to much on defence?..prey tell.

There's a big difference in spending money and spending it wisely, Labour have never been backward when it comes to spending money they haven't got, take the private initiative funding for hospitals, the expense has now spiraled out of all proportions an overspend of around £65 billion and still rising. The country has, after 13 years of profligate spend by Labour, to start spending money wisely not throwing it about like confetti, unfortunately it appears that Mancie is the only one not to realise that, maybe when he sobers up the truth might just come and bite him on the bum

 

[Margaret Pilkington]

John I think it will be a cold day in hell when that event happens.

 

[jaysay]

John I think it will be a cold day in hell when that event happens.

Cold Margaret, it'll have frozen over

 

[Mancie]

unfortunately it appears that Mancie is the only one not to realise that, maybe when he sobers up the truth might just come and bite him on the bum

Same old rubbish and really quite sad...to make cuts of 30% on defence could well mean more than just a "bite on the bum" in the future for this country.

 

[Wynonie Harris]

Would agree with Mancie. The present government sre contemplating a 20% cut in army helicopters. Now, it doesn't seem five minutes ago since the Tories in opposition were complaining about our troops not having enough helicopters. What makes it even more scandalous is that Cameron has ring-fenced the overseas aid budget, so countries like India and Pakistan which can afford to blow money on nuclear weapons are receiving cash hand outs from us. Go figure.

 

[BERNADETTE]

Why oh why do we as a nation need to dole out money that we can ill afford??? Sorry but it is just so ridiculous to send x-amount of aid when we are struggling to keep afloat. Means nought who is in power, this country can't afford to lend/bail out anybody else!!!

 

[jaysay]

Same old rubbish and really quite sad...to make cuts of 30% on defence could well mean more than just a "bite on the bum" in the future for this country.

Well a 30% cut in Defence spending would have been banner headlines on every newspaper Tabloid or Broad Sheet and would have been lead story on news channels on the BBC ITV Sky CNN etc. yet I watched the BBC news yesterday morning from 6am to 9am and not one word, I know people who like an odd tipple or two sometimes see pink elephants crawling up the bed, seems your pink elephants are Tory Cuts Mancie

 

[Mancie]

Well a 30% cut in Defence spending would have been banner headlines on every newspaper Tabloid or Broad Sheet and would have been lead story on news channels on the BBC ITV Sky CNN etc. yet I watched the BBC news yesterday morning from 6am to 9am and not one word,

Well seems I got the figures wrong....it's a 20% cut.. it's not so long ago the Tories were complaining about lack of resources for our troops... the lying scumbags!

BBC News - Liam Fox unveils plans for 'leaner' Ministry of Defence

 

[Margaret Pilkington]

BBC News - Liam Fox unveils plans for 'leaner' Ministry of Defence

Jaysay I found this news item published just a couple of days ago.

I am amazed to learn that there are just 100,000 in the serving forces, but 85,000 civil servants.

When people mention slashing the defence budget, I think it needs to be looked at closely and with an analytical eye to determine where the cuts are going to be.

I do not know enough about the nuts and bolts of this item to feel confident to comment.......other than perhaps ask, why would a party in power put the nation at risk?

 

[Margaret Pilkington]

Mancie, it appears that you have also looked at the same article, does it not say in the opening paragraph that they are looking to make the services 'Leaner' but they are looking to achieve this by reducing the number of civil servants and high ranking officers?

 

[Margaret Pilkington]

I have looked at this article again, and can see nothing which details any loss of resources to the fighting troops.
When in power, the Labour government did not have a very good track record on providing our troops with adequate resources, resources which were safe and suitable for the job in hand.
And while you put the cuts at 20%, the article actually states that the cuts to the budget are to be between 10 and 20%.

Now I am not saying that I agree with any of this...but it does nothing for your argument to sensationalise the headlines by exaggeration.

 

[accysimon]

I really wonder just how the Coalition government have really had time to assess the finances before announcing all these cuts. I just think it is a perfect excuse for them to force their ideology of private business and finance, with little or no state support, on the British people.

 

[Mancie]

Mancie, it appears that you have also looked at the same article, does it not say in the opening paragraph that they are looking to make the services 'Leaner' but they are looking to achieve this by reducing the number of civil servants and high ranking officers?

Yes I saw this on Friday...I can't understand why was not splashed all over the Tory press .
This smacks of the same old rubbish about creating a "leaner" but better service.

 

[Margaret Pilkington]

Mancie, we have been over this so many times.......we cannot have what cannot be paid for.

I suppose if the government slapped a 'War Tax' on everything to fund the services you would be bleating about that too.

If you want something...then it has to be paid for....end of.

 

[Mancie]

Mancie, we have been over this so many times.......we cannot have what cannot be paid for.

I suppose if the government slapped a 'War Tax' on everything to fund the services you would be bleating about that too.

If you want something...then it has to be paid for....end of.

I take it you "approve" of these cuts Margaret?... I'm not totally stupid.. I know we can't have everything, but if we make massive cuts in our defence.. we could end up with nothing.. not now but in say 20yrs... i think this is a bad policy for the future.. very bad.

 

[Margaret Pilkington]

You obviously have not read my post number 14.
And nowhere did I call you 'stupid'......you will find that through all my posts I try not to insult people.

The theatre of war has changed dramatically over the decades.......there are far more people not dressed in uniforms trying to kill and maim us.

I do not know what the answer is, or the way forward.....I am also pretty sure that the people who are announcing the cuts in spending will take advice from people who are not politically linked to their organisation....people who have the knowledge to make the savings in a sensible and just way.

Perhaps if the previous incumbents had not been so flash with the cash then we would not be having this conversation....but I don't reckon you will wear that one.

 

[Mancie]

You obviously have not read my post number 14.
And nowhere did I call you 'stupid'......you will find that through all my posts I try not to insult people.

The theatre of war has changed dramatically over the decades.......there are far more people not dressed in uniforms trying to kill and maim us.

I do not know what the answer is, or the way forward.....I am also pretty sure that the people who are announcing the cuts in spending will take advice from people who are not politically linked to their organisation....people who have the knowledge to make the savings in a sensible and just way.

Perhaps if the previous incumbents had not been so flash with the cash then we would not be having this conversation....but I don't reckon you will wear that one.

you have not insulted me..that's my department.. it's more like the constant excuses made for this government, along with the lectures on how we must destroy any future for this country because of big bad Gordon Brown.
You are pretty sure that these cuts are made with "sound advice" from experts?... who are these people?.. certainly not the people that actually defend this country.. I've yet to hear of any General or forces Commander recommending cuts!