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At a time when it is very apparent that the whole neoliberal economic approach, with its focus upon small government and austerity, has totally failed this country this austerity agenda is exactly what Labour is offering as an alternative to the Tory government that has delivered this programme for the last thirteen years.
Austerity has been tried so hard that we’re not even back to the levels of Gordon Brown’s drunken sailor spending.
You are not alone, Tim.
Alas.
Will be interesting to see his definition for austerity in the Humpty Dumpty Glossary.
Actually, hold that, it won’t be. But it will be risible.
BF
I’m almost tempted to buy him a coffee in order to see what the next ‘glossary’ entry is. I am looking forward to possibly getting a copy of it for Christmas if its in printed form….
Does Spud want us to buy him a coffee because he’s been banned from every Costa in Ely….?
“Political Economy” does not seek to engage with outmoded neo-classical, neo-liberal, neo-from-the-Matrix economic constructs such as observable facts. They do not fit the desired narrative and, candidly, may be safely discarded.
This is my final engagement with reality.
Following 1984s suggestions, Murphy has created SpudSpeak.
“Don’t you see that the whole aim of SpudSpeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.”
And Spud will reduce the chocolate ration to 4 squares a week and we will rejoice in the increase of the chocolate ration to 4 squares a week.
From Sauchiehall to silv’ry Tay
True Scotchmen cry “Alack, alay”
No more the independent race
No more great chieftain wi’ the pudden’ face.
As groaning trenchers turn to chopping blocks,
Is Murphy next to get the chop?
Riffing of Philip’s worthy poem, chatGPT came up with the followint
Oh hear the news that shakes the land,
Nicola Sturgeon’s resigned her stand!
Scotland’s leader, bold and fair,
Has left her post, to no one’s dare.
No more shall we hear her cry,
For Scottish freedom, she’d always try.
Her voice, her passion, now we’ll miss,
As we ponder, what next is.
Oh, why did she have to go?
We loved her so, it’s sad to know.
But we must soldier on, it’s true,
And find a leader, who’ll pull us through.
So let us raise our voices high,
And thank Sturgeon, with a sigh.
For all she’s done, and all she’s said,
We’ll never forget, as she moves ahead.
Thanks, gunker
I’m encouraged to think even my doggerel is better than chatGPT’s pisspoor effort. Can you get it to try again? Can robots be made to make jokes?
A pet peeve of mine is the way the Y axis is shown on charts like the above. It changes your perception of the data because it’s not using the correct scale.
@Philip, this was the response after asking to make it more McGonagall
Oh, tremble all, and hear me well,
For a news has come, that I must tell!
Nicola Sturgeon, our Scottish head,
Has resigned, and left her stead.
No more shall we hear her cry,
For Scottish freedom, she’d always try.
Her voice, her passion, now we’ll miss,
As we ponder, what next is.
Oh, woe is us, and woe is Scotland,
For Sturgeon’s departure, we must understand.
A leader bold, and true in heart,
Her leaving, has ripped us apart.
But we must move on, we cannot stall,
And find a leader, to answer the call.
So let us raise our voices high,
And thank Sturgeon, as she says goodbye.
Oh, mighty Sturgeon, we bid you adieu,
Your legacy, will live on anew.
We’ll remember your words, your deeds,
As we move forward, to meet new needs.
@TBH, the great John Brignell coined a word for this: https://www.numberwatch.co.uk/chartmanship.htm
Dear Mr Worstall
Government austerity leaves more money in the taxpayers’ pockets. When government is not austere it inflicts austerity upon us.
Anyone gathering their news from the media might be led to think that government austerity is the bad thing, while extorting money from the taxpayers and wasting it on schemes dreamt up by the idiocracy and their best mates is just great.
I guess government wouldn’t want it any other way.
The “managed” in “Total managed expenditure …” suggests that someone in His Majesty’s Treasury has a sense of humour.
DP