The Theresa May General Election thread (edited)

Fretwired

capo4th said:

Not really sure we should be following the German model have you been to Germany recently?

I think you also need to review the levels of investment in U.K. infrastructure in the last 10 years. Not sure where you live but London has one of the best public transport systems in the world. I used the east coast mainline a few weeks ago to Edinburgh very efficient. Most big cities in the U.K. have excellent transport systems.

Thousands of students go through university every year I deal with many of them on a daily basis they tend to want everything on a plate presented to them. 

The City is backing new start ups every day I have backed a few myself. 

The Tory benefit cuts have forced people back into the culture of work and not to be so reliant on the state. Correct me if I am wrong but that's how things should be ? 

Why are people in debt? Because they want everything now ! Right now iPhone7 Sky tv, Nike air max, designer clothes, Fender stratocaster, new cars and their children in the latest adidas track suits but they struggle to go to the supermarket and buy food are just a few examples.  

Everything on credit what happened to saving up and working hard for something? Sense of entitlement people want everything now or they want it for free.

  I agree we need to get corporation tax right. Maybe stop doing deals and just collect the correct amount would be a start.

You did not mention the amount of people that would relocate under a 45-55% Labour income tax regime?

The education system in the UK needs huge work and has done for the last twenty years hence my decision to use the private system. Class sizes too large too many different language barriers poor facilities and poor teachers. Kids are bored at many state schools in my experience of talking to parents and children at state schools because they are not being challenged. They are forced into the middle ground where it is easy to teach a large class and archive an average result.

I don't know where to start with you but I'll start here.:

The education system in the UK needs huge work and has done for the last twenty years hence my decision to use the private system.

What about those who can't afford to go private? You don't care which is your loss as UK productivity is low meaning we're all poorer. You are just selfish and arrogant.

The City is backing new start ups every day I have backed a few myself.

Bollocks. I worked in tech for years and was a director of a company that was forced to float on NASDAQ as the City weren't interested - our company was eventually bought by NCR. Most tech start-ups are funded from aboard; for example, Cera, a startup which matches carers to patients, raised £1.4 million in seed funding from French billionaire Xavier Neil. The City wasn't interested.  It's doing well and expanding overseas.

Everything on credit what happened to saving up and working hard for something? Sense of entitlement people want everything now or they want it for free.

Stagnant wages mean people have been forced into debt - yes there will be people who have overreached themselves but the economy is screwed. Austerity doesn't work.

Thousands of students go through university every year I deal with many of them on a daily basis they tend to want everything on a plate presented to them.

Evidence please. You never backup any of your statements.

You did not mention the amount of people that would relocate under a 45-55% Labour income tax regime?

Enlighten me. I don't think many people would move - where would they go and how much would it cost?

The Tory benefit cuts have forced people back into the culture of work and not to be so reliant on the state. Correct me if I am wrong but that's how things should be ?

Or poverty and debt.


Do you actually care about ordinary people and a fair decent society? I assume you were born in an NHS hospital - you can thank Labour for that ...

rocktron

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Clarky

can I open it again?

capo4th

rocktron said:

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Probably a good idea Labour lost the election by a huge margin some people need to get over it and move on.

capo4th

Fretwired said:

capo4th said:

Not really sure we should be following the German model have you been to Germany recently?

I think you also need to review the levels of investment in U.K. infrastructure in the last 10 years. Not sure where you live but London has one of the best public transport systems in the world. I used the east coast mainline a few weeks ago to Edinburgh very efficient. Most big cities in the U.K. have excellent transport systems.

Thousands of students go through university every year I deal with many of them on a daily basis they tend to want everything on a plate presented to them. 

The City is backing new start ups every day I have backed a few myself. 

The Tory benefit cuts have forced people back into the culture of work and not to be so reliant on the state. Correct me if I am wrong but that's how things should be ? 

Why are people in debt? Because they want everything now ! Right now iPhone7 Sky tv, Nike air max, designer clothes, Fender stratocaster, new cars and their children in the latest adidas track suits but they struggle to go to the supermarket and buy food are just a few examples.  

Everything on credit what happened to saving up and working hard for something? Sense of entitlement people want everything now or they want it for free.

  I agree we need to get corporation tax right. Maybe stop doing deals and just collect the correct amount would be a start.

You did not mention the amount of people that would relocate under a 45-55% Labour income tax regime?

The education system in the UK needs huge work and has done for the last twenty years hence my decision to use the private system. Class sizes too large too many different language barriers poor facilities and poor teachers. Kids are bored at many state schools in my experience of talking to parents and children at state schools because they are not being challenged. They are forced into the middle ground where it is easy to teach a large class and archive an average result.

I don't know where to start with you but I'll start here.:

The education system in the UK needs huge work and has done for the last twenty years hence my decision to use the private system.

What about those who can't afford to go private? You don't care which is your loss as UK productivity is low meaning we're all poorer. You are just selfish and arrogant.

The City is backing new start ups every day I have backed a few myself.

Bollocks. I worked in tech for years and was a director of a company that was forced to float on NASDAQ as the City weren't interested - our company was eventually bought by NCR. Most tech start-ups are funded from aboard; for example, Cera, a startup which matches carers to patients, raised £1.4 million in seed funding from French billionaire Xavier Neil. The City wasn't interested.  It's doing well and expanding overseas.

Everything on credit what happened to saving up and working hard for something? Sense of entitlement people want everything now or they want it for free.

Stagnant wages mean people have been forced into debt - yes there will be people who have overreached themselves but the economy is screwed. Austerity doesn't work.

Thousands of students go through university every year I deal with many of them on a daily basis they tend to want everything on a plate presented to them.

Evidence please. You never backup any of your statements.

You did not mention the amount of people that would relocate under a 45-55% Labour income tax regime?

Enlighten me. I don't think many people would move - where would they go and how much would it cost?

The Tory benefit cuts have forced people back into the culture of work and not to be so reliant on the state. Correct me if I am wrong but that's how things should be ?

Or poverty and debt.


Do you actually care about ordinary people and a fair decent society? I assume you were born in an NHS hospital - you can thank Labour for that ...

Are we not allowed to comment based on life experience ? 

I work with lots lots and lots of graduates and also work with a prominent University. I interact with a lot of students and recent graduates.

My wife works for a very successful tech company. I have invested personal funds into tech companies.

Life is about choices.

i do care about society and give lots back to my local community. 

I am am entitled to an opinion. 

You Sir are talking bollocks.

Heartfeltdawn

ToneControl said:

how do the foreign students help the ranking?
surely they come because of the ranking?
In my experience (on average) they get theses approved at a lower quality level than a UK student would need to achieve

anyway:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/11811928/University-was-never-meant-to-be-for-everybody.-Young-people-have-been-sold-a-lie.html
 

Look at how the grading system works. 

https://www.topuniversities.com/qs-world-university-rankings/methodology

International faculty ratio and international student ratio. 

10% in total. Brit universities have the prestige. 3 years in Canada taught me how the rest of the world values the old shit we have in this country, from university to architecture to political theatre as we have had today with the Queen's Speech. 

Heartfeltdawn

Bridgehouse said:

I'm not sure the Lib Dems give a fuck any more. They are drifting around desperately looking for something that can legitimise them. Having the opportunity to shout about influencing the Brexit process positively is worth more than five years of irrelevant moaning and grumbling. 

And I usually vote Lib Dem.. even I'm not sure I give a shit anymore..

Point taken about 3 line whip, but at the end of the day many Tory backbenchers value their jobs more than their morals, or the good of the country, or the economy, or their mothers it would seem

If there is doschord between LD hierarchy and LD membership, then there is a world of pain. 

Never discount the feeling of Tory backbenchers. The awkward squad are mobilised and have scalps to their name already.

And now I really need to sleep.  

ToneControl

Heartfeltdawn said:

ToneControl said:

how do the foreign students help the ranking?
surely they come because of the ranking?
In my experience (on average) they get theses approved at a lower quality level than a UK student would need to achieve

anyway:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/11811928/University-was-never-meant-to-be-for-everybody.-Young-people-have-been-sold-a-lie.html
 

Look at how the grading system works. 

https://www.topuniversities.com/qs-world-university-rankings/methodology

International faculty ratio and international student ratio. 

10% in total. Brit universities have the prestige. 3 years in Canada taught me how the rest of the world values the old shit we have in this country, from university to architecture to political theatre as we have had today with the Queen's Speech. 

thanks for that
it's only 5% for the students though, 
and only 2.5%  in the THE ranking:
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/methodology-world-university-rankings-2016-2017


anyway, my main issue is the lack of useful education given to people with an intelligence level between 100 IQ and 119
the standard UK degree approach is a waste of their time and money.
I recently helped a Professor mate of mine with a paper on this. Basically trying to teach people the theory needed for an engineering degree when they aren't bright enough does not work, they just end up as graduates of a (subsequently discredited) university, and can't get a job as an engineer. In countries where they have pushed massive numbers of not-bright-enough people through engineering faculties, there is now massive numbers of unemployed graduate engineers

Imagine if we decided that we need more medical doctors, so we put loads of people with an IQ of 100-110 through a Uni medical school, and reduced the pass mark requirements so they could graduate. Would they be able to function as a licensed medical doctor?
We already have this issue in that foreign-trained medics need to satisfy various criteria to be allowed to register as medics here (i.e. there is a list of OK Unis and other criteria and training needed) https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/i-am/outside-uk/information-overseas-doctors

So we need useful training for people who are in the bands below the top 10% intelligence.
I would assume that vocational training designed to satisfy ability levels and employer demand

Heartfeltdawn

ToneControl said:

thanks for that
it's only 5% for the students though, 
and only 2.5%  in the THE ranking:
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/methodology-world-university-rankings-2016-2017

Only 5%? We live in a world of margins. Ask Theresa May if she'd like 5% more of the vote! So you've answered your own question about how foreign students help the rankings. Different percentages depending on the ranking mewthodology but the foreign student intake does contribute to the overall score. 

"So we need useful training for people who are in the bands below the top 10% intelligence.
I would assume that vocational training designed to satisfy ability levels and employer demand"

This is what I was getting at on the last page with talk of the middle ground needing investment rather than focusing too much on the very top. 

Fretwired

capo4th said:

Are we not allowed to comment based on life experience ? 

I work with lots lots and lots of graduates and also work with a prominent University. I interact with a lot of students and recent graduates.

My wife works for a very successful tech company. I have invested personal funds into tech companies.

Life is about choices.

i do care about society and give lots back to my local community. 

I am am entitled to an opinion. 

You Sir are talking bollocks.

I frankly don't care if you've rogered Prince Philip with a prize winning leek .. you are the one talking bollocks ..

Lack of investment in start-up companies ... read these articles ...


The UK must do more to support high-tech innovations coming out of our universities to avoid becoming economically “doomed”.

http://www.cityam.com/239022/neil-woodford-support-uk-tech-or-face-economic-doom


Lack of long-term investment in early stage companies is damaging the economy

http://www.cityam.com/240338/lack-of-long-term-investment-in-early-stage-companies-is-damaging-the-economy


Tech start-up funding 'appallingly bad' in UK

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37402344


Life is about choices - does your arrogance know no bounds? I sit on the boards of a number of business organisations and I've seen first hand the damage the Tories have done to the UK economy through cuts to the education budgets, especially colleges which have had savage cuts. Add massive increases in uni fees and you'll find that many kids at the bottom don't have that many life choices - who wants to get into debt? I will be attending another board meeting next week at which large local businesses, like Airbus, will be complaining about the lack of skills and the colleges and local uni will say they've had their budgets cut.

I look at the current Tory government and wonder if any of them have the first idea how to run a business or formulate an economic policy - they are hopeless. If we carry on like this the UK will be very poor indeed. At least Labour has a basic economic strategy and by removing uni fees and increasing funding in education  it will address our skills shortage.

capo4th

Maybe your into the wrong kind of tech?

Companies I have an interest in are doing very well and I can only base my opinion on my experience.

Jalapeno

I'd agree that City of London doesn't care about any entrepreneurs Tech or otherwise.  This is our curse - that's why Sir Joanathan Ives works for Apple, not  UK company.

The Consumer credit boom started decades ago, and mushroomed under Bliar/Brown.  It is very worrying.

Difference between us and Germany is that they still have a manufacturing base, they value it, and are more protective of takeovers of German companies (when Vodafone took over Mannesman there were huge ructions).

Jalapeno

Oh and re:Boris - it was very similar to Jezza's iPad moment. Eddie Mair's gag was far better than Women's Hour presenter's

Fretwired

capo4th said:

Maybe your into the wrong kind of tech?

Companies I have an interest in are doing very well and I can only base my opinion on my experience.

You must be investing in established businesses .. very little risk and a known track record. I doubt you would have touched Amazon, Google or Facebook on day one. The fact these companies could attract seed corn funding is one reason the US does better than us. 

And I know a lot about tech as I built several tech companies and floated one on NASDAQ ... I am currently involved a few small start-ups .. its hard to raise cash in the UK.

capo4th

Uncertain times people look for safety in investments. 

Jalapeno

Fretwired said:

capo4th said:

Maybe your into the wrong kind of tech?

Companies I have an interest in are doing very well and I can only base my opinion on my experience.

You must be investing in established businesses .. very little risk and a known track record. I doubt you would have touched Amazon, Google or Facebook on day one. The fact these companies could attract seed corn funding is one reason the US does better than us. 

And I know a lot about tech as I built several tech companies and floated one on NASDAQ ... I am currently involved a few small start-ups .. its hard to raise cash in the UK.

This is undoubtedly true - just read Dyson's biography.

Fretwired

capo4th said:

Uncertain times people look for safety in investments. 

Running a business is about managing risk. You and the banks are risk averse. Happy to jump on board when someone's done all the hard work and built the business. Not prepared to share the risk. That's why the UK fails to tap into its inventiveness - we were pioneers in wind turbines and are currently world leaders in off-shore wind with Dong Energy - a Danish company that values British expertise and innovation. Why do we need foreign firms to build our power stations and why are we happy to see firms like Arm Holdings bought by Japanese firms? Madness.

Jalapeno

Fretwired said:

capo4th said:

Uncertain times people look for safety in investments. 

Running a business is about managing risk. You and the banks are risk averse. Happy to jump on board when someone's done all the hard work and built the business. Not prepared to share the risk. That's why the UK fails to tap into its inventiveness - we were pioneers in wind turbines and are currently world leaders in off-shore wind with Dong Energy - a Danish company that values British expertise and innovation. Why do we need foreign firms to build our power stations and why are we happy to see firms like Arm Holdings bought by Japanese firms? Madness.

Yep.  City needs a more compelling upside I believe (eg. ability to write off failures against profits or something), and/or we need a homegrown VC culture to incubate startups (again with a compelling upside other than banking your house on an idea).

capo4th

Maybe the lunatics who voted for Brexit should be held accountable for the reluctance to invest over the last 12 months. 

Maybe they should also also be held accountable for the fall of the pound and the massive increase in prices we are all experiencing. 

Is that what they voted for? 

Jalapeno

capo4th said:

Maybe the lunatics who voted for Brexit should be held accountable for the reluctance to invest over the last 12 months. 

Maybe they should also also be held accountable for the fall of the pound and the massive increase in prices we are all experiencing. 

Is that what they voted for? 

Wut ?

UK's chronic entrepreneur lack of investment has been constant for as far back as I can remember - certainly the 1960s (and I can just about remember my childhood ) .