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“On the final day of Davos European last week, Central Bank president Christine Lagarde talked up the benefits of Trump’s election for the sluggish EU bloc.

Lagarde refused at a panel appearance to mention Trump but said the bloc could take angry Trump-haters:

“We need to keep the talent at home. We need to keep the savings at home. Maybe it is also time to import a few of the talents that would be disenchanted, for one reason or the other, from another side of the sea.”

Most influential Democrats are non-fussed and staying in New York anyway. At the same time Lagarde admitted executives are “not very upbeat” about future growth this side of the pond and said the EU leaders needed to “actually get their act together.”

Might not be a good idea to rely on upset Democrats for an entire continent’s growth.”

Smacks of desperation from the EU, let's face it they haven't got a lot going for them right now. But then did it ever?

The great ‘European experiment’ is unraveling before your eyes and a few folks here are still trying to talk it up.

Don't forget Lakeland….

The family behind the cookware retailer Lakeland has put it up for sale amid rising cost pressures from Rachel Reeves’s Budget tax raid.

'We're out of work and on the dole, you can stick the red flag up your hole.'

Well it is their theme tune.

Ok, I've just looked up mick_b and it's shown as mick-b. 🤔

Well I did have a heavy night last night.

I'll try again

mick_b

Just scrolling through…

Micks name here had an underscore not a hyphen and no capital M.

It was mick-b.

Just saying.

A901.

“Another Con by the CONS”

Although a government scheme to assist householders I think you'll find the government didn't and wouldn't set up a nationwide inspection department especially for vetting companies and their completed cavity wall work.

That responsibility lies with the local council building regs and inspectors.

You can't blame everything on central government, except the present one. Which upto now is of course true .

“New figures from the Office for National Statistics show borrowing has jumped well past the OBR’s Budget forecasts. Who would’ve thought…

Borrowing was £17.8 billion in December – £10.1 billion more than in December 2023 and the highest December borrowing in four years. That’s also £3.6 billion above forecasts…

The UK has borrowed £4.1 billion more in the current financial year than official projections predicted back in October. Public sector net figures minus banks were £129.9 billion in the months to December compared to a forecast 125.9 billion…

Reeves insisted on her pro-growth credentials and declined to say that she wants to cut taxes when talking to Bloomberg in Davos this morning. Things are very much going the other way.”

That fictional black hole is gonna take some filling. 😂

Is there no end to this government's talents?

Meanwhile back at home…

A ten year high.

“The number of compulsory liquidations in the UK surged to a decade-high last year thanks to a late-year spike after Red Reeves’ record-breaking tax hikes in the Budget, according to HMRC. In 2024, the courts forced 3,230 companies to shut down, including 273 in December. A 53% increase from the same month in 2023.”

"Reeves is currently defending her budget’s tax increases in a “fireside chat” with Jonathan Reynolds and Bloomberg’s Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait. Who is rattling off a list of reasons the budget is far from growth-friendly…

This is Reeves’ first major public event at Davos on her visit today and one of the few. The only way to watch it is on LinkedIn, where it’s being live streamed by both Bloomberg and the Treasury. 15 minutes into the event and only between 32 and 40 people have bothered to tune in. Reeves will do CNBC’s “Squawk Box” at around midday before some interviews with UK media later which will come out after 5 p.m."

She’ll be hoping more than a few dozen people display an interest.

When Reeves talks the world listens! More like scarpers.

See her on the news later for an entirely different version. What a waste of space.

Gunsup.

“The austerity chancellor” indeed, but what a legacy from the Blair Brown years. No government could fix that in one term.

Personally I prospered during those years but I appreciate not everyone did. But then we don't all move in the same direction together.

Swings and roundabouts.

"You mean Torsten Bell-end tfe."

The very same B_B. That man is a danger to this country. If any of his thoughts are put into practice everyone will know who he is and what he stands for.

Davos latest.

Reeves has just announced her instinct tells her she wants lower taxes and less regulation to enhance growth. A classic example of training on the job, hehe.

Gunsup, Mr George Osbourne did me a massive favour and many others with his pension freedom reforms. Something this chancellor cannot comprehend is people in charge of their money.

Watch this space especially with that idiot Torsten Bell now been appointed

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions.

Spending cuts “including disability benefits cuts she fought so hard against in Opposition – are expected. No chance Reeves will use this latest report at Davos to prove how well her measures are going down. She’ll be left clutching at straws.”

What the fk is she doing at Davos anyway? Her presence will enlighten the delegates if only for the comic value.

With any luck she'll pick up a few tips to further her knowledge, but I doubt it. Most like her, are just there for the jolly.

Is under threat as nearly three quarters of local authorities are set to scrap or postpone plans to build more council homes, a new survey suggests.

The Government has pledged to boost the supply of social housing as a key plank of its pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes over its five years in power.

But new research commissioned by the Labour-led Southwark council has found that nearly three quarters of local authorities that manage their own council homes expect to abandon, pause or delay plans to expand their portfolio.

More than two in three councils are also preparing to scale back commitments to redevelop or build new homes.

Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, has said she wants to see “the biggest wave of council housing in a generation”.

However, her plans could quickly come unstuck if councils are not able to deliver new homes at scale.

Some happy bunnies on here this morning. 🙂 Long may it continue.

“Gilt yield rises have now hit the mortgage markets. Last week five-year fixed rate mortgages hit a five-month high of 5.3%, counteracting a strong year in mortgage market price competition.

Reeves’ Budget Bombshell, anyone?”

A small increase, however

UK unemployment starting it's inevitable rise. There's no need to wonder why, everyone knows except the deniers.

Reported on Reuters yesterday but known a week ago by the few. Hence the SP rise!

Don't you just love it when the left get so irate they just have to revert to Godwin's law.

Here is an example of Godwin's law….

Many newsgroups and other Internet discussion forums have a tradition that, when a Nazi or Hitler comparison is made, the thread is finished and whoever made the comparison loses whatever debate is in progress.

Trot on loopyloo, you've blown it, you're out of your depth. Lefty scum 😂

Tophat

Top banana. 👍

“This has been well detailed by publications like Private Eye”

Matt.

That's alright then, if it's in Private Eye it must be true. But this is the PE your talking about, you sure they weren't just having a laugh, given their political bias? 🤣