UK economy in double-dip recession

**Mickey** · 25th April 2012

This Gov are a set of

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17836624

The UK economy has returned to recession, official figures have shown.
The economy shrank by 0.2% in the first three months of 2012, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. This followed contraction of 0.3% in the last three months of 2011.
The ONS said there was a sharp 3% fall in construction output, the biggest fall for three years, adding that it had double-checked the figures.
A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction.
Wednesday's figure is the preliminary estimate from the ONS, based on only about 40% of the information that will be used to reach later figures.
The figure is subject to further revisions.
The ONS said output of the production industries decreased by 0.4%, construction decreased by 3%, and output of the service sector increased by 0.1%.
Joe Grice, chief economic adviser to the ONS, said that an increase in fuel buying came at the end of the quarter.
But he said there was "no reason to suppose [there were] any special factors... in these figures".

**tronads** · 25th April 2012

Call me pessimistic, but I can't see how the country/world can ever get out of recession.

**Mystical_2K** · 25th April 2012

not a big surprise, I also agree with Tronads as the world runs on debt so how can we ever get out of it

**Geko** · 25th April 2012

Which Government are a bunch of tossers?

If the answer is every party in every country. I agree with you. If the answer is specifically the Tories, then I don't. Economically The Tories are doing the right thing for the country. We are keeping our superb rating, and our bond yields are the lowest for over 100 years. However, they aren't looking after the majority of the people, they are taxing the poor and the middle, still.... While the loopholes (which were around all the way through Labour's Tenure too) are still there....!

In my opinion there is no difference between The Tories and Labour. Except that The Tories know how to balance the books, albeit at our expense.

**Mystical_2K** · 25th April 2012

Originally Posted by Geko

Which Government are a bunch of tossers?

If the answer is every party in every country. I agree with you. If the answer is specifically the Tories, then I don't. Economically The Tories are doing the right thing for the country. We are keeping our superb rating, and our bond yields are the lowest for over 100 years. However, they aren't looking after the majority of the people, they are taxing the poor and the middle, still.... While the loopholes (which were around all the way through Labour's Tenure too) are still there....!

In my opinion there is no difference between The Tories and Labour. Except that The Tories know how to balance the books, albeit at our expense.

all politicians are out for themselves, no party is better than another as they are all lying sacks of shit
my opinion has always been just vote for whoever you want for whatever reasons as fuck all will change regardless of who is in power at the time

**stevo25** · 25th April 2012

Originally Posted by Geko

Which Government are a bunch of tossers?

If the answer is every party in every country. I agree with you. If the answer is specifically the Tories, then I don't. Economically The Tories are doing the right thing for the country. We are keeping our superb rating, and our bond yields are the lowest for over 100 years. However, they aren't looking after the majority of the people, they are taxing the poor and the middle, still.... While the loopholes (which were around all the way through Labour's Tenure too) are still there....!

In my opinion there is no difference between The Tories and Labour. Except that The Tories know how to balance the books, albeit at our expense.

very true, it appears to me that "new" Labour are a variation on a theme of the Tories. The Govt wants to privatise more and more aspects of the NHS. Where I work the 2 depts are being told to relocate to one site, but the trust doesnt have any space for the 2 depts other than where we are now. And to save cash year on year be it loss of staff or loss of service, which means the service will be outsourced

**Ginnerfreak** · 25th April 2012

Labour left the country in the shit owing to very bad financial management during a recession. I don’t understand how anyone can still back labour. Until people stop choosing their political affiliation by socio economic stereo types and start choosing based on policies and performance this country will end up in the shit again.

Too many people in this country choose their political party like their football team and feel they have to stick with them no matter what..

I hear people (well read posts!) on this forum slag off broadband providers for the shit service theyve had and swear they will never go back.. but allow "their" political party to fuck the country over and then still swear alliegence because of some outdated sense of social status linkage.....

**Ganty** · 25th April 2012

Originally Posted by Ginnerfreak

Labour left the country in the shit owing to very bad financial management during a recession. I don’t understand how anyone can still back labour. Until people stop choosing their political affiliation by socio economic stereo types and start choosing based on policies and performance this country will end up in the shit again.

Too many people in this country choose their political party like their football team and feel they have to stick with them no matter what..

I hear people (well read posts!) on this forum slag off broadband providers for the shit service theyve had and swear they will never go back.. but allow "their" political party to fuck the country over and then still swear alliegence because of some outdated sense of social status linkage.....

I'm sure 9/10 members of this forum rate broadband speed, reliability and usage caps as far more important than which political party is lining their pockets, and rightly so!

It's of no surprise we are in a double dip. Vast misuse of monies is still rife. Have a look at your council tax bill, particularly the breakdown of allocated funds. Where I live, the borough council gets 5 times as much as the fire authority. I have no idea how this money is being spent, as I can see no improvements to services, parks or grounds.

I think what we should be calling for is transparency. Allow the public to see exactly where each and every pound is being spent, if they choose to do so. I imagine it wouldn't take long for the backhanders and ridiculous quangos to start declining.

**Mystical_2K** · 25th April 2012

Originally Posted by Ganty

.....I think what we should be calling for is transparency. Allow the public to see exactly where each and every pound is being spent, if they choose to do so. I imagine it wouldn't take long for the backhanders and ridiculous quangos to start declining.

nail on the head

**Zippeyrude** · 25th April 2012

Originally Posted by Ganty

I think what we should be calling for is transparency.

So does it come as a surprise that the Freedom of Information Act is coming under serious attack with plans to restrict access to information and impose charges. This means that all the good stuff that has been disclosed (remember the members expenses !) may not be in the future.

These are the words Tony Blair addresses to himself in his memoirs while reflecting on his government's introduction of the Freedom of Information Act.
"You idiot. You naive, foolish, irresponsible nincompoop. There is really no description of stupidity, no matter how vivid, that is adequate. I quake at the imbecility of it."

Then Cameron goes about REDUCING transparency by weakening the public's 'right to know'.

They are all cunts, every one of them