Tag Archives: britain

Business/Economics, International, Opinion

Not only are the rich getting richer in the U.S., but in the U.K.

A study published by The Sunday Times shows that while the average Brit is struggling with a bad economy and government cut backs, the rich in the United Kingdom just get richer.

The Sunday Times “Rich List” says 1,000 of the richest Brits, not only kept their wealth, but actually increased it.  In fact, the number of British billionaires has increased to 73, up from 53 the previous year.

40 of the top billionaires were born in the U.K., but many British billionaires are from other countries.  Lakshi Mittal retains the number one spot, he’s Indian born and got rich in the steel industry.  Russian born Alisher Usmanov is now in the number two spot.  Chinese born Xiuli Hawken is the newest female billionaire, she got rich turning underground bunkers into shopping malls.

Keep in mind that money does not grow on trees, meaning there is not enough to go around for everyone, otherwise it would be valueless.  Knowing that, it should be obvious to people where the money is going.  The rich can only get richer because they are taking as much of the limited money/wealth supply as they can.  There is less for everyone else.

 

International

British bobbies (police) could have the power to charge, just skip arrest go directly to jail

In a move to save government money, some British officials want to put the power of the courts in the hands of the police.

British Home Secretary Theresa May,  says the plan could save the U.K. 2.5 million hours of bobby time, equating to huge savings of money for the government.  The way she wants to do that is to allow bobbies to skip the patrolling, detaining and arresting phase of police work, and allow the cops to simply charge the suspects, like a hybrid police/prosecutor.

It would apply to minor offenses, but the radical changes go beyond allowing police to act as street prosecutor.  Anybody wanting to file a complaint about the legal system would have to deal directly with a bobby.  The intent of forcing people to deal directly with police, with legal issues, is to reduce court costs for the government. May admits this would put a lot more power with the police, and is a definite move towards a police state: “We will take a different approach, we will trust the police.”

Officials with the British Shadow government  (yes, such a thing, aka Shadow Cabinet or Shadow Front Bench) say this will not only put a lot more power in police hands, but with a lot less police officers.  Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (May’s counterpart) says that May plans to fire thousands of bobbies under the police/prosecutor plan.  The result of giving police the power to act as prosecutor, and then cutting police staff, will greatly increase the work load of the bobby.  Cooper says this will act as a double whamming for security; people will feel even more threatened by the power of police, and and the cops will be stretched thin.

Fukushima

Closing Japan nuke plant will have direct affect on British nuke plant

The closing of Hamaoka nuclear plant in Japan, because of the danger of a massive earthquake, is having direct affect on a British nuclear plant.

Sellafield MOX plant, in north west England, supplies Hamaoka with the nuclear fuel it needs to make electricity.  Hamaoka uses MOX (mixed oxide) nuclear fuel, and Chubu Electric Power Company (operator of Hamaoka) has a contract with Sellafield as its only supplier.

On top of that the Hamaoka plant is the only user of MOX fuel from Sellafield.

Taxpayers in the United Kingdom shelled out 1.34 billion Pounds (U.S. $2.1 billion) for the Sellafield MOX plant, and the British government wants to build another one.

British officials are scrambling to work with CEPCo officials to figure out how to fulfill their contract.  Maybe the Brits can start selling MOX to the Iranians?

Business/Economics, International

Britain Enacts Huge Budget Cuts, Will the British People Rise Up Like the French?

I was watching a debate on the French strikes, and a British commentator said that what was going on in France would never happen in Britain, because there are laws against such demonstrations.  I wounder, after the British government will start the deepest cuts in 60 years?

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 22: Protestors dressed as Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg demonstrate against the budget in Parliament Square on June 22, 2010 in London, England. The Chancellor has announced a raft of tax increases and spending cuts to deal with the United Kingdom's growing debt. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

By 2015, the cuts would amount to about 130 billion U.S. dollars.  490,000 government jobs would be cut over 4 years.  The retirement age would be raised to 66, four years sooner than first planned.  Even the rents on subsidized housing will be increased.  Also, the Value Added Tax (a type of sales tax) will increase to 20% (don’t go shopping there).  However, the British government plans to increase spending on things like cracking down on tax fraud, and anti-terror security.  Officials also claim that Health Care Services will not be cut, and that school funding will kept in “…real terms” every year.

A boy holds a poster at a public services protest during the second day of the Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool, northern England,September 19, 2010.REUTERS/Nigel Roddis (BRITAIN)

But what will the People think?  There has already been past protests about the cuts,  as far back as June, so i don’t think that British commentator knows what he’s talking about.  According to al Jazeera, small protests have already started.