Did retirees get a lucky break from UK election result?
Former Liberal party leader Alexander Downer says Boris Johnson’s UK election win would be good for the economy and, more importantly, your retirement savings.
The former diplomat to the UK had warned that superannuation savings would be damaged if the UK election had delivered a hung parliament.
“The economic policies Corbyn wants to pursue will have a major impact on us because the UK is the second largest destination for Australian offshore investments. There are huge Australian investments in the UK, there are superannuation funds and major corporates who invest very, very heavily there. There will be damage,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in a pre-election warning.
Australian super funds, such as the nation’s largest, AustralianSuper, are heavily invested in UK property and infrastructure. Britain is also one of our largest export destinations.
“If the Corbyn government comes in with its extremely radical economic agenda, a kind of Venezuelan-style, Maduro-style economic agenda, very South American economic agenda, and unfamiliar to any of us here in Australia – I think you would expect a very substantial deterioration in the British economy, and as a result of that, that would put at risk the investments we have … made in the UK,” Mr Downer told the National Press Club in Canberra.
Mr Downer stressed the importance of certainty over Brexit to Australian investors and warned that a second referendum would only have muddied the waters.
How do you feel about Brexit? Do you think the UK election result is a good one?
great news every country should manage it's own affairs so when r we going 2 dump the hngers on ie. eu. / un./ & imf all the one in reality which they won't admit . parasites we don't need . imported enough in 2 this country lready . go Boris ....
My knowledge of Brexit is limited. From reading various articles about it, it seems to boil down to a government asking the people whether they wanted to stay in the EU and the people voted to leave. The margin was tight and voting isn't compulsory but the decision of the people who voted was to leave the EU. It then became the job of the Parliament to implement the will of the people which it, so far, has failed to do. Johnson couldn't get Brexit through the Parliament so he called an election with the main policy to exit the EU and was voted in with a large majority so, as I see it, the people have spoken once more.
Absolutely spot on Horace.
In 2016, while England and Wales voted to leave the EU, Scotland, by a 62% majority voted to stay in. So as it stands they are being taken out against their will.
If you dig deeper into the reasons for Brexit you will find that it will benefit the wealthy more than any other group of people. IF, normal people had not been brainwashed to believe the lies told in the leadup to the original vote the result would have been very different. In the years since the vote the 'elite' newspapers have continued their propaganda blaming the EU for everything that is wrong in the UK i.e. immigration, low wages, high crime etc. What they don't say is that 99.9% of problems is due to the 10 years of tory austerity which has seen services decimated. They have privitised what they can, by selling to their rich friends who run the service into the ground for profit then sell it on to other countries.
This election only solidified that Scotland still wants to stay in the EU - ALL other parties lost seats [tories almost half] in Scotland. It also, after 3 years of being ignored by wastemonster, has proven the case for Scottish Independence. Without Scotland, England is bankrupt!
The reason boris coudn't get a majority in parliament was because his brexit bill was not feasible. boris is the 2nd most dangerous person on the planet [after trump]. England is becoming the tax haven of choice for many wealthy people /companies and it will be to the detriment of normal people.
I feel deeply sorry for the deluded people who voted for the tories. As the saying goes ' what you shall sew so shall you reap.' But having said that I wouldn't wish what is coming to England and Wales on my worst enemy. :(
Agreed , spot on Horace. I have just come back for the UK ( I am an Anglophile and go often) and part of the time stayed with friends there. All the people I met were pro Brexit (and I know you could argue I only met a selcet group), and were very anti-Corbyn ,his anti-semitism and "out there" policies. They gave many valid reasons but chief amongt them was regaining control of their borders. Unlike what Bundanergian claims, they were concerned not so much about Muslims, but people from Romania, Poland etc etc who have right of entry as they please. In view this they were all very pro-Boris because as you say, his major policy was to get Brexit done, and , as you say, it amounts effectively to a second referendum , the people have spoken given him a larger than dreamed of majority (and Labour its worst drubbing since 1935.) A very pleasing result for myself and the people I know there.
Hopefully now the Romanians and Poles aren't coming in the locals can go do all those jobs and so avoid universal credits and such. It is a win for the UK and for working people. More home employment will mean less need for welfare. They may even get tax cuts if it lowers unemployment rates.
My last visit to the UK was six months ago. I really am puzzled by Bundabergian’s comments and can’t help wondering which parts of the UK you visited. The UK has its problems of course, but the people appear very optimistic, so much so they voted in a Conservative for the third consecutive time. Most of the population clearly know what they want or Boris would not be there. I am totally pleased with the result.
Brexit is very good for Australia. We took a really big hit when the United Kingdom joined the European Common Market in the 1970s. We have know been afforded an opening to restart export and imports to a country that shares similar standards of produce.
Rosret, The UK only has the same/similar standards of produce because it is is in the EU. Once they come out and start trading with America the standards will drop BIG TIME. America allows a lot of things that we do not accept here in Australia.
https://www.ecowatch.com/13-ways-the-eu-beats-the-u-s-on-food-safety-1881850175.html
http://www.germinalorganic.com/2018/02/eu-versus-us-a-closer-look-at-food-standards/
https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/chlorinated-chicken-food-standards-us-not-need-imported-522325
i.e. it is acceptable for a certain level of maggots in canned/bottled food, also rat/mouse droppings.
I would be a bit hesitant in what I buy if it comes for the UK.
Jaycee1 our chicken is drenched in Chlorine. I buy chicken necks and whole chickens for my dog and it virtually takes my breath away when I open the plastic seal.
I agree wholeheartedly with Bunderbergian. I live mostly in the UK and visit Australia for the UK winter. The area I live in is very pro-Brexit and it has become quite a nasty place to live. Racism is now quite overt and this is reflected and encouraged by some MPs and politicians in order to meet their agenda.
What hasn't been pointed out in the mainstream media is that, in fact, only 47.0% of the votes in the last election went to Brexit supporting parties. 52.1% went to remain/2nd referendum supporting parties and the rest (0.9%) went to parties with no specific Brexit policy. This reflects numerous polls since the 2016 referendum which show the majority of voters now support remaining in the EU. Unfortunately, the British first-past-the-post electoral system is not capable of reflecting the nuances involved.
Anyway, Bunderbergian you are better off out of there and I fully intend to leave as soon as I can too.
Thanks Jonet. my comment is now deleted as I am sick of being wrong!
I thought your post was great Bundabergian, it's good to read personal accounts. I'm sorry you removed it.
Just because the majority may think differently from you doesn't make you wrong... Imagine how the flat-earthers must have felt in their day!
Sorry, anti flat-earthers!
Also, thoroughly agree with Tanker's comments. Bye-bye United Kingdom, hello Little England.
An aspect not mentioned here is the false information supplied by Farage and Johnson prior to the referendum which misled many voters. There is a strong belief that Johnson's victory was partly the result of many voters simply wanting to see an end to the uncertainty of Brexit hanging over them and wanted it finalised irrespective of whether it was right or wrong.
A major outcome not mentioned is the likely break up of the UK as both Scotland and Nothern Ireland voted to remain in the UK. Make no mistake they are separate and distinct countries from England.
Johnson's plan for Brexit involves a border between all of Ireland, including the North, and the UK. The Nationalists for the first time won more seats thnt the Unionists. This could be a pointer to the future.
In Scotland the SNP won 80% of the seats and are now claimining that gives then a mandate to call another referendum on Independence. The referendum in 2014 was influenced by the Westminster Government stating that only by staying part of the UK could Scotland remain in the EU. This clearly indicates that that referendum result is null and void irrespective of what Boris claims.
Boris may have won his desire for Brexit but could well have lost the UK.
Tanker, This election actually gives the SNP 4 mandates, [4 straight election wins] for another referendum. As you say the 2014 vote was hijacked by wastemonster's scaremongering - especially to age pensioners who were lied to in regards to their pensions.
The original Act of Union clearly states that ALL of the UK must be treated the same regarding taxes etc. If Ireland then has a border between it and the UK after Brexit - with Ireland still [technically being in the EU] this has broken the treaty and Scotland does not need another referendum.
boris does not have the power to refuse another referendum. Scotland and England are in a VOLUNTORY union - that is not working, as one country is a big bully and ignores the other country while robbing it blind - like every other voluntory union i.e. marriage, it can be dissolved.
Boris may have won the election but HE HAS lost the UK.
Downer was a Liberal Party minister. Johnston is a Tory. They're both tarred with the same brush.
I hear the similarity in the calls. The world economy will be damaged. Jobs will be lost. Hours will be cut. When does it ever change apart from the spruikers from the SAME side of politics trying to keep voters caged in their corals?
Just out of interest sake the Rudd/Gillard governments did a far better job than any since. They left a $148 billion debt (during GFC years) whilst the debt in now around $600 billion. You never hear anything about this now. That's just the start.
The problem we have is that we do not have real governments governing for the entire nation. What we have is fascist governments ruling for their wealthy supporters. You know this because of money (tax cuts) being handed out to the wealthy in almost all western countries. Because the loopholes which allow the wealthy to take their money to offshore tax havens are never closed. Because the coal industry seems to be in charge in a numver of coutries. Because there is corruption between business and the government and scandals which keep happening. Because the right wing media peddles the lies as fact whilst genuine media outlets are under sustained attack as with the ABC.
If people were intelligent they would by now have woken up to the grooming game. They haven't and some of us still believe that climate change and global warming are hoaxes. It breaks my heart to see wha is happening to the planet and it'll only get worse the longer right wing business funded governments are allowed to continue plundering the planet and the people on it.
So mick would u rather the fabians { labor prty } were in charge but they believe in socialism
ultimately communism .. Power corrupts Absol;ute power corrupts absolutely & that is socialism .
Amen .
Absolute power corrupts absolutey ireespective of political party or religion. Socialism does not lead to Communism and in fact true Communism has never been tried and those countries who claim to be Communist only used it to disguise their hunger for power.
I don't believe that Communism is a concept that can work in the real world and neither will true Socialism and as we can see now unrestrained Capitalism is a recipe for uncontrolled greed to dominate. As in most things a balance is required but that balance is sadly lacking at the moment in this country as well as the U.S. and the U.K. as well as some other countries around the World.
How and why did you remove your comment Bundabergian ???
Did not know you could remove your comment after it has been posted for period of time ?
I removed it (or rather asked for it to be removed, I couldn't see how to do it myself) because it initiated what I was complaining of, the polarisation of opinions. We all seem to be so strongly for it or against it. The first few posts after mine told me I was wrong. I am just a tad oversensitive about that having been abused about my stance already (we were Brit/Aussie, living in France, and for example when driving in UK in my French car and being told by random strangers to F off and get out of "their" country!). The whole thing has changed my life, and saddened me hugely, and I just dont need any extra stress. I am now back in Australia and staying well away, just feel for those stuck there (including family members who are looking to get out) who didnt want this.
Thanks to those who supported me.
Nuff said.
Your voice is as meaningful as anyone else's Bundabergian. Don't ever hold it back or let other people crush you into silence. Especially cruel, bigoted people!...don't give them that edge!
You have educated me about the angst and ugliness that results from this brexit and political fallout issue in the UK and I thank you for that.
Reagan, it was LHD Peugeot on French plates and French reg. It was our daily drive in France but I had to drive over to see rellies. Who knows what reasons there were, but he soon pulled his head in when I told him in my English/Aussie voice to F off back!
Your comment about me has been reported Reagan. You are one of the prime bullies on this forum, and I think most who read here would know that.
My comment to Bundabergian...As I'm thinking very seriously about going back to live in the UK after living in Oz for the past 50+ years, I'd be interested in knowing where exactly in the UK you copped the verbal abuse. You see I've been compiling a list of the best and worst places to live in the UK, as well as temperatures etc etc. Historically it has been a sad fact that the Brits and French dislike each other, but I hasten to say don't include me because I admire the French and love France and of course I still love and miss the UK so much for many many reasons. Oh yes, I wouldn't believe one word from Downer, he's the same as the rest of the Liberal corrupt criminals, they're only in it for themselves and their mates and can see no end to their greed for wealth and power.
It was in the south east of London. We get the chunnel over and drive up to Father's who lives near Cambridge. T'was on the M25, at a motorway stop. I think it will nicer in more rural areas, as indeed it is here. My advice FWIW, if you havent been back to UK in a while, go back for a while before you commit.
TinTin, I agree with Bunderbergian. I live about 9 months a year in the UK. I would certainly suggest that you visit before you commit. I don't know what your domestic situation is but for the past 9 years all public services have been subjected to austerity measures. In practice this means that the NHS, schools, police, councils and all government departments have had their budgets severely cut, some up to 50% but many by 25%. NHS hospitals haven't met their targets for A&E, cancer treatment and elective surgery for years and are getting worse. The Tory government have said they will commit more funding for the NHS but moral is so low they will have a struggle to find the 40,000 nurses and 10,000 doctors needed especially after Brexit, and even then they are in such need of funds that the amount committed will not cover all their costs. There is also a severe funding crisis with social care for older people (as it's a council responsibility and they have had their funding cut) and many are going without necessary care.
Brexit is going to change the face of Britain and there is a lot of anger and hostility that will take many years to heal. It is not a pleasant place to live at the moment but probably still pleasant to visit as superficially it still seems the same - as long as you don't use any services!
As to where to live, it's quite similar to Australia. Rural areas tend to be more conservative and cities are more multicultural. However, as you are from the UK originally you probably wouldn't have any particular issues facing racism.
I live in Kent which is the best area in the country for weather. We don't get much of the wet weather which tends to come from the Atlantic via Ireland and we have quite a warm micro climate. However, housing is expensive compared to the rest of the country and we are the most crowded county which may get worse if the trucks at Dover have to go through customs and checks after Brexit. They calculate that a 2 minute delay per truck will cause 17 mile tailbacks on day 1 alone!
Yes, certainly try before you buy...!
Really i think the voters of the UK spoke loud and clear by delivering a massive majority to the party that can and will get the UK out of the EU.