Well done Dave and George

[mjdgreg]

Biggest drop in unemployment in over a decade despite losing many thousands of unproductive public sector jobs. Thank God Labour didn't win the last election:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20691842

[Bald Rover]

Obviously employing 4 people to do two hours each at Asda rather than 1 doing 8 hours takes three people of the unemployed list!!

[mjdgreg]

Obviously employing 4 people to do two hours each at Asda rather than 1 doing 8 hours takes three people of the unemployed list!!

Sounds good to me. When there isn't enough work to go around then full-time workers should have the decency to give up some hours to help the unemployed instead of being so selfish.

However you have obviously not read the link. Part-time unemployment is down by 4000 and full-time employment is up by 44000. We now have the most people in work that we have ever had. This is despite Labour allowing unparalleled mass immigration during their time in office. If the losers hadn't opened up our borders then there would not now be an unemployment problem.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Big, big issue here. Employment has gone up by about a million since 2010. But GDP is the more or less unchanged. So productivity (i.e. the amount produced by one person in employment) has fallen in the last 2 years.

This is unprecedented in modern times. Generally productivity rises year-on-year as firms invest in new equipment and processes. Between 1960 and 2009, productivity increased threefold, pretty much at a constant rate with only very slight peaks and troughs.

But productivity has now fallen significantly over the last 2 years. This hasn't happened in our competitor countries like Germany and USA and is a very big worry going forward - it means that even as employment rises, we will not see as big a benefit from that extra work as we would have expected to do.

I wonder if the reason for this is that people ARE finding work, but it's not massively productive. Skilled workers selling Bettaware for example, or engineering graduates working in bars?

[The L J Monk]

'Underemployment affects 10.5% of UK workforce'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20509189

[mjdgreg]

'Underemployment affects 10.5% of UK workforce'

So 89.5% have as much work as they want or more. It's time they stopped being so selfish and gave some of their hours up to help the unemployed. Once workers get to fifty they should be made to go part-time. By then they should have got their finances sorted and should be in a position to let the younger generation have a job.

[Nudga]

'Underemployment affects 10.5% of UK workforce'

So 89.5% have as much work as they want or more. It's time they stopped being so selfish and gave some of their hours up to help the unemployed. Once workers get to fifty they should be made to go part-time. By then they should have got their finances sorted and should be in a position to let the younger generation have a job.

Stop talking out of your cock for gods sake.

[jucyberry]

Unless of course they are 50+ and starting again..Something that is becoming more and more common as people realise they don't have to be tied into a miserable marriage for life...

Try telling middle aged second time around parents that they have to take a massive cut to their income to go part time.

Anyway the government wants people to work till they drop now.. From the workplace to the coffin in one easy step..If they survive, well they will need top up benefits to exist but as the government are cutting benefits  what will they live on?

Nope, all in all I can't see many people jumping at your suggestion somehow.

[Nudga]

One thing the government could do is make it easier for small business' like mine to take on young people.

I am in the process of trying to get an apprentice as my work load has increased, but because i am only in my third year I can't afford to employ anybody yet.

The government will only give me a grant of £1500 per person, whether that be one year or two years. And I will have to employ this person for a minimum of one year.

So what happens in the summer if I have a quite period?

If the government could help me more in the first year of lads employment then I would stand a better chance of keeping him on and gaining  more work.

What happened to the old YTS scheme anyways? That would have worked for me.

[Dagenham Rover]

Mick, you along with Davey Boy and Georgie Porgy do not have a clue about the real world.
 Invest your Betterware round into your Gold Mines and you'll soon be up with them.
 Jungle Golds a pretty good watch at the moment if Porcupine Creeks dried up  (although theres alot of illegal chinese mineing there)

[mjdgreg]

Stop talking out of your cock for gods sake.

I'll have you know I talk a lot of sense. The over fifties have had the best of things for a long time and it's time they gave something back to the younger generation instead of taking from them all the time.

Why on earth do you expect the government to fund the expansion of your business? Where do you think this money comes from? I'll tell you. They borrow it. How do they know if your business is going to be a success? If you fail then that's another £1500 down the drain. Also you are gaining an unfair advantage over your competition.

If you've got a viable business you shouldn't need a handout from the taxpayer. Surely there are people out there that would work for you for a year without pay if they thought there was a future in it. If not, then it doesn't say a lot about your business and its prospects. Lots of youngsters work for nothing if they think there will be a decent job after a period of time.

[mjdgreg]

mjdgreg, you along with Davey Boy and Georgie Porgy do not have a clue about the real world.
 Invest your Betterware round into your Gold Mines and you'll soon be up with them.
 Jungle Golds a pretty good watch at the moment if Porcupine Creeks dried up  (although theres alot of illegal chinese mineing there)

If I remember correctly you have lived in the unreal world of the public sector all your working life. I on the other hand have always worked in the private sector. I have also started up many successful new businesses. It's me that lives in the real world and you that lives in fantasy land.

[mjdgreg]

Unless of course they are 50+ and starting again..Something that is becoming more and more common as people realise they don't have to be tied into a miserable marriage for life...

Try telling middle aged second time around parents that they have to take a massive cut to their income to go part time.

Anyway the government wants people to work till they drop now.. From the workplace to the coffin in one easy step..If they survive, well they will need top up benefits to exist but as the government are cutting benefits  what will they live on?

Look, if the over fifties have ballsed their lives up then that is just tough. They've had their chance. Just for a change think of the younger generation. They've not had their chance yet and the way you lot go on you don't care if they ever will. If you're over fifty and need to start again then you can always start your own businesses.

And please lets stop talking about benefits as if we've all got a divine right to them. It's government overspending on the welfare state that has bankrupted the country. It's very simple. If we have to borrow money to pay benefits then we should not pay benefits.

I just wish all you benefit junkies would follow my example. I stopped working for 'the man' at fifty to create a job opportunity for two youngsters (one would not have been capable of doing the work that I used to do on my own). I live off my investments and many new part-time businesses. I don't need any benefits and neither should you.

[bobjimwilly]

I want to buy whatever product or service you sell mjdgreg. Could you reply on here with your business name, or even a website for your business?

 

[BillyStubbsTears]

I've been thinking a bit more about this productivity thing.

According to the best figures I can find, public sector employment has gone down by 600,000 since 2010, and private sector employment has gone up by 1.2million.

And yet the sum of everything that we make and sell, our GDP has not budged by more than a few loose coppers down the back of the settee.

Now, everybody knows that public sector are work-shy idle scroungers and private sector workers are go-getting wealth creators. So, if we've lost a huge number of public sector workers and gained twice as many private sector workers, surely our GDP should be going through the roof?

Any economics experts care to enlighten me?

[mjdgreg]

I want to buy whatever product or service you sell mjdgreg. Could you reply on here with your business name, or even a website for your business?

I'm afraid you're out of luck. I only do business by word of mouth and am very fussy about who I deal with. At the moment I don't need any new customers and certainly don't take anyone on if I feel they are left wing nutjobs.

[MachoMadness]

I want to buy whatever product or service you sell mjdgreg. Could you reply on here with your business name, or even a website for your business?

I'm afraid you're out of luck. I only do business by word of mouth and am very fussy about who I deal with. At the moment I don't need any new customers and certainly don't take anyone on if I feel they are left wing nutjobs.

Sounds like the strategy of a successful businessman to me.

[Nudga]

Stop talking out of your cock for gods sake.

I'll have you know I talk a lot of sense. The over fifties have had the best of things for a long time and it's time they gave something back to the younger generation instead of taking from them all the time.

Why on earth do you expect the government to fund the expansion of your business? Where do you think this money comes from? I'll tell you. They borrow it. How do they know if your business is going to be a success? If you fail then that's another £1500 down the drain. Also you are gaining an unfair advantage over your competition.

If you've got a viable business you shouldn't need a handout from the taxpayer. Surely there are people out there that would work for you for a year without pay if they thought there was a future in it. If not, then it doesn't say a lot about your business and its prospects. Lots of youngsters work for nothing if they think there will be a decent job after a period of time.
[/qu

Stop talking out of your cock for gods sake.

I'll have you know I talk a lot of sense. The over fifties have had the best of things for a long time and it's time they gave something back to the younger generation instead of taking from them all the time.

Why on earth do you expect the government to fund the expansion of your business? Where do you think this money comes from? I'll tell you. They borrow it. How do they know if your business is going to be a success? If you fail then that's another £1500 down the drain. Also you are gaining an unfair advantage over your competition.

If you've got a viable business you shouldn't need a handout from the taxpayer. Surely there are people out there that would work for you for a year without pay if they thought there was a future in it. If not, then it doesn't say a lot about your business and its prospects. Lots of youngsters work for nothing if they think there will be a decent job after a period of time.

OK let me put this to you. I started my business with a £30 toolbox and was going to jobs in my car ( I had a full time job as well) I have now only just purchased all the tools required to do my job properly at a cost of £11k and have bought a decent van. I don't think that I really need to be putting up my last couple of years of accounts up on here to prove to you that my business is going the right way.
I packed my full time job in a few months ago and i can support my family but, I am at the catch 22 situation where by I need an apprentice but I can't afford his wages yet. You do realise that I set up my business in the worst possible economic time?
I reckon my business is viable, I am offering a service which will save people money in the long run but you would think the government would offer better schemes or solutions to get these kids a job with a decent trade behind them thus getting their money back through taxes when they become fully employed. And also getting more money out of me through taxes and VAT.
And surely you should know that any "handouts" that are given have to go through a certain process where they cover all angles to make sure that the business will be a success.

How do you know that I am gaining an unfair advantage over my competitors? How do you know that they haven't tapped into government schemes?
You will find that there are more government "handouts" to companies who can employ over 250,000 people.
And you must have shit for brains if you think that anybody will work for free.
And for the record, I am not politically motivated in the slightest, I don't trust any MPs with the truth so this isn't so much a stab at your beloved Dave and George show.
If you are the successful businessman that you like to portray on here, why don't you offer some constructive advice instead of turning everything negative in a pompous manner? Or should I be asking the advice off of someone who sits in the bookies for six hours a day?

[Dagenham Rover]

mjdgreg, you along with Davey Boy and Georgie Porgy do not have a clue about the real world.
 Invest your Betterware round into your Gold Mines and you'll soon be up with them.
 Jungle Golds a pretty good watch at the moment if Porcupine Creeks dried up  (although theres alot of illegal chinese mineing there)

If I remember correctly you have lived in the unreal world of the public sector all your working life. I on the other hand have always worked in the private sector. I have also started up many successful new businesses. It's me that lives in the real world and you that lives in fantasy land.

For your information apart from 12 years in the forces, I have never worked in the public sector,
 So much for the famous photographic memory

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I've been thinking a bit more about this productivity thing.

According to the best figures I can find, public sector employment has gone down by 600,000 since 2010, and private sector employment has gone up by 1.2million.

And yet the sum of everything that we make and sell, our GDP has not budged by more than a few loose coppers down the back of the settee.

Now, everybody knows that public sector are work-shy idle scroungers and private sector workers are go-getting wealth creators. So, if we've lost a huge number of public sector workers and gained twice as many private sector workers, surely our GDP should be going through the roof?

Any economics experts care to enlighten me?

Aha but your answer could be due to efficiency in a roundabout way.  Think of it this way, public sector jobs are cut and private jobs take over.  As the private companies working for public sector create supply deals etc, inevitably they'll do this at lower margins etc, thus technically showing a decrease in actual output.  The work's the same but as the margins are lower it doesn't appear to grow by quite as much.  Think of it this way, if a council was spending 3M on maintenance, a private company comes in and does that for 2.5M the same work is done but at a lower price (because private companies can do that and maintain their profit) you see a perceived fall in output even though the workload is the same.


Plenty of other reasons behind it aswell, but I bet one of them is the decreased profits within the economy.  Equally, how much of UK activity is actually being picked up and traded as UK activity?  We know the multinationals are doing this and it would also sway the figures somewhat.

So perhaps not solely inefficiency but I bet there is a bit of that in places (there always is).  It's all very subjective though.

[mjdgreg]

For your information apart from 12 years in the forces, I have never worked in the public sector,
 So much for the famous photographic memory

Look, I'll have you know my photographic memory is in fine working order. I have trained it to only remember important information and disregard unimportant trivia such as your work experience.

[mjdgreg]

OK let me put this to you. I started my business with a £30 toolbox and was going to jobs in my car ( I had a full time job as well) I have now only just purchased all the tools required to do my job properly at a cost of £11k and have bought a decent van. I don't think that I really need to be putting up my last couple of years of accounts up on here to prove to you that my business is going the right way.
I packed my full time job in a few months ago and i can support my family but, I am at the catch 22 situation where by I need an apprentice but I can't afford his wages yet. You do realise that I set up my business in the worst possible economic time?
I reckon my business is viable, I am offering a service which will save people money in the long run but you would think the government would offer better schemes or solutions to get these kids a job with a decent trade behind them thus getting their money back through taxes when they become fully employed. And also getting more money out of me through taxes and VAT.
And surely you should know that any "handouts" that are given have to go through a certain process where they cover all angles to make sure that the business will be a success.

How do you know that I am gaining an unfair advantage over my competitors? How do you know that they haven't tapped into government schemes?
You will find that there are more government "handouts" to companies who can employ over 250,000 people.
And you must have shit for brains if you think that anybody will work for free.
And for the record, I am not politically motivated in the slightest, I don't trust any MPs with the truth so this isn't so much a stab at your beloved Dave and George show.
If you are the successful businessman that you like to portray on here, why don't you offer some constructive advice instead of turning everything negative in a pompous manner? Or should I be asking the advice off of someone who sits in the bookies for six hours a day?

Fair play to you for setting up your own business. I could offer you loads of useful advice as I am a serial entrepreneur but it seems you are unable to take constructive criticism so this may not be a good idea. Surely you factored in to your business plan how you were going to expand the business by taking on an apprentice?

Any way I'll give you some excellent advice. It's up to you what you do with it.

Take someone on and don't pay them for one year. Instead you offer them a share of the business. You explain to them that it's early days in the business and for it to grow you can't pay them for one year. If things are successful after this period you will then be able to pay them a wage and they've got a share of the business for working for free for a year. Explain they will be far better off in the long run than they would have been working for a year on minimum wage.

There are plenty of youngsters that would snap your hand off at an offer like that. They are also likely to be far more motivated to make the business succeed if they own part of it. Sorted.

Any more problems, give me a shout. 

[Filo]

OK let me put this to you. I started my business with a £30 toolbox and was going to jobs in my car ( I had a full time job as well) I have now only just purchased all the tools required to do my job properly at a cost of £11k and have bought a decent van. I don't think that I really need to be putting up my last couple of years of accounts up on here to prove to you that my business is going the right way.
I packed my full time job in a few months ago and i can support my family but, I am at the catch 22 situation where by I need an apprentice but I can't afford his wages yet. You do realise that I set up my business in the worst possible economic time?
I reckon my business is viable, I am offering a service which will save people money in the long run but you would think the government would offer better schemes or solutions to get these kids a job with a decent trade behind them thus getting their money back through taxes when they become fully employed. And also getting more money out of me through taxes and VAT.
And surely you should know that any "handouts" that are given have to go through a certain process where they cover all angles to make sure that the business will be a success.

How do you know that I am gaining an unfair advantage over my competitors? How do you know that they haven't tapped into government schemes?
You will find that there are more government "handouts" to companies who can employ over 250,000 people.
And you must have shit for brains if you think that anybody will work for free.
And for the record, I am not politically motivated in the slightest, I don't trust any MPs with the truth so this isn't so much a stab at your beloved Dave and George show.
If you are the successful businessman that you like to portray on here, why don't you offer some constructive advice instead of turning everything negative in a pompous manner? Or should I be asking the advice off of someone who sits in the bookies for six hours a day?

Fair play to you for setting up your own business. I could offer you loads of useful advice as I am a serial entrepreneur but it seems you are unable to take constructive criticism so this may not be a good idea. Surely you factored in to your business plan how you were going to expand the business by taking on an apprentice?

Any way I'll give you some excellent advice. It's up to you what you do with it.

Take someone on and don't pay them for one year. Instead you offer them a share of the business. You explain to them that it's early days in the business and for it to grow you can't pay them for one year. If things are successful after this period you will then be able to pay them a wage and they've got a share of the business for working for free for a year. Explain they will be far better off in the long run than they would have been working for a year on minimum wage.

There are plenty of youngsters that would snap your hand off at an offer like that. They are also likely to be far more motivated to make the business succeed if they own part of it. Sorted.

Any more problems, give me a shout. 

You are mad, what is the said youngster going to live on for one year whilst he`s working for free?

[Glyn_Wigley]

Shame the Comedy Awards were last night, that could have been a late entrant..!

[mjdgreg]

You are mad, what is the said youngster going to live on for one year whilst he`s working for free?

Simple answer. The same as he did when he was at school. Sorted.

[Filo]

You are mad, what is the said youngster going to live on for one year whilst he`s working for free?

Simple answer. The same as he did when he was at school. Sorted.

So the parents got child benefit and probably working tax credits to help out raising a child, that gets taken away once the kid leaves school and the parents may not be able to afford to support him while he works for free!


In fact I don`t know why I`m rising to your trolling, I keep thinking to myself why are people responding to a troll thats obviously fishing for bites, and then I go and do the same, I`ll give you one thing Mick you`re one of the very best trolls I`ve come across, you must lead a very sad life to keep the wind up going this long!

[mjdgreg]

So the parents got child benefit and probably working tax credits to help out raising a child, that gets taken away once the kid leaves school and the parents may not be able to afford to support him while he works for free!

If the parents can't afford to keep a child without child benefit and tax credits then they shouldn't have had the child in the first place. When my children finish university they will be home with me and I won't be receiving any benefits. That doesn't mean I can't afford to look after them.

I didn't have children just because I thought I'd get benefits. The youngster working for free is actually getting on the job training and he isn't having to pay for it! My children will leave university with large debts. They have to pay for their education. They don't get paid to go there. The youngster working for free does not incur large debts and joins the workforce a lot quicker than my children would do.

You obviously have a view of life that is coloured by benefits dependency. You need to snap out of it and ask yourself the question 'what can I do for the state?' instead of 'what can the state do for me?' I've got news for you. The money has run out and the state is going to be severely cut back as time goes on. Get used to it.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

On the point of student debt, I got my student loan repayment summary through this week - boy am I glad it isn't real debt.....

[Nudga]

OK let me put this to you. I started my business with a £30 toolbox and was going to jobs in my car ( I had a full time job as well) I have now only just purchased all the tools required to do my job properly at a cost of £11k and have bought a decent van. I don't think that I really need to be putting up my last couple of years of accounts up on here to prove to you that my business is going the right way.
I packed my full time job in a few months ago and i can support my family but, I am at the catch 22 situation where by I need an apprentice but I can't afford his wages yet. You do realise that I set up my business in the worst possible economic time?
I reckon my business is viable, I am offering a service which will save people money in the long run but you would think the government would offer better schemes or solutions to get these kids a job with a decent trade behind them thus getting their money back through taxes when they become fully employed. And also getting more money out of me through taxes and VAT.
And surely you should know that any "handouts" that are given have to go through a certain process where they cover all angles to make sure that the business will be a success.

How do you know that I am gaining an unfair advantage over my competitors? How do you know that they haven't tapped into government schemes?
You will find that there are more government "handouts" to companies who can employ over 250,000 people.
And you must have shit for brains if you think that anybody will work for free.
And for the record, I am not politically motivated in the slightest, I don't trust any MPs with the truth so this isn't so much a stab at your beloved Dave and George show.
If you are the successful businessman that you like to portray on here, why don't you offer some constructive advice instead of turning everything negative in a pompous manner? Or should I be asking the advice off of someone who sits in the bookies for six hours a day?

Fair play to you for setting up your own business. I could offer you loads of useful advice as I am a serial entrepreneur but it seems you are unable to take constructive criticism so this may not be a good idea. Surely you factored in to your business plan how you were going to expand the business by taking on an apprentice?

Any way I'll give you some excellent advice. It's up to you what you do with it.

Take someone on and don't pay them for one year. Instead you offer them a share of the business. You explain to them that it's early days in the business and for it to grow you can't pay them for one year. If things are successful after this period you will then be able to pay them a wage and they've got a share of the business for working for free for a year. Explain they will be far better off in the long run than they would have been working for a year on minimum wage.

There are plenty of youngsters that would snap your hand off at an offer like that. They are also likely to be far more motivated to make the business succeed if they own part of it. Sorted.

Any more problems, give me a shout. 

I am not interested in constructive criticism because you don't know what i do day in, day out. And the advise that you give is to offer a share in my business to a young lad. Why would I do that?
No thanks, I think i'll do it my way and take the government grant that is on offer and take the plunge in employing someone. I can always give him back to Doncaster College if things don't progress. That sounds more like a better idea eh.

[Dagenham Rover]

"as I am a serial entrepreneur "

Boom Bust, set another company up, Boom Bust set another company up, Boom Bust  set another up,

and judging by
 
 " At the moment I don't need any new customers and certainly don't take anyone on if I feel they are left wing nutjobs. "

your buisness  acumen is pretty outstanding 

anyway what do you reckon to Maria Miller being backed by Davey in her expenses row when other MP's have  been done, and ordered to pay back expenses for doing exactly the same thing  i.e. living with  parents and claiming lots of money   

and be careful....................