Is foreign aid by Britain a waste of time?

Is the British foreign trade a waste of time? For instance, would it not be more beneficial to open up our markets to African farmers, so that they would get better prices for their products? Apparently, we are subsidising farm production in Malawi, which is just distorting things.
We send aid to India and in return Indian companies come over and buy up firms
such as Tetley Tea. Perhaps we could persuade the companies to do more to counter rural poverty, which is immense in India.
Unhappily, our aid programmes seem to tie in with political/economic objectives such as selling products these countries do not need. www.searchaccountant.co.uk although we are not as brazen as the Chinese selling arms to Zimbabwe.
With New Labour our foreign aid efforts have included some right-on programmes in Afghanistan about gender, which must have perplexed the locals.

How was the credit crunch for you? Part two

In the previous instalment I now realise I was perhaps a little optimistic in saying that the worst will be over this year. The recent share price performances of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Bradford & Bingley (where the missus has 250 shares) have been terrible. www.searchaccountants.co.uk Hopefully, the banks will weather the storm but it cross-finger time on whether they raised enough money through rights issues.

The rights issues show that the British banks are very worried about the economic outlook and apparently there has been talk of a perfect storm. Alistair Darling seems to fall flat on his face when he suggests tax changes (in reality increases).
Being Gordon Brown's poodle might make sense politically for the Great Leader, but it
is terrible in terms of requiring a UK chancellor to have enough credibility to sway
financial markets.

How was the credit crunch for you?

How was the credit crunch for you? So far, our nice two year mortgage fix could not be renewed on the same terms. So, we have had to go on the standard variable rate
(SVR) and the game plan is to pay off the loan as much as possible. There has been
some financial pain but not too bad. UK fixed mortgage loans often have capital repayment limits so the standard mortgage product does not look too bad, if we can get it down.
For many UK subjects the credit crunch will be a lot more painful. The unemployment claimant count will go up and incomes will be squeezed by rising inflation. Some commentators believe that if it hits 4 pct then the Bank of England might have to increase rather than lower interest rates. That would be pain on a major scale but perhaps it would get the pound up against the euro for the holiday
season.
www.searchaccountants.co.uk
Gordon Brown says he is the man to steer the British economy through these troubled times but his main strategy is to plod until the next general election, win it and then really raise taxes. However, the prime minister seems to have lost the confidence of his own political party.
Labour must have had a pretty good idea about what they were getting into with Gordon but still acclaimed him leader. I suppose the change of view must be the expected P45s at the general election. The dispute over the 10 pence lower tax rate showed up Gordon's lack of flexibility.

Gordon Brown was walloped at question time yesterday.

Yesterday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was walloped at question time in the House of Commons by the Conservative leader David Cameron. When asked about the timing of the future Scottish referendum on independence, Brown just could not give a convincing answer.

The premier is facing so much internal flak from his own Labour party. Brown needs an Alistair Campbell figure to do the dirty on his enemies. This allowed Tony Blair
to look untroubled by internal opposition, although Gordon gave him a hard time.
www.searchaccountant.co.uk

Will Boris Johnson make any difference in London?

I wonder if the new Conservative Mayor of London will make any difference?
Boris Johnson has certainly hit the ground running in terms of media impact.
He also benefits from not being Ken Livingstone, who had lots of baggage such as a £28,000 annual bill for taxis. I am looking forward for the replacement of bendy buses. Can we get the old routemasters back?
www.searchaccountant.co.uk
The Labour regime underestimated Boris during the campaign and perhaps it is continuing to underestimate him, although the mop-haired one does not have the massive experience of getting things done in London enjoyed by his predecessor.