@@Paul630sqdrnmillions didn't and the bills were paid by selling off assets cheap. She failed to cut spending and her insanity led to the Poll Tax riot.
Until the current 40%+ non voters get off their butts to vote, there is never going to be a level they will stop at, we are all expendable to them because there will always be others around the world who are far worse off than us that they can take cannon fodder from to replace us.
I have always respected Ken Clark for his honesty and straight talking, but on this occasion I feel he fell short of a fair analysis of economic and political history. Perhaps it is natural when reflecting on events for which he often played a pivotal part in implementing. His point about the economic recovery after the Thatcher era public spending cuts of the early 80s (some of which I do not doubt were necessary at the time) were the result of a very fortunate windfall from North Sea oil revenues which came on line at just the right time, to help pay the benefits bill for the mass unemployment caused by dogmatic Thatcherite policies. (The consequences of which we are still dealing with 40 years later) The desolate wastelands we now see in what were once thriving northern towns that used to have medium to heavy industry is testament to this. Rather than use the revenue from north sea oil to invest in modernising infrastructure, which would have helped boost British productivity. It was mostly swallowed up by giving unnecessarily high tax cuts to those who were not what you would call struggling to make ends meet. The difference between the legacy that Rachel Reeves has inherited and what Geoffrey Howe inherited is that Geoffrey Howe had massive revenue from oil to rely on, which at its peak, I believe accounted for around 5% of GDP. Additionally as Harold Mcmillan once observed when worrying about the family silver being sold off. Now that all the state assets have been sold off (think - BT. British Gas, BP, Water, council housing stock etc Rachel Reeves will not be able to raise money in that way either. We really are in more of a mess that when Mrs Thatcher came to power and less options open to the government due to the previous squandering of the above opportunities and selling off of state assets too cheaply to the well connected in the city. Some people often say our debt to GDP is generally lower that most G7 countries but most those other countries still have state assets that have not been sold off cheaply. Lastly it was mostly the fallout from the victory of the Falklands war that secured her 2nd term in office. Even though the economy was rebounding after the sharp early 80s recession, it was not being felt outside the southeast and the more than 3 million unemployed. Mrs Thatcher would not have been re-elected had the war not happened, of that I am certain.
I think a lot of the older Tories have a bit more common sense than the current group of plebs I despise the Tories but some of the Tory veterans do sometimes speak some sense. I can't think of a single think hunt or sunak have ever said a thing I could remotely agree with.
A realistic analysis. Let’s not forget the easy credit from banks and demutualised building societies that fuelled the tripling of house prices between 1983 and 1988 followed by the bust, negative equity, distressed house sales and black Wednesday in 1992. Oh yes and Big Bang in the city and the stock market crash in 1987. Ken has always suffered from a selective memory. Just like all of his fellow tories from that era who talk about how well everything went once the necessary “tough decisions “ had been made. Things certainly went well for them and their mates in finance and asset strippers masquerading as “entrepreneurs and businessmen”
Great comment! The march towards high or late Capitalism has been endemic and damaging. It's reach has been unnecessary and fueled the greed of the wealthy at the expense the "ordinary" people. Yes, the Falkland's War was widely regarded as a political ploy to secure Thatcher's re-election.
I'm no Tory but I have alot of time for Clarke. What's crazy is, these old school Tories like Clarke/Major wouldn't fit in today's Tory party and they were hardly centrists to begin with.
@@forestsunset9617 I think you should wait for the budget before making a statement like that. I think you'll find that the tax burden will be moving upwards towards those that can most afford it.
@@kyorin6526 Is that why Labour removes the winter fuel payment with one hand and maintained the triple lock on pensions with the other with the increase on pensions still scheduled? The pensioners are not - by a mile and as a whole - the weakest part of the UK right now.
@@kevindare3113 It is an old saying in the military, as well as in politics: it helps to be lucky with your enemies. Blair and Sir Kier both benefited from similar luck, when the Tories descended to basket-case levels. In a similar vein, there is the old (alleged) quote from Napoleon: "when your enemy is making mistakes, do not interrupt him".
Because they'd get massacred by the membership (see Jeremy Hunt). Clarke's only chance was to end up in a final round against Michael Portillo and get the homophobic membership to choose him by default.
Hunt/Sunak had back loaded the worst of the cuts to 2025 and no political party wants to talk about the financial consequences of Brexit. The cost of Brexit to the economy is £40 billion a year which is a material number that both parties want to ignore. Voters need to understand the consequences of the Brexit vote! Maybe what should have been on the side of the bus 'Pay more tax and get less public services'
Before you get out of your depth, the EU sank Britain with a deal with Japanese motor manufacturers to have a 0% levy on imports into the EU, so certain autos manufacturers have moved away, back to Japan in some cases. It wasn't just the auto industry either and had absolutely nothing to do with Brexit. The pandemic yes, Brexit no. In fact, a lot of EU countries are still suffering from the damage caused by the lockdowns during the pandemic.
Was nothing to do with brexit. Brexit is a tiny mole hill.. because we had deals that covered nearly all goods/ services.. its old news and has no or very little effect whatsoever ; this is about the pandemic.. and wars.. the lasting effect of having whole world closed for business.. mass borrowing that had to happen.. you'll see the EU has same economic issues as UK and UK economy is doing very well.. considering. But the black hole is covid. The other big HIT was the credit crush.. which you can see clearly if you look at the value of pound.. we never recovered from.
Thatcher for our Tories...Reagan for the Republicans...and both would be considered radically left if they turned up today and tried to get in with todays right wing
The basic,basic problem is the lack of growth of productivity. From increases in productivity flow everything else. The problem is not the benefits old people get. That costs the lowest as a proportion of GdP in Europe. The Winter Fuel help is peanuts.
Ken Clarke and his time in government are still being felt today. The budgets referred to were disastrous for the UK and his free market neo-liberal economy didn't work then and won't work now. Thatcher was only saved by the war she created-The Falklands War. Her popularity and high devastating effects on unemployment were felt then and remain the same today. Establishment figures and this man was part of the Bilderberg group whose membership he seemed confused about when answering such questions in the House. Clarke was a ludicrous politician and remains so. Privatisation has led to the increase in debt where the tax-payer is required to subsidise profit margins. No comment from Clarke about that of course.
There were riots to stop the Poll tax being implemented - there will not be a repeat performance for the 25% reduction removal because not many worry about Pensioners ( the changes to womens pension age a case in point). And those who it will affect the most don`t have a loud enough voice - they just take each day as it comes 🙏
If you ask me he’s spot on. And I’m sorry to say this but distancing ourselves from the biggest free trade area in the World on our border with Brexit was shooting our selves in the foot. Whether you want to hear this or not it’s blatantly obvious.
@@petertwyman2143 "It is now up to us to see that we embark on the next stage leading to political unity, which I think is the consequence of economic unity, so that Europe can in the future also play a political role on the international stage, leading even as far as a common defence policy." - Jacques Santer, then-President of the European Commission. If people like you are for it, great, but don't lie and pretend that it's something that it isn't; and stop trying to cast people who don't want to sign up to such a thing as if they're some political lepers.
Enough revisionism and re-writing the history of Thatcher. The public finances under Thatcher recovered due to North Sea oil revenues. The rapid decline in oil imports grossly overvalued Sterling and helped destroy manufacturing industry, also reducing the power of the Unions. She won the 1983 election because of the Falklands and the disasterous state of the Labour party under Michael Foot. Thatcher didn't properly start destroying the Unions until after the 1983 election. If you want to compare Thatcher with a well run economy look at Norway. They invested oil revenues in a Sovereign wealth fund and look how rich they are now.
doesn't point out who caused the rise in debt to those levels though, neither does Marr I notice. Toff boys having their intelligent discussion while both avoiding the elephant in the room.
Ken Clarke’s statement that Thatcher “got back in 1983 having smashed the Trade Unions” is false. She didn’t start tackling them until the mid-80s and her re-election was mainly as a result of successfully reclaiming the the Falkland Islands after an invasion by Argentina, which in itself was as a result of defence cuts she had ordered. She also had the advantage of a split opposition on the Left of British politics in Labour and the SDP-Liberal Alliance, whose combined number of votes cast as a percentage of the popular vote would have wiped her out.
Not true, the Employment Acts of 1980 and 1982 significantly reduced trade union power, ending closed shops, secondary picketing, trade union recognition rights etc.
@@DocNick68 I know about those, but secondary picketing continued in a number of industries well after the 1983 general election. It is a stretch to say Thatcher had smashed the Unions by then: there were many strikes still ongoing as unemployment rose to nearly 3 million that year.
The national debt is around 90 % of GDP , or in money terms £2,507 Billion . If we let it get to high then we will face financial armegedon , as in pre- war Germany . The problem being that the intrest that we pay back on our debt will just get higher , and higher ! If we do not pay our bills then the future will make now look like golden times .
@@marystringfellow8185 Hello , I am also a pensioner and i agree cutting the winter fuel bonus was very cruel , sadly both the main parties boasted about not raising taxes so the worst off pay the price . But if the economy colapses it will be much worse , all the preious goverments ( Labour , and Conservative ) have let the UK debt spiral out of control .
The lack of growth is the biggest issue. Wage stagnation in teh public sector is part of that, so hopefully that will help a bit. However the country badly needs external investment and to grow substantial growth industries like green energy etc.
@@aleph8888productivity isn't the problem we have a million people who are on job seekers and fit for work who aren't getting jobs. People bring up the disability bill it's tiny. Our biggest bills are working benefits and the pension bill. People who can't work is a minor issue.
Completely different era. No notrh sea oil money in reserve and out of europe trading agreements. Wheres the money and investment coming from? Very High earners save . Lower earners spend. Tax according
@@Valhalla-or8mx It gives her a bias on supporting Israel even as it violates international law and risks incriminating the UK from what we've seen Israel is committing the atrocities Hamas has committed just on a larger scale and over a longer period
@@Valhalla-or8mx Yes I can't see your reply if you can try posting it again by omitting censored words or not repeating names like 'Israel' if that helps
If she is going to be like Maggie that means I don’t have to go out and get some candles like we did in the seventies, when we were the sick man of europe.
Ken Clarke's honesty is always refreshing in a political regime obsessed with the cosmetic. However, I feel the notion of tax and spend doesn't cover all the options that a government has at its discretion. As for Thatcher.... I hope Reeves will be strong but not stoically inflexible and as callous as a big toe! Labour are correct when they say that they've inherited an appalling mess from the Tories, however, as Ken Clarke inferred patience has its limitations and the public's patience wore thin a long time ago!
Exactly. Clarke is right. We need to raise VAT and also I don't understand he obsession iwht lowering NIC - they are for exactly what they say - National Insurance like the NHS and Pensions.
Is it weird that I like Margaret Thatcher.... not necessarily from the point of view of agreeing with her politics.... but she was the first female Prime Minister..... and I think that must have been incredibly hard!
Ken Clarke was a prolific failure as a politician. His comparison of Thatcher to Reeves is absurd. May as well be comparing Ronald Reagan to Mao Tse Tung.
Actually respect Ken Clarke but don't agree about his assessment of Thatcher. Many did well out of her Neoliberal economics but it was a terrible cost regarding mass deindustrialision throughout the North,Wales and Scotland. He also kept quiet about his old seat of Rushcliffe near Nottingham being easily gained by Labour in the GE. Sorry to remind you,Ken.
Isn't it amazing that "Genghis Ken" has now re-invented himself as the voice of reason! But hard to argue with much of his analysis here and he was brutally honest about his beloved party's recent catastrophes.
Thatcher destroyed a lot in this country and the governments since have been doing the same I cannot agree with Ken while is it always the ordinary people that have to suffer
I don’t think we should take advice from someone instrumental in the introduction of Friedmanite economics and the subsequent austerity measures. This countries slow economic decline will continue if we do.
The mismanagement of the pandemic has cost this country (and other counties) dearly and the fallout will be felt for many years to come. Also, the Tories rushed the election through as they were terrified that Reform were surging in popularity and if they had waited much longer then they were in serious danger of not even being the main opposition party. It will be interesting to see how Liebour will get on over the next few years, now that they actually have to make some decisions.
Thatcher got in again in 1983 on the back of the Falklands War, the Miners Strike was yet to happen.
And with a big helping hand from the SDP.
it didn't work then it doesn't work now. Get rid of Austerity
Bring back Keynes!!
The privatisation of all our utilities and transport under Thatcher is the root of almost all our problems now.
Selling off all those essential utilities with a huge guaranteed customer base? What could possibly go wrong? …
Not to mention social housing.
Absolutely correct, well said. But don't forget about the deregulation of the banks too.......!
It's becoming quite a list!
Be honest, you don’t remember the 1970s, do you?
@@ffrederickskitty214 You mean the days of high quality education, financial equality and convergent wages.
This Margaret Thatcher hagiography is despicable.
NO NO NO not another Thatcher this Nation is STILL suffering from her ACTIONS!!!!
I didn't, in fact my family thrived during Thatchers long term in office like tens of thousands of others did.
🏴 this nation is like to quit.
@@Paul630sqdrnmillions didn't and the bills were paid by selling off assets cheap. She failed to cut spending and her insanity led to the Poll Tax riot.
@@Paul630sqdrnand millions of others didnt. But you were alright, jack.
A nice, alternate Thatcher. A polar opposite?
How much more blood can they squeeze from the public stone!!!!!
Until the current 40%+ non voters get off their butts to vote, there is never going to be a level they will stop at, we are all expendable to them because there will always be others around the world who are far worse off than us that they can take cannon fodder from to replace us.
oh a lot more, and its going to get worse, will take 30 years to get better.
Abolish the house of Lords
I have always respected Ken Clark for his honesty and straight talking, but on this occasion I feel he fell short of a fair analysis of economic and political history. Perhaps it is natural when reflecting on events for which he often played a pivotal part in implementing. His point about the economic recovery after the Thatcher era public spending cuts of the early 80s (some of which I do not doubt were necessary at the time) were the result of a very fortunate windfall from North Sea oil revenues which came on line at just the right time, to help pay the benefits bill for the mass unemployment caused by dogmatic Thatcherite policies. (The consequences of which we are still dealing with 40 years later) The desolate wastelands we now see in what were once thriving northern towns that used to have medium to heavy industry is testament to this. Rather than use the revenue from north sea oil to invest in modernising infrastructure, which would have helped boost British productivity. It was mostly swallowed up by giving unnecessarily high tax cuts to those who were not what you would call struggling to make ends meet. The difference between the legacy that Rachel Reeves has inherited and what Geoffrey Howe inherited is that Geoffrey Howe had massive revenue from oil to rely on, which at its peak, I believe accounted for around 5% of GDP. Additionally as Harold Mcmillan once observed when worrying about the family silver being sold off. Now that all the state assets have been sold off (think - BT. British Gas, BP, Water, council housing stock etc Rachel Reeves will not be able to raise money in that way either. We really are in more of a mess that when Mrs Thatcher came to power and less options open to the government due to the previous squandering of the above opportunities and selling off of state assets too cheaply to the well connected in the city. Some people often say our debt to GDP is generally lower that most G7 countries but most those other countries still have state assets that have not been sold off cheaply. Lastly it was mostly the fallout from the victory of the Falklands war that secured her 2nd term in office. Even though the economy was rebounding after the sharp early 80s recession, it was not being felt outside the southeast and the more than 3 million unemployed. Mrs Thatcher would not have been re-elected had the war not happened, of that I am certain.
I think a lot of the older Tories have a bit more common sense than the current group of plebs I despise the Tories but some of the Tory veterans do sometimes speak some sense. I can't think of a single think hunt or sunak have ever said a thing I could remotely agree with.
A realistic analysis. Let’s not forget the easy credit from banks and demutualised building societies that fuelled the tripling of house prices between 1983 and 1988 followed by the bust, negative equity, distressed house sales and black Wednesday in 1992. Oh yes and Big Bang in the city and the stock market crash in 1987. Ken has always suffered from a selective memory. Just like all of his fellow tories from that era who talk about how well everything went once the necessary “tough decisions “ had been made. Things certainly went well for them and their mates in finance and asset strippers masquerading as “entrepreneurs and businessmen”
@@baronvontrap3325 You know when you are old when people list stuff that happened and you remember it all!
Also, the Labour party was un-electable in 1983. They just weren't a serious oposition to anything.
Great comment! The march towards high or late Capitalism has been endemic and damaging. It's reach has been unnecessary and fueled the greed of the wealthy at the expense the "ordinary" people. Yes, the Falkland's War was widely regarded as a political ploy to secure Thatcher's re-election.
I'm no Tory but I have alot of time for Clarke. What's crazy is, these old school Tories like Clarke/Major wouldn't fit in today's Tory party and they were hardly centrists to begin with.
Tough decisions. Where the poor pay, as always!
Under the Tories, yes. Under Labour, the burden is being moved towards those that can most afford it.
"Do I take money off this old person or this child? It's so tough" A load of nonsense to detract away from the fact they won't tax the richest.
@@forestsunset9617 I think you should wait for the budget before making a statement like that. I think you'll find that the tax burden will be moving upwards towards those that can most afford it.
@@kyorin6526 Is that why Labour removes the winter fuel payment with one hand and maintained the triple lock on pensions with the other with the increase on pensions still scheduled? The pensioners are not - by a mile and as a whole - the weakest part of the UK right now.
@@kyorin6526 nah, it will touch the middle class, no one else.
Thatcher version two is NOT acceptable in ANY form.
Thatcher got back into power on the back of the Falklands war in 1982 which was only won on a wing and a prayer because of thatcher cuts…
She got lucky with both of her enemies: Galtieri AND Michael Foot/Labour's '83 manifesto. And then, later, again with Scargill.
@gijgij4541 you make your own luck ib thus life, the harder you work the lucky you became, winning 3 elections on the run is not luck
@@kevindare3113 It is an old saying in the military, as well as in politics: it helps to be lucky with your enemies. Blair and Sir Kier both benefited from similar luck, when the Tories descended to basket-case levels.
In a similar vein, there is the old (alleged) quote from Napoleon: "when your enemy is making mistakes, do not interrupt him".
@@kevindare3113 She was 'lucky' in so far as the Labour Party was doing it's oft repeated impression of an idiot's circus.
@@kevindare3113 2 horse race in reality. If the other horse is injured, you win the race. Problem with our politics and FPTP.
Ken Clarke is the kind of Tory that we can’t find in those standing to lead their party
Because they'd get massacred by the membership (see Jeremy Hunt). Clarke's only chance was to end up in a final round against Michael Portillo and get the homophobic membership to choose him by default.
Hunt/Sunak had back loaded the worst of the cuts to 2025 and no political party wants to talk about the financial consequences of Brexit. The cost of Brexit to the economy is £40 billion a year which is a material number that both parties want to ignore. Voters need to understand the consequences of the Brexit vote! Maybe what should have been on the side of the bus 'Pay more tax and get less public services'
To be fair most decisions made by government are more about the position of the people making those positions ie what will doing this do for me???
Before you get out of your depth, the EU sank Britain with a deal with Japanese motor manufacturers to have a 0% levy on imports into the EU, so certain autos manufacturers have moved away, back to Japan in some cases. It wasn't just the auto industry either and had absolutely nothing to do with Brexit. The pandemic yes, Brexit no. In fact, a lot of EU countries are still suffering from the damage caused by the lockdowns during the pandemic.
its got nothing to do with brexit.
Was nothing to do with brexit. Brexit is a tiny mole hill.. because we had deals that covered nearly all goods/ services.. its old news and has no or very little effect whatsoever ; this is about the pandemic.. and wars.. the lasting effect of having whole world closed for business.. mass borrowing that had to happen.. you'll see the EU has same economic issues as UK and UK economy is doing very well.. considering. But the black hole is covid. The other big HIT was the credit crush.. which you can see clearly if you look at the value of pound.. we never recovered from.
@@joecater894 Too funny!!
I wonder if the French aristocrats were as smugly self-satisfied, confident and callously indifferent to the suffering of others around 1788 ?
The BRITISH ones ALWAYS were, & STILL ARE.
Cancel mps winter fuel payments £3500 then i might start listening
Just spewed up in my mouth.
Thatcher for our Tories...Reagan for the Republicans...and both would be considered radically left if they turned up today and tried to get in with todays right wing
If your young and talented leave the UK now.
Thatcher needed a war, a split opposition and Michael Foot (great man, not a great leader) as Labour leader to get re-elected in 1983!
One thing we can do to reduce immigration , stop allowances Lords and mps ,money abroad. Tax elites more.
As a Labour voter, hitting poor is a major concern.
Economics experts have already debunked Starmer and Reeves as outright liars.... Austerity 2.0
He literally makes excuses for bad state actors. What a crook.
It remind me how far the Cons have fallen that he's no longer in the party.
The basic,basic problem is the lack of growth of productivity. From increases in productivity flow everything else. The problem is not the benefits old people get. That costs the lowest as a proportion of GdP in Europe. The Winter Fuel help is peanuts.
Ken Clarke and his time in government are still being felt today. The budgets referred to were disastrous for the UK and his free market neo-liberal economy didn't work then and won't work now. Thatcher was only saved by the war she created-The Falklands War. Her popularity and high devastating effects on unemployment were felt then and remain the same today. Establishment figures and this man was part of the Bilderberg group whose membership he seemed confused about when answering such questions in the House. Clarke was a ludicrous politician and remains so. Privatisation has led to the increase in debt where the tax-payer is required to subsidise profit margins. No comment from Clarke about that of course.
Well said
If they cut the 25% council tax discount for 8 million single people they are finished.
There were riots to stop the Poll tax being implemented - there will not be a repeat performance for the 25% reduction removal because not many worry about Pensioners ( the changes to womens pension age a case in point). And those who it will affect the most don`t have a loud enough voice - they just take each day as it comes 🙏
No MP could ever match Maggie she was the best.
But Kenneth you and none of Thatchers cronies suffered economically.
I'm no Tory, but Clarke was one of the last great Ministerial heavyweights. Where are his like now?
Ken Clark is a brilliant politician.
Best prime minister we never had
If you ask me he’s spot on. And I’m sorry to say this but distancing ourselves from the biggest free trade area in the World on our border with Brexit was shooting our selves in the foot. Whether you want to hear this or not it’s blatantly obvious.
But it's not just a free trade area, is it? It's a political project.
@@Yorosero says the Brexiters. No one else. And by the way we were one of the founding countries.
@@Yorosero and by the way the ECHR which Brexiters are so found of coming out of was mainly written by us. Lol.
@@petertwyman2143 "It is now up to us to see that we embark on the next stage leading to political unity, which I think is the consequence of economic unity, so that Europe can in the future also play a political role on the international stage, leading even as far as a common defence policy." - Jacques Santer, then-President of the European Commission.
If people like you are for it, great, but don't lie and pretend that it's something that it isn't; and stop trying to cast people who don't want to sign up to such a thing as if they're some political lepers.
@@Yorosero you are political lepers from a bygone age. And so far we’ve done sod all out of Europe. Big big mistake.
The word Dinosaur came to mind when listening to this interview as well as rose tinted glasses at the same time.
Are you 12? 13 maybe..
The obsession with thatcher is weird ! She was the start of your demise
Absolute tosh.
She was the start of the demise of the whole idea of a sane Britain.
@@georgek3398
I thought it was Tony Blair
@@marystringfellow8185 Thatcher
That’s a terrible indictment
Enough revisionism and re-writing the history of Thatcher. The public finances under Thatcher recovered due to North Sea oil revenues. The rapid decline in oil imports grossly overvalued Sterling and helped destroy manufacturing industry, also reducing the power of the Unions. She won the 1983 election because of the Falklands and the disasterous state of the Labour party under Michael Foot. Thatcher didn't properly start destroying the Unions until after the 1983 election. If you want to compare Thatcher with a well run economy look at Norway. They invested oil revenues in a Sovereign wealth fund and look how rich they are now.
Being compared to Margaret Thatcher is quite insulting IMHO
George osbourne is a more fitting comparison.
doesn't point out who caused the rise in debt to those levels though, neither does Marr I notice. Toff boys having their intelligent discussion while both avoiding the elephant in the room.
Selling off all those essential utilities with a huge guaranteed customer base? What could possibly go wrong?
The public are most definitely for change....
My favourite Tory
Ken Clarke’s statement that Thatcher “got back in 1983 having smashed the Trade Unions” is false. She didn’t start tackling them until the mid-80s and her re-election was mainly as a result of successfully reclaiming the the Falkland Islands after an invasion by Argentina, which in itself was as a result of defence cuts she had ordered. She also had the advantage of a split opposition on the Left of British politics in Labour and the SDP-Liberal Alliance, whose combined number of votes cast as a percentage of the popular vote would have wiped her out.
Not true, the Employment Acts of 1980 and 1982 significantly reduced trade union power, ending closed shops, secondary picketing, trade union recognition rights etc.
@@DocNick68 I know about those, but secondary picketing continued in a number of industries well after the 1983 general election. It is a stretch to say Thatcher had smashed the Unions by then: there were many strikes still ongoing as unemployment rose to nearly 3 million that year.
Give it a rest
Class act. Telling the truth. As did Alan Duncan on PM yesterday
We've had a tory government since 1979
Blair was GOAT
And also for 80 of the last 100 years. Any problems this country has is not the fault of any other party.
@@jamespaul6315 greatest of all torys?
Yes we needed Jezza didn't we, a visionary, and utterly unelectable. Grow up.
No we have not had one since 97.
The national debt is around 90 % of GDP , or in money terms £2,507 Billion . If we let it get to high then we will face financial armegedon , as in pre- war Germany . The problem being that the intrest that we pay back on our debt will just get higher , and higher ! If we do not pay our bills then the future will make now look like golden times .
But we can still afford huge inflation busting public sector pay rises.
Getting London to pay back the Trillion they received in 2008 with interest might help?
Many pensioners will be choosing heating or eating this cold season 2024-25.
@@marystringfellow8185 Hello , I am also a pensioner and i agree cutting the winter fuel bonus was very cruel , sadly both the main parties boasted about not raising taxes so the worst off pay the price . But if the economy colapses it will be much worse , all the preious goverments ( Labour , and Conservative ) have let the UK debt spiral out of control .
Doesn’t Japan have higher debt? That country works. Economy is okay. Debt is a political choice.
This guy is a legend, totally rational and brilliant in his analysis
The public sector is cut to the bone. Justice health defence housing care services. We are skint with no prospect for growth
The issues facing us today are nothing like 1979
Thatcher whacked the VAT up to almost double.
Retire Ken
He has, too the House of Lords for £332 a day as long as he turns up for a bit.
Just like thatcher?...so dead then
She’ll be the most hated person in Scotland?
Of course you'd raise VAT - it's the tax that most hits the poor.
At least Ken talks sense and understands what needs to be done.
i know she's horrible but calling her Thatcher is a bit harsh Ken
No fool like an old fool.
World and most economies live off credit/ borrowing. What a joke lol
The lack of growth is the biggest issue. Wage stagnation in teh public sector is part of that, so hopefully that will help a bit. However the country badly needs external investment and to grow substantial growth industries like green energy etc.
Needs greater productivity
@@aleph8888productivity isn't the problem we have a million people who are on job seekers and fit for work who aren't getting jobs. People bring up the disability bill it's tiny. Our biggest bills are working benefits and the pension bill. People who can't work is a minor issue.
That's all we need, we are in enough trouble
Completely different era.
No notrh sea oil money in reserve and out of europe trading agreements.
Wheres the money and investment coming from?
Very High earners save . Lower earners spend.
Tax according
What an insult to Maggie Thatcher
Thatcher, Thatcher,
Council House Snatcher
Should have asked him about Forest's premiership start and their prospects for this season.
He didn't mention the role of the Falkland war in saving Thatcher
How can Rachel Reeves position of vice chair of Labour Friends of Israel not be a conflict of interest
@@Valhalla-or8mx It gives her a bias on supporting Israel even as it violates international law and risks incriminating the UK from what we've seen Israel is committing the atrocities Hamas has committed just on a larger scale and over a longer period
@@Valhalla-or8mx Yes I can't see your reply if you can try posting it again by omitting censored words or not repeating names like 'Israel' if that helps
If she is going to be like Maggie that means I don’t have to go out and get some candles like we did in the seventies, when we were the sick man of europe.
We have suffered Thatcher's decisions and legacy ever since, including the mass de-industrialisation of the country.
Ken Clarke's honesty is always refreshing in a political regime obsessed with the cosmetic. However, I feel the notion of tax and spend doesn't cover all the options that a government has at its discretion. As for Thatcher.... I hope Reeves will be strong but not stoically inflexible and as callous as a big toe! Labour are correct when they say that they've inherited an appalling mess from the Tories, however, as Ken Clarke inferred patience has its limitations and the public's patience wore thin a long time ago!
I can’t stop laughing 😂
Every time.. everyone.. they claim they are "like thatcher".
What a rewriting of history from a has-been. This guy doesn't understand the first thing about what thatcher did or its consequences.
It was Tatchers finance policies which sparked inflation and the Unions reacted to it.
Anyone else click on this just to check that Ken Clarke was indeed still Alive!
Exactly. Clarke is right. We need to raise VAT and also I don't understand he obsession iwht lowering NIC - they are for exactly what they say - National Insurance like the NHS and Pensions.
The problem is that until they get people like Clarke and Dominic Grieve back in they will be bumping along the bottom of popularity.
Reeves definitely has the same dead behind the eyes look as Thatcher.
@@Anigmama like your dead behind the keyboard comment?
Ken Clarke, Hezza, Major, all Tories from a very different Tory party to where they are today😮
Wow! Whoopee 😒
Is it weird that I like Margaret Thatcher.... not necessarily from the point of view of agreeing with her politics.... but she was the first female Prime Minister..... and I think that must have been incredibly hard!
Ken Clarke was a prolific failure as a politician. His comparison of Thatcher to Reeves is absurd. May as well be comparing Ronald Reagan to Mao Tse Tung.
Yes Ken we need growth but how????
We have a black hole of £20b, and Brexit cost us £?? £40b? £100b, well it would fill that £20b.
REJOINIAC ALERT !!!!
Actually respect Ken Clarke but don't agree about his assessment of Thatcher. Many did well out of her Neoliberal economics but it was a terrible cost regarding mass deindustrialision throughout the North,Wales and Scotland. He also kept quiet about his old seat of Rushcliffe near Nottingham being easily gained by Labour in the GE. Sorry to remind you,Ken.
Exactly, well said Ken.
Pity all the ijiots don't realise these decisions aren't taken lightly.
Never. Rachel is kind and compassionate. Not tlike the Medusa of Number 10
Thsts why Starmar got rid of the portrait and stuffed it in the attic
Isn't it amazing that "Genghis Ken" has now re-invented himself as the voice of reason! But hard to argue with much of his analysis here and he was brutally honest about his beloved party's recent catastrophes.
It's so interesting to see all the centrist Labour commentators all of a sudden loving austerity now that it's Labour doing it
I like Clark but if he thinks Labour have any answers for growth be is nuts, Britain need to cut spending
wrong. They did know what they wanted to do and were going to do only they decided not to tell us.
Geeza doesn't know what he's talking about
He was involved in the blood transfusion crisis.
He sees the massive potential. Never been a big fan but he knows the real thing when he sees it 😊
Thatcher destroyed a lot in this country and the governments since have been doing the same I cannot agree with Ken while is it always the ordinary people that have to suffer
I don’t think we should take advice from someone instrumental in the introduction of Friedmanite economics and the subsequent austerity measures. This countries slow economic decline will continue if we do.
The fudge did i just hear?
One Tory I liked he was a real Tory not the Tory’s we have now but they got rid of them and left the idiot ones who can’t run a raffle
The mismanagement of the pandemic has cost this country (and other counties) dearly and the fallout will be felt for many years to come. Also, the Tories rushed the election through as they were terrified that Reform were surging in popularity and if they had waited much longer then they were in serious danger of not even being the main opposition party. It will be interesting to see how Liebour will get on over the next few years, now that they actually have to make some decisions.
Cut public spending…
6 billion for hotels.
11 billion for climate aid.
8 billion for GB energy.
There you go.
I’ve just saved the us 25 billion. 🤭
Little Britain then
If only you could add up
Thanks for the info AIOh-2
But he is factually
right.
37 billion on englands failed track and trace system where Germany built a working one for one billion where is the other 36 billion
Thatchers puppet