I am interested to hear any opinions about the proposed Royal Mail floatation. Will it remain a croc and sink or will it open at a premium and fly?

On the pension deficit - can you argue with this? Tax payers will pick up the pension deficit.

Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, said it amounted to “nationalising its debts and privatising its profits”.

The past has been far from rosy as I said.

Reported Post Office/Royal Mail Group net profits/losses, 1981-2010

The plunge into losses for 1999-2000 was the result of a £571m write-off on the compromised automation project ('Horizon') for Post Office Counters. The further decline in 2001-2 took account of exceptional losses of £1.1bn at the start of the Three Year Renewal Plan launched in 2002. Private-sector competitors were given legal access to the whole of the UK postal market at the start of 2006.
Reported Post Office net profits losses 1981-2010 (PDF, 55KB)

so tell us fred, why don't you emigrate to somewhere more in line with your socialist ideals? ..... i think even you would fing north korea a bit too tough a regime, but perhaps france with its 75% top rate tax regime would suit

Cynic,

Are you on the bottle, or something stronger?

I don't like living in a thiefdom, whether it is said to be whether is run by those with a “said” allegiance to a "communist" , "fascist", "national front", of the "modern day conservative" party.

Often, as appears to me now, the hierarchy of these parties has an allegiance only to their own selves and those who own them.

This country seems to many to be degenerating under the "present regime" run by Cameron and Osborne, who I would label con artists and appear to be deceiving many of their own followers.

It is leaning the tory farther and farther to the right and it doctrine is becoming more and more divorced from the public, which it is supposed to represent.

You may be to be deluded enough and self centred enough to believe in their policies, that is your right.

By the way, you often chunter on about having the right to and using it to vote for whatever bunch suits, or support your whimsical life, but part of Democracy is not only having the right to vote for the leadership and policy appeals to you, but also the right to criticise and object to the policies and action of a Democratic government.

In some ways, the latter rights are more important than the former.

Now go back to bed and try the other side, if you can get out of it again.

If you are successful in doing this, engage your residual grey matter and think.


But have a nice day!

Bye the way, in case you have missed.

Is one of these you?

Or is it a case of being a wannabe?

Fred bring back Tony Blair all is forgiven?

Or, bring back Gordon Brown who was surely one of our worst Prime Ministers - ever. Horrible guy - at least Blair had an element of charm about him.

More to the point here is that Vince Cable is getting it in the neck now for ignoring some advice he was given about this float.

I didn't know he was dead.

Horrah!

I think he should be digging graves in Iraq.

===

Gordon Brown, was everybody pet, (other than Blair's) until 2008, and was pleaded with by the now con artists and the city to relax controls on the financial service and city and not to tighten up on the "city".

For many in the 97-2008 they were living the life of Riley, with the cash cows of glorified money lenders.

By the way he may have "allowed" the collapse, but who orchestrated it?

Another thing I would like to see the mess this present mob leaves when it departs and what the debt, deficit and GDP will be.

Interesting to see, but I wouldn't employ the "accountants" they are using at the moment to do the books.

====

I must admit surprised by VC's decision, if it was his to take?

Sloppy!

no fred, but i most certainly get very bored indeed with your incessant whinging and whining and griping and grizzling .... that is why i am sure you'ld be much happier living in a staunch socialist country, and then you won't have to put up with the plethora of things that you find so dreadful in this country .... you won't even have to get your snout dirty truffling around for profits for privatisation issues either

Manuel,

You appear to be becoming more repetitious every time you post.

Early sign of decline.

To lazy to change country, prefer the Utopia of the UK and occasionally enjoying the benefit from the trough, which of course you help to provided me out your Personal Tax.

(You do pay tax, I hope?)

I wonder why you are so apprehensive about socialism, when you are coming to the age when you may benefit from long term, or short term care in the NHS or the Odd Folks Home.

at least i repeat with just a few words, whilst your own are incessant and take up (too) much space

i vote for whom i think the least worst, though you prefer to sit in your padded armchair incessantly criticising all and everything but disinclined ever to put vote with mouth ..... once an election is over, i make as good a fist as i can from what is then dealt, whatever its hue

and no, i am more than happy to go on record saying that i am truly delighted that no company i worked for was ever blighted by a union .... this is not to say that unions were not more than necessary when formed, but i have yet to see one now that has much if any interest in the wellbeing of the company who provides the employment ..... i would also thoroughly agree that there is still a dreadful amount of bad and incompetent management, though uk is far from holding anything like the monopoly

I hope the lesser mortals touch their cap to you!.

=====

I would also suggest having a look at the number of companies who have survived in this economic recession due to management and unions accepting "pay", "hours" and "working practices" restrictions, both sides accepting the need for restraint.

Also, look at some of the bigger companies where relationships, have been good over 50 or more years without strikes. Profits good and working conditions improving and good compared with previous periods.


As written before, one of the changes I would like to see, where it is possible, is for the work force to be part share holders in the companies. If this was so, both sides would be in favour of good working relationships.

This is not feasible in all "industries",or small businesses, but probably similar mode or method of functioning could be found. That might encourage mutual responsibility.

Also, but this repeating myself, my own father ran (as manager) a profitable pit in South Wales for close on 30 years, where relationships, between management and the workforce were good and there was one half day strike during that period.

Other pits were having one strike or walkout a week. My father put it down to lousy management, lousy working conditions and stupidity of union leaders.

The day pick for it was a Xmas day, but repairers and maintenance workers continue to work.

The profits per man were high, and the wages some of the highest in the coal field.

So, I would suggest before you post, check your facts and engage your brain and try to contain some of your wishy washy prejudices.

======


Back to a bloody impossible endgame.

On and off the chess board.

and i'm sure a great many more well-managed companies have survived without the russian roulette of any union interference of any kind, and who also have a contented workforce

btw, my own prejudices probably only appear wishy washy in your eyes, as they are not stridently put about as yours are, and or nor do they have your favourite scarlet flag waving above them

O/Topic....CYNERS one of your favourite stocks just posted on Chart Attack Thread.

Cynic,

Never marched or walk behind any flag or danced to anybody else's tune icon without thinking about it. Since early teens been considered a free thinking maverick, thanks to being taught to question.

But wonder how many tunes you would dance to if there was a jingle to it?

you have clearly thought about and decided the red flag is what you want to follow - so go somewhere where it holds sway!

Manuel,

When a person thinks that they can read other peoples "minds" it would suggest they are suffering from delusional thinking patterns.

Can we take this exchange to the talk to yourself thread please.

RMG opens up another 5%, has it put a top in at 530 or will it continue to have legs?

My £5 guess for a top was blown away.

Martini,

Did consider transfer and then rejected the idea.

Have noted Mail price. Thought it would drop, but still watching it.

fred - 215 - but you clearly think you know mine; how strange and of course totally contradictory