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Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 13:19 GMT 14:19 UK

Cut back on the number of civil servants. I left the civil service many years ago due to boredom. Basically I worked for 2 days out of the 5 day week and when I asked for a transfer to a different job I was told that my manager had refused because he needed me and the other 5 people in his dept otherwise his budget would be cut.

I understand it still goes on in many departments but they are cutting back at HMRC just when they are needed most!!!!

P W, MK

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 13:10 GMT 14:10 UK

The fact that share and house prices are rising again, even though unemployment is rising, means that excess spending power in the hands of a minority of rich people is again stoking up asset inflation, which will cause another crash in a decade or two.

An effective wealth tax is required, so that this spending power can be used to create useful jobs, in education for example.

Earnings and money spent are already heavily taxed, but there is no effective taxation of unspent wealth.

[stanblogger], Glasgow, United Kingdom

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 13:09 GMT 14:09 UK

We was informed only this morning that the construction industry has been fined nearly a billion pound this year for practice of misconduct, and by all accounts not gross misconduct. its a pity that bankers and politicians was not treated with same stick, they have contributed directly to this mess we are in now. Maybe the construction industry should have said sorry, or its global and the tax payer would have paid their fine..

Tony, Leigh

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 13:08 GMT 14:08 UK

Cutting education budgets to save money is akin to cutting your head off to save having to pay for haircuts - not exactly credible!
Reducing one of the most vital investments that any country can make in its future is folly.

Why not return to teaching real subjects, with real exams that require real intellectual effort and achievement to pass them? Then only the best students would go to university, simultaneously lowering costs and raising graduate quality.
Now that really would be bold!

[OneWhoQuestions], United Kingdom

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 12:58 GMT 13:58 UK

When it comes to education, of every level, the basic principle is that all boys and girls must be placed in the same condition starting to enjoy the service in education. This is a basic principle of a democratic country. Need more funds for the school, including the university ?
For me, the students should not pay for education with taxes. Free schooling for all.

[RobertDL], ITALY, Italy

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 12:49 GMT 13:49 UK

I agree with the boy Clegg - the cuts must be savage.

I look forward to an angry Clegg wielding his chainsaw in the next hung Parliament.

Clegg would be a good Conservative leader - much better than the uber social democrat they have got.

Winny Churchill

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 09:26 GMT 10:26 UK

As a Assistant Officer in the civil service I earn less than a traffic warden, PCSO, and a fulltime till person in any of the big 4 supermarkets
This year , yet again, my pay rise was 1% - more than wiped out by the raise in council tax.
In my job, I stopped £150,000 in fraudulent tax claims.
You cut the roots of a tree it will die. You are better off slicing off the fat branches!!

And don't cut the military any further. History WILL repeat itself, it always does.

[Dennisbach], Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 09:22 GMT 10:22 UK

do what you thin is best innit

malin elliott, purley

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 07:30 GMT 08:30 UK

Most politcal parties are now mentioning cuts as part of their manifestos. Why the public sector workers should vote for unemployment is beyond me. The £2bn in education cuts can be paid easily from the interest on the money that was loaned to the banks last year. £136bn loan to the banks at say 4% is £5.44bn interest over the last year. Better still ask the banks to pay the money back (with interest) since they have started to make profits. Why should the voters(and all the Public) suffer?

Evil One, Nettatal, Germany

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 07:20 GMT 08:20 UK

As everything is going private, why on earth do we need Politicians? Politicians who created the false economy and are riding the gravy train, research the past Politicians and you'll notice their investments. Privatization has only achieved one thing, obscene profits and low standards.

The education standards have not increased, but the advertising within schools has increased. Not to mention the nice plasma TVs, grand decor and plush staff offices, what about education?

fred world

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 07:05 GMT 08:05 UK

Benifit scroungers who are able to work, Quango's, excessive parliamentary expenses, the pointless wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and, at the risk of provoking howls of outrage, the extended royal family.

[apathyrulesok]

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 06:26 GMT 07:26 UK

Cut foreign aid to drastically. If we can't afford to look after ourselves how can we possibly be expected to pay for the everyone else.

Matt Martin, Plumstead, United Kingdom

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 06:20 GMT 07:20 UK

Under this government, the public sector workforce has grown by a staggering 800,000. At an average of, let's say, 20 grand a year, not taking into account employer's NI contributions etc. that amounts to 16 billion pounds per year. One wonders how many of those 800,000 positions were really necessary.

Neil Probert, Cernusco Sul Naviglio, Italy

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 06:18 GMT 07:18 UK

How to save money? Simple; get rid of the Audit Commission and everyone and everything that has to do with monitoring and target-setting.
If you seriously think that in their absence that teachers will suddenly start teaching less effectively or hospital staff and GPs will suddenly start treating you less effectively, you're fooling yourself. In fact, freed from the massive weight of bureaucracy, the services would almost certainly improve.
We never had all this nonsense 30 years ago.

Andrew, Liverpool

Added: Tuesday, 22 September, 2009, 05:06 GMT 06:06 UK

"A civil servant comes onto the stage and explains to us his JOB and why he thinks its important along with why he thinks he should be paid twice as much than a private sector employee.

If you agree You press the red Button on the remote and if you don’t…….

mush, Milton Keynes"

How about you going out and actually finding a civil servant who's paid twice as much as a private sector employee doing a comparable job, instead of regurgitating the propaganda from your tabloid newspaper.

Patrick Birt