Politics

£445 billion of bank and corporate bonds have been bought by the UK government under Quantitive Easing. This was to keep the banks afloat after they crashed the world economy through their stupid speculation in the markets. Basically giving the financial sector money for breaking the economy and sending us into a deep recession. Bankers profits have recovered very nicely due to government aid, thanks very much. Many of the rest of us are still worse off in real terms than we were in 2008.

On the other hand, we're now supposed to be happy with £3.6 billion split between a hundred declining towns which have all but been left to rot since the 1980s?

Crossrail is going to cost getting on for £20 billion and this offers no benefits to anybody outside of the south east. HS2 which will mostly benefit the south east is heading towards £90 billion.

Let's not get excited about a few crumbs from the table in comparison. The vast majority of government investment goes to the south east and will continue to do so, regardless of the 'Northern Powerhouse' initiative which is very slow moving.

And no, I'm not claiming that the New Labour government were brilliant in this regard but they were certainly a heck of a lot better than the Tories during the Thatcher era and since 2010 who have actively cut expenditure in the name of austerity.

Truth is, UK Government investment has been well below the levels of most of our Western competitors since the 1970s and a few quid here and there to try and grab the headlines won't make a dent in what is required to drag impoverished northern towns out of the mire.

The idea of a continental cafe culture down Freemo sounds like a good one but does beg the question, where are the citizens of N.E. Lincs going to get the money to enjoy it even if it is eventually built? It's why I hope any new stadium does come with a big community aspect to it as we need it badly, especially considering the cuts since 2010.

Quoted from pen penfras

Waiting times were bad before and still are.

Just statistically untrue...

Quoted from aldi_01

A move in to ‘non footy’ incoming...

The fate of all the more interesting discussions I'm afraid

Quoted from moosey_club

Unfortunately those individuals who have been elected by the people over the years have, regardless of political allegience, wasted every opportunity the town has had previously.

Off the top of my head ... Yorkshire Forward schemes....tram lines to be installed down Freeman St, Cinema's at Garth Lane/Macauley St/ Riverhead at one time or another, the auditorium, ice rink too small, scartho bath's built short of competition size, Great Coates, top town paving installed and ripped up, money in Icelandic (?) banking when advised against...etc etc etc.
These all easy examples of pie in the sky ideas or opportunities monies/ wasted without even really thinking hard about it, i am sure others can easily add to those.
The current kickstart project of the £64m (?) Town deal currently ongoing at Garth Lane.....ripping out the decking and seating around the Riverhead...widening the footbridge to 5 metres......water fountains in the Riverhead.....new footpath to the Garth Lane "Maltings Development" (nail bar/youth centre/zip line) and my favourite feature "revamping Grimsby beach"...Yes i said "Grimsby Beach" ...No me neither.....for the uninitiated thats the shallow end of the Alexandra Dock behind the Ross Tiger where the sea cadets etc launch canoes......and where folklore believes Grim landed his boat.
I am pretty certain if Lyle Lanley came knocking the council would go for a monorail.

The whole purpose of the Town deal again.....1000's of jobs and 1000's of new houses...hmmmm....cant see anything there that is going to make a dent in either of those targets.

Pessimistic possibly or just experienced in the track record of every single local council for the last 30 odd years since i have had the vote.

Don't forget the wonderful Palm tree that's going to put Cleethorpes on the map

Get Brexit Done though, innit.

Let's sweep everything that really matters under the carpet and pander to the county's greatest anxieties, perpetuated by the media — who, by pure coincidence, are owned by mega rich people who manipulate the political landscape for their own personal financial gain.

You never say never, but I doubt very much that a new stadium will be built in the next five years and I also very much doubt the stated amount of new homes will be built in Grimsby either.

Politics is full of promise. We're sold dreams, not reality. It's all shirt and no trousers. There's very little left to trust in this world.

At least football is an escape from all that... except it's not, because the game is being dictated by the rich — those above politics. It's their play-thing. It's not the working class game it once was. It's created a league system in which Town can't thrive unless we have a new stadium that promises income more than once every other Saturday.

And who has the biggest say on whether we get that? The loop is complete. We're hamsters in a wheel.

Quoted from gaz57

Don't forget the wonderful Palm tree that's going to put Cleethorpes on the map

And I very much doubt that will ever happen, talk is cheap.

Quoted from ska face

Just statistically untrue...

So you consider being seen to in just under 4 hours for an emergency as being a decent waiting time? Just because it takes 10 minutes longer to see people now doesn't change the fact that the waiting times have been long for a long time.

I don’t set the targets - though as you appear to be an expert in bureaucracy perhaps you must know who does? That must be where you’ve got this idea people are waiting an extra 10 mins.

Quoted from ska face

Just statistically untrue...

Anything to do with the amount of foreigners being allowed into the country? All you have to do is listen to the languages being spoken in hospital and doctors waiting rooms to realise why our public services are so overwhelmed. I'm not saying immigration is a bad thing, and foreign people have contributed greatly to our countries economy but surely there has to be a cap. And the quality of the people that are flooding into our country needs sorting. I'm talking qualified people that are in need, vetting of murderers and not all EU nationals either. How the intercourse did that Somalian named 'Madman' who killed that Grimsby lad get into the country?

Hopefully the new work permit system alongside a fit and proper persons background check will help as some areas of our country are no go zones. That's what Corbyn's socialists want, they want the floodgates to remain open. An open door policy is madness, let's just use common sense.

You're far far far more likely to be treated in a hospital by a HORRIBLE IMMIGRANT than stuck in a queue behind one in A&E