Model Forum / General / Models / December 2006

Funny, I seem to remember an announcement about this in the early days
of Labour's current incumbency so I was surprised to hear that item.
Maybe it was one of GB's many announcements of what he would be doing
in the future?

Finally you can allow yourself a good night's sleep.

Cheers
Tim

Dutton Dry-Dock
Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs
Vintage diesel engine service

I had no idea the Canadians also lent us so much!

www.guardian.co.uk/secondworldwar/story/0,,1979752,00.html?gusrc=ticker-103704

Cheers guys!

From my readings, the UK had before WWII the largest overseas investment
portfolio in the world. When we were fighting alone (but for the gallant
help of the Empire countries) for world freedom for over 2 years, the
USA first relieved us of all our gold reserves and most of these
overseas investments to pay for supplies, then lent us money and goods
which we have been paying for over 60+ years. To add insult to injury,
they then turned round and gave much of that money to the rebuilding of
Europe, especially Germany, creating an "economic miracle" which we,
virtually bankrupt, could not compete with. Only in the last 20 years
has the true position re-surfaced, i.e. that the UK is as competitive as
any country in Europe. Of course, it is also fair to add that we
probably could not have survived without this help, and no-one else was
willing or able to give it at the time.

Interestingly, it was a US colleague who first pointed out to me that
the other major factor holding back the UK economic recovery has been
that we always obey the daft European rules, whereas many of our
competitors flout them, openly or covertly.

Still, I can feel slightly pleased with myself - paid off the mortgage
last month, a month earlier than the UK ... Only took 25 years (but it
wasn't quite as big).

Happy New Year,

David

I don't remember any such claim - but what I do remember was a lot o
noise about repaying part of the national debt - some of which predate
the battle of Waterloo. More weirdo econ stuff here (worth ploughin
through to the end):

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4757181.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2001/budget_2001/1207368.st

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Myford Mat

As reported here, it was postwar loans that were being repaid.

Iirc, lend-lease equipment couldn't be repatriated back to the US.

Tom

Let's stick to model engineering (here) - this is only going to end i
tear

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Myford Mat