Official government line: don't panic, even though we are all doomed

The economy has been big news of late - or rather the shivering, frail, wheezing husk of a thing that was once labelled an economy.

Rising fuel prices, soaring energy bills, increased general cost of living ... there are more ominous stormclouds than Alabama tornado season, and right now the UK seems like a defenceless trailer-park awaiting the arrival of one of those big CGI twisters from that rubbish Bill Paxton film. What does the government have to say, then? Erm ... pretty much that.

Here's the psuedo-reassuring official position:

''Asked if the Prime Minister agreed with the Governor of the Bank of England that we were facing the most difficult economic circumstances of the last two decades, the PMS said that the Chancellor had spoken on behalf of the Government, at length, during his Mansion House speech last night. As the Chancellor had said, with the UK economy, as elsewhere in the world, we were having to deal with the turbulence in financial markets and the soaring costs of energy, food and commodities. The Chancellor also reiterated the point that the UK economy was well placed to deal with these challenges.''

In translation? We're probably all going to live. Just with less holiday money. Or money.

Written by C J Davies on 19 Jun 2008 11:24 PM. Permalink