06/12/2013

PASS THE ABACUS

On reading the latest letter from councillor John Taylor, (Tameside Reporter 05 December 2013) it would seem that the poster-boy for everything that is wrong with politics, has once again demonstrated how he only sees a given situation as his bias permits. That is, he consciously or unwittingly excludes from sight those factors which he does not wish brought to his attention.

In his latest rant regarding the ‘Royal Mail’ sell off, which, given his vast experience of fiscal studies, presumably gained from the time when he had a proper job, flogging plastic widgets from a long lamented Stalybridge market stall, he pointed out that the Royal Mail selling price was so attractive, that Bankers, Multi-National Insurance companies and Investment companies, swooped to buy the shares in order to make big profits for their investors.

He finished his rant by claiming the rich are getting richer and those who had the temerity to invest in Royal Mail shares are merely looking for a return on their investment! - No shit, Sherlock!

He underscored his point by pointing out the many of the Royal Mail employees who were offered a stake in the sale, benefitted by the demand and many doubled their money overnight!

Now let’s just take this observation to its conclusion.

If an Investment Bank, Insurance Group or Venture Capital Company makes profits by shrewd stock market dealing, the profits are distributed to the shareholders of that Bank, Insurance group or Investment Company.

Now if that system is so bad, perhaps councillor Taylor could explain why, as a Member of Greater Manchester Pension Fund, he has allowed his advisers to place hundreds of millions of the huge pension funds resources in companies like: AVIVA (£28m) Bank of America (£17million) Bank of Scotland (£6 million) Barclay’s (£26 million) CENTRICA (£32 million) CITIGROUP (£20 million) GE Capital (£25 million) Goldman Sachs (£20 million) HBOS (£120 million) & LLOYDS (£183 million)

Could it be that only through investment comes profit; without profits, councillor Taylor, his fellow councillors and hundreds of council workers, who pay into the system; retiring at the end of their working lives, would not gain those extra benefits?

Put simply, if any of the GMPF money was used to secure a shareholding in the Royal Mail, and profits were gained from their subsequent sale, then Tameside council workers amongst others will also reap some of the benefits of that sale. 

Presumably, the councillor now claiming this practice to be wrong, will surely make it public that he will be refusing his accrued pension pot and will be giving it all to charity? - No, I think not!

But of course, the councillor having a nasty streak of anti-intellectualism in him, that he frequently uses with cunning dexterity, would probably dismiss such arguments as mere 'BS' in his ‘ex-market trader’ sense of the term.

Puzzling, isn’t it?

12 comments:

  1. Oh you used the word "nasty" to describe him.
    He called in the CID to investigate comments calling him a nasty, violent, man.
    Consider what the judge had to say about him "I think he needs to grow a thicker skin"

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  2. ACAB Nuff Said12/06/2013 9:40 pm

    Taylor is a walking indictment of modern British democracy and we have the plummeting standard of intelligence and knowledge of the average member of the electorate to thank. To emphasise this point remember that Ed Balls is Shadow Chancellor.

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  3. If the Greater Manchester Pension Fund are only invested in the following,maybe,just maybe Counllr Taylor and numerous other union members might be in for a big awakening not too far down the road.
    AVIVA (£28m) Bank of America (£17million) Bank of Scotland (£6 million) Barclay’s (£26 million) CENTRICA (£32 million) CITIGROUP (£20 million) GE Capital (£25 million) Goldman Sachs (£20 million) HBOS (£120 million) & LLOYDS (£183 million)

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/04/us/detroit-bankruptcy-ruling.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&

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  4. The GMPF portfolio is spread much wider than the few examples mentioned. The fund, which is now well over £10billion also includes many international conglomerates including the 'nasty tobacco companies; those that the two faced councillors advise us to stop buying their products!

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  5. Are these not the actions of a nasty, violent, man?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kABaiYX9kSo

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  6. The Whole Truth12/08/2013 1:13 pm

    Speaking of useless councillors, don't forget to go to Ashton and sign TMBC's very own book of condolence for Nelson Mandela everyone.

    The fact that he had a highly questionable terrorist past has been totally ignored by our pathetic, dishonest councillors (he had NOTHING to do with Tameside), just as it has been by the mass media.

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  7. He seems to forget that Labour tried to sell off the Royal Mail too, but couldn't manage it.

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  8. This man gets involved in neighbour deputes, first rule as a Councillor you should never do.

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  9. There's going to be a big story involving this man and new charter housing
    The charitable status, social housing landlord will need to be at their very best next year.
    The collusion between this man and private citizens in his own personal private vendetta, will be exposed.


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  10. This nasty man has brought violence and smear to Tameside politics .
    In 2010 he was interviewed under police caution after being reported for assault.
    This man uses his twitter account to call his political rivals scum, yet the police turn a blind eye to his incitement and violence.
    Your articles give me hope because you are exposing such a nasty man to the public.
    Politics can well do with-out bully's like this man.

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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