50 Billion? No Good!!

[st333ve]

It has started to come to light that the 50 billion offered to northern ireland from the british government is little more than what it would take to subsidize the north over the next 10 years.

Northern ireland in 10 years will be no different, it will never attract any business necessary for economic growth because of the large 30% corporation tax, fuel smuggling will still continue because of the large tax on fuel in the north.

To put this in perspective you have to realise that businesses only do what increases profit, so why would they come to northern ireland and pay 30% on profits when they can go to the republic with a larger population and pay only 12.5%.

The republic is sucking the businesses out of northern ireland, i know this from experiance as the factory in which i work lost their biggest buyer to a company in the republic who can produce the same product for a cheaper price.

This is happening all the time at an alarming rate, either companies move to the republic or abroad and im sure many people have suffered in northern ireland because of this.

The british government refuses to lower taxes in northern ireland to attract business or prevent crime which leaves the north in a very worrying situation.

In 10 years time when the 50 billion is spent, a lot of companies have left in search of higher profits, northern ireland is still the same, how can people still vote pro-unionism???

In the north remember everytime you pay about 30 pence per litre more for fuel your paying for unionism, when your factory gives you your low pay check or leaves you without a job, youre paying for unionism, history culture etc aside, how does unionism better anyones life in northern ireland and how can people still not see it for what it is,
Down we will all go with Ian Paisley pulling us as fast as he can.
Unionists shouldnt be blinded towards reality, this is how it is. they have nothing to fear from ditching the british government and this will not change their nationality culture or history, it will not change who they are in anyway whatsoever, it will just give northern ireland the chance to become prosperous once again as there is no other way that this will ever happen.

People in northern ireland cant spend a life time in an economic slump looking towards britain and saying "please sir can we have some more?"

[Westie24]

You've persuaded me, Steve. I'll give my old Buddy Sir Ian a call and we'll have all this mess sorted by Christmas.

Unless, of course, a lot of Unionists would rather sink down the economic toilet rather than utter the unholy words 'reunfication'.

[Jonjo]

yeah, its a good thing the 2 governments have had enough of their slowness...

[st333ve]

If unification wasnt dressed up as such a tribal and unholy idea by Ian Paisley and those alike, it would just be known as a sensible solution for a bad situation.

I would like to hear from unionists on how they believe they are going to get northern ireland out of this desperate situation while still remain part of the uk, because it looks impossible to me, really really impossible.

[daithimac]

I was just considering when you say that people should considering themselfs paying for unionism when faced with economc strife, would it not be the case that southern people would in the future consider themselfs paying for reunionificaton once were the ones who have to prop up the six counties
just as the recent accession states had to meet certain economic standards before joining the EU shoulden't the six counties have to meet some kind of standards before joining an Irish nation.

[st333ve]

It would be a reasonable demand to ask for these standards i wouldnt expect unification to get great support while the norths economy is in the state it is in. maybe thats why so much money is being poured in, but as it stands it just isnt enough. something has to be done to attract business without this the money just burns out with no real advantages.

Northern ireland cannot sustain itself as it cannot bring in any business from ouitside, the main characteristic that has gave the republic its economic boom.

Think about it, as a business man, if your company brings in 10 million per year, if you set that business up in the north you lose 3 million to tax, 50 miles or so away your business will only lose 1.2 million to tax.

This is why the economy in northern ireland is failing.
Northern ireland is every bit as capable of bringing in the same business as the republic and adding to their economy in time, if it gets the oppertunity, the british government will prevent this from happening.
Im not saying that it wont cost the republic in the short term, but as Bertie knows investing money in the short term for a long term goal isnt a loss,on the whole only a temporary one.

Would the republic not be in favour of investing and expanding north if it had favourable long term goals?
What reason do people have to believe the north cannot become prosperous in a peaceful environment with a competitive economy, considering its history of being the most wealthiest part of ireland.
And isnt this a better idea than never helping the north whatsoever which is what its condemned to by the british governments harsh taxes on contrast to the republics.

It might cost the republic for unification it might not the eu and other organisations will also cover a large percentage of the cost, but this will carry with it the oppertunity to expand north, more airports hospitals etc. and stop the monopoly the republic has on bringing in business to ireland.
At the moment its costing britain, but this is merely putting a plug in a hole to stop it sinking and no more.

I would still like to hear some ideas from unionists on the situation, proper ideas about the high corporation tax were paying high fuel prices etc. and what unionism can do to stop this, why should i or anyone vote to remain in a ditch, and to be honest im fed up with the stupidity of the whole situation!

[jady88]

Look the sooner the whole thing ends the better Ireland and NI must be reunified it is our right.

[Carrier]

I believe it is against European law to have a *ahem* country with two different rates of corporation tax in it's juristiction. The UK can't have one rate for the North and another for the rest of the UK. If they decide to change the rate across the board then this particular scenario becomes fairly irrelevant.

[st333ve]

I believe it is against European law to have a *ahem* country with two different rates of corporation tax in it's juristiction. The UK can't have one rate for the North and another for the rest of the UK. If they decide to change the rate across the board then this particular scenario becomes fairly irrelevant.

So what youre saying is that there is absoloutly no chance of the north having the same corperation tax as the south ever while its in the same jurisriction as britain, as its actually illegal.
It's irrelevent whether or not its the british governments fault that these taxes cant be changed,and would they lower the tax anyway? it doesnt matter.The fact remains that the only way to regain an economy in the north is to tempt business in with the same 12.5% corp. tax that the ROI has, if this doesnt happen then it would make absoloutly no sence for any businesses to use the north of ireland as they will have to pay 2.4 times the tax they would in the south.(30%NI)
No amount of money thrown at northern ireland will make any change to this situation while in uk juristiction.
Businesses will always go where they can make the most money and pay the least tax.
Businesses bring in jobs,jobs pay money, money builds an economy.
Without the business trade etc. Ni will be forever stuck in the subsidation timewarp.

[cain1798]

There is no chance, and never was any chance, of the Corp Tax cut partly for the reason Carrier mentioned, and partly, anmd not unconnectedly, if the North did it, Scotland and Wales might want to do it as well.

The numbers aren't quite as stark as you're saying btw. According to Brit Gov figures, 96% of businesses in the North pay at the lower rate of tax, 19%, and not the 30% rate which is for very profitable companies.

Building an economy in the Six Counties based on low corporation tax however, is building on sand. Lets look at the economic reality of this. A 12.5% Corporation Tax rate is astronomical. It is absolutely huge compared to the rates in eastern Europe and Asia. If you think the North, or increasingly the South, can compete with those countries offering ZERO rates of Corp Tax, extremely low wages, and as a bonus they'll shoot union organisers, you need to think again.

The investment is needed to move the North towards a knowledge and IT based economy with pharmaceuticals and the like. This is why Corp Tax breaks for R&D ARE a possibility. Manufacturing in the Six Counties, the traditional prestige industries of the Unionist working class are gone. The departure of 650 jobs from Shorts a couple of weeks ago a fine example of it. And Shorts isn't coming back, no matter how low you drive your tax rates.