There were 5, as I recall, David. They were on the BBC news today. One of them was saying that rather than cut VAT, the Government should have bought up old housing stock, done it up and then rented it out at low, affordable rents, to those who need it, as he thought that would have kick started the housing market again. (I doubt it)

I've a friend who rents a small terraced house in Sidmouth, at the cost of near on £700 a month. Er...not that many people down here earn £700 a month these days. Our wages are either dead on, or barely above the minimum wage, down here in the West Country So that rent comes out of Housing Benefit, along with the rents of hundreds of thousands of others, which is costing the country a small fortune..or more than likely a HUGE fortune

Things have been going down the Swanny for the last two decades or so in my eyes...it's just all beginning to hit the fan now.

Good to see the Bishops finally getting off their backsides though, and taking to shouting from the rooftops about a few things. They should have been doing it years back, been far too weak for far too long.

Although, correct me if I'm wrong, but..hasn't the Church of England got masses of property themselves? And didn't they invest some of their money in Viagra, shortly before it burst onto the medical scene?
(I'm sure there are a few jokes there, but I'm on my best behaviour, so....) ;0)

A Rise in the Church of England



"The Church of England has a worldly interest in financial markets. Its investments in shares, property and other interests earned 144.6 million pounds (US$268 million) in 2007, the Church Commissioners reported.

The Church Commissioners administer some 5.6 billion pounds (US$10.4 billion) in assets."

Taken from here