Thursday 10 January 2008

Another dodgy stat from the PM!

The PM has almost made a career of talking like an accounts spreadsheet knowing that most of us either just switch off or gaze adoringly at the screen. People have now twigged this ploy and they are challenging his statements. Two more Daily Mail readers submitted letters today challenging the veracity of his figures. Apparently he announced on Radio 4 that Britain's inflation rate is 2% and compared it favourably with America 4% and Germany 3%. Once again the interrogators allowed him to escape scrutiny even though we all know that inflation in real terms is much higher than that.

Apparently the Office of National Statistics produces two sets of figures the Retail Price Index (4%) and the Consumer Price Index (2%) and the PM conveniently uses the lower rate but that only means that he is kidding himself and deluding us. Down here on planet Earth looking at the increase in fuel prices, rail fares and supermarket hikes for staple foodstuffs I reckon that neither figure is anywhere near the truth. Why can't we have one inflation rate which should also include Council Tax increases and let it come from an independent body and not a government agency.

Next time he quotes a figure I think that we should all be aware that it may not be as kosha as it sounds.

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