Software Cooperative News

The UK Budget is out. I’m pretty disappointed for TTLLP – the headlines for business look rather unhelpful to our co-op.

• It supports loss-making businesses – keeping our unsustainable competitors in business for longer,
• it spreads business rate up-rating – which we pay through rent on the few places we pay it, probably no change overall,
• it introduces a credit insurance scheme, also keeping our unsustainable competitors in business for longer by letting them run up more debt when the banks are cutting it off, and
• introducing a vehicle scrappage scheme which appears to discourage sustainable travel (which most members try to do), be open to abuse (is it just a buy-a-banger bonus?) and have other side-effects which can be seen in Germany and France already.

I’m thinking that our co-op will see more benefit from the EU capping mobile telecoms prices, Earth Day or even Plone Day than UK Budget Day 2009.

What’s in the UK budget for you? I may have missed something useful for cooperatives, so please tell us if you spot something in it for us, too!