I am reminded of Rob Newman's 'Jarvis' character:

Now I don't want to come over all Daily Mail but ... oh god, that would be terrible ...

I'd forgotten all about Jarvis.

The '90s. They were just better.

The UK has a generous safety net in terms of payment of mortgage interest and rent for the unemployed. Couple this with prudent financial management and many will be able to see out a long period of unemployment relatively unscathed. Some won't, of course.

It really isn't a depression right now. It's a painfully slow recovery - especially in terms of unemployment - out of a fiscal crisis. Unemployment is currently 7.7%, which is lower than majority of the 80's. And of course way lower than the Great Depression of the '30's. Obviously the economic situation is problematic, but it really isn't as bad as you try and paint it.

Yes, spot on. Certainly no signs of a depression. Agree wholeheartedly with your last sentence, its weird.

I don't try and "paint it" in any way - I have referred to statistics and views of more qualified people. For example, the MPC of the Bank of England doesn't expect unemployment to get down to 7% for 2-3 years - 7% is still a high figure. I am certainly not the only person to use the word depression to refer to the UK - example article (and there are others if you look).

Here is a more recent one, within it states "The National Institute for Economic and Social Research said while the UK was now no longer in a recession it remained in a depression and would do so until 2015"

I don't know who the NIESR is (although I'm guessing from its funding that its left-leaning), but that comment makes absolutely no sense at all from any rational economic definition of a depression. Even when western economies were in free fall in early '09, there was consensus amongst economists that we weren't in a depression. Now, had what happened then continued, we may very well have had the Great Depression 2 as opposed to the Great Recession. As I said before, we are in the midst of a painfully slow recovery from a fiscal crisis. A depression it ain't:- that would be what Greece is suffering through.

The linked article seems to have a number of positive comments by the NIESR about growth and GDP.

That's funny.

Then look it up - "The Institute is independent of all party political interests. We receive no core funding from government and are not affiliated to any single university, although our staff regularly undertake projects in collaboration with leading academic institutions." Then take it up with the NIESR - I'm simply relaying information. Perhaps also check their definition of depression so you understand.

Not sure what point you're trying to make. Obviously I did look up its funding sources based on my prior comment.

I'd say the onus was on you to back up your source seeing as you're the one trying to make some sort of point with your reference to them.

Edit:

I did find this link when I searched for "depression" on their website:

http://niesr.ac.uk/blog/recessions-a...e#.Ul3KadJQZEM

"The chart shows that this "depression" - defined, admittedly somewhat arbitrarily, as the time period during which output remains below its previous peak..."

So the NIESR even says that their definition is "somewhat arbitrary".

Check out the comments below the article for some interesting opinions on this too.

Why do you think I was trying to make a point? You stated that you "don't know who the NIESR is", and I provided a link to their "About Us" page on their website.

Can't be much clearer than that - I was pointing you in the direction of finding out what NIESR is.

A little light relief....

How I miss all of them! Downstairs Zargof put up the Fish Called Wanda segment with Michael Palin trying to assassinate the old lady but each time getting the dogs! It is hysterically funny!
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yossernz what HAVE you done!!

Do go on.

.....and on...and on....and....

Absolutely, it is very funny how some would try to convince us the opposite is true