Speaking at his annual lunch, the chief executive of Heron International said Britain was becoming a “two-tier country”. “I spend 12 hours, once a week, driving around the country. I don’t like what I see,” he added. “We are creating a two-tier country where I fear that the consequential effects of significant unemployment will be social unrest.” Mr Ronson, who is estimated to be worth £180m, is developing the Heron Tower, the highest building in the City of London, and owns petrol stations across the UK. He said it was vital that the next Government, in its efforts to reduce the UK’s debt, is “careful not to put too much pressure on the people who can make a difference”. The Government must act like any organisation in a downturn, Mr Ronson insisted, by cutting costs and finding new sources of revenue. “Entrepreneurs should not be the targets,” he said. “Entrepreneurship needs to be encouraged – not penalised and driven out of the country. Entrepreneurs take personal and financial risk and create employment and enterprise. We have to be careful because it wouldn’t take a lot for us to slip back into recession and that’s before the effect of inflation on the economy.” Mr Ronson warned that, amid talk of new taxes against banks, the City of London must be maintained as a “vibrant and attractive environment for international business”. “The next Government must tread carefully when making decisions on regulation and the commercial regime,” he said. “The UK is highly dependent on professional and financial services which have replaced the manufacturing industry we once had. “The time zone, language, financial infrastructure and legal system all contribute to it being the financial centre of the world.” Speaking about the property industry itself, Mr Ronson said developers were “on the endangered list” because of a lack of bank finance. The Heron Tower is one of the few City developments under construction, and Mr Ronson said it was “very difficult for the development industry to function”.warns of social unrest in a
two-tier Britain
Britain faces “social unrest” over rising unemployment outside
London according to Gerald Ronson, the property tycoon.
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
We've been telling this to all for years and years and years!!!!
I used to know Gerald Ronson in my Youth-many years ago.
May be -now- you all might just start listening and realize whats happening.
hh
Property tycoon Gerald Ronson
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