A Selection of Quotes from the BBC Website
One of the reasons why the economy is strong is because so many people have borrowed ridiculous amounts of money. But with the amount of people being laid off recently (IBM, Rover etc) I just hope this isn't a trigger for a recession. Ross, UK
There is no incentive to save at present. So I'd like to see interests rates move up to nearer 6-8%. This would also assist the older generation who have seen their savings whittle away. Bit more long term prudence and less short term greed. Plus I wouldn't think about changing house right now as you could be left with serious negative equity in due course. Kabul, Angus, Scotland
Britain will be in recession by summer 2007. The irony is that the Labour government have taken us through the same boom and bust cycle as the Conservatives did in the 1980s, just by a different route. Enjoy it while it lasts - the second half of the decade will be a hard slog. David, Cambridge, UK.
This is the end result of Gordon Brown's stealth wealth policies. Instead of the recession we faced in 2000 we now get a bigger one with massive debt and housing bubbles thrown in for good measure. Some economic miracle! Michael, Edinburgh, UK
I own an IT Services company, and the economy in our sector of the market is doing very well indeed. We have grown turnover by over 30% in the last 12 months, and will do the same again next year. The only thing that's slowing our growth is the ability to recruit and integrate new employees. John, England
Economy going into recession, over taxation, over regulation, businesses relocating abroad. Yes I am worried; that was why I voted Conservative. Gary, Longthorpe, England
It's funny that all these people probably voted for labour because of their "excellent economic achievements" and here we are on the brink of another recession. Irony doesn't quite do it justice. Sally, UK
How can a country which continually allows its manufacturing facilities to close down have a great economy? People are up to their neck in debt because the government have not implemented controls over borrowing. When all this debt has to be repaid where is the money coming from? Wages are not in line with borrowing so the whole thing is going to go belly up pretty soon. I just hope I don't end up working in a bloody call centre. Tracy, Hudds
I've seen it happen here in Holland, and unfortunately also been caught up in it in more ways than one. House prices were extremely high before recession hit, yet many like myself have lost 10-20% or more on what they paid and face being stuck with properties they can't sell. Despite the fact that redundancy requires a court order here (the sack doesn't exist) I have had many friends who have had to face this since recession hit, it's also quite worrying to see the million square meters of empty office space here in Amsterdam that is still not filled, since so many foreign businesses had to move away from Holland. The worst thing is the recession itself was caused by the economy being too good, and people got too greedy. The same thing will happen in the UK, it's just a matter of time. Jennifer, Netherlands, ex-UK
We have been in a recession for some time; I do not understand why no one has seen it. Unfortunately, another 5 years of this Government will make things very much worse. I predict a return to the late 1970's "Winter of Discontent". Claire Herbert
You bet! I've seen this coming for over a year and a half. Since January, business has been bad, April was a little better but I'm still spending carefully and I'm not in debt! So all you greedy 'property types' and 'credit-card junkies' who spend beyond your means, your come-uppance is well on its way but we'll all end up paying for it in the long run. Bob, London
I think we are about to reach a tipping point. High fuel costs, high levels of borrowing, saturated housing market, can only point to difficult times ahead. If unemployment starts to rise I suspect the problem of economic migrants will disappear anyway. Julian, Cardiff, Wales
This could only have been expected. With house inflation at such a hyper rate, and currently uncontrollable, people will just not have enough real cash to spend in the shops. Only credit will be available and that will ever deepen the economic collapse. Martin, UK
Sooner or later we will have to pay for the apparent prosperity that many of us in the UK - but by no means all - have experienced over the last 15-10 years. The longer we go on pretending that we are well off, mostly due to hugely inflated housing prices and high levels of personal debt, the worse the crunch will be when it comes. Edwood, Malvern UK
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