This week it was announced that the National Debt has reached one trillion pounds - (1,000,000,000,000 or 1,000,000 million) - so, isn’t it time that we begin to understand the enormity of these figures? Let’s start with a billion:So what exactly is a billion? (1,000,000,000 or 1,000 million)Our politicians casually discuss billions of pounds, and in particular the THIRTY THREE BILLION POUNDS to be spent on HS2, but how can we put such vast amounts into perspective? This is how:One billion seconds ago it was the year 1979 Maggie Thatcher became the first woman Prime Minister.One billion hours = 114,155 years ago Man first started to wear clothes.One billions days ago nothing walked the Earth on two legs.Now multiply that by 33 - the number of billions of pounds being spent on HS2.THIRTY THREE BILLION Seconds ago - the year 965AD. King Edgar took Elfrida for his wife, shortly before King Canute got his feet wet. THIRTY THREE BILLION Hours ago - 3,767,123 years modern man did not exist. THIRTY THREE BILLION days ago - 90,410,760 years The Cretaceous period and Dinosaurs ruled the land. You get the point!Now consider this:If you borrow £33 billion for 30 years at 4.25% interest - the interest on this amount is over £1.4 billion per year, therefore if it is borrowed for 30 years the interest will be £42 billion.Should we be borrowing so much money at this time?Read
