Strands #247 “More Than Just...
Quizzes & Puzzles1 min ago
Is Austerity Something We Will Have To Live With Always?
The term AUSTERITY was brought in and used by David Cameron telling everyone that "we're in it together"
I wonder when we're going to break free of that mantra? If ever
I wonder when we're going to break free of that mantra? If ever
Answers
Austerity is something that hits the poor and/or unemployed and or sick etc.. If you are in a fortunate position you may well not notice. When the Chancellor loosens the purse strings and starts investing in the nation again, that's when we're free of austerity.
18:49 Fri 19th Jul 2019
I work for the NHS and my pay went up this year. I've bumped that up considerably with my overtime.
Since moving house my mortgage has gone up £300 per month and I now have a childcare bill of around £300 a month. I have still managed to have 3 holidays this year and a couple of breaks away. I manage because I'm prepared to work 8 days a week.
I could still afford my monthly bills without overtime but I wouldn't have all the luxuries.
I'm not *entitled* to those luxuries, but I'm prepared to work for them.
Since moving house my mortgage has gone up £300 per month and I now have a childcare bill of around £300 a month. I have still managed to have 3 holidays this year and a couple of breaks away. I manage because I'm prepared to work 8 days a week.
I could still afford my monthly bills without overtime but I wouldn't have all the luxuries.
I'm not *entitled* to those luxuries, but I'm prepared to work for them.
Zack put a twist on what I say if you want, my saying about having a large tv yada,yada,yada is me sayinging I don't harbour the /Im alrightJack/ feelings that some do, I realise I'm lucky I can afford to have those holidays,because I worked and saved for a private pension, now people don't have that *carrot and stick* with many working on a zero hours contract , I still firmly believe Austerity is there but if people like yourself wish to refute this then that's is prerogative and I won't put you down for your views !
I’m not putting any twist on anything. They were direct quotes from your OP and subsequent post which contradict each other. Your OP (by the use of the word ‘we’) clearly states that you wish to break free. Your later comment clearly shows your not part of the people who want to break free. Strange use of the word ‘we’ I though.
The answer is clearly 'no'. Plenty of cash sloshing about for essential public works and/or assinine vanity projects.
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Land is being cleared and housing blocks/flats are cropping up everywhere where I live. But will they be classed as 'affordable housing'. What is affordable housing and who is it affordable to? I know many who I work with that are unable to get on the property ladder because of the cost of housing. Some of these are young couples, both working but can't afford to put down a deposit.
//I know many who I work with that are unable to get on the property ladder because of the cost of housing.//
And that's because there are too many people on this Septic Isle. In each of the last four years the population increased by almost 400,000 people. Net immigration accounted for well over half of this. 525,000 people arrived to settle here in 2018. This is in addition to the 77,000 British people who returned from living abroad. These were offset by 343,000 who left making the net influx 258,000 people.
Let's be (very) generous and say that one home is required for every three of the 400,000. This means 133,000 new homes are needed to cope with this growth. That figure ignores those homes needed to house those whose homes have been demolished; it ignores the fact that everybody arriving here seems to want to live in London or the South East; it ignores the fact that many new-build homes are bought as second homes and so do not count towards those necessary to house a growing population.
It is unsustainable to expect the country to accommodate an extra 400,000 people each and every year. A well known supermarket chain has just has a planning application to demolish and rebuild its existing store in my area refused. There are currently no houses on the site. But the the application was refused because it does not include any in the plans. So the store (who own the site freehold) must give over part of its land (at the expense of its business) to accomodate more homes to satisfy this ridiculous population growth.
There are not too few homes in the UK - there are far, far too many people. If there is any "austerity" (and I believe there is not - there will always be some people who are poorer than others and always will be) over population is one of the major causes.
And that's because there are too many people on this Septic Isle. In each of the last four years the population increased by almost 400,000 people. Net immigration accounted for well over half of this. 525,000 people arrived to settle here in 2018. This is in addition to the 77,000 British people who returned from living abroad. These were offset by 343,000 who left making the net influx 258,000 people.
Let's be (very) generous and say that one home is required for every three of the 400,000. This means 133,000 new homes are needed to cope with this growth. That figure ignores those homes needed to house those whose homes have been demolished; it ignores the fact that everybody arriving here seems to want to live in London or the South East; it ignores the fact that many new-build homes are bought as second homes and so do not count towards those necessary to house a growing population.
It is unsustainable to expect the country to accommodate an extra 400,000 people each and every year. A well known supermarket chain has just has a planning application to demolish and rebuild its existing store in my area refused. There are currently no houses on the site. But the the application was refused because it does not include any in the plans. So the store (who own the site freehold) must give over part of its land (at the expense of its business) to accomodate more homes to satisfy this ridiculous population growth.
There are not too few homes in the UK - there are far, far too many people. If there is any "austerity" (and I believe there is not - there will always be some people who are poorer than others and always will be) over population is one of the major causes.
I disagree with Malthus and his disciples about the "too many". The population was probably less than two billion when he predicted that the human population would outstrip the earth's capability of sustaining it. Malthus didn't account for human ingenuity and the progress of science.
But what is true, however, is that if you add a million people to the population of London in only ten years then the demand for housing rises. Not to mention the demand for many other things. And if the supply is static? Geddit?
I think it is disgusting that normal kids can't afford to buy a house. My wife and I down-sized when we moved twenty years ago. We sold for £70k and bought for £60k. Now this pathetic house would go on the market for £330k. I take no pleasure from this massive increase in my notional wealth. What it means is that no normal income couples can afford to buy a house in West London. How do you get a deposit of £30k when you're twenty-two years old? The only people who can get houses are the very high earners, or those with rich parents, or the parasitic classes euphemistically called "single mothers" or "asylum seekers".
But what is true, however, is that if you add a million people to the population of London in only ten years then the demand for housing rises. Not to mention the demand for many other things. And if the supply is static? Geddit?
I think it is disgusting that normal kids can't afford to buy a house. My wife and I down-sized when we moved twenty years ago. We sold for £70k and bought for £60k. Now this pathetic house would go on the market for £330k. I take no pleasure from this massive increase in my notional wealth. What it means is that no normal income couples can afford to buy a house in West London. How do you get a deposit of £30k when you're twenty-two years old? The only people who can get houses are the very high earners, or those with rich parents, or the parasitic classes euphemistically called "single mothers" or "asylum seekers".
I only know 2 people who admit to using food-banks.
One follows the Welsh football team all over Europe and the other rings me from time to time so sozzled I literally can't understand a word they're saying.
Just saying, like.
Any fool can use AB to virtue signal their empathy.
Sell your big telly, computer, Alexa. Stop taking holidays and, quietly, donate all your money to the 'poor'. You'll feel all warm and virtuous and we won't have to put up with this constant whinge-fest.
One follows the Welsh football team all over Europe and the other rings me from time to time so sozzled I literally can't understand a word they're saying.
Just saying, like.
Any fool can use AB to virtue signal their empathy.
Sell your big telly, computer, Alexa. Stop taking holidays and, quietly, donate all your money to the 'poor'. You'll feel all warm and virtuous and we won't have to put up with this constant whinge-fest.
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