Summer Riots?

[Gromit]

I get the impression a lot of people are fed up with their lot at the moment, and they are angry and desperate.

I would not be surprised if we see civil unrest on the streets again. When it warms up end of May, beginning of June, then I think there will be trouble.

I hope not, any lawlessness will distract from the Government's abysmal record and could lead to a backlash in favour of the Conservatives.

Anyone else feel a sense of impending menace?

[emmie]

no that isn't right i agree. However we have all been lumped in this together, and as we know, one size doesn't fit all.

[cazzz1975]

it would have to be cash in hand JSA is not enough to fund a nice house or nice clothes.

Im not feeling impending riots, however there is a general gloom

[emmie]

gloom agree, but if there are riots it will be self defeating... because from what i saw the last time, shopkeepers who lost their stores, and homes being burned out, so not exactly raging against the ones who caused all of this.

[youngmafbog]

Bound to be. No doubt the annual walk of the great unwashed will happen in May and all the Bankers will stand waving £50 notes at them as usual.

The riots will be orchestrated by the criminal fraternity as well as the left and will occur because the hand-wringers have tied the Old Bills hands.

I doubt it would affect the Tories one way or another.

[naomi24]

//I doubt it would affect the Tories one way or another. //

Who are 'the Tories'?

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// I suspect a more coordinated attack this time. Anarchists and extreme leftists hijacking a legitimate protest. ///

That is a rather unusual comment for you to make Gromit, especially when you refuse to be so understanding where the EDL is concerned.

[Kromovaracun]

"Regarding Anarchists co-ordinating the riots. I noticed that the core anarchists had exactly the same HEAVY BOOTS, RUCKSACKS and STRONG HOODED ANORAKS

I watched the BBC iPlayer coverage of riots across the Country and soon could pick out the rioters and predict their agressive actions then their escape. THEY WERE TRAINED. "

So... some of the ones you saw on the telly were wearing boots and 'strong hooded' (?) anoraks. So they're obviously trained.

Forgive me for being a little skeptical.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// I hope not, any lawlessness will distract from the Government's abysmal record and could lead to a backlash in favour of the Conservatives. ///

It would seem from that statement that the only reason you do not want any lawlessness to break out is because it may be advantageous to the Conservatives.

[emmie]

the police did say on the news at the time there were a small band of anarchists who were egging on the looters and rioters. That they have their own agenda, nothing to do with getting a few pair of trainers or flat screen tv's.
as to tories, what has that got to do with anything.

[mikey4444]

I wish people would stop believing that the summer riots were some kind of political awakening. Almost all those convicted were simple thieves and criminals. Hardly anybody was charged with breaking into Sainsburys and stealing carrots. It was expensive so-called designer goods that were stolen. There was also a lot of gratuitous violence and vandalism, done by stupid, badly brought-up young people.

[emmie]

read it all, some seem to forget the deaths that occurred as a result of this mayhem. it wasn't a few smashed shops, and if anyone thinks this will happen again, i sincerely hope you are wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_England_riots

[Gromit]

// It would seem from that statement that the only reason you do not want any lawlessness to break out is because it may be advantageous to the Conservatives. //

Not the only reason. I obviously don't want the death and destruction of last time. But I believe a lot of people are unhappy with things at the moment. And not just lefties. This thread was prompted by conversations last week with amongst others, a police officer (morale is very low according to him), a Company Director (frustrated because no one has any money to buy his stuff) and an ex Conservative Councillor. All were very gloomy. All were worried that it may all end messily.

And pensioners, workers, students, neighbours, everyone seems unhappy at the moment. More so than usual.

The gap between the haves and the have nots seems to be widening greatly. When they are taking money off of people because they have a spare room, but big businesses are paying no tax, bankers are lavishly rewarding themselves and the Government seems to neither understand or care, then we could be heading for a reaction to all that.

[dave50]

If it happens again then the police need to go in hard with rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon, no messing about this time.

[Baldric]

Just wondering why this is in 'News' when it's just supposition on the part of the OPer.
If it aint happened it aint News.

[naomi24]

//everyone seems unhappy at the moment. More so than usual. //

I don't see that, but that aside, was there ever a time when everyone was happy?

[Booldawg]

'My careful observation about the Anarchists was about their identical heavy boots, hooded anorak and rucksack (firmly strapped with two straps to their back). '

I will be monitoring the movements of my dad and his rambling club friends over the next few months!

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

Could I ask you Gromit, would a Labour government make us much more happy, and if so what gesture of their 'magic wand' would it take to achieve this?

[Gromit]

AOG

The coalition have printed £175 billion.

They have used £60billion of that to pay back some of the deficit. The remainder has been used to prop up Government funds because the tax yeild is significantly down. The Government is earning less in taxes because companies are under performing, people are earning less (so are paying less tax), and more working and non working people now need benefits.

Labour would have stimulated the economy with the money from quantative easing as they did with QE1. Remember the scrappage scheme, remember 15% VAT? Designed to keep the economy moving. If we had more growth, the tax yeild would not have fallen so sharply and we could have paid more of the deficit back by now.

The Chancellor has got it so wrong. Every forecast and every estimate has been widely wrong. George Osborne said they would pay off the deficit in one term, and we should judge them on that result. We will not pay off the deficit in one term (not even half of it). If we are to take Osborne's criteria of if they have been successful or not, then it it hard not to conclude that they they have been a dismal failure.