The Winter of Discontent #2 Food, energy, transport, jobs, housing etc

[whathastheworldcometo]

There is one more thing I want to add:

Before the referendum it was all about: "we give money to the EU that could have gone to the NHS!"
Where is all of this money now and why doesn't it go to the NHS now?
Now it is: the NI increase is necessary to save the NHS.

 

[dancingqueen5678]

There is one more thing I want to add:

Before the referendum it was all about: "we give money to the EU that could have gone to the NHS!"
Where is all of this money now and why doesn't it go to the NHS now?
Now it is: the NI increase is necessary to save the NHS.

I think we all need to do ourselves a favour in uk and acknowledge that the tories are not paying any more money to the NHS.
They should. However, they won't.

 

[whathastheworldcometo]

I think we all need to do ourselves a favour in uk and acknowledge that the tories are not paying any more money to the NHS.
They should. However, they won't.

Yes, and I didn't believe that any money that does not need to go to the EU would ever have gone to the NHS.

It was quite obviously a lie to get votes.

 

[ClockworkDolly]

It appears that most people who become MP’s in the Tory party (although the Labour Party is not immune to this either) have either a silver-spoon background, went to private school, have friends in very high places and have no connection to a world outside of their inner circle. I think the majority of them should never become Members of Parliament, never mind becoming the PM! They simply do not have an idea of how people are forced to live. Forget all of the trotting round nursing homes and council estates for photo opportunities, we can all see through that shite. For the most part, they are patronising and in my opinion, very few have any brains at all. Most of them certainly lack compassion.

Yes, we know there are people who take the piss in life, don’t pay any tax and work on the side of their benefits, but most of them do it to make up the shortfall, to feed their families. It’s the same piss-taking, on a smaller scale, that the wealthy company directors do to avoid paying huge sums of tax. They are able to dress it up better, to make it look as though they are not at fault.

When Tony Blair was PM, he was on his own gravy train. He amassed a wealthy property portfolio, so anyone saying he was a socialist, well, that’s a load of shite. He feathered his own nest and played a blinder really. His Government built very few council houses, yet he seemed to accrue quite a few houses of his own, whilst raking in his salary and enjoying all the benefits of being a PM.

Frankly, they are all as bad as each other. I don’t vote for any of them, they’re all shite. The only one I possibly would vote for is Keir Starmer, or Angela Rayner.

This country is corrupt.

 

[JoeBloggs]

It appears that most people who become MP’s in the Tory party (although the Labour Party is not immune to this either) have either a silver-spoon background, went to private school, have friends in very high places and have no connection to a world outside of their inner circle. I think the majority of them should never become Members of Parliament, never mind becoming the PM! They simply do not have an idea of how people are forced to live. Forget all of the trotting round nursing homes and council estates for photo opportunities, we can all see through that shite. For the most part, they are patronising and in my opinion, very few have any brains at all. Most of them certainly lack compassion.

Yes, we know there are people who take the piss in life, don’t pay any tax and work on the side of their benefits, but most of them do it to make up the shortfall, to feed their families. It’s the same piss-taking, on a smaller scale, that the wealthy company directors do to avoid paying huge sums of tax. They are able to dress it up better, to make it look as though they are not at fault.

When Tony Blair was PM, he was on his own gravy train. He amassed a wealthy property portfolio, so anyone saying he was a socialist, well, that’s a load of shite. He feathered his own nest and played a blinder really. His Government built very few council houses, yet he seemed to accrue quite a few houses of his own, whilst raking in his salary and enjoying all the benefits of being a PM.

Frankly, they are all as bad as each other. I don’t vote for any of them, they’re all shite. The only one I possibly would vote for is Keir Starmer, or Angela Rayner.

This country is corrupt.

They don't pay for anything, our MP has all his travel and housing paid for, he is currently having an extension on his house, paid for! Beyond wrong and it takes away from them doing the job because they actually care.

 

[ClockworkDolly]

They don't pay for anything, our MP has all his travel and housing paid for, he is currently having an extension on his house, paid for! Beyond wrong and it takes away from them doing the job because they actually care.

They love the gilded lifestyle being an MP brings. But, it is not just the Tory Party who do it, they all do it.

Before Tony Blair became PM, there was a Scottish MP, John Smith I think his name was, who was the Leader of the Opposition in the Labour Party. He was so down-to-earth and in touch with people. Sadly, he died of a heart attack and Tony Blair took his place. I really think John Smith would have made an excellent PM.

 

[mcfeez]

There is one more thing I want to add:

Before the referendum it was all about: "we give money to the EU that could have gone to the NHS!"
Where is all of this money now and why doesn't it go to the NHS now?
Now it is: the NI increase is necessary to save the NHS.

Did anyone genuinely believe that claim, that the EU money was going to go into the NHS?

That was a foolish thing to listen to.

 

[whathastheworldcometo]

Did anyone genuinely believe that claim, that the EU money was going to go into the NHS?

That was a foolish thing to listen to.

this isn't the only thing that was foolish to listen to.

Most notably the promise that trade with the EU will be tariff-free and with minimal bureaucracy: hahaha! I ordered something from Etsy and had to go to the post office to collect and pay tariff and it took a long time to arrive!

But also the promise that the VAT will be cut from the energy bill and every household will save pounds each month is kind of ironic in the current situation.

 

[mcfeez]

this isn't the only thing that was foolish to listen to.

Most notably the promise that trade with the EU will be tariff-free and with minimal bureaucracy: hahaha! I ordered something from Etsy and had to go to the post office to collect and pay tariff and it took a long time to arrive!

But also the promise that the VAT will be cut from the energy bill and every household will save pounds each month is kind of ironic in the current situation.

"Oven ready deal" HAHAHA

Here in NI some things seem to be easier than across the water, but then getting certain items from Great Britain have become a bit more nightmarish.

 

[JoeBloggs]

this isn't the only thing that was foolish to listen to.

Most notably the promise that trade with the EU will be tariff-free and with minimal bureaucracy: hahaha! I ordered something from Etsy and had to go to the post office to collect and pay tariff and it took a long time to arrive!

But also the promise that the VAT will be cut from the energy bill and every household will save pounds each month is kind of ironic in the current situation.

The UK could never have promised tariff free trade, this was down to a negotiation with the EU and as they didn't want us to leave/wanted to set an example of us they were always going to make it difficult. But this just pushes trade within the UK which is no necessarily a bad thing, buy from UK makers.

The energy crisis is not down to the EU, it is a worldwide issue and likely to have happened either way.

 

[Doctor_Wibble]

(sorry to digress just catching up)

Poor lonely can of sausage and beans, but if you look below there's still a full shelf of Tesco beans underneath.

View attachment 805355

My soul is forever tarnished by looking at the DM article that came from but (when when when will I ever learn) there were no surprises to be found.

It's full of photos of apocalyptic famine but (how reassuring...) is completely balanced by having the captions that people don't read under the photos telling us e.g. the really long empty one on the left is for Christmas stuff but they dont know if it's run out or just not been filled/refilled yet.

Of course there's problems but on any given day pre panicdemic you could probably have put together an identical article and triggered exactly the same sort of bog paper scramble that we've seen.

It's the pic at the top right that's the real shocker though, we are informed that 'potatoes needed refilling'

 

[whathastheworldcometo]

The UK could never have promised tariff free trade, this was down to a negotiation with the EU and as they didn't want us to leave/wanted to set an example of us they were always going to make it difficult. But this just pushes trade within the UK which is no necessarily a bad thing, buy from UK makers.

The energy crisis is not down to the EU, it is a worldwide issue and likely to have happened either way.

"Buy from UK makers" seriously limits me as a consumer.
Why would anyone vote for that?
Not everything I want to buy is being "made" in the UK.

Of course they couldn't have promised tariff-free trades but they did, same as removal of VAT on gas bills - this is unrelated to the global crisis.

 

[ClockworkDolly]

"Buy from UK makers" seriously limits me as a consumer.
Why would anyone vote for that?
Not everything I want to buy is being "made" in the UK.

Of course they couldn't have promised tariff-free trades but they did, same as removal of VAT on gas bills - this is unrelated to the global crisis.

Makes you laugh. Many of the UK companies have sold themselves out to foreign investors.

 

[Onetwofour]

I don't think the EU wanted to set an example - it's just the UK wanted to be completely out of the EU market and its regulations - the only option was to made the UK a third country - like all the other countries that are not part of the EU or the Schengen space or the single market. The only countries out of the EU that have a good access to the EU market are all abiding by some common rules. Switzerland and Norway are good examples. Of course, Uk's choice is a good deterrent for any country willing to completely leaving the EU. Had they followed the swiss or the norvegian model, the Uk might have been followed by other countries in order to gain in independence. But is it complete independence when you cannot have your say on the rules of the market? That's another question.

And that's the same for any big entity or country: you want to do business with the US - well you'll have to comply to what's best for their needs, same with China and others. Is that fair? Probably not but that's how geopolitics are working and have always worked.

 

[JoeBloggs]

"Buy from UK makers" seriously limits me as a consumer.
Why would anyone vote for that?
Not everything I want to buy is being "made" in the UK.

Of course they couldn't have promised tariff-free trades but they did, same as removal of VAT on gas bills - this is unrelated to the global crisis.

Okay, then accept the customs charge. It is the EU that have put the charges on. We always knew there were going to be issues, so you either buy more from the UK and support out economy or you import from abroad and pay the costs and wait the time for it to arrive. We have always had a very low customs threshold in the UK so it is only items coming from the EU that are now affected.

Can you link where the Tories confirm this VAT relief?

 

[Jc456]

Okay, then accept the customs charge. It is the EU that have put the charges on. We always knew there were going to be issues, so you either buy more from the UK and support out economy or you import from abroad and pay the costs and wait the time for it to arrive. We have always had a very low customs threshold in the UK so it is only items coming from the EU that are now affected.

Can you link where the Tories confirm this VAT relief?

Treasury says it has 'no plans' to lower VAT on energy bills https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money...-bills.html?ito=native_share_article-masthead

 

[JoeBloggs]

Treasury says it has 'no plans' to lower VAT on energy bills https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money...-bills.html?ito=native_share_article-masthead

Anything on the conformation pre referendum. Cannot say I remember it being said.

I am of the opinion that no one ever saw Covid coming and I struggle to see how we can hold them accountable for all their 'promises' after the last two years. It like saying to your kids, I promise to buy you a bike for Christmas next year, losing your job and being ill and then being expected to follow though. In normal circumstances, yes we should be expecting this but to not take in huge impact of Covid into things and expecting them to follow though on items said years ago is just unrealistic.

 

[whathastheworldcometo]

Okay, then accept the customs charge. It is the EU that have put the charges on. We always knew there were going to be issues, so you either buy more from the UK and support out economy or you import from abroad and pay the costs and wait the time for it to arrive. We have always had a very low customs threshold in the UK so it is only items coming from the EU that are now affected.

Can you link where the Tories confirm this VAT relief?

What? I was always certain that there would be customs to be paid once the UK is out of the EU.

BUT WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT THAT?
And why would anyone believe this absurd promise that the pro-Leave agenda stated? It was a stupid thing to suggest, especially as it was not in the control of the UK (as you state).
(By the way, there are also customs to be paid from the US etc.)

As a consumer, I would like to decide myself if I only want to buy from within the UK or also buy from other countries. The second choice is now more expensive and this is detrimental to my consumer experience.
Why would anyone vote for this?

In addition, it is pretty hard to buy things "from within the UK" if they are not being produced in the UK. So I either pay more or dont have access to them - reminds me of Cuba.

THIs was a definite (and stupid) step backwards.

The UK will never ever be able to produce everything themselves, especially not exotic fruit and veg, but also many consumer articles that are being produced with licences held outside the UK.

Anything on the conformation pre referendum. Cannot say I remember it being said.

I am of the opinion that no one ever saw Covid coming and I struggle to see how we can hold them accountable for all their 'promises' after the last two years. It like saying to your kids, I promise to buy you a bike for Christmas next year, losing your job and being ill and then being expected to follow though. In normal circumstances, yes we should be expecting this but to not take in huge impact of Covid into things and expecting them to follow though on items said years ago is just unrealistic.

Here is a link you might find useful:

15 things Vote Leave promised on Brexit — and what it got

Some Leave voters may be disappointed.

www.politico.eu

 

[CatCafe234]

Anything on the conformation pre referendum. Cannot say I remember it being said.

I am of the opinion that no one ever saw Covid coming and I struggle to see how we can hold them accountable for all their 'promises' after the last two years. It like saying to your kids, I promise to buy you a bike for Christmas next year, losing your job and being ill and then being expected to follow though. In normal circumstances, yes we should be expecting this but to not take in huge impact of Covid into things and expecting them to follow though on items said years ago is just unrealistic.

There is a long, long, long, history of people saying that there will be some kind of global pandemic at some point - of course you can’t predict exactly when but it has been one of the biggest risks that the Government has been made aware of for many, many years. The Government also carried out pandemic preparation exercises in the very recent past, but pretty much failed to act on any of the recommendations because it would have cost money. Whilst I think it’s fair to say that nobody could have predicted exactly what pandemic would hit and when, saying that nobody saw it coming isn’t true at all. In a lot of ways, the way that the current pandemic has played out has been pretty textbook and it’s just highlighted how poorly world Governments have managed it.

 

[whathastheworldcometo]

Anything on the conformation pre referendum. Cannot say I remember it being said.

I am of the opinion that no one ever saw Covid coming and I struggle to see how we can hold them accountable for all their 'promises' after the last two years. It like saying to your kids, I promise to buy you a bike for Christmas next year, losing your job and being ill and then being expected to follow though. In normal circumstances, yes we should be expecting this but to not take in huge impact of Covid into things and expecting them to follow though on items said years ago is just unrealistic.

Here is a link you might find useful -

15 things Vote Leave promised on Brexit — and what it got

Some Leave voters may be disappointed.

www.politico.eu