Current Affairs 2024

[Onelife]

As much as I respected Thatcher, I do agree with you Ray in that the ‘right to buy schemes’ whilst welcome at the time has left a massive shortfall in council housing stock.
I’m not her greatest fan either but give credit where credit due, this does seem a sensible policy.

[barney]

As much as I dislike the DPM Angela Rayner, she has come up with something I can agree with. That is a proposal, which, should it gain traction will not allow council tenants to buy new built council houses.
Council houses are badly needed for those who will never be in a position to get a foot in the private market. Eventually more council houses will be available to be recycled to people who really need them.
O K , so Angela did buy her council house, and in no way do I hold that against her. If you were a council tenant who had enough qualifying number of years to buy your house, and had the money, it was a no brainer. My brother and myself helped our Dad to buy his council house, although it went totally against my beliefs and still do.

I never agreed with that policy Ray and was extremely disappointed in the Blair administration for not overturning it in 13 years of power.
Social housing is essential for millions and selling the stock off was madness.

[Onelife]

But were you aware then what the impact would be, or is it an afterthought? When the RTB scheme was introduced, it was thought that it would give working class people an opportunity to buy their own homes…what was wrong about the scheme is that they didn’t build more council houses to replace them.

[Ray B]

Yes OL, we were aware of what the knock on effect would be . At the time I worked for the local council that had a housing stock of something like 24,000 council houses. With empty dwellings being upgraded they were then let, and so the circle of the life of the council house began again.
We could see at the time that with the housing stock slowly going down and councils not getting the money from the sales and unable to build new homes at the time, the waiting list for a council house would start to rise.
Today, just getting on the list for a council house could mean a wait of years before you get a home.

[Onelife]

Back then I don’t think many showed the foresight you and Barney did, but it is that foresight that needs to be shown when embarking on our new social housing. Back in the fifties our council house was well constructed on a well laid out housing estates, not as in the case of many council estates that remain today…some call them concreate jungles, some call them ghettos full of drug pushers and out of work benefit claimants.
The foresight will be if we design better housing with a greener footprint, an infrastructure that includes better schools, shops, and social facilities…which should include well-funded youth activities….it is also imperative that much more emphasis is placed on helping people find work, this could be achieved with more thought on where they build new estates. The Government needs to recognises that just building the estates isn’t the solution, the solution needs proper long-term investment and not what has/is happening now where they build them, then forget them. We need to break down the stigma of council house occupation, one of the ways of achieving this is to place more responsibility on tenants to adhere to enforced rental conditions e.g. maintenance of gardens etc.
Well, that’s what I think, what do you think?

P.s I think it is amazing what this council house lad has achieved…now living on a 34-thousand-acre estate which employs a butler, two maids, three gardeners and the groom…wish you could be here!

[screwy]

Personally I believe that Maggies decision to introduce the RTB scheme was a threat to workers .Buy your council house,gets mortgage, now goon strike.

I may be wrong,I sometimes am.

[Ray B]

P.s I think it is amazing what this council house lad has achieved…now living on a 34-thousand-acre estate which employs a butler, two maids, three gardeners and the groom…wish you could be here!

Well you could invite the forum members to one of your lavish garden parties for a start.
I'm sure Stephen will clean some of the mud off his shoes for that.

[Onelife]

Funny that you should mention garden parties as it was my intention to have one every year, especially as I forked out quite a bit for a marque, this unfurtunatly has only been out twice in six years (covid, spinal surgery and weather having curtailed further opportunities}. I’m presently fattening up one of the estates free range pigs for a much-anticipated bash next year.

I will consider your request nearer the time Ray…however, I’m won’t be expecting a big uptake after my latest post about their secret £££ Millions

[Ray B]

Yes, you do seem to have a way of ruffling feathers

[Onelife]

Yes, you do seem to have a way of ruffling feathers

Its all for a good cause Ray.

[Ray B]

Back on subject, current affairs.
Coming soon early 2025 . Starring Kier(would I lie to you) Starmer, and Donald (we're going to fix the border and deport illegal immigrants) Trump, in the long awaited sequel of, Bring on the Clowns.

[Onelife]

Back on subject, current affairs.
Coming soon early 2025 . Starring Kier(would I lie to you) Starmer, and Donald (we're going to fix the border and deport illegal immigrants) Trump, in the long awaited sequel of, Bring on the Clowns.

The interlude between talking about it and doing something about it grows increasingly longer.

[oldbluefox]

I like Trump's "Make America Great Again" and "America First " slogans. Maybe Sir Keir could learn something from him.

[david63]

I like Trump's "Make America Great Again" and "America First " slogans. Maybe Sir Keir could learn something from him.

But would it not be better if Starmer "made Britain great" rather than putting "America first" (which is what he will be doing!)?

[oldbluefox]

I think we would all be better off if he/ they put Britain first. I could weep when I think of everything British we have sold off.

[Portsmouth]

I think we would all be better off if he/ they put Britain first. I could weep when I think of everything British we have sold off.

Get ready for when our wonderful negotiators say......that to get a better trade deal, they have to allow American companies access to the NHS which I hear they are trying to do.

[oldbluefox]

The Chinese have a saying "We don't mind who owns the cow as long as we can milk it ".
In too many instances UK finds iits way blocked because of restrictions placed from outside (UNHCR in particular) or because it may upset others. I get the impression that our civil service became too preoccupied with rubber stamping pre Brexit and we have lost our way instead of leading our own initiatives for others to follow. I don't see it improving under the current government but hope I'm wrong. Certainly what Lammy and company said about Trump does not bode well.

[Onelife]

I was thinking the same about Daivd Lammy. Whilst there was much truth in what he said his views would probably have been better expressed in the corridors not through the media.

As to whether he should stay in his job, he, from what I have read is good at his job so this may well be his saving grace, and in a macabre way of thinking Trump probably has more respect for him now than he had previously due to the straight-talking similarities of both politicians.

[david63]

in a macabre way of thinking Trump probably has more respect for him now than he had previously due to the straight-talking similarities of both politicians.

That could also go the opposite way in that Trump may take a dislike to him and refuse to have any dealings with him

[Onelife]

in a macabre way of thinking Trump probably has more respect for him now than he had previously due to the straight-talking similarities of both politicians.

That could also go the opposite way in that Trump may take a dislike to him and refuse to have any dealings with him

Indeed, it could David…. but as they say "Business has no friends" so I think they will rub along OK.

[Stephen]

Happy Birthday Sir
He thanked Onelife for his card


Working birthday for King Charles at 76 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8yqqpl8e0o

[Ray B]

What a motley crew the president-elect Donald Trump is accruing to run th USA.
There must be many like me who can not fathom out how the American political system actually works.

[david63]

There must be many like me who can not fathom out how the American political system actually works.

Simple - money. Those with get the jobs, those without don't

[Onelife]

With that kind of money floating around they could buy the feel-good factor even when things are going pear-shaped.

[oldbluefox]

So was Rachel Reeves really an economist working for Halifax Bank of Scotland or just a junior in customer services as reported in The National, Scotland?