Current Affairs

[Onelife]

You see that's opposition thinking all over again. I'm not asking what's wrong with government ideas. I'm asking for better ideas. What would you do now to prepare for the next six months. Clearly Sir K doesn't know. I thought perhaps you might.

You asked me for predictions now you’re asking me for I ideas? Understandable I suppose considering captain Boris and his Sailors don’t appear to know the bow from the stern.

My previous predictions were based on what I thought would be the outcome of ill thought out government policies which as I said earlier have been proven to be correct.

Any future predictions I make will be based along the same lines because I can’t predict an outcome without knowing the plan.

As for ideas…I can’t think of a better time to address the inequalities that have been allowed to go unchecked for so long. The disparities between the haves and have nots has got completely out of control and needs to be addressed…failure to move in this direction will be the end of this government for sure.

We do need to be more self-sufficient, especially so as we move forward into uncharted Brexit waters…with high unemployment and a deep recession we could see many going hungry. We should plough our barren fields and scatter the good seed on the land, and not be reliant on the rest of the world for providing half of what we eat…. times are going to get hard, get yourselves a chicken would be my advice.

We should mean test all government freebies.

We need to address our abused tax system.

As for predictions… we better all hope our financial services sector can still operate relatively unheeded come January because if that doesn’t, we’ll all be eating porridge for the foreseeable future.

Whatever happens….Keep smiling!

[towny44]

You see that's opposition thinking all over again. I'm not asking what's wrong with government ideas. I'm asking for better ideas. What would you do now to prepare for the next six months. Clearly Sir K doesn't know. I thought perhaps you might.

You asked me for predictions now you’re asking me for I ideas? Understandable I suppose considering captain Boris and his Sailors don’t appear to know the bow from the stern.

My previous predictions were based on what I thought would be the outcome of ill thought out government policies which as I said earlier have been proven to be correct.
I think we need links to your posts that made these predictions
Any future predictions I make will be based along the same lines because I can’t predict an outcome without knowing the plan.

As for ideas…I can’t think of a better time to address the inequalities that have been allowed to go unchecked for so long. The disparities between the haves and have nots has got completely out of control and needs to be addressed…failure to move in this direction will be the end of this government for sure.
You have already indicated by your proposal that our economy should be geared towards self sufficiency, that your grasp of economics is in the Diane Abbot category.
We do need to be more self-sufficient, especially so as we move forward into uncharted Brexit waters…with high unemployment and a deep recession we could see many going hungry. We should plough our barren fields and scatter the good seed on the land, and not be reliant on the rest of the world for providing half of what we eat…. times are going to get hard, get yourselves a chicken would be my advice.
As I mentioned above I think even Sir Keir would wince at this suggestion, we have as much chance of being able to feed our growing population as you have of predicting the entire finishing order of next years Grand National.
We should mean test all government freebies.

We need to address our abused tax system.

As for predictions… we better all hope our financial services sector can still operate relatively unheeded come January because if that doesn’t, we’ll all be eating porridge for the foreseeable future.

Whatever happens….Keep smiling!

My recommendation is that you continue taking the tablets, just as many as you can get your GP to prescribe.

[Stephen]

He's too far gone for tablets. Electric shock treatment would be my next course of treatment for him

[Kendhni]

As for ideas…I can’t think of a better time to address the inequalities that have been allowed to go unchecked for so long. The disparities between the haves and have nots has got completely out of control and needs to be addressed…failure to move in this direction will be the end of this government for sure.

While I would normally agree with this I think that now is the wrong time to go about this. We need people to have freedom to push ahead as hard as possible without fear of their hard work and rewards being taken from them. With COVID and brexit people now need the incentive to go out there and 'win'. Once/Assuming we get over these economic hurdles then I would agree that inequality will need to be tackled.

We do need to be more self-sufficient, especially so as we move forward into uncharted Brexit waters…with high unemployment and a deep recession we could see many going hungry. We should plough our barren fields and scatter the good seed on the land, and not be reliant on the rest of the world for providing half of what we eat…. times are going to get hard, get yourselves a chicken would be my advice.

This is probably the only way forward - on the plus side there will be an abundant supply of people available to work the fields(assuming we stamp out the benefits lifestyle choice - time to do what other countries do and make people work for their benefits, everybody is capable of doing something).

Companies are under a lot of pressure from COVID, and we must remember that that the prime minister (as well as saying 'F*** business") has told all businesses to prepare for brexit. Many are trying to right-size for a post brexit Britain - COVID being 'convenient' for some (both for the losses and gains).

We should mean test all government freebies.

Why? Taken to its logical conclusion the government should means test the full state pension. Why should those who have funded the system be the ones that are penalised? Much more could be saved by removing all DB pensions ... something that we have been promised reform on for over 20 years - yet no government has had the guts to tackle properly.

We need to address our abused tax system.

Indeed, especially on 2 fronts ... large business and the self employed

As for predictions… we better all hope our financial services sector can still operate relatively unheeded come January because if that doesn’t, we’ll all be eating porridge for the foreseeable future.

Indeed - which is why I disinvested in the UK a couple of years ago moving the majority of my investments/pension overseas (so far has turned out to have been a very good/profitable move).

[Manoverboard]

My recommendation is that you continue taking the tablets, just as many as you can get your GP to prescribe.

Bearing in mind that no tablets would be required for creating a smoke screen

[Onelife]

You see that's opposition thinking all over again. I'm not asking what's wrong with government ideas. I'm asking for better ideas. What would you do now to prepare for the next six months. Clearly Sir K doesn't know. I thought perhaps you might.

You asked me for predictions now you’re asking me for I ideas? Understandable I suppose considering captain Boris and his Sailors don’t appear to know the bow from the stern.

My previous predictions were based on what I thought would be the outcome of ill thought out government policies which as I said earlier have been proven to be correct.
I think we need links to your posts that made these predictions
Any future predictions I make will be based along the same lines because I can’t predict an outcome without knowing the plan.

As for ideas…I can’t think of a better time to address the inequalities that have been allowed to go unchecked for so long. The disparities between the haves and have nots has got completely out of control and needs to be addressed…failure to move in this direction will be the end of this government for sure.
You have already indicated by your proposal that our economy should be geared towards self sufficiency, that your grasp of economics is in the Diane Abbot category.
We do need to be more self-sufficient, especially so as we move forward into uncharted Brexit waters…with high unemployment and a deep recession we could see many going hungry. We should plough our barren fields and scatter the good seed on the land, and not be reliant on the rest of the world for providing half of what we eat…. times are going to get hard, get yourselves a chicken would be my advice.
As I mentioned above I think even Sir Keir would wince at this suggestion, we have as much chance of being able to feed our growing population as you have of predicting the entire finishing order of next years Grand National.
We should mean test all government freebies.

We need to address our abused tax system.

As for predictions… we better all hope our financial services sector can still operate relatively unheeded come January because if that doesn’t, we’ll all be eating porridge for the foreseeable future.

Whatever happens….Keep smiling!

My recommendation is that you continue taking the tablets, just as many as you can get your GP to prescribe.

Funny you should mention tablets John as my tablets have just arrived…how many did you say you would like me to take bearing in mind if I take too many, you’ll have no one left to make condescending remarks to

You'll have to do your own research as to all the predictions I have made... but to get you started… I was one of the first on this forum to say the government should have locked down sooner. I was the first to say the way the government were going about track and trace would be a complete cock up…it has been. I was the first to say we should all be wearing face coverings…. they finally got the message. I was the first to say a large proportion of care homes were badly managed…Boris later acknowledged this but then did a U-turn under pressure. I was the first to say the government needed to help the self-employed…they’ve finally got round to doing so. I was the first to say the £50 fines for breaches of lock-down were insufficient...they've now increased them.

Hope that helps

[Onelife]

As for ideas…I can’t think of a better time to address the inequalities that have been allowed to go unchecked for so long. The disparities between the haves and have nots has got completely out of control and needs to be addressed…failure to move in this direction will be the end of this government for sure.

While I would normally agree with this I think that now is the wrong time to go about this. We need people to have freedom to push ahead as hard as possible without fear of their hard work and rewards being taken from them. With COVID and brexit people now need the incentive to go out there and 'win'. Once/Assuming we get over these economic hurdles then I would agree that inequality will need to be tackled.

We do need to be more self-sufficient, especially so as we move forward into uncharted Brexit waters…with high unemployment and a deep recession we could see many going hungry. We should plough our barren fields and scatter the good seed on the land, and not be reliant on the rest of the world for providing half of what we eat…. times are going to get hard, get yourselves a chicken would be my advice.

This is probably the only way forward - on the plus side there will be an abundant supply of people available to work the fields(assuming we stamp out the benefits lifestyle choice - time to do what other countries do and make people work for their benefits, everybody is capable of doing something).

Companies are under a lot of pressure from COVID, and we must remember that that the prime minister (as well as saying 'F*** business") has told all businesses to prepare for brexit. Many are trying to right-size for a post brexit Britain - COVID being 'convenient' for some (both for the losses and gains).

We should mean test all government freebies.

Why? Taken to its logical conclusion the government should means test the full state pension. Why should those who have funded the system be the ones that are penalised? Much more could be saved by removing all DB pensions ... something that we have been promised reform on for over 20 years - yet no government has had the guts to tackle properly.

We need to address our abused tax system.

Indeed, especially on 2 fronts ... large business and the self employed

As for predictions… we better all hope our financial services sector can still operate relatively unheeded come January because if that doesn’t, we’ll all be eating porridge for the foreseeable future.

Indeed - which is why I disinvested in the UK a couple of years ago moving the majority of my investments/pension overseas (so far has turned out to have been a very good/profitable move).

I understand were you are coming from and agree that the incentives to move forward must have the rewards but there has to be a starting point from where you start putting the wrongs of the past to the fore and if we miss this opportunity, of what is a relatively clean sheet to work from I feel this will never happen.

I’ve never been able to get my head around why the government thinks it ok to supplement household incomes by way of child benefits, child care, Christmas bonuses / winter fuel allowances for those who can well manage without them?

I don’t know a lot about DB pensions other than to say my wife was on one…she actually took earlier retirement so forfeited 7 years of entitlement. But as you say it does place a massive burden on the employer to keep paying into a system that is becoming increasingly unsustainable in this... present economic crisis and beyond I suspect.

[Manoverboard]

Back on Topic now ....

[Onelife]

With mortgage holidays due to stop on the 31st Oct with eviction proceedings thereafter are we going to see families turfed out onto the street through not being able to meet their mortgage payments? If the present trends continue with more people losing their jobs and furloughed workers not being kept on the government could be facing another headache in trying to find accommodation for these families.

Whilst I accept that people should go into house buying with their eyes open, I really do think these are unprecedented times for which most wouldn’t have seen this coming… I hope the government can come up with some kind of rescue package because rehousing them could turn into a massive migraine for them.

Do you think the government should intervene further in trying to stop what could turn out to be an avalanche of evictions?

[Manoverboard]

A Mortgage is an arrangement between the borrower and the Institution from whom they got their money and that is where it should remain. Delaying payment / extending the loan period is nothing new so I can see no reason why the Government needs to become involved. The Building Societies and Banks need the money but I doubt they need rhousandes of houses on their books at this moment in time.

[david63]

One of the problems that exists for some who are buying their own home is the "help to buy" scheme which is starting to kick in. This has had the effect that some have overstretched themselves and this has always been a bubble waiting to burst. The scheme should have been called "help to build" because that is what it was.

Should the Government/local authority step in does raise the question in what way? If people are going to be evicted then yes there is a problem and all that would happen is that the problem would be moved from one area to another.

Mortgages are easier to deal with than rents. With a mortgage with an easing of some of the restrictions then the mortgage can fairly easily be extended to cover the costs incurred in the current situation. Not sure how you can get around the rent problem though - but I would not agree that the Government should just write off people's rent arrears.

[towny44]

With mortgage holidays due to stop on the 31st Oct with eviction proceedings thereafter are we going to see families turfed out onto the street through not being able to meet their mortgage payments? If the present trends continue with more people losing their jobs and furloughed workers not being kept on the government could be facing another headache in trying to find accommodation for these families.

Whilst I accept that people should go into house buying with their eyes open, I really do think these are unprecedented times for which most wouldn’t have seen this coming… I hope the government can come up with some kind of rescue package because rehousing them co claimuld turn into a massive migraine for them.

Do you think the government should intervene further in trying to stop what could turn out to be an avalanche of evictions?

Personally I have no idea, but I feel sure that if you can arouse enough public support to claim how unfairly these poor souls have been treated, and how much pain and heartache they are suffering because they are being wrongfully pushed back into having to pay their own mortgages, then you will probably be able get the govt to do yet another U turn and continue to let them live mortgage repayment free for the rest of their lives.

[Onelife]

A Mortgage is an arrangement between the borrower and the Institution from whom they got their money and that is where it should remain. Delaying payment / extending the loan period is nothing new so I can see no reason why the Government needs to become involved. The Building Societies and Banks need the money but I doubt they need rhousandes of houses on their books at this moment in time.

Mob /David…taking onboard what you have said one would hope there is some reassurance in that repossessions won’t benefit anyone other than perhaps landlords looking to pick up a bargain.
I do however have sympathy for those who find themselves in this position as the climate of getting on the property ladder is, I believe, more difficult these days? Property prices and large deposits will have left many with no alternative other than to stretch themselves financially …this especially applies to first time buyers.

[Manoverboard]

When one takes out a Mortgage these days the risk is spelt out a thousand ways and Insurance policies are available to cover that risk, in the good old days one foolishly dived in without a care in the World. It has always been difficult but for those who cannot or should not take that route then the assurance of Social Housing is the way to go.

[Mervyn and Trish]

A Mortgage is an arrangement between the borrower and the Institution from whom they got their money and that is where it should remain. Delaying payment / extending the loan period is nothing new so I can see no reason why the Government needs to become involved. The Building Societies and Banks need the money but I doubt they need rhousandes of houses on their books at this moment in time.

Mob /David…taking onboard what you have said one would hope there is some reassurance in that repossessions won’t benefit anyone other than perhaps landlords looking to pick up a bargain.
I do however have sympathy for those who find themselves in this position as the climate of getting on the property ladder is, I believe, more difficult these days? Property prices and large deposits will have left many with no alternative other than to stretch themselves financially …this especially applies to first time buyers.

Offset of course by not being able to go on their foreign holidays, or to the pub. And maybe the latest iPhone will have to wait another six months.

I'm all for helping people, but they also have to take responsibility for themselves. There's a real danger in recovery from this that we get back into a dependency culture.

[david63]

There's a real danger in recovery from this that we get back into a dependency culture.

Have we some ever left?

[oldbluefox]

I think peoples' expectations are a lot higher now. As well as all the material things mentioned by Merv no longer do young people expect to move into a little terraced home which needs a 'little bit' of renovating and buy second hand furniture whilst they get on their feet. They expect the new 3 bed semi, up to date furniture and appliances and a decent motor car each. There are plenty of cheaper homes on the market and mortgage rates have never been lower. Forsake the foreign holidays, the latest iPhone, designer clothes for a few years and start saving to put down that deposit. I think it was called 'cutting your cloth according to your means' in my day.
Unfortunately too many overstretch themselves without leaving any leeway and spend up to their limit. What happened to 'save for a rainy day'? Regrettably, as Merv says we are close to a dependency culture either on the bank of mum and dad or on the state.

[Onelife]

I think peoples' expectations are a lot higher now. As well as all the material things mentioned by Merv no longer do young people expect to move into a little terraced home which needs a 'little bit' of renovating and buy second hand furniture whilst they get on their feet. They expect the new 3 bed semi, up to date furniture and appliances and a decent motor car each. There are plenty of cheaper homes on the market and mortgage rates have never been lower. Forsake the foreign holidays, the latest iPhone, designer clothes for a few years and start saving to put down that deposit. I think it was called 'cutting your cloth according to your means' in my day.
Unfortunately too many overstretch themselves without leaving any leeway and spend up to their limit. What happened to 'save for a rainy day'? Regrettably, as Merv says we are close to a dependency culture either on the bank of mum and dad or on the state.

There is truth in what you and Sir Marv say but I think it is far too much of generalisation to throw them all in the same suit case and out onto the streets.

[david63]

They expect the new 3 bed semi

Where have you been for the last few years? It's now a new three four bedroom detached!

[Stephen]

They expect the new 3 bed semi

Where have you been for the last few years? It's now a new three four bedroom detached!

........with a pool and staff

[Manoverboard]

With Spa weekends at regular intervals plus a meal out in Rick Steins Seafood extravaganza on the off chance of bumping into a celeb to show off in front of ... times are going to get really hard, poor lambs.

[towny44]

I think peoples' expectations are a lot higher now. As well as all the material things mentioned by Merv no longer do young people expect to move into a little terraced home which needs a 'little bit' of renovating and buy second hand furniture whilst they get on their feet. They expect the new 3 bed semi, up to date furniture and appliances and a decent motor car each. There are plenty of cheaper homes on the market and mortgage rates have never been lower. Forsake the foreign holidays, the latest iPhone, designer clothes for a few years and start saving to put down that deposit. I think it was called 'cutting your cloth according to your means' in my day.
Unfortunately too many overstretch themselves without leaving any leeway and spend up to their limit. What happened to 'save for a rainy day'? Regrettably, as Merv says we are close to a dependency culture either on the bank of mum and dad or on the state.

There is truth in what you and Sir Marv say but I think it is far too much of generalisation to throw them all in the same suit case and out onto the streets.

I suspect that those not fitting into the generalisation will already have been making preparations for the mortgage holiday to end. Which leaves the lackadaisical and shiftless wailing about how unfair it is.

[oldbluefox]

Over the past couple of weeks all I seem to have heard is "It's what I deserve" and "I expect......". I think these people will learn that life is not fair, it's not all a bed of roses and it does not owe you a living.
To a great extent I blame parents who, with the best of intentions give them an unrealistic expectation which leaves them vulnerable when the unexpected happens.
I'm afraid I do not subscribe at all to this 'poor little cherubs' attitude when discussing young people. By comparison they are very fortunate (nothing wrong with that) in much the same way as I was fortunate compared to the upbringing my parents had.

Maybe I am not the best to discuss this. We were 24 when we got married and after 3 days honeymoon in Wales in a B&B we had just £25 and a clapped out Ford Anglia between us. When you start out with nothing it makes you appreciate what you get later in life all the more.

[Mervyn and Trish]

They expect the new 3 bed semi

Where have you been for the last few years? It's now a new three four bedroom detached!

........with a pool and staff

You've seen our place then?

[Stephen]

Where have you been for the last few years? It's now a new three four bedroom detached!

........with a pool and staff

You've seen our place then?

Can't see the pool Merv

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