The shame of Austerity Britain

Yawn, carry on, ganging up now, how silly and childish.

The greatest happiness of the greatest number isn't a bad starting point, is it?
Good point mcem.

I take your point harmless.
No 'high horse' involved - simply trying to point out that in a decent society we pay our dues for an NHS free at time of need.
My sister works and pays her way all her life (sorry, public sector so up for criticism).
She, thankfully, has only needed NHS to help her to produce 2 wonderful children ( sorry all uni educated).
So she has more than paid her dues!
I don't know if I have or haven't used up my ni contributions (1 childbirth, 1 hysterectomy and the current hip op) but I think my sister is ok with having her contributions used for my op.

See how ludicrous it becomes when we start nit-picking ?
The greatest happiness of the greatest number isn't a bad starting point, is it?

Oh dear! Shame some can’t conduct an intelligent discussion on here.
Get over off your high horse
I don’t understand what that means.

I've worked all my life and paid my taxes too. Get over off your high horse mcem.

* Nice* to know that nicenanny has a lovely life.
To hell with all those who don't, eh?
Mind is ok too, thank you, because I 've worked and saved and paid taxes due so that others can benefit.
Would just like you to know that I've no regrets about that.
I do regret that the mean-minded now think it's acceptable to display such selfish and cruel opinions.

If any govt ever anywhere had come up with a surefire way of successfully running the economy of a country that method would be copied everywhere. But no one ever has. All these economic theories are wonderful on paper but, somehow, when humans get involved then with all their greed, vanity, pomposity, overconfidence etc etc etc it all goes to pot.

I think the agents were trying to recruit seasonal workers, so perhaps they were not workers who lived here permanently and had gone home again.
I do hope that young woman gets her house finished!

Yes- I saw that report too Jalima. I suppose though that it is Brexit which is making people who thought they were settled in U.K. think about returning to their native country. It would seem that many conditions and wages have deteriorated in the U.K. - there are lots of areas where there are no jobs other than minimum wage and many of them are now seasonal. Once these conditions get set it is difficult to know where to start to improve them as you are in a vicious circle.
I see that dear Nigel Lawson -such a supporter of Brexit - is applying for French Carte de Sejour. British people who are working etc and do not know what their position will be after Brexit are enraged by this action. I hope he can prove his income and has his tax returns and and other proof of residence!

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that academic reasearch is viewed as left wing nonesense. Michael Gove, amongst others in his party, has often dismissed “experts” so why wouldn’t selfish, mean spirited and ill informed posters on gransnet follow his lead.

Welshwife Thu 31-May-18 10:56:23
Contrary to what many believe the immigrants move to obtain better paid jobs - sometimes to return home having saved money for the family, and sometimes they spend it in U.K. They have come from poorer conditions and therefore their expectations are less than many U.K. people who by comparison have a ‘softer’ life.
That may come to an end Welshwife and not just because of Brexit.
One of the other reasons some people from Eastern Europe may not be so keen to come here to work is that, since joining the EU, conditions and prospects in countries such as Romania have improved and there is not the need to travel to the UK to work. Yesterday on tv I saw recruiters visiting Romania to try to recruit farm workers and having difficulty - one woman signed up as she had started building a house with the money she earned here and wanted to finish it. However, she was crying because it meant she had to leave her children behind.

My world is lovely thank you. Mcem you are the one dishing out personal insults to posters that don't agree with your views.

There are huge amounts spent on personal staff, first class travel, stately home grants and entertaining.

Do you have any statistics on what is spent by the Government on stately home grants please endre?
Is it more or is it less than the tax on the £1+ billion generated by tourism from visitors to these homes? Or if, indeed, these grants exist?

The Historic Houses Association is not publicly funded but there is a shortfall which is needed for repairs so that visitors can continue to enjoy these historic homes; I think they are asking for a reduction in the amount of tax they pay rather than a lump sum contribution from the Government.
It is an interesting conundrum - do we let them fall into disrepair and rot or do we lessen the tax burden so that future generations can enjoy them too?

So now anyone associated with the left-wing media, universities, civil service, public sector, charities, councils etc is wrong in their political opinions but beau, nicenanny and a few others have the answers.
I am so glad that I am not a part of their mean and nasty little world and that their mean and nasty little world is not part of mine.
Now wondering, on what aspect of my dreadful background do I blame my bad judgement and poor choices? University? Public sector? Charities? Or equally appalling - union membership? Teaching?
Probably all bad then!!

nanny3
but a lot of EU migrants take out more than they put in.
What evidence do you have for this?

"It's not worth arguing with these left wingers - they believe all the nonsense statistics bandied around by the left wing media, universities, civil service, public sector, charities, councils etc. and we don't"

This is such an astounding claim. "nonsense statistics" ??? eg produced by professional statisticians and civil servants at the Office for National Statistics.

Which statistics do you prefer? those produced by the right wing tabloids ????

Beau you say "it's not worth arguing with these left wingers". Perhaps it's more a case of some right wingers not being able to put forward a coherent argument to back their assumptions and prejudices.

The ugly face of racism is alive and well on Gransnet.

Were there any figures for born in the U.K. Brits?

The latest findings estimate that recent immigrants from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004 (mainly eastern European) contributed £1.12 for every £1 received. Those from the rest of the EU put in £1.64 for every £1.

fullfact.org/immigration/do-eu-immigrants-contribute-134-every-1-they-receive/

Nicenanny3 - I think that would be classed as personal abuse btw ? It's not worth arguing with these left wingers - they believe all the nonsense statistics bandied around by the left wing media, universities, civil service, public sector, charities, councils etc. and we don't - they all have the same axe to grind but enough is enough. ?

My grandchildren call me the nicenanny which I am. Just because I don't agree with some of the posters on here doesn't make me not nice. I am sure that EU doctors and nurses do contribute and I have no problem with them, but a lot of EU migrants take out more than they put in.

Yes mostlyharmless our ailing NHS would definitely collapse without theses workers as there are 139,000 who are described as non British working in NHS, and this is not including those working in the Care System or independant sector. It is very noticeable if you see any TV docs about the NHS such as 24 hours in A&E. I sympathise with your point of view mcem, I tend not to post much on political forums because people are entrenched in their views and don't want evidence to the contrary.

36% of hospital doctors gained their primary medical qualification outside the UK. 20% qualified in Asia and 9% qualified in the EU. For GPs, 4% qualified in the EU and 13% qualified in Asia.
researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7783

I think the NHS and care system would collapse without immigrant doctors, nurses, care workers and other health professionals.

Many of them are working in the NHS and so more than compensate for any time they take up. Also they are mainly fit young people who need little medical attention. Ask when adult grand children or even our children last went to the doctor - it will most likely have been some time ago. Pregnant women, older people and children are the ones mainly in surgeries and hospital waiting rooms apart from the British drunks causing havoc in A and E depts at the weekend.
Some people can see no benefit to having immigrants in the U.K. but I bet they would be glad to be treated by foreign staff when they need hospital treatment. I am at the moment attending an NHS eye clinic - and have been for about eight years. My consultant is a lovely (and huge) African - his latest registrar is I think Egyptian and the nurse who tested my eyes was Eastern European - all lovely people and good at their jobs.
Do you live in areas with many immigrants? It is often the areas with few of them which are more anti-immigration than those where there are a mix of cultures.