Rishi addressing the nation.

I don’t think that poverty is the fault of the rich (or of those - the majority - who don’t live in poverty), but I do think that the tax system needs to be shaken up so that everyone pays a fairer share, nobody opts out* and there is more to provide for those in need.

Sunak is not responsible because of his personal wealth, but because he has presided over a government which is more concerned with tax cuts than with helping the poor.

*I shouldn’t have to say this in every post, but for avoidance of doubt, and to deter erroneous accusations that I think all non taxpayers are scrounging drains on the resources of the country, this does not refer to those unable to contribute because of illness, disability or responsibility for others who are sick or disabled. Or for those who have retired after a lifetime of contribution. Etc.

Vintagewhine

I think we seem to hear what we want to hear and ignore or reinterpret the rest. Me, I heard fairly balanced request for us to recognise how much we want the same and how destructive extreme politics are, be it on the left or the right. I heard him talk about our right to protest but the responsibility that comes with it and was pleased he'd dropped the inflammatory phrase, mob rule. I heard that the police will be more "effective" at dealing with those who break the rules. Was it a necessary intervention? I think so. Our politics are getting dirtier and more extreme, it's been apparent on social media and I don't think it represents most people in this country but it gives license to the nasties to spread their bile. I'm not a Tory voter or a Sunak fan but at least he's trying to distance himself from the suellas, Anderson s, Gallaghers and their unpleasant ilk. About time too.

If you look at this from this slant then I must agree. I’m just a little suspicious I guess at the timing!

No one on here wants extremists of any nature nor wants people, including MOs of all parties, not being able to walk around safely or do their job.

I’m sure the majority of us here also want a ceasefire both for in Gaza and Ukraine.

Sorry MPs not MOs

GrannyGravy13

No problem

I agreed with the sentiments Sunak expressed and I am awaiting for some decisive action, which should have been taken months ago, to follow.
I too found the shouting during the speech disgraceful; it made it impossible to hear on the words being said, which was the intention.
"I don't agree with what you are saying, therefore I will prevent any one else hearing it."
Peaceful protest?

Maremia

What we want is a General Election.

As my dear mother used to say, " I want, never gets." Not until the Conservatives are ready.

Doodledog

I don’t think that poverty is the fault of the rich (or of those - the majority - who don’t live in poverty), but I do think that the tax system needs to be shaken up so that everyone pays a fairer share, nobody opts out* and there is more to provide for those in need.

Sunak is not responsible because of his personal wealth, but because he has presided over a government which is more concerned with tax cuts than with helping the poor.

*I shouldn’t have to say this in every post, but for avoidance of doubt, and to deter erroneous accusations that I think all non taxpayers are scrounging drains on the resources of the country, this does not refer to those unable to contribute because of illness, disability or responsibility for others who are sick or disabled. Or for those who have retired after a lifetime of contribution. Etc.

Yes, of course, you are completely correct! I guess I just let my emotions cloud my thinking! I just feel sometimes having an out of touch Cabinet, led by many PMs across the last 14 years has led to a bigger divide between the “haves” & the “have nots” and whilst I agree 100% that those who can work, should work, there’s still many who genuinely cannot work living in dire circumstances. There’s still people on low incomes only just surviving and there are working people using food banks. This cannot be right or moral?

MayBee70

All of this division began with the referendum. Imo.

You are wrong. The divisions have come from those not agreeing with the majority decision.

CoolCoco

Who’s been in power for the last 14 years whilst all this has been building up? cutting police, youth services, prison staff, probation service, privatising much of the
public services so they are money making . Sunak doesn’t have a grip on running the country.

You do realise Blair did more NHS privatising than anyone. Tied us up to PFI for years. There has always been a private sector working alongside NHS. As in most countries , even Europe.

eazybee

I agreed with the sentiments Sunak expressed and I am awaiting for some decisive action, which should have been taken months ago, to follow.
I too found the shouting during the speech disgraceful; it made it impossible to hear on the words being said, which was the intention.
"I don't agree with what you are saying, therefore I will prevent any one else hearing it."
Peaceful protest?

👍

Honestly I heard a wee inneffectual man who was shit scared that GG had been elected thus showing that not everyone has Sunak and his governments views on the continuing support of Israel and the lack of help for the now hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
IF "British values" means lack of compassion for a people who have been treated appallingly for decades and who are now the victim of a genocidal regime in Israel then I am happy...delighted to say I have never and will never have those values.
I am not in any shape or form a supporter of Hamas and the October attack was without doubt horrific and deserved THEM to be caught and dealt with....but this collective punishment that has included tens of thousands of children and babies will NEVER be right .By supplying weapons to Israel and not aiding the Palestinians we are complicit in WAR CRIME .
Does the fact that Sunaks wifes company had a successful bid for an oil licence ...once those pesky palestinians have been moved colour his bad judgement or is he enthralled by the Right wing Netanyahu government?
I stand with Palestine as I have for over 40 years while the world has sat on its hands and watched them be treated abominably,

Barclays Bank is on the ‘let’s get em brigade’ line of fire today

Oreo

Glorianny

Smileless2012

I thought it was a good speech too Sparklefizz and I don't see what difference him being 'a rich bloke' makes, would it have been better coming from someone poor and impoverished?

If you don't understand that there are two worlds here the world of Rishi Sunak, with private swimming pools and houses all over the world, and the poverty stricken who depend on food banks and who can't earn enough to feed their children, then you need to get out and about more. A rich bloke telling those people that he has ideals, that he feels his country is threatened means nothing. His country is not their country, how can it be?
If you want to unite a country begin by recognising the needs of the people you are speaking to. Don't preach at them.

In your view there are only two worlds? You need to get out more.
There isn’t just the very wealthy and those who attend food banks, what a ridiculous statement.
There are very many who are comfortably off, a few who are very wealthy and many who manage ok as well as a small proportion who need to use a food bank regularly.
In any case, what Sunak said makes sense, and lots of people will be reassured that in future marches and demonstrations will be actually policed and not just ‘managed’, and both Jewish people and muslims shouldn’t ever be assaulted or bullied in the streets. I think the government could have made this statement much earlier but better late than never.

Well said Oreo.

Freya5

MayBee70

All of this division began with the referendum. Imo.

You are wrong. The divisions have come from those not agreeing with the majority decision.

No. Racism and xenophobia were used to win the referendum; that’s what started dividing people. And the Conservatives are continuing it by blaming everything on ‘the boats’ because nothing is ever their fault it’s the fault of foreigners.

vegansrock

The real threat to democracy has been this government. Much of the British way of life has been decimated over the past 14 years - failing to maintain the infrastructure, the NHS, crumbling roads, polluted waterways and beaches, creaming taxpayers money for themselves- the hypocrisy is breathtaking. With Liz Lettuce spouting vile nonsense in the US, Braverman and Badenoch never being asked to tone down the hate, anyone who criticises the disastrous Brexit labelled “traitors” or “enemies of the people”, this government is responsible for much of the hate and division which has increased massively since 2016. This was a cynical attempt at gaslighting the public into believing that those responsible for the hurt and hatred can somehow be trusted to heal and be a shining light for humanity. It’s all hot air, willy waving and a desperate attempt to justify the increased police powers that are no doubt coming. He is trying to divert attention from this terrible government onto an internal enemy. It won’t wash.

We have an internal enemy, wether you like it or not. People who come over here, and their first allegiance is definitely not to this country.

Could I make a plea for posters to either use the 'quote' function (top far right above each post, reproduces the whole post in a box) or to format the bit of someone else's post they want to quote and comment on, by either making it bold or italic.

It's getting really confusing trying to work out who is saying what in some posts.

(Instructions for bold and italic are at the bottom of every forum page)

GrannyGravy13

Cossy

Kandinsky

but utterly pointless and simply to enforce that he’s a “good bloke” He’s a rich bloke, living in a different universe to most of us

And Sir Kier Starmer knows what it’s like to rely on food banks?

We were talking about our PM!

However Starmer did grow up in a normal household and isn’t married to a billionaire non dom!

The PM’s mother was a pharmacist, his father was a GP.

Should he have not married the person he fell in love with because her parents were wealthy?

Like I said upthread it is not a crime to be wealthy, and it is rather tedious to constantly go on about how rich our MP’s are.

Absolutely, many on here seem to think if you have money you are less than human, and don't appreciate and care for those that haven't. Sickening really, and who is being devisive.

Ministers should begin a conversation with British Muslims about what it means to live as a citizen in modern Britain while remaining true to their faith. But ministers must do so honestly, and stop compromising with the Islamists and grievance peddlers who seek to dominate this conversation.

For these extremists want to define normative Islam in a hardline way, and they want to define the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims as zero-sum, a them-and-us confrontation. At least in one respect they are correct: this is a them-and-us situation.

But we have allowed them to draw the line between the two sides for too long. The divide must not be Muslim versus non-Muslim, but between those who accept the full reality of life in a pluralistic society and those who do not – between those who accept and love Britain for all it is, and those who want to turn it into a harsh and narrow theocracy that would be rejected by the overwhelming majority.

I agree with others that the Tories should go and the sooner the better, however you have to recognize that a Labour government has still got the same problems. We may feel better with a change, the NHS, Schools, Police, Food Banks, Potholes are still going to be there, to maintain an orderly government Starmer has got very little room for changes.
There is not enough money to improve the things we want made better, the only way is for us all to pay more, if he borrows a lot more there will be another crash

We have an internal enemy, wether you like it or not. People who come over here, and their first allegiance is definitely not to this country.

I'm speechless...

“So only poor people should be MP’s and make speeches like Sunak’s” is the implied message I’m getting from many of these posts.

Sunak is not responsible because of his personal wealth, but because he has presided over a government which is more concerned with tax cuts than with helping the poor. makes far more sense.
I know more about food banks through one friend than I do personally.
Working two jobs despite having MH issues still doesn’t give her an adequate income to totally avoid food banks so anything that helps her family would be welcome.

I see George Galloway has the support of an ex member of the BNP so we have two extremes coming together here.GG has “no respect for Sunak” as he bellowed. I think Sunak had to come out with his speech. Who were the hecklers? Left and far right supporters? The majority are not in favour

Mollygo

“So only poor people should be MP’s and make speeches like Sunak’s” is the implied message I’m getting from many of these posts.

“Sunak is not responsible because of his personal wealth, but because he has presided over a government which is more concerned with tax cuts than with helping the poor. makes far more sense.
I know more about food banks through one friend than I do personally.
Working two jobs despite having MH issues still doesn’t give her an adequate income to totally avoid food banks so anything that helps her family would be welcome.”

No, Mollygo, I’ve never said poor people should be PMs or MPs. It was an emotional response because I genuinely don’t think he has the slightest idea of how those struggling with money manage. Freezing the personal allowance shows me he doesn’t understand the lower paid!

MaizieD

We have an internal enemy, wether you like it or not. People who come over here, and their first allegiance is definitely not to this country.

“I'm speechless...”

Me too!

Urmstongran

Funny how this thread is now debating the rich -v- the poor.
Why do we collectively ignore the elephant in the room? It’s about Islamists folks.

I agree, and I think that’s what Sunak was talking about, but he had to be careful and choose his words carefully.

Upthread it was mentioned that a young Jewish father was screamed at on the tube and told he was killing babies in Gaza. No one on here seems care too much about that, what they care about is whether Sunak knows what it’s like to struggle to pay his gas bill. Well news alert, neither do the majority of you! Nor do you know what it’s like to be screamed at on the tube and told you’re killing babies in Gaza. Little condemnation for that, but plenty for Sunak because he doesn’t struggle to pay his gas bill.

Incidentally, I’m not a Sunak fan!