EU - in or out?

Hmm, take it you're not a fan then rosequartz

I don't know much about her at all to be honest. Now trying to think what other women there are that could be considered - none jumping to mind.

Quite honestly, I'd rather have Ed M than Hattie.

no no no

I am inclined to agree rosequartz - way too much back-scratching going on instead of deciding what's best for the UK.

Harriet Harman seems to putting the idea out about herself being considered for the role of Deputy Leader - how would you feel about her? Not sure of her stance on Europe though if I'm honest.

More installments of book to come - with slight delay as I am on holiday and have opted for some lighter reading for this week!

What! You've opted to enjoy yourself on your holiday instead of wading through that book Mishap - gross dereliction of duty methinks

Perhaps we need another woman PM! None of the men seem to have guts!

More installments of book to come - with slight delay as I am on holiday and have opted for some lighter reading for this week!

Interesting links rosequartz. I do think Gordon Brown holds a lot of responsibility for today's situation that the UK is in with regard to the EU and even though he is, and has been described as, Britain's most inept PM, part of me feels a bit sorry for him.

I agree with most of the BBC link - especially In 1980, she called for the UK's contributions to the then EEC to be adjusted, warning that otherwise she would withhold VAT payments. "I want my money back!" she exclaimed. - oh to have a PM with her guts again!

sorry

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7141279.stm

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11598879

Hollydaze - I was referring more to some posters on GN threads who are derogatory about the UK!! although they live here themselves.

I have heard my Australian relatives make comments about the UK being 'finished' (really?), but now they are more concerned about 'rip-off' Australia.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7141279.stm
Signing of the Lisbon Treaty by Gordon Brown

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11598879
From the BBC, hardly a Thatcher supporter

It is a fact that neither the Tory government nor the subsequent Labour government allowed councils to spend the revenue from council house sales on the construction of new ones. This doesn't mean that they were not allowed to build new homes, but it seriously restricted the means with which to do it.

Having just spotted this thread, I have to say that this is the first time I've come across someone posting a whole series of comments which seem to interest only herself!

Councils were not allowed by Thatcher to build new houses

That isn't true. See previous link.

To read some other posts you would think that the UK is the most dreadful, uncaring and hard-hearted place in the world to live.

Pay no mind to it rosequartz, it isn't uncommon to hear ex-pats being derogatory about the UK (having lived amongst some of them for several years, it became expected to hear it - and then disregard it) - one of their favourite expressions is to call it 'Rip-Off Britain' but where do they head when things go pear-shaped ...

So discussing rented housing in Belgium and the UK is nothing to do with the EU? Is that what you are saying, Ana?

Unless Belgium is having a referendum regarding an in or out decision (which is, after all, what the thread is about), I would say it is inapplicable on this thread. What people in Belgium think, do or say has no bearing whatsoever on what the people of the UK have to take into account when making their descion.

You stated that Thatcher 'sold them all off', which was a misleading statement.

With nary a mention of the tenants that jumped at the chance of buying them - I wonder what percentage of socialist council tenants bought their council house

Ana

Pay no mind to it.

The facts regarding social housing have been posted before but this is the latest I found:

^Between 1997 and 2010, of the 2.61 million homes constructed, only 0.3% were local authority tenure. Mrs Thatcher’s government supervised the building of a similar number of houses (2.63 million), but 18.9% were LA or ‘council’ properties.

To look at it another way, New Labour built an average of 562 council houses per year. And Mrs Thatcher’s Conservatives? 41,343. That said, it’s also true that the number of council houses under construction declined steadily during Mrs Thatcher’s era.^

https://fullfact.org/factchecks/council_house_building_margaret_thatcher_labour_government-29270

Even taking into account the steady decline of council house construction under Thatcher, she'd have to have gone some way to put Labour ahead!

As you have rightly pointed out - Labour hardly turned it around did they ...

When you are spouting of about the EU you really should have all your facts.

I will ask you politely not to speak to me the way you have been doing. I have my opinions of the EU and you have yours but if you continue to speak down to me I will retaliate in a likewise manner.

Not the only reason, of course.

Of course housing associations took over. They are private companies, and saw the chance to take over. Councils were not allowed by Thatcher to build new houses. Fortunately there are philanthropic housing associations, but they are not the same as councils. They did not have to stick to the same standards of building that councils did. Housing associations did not build as many houses as we needed over the years. That's why there are so many homeless now.

Oh yes Rosequartz, the Uk is the soft touch alright, I know of someone who went into a civil partnership with a young African man he had known for 8 years, he stayed here for one year, all very cosy, got his family visa to the Uk and off he went, he was shocked at the standard of housing but everything else is just rosy thanks.
Why do you think they are living in squalor at the ferry terminals in France, if they got the benefits and 'rights' in France that they will get in the UK do you think they would be risking their lives to get there???

Interesting to read felice's posts about life on the continent and how the UK is looked on as a soft touch.
To read some other posts you would think that the UK is the most dreadful, uncaring and hard-hearted place in the world to live.
Even the Americans and Australians are feeling sorry for us because of the state of our NHS apparently!
I hadn't realised either of those two countries had such a wonderful NHS and welfare state.

And I always assumed that the rest of the relatively wealthy EU was as beneficent as the UK.

Didn't housing associations take over from where council housing departments left off? Who built all those new houses then?
People who could buy their own homes were thrilled and in the main look after them very well - because they own them.

So discussing rented housing in Belgium and the UK is nothing to do with the EU? Is that what you are saying, Ana?

If the last post includes me Ana then I am talking from and about experience of living in another EU country, just giving some facts about real life off the small island, note the small this time. After all the original post was about the EU wasn't it????

You stated that Thatcher 'sold them all off', which was a misleading statement.

Must you always criticise the Conservatives? (and Blair when you feel like it, of course).

I'll leave you to your private conversation, which seems to have veered from the thread subject somewhat.