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Something positive about this government

(382 Posts)
whitewave Fri 18-Mar-16 09:15:54

I thought it might be a good exercise to list the successful and positive things this government has achieved, as I am struggling at the moment to feel anything but utterly gloomy.

I will get back with a contribution to the list once I can think of something.

durhamjen Sun 20-Mar-16 22:31:08

Actually, having read the rest of your post, bags, don't bother reading them, as you will not believe it anyway.
Just another unsubstantiated statement to you.

If that's the case, why has the DWP refused to publish the statistics three times?
They have been taken to court again last week and IDS told to publish. That's why he left.
Lots of other people know that. However, it will just be another unsubstantiated statement to you, like all the rest.

Penstemmon Sun 20-Mar-16 22:27:31

Trouble is thatbags when people post links they are accused by some of being a bit loony leftie! As I am I have no qualms..

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/more-80-suicide-cases-directly-5634404 this is not backed by any hard evidence and it is a year old but think it looks as if it was using some investigation/research as a stimuli for the article.

durhamjen Sun 20-Mar-16 22:26:05

Few people bother commenting, roses?
Over 300 posts is rather a lot in my opinion.

It wasn't about suicide rates themselves, bags, but yes they have gone up under this governemt, although I am sure you can find out on the Samaritans website. They are the only association that colects such statistics according to them.

www.samaritans.org/support-us/why-support-samaritans/facts-and-figures-about-suicide

A link, anyway.

What I was talking about earlier was the numbers who have committed suicide as a result of having their benefits stopped or sanctioned.
You must have read about it in the news.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iain-duncan-smiths-tougher-fit-to-work-tests-coincide-with-590-additional-suicides-a6737136.html

thatbags Sun 20-Mar-16 21:59:37

Have suicide rates actually gone up during this government? If anyone thinks so, please provide published statistics. I'll suspend judgments till then.

I'm not saying the statement that people have committed suicide because of government policies isn't true; I'm just asking for proper proof that if that has happened, the rate of suicide has gone up. If the 'normal' rate has remained the same in spite of the allegedly 'government-caused' suicides, that means other reasons for suicide have gone down in the same time.

This is pure, natural scepticism about unsupported statements and it applies to all others (either positive or negative) that people have made without adequate substantiation. Which is most of them.

JessM Sun 20-Mar-16 21:31:53

Good summary Eleothan but i'm only going to give you 9/10.
Debt has increased hugely under Osborne. It's gone up to a record, nearly 90% of GDP
more than £1,500,000,000,000

The deficit it down a bit - but it is still a deficit hence the rising debt. This is not being disputatious - it is hard fact smile

rosesarered Sun 20-Mar-16 21:29:40

Now annieb that is a typical comment from you and exactly why few people bother commenting on political threads ( see the spin\lies thread)
I rest my case.

Anya Sun 20-Mar-16 21:28:59

Wilma you could well be correct as new social housing has been approved by our District Council. First houses should be completed by September.

Anniebach Sun 20-Mar-16 21:20:05

It is good that a son is better of but does it make up for the many who are worse off or have committed suicide. .

And always good when unemployment is down but not brought down because people are forced to take zero hours contracts.

But I do understand you think these are good Rosesarered, you said you thought the budget was good.

rosesarered Sun 20-Mar-16 21:11:18

( and also number 3, now that I come to think about it.) smile

rosesarered Sun 20-Mar-16 21:09:45

That's a great list Eloethan ! Remember, we don't come on this forum armed with masses of facts and statistics (at least most of us don't) and the things mentioned so far are worth having,especially number 4 on the list.

Ana Sun 20-Mar-16 21:09:13

Did you really feel it necessary to repeat yourself, Eloethan? confused

WilmaKnickersfit Sun 20-Mar-16 21:04:43

I need to take back what I said about a small amount of money from council house sales can be spent now because for the life of me I can't find where I got the information from. Sorry. blush

Eloethan Sun 20-Mar-16 21:01:00

A breakdown of this thread:

Positives:
We haven't ended up like Greece
Unemployment down
We haven't got a Corbyn government
My disabled son is better off
Got rid of "hook hand"
Authorised gay marriage
Introduced plastic bag surcharge
Housebuilding increased
A saving of £4,000 p.a. in new ISA will attract £1,000 from govt
Pensioners ring-fenced
Savers can put up to £20,000 pa. into an ISA - up from £15,240
Money from council house sell-offs can be used to build more social housing
Removed VAT on sanitary products
People in "the middle" are doing OK
Reduction of debt
The EU referendum

Many of these "positives" have been disputed. Greece has a very different economy from our own. Unemployment figures have been "massaged" and do not reflect the true situation. Housebuilding had a "spurt" when help to buy was introduced but has fallen recently. A saving of £4,000 p.a. requires a payment of around £330 per month - unaffordable for many people. The better off will, of course, take full advantage of the free money, ditto the £20,000 increased ISA allowance. The debt hasn't been reduced.

Those that posted "positive" reactions to the budget often relied on their own and their families' personal experiences and current circumstances in giving their approval, or drawing their conclusions (i.e. about the amount of new houses being built). Those supporting the government often mentioned the fact that they and their children were hard working and honest, whereas they tended to feel that other people were less honest and hardworking and were more likely to "play the system". There was praise for ring-fencing of pensions and the government's £1,000 inducement for savers, and it appeared that this was because these were issues that related favourably to them or their families. Nevertheless, there was indignation expressed when this was pointed out.

The fact that the money from council house sell-offs can now be used to build more homes did not take account of the large discounts or the fact that it is the price of land which constitutes the major cost and the price of land continues to shoot upwards.

The choices that were made were political and ideological choices and could have been borne less painfully by people who are in a stronger position to withstand them.

Anniebach Sun 20-Mar-16 20:54:08

Well they will not be paying tax to help the disabled if their in Australia or traveling from country to country.

No, I didn't list Cornish tin miners.

Jalima Sun 20-Mar-16 20:50:10

I must say that in the past couple of years DH and I have been to a few places in England and en route have been astonished at the amount of house building going on.
For those who say that these houses are unaffordable for young people (and a lot of them have not been larger detached houses) - perhaps the people buying them are releasing rented property or selling cheaper property ie starter homes for younger people starting out.

Jalima Sun 20-Mar-16 20:45:30

How is a family with the bread winner out of work going to find work ? You say go where the work is, where will they live?
I suppose they do what we and others did, stay where they are until the bread winner (and there is usually more than one winning the bread in families these days) gets established, finds accommodation etc then the family follows him/her.

Your GF and uncles could not have been plumbers, labourers , carpenters , unskilled
I haven't met a poor plumber yet, perhaps some people know one. Or a poor carpenter.
And lots of labourers moved or emigrated, did unskilled jobs and improved their lives.

The more people who are able to use their gumption to find work and have to perhaps put up with a bit of hardship or separation from their families, the more people there will be paying tax to help the disabled and those who cannot help themselves.

Eloethan Sun 20-Mar-16 20:37:56

A breakdown of this thread:

Positives:
We haven't ended up like Greece
Unemployment down
We haven't got a Corbyn government
My disabled son is better off
Got rid of "hook hand"
Authorised gay marriage
Introduced plastic bag surcharge
Housebuilding increased
A saving of £4,000 p.a. in new ISA will attract £1,000 from govt
Pensioners ring-fenced
Savers can put up to £20,000 pa. into an ISA - up from £15,240
Money from council house sell-offs can be used to build more social housing
Removed VAT on sanitary products
People in "the middle" are doing OK
Reduction of debt
The EU referendum

Many of these "positives" have been disputed. Greece has a very different economy from our own. Unemployment figures have been "massaged" and do not reflect the true situation. Housebuilding had a "spurt" when help to buy was introduced but has fallen recently. A saving of £4,000 p.a. requires a payment of around £330 per month - unaffordable for many people. The better off will, of course, take full advantage of the free money, ditto the £20,000 increased ISA allowance. The debt hasn't been reduced.

Those that posted "positive" reactions to the budget often relied on their own and their families' personal experiences and current circumstances in giving their approval, or drawing their conclusions (i.e. about the amount of new houses being built). Those supporting the government often mentioned the fact that they and their children were hard working and honest, whereas they tended to feel that other people were less honest and hardworking and were more likely to "play the system". There was praise for ring-fencing of pensions and the government's £1,000 inducement for savers, and it appeared that this was because these were issues that related favourably to them or their families. Nevertheless, there was indignation expressed when this was pointed out.

The fact that the money from council house sell-offs can now be used to build more homes did not take account of the large discounts or the fact that it is the price of land which constitutes the major cost and the price of land continues to shoot upwards.

The choices that were made were political and ideological choices and could have been aimed at people who are in a stronger position to withstand them.

etheltbags1 Sun 20-Mar-16 20:37:33

I have spent a lovely half hour reading these posts, I cannot contribute as everything I think has already been said and I was very amused by the bitchiness.

Jane10 Sun 20-Mar-16 20:33:04

And I posted initially about people in my family who did have to move to another country for work and also those who moved within this country. Jalima and I are trying to get it over to some of you that people do get on their bikes and always have.

Jalima Sun 20-Mar-16 20:32:41

Jamila, emigrating to Australia is not travelling from country to country looking for work
But it was for a lot of people, they went out to nothing then had to search for jobs.
For the most part they did not know what they were going to and had no job offers before they went.

I thought you mentioned the Cornish tin miners who went to South Wales to work confused.

you must have avoided / missed some posts
no, but I did get bogged down with trying to read it having not been on here all day.

Anniebach Sun 20-Mar-16 20:27:18

Still waiting a supporter of this government will give an opinion on who is telling lies, IDS or Cameron? they both can't be speaking the truth or csn they

Anniebach Sun 20-Mar-16 20:24:52

Jamila, emigrating to Australia is not travelling from country to country looking for work and I posted of people who came to this country to work in the iron works and coal mines , you must have avoided / missed some posts

I sgree about Farron

Jalima Sun 20-Mar-16 20:24:23

Mandelson said that Jeremy Corbyn is a Marxist in disguise.

Is every Labour leader in disguise?

Jalima Sun 20-Mar-16 20:22:13

B******s

Ana Sun 20-Mar-16 20:21:09

Ah, but Blair was a tory in disguise Jalima surely you must know that by now, we've been told enough times!