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Why are "Leavers" so angry?

(606 Posts)
trisher Fri 27-Sept-19 09:48:09

Watching Question Time, reading GN and listening to others the anger and ire of those who voted leave astounds me. They are it seems prepared to dump everything to get what they want. A constitution, a legal system, parliamentary democracy mean nothing to them. There is only one small party which is actually campaigning to stop Brexit. One will offer a referendum on a deal and one will (so Johnson says) get a better deal or leave with No Deal. So why are they so aggressive? I can only think that they are actually really upset about what they have done. That they realise the Brexit they were sold and voted for never really existed. That the complications of N. Ireland, the prospect of No Deal and huge shortages and the very real economic strictures have just dawned on them. But rather than admit they were misled and possiby wrong they are reacting by blaming everyone else. It's like a toddler promised pudding who knows he has to eat the main course first but is looking at what is being served and screaming "That's too much and I want my pudding NOW!"

growstuff Sun 29-Sept-19 09:29:56

BTW Leaving the EU won't stop it because agencies will recruit more people from the Phillipines and other places with a low cost of living. It was happening even before the UK joined the EU and will, no doubt, continue.

NanaPlenty Sun 29-Sept-19 09:39:12

An awful lot of passion has been stirred. I hate displays of anger and aggression but a lot stems from frustration. We are supposed to live in a democracy - there was a vote - the result was to leave and it hasn’t happened. If we don’t leave our system will be changed forever. People in high places and with money think that they can do what they like regardless of the will of the people. The way our politicians are behaving at the moment is dreadful in the main. What example does this set for young people. I could go on but don’t want to become one of the angry people!

MaizieD Sun 29-Sept-19 09:43:29

BTW Leaving the EU won't stop it because agencies will recruit more people from the Phillipines and other places with a low cost of living. I

Of course it won't stop. It was just a brilliant meme (in its original sense) to get people stirred up with anti-EU feelings.

jura2 Sun 29-Sept-19 09:46:07

40 new hospitals - where on earth are we going to get the staff?

Urmstongran Sun 29-Sept-19 09:59:52

Really growmore? It was happening even before the UK joined the EU

Maybe so, but we didn’t have a minimum wage or ‘living wage’ then.

I still think it’s shocking.

Sometimes on tv a small business owner will come on and say ‘my business couldn’t survive if I had to pay xxx in wages’ and my immediate thought is always ‘ought you to have a business then dear?’

Profitability ought to have a moral base, in my opinion. And before any of you bring up big business malpractice such as Thomas Cooke where the fat cats have helped themselves to millions - well, two wrongs don’t make a right. Pointing the finger at other malpractice is just fudging.

growstuff Sun 29-Sept-19 10:00:12

Even if we do leave, our system will be changed forever, especially if Johnson gets his way.

Joelsnan Sun 29-Sept-19 10:02:49

jura2
With all the Europeans apparently leaving in droves, apart from replacing decrepit ones will they actually be needed.
With regard to staffing, again if we have fewer people here the need for staff will reduce too.
Do you remember when hospitals were staffed by locals with some from the West Indies and India. When I was training we had student nurses from Malaysia. Some went home on completion, some married and stayed.
Don't forget there is a big wide world outside the EU where, believe it or not medical and nursing staff are trained, many with their first language being English. But, I am sure if EU medical staff still want to work here because and despite everything the salaries and benefits are, on the whole, better here I have no doubt they will be welcomed.

growstuff Sun 29-Sept-19 10:05:02

For once, I agree with Urmstongran. I think it's shocking too, but I guess the employers making the profits vote Conservative.

I know somebody who is a community nurse in Fenland. Some of her patients, now in their 80s or 90s, came from countries such as Greece (before the EU). They were trafficked by unscrupulous agencies/employers, made to live in communal dormitories and worked extremely long hours in the fields or doing care work. Their passports were often confiscated.

A blind eye was turned because the employers were making a nice profit and people were buying their vegetables cheaply.

growstuff Sun 29-Sept-19 10:06:32

I live in one of the areas which has been promised a new/upgraded hospital. Are you saying that areas such as mine won't get the money after all?

Joelsnan Sun 29-Sept-19 10:06:48

growstuff
So you are averse to change?
Sometime change is scary, but there is no progress without change.

lemongrove Sun 29-Sept-19 10:10:37

If the Australian points system was introduced here we could have all the immigration we need, chosen from people worldwide, but chosen being the appropriate word.

Urmstongran Sun 29-Sept-19 10:10:47

That’s disingenuous MaizieD It was just a brilliant meme (in its original sense) to get people stirred up with anti-EU feelings and you know it.

There IS evidence out there to back up claims that some workers became disenfranchised when trying to compete against low paid immigrant workers. The immigrants were happy to earn ‘decent’ money (still low paid but better than they were able to earn ‘at home’ in the EU. Some house shared to split the cost of accommodation, converted pounds sterling into euros (the exchange rate being good so they made even more money in the transactions) to send back to their families.

My point being, small businesses ought to pay a proper going rate. One that can finance a decent living wage for those lads and lassies who already live here. They have overheads that the EU migrants do not. How can they be expected to survive on paltry wages?

And then we wonder why there are food banks!

It has to stop. We as a country ought to be mindful of what we deem acceptable practice in business.

Rant over.

lemongrove Sun 29-Sept-19 10:13:48

Exactly Urmston....which is why Corbyn was always against the EU, he knew it brought down wages for workers.
Possibly the only thing I agree with Corbyn on.

Urmstongran Sun 29-Sept-19 10:14:32

Gosh growmore that’s a first - us agreeing on something!! Who’d have thought it?
???

growstuff Sun 29-Sept-19 10:14:46

Eh? How do you work that I'm averse to change? Baffling! confused

Urmstongran Sun 29-Sept-19 10:15:00

Me too lemongrove

Urmstongran Sun 29-Sept-19 10:16:00

Oops, sorry it’s growstuff. Is there even a growmore?

growstuff Sun 29-Sept-19 10:18:15

Read the link WOODMOUSE posted for an analysis at local level of low-paid, low-skilled work. I promise you it's interesting and informative (whether or not you support leaving or remaining).

Whatever happens, this country needs a proper strategy for de-industrialised areas and low wages.

suzied Sun 29-Sept-19 10:19:02

Corbyn is against the EU because it doesn't tally with his anti capitalist rhetoric.

growstuff Sun 29-Sept-19 10:19:27

It's the stuff people feed to their tomatoes and other plants. I have no objection to encouraging living matter to thrive.

growstuff Sun 29-Sept-19 10:22:29

Low wages for workers also means keeping the cost of living down - as long as profits are kept reasonable.

A high wage economy, such as Switzerland or Norway, is all very well, but Switzerland has a very high number of foreign workers to do menial work - as do most of the countries in the Middle East.

Urmstongran Sun 29-Sept-19 10:36:29

And this is what we are up against ...

If this can be proved.

“Sources said No 10 officials received intelligence that MPs, including former Cabinet Minister Oliver Letwin, had received help drafting the Benn Bill from members of the French Government and the European Union.

Rebel MPs have drawn up plans for a second Act which would allow Commons Speaker John Bercow to bypass the Prime Minister if he cannot strike a deal to leave the EU on October 31.

The new law would allow Mr Bercow to personally ask Brussels for a further delay on behalf of the Commons.”

Sheesh!

MaizieD Sun 29-Sept-19 10:37:28

My point being, small businesses ought to pay a proper going rate.

I agree with you, too, Ug but I think, with respect, that you are being hopelessly naive. History tells us that most (not all) employers will pay as little as they can get away with. That was one of the reasons that drove the formation of Trades Unions.

There has always been a tension between the perceived inflationary effects of wage increases, and the effects on profits, and the belief that people should be treated decently and be financially recognised for their part in producing 'wealth'. If you started to look for it you could find reams on the debate from both points of view, dating back over at least the last three centuries... Debate in which the employers plump for low wages and the workers for higher ones...

Urmstongran Sun 29-Sept-19 10:41:45

Thank you MaizieD another great post.
??

I probably am naive. I always paid my dues to ‘Unison’ when I worked for 30+ years full time at our local district hospital. I was asked at one time to be a union rep.

I do realise there are inequalities regarding this whole issue.

The only way to eat an elephant is by taking small bites.

jura2 Sun 29-Sept-19 10:48:24

The history of Quaker businesses is really interesting on this subject.