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Poverty in the UK - disappearing according to Boris

(233 Posts)
Dinahmo Thu 23-Jan-20 21:02:50

Yesterday on PMQs the the Tory ranks were ebullient over the PMs treatment of Corbyn who was on the attack over poverty. Johnson said that poverty had dimihished by 400,000. The Resolution Foundation's senior economic advisor struggled to find anything to back it up.

As you probably know, Greggs did well last year and have given their workers a £300 bonus. If they earn over £12,500 the rules relating to Universal Credit will see most of this taken away from them. A point that Johnson didn't understand. So we have a PM who is so wealthy that he cannot understand how the poorer people manage - not to live but just to exist. Some of them can't even do that.

growstuff Fri 24-Jan-20 20:51:27

I wonder what exactly Johnson has in mind for regeneration of the North West, North East and the Midlands. It's going to take more than a fast train line (and a bridge over the Irish Sea grin). People want good jobs, fewer boarded up shops and houses, efficient local transport links and communities they can be proud of - and not just in the big cities.

GracesGranMK3 Fri 24-Jan-20 20:19:39

Hard work is a dirty word on here!

Just how arrogant can some posts get. Are you really suggesting no one but you and the Gravy one on this thread have worked hard?

Now can someone tell me how I can stop reading both your posts and stop this thread coming up on "I'm on."? Simply no point in this discussion.

GracesGranMK3 Fri 24-Jan-20 20:15:18

So the new Tory voters, who share with the old ones that statistical fact that, although their earnings may be significantly less, they are generally homeowners and have a salary that is more than the cost of their mortgage.

These are the people whose interests are far more aimed at increasing their own wealth than taking others out of poverty. Those who are poor are seen to be lacking in some way. So what do we ask Johnson to do, oh Victorian thinkers? Kill off the poor or just leave them to starve?

It's just worth remembering that all Boris's promises to join up the North East to the North West, the Midlands and London mean those horrible, none home-owning, socially liberal thinking, young people will move into those areas to commute to work (they still have years of it of course). And what will that do? It could well tip these seats back to Labour. Do you really think Johnson will keep those promises?

GrannyGravy13 Fri 24-Jan-20 17:50:40

I haven't seen any posters being unsympathetic, just pointing out that it is possible to get out of poverty.

Surely that is something all those in poverty should strive for?

JenniferEccles Fri 24-Jan-20 17:38:23

Be careful GrannyGravy

Hard work is a dirty word on here!

annep1 Fri 24-Jan-20 17:23:55

Very true yehbutnobut.
I think I'll not read anymore of this thread. It makes me sad and stresses me. I really feel very angry towards those who are unsympathetic to people needing help. I hope they never need it, yet a little part of me would like them to experience hard times.

Yehbutnobut Fri 24-Jan-20 15:56:20

Well what changes might have taken place under Corbyn we will never know as he was never given the chance either to fail or prove himself.

Oddly enough the Tories have failed (NHS, Education and other public services) but that apparently is okay.

Aspen Fri 24-Jan-20 15:49:02

I watched a documentary about Binmen clearing up our mess after Christmas. It moved on to sewer workers who were trying to clear a "fatburg" a dirty and dangerous job. I couldn't help thinking, if half our bankers went on strike would we miss them? Without a doubt we'd miss the Council Workers. what is the ratio of the average banker to Worker's pay I wonder.

chris8888 Fri 24-Jan-20 15:43:00

The lunch expenses and `sleep` (sorry showing up) expenses of these MPs and Lords are more than some people have to live on. I find it outrageous that poverty is ignored and sidelined by people like Boris. That is just in our country never mind worldwide.

Dinahmo Fri 24-Jan-20 15:41:59

JenniferEccles You have assumed that landlords would hve sold their properties if their was a Corbyn government is wrong I think. A flood of properties new to the market would have resulted in cheaper housing for first time buyers and a loss of income to the landlords.

If you are very savvy you might be able to reinvest and achieve a similar return otherwise you would be restricted to deposit accounts with low rates of interest.

Dinahmo Fri 24-Jan-20 15:34:10

JenniferEccles I don't think anyone "maintains that it's entirely the wicked governments fault if the feckless fall on hard times" It is however, the wicked government's fault that the services are not in place to help people whose lives have gone wrong. And, as I said in my original post we now have a PM who has no understanding of what it's like to be in poverty.

ClareAB Fri 24-Jan-20 15:33:05

I get very tired of wealthy people saying 'I worked hard'. Most people work hard. No one's life is more valuable than any others.
People hate to be told that actually they have been very lucky. They are lucky to have been born in a country where they are not starving. They are lucky to have been given chances. They are lucky that they were healthy enough to take those chances... It goes on and on.
I believe that wealthy people use the justification of 'I worked hard for it' to silence the little voice inside them that feels guilty for having so much when many have so little.
I am comfortably off. I appreciate that every single day.
As a retired Community Psychiatric Nurse I have seen and worked with tragedy every day of my working life as well as dealing with a fair bit in my own life, as do most people.
The entitlement of some people blows my mind.

timetogo2016 Fri 24-Jan-20 15:31:01

I know of a few families who appear poor but drink/smoke and gamble and have takeaways like you wouldn`t believe and have never done a days work in their lives.
AND keep having more children.
We work and couldn't afford to live a life like that.
There are very few m p`s who live in the real world as they can`t see the wood for the trees.
RANT OVER.

GrannyGravy13 Fri 24-Jan-20 15:22:26

Nobody could have been more disadvantaged than Mr.Gravy, but by pure determination, hard work and taking every opportunity however small, he and our family have prospered as have our employees.

GrannyGravy13 Fri 24-Jan-20 15:20:13

JenniferEccles I totally agree with your last post. Labour under Corbyn would have seen entrepreneurs,leaving in droves.

Not a huge Boris fan, but if Corbyn had won we were seriously considering "buggering off".

Greeneyedgirl Fri 24-Jan-20 15:19:07

There are some kind and compassionate posts on here that warm my heart this miserable gloomy day.
If wealth depended upon hard work and dedication I think we'd see a completely different society but ofcourse it doesn't.
As it is none of us choose the situation or family we are born into, or the genes we inherit. We do not start off with equal opportunities in life, and there's plenty of research which shows that disadvantages at birth follows through school and to employment.

JenniferEccles Fri 24-Jan-20 14:54:10

Don’t make me laugh.
A Corbyn government would have bankrupted the country and of course the poor would have been the first to suffer.

He wanted to stifle wealth creation and capitalism, both of which provide jobs.

There was also a plan to give tenants automatic right to buy their rented property at well below market value.

We have a property we rent out and, along I bet with many others landlords, would have sold it long before that was implemented, had Labour got in.

The result of course would have been a serious shortage of properties to rent.

Everyone dodged a bullet by giving the Tories such a huge majority.

GagaJo Fri 24-Jan-20 14:21:41

Nor Grant. Grany!

GagaJo Fri 24-Jan-20 14:21:18

Couldn't agree more Grant. Johnson and the Tories want the poor so cowed they stop complaining. Silent and poor. Perfect for right wing exploitation.

Grany Fri 24-Jan-20 14:15:49

Just want to say. A Corbyn government would have addressed UC and other benefits looking to provide fairness above all. All the polices would have made life fairer for everyone. People may say but there was so many polices they were needed to get UK up to the level of other European countries and all were costed, so thought out. His the Labour manifesto was is fair that's what counts what this country needs

But we got Johnson.

I hope we get RLB and Richard Burgon

I watched PM Q Jeremy Corbyn stood up for the poor on UC
But Johnson was just playing at politics.

GrannyGravy13 Fri 24-Jan-20 14:15:07

GGMK3, We have private health care, our business pays for Private Health care for all employees and their families.

We are still paying tax at a high level, as a WASPI I am yet to get my State Pension.

Some of our children were privately educated.

Our “taking out” as you put it has up till now been minimal.

GracesGranMK3 Fri 24-Jan-20 14:01:02

to have them while and had them while

GracesGranMK3 Fri 24-Jan-20 14:00:03

GG13 have you ever worked out what the distribution of wealth has been in your favour. Have you added up what you have taken out of the system and set it against what you actually paid in. Even though you have taken advantage of the universal benefits available to have them while, it seems, accumulating savings far in excess of someone currently receiving benefits and enjoying the "luxuries" of life.

Now someone else is paying for your pension, your calls on the NHS, etc. It is highly unlikely, unless your earnings were very high, that you actually paid in as much as you have taken and continue to take out.

GracesGranMK3 Fri 24-Jan-20 13:52:54

Why are so many Gransnetters against "wealth"?

Who is against "wealth" GG13, and in what way have they expressed this antipathy? (It helps if you quote what you are asking about).

GracesGranMK3 Fri 24-Jan-20 13:50:11

GGMK3, The UK has a free education system up till 18, healthcare free at point of use i.e. NHS.

Why are you telling me this GG13. It's really unlikely that I don't know. I was comparing the fact that when the Victorians had some of the attitudes and beliefs voiced on here we did not have such things.

Those voicing such beliefs now will all have lived with these things available to them and their families all their lives but are being incredibly judgemental, and judgemental to their fellow UK citizens without a fact to base it on. The Victorians may have had some excuse for such vicious lack of compassion but I don't think those making such comments have any excuse.