that must be IT
How did you vote and why today
Bereavement wipes out everything
What colour car do you have or did you used to drive?
Gransnet forums
News & politics
Why on earth was Boris on holiday?
(204 Posts)He spent most of the Summer with his family in Greece and in Slovenia- when he was still PM, and in a crisis.
But then we could argue Parliament was in recess...
But last couple of weeks? He is still MP for UXbridge, and paid for it. He should therefore have been in his Constituency, doing his job, serving his Consituents, and representing them in the House. How can this be allowed?
Perhaps there was a Clowns convention.
johnson was on holiday because he is entitled and lazy
hth
We have moved so so far away from the OP. This thread is not about sunak, but Johnson being on holiday AGAIN, when Parliament is in session, and when he should be doing his JOB in his Constituency.
GrannyGravy13
Fleurpepper
How he sees himself is not the point Joseanne.
My GCs go to great private schools, so do and did most of my UK family- they are really nice people, and would all see themselves as 'pretty ordinary'. Having taught all my life in large Comprehensives, I know that neither of them have any idea whatsoever or what it is like to live in su-standard, crowded conditions, with one parent who is possibly an addict, no computer, no heating, bedding soaked with urine, and more. NO IDEA WHATSOVER- that is the point for Rishi.Are you saying that to be an MP or a PM they should have lived in sub-standard housings and have received a poor education ?
Do we all have to have experienced something first hand to empathise?
No- this is not what I am saying, at all. And I do believe you know this.
It does help to know people who have those experiences first hand.
Many famous people who did go to top Public Schools and Colleges became intensely aware of the real challenges some people are faced with. I do not think Sunak is one of them- that is all.
His wife's Dad and family are very powerful in India and well known. I don't suppose they'd want their daughter marrying such an ordinary small person in the UK
George Orwell went to Wellington, Eton and Cambridge, but made an effort to find out how the poor of London and Paris lived.
Fleurpepper
Agreed- but it is difficult for someone with his education and upbringing to have insight into poverty, and struggling every single day to make ends meet, and make difficult choices to survive.
Back to education, my ACs went to the local primary then the local Comprehensives. They had a pretty good, comfortable life, and had everything they needed, and two parents who cared and supported- but at least they had friends who had very different backgrounds and real family issues, and real problems with finances and worse. Several we took under our wing(s), and that made them even more aware.
Attlee went to Haileybury and Oxford, but became a volunteer at a club for working-class boys, where his eyes were opened to poverty and deprivation. There are some people who have never had their eyes opened.
Callistemon21
Anyway, it's early days, I shall give him a chance.
This is the man who realised people would struggle with lockdowns and introduced the furlough scheme.
But let 3 million self-employed without one penny of support, even though he was presented with a petition, so can't pretend he didn't know!
GrannyGravy13
Fleurpepper
How he sees himself is not the point Joseanne.
My GCs go to great private schools, so do and did most of my UK family- they are really nice people, and would all see themselves as 'pretty ordinary'. Having taught all my life in large Comprehensives, I know that neither of them have any idea whatsoever or what it is like to live in su-standard, crowded conditions, with one parent who is possibly an addict, no computer, no heating, bedding soaked with urine, and more. NO IDEA WHATSOVER- that is the point for Rishi.Are you saying that to be an MP or a PM they should have lived in sub-standard housings and have received a poor education ?
Do we all have to have experienced something first hand to empathise?
No, but it helps to acknowledge what some people do experience and have some empathy. We are supposed to live in a democracy, where even the lowliest matter.
The same man who cut universal credit payments by £20 per week! Ok, some picky posters will say he simply reversed the increase but, to a family living on the breadline …
Anyway, it's early days, I shall give him a chance.
This is the man who realised people would struggle with lockdowns and introduced the furlough scheme.
He probably did come from an ordinary background compared to other Wykehamists!
*As Volver pointed out, the Sunaks had three children who all attended very prestigious prep and boarding school.
Not a problem at all until people claim that he came from an ordinary background without the privilege of considerable wealth. That is a false claim.*
Exactly Normandygirl???
NO IDEA WHATSOVER- that is the point for Rishi
Presumably you would say you understand and, having worked in an environment where I heard real horror stories worse than that, so do I.
But I have not had those experiences personally and, presumably, neither did you, Fleurpepper, although I'll bet you might think my upbringing was impoverished compared to yours.
It doesn't mean we can't understand or have empathy which I am sure you do.
Thank you for making your post clearer for us perplexed readers Normandygirl.
NO IDEA WHATSOVER- that is the point for Rishi.
Exactly Fleurpepper. It is crucial that someone in his position understands what living in poverty is like. I’m not saying he’s not a ‘nice person’ because he went to private school etc but I am saying I wish he would be honest about his lived experience.
Agreed- but it is difficult for someone with his education and upbringing to have insight into poverty, and struggling every single day to make ends meet, and make difficult choices to survive.
Back to education, my ACs went to the local primary then the local Comprehensives. They had a pretty good, comfortable life, and had everything they needed, and two parents who cared and supported- but at least they had friends who had very different backgrounds and real family issues, and real problems with finances and worse. Several we took under our wing(s), and that made them even more aware.
Fleurpepper
How he sees himself is not the point Joseanne.
My GCs go to great private schools, so do and did most of my UK family- they are really nice people, and would all see themselves as 'pretty ordinary'. Having taught all my life in large Comprehensives, I know that neither of them have any idea whatsoever or what it is like to live in su-standard, crowded conditions, with one parent who is possibly an addict, no computer, no heating, bedding soaked with urine, and more. NO IDEA WHATSOVER- that is the point for Rishi.
Some people have no understanding of others' predicaments, others do.
You don't have to have the lived experience to have empathy and understanding.
As long as he doesn't try to claim that he had to sleep on a park bench as one PM said he did, or had to fetch water because she came from an impoverished background as a candidate for PM did the last time round.
Joseanne
^Sunak's parents being able to afford £ 72,000 a year in prep school fees and £150,000 a year in boarding school fees puts them on my wealthy list.^
Can I ask where you found those exorbitant school fees from Normandygirl? They are incorrect, and also Sunak's parents wouldn't have paid the same amount in 1990s as now.
As Volver pointed out, the Sunaks had three children who all attended very prestigious prep and boarding school.
Not a problem at all until people claim that he came from an ordinary background without the privilege of considerable wealth. That is a false claim.
Fleurpepper
How he sees himself is not the point Joseanne.
My GCs go to great private schools, so do and did most of my UK family- they are really nice people, and would all see themselves as 'pretty ordinary'. Having taught all my life in large Comprehensives, I know that neither of them have any idea whatsoever or what it is like to live in su-standard, crowded conditions, with one parent who is possibly an addict, no computer, no heating, bedding soaked with urine, and more. NO IDEA WHATSOVER- that is the point for Rishi.
Are you saying that to be an MP or a PM they should have lived in sub-standard housings and have received a poor education ?
Do we all have to have experienced something first hand to empathise?
LizzieDrip
Rich really does mean different things to different people doesn’t it.
It's not how wealthy he is, it's how he helps those who are struggling and how he deals with the major problems we are facing as a country.
Rich really does mean different things to different people doesn’t it.
How he sees himself is not the point Joseanne.
My GCs go to great private schools, so do and did most of my UK family- they are really nice people, and would all see themselves as 'pretty ordinary'. Having taught all my life in large Comprehensives, I know that neither of them have any idea whatsoever or what it is like to live in su-standard, crowded conditions, with one parent who is possibly an addict, no computer, no heating, bedding soaked with urine, and more. NO IDEA WHATSOVER- that is the point for Rishi.
Joseanne
^It doesn't matter how much money they had, what matters is that Rishi tries to pretend he one of the lads, delivering things on his bike and working as a waiter. Just admit you were well off, Rishi....^
I get what Rishi is saying. Our DS went to private school and was one of the lads working at the local farm shop. He sees himself as pretty ordinary.
Hands up, some of our children went to Private School, they have never considered themselves anything other than normal (whatever normal is?)
Two of my siblings went to Private school, (one boarded and is now a labourer/landscaper)
Join the conversation
Registering is free, easy, and means you can join the discussion, watch threads and lots more.
Register now »Already registered? Log in with:
Gransnet »