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Original poster

Money saving expert thinks civil unrest is coming

446 replies

ivykaty44 · 10/04/2022 19:13

There was a thread on mumsnet recently about civil unrest, views seemed to be it wouldn’t happen, the British don’t protest

Martin Lewis thinks hungry cold people will protest

I think he could be correct, what have people unable to afford heat and food got to lose?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Hellocatshome · 10/04/2022 19:15

The Government will rely on charities picking up the slack enough so people don't get hungry enough or cold enough to kick up a huge fuss. Its been happening for a long time with food banks already.

colosmbo · 10/04/2022 19:17

I saw this but it's not really the English way.

colosmbo · 10/04/2022 19:19

I do think there is more anger though which is why Rishi is getting torn to shreds & I've noticed stories on the Royals are less sycophantic.

The elite have been building bunkers for pandemics, zombie outbreaks & civil unrest as they recognise the inequality so who knows.

ssd · 10/04/2022 19:20

Did he mean just England then?

Ducksurprise · 10/04/2022 19:20

Hellocats I'm not so sure, the charities don't have the same finances as it is hitting middle classes that donate. If interest rates start to rise as predicted there will be a significant amount of good earning families that will struggle to finance themselves let alone donate.
This is also coming off the back of a dreadful time for most charities first with covid scaling back activities/fundraising etc and then the drive to donate to the NHS and Ukraine, both obviously important but there is the knock on effect that people only have so much to give.

emuloc · 10/04/2022 19:21

I hope that people do start protesting over this. it is not right that people should be working hard, yet find themselves unable to afford to heat their homes, while the rich people in Government look on.

emuloc · 10/04/2022 19:24

As for the Royal family.

colosmbo · 10/04/2022 19:26

Did he mean just England then?

I don't think he did but I did because I'm in England so can only talk for what I know. If I was France (I'm half french) I would say protests would already be happening.

Silverclocks · 10/04/2022 19:27

I don't think there'll be protests, but I do think the government could be in trouble.

A lot of people used to living a comfortable life in Tory Britain and not very interested in how the poor live are about to start finding life much harder themselves.

I'm thinking of the well off working class, people who traditionally wouldn't have been Conservative voters but who have enjoyed their recent policies, as well as some middle-class people.

MasterGland · 10/04/2022 19:27

I'm not so sure. I think mass strikes, in those sectors which are still heavily unionised, is much more likely. Transport and logistics is one of those sectors, so I anticipate interruptions to food and fuel supplies.

little0miss0mac · 10/04/2022 19:27

@colosmbo

I saw this but it's not really the English way.
Poll tax riots. We've done it before.
Silverclocks · 10/04/2022 19:28

@colosmbo

Did he mean just England then?

I don't think he did but I did because I'm in England so can only talk for what I know. If I was France (I'm half french) I would say protests would already be happening.

Are they not having a cost of living crisis in France? How has France managed to insulate itself?
StopStartStop · 10/04/2022 19:29

If we have a run of hot weather - three weeks or so - there will be riots until the weather breaks and we have rain. Happens every time.

MaryAndHerNet · 10/04/2022 19:31

I don't think protests, I think crime will increase first. Violent robbery and theft from shops etc. Burglaries too I think.

People with nothing have nothing lose and if they become desperate, they'll do desperate things.

colosmbo · 10/04/2022 19:35

Are they not having a cost of living crisis in France? How has France managed to insulate itself?

😆 I'm not sure how you extrapolated that from my post. The French are pissed, there's already been a national strike over pay & more social protest is expected. Yet inflation isn't like what we are seeing here nor are energy bills.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 10/04/2022 19:35

The unions have their hands tied, they can only do so much.

I think there will be riots. I remember the riots in the early 80’s and the Poll Tax riots. People who say it won’t happen maybe don’t know the history of the U.K.

SniffMyQuiffyHair · 10/04/2022 19:35

I think you are right @MaryAndHerNet, it's happened before

LeftFootForward · 10/04/2022 19:37

Personally I think widespread civil unrest is pretty unlikely. However a few small pockets of unrest in roughish inner city areas might happen, thinking back to Toxteth and Brixton.

GellerYeller · 10/04/2022 19:41

One of the supermarket bosses was asked about losing customers to competitors like Aldi and he replied he was losing customers to food banks.

Whelmed · 10/04/2022 19:42

There might be some riots but they'll be condemned as "young thugs" no doubt. Some other form of mass civil disobedience may work better.

KaptainKaveman · 10/04/2022 19:42

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

The unions have their hands tied, they can only do so much.

I think there will be riots. I remember the riots in the early 80’s and the Poll Tax riots. People who say it won’t happen maybe don’t know the history of the U.K.

Yes, quite.

And a little further back, almost exactly 100 years ago were the General Strikes.

The big riots of ten years back, The riots of the early 80s, the Poll Tax riots. I wonder what the connection is? Oh yes, a Tory government.

I was caught up in the Poll Tax riots and also
Broadwater Farm in 1985. I sense more of the same is not very far away.

Babyroobs · 10/04/2022 19:43

Poor people will rightly get sick of others seemingly rubbing their noses in it on social media. I'm sick of seeing people bragging about their third foreign holiday of the year and my neighbor buying yet another property to rent out. I think those that have plenty need to start being mindful of those who have nothing. I have a facebook friend who turned 50 last week and honestly she has posted numerous posts of multiple different parties / meals out/ concerts, it has literally been virtually every night for the past 8-10 days. I don't begrudge anyone a treat, and I guess it is keeping the economy going but it's just the constant bragging about it that is insensitive and unecessary.

VelvetChairGirl · 10/04/2022 19:45

I am old enough to remember the pole tax and I think he's right (I also hope he is because it will be a good thing).

the thing about the poll tax was you were shafted whatever you did,

my sister was on the dole at the time and was taken to court multiple times, because she was entitled to a reduced rate and they kept trying to charge her the full rate, every time it went to court she had to pay even tho the court always found in her favour, she had proof she was unemployed and had her UB40.

my brothers friend was at uni and stayed in the dorms during the week and stayed at his parents at the weekends, he had both councils on him demanding payment, again he kept going to court having to pay his costs, the court kept finding in favour of the council the uni was in and saying the other council wasnt entitled, then a few weeks later another threatening letter demanding payment from the council his parents lived within, over and over again it was endless.

we do not do things much only when our backs are right up against the wall, the poll tax caused riots because of stories like the two above rather then the charge itself IMHO endlessly taking people to court over rubbish, I feel energy bills may well be the straw that breaks the camels back come winter, our houses are shit, we have no choice, backs are against the wall.

Wagsandclaws · 10/04/2022 19:45

I wouldn't be surprised.

People in a lower income should be able to be warm and eat properly at the very least!

Horcruxe · 10/04/2022 19:47

@GellerYeller

One of the supermarket bosses was asked about losing customers to competitors like Aldi and he replied he was losing customers to food banks.
I cant believe how many people now rely on food banks.

By this I dont mean how can people earn so little that need to go to a food bank, but how is it in this day and age in a country as rich as ours that this is the reality. How have we let it get to this, it is now a normal response, cant feed yourself- look up the local food bank.

Even 10 years ago food banks were not needed as much?????