UK officially in recession...

[Startingagainandagain]

Latest stats released show the UK is now officially in recession (Office for national statistic data).

Gaslighting has started in the media by ministers to try to minimise that fact.

Isn't it time to face the facts instead and call a general election?

I know the picture is bleak and any new party in power will need years to try to sort out this mess but something needs to be done...

The UK's decline in the past few decade or so has really been dramatic.

You can argue semantics to cover up the message, or you can face the message - the reasons for 10 million people being out of work is immaterial, it’s a burden too big for the economy to bear.

Well you certainly haven't been able to prove that one 🤣🤣🤣

And none of that makes voting for more of the same (or failing to vote to change it) sensible. Taxation isn’t the only way to raise money. A national budget isn’t like a household one

You can argue semantics to cover up the message, or you can face the message - the reasons for 10 million people being out of work is immaterial, it’s a burden too big for the economy to bear.

But posh students and rich early retiree's are a bonus to the economy ?

What's your alternative, a cull ?

How are early retirees supporting themselves a "burden"? How are carers who save the state millions a "burden"? How are students, our future workforce, a "burden"?

I guess if you were of a certain unpleasant mindset you might see the ill and disabled a "burden". That can lead to a very bad place.

@Naptrappedmummy can you explain how the economically inactive contributes to the recession significantly enough to be the most important action to fix it? I don't get it, if the figures of economically inactive haven't significantly changed since 2004 but we have seen big swings in the economy.

Of course they’re not.

Not really. Unless you want sick and disabled people at work. Or people who are saving the state £££ by caring for those people without pay.

Thank you for that information, could you say what your industry is without too much identifiable information? I’d be very interested.

From what I am seeing, people are not booking one holiday, but 3 or 4 this year so it will be interesting to see what the impact of this recession will be on travel. I have never witnessed anything like it.

You didn’t say it was an opinion. You presented it as a fact. And actually, you do need to provide evidence in a discussion, wherever it takes place, or there’s no point at all. I take it you don’t have any?

In 2004 we weren’t in the same global conditions we are now, post recession, post covid, and with basically the whole of the western world in decline. Money went further, inflation much lower, population smaller, the ageing population issue wasn’t as evident.

Of course they’re not.

Oh heck are they the cause of inflation, because they have money to spend ? but if they don't spend money, the businesses they spend money in might struggle and that might lead to a recession ? Damned if they do, damned if they don't !

Why do I need to ‘prove’ an opinion on a discussion forum?

You don’t but obviously without any evidence to inform why you have a particular opinion you leave yourself exposed…

I just assumed Carrie Johnson had Mumsnet…

@Naptrappedmummy so because it so rubbish and we are in such a financial mess, everyone need to contribute whatever the circumstances? So very limited mat leave, no SAHM, no caring for disabled children or elderly parents, no university and no retirement before 67? Everyone has to work whatever?

the ageing population issue wasn’t as evident.

That's absolute bollocks, every government since the 1970's, has been presented with the facts of what was coming, regarding an ageing population, and they have all kicked that can down the road.

I think we’ll have no choice but to really limit the conditions under which people can receive out of work benefits, as PPs have said. I keep looking for another way but there isn’t one.

Ok, it wasn’t ‘active’ then. It was in the future, but not actually happening as it is now. Are you really so obtuse you’ll pretend you didn’t know that’s clearly what I meant?

That's absolute bollocks, every government since the 1970's, has been presented with the facts of what was coming, regarding an ageing population, and they have all kicked that can down the road

I think every birth rate prediction has been wrong, even during covid they were talking of a baby boom. The gov aren’t held to account on the demographics though as I think it raises some uncomfortable issues so people just blame everything on immigration

I think we’ll have no choice but to really limit the conditions under which people can receive out of work benefits, as PPs have said. I keep looking for another way but there isn’t one.

So what does this actually look like?

1 in 7 of the shadow cabinet went to private school.

"Broken down by party, Conservative MPs were most likely to have attended private schools (59% having done so) while Labour MPs were the least likely (18%)"

Your Google must be broken.

Ok, it wasn’t ‘active’ then. It was in the future, but not actually happening as it is now. Are you really so obtuse you’ll pretend you didn’t know that’s clearly what I meant?

No need to get so snitty, I was saying that all parties of every persuasion have ignored the undeniable facts of an ageing population. It isn't something that has suddenly appeared overnight, it has been a very, long, slow process to where we are now and one that was obviously going to happen.

@Naptrappedmummy you really can't see better government leadership making a difference? Your world is verging on the dystopian, as a mother of young children (I am making assumptions based on your username) does it not scare you?

I think I have had enough of arguing the toss with someone who won't accept actual facts and has none of their own to back up their assertions.

Very much looking forward to what deflections will be attempted on MN tomorrow when the carnage results of the by elections are announced.

I don’t think they can. They’ve scrapped every policy that costs a substantial sum of money already. Yep, it’s scary all right.