Reality of life in UK under current government

[Melisha]

I think people need reminding of what life is currently like in the UK and did not used to be the case.

1. Potholes galore. Every time I drive I am trying to avoid potholes.
2. Our local river keeps getting sewage discharged into it.
3. Our local beach is no longer safe to swim in because of sewage.
4. We have more street homelessness than I have ever seen in my life time, and I am old.
5. More local food banks than ever before.
6. More litter and less street sweeping.
7. Much longer queues at A and E and queues of ambulances outside.
8. Long waits for operations. I have been waiting 16 months for a gallbladder operation.
9. Shoplifting way up. I live in a well off area and yet have seen people blatantly shoplifting in front of staff. I never saw this ever until a year ago.
10. Rape practically legal as conviction rate is tiny.

Please add your own.

There are plenty of dentists - they just expect to be paid for their services. And will probably continue to do so.

What has been done to dentistry is a national disgrace. I remember when the new NHS dentist contract was agreed that dentists warned the conservative government that the rates were too low, and that NHS dentists would quit. They were right.
It is what the current conservatives want to do to GPs as well.

Did something happen to dentistry under a Labour watch, before the last 13 years?

Postcode lottery for access to an NHS dentist.

Terminally ill people being refused PIP.

Black mothers in the UK almost 3x more likely to be at risk of Maternal Mortality.

The Vulnerable, disabled and elderly having to choose between heating their homes and eating in winter.

Average age of a First Time Buyer in the UK is now 33 year and 8 months.

Where will the money for Starmers Labour come from

read the manifesto.

I did and all I hear is crickets really

@upinaballoon If I remember correctly, Labour screwed up NHS dentistry with their new contract system and never delivered on Blair’s manifesto promises.

Erm… they’re donating to Labour because they are taking a punt that that’s where the power will be, nothing to do at all with their ‘credible’ policies. This is NOTHING like the Blair win where people (let down again back then too, weren’t we?) voted for change, this time around it’s a yell of anguish at how badly the tories have let the country down. You’re delusional if you think Labour is going to turnaround our economy. And we all have ambitions for our country. No-one wants to be in this mire.

It will be interesting to see how labour handle the immigration crisis, they never had to handle it the last time they were in government,

supposed to be July apparently
feels like October

I have had the heating on last few days

I also think we’ve got problems with working. I genuinely don’t get how people are so against immigration when I can’t see how our country would function without it.

so where is the mismatch then?

Yes, controlled immigration, in areas need is fine, not this free for all that we have at the moment and at what cost to the taxpayer?

I wonder what happens if I suddenly add a huge number of dependents to an economy would there be less appointments and resources to the people already in the economy? Hmm interesting it’s definately a mystery why things are falling apart. Definately not to do with that yup nothing to see here.

Labour have been in power in Wales for ages. We have the same issues.

That’s not helping the environment 😃

I know :-/. I am wearing two tops and a fleece and still shivering sitting under the duvet. that's when I switched it on. I get cold easily.

this should be illegal

But it’s not a huge number. Illegal immigrants make up a tiny number of the population. Desperate people risking their lives in small boats is not your issue.

And regular ‘controlled’ immigration helps our economy. It plugs gaps in the workforce and aids the economy.

You want to focus your dissatisfaction at the Tory government and the huge number of austerity cuts that have meant we now have a situation where too many children/families are living in poverty, the cost of living is disproportionate to income, underfunded schools and NHS are the norm. Immigration is a smoke screen designed to gain votes and distract you from the real problem in our society.

Adding to your list.

Dysfunction - children in poverty. Council cuts mean there are no services to support and safeguard our most vulnerable children.

No dentist.

Pavements a patch work of tarmac due to being dug up for cabling by underfunded construction companies and fat cat shareholders.

Polluted rivers ( shareholders again).

Polluted, unsafe drinking water ( a BASIC need).

Education budgets slashed. School closures. Retention and recruitment of teachers. Academisation ( and fat cat CEO’s). Dumbing down of teaching. God awful curriculum ( thanks Gove).

Desperately empty and neglected high streets.

Respect, responsibility, honesty and accountability - we all need to develop this, modelled by leaders with moral purpose.

Labour will need time. This country is such a mess that this is not going to be an overnight fix. KS is very realistic and honest about that.

It's so aggravating that the narrative on this issue is never on the right part of it. Immigration isn't the sole cause of these issues, not when the system is deliberately underfunded and under resourced. Living in poverty causes more health issues so more demand for the system. Much like the issue of NHS dentists not being widely available - the most common reason for a child aged 5-9 to be admitted to hospital is due to tooth decay.

Our birth rate is falling also so without immigration we'd be in an even worse position.

Accepting a 40 min wait to report a crime by phone was 'pretty good'
I shocked myself with this thought this morning

I forgot, which I can't quite believe, water not being safe to drink in some parts of the country. That is the kind of thing that happens in really poor countries. It should never have happened here.

What is this “free for all” that you talk about. It’s a myth. There isn’t a free for all on immigration at all. Quite the opposite!