Thread 31 Starmer - September Rain

[DuncinToffee]

Pull up a chair for some friendly chit chat about politics and beyond

Taxes optional but greatly appreciated.

Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5399546-thread-30-starmer-magic-roundabouts?page=40&reply=146834602

Yes, I watched it last week @itsgettingweird. I really enjoyed it. It’ll certainly raise your blood pressure!

Racists: ignorant and incompetent. Who'd have think it.

I reckon it must have been an opposing outfit trying to give racists a bad name (?). Ther is no way a real patriot could be proud of such a shitty effort from TRUE ENGELISH PATRIOTS

😂

I read the Graun letter from various (all cis,) women urging ppl to stop linking asylum seeking men to assault on girls and women, but the cases in Wirral, then Epping and the case in Rugby have been the catalysts that have made the news. Should news organisations then not report it?

Shame all assaults don't elicit a response. It's nothing new. FIL was raped by his (white British) grandfather aged 8. DH was groped by a white British middle aged man as a young teen. And I never bothered to count the white British men who tried to kiss or grope me as a teen but a special mention must go to my, at the time, best friends dad when he offered me a lift. And I'm a pensioner now.

Is anyone suggesting that reporting should stop? You say catalyst, I say faux justification. When 41% of protesters arrested at one location have convictions for domestic abuse, it’s stretching credulity to expect us to believe outrage about violence against women is their motive. Especially when you read what happened to @Sambal2.

Haven't read the letter. Do they suggest the media stop reporting?

I would assume that attacks should be reported in the same manner that all assaults and rapes on are reported on. We could do with more light, no less.

3,808 rape cases outstanding in Crown Court.
12, 532 sexual assault cases outstanding in Crown Court.
Delays of years.

The justice system needs even more money, maintenance on existing estate, more money for specialist barristers and court staff, improved IT etc etc. All the problems that exist in other critical public services which have been left to rot.

The Institute for Government had an interesting paper on the recent Leveson review. Although it makes for frustrating reading. I'll link it if I can find it.

If every case of sexual assault that goes to trial was given the same prominence, then yes absolutely.

But there is an agenda at play here, isn't there? And that agenda isn't about the safety of women and girls.

The other negative for the safety of women and girls of these cases being given such a high profile is the effect on the possibility of a "fair trial". It is in no one's interests for the cases to collapse.

When I was 17, the couple I was babysitting for came home early, clearly they had had a row.

The husband drove me home and then groped me and tried to kiss me. That was over 40 years ago and I so clearly remember my shock and disgust. As you say, just one of many incidences.

An opportunity to sign the letter should you wish to

Done

Thanks BIWI, I’ve signed too.

Nicked from elsewhere:

Renters Rights Act

What do you all think about this new act?

Key Changes

1. No more “no-fault” evictions

• Section 21 will be abolished.
• Every eviction must go through court on a specific legal ground (arrears,anti-social behaviour, sale, family move-in, redevelopment, etc.).

1. All tenancies become periodic

• Fixed-term ASTs will convert into rolling periodic tenancies.
• Tenants can give 2 months’ notice to leave at any time.
• Landlords lose the certainty of fixed terms (e.g. guaranteed 12–18 month contracts).

1. Rent increases restricted

• Only once per year, with 2 months’ notice.
• Tenants can challenge increases at tribunal if above market level.
• “Bidding wars” and large upfront rent demands will be banned.

1. Ombudsman & PRS database

• All landlords (including non-residents) must register with a new Private Rented Sector database.
• Disputes will go first to a mandatory Ombudsman, which can award compensation and order remedies.

1. Property standards & penalties

• Stronger minimum housing standards.
• Fines (potentially £7,000+) for failing to meet requirements.

1. Grounds for possession clarified

• Still possible to evict for arrears, nuisance, sale, family move-in, or major works.

BUT everything must be proven in court — adding time, cost, and risk of
delay.

Thank and yes the stuff reported is terrible. The other attacks (by white British males) ARE being reported. Local news has a fairly constant flow of stories. The engagement levels drop off generally unless it's crime related and the way (bar the express and sun) the stories are phrased carefully to not draw attention to any descriptions. The trouble is ppl fill in the blanks in the comments sections especially on Facebook and Twitter.

That's it. People have their own news sources now. There's almost certainly private WhatsApp groups that ppl are communicating on to spread this.

I'm also sceptical of the MPs in that letter as to whether their constituency members would be any less volatile because they tend to be more ethnically diverse in Sultanas/ Abbots/ Whittomes constituencies.

I'll give the instance of the Lozells riots about 15 years ago where an allegation of a sexual assault on a black teenager triggered a riot that left 2 people dead

J Clarkson apparently is considering moving to Dubai

What an awful experience for you.

Gorgeous floof.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/02/zack-polanski-wins-green-party-leadership-election

Eco-populism and a desire to out pace Reform UK.

I'm sad about the new Green leadership result.
I used to work in a role years ago when Adrian Ramsay first began in politics and I only know good things about him.
Will wait and see how it goes.

imho madness!

So many LL 's are leaving the sector, almost weekly, our local FB page will have an appeal for a property to rent following eviction, LL selling up... vast majority renting, cannot afford to buy.

The laws on standards are already there, but not enforced, LLs database costs will be passed on to tenant as will improvements, rising the "market rent" charged, a market rent can be whatever level it wants to be.

The renters rights bill is the horse before the cart, there is no alternative to private rent and tenants can still be evicted, most end up going to court in any case, now all will, adding to further delay, more LLs leave.... more pressure on councils/more misery/higher rents.

Landlords selling up because their tenants have better rights won’t make those houses disappear. The same number of people will occupy the same number of houses. Fewer rental properties will mean more houses for sale, which would reduce the prices of previously rented property.
More people would find starter properties within their budget and could get on the housing ladder.

As someone who is only a landlord due to the Truss budget and being unable to sell I feel some of the measures are extreme for people in my position.

I looked at selling this year, but the estate agent suggested a price £25,000 lower than the last price the house failed to sell at in 2023. It doesn’t seem fair to have to pay the costs of a court case just to be able to sell if the tenants can’t or won’t leave.

@Alexandra2001 it is the same round here, there are no other houses for people to move to, so most tenants would be unable to leave and are being advised that the council will view them as being intentionally homeless if they leave before eviction.

The issue is that it is not actually too good for the economy to have so much tied up in the costs of renting. You want people to be spending in other areas and have more disposable income to support other businesses, buying goods and services across the board.

Happily he’s not. I think he’s a bit fed up about the harvest and some of his cattle have bovine TB.

🤐

Signed too.