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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel really angry that Petra Eccleston is buying a £98 million pound housewhile while people are starving?

233 replies

mightybright · 18/06/2011 09:29

I am completely judging her for buying a £98,000,000 second home, her first cost £56,000,000.

I'm not jealous, it just makes me feel quite sick that people are dying of starvation and that amount of money would go a long way towards making the world a better place IMO, aibu?

OP posts:
Riveninside · 18/06/2011 10:13

Pretty ugly house though.

TragicallyHip · 18/06/2011 10:14

I just can't get past a house worth £98 million Shock

BrandyAlexander · 18/06/2011 10:19

OP, why don't you disclose how much income you generate for the economy, how much taxes you pay (those hospitals don't pay for themselves!) and how much you contribute to charity? Can we then judge you on that? Do you pay a certain percentage of your income to charity? If not, then not sure how you're able to judge? YABVU.

SlackSally · 18/06/2011 10:20

I think the difference in perception between this woman and any other extremely rich celebrity is down to the fact she hasn't actually worked for it.

She's 22 years old and has never worked a day in her life. Not that her wealth damages anyone else's as such, it's just such an extreme example, bound to get people's backs up.

However, I think I almost admire her honesty is admitting to never having worked, as opposed to other very wealthy offspring who start 'jewellery lines' or 'modelling' and claim to work very hard.

caramelwaffle · 18/06/2011 10:20

Yabu.

Like cogito, I hope the property is in the UK; it will generate employment i. e gardeners/housekeepers.

It is efficient tax planning by Bernie E: better the money goes to house his daughter's than ending up in the pockets of corrupt officials in other countries via Georgie boy O

The Stamp Duty (tax) on the purchase will be astronomical.

Punkatheart · 18/06/2011 10:21

Mine is worth twice that, no three times. I have two thousand rooms, twenty five butlers, several sex slaves, Simon Cowell on speed dial........

Point is - that it is someone else's world. Her father worked really hard in a tough profession to amass that fortune. So he has a perfect right to distribute it as he wishes. Rich people pay a lot of tax - that tax goes into the economy and ultimately into lots of other people's pockets. Most give huge amounts to charity - which keeps a lot of charities afloat. Some do it quietly. Others support charities and get them publicity. And so forth. They also employ people - so ultimately those families get fed.

Unless we suddenly become a communist state - there will always be richer than God individuals. And, I do not get my knickers in a knot over it. Some of the richest are driven individuals. I do not have that drive. So I will never be rich.

Except of course for my amazing house that I spoke of early must go. One of my exhausted sex slaves has said that his bonds are chafing.

You can't get the staff.

Pumpernickel10 · 18/06/2011 10:23

Mind your fecking business, shes not stole it, she's not claimed it on benefits so keep your nose out. You sound very jealous. If we all had rich parents they'd buy us houses like that. Greeneyed monster syndrome again.

Icelollycraving · 18/06/2011 10:24

Yabu. None of your business.

caramelwaffle · 18/06/2011 10:27
CogitoErgoSometimes · 18/06/2011 10:28

"she hasn't actually worked for it."

I made a will recently. Taking into account my house, life insurance and a few other bits and pieces, I'm worth quite a bit dead. If I croaked tomorrow it would all go to my DS and would you then criticise him for not having 'actually worked for it'?.... Hmm

Pumpernickel10 · 18/06/2011 10:32

No she hasn't worked for it but her father as. Does it really matter?
I detest jealous people. I'm sure if we had multi millionaire fathers they'd do the same. So keep your big nose out as you sound bitchy op

bruffin · 18/06/2011 10:35

Bernie Ecclestone gives away 50million a year to charityShock

TheCrackFox · 18/06/2011 10:39

If I had that kind of money I wouldn't buy that house. It would always feel like living in a hotel and never a home.

Original poster
mightybright · 18/06/2011 10:41

I don't see reading an article and having an opinion on it as being nosy.

I'm not well off at all but give a lot of money to charity and spent 10 years volunteering overseas for an NGO.

I do think £98 million is an excessive amount of money to spend on a home and it does make me angry that many people can't afford to eat or vaccinate their children against deadly diseases while others are happy to spend £98 million on a home for 2 people

OP posts:
CogitoErgoSometimes · 18/06/2011 10:45

I'd be more unhappy if it was someone in charge of a country where people were actually starving and dying of preventable diseases spending the money on lavish homes. This woman is not responsible for the world's poor.

Original poster
mightybright · 18/06/2011 10:51

This woman is not responsible for the world's poor

I think it's a very good thing not everybody has that attitude. I feel that people do have a responsibility to a certain extent towards others and this woman has the means to save more lives than your average person

OP posts:
GwendolineMaryLacey · 18/06/2011 10:54

Oh don't be so silly. Fgs I cannot be doing with this teenage angst type of thinking. I suppose you also think we'd have more nurses if we weren't holding the Olympics. It Doesn't Work Like That.

Original poster
mightybright · 18/06/2011 10:57

Teenage angst type of thinking Hmm ? I think you'll find for a lot of people it does work like that.

OP posts:
shmoz · 18/06/2011 11:06

So how much is she allowed to spend on a home then OP?

bruffin · 18/06/2011 11:06

"I do think £98 million is an excessive amount of money to spend on a home and it does make me angry that many people can't afford to eat or vaccinate their children against deadly diseases while others are happy to spend £98 million on a home for 2 people"

But it's not two people is it. The house itself will contirbutes towards the employment of thousands of people ie the people who make the paint to paint the , even the flower seller down the road . The money spent trickles down into society.

SlackSally · 18/06/2011 11:08

'If I croaked tomorrow it would all go to my DS and would you then criticise him for not having 'actually worked for it'?.... hmm '

I wouldn't criticise him for it, but it would be a fact, nonetheless.

Anyhow, her dad is not dead. I don't get the comparison?

allegrageller · 18/06/2011 11:08

trickledown ain't working, bruffin. Wealth has for decades been concentrating more and more in the top 1%. The richer people get, the poorer others get. Sadly that's the truth..

I feel an obligation toward the world's poor, mightybright, but I have a micropercentage of what she has. however I do agree it's not her fault personally, it's the system that fails to tax the rich appropriately.

LDNmummy · 18/06/2011 11:10

Agree with Emo76. Otherwise, whats it got to do with you? YABU.

Actually OP, there is a starving child in India who would only need 10p for a meal today. For that reason I am judging you for spending money on the internet every month so you can use MN Hmm

CogitoErgoSometimes · 18/06/2011 11:16

"Anyhow, her dad is not dead. I don't get the comparison?"

Whether its inherited or given to you through a trust-fund from someone still living, unearned income is unearned income..... The 'they didn't work for it' argument means judging someone purely for accepting either a bequest or a gift. BTW... Waiting for someone to say that organising motor racing isn't a 'real job'. The definition of working for your money apparently is exclusive to manual labour - preferably down a pit.

SardineQueen · 18/06/2011 11:19

YABU and agree with majority view on the thread.

And as for "silly little girl" what a pathetic thing to say.

What cogito said is right : "YABU - you could apply the same argument to everyone. Why buy a house that costs £175,000 when there are people starving? You could buy one for £150,000 and give the money you'd save on the mortgage to charity."

The vast majority of people in the UK have vastly more than the vast majority of people in the rest of the world. Applying your idea only to this one person is illogical.