To have no sympathy with Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee for having their house flooded

[ReallyTired]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26184129

I feel more sorry for people in council housing along the river than multi millionaires who can CHOOSE where to live.

If you buy a multi million pound house by the river thames then you should not be surprised if it gets flooded. I don't agree with the idea of dredging the river thames as I feel it would destroy wild life.

I agree with them that planning permission should not be given for properties that are guarenteed to flood. Or if people must build on the flood plain then the houses should be built on stilts so that the occupants stay dry. My parents' house is on the flood plain and it is built two feet off the ground so reduce the chances of getting flooded.

[Pigletin]

wow so you don't have sympathy for certain people just because they are successful...you sound charming. I would hate to be your friend if you divide people based on income/choice of career, etc.

[ReallyTired]

"
In that case, I hope your pipes back up & flood you that way.

You sound like an absolute horror & are obviously just posting for effect rather than substance...."

I have house insurance as well. Its called taking f*cking responsiblity.

My house experienced minor subsidience as the result of buncefield (exploding oil depot fautl of BP). Our housing insurance paid for the damage to be put right without any quibble. We still had to find an insurance excess. I know lots of people who had far more substantial damage to their homes. (Ie. they had to replace double glazed windows)

I don't actively wish flooding or subsidence on anyone. These things are bad luck and not the fault of the govenment.

[lucysnowe]

Well you are being piled on a bit OP but I confess I have a soft spot for Daniels since he opened our village fete eons ago when I was just a girl. It poured down (oh the irony) and had to move to the pokey memorial hall but he stayed right till the end, talking to people and doing tricks etc. And it's easy to forget he was (and is) an awesome magician.

[alphablock]

I agree with eddiemairswife. Paul Daniels house has flooded many times and he accepts he is always going to be at risk. I don't believe he is looking for sympathy, just some more proactive solutions to help everyone in the future.

He does make a very valid point re flood plains, as many of the properties that are currently flooded, or at risk, are either built on flood plains or have been adversely affected by other houses which have been built there. Debbie McGee also makes a good point re the phone calls from EA warning of flood risk. These often seem to be blanket calls to entire postcodes without factoring in that some could already be flooded and others have virtually zero risk of flooding.

[Dahlen]

I have sympathy for anyone who's gone through a horrible experience. I would probably have more sympathy for someone with less money who can't afford to easily replace their belongings or escape the situation by staying in a nice hotel, etc., but that doesn't mean that the better off are undeserving of sympathy.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Even if he wanted to sell it would be hard to sell because it has flooded so many times, personally I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, they're probably stuck with it wether they like it or not.

[Dahlen]

I hope that one good thing to come out of this awful flooding will be an end to the practice of granting planning permission for building on flood plains. Not much consolation to those already affected, but hopefully it will prevent more people from experiencing this misery.

[worsestershiresauce]

Is a a strangely British thing to hate the rich. I hate rich people who have got rich through corruption. Those who have become rich through talent and hard work I admire. Paul Daniels may be an irritating little man, but he earned everything he has himself, and good for him for doing so.

Clutter Somerset people have been on the TV recently complaining that they are getting no help either. The UK has no contingency plan for severe weather events. Look how the country shuts down when it snows. My beef is with the level of waste within government. If half of what is wasted was reinvested in infrastructure to deal with flooding, and snow things would be a lot better managed.

[Downtheroadfirstonleft]

OP, your parents must be so proud of the caring, sympathetic person that you have become.

[LtEveDallas]

ReallyTired. My parents had house insurance. They claimed on it in 2007 for the electrical equipment kept in the shed that they lost. In a flood that happened for the first time in over 60 years (since the house was built). I know that when they came to renew, that the premium was double the previous years, as I paid it.

As they are both on pension and struggling to pay their heating bills, I have a horrible feeling that they will have let the home insurance lapse.

It's easy to "take fucking responsibility" when you can afford to.

You have surprised me with this thread. I didn't realise you were like this.

[WildThong]

Oh the wonderful British 'blitz spirit', but not for the wealthy obviously. Nasty, unpleasant, chip on the shoulder post.

[thecook]

Clamber back under the bridge OP

[WooWooOwl]

I don't actively wish flooding or subsidence on anyone. These things are bad luck and not the fault of the govenment.

Lots of things are bad luck and not the fault of the government. Things like redundancy, unplanned children who are unaffordable to their parents, a multitude of disabilities. We still expect government support for these things though, because we live in a fairly civilised society.

I find it unbelievable that you think anyone who pays tax shouldn't be seen as worthy of support from their government.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Can I just point out that there are currently 17 severe flood warnings. These mean 'threat to life' and are only issued under the most dire circumstances. They break down as:

Southeast 14
SW 2
Midlands 1.

With the 'threat to life' warnings I would consider it rather appropriate that the EA are putting in a gargantuan effort in those places.

[harticus]

If I was loaded I'd live in a big house by the Thames - it's bloody lovely most of the time.

YABU OP.

[Wantsunshine]

What were you thinking buying near and oil depot? If anything happens there again it will be your own fault for not moving!

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

thecook
She can't, the river is too high

[DaddyPigsMistress]

My sister had all sing all dancing insurance. They eint pay because it came through the floorboards first rather than flooding though quickly.

She fucked, devestated and living with me dh And our three kids in our two bed flat.

Shes really glad shes payed the robbing cunts every month for 11 years

[Viviennemary]

I have sympathy because I wouldn't like it to happen to anyone. But I don't like them much I am afraid.

[MinesAPintOfTea]

I have sympathy because they're using their media clout to ensure the flooding stays up on the agenda as it should. Its a problem which can be prepared for in the future and remedied better now if UK politicians ensure a coordinated well-funded response and media pressure is a good way to encourage this.

[Carter1]

I have sympathy for them; what an awful position to be in.

However, it is still dumb to build houses on flood plains.

You can have sympathy with somebody while thinking them a bit daft to live in a certain place; the two aren't mutually exclusive.

[Gladvent]

I have sympathy for flood victims. But don't like Paul Daniels. He gives me the creeps.

[NickNacks]

Much of the flooding here (am in Thames valley) isn't spreading from the river breaking its banks. The area is so saturated it is coming up from underground. We are half a Mile from the river and the village is under.

School gardens are ruined after being
Funded by PTAs, play parks and local nature walks are gone, homes, roads and local amenities are all wiped out within hours.

Fuck off OP we don't need your sympathy anyway. Greta community spirit has been shown and we WILL survive.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

In London alone 15% of properties are built on a flood plain, with approx 1 million people living on one. That doesnt include the risk from surface water flooding.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Absolutely nicknacks. I was in the Thames area at the weekend and we could see the water welling up from the ground and running down towards the river. The ground is full. Its as simple as that.