AIBU to wonder when the riots begin?

[Perfect28]

Much more spending announced on 'defence' than eco policies, children growing up in poverty, dodgy contracts awarded to buddies and today pay freezes for public sector workers and a proven bully being supported in her role. All this on top of one of the worst covid death rates in the world. How much longer do we sit by idly?

@dementedma

The Defence budget has been massively cut over the years to the extent we are overstretched and undermanned. Often the people who complain about money being spent on Defence are the same ones calling on the Armed Forces during flooding, civil unrest, Covid trsting and now vaccinations. Cant have it both ways

Totally agree

[quote Perfect28]@emilyfrost did i say riots are a good thing? I presume you think everything's fine and we should all just chin up and carry on?[/quote]
I do think everything’s fine. Brexit is the best thing for our country and I like this government.

Your OP implied riots would be a good thing, rather than just “sit back idly”.

[quote duffeldaisy]@deydododatdodontdeydo
We're not actually a right-wing country, that's the really sad thing. Whenever researchers have asked people about policies without any parties attached, it's all the left-wing ones that are popular (eg. NHS, free education, maternity and paternity leave, decent wages, libraries, social services, access to public spaces, better public transport infrastructure, etc. All of them left wing policies).

It's because the media in this country are so dominated by very right-wing owners who have systematically ridiculed or rubbished ideas that in other countries in Europe are actually quite centre-left, and made people vote against their own best interests.[/quote]
Fully agreee. A similar thing was demonstrated in the US in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 11/9.
So people are being convinced (by the media or politicians) to vote against the ideals they believe in.
Bonkers.

"I do think everything’s fine. Brexit is the best thing for our country and I like this government."

I actually would love to have those views just for a day. I would love the contentment and utter peace of mind, no worries at all in this maelstrom of incompetence and downright vindictiveness from the government.

I was in London when the riots were taking place a few years ago, it was not so much about protest as looting as far as I could see. And it achieved absolutely nothing apart family businesses going bust and taxi drivers losing their livelihoods.

If you want change then email your MP and ask for a meeting. They are still offering zoom meetings, and you can raise your points in a civilised fashion, and ask your MP to raise your concerns as a priority.

What kind of weapons do you think BAE are going to build for cyber security? They make planes and submarines, not computers.

There will be a lot of pissed off Brexit voters when they realise the eastern europeans have been replaced by people with black and brown skin, but as far as riots? No, wont happen. People are just far too self-absorbed to bother about a completely intransigent government that is determined to run the country for no other purpose than their own personal financial benefit.

When the griping does start about shortages, increased waiting times, paucity of provision of services etc, if you put it to them that this was a blindingly obvious consequence as far back as 2016, you'll be met with a wall of cognitive dissonance and denial. Everything will be blamed on Covid.

For as long as cheap booze is available, there will be no riots.

@emilyfrost 'I do think everything's fine'.

What country are you living in? You're obviously in a bubble.

@dementedma

The Defence budget has been massively cut over the years to the extent we are overstretched and undermanned. Often the people who complain about money being spent on Defence are the same ones calling on the Armed Forces during flooding, civil unrest, Covid trsting and now vaccinations. Cant have it both ways

This.

It completely pisses me off that so many people begrudge one of my sons having money spent on his line of work so he can have safe and up to date equipment because he’s in the army, yet they shout from the rooftops that the other one should get the best because he’s a nurse.

Op maybe you should start a riot.
Make sure the riot starts near shops so the rioters can do some looting as well as rioting.

[quote Perfect28]@emilyfrost 'I do think everything's fine'.

What country are you living in? You're obviously in a bubble.[/quote]
Nope. I’m just not hysterical and overdramatic.

Between social media, the Daily Mail and this: The rioting types like these things. "Defend r sovrinty!"

I think Britain is screwed for the time being.

@cdtaylornats

Would that proven bully be the one with no complaints against her be the one who is right wing, female and a bit brown?

You cannot possibly be suggesting here that this enquiry is unfounded and she's being singled out for being a brown woman?

If anything she's being kept in her position against the odds and evidence so the Tories can show everyone how 'diverse' they are.

She's a nasty piece of work.

There won’t be. More anger / moaning online maybe.

But if there was no way out of this mess it could have become pretty bad. Not sure how but tg things will turn around

Defense is an important part of the budget too. Just because the general public isn't always aware of the risks and threats, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. They're just less visible than Covid, poverty etc. In our bubble of privilege, we are so focused on the pandemic, you can't see that our enemies (and we do have them, as dramatic as that sounds) are using this as an excellent opportunity to plan and prepare. Not just bombs and weapons, but targeted chemical attacks, cyber attacks etc. You aren't aware of how many threats are diffused and de-escalated and all that does cost money in terms of satellite technology, resources and and research.

It is particularly important now that we are leaving the EU and face much greater risks without that protection. As someone who grew up in a region of constant conflict, it baffles me that people here think it won't spill onto our shores, just because it's so far removed from our reality. Thank your lucky stars that you can sleep at night, knowing you are being protected and your country has the resources to keep you safe.

@emilyfrost Do you know the history of that word? If you did, I doubt you would be using it on mumsnet. Do you think being angry about over corruption, 50,000 deaths and children relying on foodbanks is overdramatic?

You are clearly very privileged. Good for you I guess. Meanwhile in reality....

I too am pleased about the increase in Defence spending.

Great to see support ploughed into defence. It supports many more jobs than simply the military itself. It gets employment moving, it gets projects funded. I think it’s a good choice for a sector which has been stretched. Cyber security is a big deal. Physical security is a big deal. It’s valuable spending.

@JurassicParkAha

Defense is an important part of the budget too. Just because the general public isn't always aware of the risks and threats, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. They're just less visible than Covid, poverty etc. In our bubble of privilege, we are so focused on the pandemic, you can't see that our enemies (and we do have them, as dramatic as that sounds) are using this as an excellent opportunity to plan and prepare. Not just bombs and weapons, but targeted chemical attacks, cyber attacks etc. You aren't aware of how many threats are diffused and de-escalated and all that does cost money in terms of satellite technology, resources and and research.

It is particularly important now that we are leaving the EU and face much greater risks without that protection. As someone who grew up in a region of constant conflict, it baffles me that people here think it won't spill onto our shores, just because it's so far removed from our reality. Thank your lucky stars that you can sleep at night, knowing you are being protected and your country has the resources to keep you safe.

I would argue that the threat to our very existence from Climate change demands at least equitable funding, wouldn't you?

And once you’ve rioted what are you replacing the government with?

I agree sections of society are out of kilter. The housing market for example is crippling renters. But that’s down to buy to let and people making money out of what should be a fundamental right in a modern society - having a home. ( My policy is that everyone can put 1 house on the rental market at whatever price they want. Over that and it’s Housing Association rental rates only. Any more than 5 you need to take people off the housing register).

I see nothing wrong in freezing pay when the countries broke. Pay is completely relative anyway.

Have you thought there may be a reason why we are now trying to get a bit of investment into the armed forces?

The point about defence is that the announcement comes 1 day after the climate change 'commitments', where 4 times less money was pledged for something that literally threatens to wipe us off the face of the earth.

The riots won't start until we've had three weeks heat and no rain. They'll end when the rain starts.

Anyone with any awareness is deeply concerned about about the future here.

@Perfect28 unless climate change has the capacity to wipe out millions in the next minute (like some of the most sophisticated bombs being built in bunkers in Russia are), I would say, no.

There are a lot of threats, and limited resources. And I would rather be saved today and tonight, than in 50 years time.

Are you so confident that somewhere in the world, there isn't a group at this very minute planning to attack your town? How many of those threats a day do you think our intelligence and military stop, before they happen?

There will be a lot of pissed off Brexit voters when they realise the eastern europeans have been replaced by people with black and brown skin

Actually, it seems Eastern Europeans are being replaced ... by Eastern Europeans. The UK fast becoming the worlds leading exporter of jobs.

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-18/brexit-creates-jobs-for-customs-staff-in-eastern-europe-india

U.K. companies are turning to cheaper overseas labor to complete their post-Brexit customs paperwork, creating jobs in countries such as Romania and India due to a shortage of trained staff in Britain.

(contd)