To panic about the dire state of the UK?

[moveblues]

So... all things considered... aren't we up sh-t creek?
-gas and electricity prices
-covid (masks? Pfft completed Covid mate (in England))
-council tax hikes
-inflation
-food shortages
-Brexit
-petrol

Sounds like something out of a dystopian nightmare. I'm worried dear reader, and 'keep calm and carry on' doesn't help.

And whilst wages going up is a good thing we now have a system which favours those on the top & they are not about to give up those gains. So those rises will result in higher taxes & higher costs.

It's ridiculous that the number of UK billionaires reached a new record during the pandemic.

Exactly @Libraryghost and fair play to your brother.

@pontypridd

Its like an ancient curse that the Tory Party will bleed the country for evermore.

I love this phrase. And yes it does feel like that because it's as if the Tory party will govern us forever. For some reason people will carry on voting for them forever. No matter what.

And if that happens - our country will be destroyed.

Maybe if the other Parties pulled their socks up....

Where does this idea come from of the "laughing stock"? Do posters really think that ordinary people in other parts of the world are really sitting rubbing their hands together in glee, waiting for the next episode in the UK soap opera? They're really not, we're not that interesting or important to them.

Sure, the issues with Brexit might get coverage elsewhere in Europe just as we're getting coverage of the volcano erupting on the Canary Islands or the German elections.

It was the same all the way through the pandemic, posters bemoaning the UK's status as the "laughing stock" of the world when in reality, everyone in other countries were really just focusing on the situation as it immediately affected them.

@wellards I think one of our local crackheads or what ever shit they are on nowadays would make a marvellous HGV driver actually. Nah let’s face it some people are unemployable. I was thinking more of the younger generation.

And yes it does feel like that because it's as if the Tory party will govern us forever. For some reason people will carry on voting for them forever. No matter what.

They vote for them out of hope & fear.
People think oh I want a slice of that pie so Im not going to vote for an alternative party that wants to take some of the pie I hope to attain in the future. They don't realise that they are unlikely to even sit at the table

Panic? Really? Get a grip.

@Tealightsandd

Yep, all fuelled by cheap borrowing. House prices escalating because of cheap borrowing which only inflates assets & reduces the value of your cash. But wtf can we do to get out of this mess?

We need to accept a house price correction. Not a massive crash but a slight fall - and at the very least a stagnation.

We need to stop spending taxpayer money on inflating the bubble schemes like Help to Buy. We need to ban Right to Buy in England (already banned in the rest of the UK).

We need to divert house building away from overpriced to buy new builds. The majority of new homes need to be social rented housing.

We need to take a deep breath, face the music, and accept a rise in interest rates. Living off borrowing is unsustainable. The consequences are, as we are beginning to see, terrible.

We need to think longer term and invest in people and public services. We need to return to providing proper old fashioned style with prospects apprenticeships and on the job training.

You couldn’t be more right. Sitting her mentally applauding this!

I was thinking more of the younger generation.

What do you think they should be doing?

@DesdemonaDryEyes

And what are you doing to help?

Not voting tory...

@Evesgarden

When my daughters are not allowed to go to school, when people get executed in the the street, when 12 year olds are being married to old men, when its common practice to mutilate young girls private parts, when the police carry guns, when I can't leave my home with out a chaperone, when the politics are that bad the military organise a coup, when cartels run the country, where you get murdered for loving the wrong sex, where the police arrest you under false charges so your family have to pay an extortionate fee to them to set you free, when your whole family get put in prison because you made a minor crime - that's when I will start worrying.

Its so interesting that white English people that have never ever had to experience real hardship complain about stuff that in comparison is nothing to what other people around the world are experiencing. We live a very privileged life to others, others that desperately seek protection, safety and work here. We dont care if they drown or freeze to death trying to get here for the privileges we have had our life times and have took for granted - we just moan about Gas, having to queue for Petrol and toilet roll...

The U.K is one of the best places to live and you should absolutely check your privileges.

So you want to wait until it gets really shit before you start to wonder if there could have been a different way?

@Evesgarden I think you'd have to start worrying way way before any of those things you describe would materialise.

There are other more 'minor' worries to think about before it gets to what you describe such as: if your family member falls ill, will they be treated or will you have you see them dying in your arms? If you call 999, is the police or ambulance going to come, or are you left to fight off your attacker, burglar, machete wealder, give your seizuring child cpr, put back the bones that are sticking out of your arm? Or if you have asthma and need you prescription, what if you can't afford it or just can't get an appointment for repeat prescription?

What about if you can't get to work because you can't get any fuel and your transport links have been cut? You loose your job, but there are no unemployment benefits to help you through?

Alternative future, yes. But seems too possible the way its going at the moment.

Because panicking has worked so well so far! We move on and deal with it. A change might show people a bit of perspective....just saying 🤷🏼‍♀️

We have been through financial crisis before and will again I’m sure- so as awful as things seem to be right now I will not panic- if people hadn’t panicked and rushed to fill their tanks then garages would still be open.Newspaper and media also never give us any positive news to balance things out- and that feeds into people’s fears.

@KingsleyShacklebolt

Where does this idea come from of the "laughing stock"? Do posters really think that ordinary people in other parts of the world are really sitting rubbing their hands together in glee, waiting for the next episode in the UK soap opera? They're really not, we're not that interesting or important to them.

Sure, the issues with Brexit might get coverage elsewhere in Europe just as we're getting coverage of the volcano erupting on the Canary Islands or the German elections.

It was the same all the way through the pandemic, posters bemoaning the UK's status as the "laughing stock" of the world when in reality, everyone in other countries were really just focusing on the situation as it immediately affected them.

I agree. Its bizarre. There must be actual people at home thinking ' people in Spain must be laughing at me right now'..

And yes I did see a fleeting clip about Angela Merkel losing voters - but you know what? I didn't care.

MN is full of English people that hate themselves for being British. self hating and self flagellating, its the only place I experience it.

@Timeisavirtue

Because panicking has worked so well so far! We move on and deal with it. A change might show people a bit of perspective....just saying 🤷🏼‍♀️

What does ‘deal with it’ mean?

We need to accept a house price correction. Not a massive crash but a slight fall - and at the very least a stagnation.

They should have allowed a small reset after 08 & not pushed them down for so long & then they could have lowered them again for post pandemic. We have no manoeuvrability now. Stagnation will be the norm for the majority.

We need to stop spending taxpayer money on inflating the bubble schemes like Help to Buy. We need to ban Right to Buy in England (already banned in the rest of the UK).

The problem is we are so dependent on house prices as that's the only thing boosting the economy & mentally it makes homeowners feel good.

We need to divert house building away from overpriced to buy new builds. The majority of new homes need to be social rented housing.

Agree but people just won't vote for it. If interest rates were higher people could have alternative ways of making money apart from fecking houses.

I don't know how they are going to handle inflation, the BoE are saying it's 4%, I think that's BS.

Because panicking has worked so well so far! We move on and deal with it.

It's not about panicking but we need to address it so we can manage it.

I see the kids in my own family using their loaf. They're not going to uni to do media courses like the 00's, they're devouring apprentice opportunities in skilled trades electronics, plumbing, carpentry, accountancy, IT.

@TSSDNCOP

I see the kids in my own family using their loaf. They're not going to uni to do media courses like the 00's, they're devouring apprentice opportunities in skilled trades electronics, plumbing, carpentry, accountancy, IT.

So we don’t need journalists in this bold new Brexit world? We don’t need tv or radio?

I despair too OP, as do many millions of people in the UK.

Unfortunately we also have millions in this country who vote for a lying, lazy arrogant clown for PM so things will carry on getting worse until he is replaced.

Out of interest and to widen the conversation a bit here - what do people predict will happen from now on - or should I start a different thread for this?

I have friends overseas. They aren't laughing at us. They pity us.

@pontypridd

Out of interest and to widen the conversation a bit here - what do people predict will happen from now on - or should I start a different thread for this?

My prediction is: massive shortages in food and equipment and a privatised healthcare service. Soaring interest rates caused by budget deficits and no support funding from outside of the uk. Scotland will vote for independence, which will ruin us, to escape a Tory government.

@pontypridd short term I'm not sure but I think next year will be more painful. Long term we haven't addressed the challenges of an ageing population & a shrinking working age population so it's only going to get harder. State pension will increase, free prescriptions will move to a later age, cost of general living will continue to increase.