Is the UK about to collapse?

[Penfield]

Sorry - There was probably a better way to put this.

Does anyone else have a feeling that we are close to some collapse, explosion, disintegration of society ...

With gas prices, petrol shortages, inflation, Brexit fall out, Covid, gaslighting government etc

I feel like we're on the edge of something - big ...

What sort of hell @Maxmaher?

@Penfield I understand what you're saying but what can I do as an individual? I don't vote tory, I didn't vote brexit. I am environmentally friendly. I worked as a nurse through the pandemic, going back into practice from a non-clinical role to help out. I am raising two children in as best a way I can. I don't mean we should roll over and allow the government to do whatever they want but I am not in a position to be campaigning for change. I can just hope that others choose not to vote tory in future.

I agree with you,Britain is in an appaling state of affairs.But you will always get the flag waveing brigade,who are in denial.Britain has missed the opportunity years ago to invest in proper apprenticeship for young people.you only have to look at for example to Germany and Switzerland how successful their apprenticeship education works for future employment for youngsters.I feel so sorry for you g people in this country.it takes years and years of change to the education system and by that time,we have automatisation in many many jobs.....good luck Flag wavers,the Queen and country attitude wont wash....

@Hellotoallmyfans

I was thinking this the other day whilst driving. It's a horrible time to be alive.

Really? Wow. Life expectancy in 1900 was 47. Black Death, no real doctors, high numbers of fatalities in childbirth, only the wealthy had enough to eat, small children working in factories etc. I know when I'd rather be alive!

I think it depends on your overall outlook on life in general ie look on the bright side or pessimistic.

Im not sure the black death was a HUGE issue in 1900

@KingsleyShacklebolt

Most consumable lines even in places like Lidl and Aldi are up 30% across the board

Food prices have not gone up 30%. You are talking absolute mince.

Getting there. I bought yoghurt the other day, it went up from 65p to 80p overnight. That’s almost 25% on one item.

@Blossomtoes

There’s a hell of a recession on the horizon. It was obvious as soon as covid arrived at exactly the same time as Brexit. The recent lunacy of the housing market has just thrown petrol on the flames. It would be bad enough if we had a sensible government of responsible adults but this lot will run round like headless chickens. We’re in for a rough ride.

Yup, I think you're right. The cycle is just about at the top, as soon as interest rates start rising (probably early 2022) there will be a massive "correction". Nothing to do with Boris and his buffoons, obviously

No. Take the long view. I survived the 70s - terrified of nuclear war, we did a history project that looked at how fried we would be if a nuke was dropped in the centre of our city, power cuts all the time, Britain bailed out by the IMF, schools shut because no power, no bog roll, often no bread (my Nana in a different town used to send three loaves at a time first class in the post) my Mum gleefully cut up squares of newspaper which she threaded into a string because it reminded her of the war. This country is in slow decline in many ways but in the ascendancy in others. We need to act, talk, get out of our silos. The most scary thing for me is actually the erosion of women's rights and emotional fragility (and high status this carries) of many young people.

March 2020 proved instantaneous cataclysmic change is possible, so yes, I think we could have a very difficult winter ahead.
I hope those who voted Brexit are happy with themselves- it’s a total mess, so yeh, thanks for that...

In terms of specifics, my worry is a perfect storm of crises over the winter months:

Bad flu season or new Covid variant
Skyrocketing energy costs/blackouts
Worsening supply chain issues, including on food
Inflation

If all this happens at once, you would expect to see the delivery of basic services and commodities start to crumble, sparking a certain amount of panic, thus making things even worse.

I am NOT saying the country would collapse but it would be a serious crisis and I have zero faith that this government of incompetents would be able to handle it

@Merrylegs87

Stop looking at the news

Ha! Yeah, ostrich syndrome will fix it all, for sure.

@KingsleyShacklebolt i didn't say food alone i said product lines

that means the cost price of your average weekly shop over a 12 month period is up at least 30% you just don't realise it because the supermarkets are clever spreading it out over different product lines

@Blossomtoes I have read the thread. You have said there is a recession coming, which is not really news, most people are aware that is a danger and possibly inevitable.

You have not specified anything else that is on the horizon you are scanning, you make it sound as though you have some knowledge that the rest of us don't, so I wondered what that was.

@Sarahlou63
Yup, I think you're right. The cycle is just about at the top, as soon as interest rates start rising (probably early 2022) there will be a massive "correction". Nothing to do with Boris and his buffoons, obviously
Interest rates will not rise, the government will make sure of that, even if it do so meaning that they need to take direct control of the BoE, because if interest rates rise it is political suicide for the government. Also, with the majority of the Conservatives and their supporters (not necessarily voters), being owners of large property portfolios they will not allow the hosing market to crash, it will be sustained at all costs, even if that means damage to the wider economy.

I grew up in the 70's with the 3 day working week, cooking beans by candle light. I lived in Manchester during the IRA bombing...and so on.
A bit of a scaremongering thread OP - lots of people with high anxiety on here.

[quote MatildaIThink]@Sarahlou63
Yup, I think you're right. The cycle is just about at the top, as soon as interest rates start rising (probably early 2022) there will be a massive "correction". Nothing to do with Boris and his buffoons, obviously
Interest rates will not rise, the government will make sure of that, even if it do so meaning that they need to take direct control of the BoE, because if interest rates rise it is political suicide for the government. Also, with the majority of the Conservatives and their supporters (not necessarily voters), being owners of large property portfolios they will not allow the hosing market to crash, it will be sustained at all costs, even if that means damage to the wider economy.[/quote]
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

@Adirondack

March 2020 proved instantaneous cataclysmic change is possible, so yes, I think we could have a very difficult winter ahead. I hope those who voted Brexit are happy with themselves- it’s a total mess, so yeh, thanks for that...

Was just thinking the other day that quite a few of the people I know who voted for Brexit are now dead! They were very elderly.

[quote Maxmaher]@KingsleyShacklebolt i didn't say food alone i said product lines

that means the cost price of your average weekly shop over a 12 month period is up at least 30% you just don't realise it because the supermarkets are clever spreading it out over different product lines[/quote]
That is still not true though, the cost of the average weekly shop has not risen 30% in a year, it will be somewhere between 3% and 5% by the end of the year.

@Penfield

Sorry - There was probably a better way to put this.

Does anyone else have a feeling that we are close to some collapse, explosion, disintegration of society ...

With gas prices, petrol shortages, inflation, Brexit fall out, Covid, gaslighting government etc

I feel like we're on the edge of something - big ...

Not collapse yet, no. That will be when the real effect of climate change kicks in.

For now it will be more like a 1970s situation. Most of the effects of Brexit have not been felt yet. Standards of living and prospects for our children will decline, a lot, from where we are now.

The pandemic effects are largely temporary in economic terms. The Brexit ones clearly are not: that is why there are not empty petrol stations or supermarket shelves elsewhere in Europe (I have family in 7 other European countries that are all still in the EU and friends in others).

People chose this though, right? We wouldn't want to patronise them and imply that they weren't fully aware of the almost certain ramifications before they cast their vote.

Saying don't watch or read news is fair enough, but it doesn't stop things going on around us!

@TheSpiral

I don't feel like that, but I didn't see Covid coming (by which I mean the seriousness of it and the lockdowns and all) until just before the first lockdown announcement - and even then thought it would all be over by Easter - so maybe I am just naiive!

Those of us who tried to warn people about that in Jan/ Feb were accused of being "scaremongers" unfortunately. Just like with Brexit and project "fear" (aka reality).

@Claudethecat we didn't see the full extent of damage the 2008 recession did because we were just on the tail end of the shockwave from the united states

My feeling is This time we will be that shockwave

Job losses ,businesses closures , price hikes everywhere , negative equity , rioting , looting

Don't want to sound like the apocalypse but i am very concerned a lot of our economy is being held together with Boris Johnson's chewing gum and spit

@PaulGallico

I grew up in the 70's with the 3 day working week, cooking beans by candle light. I lived in Manchester during the IRA bombing...and so on. A bit of a scaremongering thread OP - lots of people with high anxiety on here.

Brilliant. Did you enjoy it? Why would we want to go back to that or use it as a benchmark for success? This isn't a four Yorkshireman sketch.,

Interest rates will not rise, the government will make sure of that, even if it do so meaning that they need to take direct control of the BoE, because if interest rates rise it is political suicide for the government.

The majority of Conservative voters are retired, or close to retirement, with little debt and lots of savings which are being eroded by (the rapidly increasing inflation rate). They would be DELIGHTED if interest rates rose.

Don't be naive.

It feels a bit like we’re all frogs in water that is being gradually heated

Every time something happens we just alter slightly, think “it’s not so bad” and get on with it

But there is so much at the moment that it feels overwhelming

I do wonder at what point we’re going to reach boiling point. And what will happen thereafter

All those talking about being around in the 70s, as I was. It was actually really crap. I also don't understand your point.

I don't actually expect widespread rioting or anything like that, people seem to be withdrawing into misery, rather than getting angry with the government and authorities. But look at the upset, anger and occasional forecourt fights over 10 days of fuel issues.