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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

UK has gone to shit.

527 replies

Ilovegreentomatoes · 09/10/2021 19:58

What is happening to the uk? No food on the shelves, the cost of living has become extortionate coupled with stagnating wages it seems this is a country where unless your in the higher income bracket you really can't afford to live anymore.
Poverty is going to be rife I dread to think the amount of people who will be choosing between food or heating this year.
Aibu to think this country has gone to shit of the likes we have not seen for a long time.
I am lower income and feel like I can't afford to live anymore.

OP posts:
MsFogi · 09/10/2021 20:16

@WhyOhWhyOhWhyyyy

Yeah, it’s almost like Brexit was a bad idea, who knew!
Indeed, even the children knew - when our school did a vote for the years 3-6 kids at the time of the referendum there were only three children who voted in favour of Brexit.
Original poster
Ilovegreentomatoes · 09/10/2021 20:17

I'm in the south east so seem to pay top prices for everything here.

OP posts:
Chloemol · 09/10/2021 20:18

If people stopped believing the crap on the media it would help

There is no food shortage, plenty is available, perhaps not say the brand of cream crackers they want, but others are available

I suggest you all google what’s happening in the world outside the uk. It’s all shit

FrankButchersDickieBow · 09/10/2021 20:19

@Suzi888

Humans have happened, with their panic buying ways!

I can’t see that many people genuinely having to choose between food and heating and if they are, then they need to take a good look at their expenses.
My job involves working with people who are struggling and when you sit down to look at their finances, there are astronomical sky tv packages, mobile phone packages, personal ‘grooming’ costs, cigarettes, alcohol, constant minor home improvement costs (new rugs, sofas, colour schemes etc.) Brand new cars, designer clothing… maybe I’ve been in the field too long!

I currently volunteer for and used to work for a credit union in a deprived area.

I can assure you that many of the members sit in the cold because they can't afford the heating. They do not have sky packages and designer clothes.

You sound like a daily mail reader.

Fordian · 09/10/2021 20:22

@Chloemol

If people stopped believing the crap on the media it would help

There is no food shortage, plenty is available, perhaps not say the brand of cream crackers they want, but others are available

I suggest you all google what’s happening in the world outside the uk. It’s all shit

Want Brie?

Here's turnips.

BruisedPear · 09/10/2021 20:23

Sorry OP it really is terrible and it seems like low earners are getting the brunt of it Flowers

Austerity and inflation are squeezing the life out of people it’s grim.

Suzi888 · 09/10/2021 20:24

@FrankButchersDickieBow I don’t read the daily Mail. I worked in benefits for 12 years before switching to housing. I’m not saying that no one will struggle, but I can assure you most will not.
We deal with credit union reps all the time, you do not often get the full picture I can assure you.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 09/10/2021 20:25

@ThirdElephant

I think there are teething problems certainly, and COVID definitely hasn't helped matters!

What will make the difference going forward is if we actually force businesses to pay people a fair wage with decent working conditions, or whether the government capitulate to the businesses and allow them to continue to bring in cheap labour from overseas so that they can maximise profits.

Why would the tories make businesses do anything they don't want to do? That is the antithesis of the Conservative party
Original poster
Ilovegreentomatoes · 09/10/2021 20:26

@BruisedPear thankyou. Just felt so down with it all today maybe it's because all these things are happening in quick succession and all feels so hopeless at the moment.

OP posts:
Scrollonthroughtherain · 09/10/2021 20:27

Where do you live that there's no food on the shelves?

Original poster
Ilovegreentomatoes · 09/10/2021 20:27

South east .

OP posts:
Tilltheend99 · 09/10/2021 20:28

When people vote for making other people poor it’s ‘all good’ until they realise they have voted to make themselves poorer too, and nothing will ever trickle down from the top 1%, then the scales fall from their eyes.

Levelling up is a sound bite.

Alpacinoshoohaa · 09/10/2021 20:28

Unfortunately it's not just the UK, these pressures are being felt world wide and is one huge over flow from covid.

MintJulia · 09/10/2021 20:29

No empty shelves or closed petrol pumps here. And I haven't seen any prices rises except bread yet.

My worry is gas/power. I grew up doing homework by candle light when the electricity workers went on strike, and I really don't want anyone going through that again.

Original poster
Ilovegreentomatoes · 09/10/2021 20:29

Only brands left are the very expensive ones so I end up not buying it at all.

OP posts:
Leftphalange · 09/10/2021 20:30

Is there an aldi near you you could try?

Tilltheend99 · 09/10/2021 20:32

I’m on the South coast and, aside from no pasta, everybody was at the Supermarket in the middle of the day panic buying. I read on the bbc that Iceland sales went up 400% in the last two weeks as everyone tries to get their Christmas shop before the shortages.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 09/10/2021 20:32

@Leftphalange

Is there an aldi near you you could try?
Aldi and Lidl have lots of empty shelves around here too
Original poster
Ilovegreentomatoes · 09/10/2021 20:32

Yes there is just a bit of a journey but I will take a look in there.

OP posts:
Rosewaterblossom · 09/10/2021 20:33

It's a case of since the mid 2000s, cheap foreign labour has been in abundance. Now businesses have to actually pay living wages to people instead of cheap labour, people are starting to realise : oh shit, that's why wages are actually so shit.. because foreign labour was cheap, now employers have to pay living wages to brits but don't want to.

Leftphalange · 09/10/2021 20:33

@CloseYourEyesAndSee wow really, interesting how it definitely seems to be more of a regional problem than a UK wide problem then

Tilltheend99 · 09/10/2021 20:35

Again, in South. BP garage near me had no petrol for seven days. They had a couple of operational pumps today but still about half out.

Zippy1510 · 09/10/2021 20:36

The turkeys voted for xmas and here it is. Time to celebrate clearly.

Tavelo · 09/10/2021 20:37

The UK has had serious issues for a long time to be honest even before Brexit but that certainly didn't help. It's going down in flames now

sashagabadon · 09/10/2021 20:38

I think the lockdown is more to blame than brexit or any other factor.
So Covid I guess although I do think we’ll look back and think we over reacted globally not just U.K.