To think Britain is heading towards economical and social collapse

[Cheesecakeandwineinasuitcase]

It feels like we are living in strange times, having come out of a global pandemic, the war in Ukraine and now the cost of living crisis and the added pressure from Brexit.

Ive barely slept tonight, worrying about what might happen with energy prices. I’ve heard the energy price cap is expected to rise to £3,850 in October. A few months ago I’m sure they predicting it would be £2,400 and that was horrifying enough.
Now I’m seeing people on the energy support Facebook group talking about monthly energy costs of £900 per month. It feels like this is escalating out of control very quickly and the Government are allowing us to sleepwalk into a disaster.

I realised tonight that if the price cap does keep increasing at the rate it has then what will happen to all the businesses once people can’t afford their energy bills anymore? They will probably increase their prices to try and cover their costs but that will drive down sales even more as people won’t have as much money to spend anymore. Eventually it will only be the essentials that we can afford so that surely means that all the other businesses won’t be able to afford to keep going?

Then what? Unless our government actually get their heads together about this then the whole country will end up in financial ruin and we will see the breakdown of society. Why so much focus on the leadership contest, surely that must take a back step.

Ive just checked the parliament website and the House of Commons has now gone into summer recess so they won’t meet again until September! I think this is an emergency situation and that they should be called back to focus on this. They get paid enough.

I think it’s outrageous that they can claim for utility bills on their expenses when there are people out there with young children who are worried about being cut off and put onto a prepayment meter.

They are controlling us with fear, while they are improving their crowd control weapons. Fear of pandemics and fear of global warming. Through this fear they are trying to close businesses, farms, and justify the high price of fuel.

They have celebrities in videos eating insects now to show us it's 'cool'. We are being groomed for a much different existence, while they fly in their private jets and eat steak.

The future look very bleak for a lot of the world.

Why are plastics being used on such a large scale. They'll forced people to eat insects before they stop over-using plastic. (I'm having a hell of a hard time find laundry detergents that are not in those big plastic bottles). We never used plastics like this when I was growing up in the 50's and 60's - or even the 70's. We had our milk delivered in electric vehicles, washed out the glass bottles to be returned, nothing was wrapped in plastic. Soft drink bottles were returned and reused. We walked to school. I could go on. Surely there would be multiple other changes enforced before they tried to stop us from farming.

Something wicked this way comes.

Peak Mumsnet

Hmm. Was talking to a Labour member recently , he says if the Tories pledged to build some houses and take the railways into public ownership there would be no reason to vote Labour.

These policies are actually quite popular with Tory voters and - obviously - with Red Wall ex Labour people.

Fortunately for Labour , Sunak and Truss are racing headlong towards the wilder shores of right wing anarchy. The problem is none of the opposition parties have the wit or the will to take advantage of their idiocy.

Russia after 1991 was increasingly seen as a reliable partner and it should not be forgotten that throughout the cold war, trade with the Soviets continued unabated, they are extremely rich in raw materials, not just gas/oil but timber, metals and minerals.

We even went into space with Russia!

Our political system is riddled with Russian influence, as was property markets throughout Europe/the West, we inc the British encouraged all of this.

Russia promised an unlimited supply of gas and no one, when these policies decisions were made could have foreseen Russia would attack the Ukraine and that Ukraine would resist to such an extent that it has.

Remember also that the UK has benefited enormously by the low gas prices Russian energy assured.

Being so critical of Germany is just being wise after the event and ignores the UKs part in all of this.

YANBU @Cheesecakeandwineinasuitcase. The UK is at its most unstable in more than 100 years. Austerity and Brexit followed by Covid and war has fucked us both at home: inflation, poor infrastructure, NHS, transport, Police system, Criminal Justice, Education as well as lack of food/fuel security. And abroad: lack of trade agreements in place and a drop in our international standing. Our government is a shambolic, chaotic mess with an atrocious record of arrogance, incompetence, and corruption.

People across all sections of society are pissed off. Previously, we would have a couple of disgruntled groups at a time, now it's practically everyone. Heading into this winter the UK is fucked.😱

@BlodynGwyn , where do you live, that you can’t find detergent in cardboard cartons? They have a selection everywhere around here, even in the nearest corner shop. I haven’t bought laundry detergent in plastic bottles, or the pods in plastic boxes, for a few years now.

And how will the socialists sort it?

Who exactly are the socialists and why is it their responsibility, not the government's, to sort it @pilkywilkymoansalot?

I think a socialist approach would be renationalisation of critical infrastructure (transport/energy/Internet etc,). This would allow the government to insulate the population price turbulence caused by economic uncertainty and target specific help at the poorest. Of course it would mean higher taxes but I think in uncertain times like this nationalisation is better for the population as a whole than privatisation which ultimately will only work for the decreasing number that can pay.

There is not a cat in hells chance a Conservative government would do that as their ideology is minimal state intervention, markets naturally find the best solution.

Hmm. Was talking to a Labour member recently , he says if the Tories pledged to build some houses and take the railways into public ownership there would be no reason to vote Labour

I would vote Labour as they do better on child poverty, nhs education, and workers rights. So l won’t be voting Tory if they build a few houses. Your Labour supporter is talking bollocks. I’m a member of the Labour Party too.

@Abhannmor I think the other political parties could trounce the Tories if they agreed to work together, and for the sake of the Country I think they have an absolute duty to do so. The problem is would they be prepared to do this? I suspect they are too arrogant and determined to seek their own glory.

@BlodynGwyn While they cover their ears and ignore this descent into hell, which will be complete by 2030.

I would vote Labour as they do better on child poverty, nhs education, and workers rights.

So would I, generally and historically. But what policies does the current Labour leadership have on any of those things that would make it worth voting for?

I live in the U.S. I have been able to find a big box of Tide in a cardboard box, which I'm really pleased about.

I think they’re coming round to that way of thinking. The last few by-elections Labour has put very little effort into campaigning in seats where the Libdems have a better chance of winning and vice versa. A Labour/Libdem coalition would be a very good thing.

Labour, which would have to be the main player in any such agreement, have categorically ruled out anything of the sort. This appears to be part of Starmer's approach of just letting the Tory media own the narrative and not saying anything that they could possibly make look bad. He knows that anything like that will be met with howls of "coalition of chaos" going into the next election. LOL, like there isn't enough chaos already.

What we really need is to move to proportional representation like a proper grown up democracy. Here too, however, Starmer isn't having any of it. Another reason not to vote Labour.

@Namechangerr1We will lose all private property and won't own anything. Government will be responsible for our food rations and universal basic credit. We will be entirely powerless and under their control.
Please please read deeper. People need to see what is happening before it's too late.

I’ve seen lots of posts like this
it shows me how well protect fear is doing

this website is usually so rational

There's no difference in the major political parties, be it Tory or Labour, Republic or Democrat. They all have the same agenda, just have different ways of going about it and have the same people telling them what to do.

@BalloonsAndWhistles Where did you get your solar panels from please?

Labour, which would have to be the main player in any such agreement, have categorically ruled out anything of the sort

They’ve ruled out a formal agreement. Check out their recent electoral strategy. If they’re the biggest party in a hung parliament, all bets will be off.

The tory media has already been having ago at Labour over this with its Coalition of Chaos headlines.

Very difficult for Labour to then say thats what it will do...

I'd love to think so. But I suspect there are many in the party who are content to wait until the pendulum swings back towards them. It stopped dead in Scotland a good while back. And who can predict its movements in the North/ North East of England with any confidence?

Taking women's rights seriously won't hurt Labour either.

As much as I don't trust a word Keir Starmer says about anything, the (untypical) directness with which he ruled out ANY agreement when asked about it recently would mean there's no way all bets could be off. If Labour was the largest minority party and then went into some kind of arrangement with one of the others, he'd be crucified for getting elected on an outright lie.

I am shocked by how ignorant mumsnet actually is.

Like the OP, I am genuinely terrified of the cost of living crises. I can barely afford to keep my gas and electricity with their supply on and I am constantly in my emergency. My fridge, freezer and cupboards have never been so empty and I am having to rely on foodbanks as a single working mum of two and at university.

Luckily right now with the weather how it is I do not need my heating on and when I run out of gas I can bathe myself and the kids at my mums house which I was having to do even before this crises hit. It is terrifying.