That I have a lump in my throat more for the class system than the funeral

[JessicaJoens5]

Sat here with a lump in my throat after watching the funeral but I think it's more to do with realising just how unfair life is and what a lottery life can be.

A lot of people in this country are living on the breadline, children are born into poverty, using food banks, lots of homeless, children moving into hotels whilst their parents wait for a house and so much more. Now this is not a thread to bash the royal family as people but I can't help but feel a bit down at the fact that a lot of their lives are luck - luck to be born into a life of privilege or luck of marrying into it.

Now I'm not saying it's easy to be a royal but I know if I had a choice of choosing to be a person born into privilege with the risk of press following me or another person who is living in a tiny flat or house, struggling to pay bills and having to use food banks whilst working a minimum wage job, I know which one I'd choose.

Not really sure what the aim of this thread is but maybe other people had similar feelings from the funeral?

Yes of course, but it is how we get there is the problem. The fact is that Germany and other European countries are facing the same problems as we are, if you care to read proper newspapers.

Of course they are facing the same problems - but their solutions are different -
Germany and EU proposing solidarity tax (also known as windfall tax on profits of big companies so debts not lumbered into our kids and grandkids
amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/07/eu-sets-out-plans-for-windfall-taxes-and-power-savings-amid-energy-crisis

Everyone has their own opinion in the monarchy but I guess most people in society are kind of in the middle. Don’t mind the monarchy , but wouldn’t give it too much thought ? Or maybe I’m wrong.

When I was 17 I swore my allegiance to her majesty the Queen when I joined HM forces. I suppose that’s why I had a sense of loyalty to her. I placed my hand in the bible and made my allegiance.

I guess not many people on here can relate to that so wouldn’t have the same perspective? I don’t know. I do however think there will be some changes over the next few decades, a much smaller Royal Family for starters.

Any republicans on this thread?
How are you planning on campaigning for a republic? Will you try to influence the Labour Party to put abolition of the monarchy in the next Labour manifesto? Or at least a referendum?
Or lots of well-attended protests like the Poll tax riots?
Or maybe trying to air time on tv and radio explaining the advantages of a republic?

They still don't have it as bad as we do In general. It's about seeing what other countries are doing so we can improve our own situation. Being high an mighty solves nothing.

I think the system of royalty needs to change. All politicians and publicly funded royalty should use the state school system and NHS. I think it’s vulgar how many properties they “own”. The whole “spend a month at Christmas at this house” and “spend the summer at a different house” needs to stop.

The excess of the Queen’s multiple (4) funeral services was also quite vulgar!!

Stating facts helps

The State owns them!

All politicians and publicly funded royalty should use the state school system and NHS

So do you think everyone who is paid by the state, such civil servants, military, doctors and so on should not be allowed to use their wages as they see fit?
How would this be enforced? Would they be allowed to home educate? Would they be stopped from seeking medical care overseas?

You are quite out of touch I think.

Those are facts. You can also do your own research on the subject. Saying Britain is far behind other European countries when looking at QOL is not a personal attack - it's a fact. We can learn a thing or two from other countries.

@CookieCoo , you are bonkers, read, think and consider. Your posts are imbecilic.

Funny why all these boats crossing the Channel want to come here!

Note sure if you count the FT as a proper newspaper 🤔
and this article is a bit long winded - but to simplify- the rich have it made in the UK, but those less well off are falling behind in comparison to other countries-

www.ft.com/content/ef265420-45e8-497b-b308-c951baa68945

this paragraph stood out:
On present trends, the average Slovenian household will be better off than its British counterpart by 2024, and the average Polish family will move ahead before the end of the decade. A country in desperate need of migrant labour may soon have to ask new arrivals to take a pay cut.

The royal family is the tip of the problem pervading currently through society with regard to wealth distribution and fairness.

@Dogsitter1 what would be interesting is if the data was actually meaningful by that I mean those who work full time in a duel income household vs those who stay at home or only work part time. I suspect a lot of the problem we currently have in Britain is people not wanting to work for a living.

I don't consider us in the top 10% but the figures say we are. Interestingly we recently had a discussion about income with our friends and all of us would hit that 10% some the top 5%. These are early 30s people with fairly average jobs/degrees (science, engineering, business management, medicine, accounting) with state education backgrounds. The difference is we all put in 3-7 years of uni living on minimum student loans, working part time to now work in high pressure jobs frequently working more than 37hours a week with 50 hour weeks not being uncommon. Interestingly the two who didn't go to uni (plumbing) also earn above average wages.

If any of us became single income households those figures would plummet which to us looks like the major issue.

@Grumpybutfunny
I am not a statistician- but I imagine that’s why they use averages to take in the variation you talk about? Of course your household income will fall if one of you suddenly stops work.

Unemployment rate is currently higher in Slovenia and Poland - so this does not explain the data either in the article - as you suggest.

This twitter thread explains some of the data:
twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1570832839318605824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1570832842623717377%7Ctwgr%5E85aa602001b28a702b2a982c88ea6ef6ff30929d%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.democraticunderground.com%2F1016332224

Misinformation. If they all listened to you before coming they obviously think Britain is far superior in comparison to other countries. That's why they come.

Yes but the opposition haven’t got any idea of how to tackle the problem. They have no ideas of how to stimulate the economy so that the poor get richer. What is needed his job creation set at the poor can rise out of poverty. I can remember the days when some fool Chancellor put an eye watering 87% tax on high earners saying he was going to have ‘howls of anguish from the rich’. The result? The rich (who happen to be more intelligent than bone headed chancellors) withdrew their investments, the economy stagnated and we had the ‘winter of discontent’ under the Labour government. The problem is you do not solve the problem by punitive taxation but by stimulation. The Royal family is not the problem but the way we handle economy

Hate to mention Brexit - but wonder how much that is doing to our economic recovery? After all - the pandemic affected each and every European country.

Also think our right wing press affect what the voting public find palatable as economic policy? They can whip up a storm about labour.

Unfortunately trickle down economics does not appear to be working?

Good thing about data like this - is that it might stimulate discussions about why some countries doing better?

I work with some really poor kids and it’s absolutely heartbreaking.

People were coerced into voting for Brexit by the press. Constant articles in the media about why being part of the EU is a bad idea. I wonder why these tabloids are not churning articles daily about how wonderful life is now that we are not part of the EU. It would be nice to hear about all the benefits of Brexit. So far I don't see any.

Covid19 has not helped our situation but there's no denying that Brexit is a mess.

Actually most of the press coverage about Brexit was anti-Brexit from the media. The BBC was a straight propaganda sheet for the anti-Brexit campaign.

Majority = tabloids churning pro Brexit machine daily for 20 years. And now - complete silence while people suffer. You have to understand who actually benefits from BREXIT.
This is probably an attempt to ruin Britain once and for all.

Sorry the mainstream media was pro-Brexit. I don’t know what you listen to but BBC, SKY, and ITV all for Remain.