Fed up with the current state we are in

[SanctusInDistress]

Am I right to be upset over the current state of things and that the future looks bleak?

nhs- don’t get me started

jobs - where on earth are jobs? Barely anything there and when there are they are looking for somebody who has done that exact job in an equal organisation.

bills - spiralling

food - at this rate we will be either back to the middle ages foraging for postage, or eating cheap nasty ultra processed stuff all of the time.

working conditions - there are two camps; the quiet quitters with chúpatz to get away with it, and the workhorses being worked to death.

brexit - I’ve yet to hear of a tangible benefit (apart from blue passports).

politics - everybody has run out of ideas. They don’t know what else to come up with.

poverty in work - spiralling

house prices (in SE where I live) - where are people finding the money to pay these prices?????

going out - impossible. Theatre tickets, cinema, meals out. It’s just become too expensive except for rare rare treats.

everything is at a standstill, waiting for this election so that something can happen again (or not) to jolt the economy for ordinary folks like us back into action.

am I just being unreasonable with being fed up?

I agree Hellebores. Poor old Boris, for all his many many faults, he was the lone voice for Keep Calm and Carry On. Going for the Danish model would have been so much better for us in the long run.

@SerendipityJane You don't need photo ID if you register to vote by post. All you need to provide [online] is your NI number and a photo of your signature.

Did so recently because my passport's expired and have no plans to go on holiday any time soon. Then my driving licence expired, and I don't need a DL anymore as I don't have a car.

Yep. I'll add long covid and inability to do v much into that mix too.

They’d be lucky to catch a train on Trans-Pennine express routes. And our bus service which has run every single evening since before l was born every 20 minutes, now runs once an hour.

Big city suburb. So best of luck to them on current train/bus services

Oh the irony.

😂left wing nutters.

Have a lovely Friday Nigel.

You are right.. There are many factors leading to the UK’s position today. Significant ones which lead to the issues (like cost of food increases, shortage of school spaces, NHS waiting lists etc) are

• Covid repercussions
• War in Ukraine
• nearly 700,000 immigrants into the country in 2023 (ONS say probably higher)

There are more of course but these all have a huge impact on QoL here today. Several other countries are also suffering.

That info doesn’t make it easier obviously, but it’s not just a U.K. problem. It’s worldwide.

It's tough but I really am thankful we’re not in a war zone, we do have food and water, education, healthcare, police, etc. Many other countries can’t say the same.

For now I guess we sit tight, appreciate what we do have, keep calm and carry on. In a few years, things will be better again.

Can anyone be anymore crazy than Truss? I mean really? Come on.

Where exactly are these billions?

I will be voting for Labour in the next GE and it will be my first vote and I cannot wait. My parents tell me the Blair years were the greatest time alive and you could see a doctor on the same day, get an operation within weeks, life was happier, you could buy a house on low wages etc. That is my UK. Bring it back.

Yeah absolutely🤥

Like she talked about the amazing trade deal with Canada that they had no knowledge of.

And the post office lies.

I posted on a similar one if the many threads like this the other day.

We, in the UK, can only tinker around the edges. As a global player in the West, we are affected by everything else that is going on in the world.

War in Ukraine, Russia, China, North Korea all rattling chains, the Middle East, increasingly top heavy populations, low birth rates, religious and cultural wars, climate change.

The West is in managed decline. My poor kids.

Indeed. The mind boggles.

Oh, and don't forget that the US is just about to choose between two dementia ridden old folk to lead the free world. One of whom is a raging lunatic. Joy

Do the low paid jobs that locals don’t want to do.

there are a low of low paid job vacancies. Lack of economic growth begins with too many vacancies at the bottom of tbe scale.

immugration fills these gaps. It’s like a pyramid; if no fruit pickers, then food has to be imported, so costs more.

if there are no healthcare assistants, people are unable to leave hospital, so system standstill.

if not enough shopkeepers, then shops don’t open, so sell less, so revenue in vat and tax less so less money for services.

Etc.

it’s basic economics.

What’s going to happen that will change things?

Not the nasty forriners 🫨😲🫨.

You do know that immigrants benefit the economy. Who else would keep the NHS afloat and do all of the jobs that the middle classes still can't see their way clear to stooping to?

@Thisilldo
At last someone who makes sense.
The conservatives are still trying to undo the mess labour got us into in the past.
Do people really want a labour Government where everyone will be like sheep?

Oh dear. Must you? Predictable if nothing else I suppose.

I was simply stating the facts. Population increases (700,000 plus natural growth out of 66million, is significant) means more demand on services. It’s not rocket science.

I've lived in Germany for the past 10 years and go back to the UK about 3 times a year. I feel like there is a kind of polycrisis with all the things you mention OP, and that services continue in spite of, not because of the government. I would feel scared moving back to the UK purely because of the health situation and lack of care home insurance. I feel that more social innovation is needed so that the person who is willing to make a huge fuss about the school run lane or whatever, is also willing to get involved in local politics or want to have more of a say. There should be more involvement by people and less switching off and feeling hopeless. How to achieve?, very, very tricky. Coming back though I do appreciate those little things in the UK, that people are very friendly even in London. I don't think the UK is finished but it needs better government. I also think migration is a huge potential for the country. But you need good education policies so that kids from all backgrounds are given opportunities. Germany took 1 million Ukrainians and a couple of years earlier 1 million Syrians and nothing that bad happened.

So where is the money? Show me the money. If that were true we would all know about it for sure. I read several reputable news sources every day. This is news to me. If it has indeed brought in that amount of money and I was proved wrong in my understanding that Brexit was good for none bar a few already wealthy folk, I would be utterly delighted to be wrong!!

Good question. People’s behaviour (people in this country can be so negative all the time. It’s harmful), fewer wars, hope?

You are right. History will shed light on how a government with an 80 seat majority achieved eff all. Not that Labour will improve things. This country is in a sad decline, a low growth, low pay economy. People don't want to work hard and expect the state to provide constant financial support.
Sooner or later we run out of borrowed funds to keep the place running

@RosesAndHellebores ireland had more severe and longer lockdowns than the UK, 1,509 deaths per million versus UK 2,589. GDP per capita massively outstripping the UK. So yeah, that’s not it.

https://countryeconomy.com/countries/compare/ireland/uk?sc=XE34

This is because all the firms that fled the U.K. because of Brexit went to Ireland. Because they are English speaking.

So it was Brexit that fucked the country. No suprise there!

I find those who say it's amazing are usually in very secure positions in life with money behind them, secure housing etc. that is sometimes through hard work, sometimes partners hard work , sometimes inheritance or good timing in property market etc . The idea that gvt debt has decreased is absolute rubbish, it's increased hugely. Brexit has meant there is a decrease in international investment other than shoving money in banks- that benefits no one except the person with the cash. Standards have dropped because we no longer have to adhere to certain standards- the situation with water and beaches and rivers highlights that. It's become like the Wild West out there, councils obsessed with taking money in via speeding and parking because they are chronically underfunded- and anyone who says it's as bad in the EU - it simply isn't in terms of public services - we have been to everywhere from Netherlands to Sweden to Germany to Poland and Spain with work - we basically have given a lot of our best business to the EU on a plate. International business wants ease of doing business plus EU money to help in certain aspects. Sunak had the cheek to be in Swindon the other day celebrating a new Amazon distro centre- this was the old Honda factory site- which business do you think had more better paid jobs for the middle earners?? We have far too many people needing top ups on UC because of low paid work , expensive childcare and non controlled private rents. (Particularly in the southern half of the country) - meaning they are taking more out the state than they are paying in tax and NI- too many people not working because it simply doesn't pay when factoring in child care, travel costs etc. the country needs a giant reset and we have to prioritise affordable housing and affordable and subsidised childcare from 9 months upwards. I also personally would re nationalise utilities or at least have 51% control if it's possible - it's outrageous the profits being paid and dividends in that sector whilst costs to consumer have doubled- they simply aren't like this in other EU countries. My utilities in Copenhagen were around 50% of the UK and I used a lot of heating!! I personally don't hold with people moaning who are fit and able but want to work 20 hours a week max unless they have under 5s - however we now have a catch 22 where people can't afford to have families, buy modest homes etc in many parts of the country unless they are either pretty well off , have inherited or are lucky enough to get social housing of varying quality.