To think my niece doesn’t really get a say on how good or bad she thinks the budget is

[Dennien]

I’m a single mum, I work full time, I have 3 children and I just about get by.
My niece is 26, she makes almost 100k (got lucky, was in the right rooms either the right people), and inherited 500k from her paternal grandparents.
She doesn’t have uni debt, she doesn’t have childcare costs. She happily pays £500 a month for a fancy London gym, lives in a flat share with her best friend etc.
Today she told me she didn’t think the budget went far enough etc. that Labour are useless and so on. She is a Lib Dem/Tory voter and very against reform too.

AIBU to say that young people in a privileged position shouldn’t really get to comment as they aren’t facing the same difficulties others are.

She is of course allowed to express an opinion, you can also disagree with her and point out where you think she is wrong. It's disappointing that she wasn't willing to listen to an alternative point of view.

So she's only allowed an opinion if it matches yours?

There are far too many men who think this about women's opinions, without you adding to the count.

I emphatically disagree with her, but she still has a right to free speech. iIf you want to debate, you could ask her; 'Suppose everyone did get a better-paid job, who will do the important but low-paid jobs?'

Just because her opinion is different to yours, it doesn’t mean she’s not entitled to that opinion.

Goodness. She is a woman with an opinion. Summon the Elders!

Of course she gets to have an opinion. Have a word with yourself OP.

It’s nothing to do with her being a woman, if she was male in her situation.
Its everything to do with her being in a privileged position, largely due to luck and having no empathy for those not in the same boat.

So she's allowed to pay lots of tax but not allowed to have an opinion how it's spent.... YABU.

Lack empathy?What you mean is she doesn’t parrot your beliefs and pat your head saying poor you
From modest start she’s done really well, attending uni, solvent. Be happy for her
Envy is a pernicious and wasteful emotional it skews judgement and damages relationships

I'm definitely not in the same position as your niece and I don't agree with her views, but she has just as much right to have an opinion as I do. You can't limit who has a say to just one section of society.

You might not like her opinion but she's as entitled as you are to express it.

Yabu. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, her having an opinion won't make a difference as just like me and you and the rest of the posters here, she has no say.

You can’t stop her having an opinion or expressing it

My perspective, this is MN after all! PPs may on closer consideration agree with you, but are responding to your delivery.

Of course she gets a say! I would question why, because she is not struggling, you would deny her right to express her feelings.

Despite what seems to be a growing sentiment in this country, people that are not scrapping by on their arse ends, do actually contribute and as a result do get a say!

I dare say your niece pays a fair wedge of tax on her 100k salary. She probably resents paying for those who keep pumping out children for the taxpayer to feed and clothe.

You sound jealous. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

I hope she realises how much you dislike her and she gives you a wide berth.

Well, she’s in her boat and you’re in yours. I’m assuming you didn’t blindly walk into ending up with 3 kids in your boat so why should she be concerned about you ‘just getting by’? Her opinion on the budget is just as valid as yours.

What a ridiculous thing to say, @Dennien !
Of course she has a right to have a say - she is paying tax, NI, hopefully contributing to a pension. Her money will be contributing to your child benefits, for which your third child will now be eligible.

You have three children (I hope this was your choice) and she doesn’t have any yet but may do in the future.
Her £500 gym membership is helping to keep a business running and employ people.
Her £100k means she is paying a decent amount of tax. I would have loved to have earned that much at her age and my grandparents did not leave any inheritance.
You can still put the £8k stocks and shares ISA, I believe it’s max £12k in cask ISA.

It maybe that she is currently contributing more fiscally to the country and economy than you. You may even be using more than you have contributed- maternity services, schools etc.

Being jealous of your own niece and starting a thread about her is really distasteful op; as is trying to silence people.

yes she gets an opinion, everyone gets an opinion on politics, it effects us all and no you don’t get to silence people.

get a grip on your envy.

She's entitled to her opinion, but if as you say she's telling you exactly how she feels and what she thinks should happen while not listening to your experience and opinions, cut off the conversation; there's no point in having it if it's completely one-sided. Just agree to disagree, and take comfort in the fact that there IS some relief in this budget and that the current government do understand that some people are suffering and can't just pull themselves up by the bootstraps to fix all of their problems instantaneously like your niece thinks they should.

Ah ok op, so she’s one of those who are seen to be “you earn well, you should be happy to pay increased taxes towards others, and if you don’t you’re aaaawwful!!”

Happy to take her money via her tax contributions though, eh?

Jealous, entitled British pysche. This mindset is exactly what's making our country economically sick. If you don't like your circumstances, do something about it. She did.

Oh well then I disagree with her, but that doesn't mean she isn't entitled to an opinion. Unfortunately our country has had many senior politicians from very privileged backgrounds who also probably have no idea about the lives of most people in the population, but they were still entitled to an opinion.

I would just not let her opinions or different lifestyle bother you. If you want you could try to explain your concerns about the budget to her, but except she may not apprecaite them still

How old are you?

She doesn’t earn 100 k due to luck and being in the right room as you said in your op. She earns that as she went for it, studied at uni, applied for the jobs, and it won’t have been easy either.

honestly how horrible your envy has made you.