To feel utterly miserable about a future with Andy Burnham as PM?

[OneWarmHazelQuail]

I feel like I'm being stung in every possible way at the moment- £15 a day on tube to work, high mortgage costs, high energy costs, private schooling for SEN child (I was told state wouldn't be unlikely to assist him as he isn't mute or violent). My parents have had to help fund schooling it felt like my only hope as son has behavioural issues.

I also have an unsold old home that I have to rent out as it wouldn't sell. Buy-to-let mortgage costs, agent fees, maintenance and tax put me in a loss position.

I can't bear what the future holds with Andy Burnham. I have no doubt that he will find new and imaginative ways to keep me in this financial nightmare. I'm literally struggling from food poverty but regarded as rich by policy.

YABU- Andy Burnham is actually going to make things better

YANBU- I'm screwed

I am glad you agree 😊

Hard work should always be rewarded, regardless of the form it takes. Unfortunately our society over values some work and under values others, so there will never be just rewards for effort.
I was specifically addressing the OP anyway. Hard work hasn't earned her wealthy parents, has it? She benefits significantly from pre existing privilege.

Property isn’t mobile. It can be taxed whether its owner is in the country or not.

Charmer.

Thanks. Anyone still banging on about Brexit really needs professional help at this point.

It wasn’t a compliment.

@Dragonscaledaisy ,

Umm, I think you will find plenty of reputable economists who ‘bang on endlessly’ about hoarding property, as well as virtually an entire generation who have to borrow to the hilt to live in a broom copy, despite being outwardly successful graduates.

I think people need to get over resisting a fair tax system (not necessarily higher total take, but abolishing the ways it can be exploited). And this includes taxing property sensibly.

the properties often get rented out if not sold and those costs are passed on to tenants

The damage caused by 14 years of Conservative misrule and the catastrophe of Brexit can’t be undone in two years. Anyone who has a child in private school and owns a second home isn’t doing badly.
However, you aren’t coping personally with your circumstances and need professional medical help for you to cope better with your circumstances.

I’m glad you got a kind message and posted this response OP - I really agree, it sounds like your son’s condition and your mental health are really affecting you, which is understandable. Hope there is somewhere you can reach out for help.

Does it mean it's gone if just a small number leave? I'm not an economist. If some nameless, faceless billionaire decides not to buy any more £multimillion properties in London to leave empty, would our economy be damaged? If a few high earning bankers leave for their tax havens, will there be no one with their skill sets to fill their places? Like I said, I'm not an economist so I'm asking this part of the question genuinely and I'm sure even amongst economists there would be different answers.

As for the "exodus", I just don't believe it or they would have gone by now. Anyone else know parents that "count to 3" to make their children do things? Often it works for years, until the kids realise nothing THAT bad (or sometimes nothing at all) happens at 3.

I'm certainly not resisting a property tax. My point is that it won't change behaviour.

I am so sorry @OneWarmHazelQuail you are struggling. As pp says I don't think Burnham is the problem here. You have a unique set of issues that has not been created by politicians.

How long ago did you attempt to sell your proprty? Is it worth another go? Have you and your husband sat down and looked at where it might be possible to trim the budget? Any luxuries like a cleaner or gardner you could cut out? Could you increase the rent on the second property?

I think you'd BU to be specifically miserable about Burnham. The fact is absolutely none of the political parties are coming to help ordinary people with costs as far as I can tell. Everyone just seems to be sticking to 'low taxes, cut benefits', no one's going to enact any policies that help smaller or 'accidental' landlords and no one seems to want to help SEN provision, in fact they all seem to want to cut it and just pretend fewer people have SEN.

if people in multi national corps earning huge amounts eg bankers, move to Dubai, They no longer pay tax in the UK. If 5 people earning a million a year move that is about £2 million in taxes lost

The exodus has been under way for over two years in London. The idea that it isn’t now becoming acute just highlights how poorly connected those on welfare are to the real working world.

It's not Brexit per se, but our utter inability to make the most of the opportunities it should have afforded. Who knew in 2016 how weak and incompetent our politicians and civil service would be in both negotiation and implementation of policy? who knew how vindictive European countries would be in wanting to 'punish' us? Then again, who predicted Covid and Ukraine?

Well, many of us suspected, but it took these shocks to be really found wanting as a country. Decline set in under the latter Blair and Brown years, accelerated under the Conservatives and has continued under 2 years of Labour. No leader has been honest about our spending addiction, our debt or brave enough to properly tackle it and I've not seem any evidence yet that Burnham will be any different.

He was an MP for over a decade before he became Mayor of Greater Manchester, and held at least two cabinet positions in that time (Health and Culture, Media and Sport, iirc).

He doesn't strike me as thick at all.

You need to cost selling this property at a loss, it if will give you access to more state help it may be worth it?

I should add that someone I know was able to sell his house, get visa, arrange schooling for his children in Dubai and move in under 6 months

100% agree

Do you have anyvevidence of the exodus? Particularly taking into account any high earning / high net worth individuals who move into the UK?

I never said I was on "welfare".

Im not looking for my wealth to be increased. I'm just trying to stay afloat.

Sell both properties and downsize. Put your child in mainstream school.

There you go.

Go through your monthly budget and cut everything you can.

OMG I haven't read the thread but talk about inviting trouble before it has even started.

I'd much rather have Andy Burnham than Nigel Farage or another of his ilk.

But then I thought Starmer was doing ok too - was nice to have a grown up government for a change. Pity Labour MPs didn't agree and took a leaf out of the Tory "lets replace our PM every 2 years playbook".