Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
News
Original poster

"...only 6% of public service cuts have happened yet. Another 94% are still to come, with cascades more public servants sacked. In benefits, 88% of cuts are still to come."

34 replies

katykuns · 03/02/2012 11:24

www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/02/welfare-reform-bill-cameron-frightening?commentpage=all#start-of-comments

Permission to sob uncontrollably? :(

OP posts:
OP posts:
ChickenLickn · 03/02/2012 21:42

Yikes. Great Britain is going to be Shit Britain. Or perhaps great wales and great scotland, just shit england.

So annoyed with this government ruining everything.

We were one of the big 3 in Europe, now we don't even get a say and have to watch from the edge! That's in just 2 years.

meditrina · 03/02/2012 21:47

I really don't see why this is news. That the cuts were announced one, two or three years before they come into effect has been done totally openly.

LynetteScavo · 03/02/2012 21:57

Well, yes.

I've said for a few years we are going back to how things were in the 70's.

Hold on tight, people.

Meglet · 03/02/2012 22:09

Sad but not suprised.

ChickenLickn · 05/02/2012 16:29

Lynette - but when do we get the good music?

"we were born to die" FFS ?? Was it sponsored by the tories?

Charlotteperkins · 05/02/2012 17:33

I want to emigrate.

LynetteScavo · 05/02/2012 17:59

Good point about the music.

Maybe music interlinked with technology. Now we have ipads and internet music will never be the same again.

Emigrating won't help, unless you go to a the back of beyond and shun modern life.

learningtofly · 05/02/2012 18:07

I fear we will see a huge divide emerge within society, especially in health and social care provision (even more so than currently) - those who can will pay privately and those who can't scrape by with minimized services

JuliaScurr · 05/02/2012 18:15
Nice little explanation of where our cash went (Clue - not benefit scroungers or public spending)
JuliaScurr · 05/02/2012 18:17
happyAvocado · 05/02/2012 18:50

JuliaScurr - thanks for that link, it had widened my horizons

telsa · 05/02/2012 21:15

I agree with Learningtofly - but add education to that list too.

NonnoMum · 05/02/2012 21:23

Because the Tories are trying to put ridiculous plans in place.

Such as "Family Champions" - like a powerless HV/SW for families who are a bit chaotic. Cos we are all going to welcome them into our home when our teenagers refuse to go to school to take part in the boring 1950s curriculum.

And arts grads will only be from wealthy families as ordinary families won't be able to afford university.

And class sizes will get bigger as many more heads and teachers will resign/be pushed out for cheaper models as Ofsted gets fiercer and fiercer and recruitment will be impossible in schools...

ahhhhhpushit · 05/02/2012 21:30

Good. "arts grads" are certainly one thing we could do with less of.

NonnoMum · 05/02/2012 21:42

So all the TV programme makers, stylists, designers, musicians, choreographers, actors, directors, filmmakers, set designers, radio producers, etc etc should just come from the posh lot?

Whilst the state-educated are call-centre fodder?

learningtofly · 05/02/2012 21:58

I see where you are coming from nonno and its a fair point but I worry that when you look at the public services which as a whole we expect to be available, be free and meet our needs when we need them, they simply won't exist anymore. And most people if faced with the choice of healthcare or arts would probably plump for health.

Any governments biggest challenge will be managing the fall out when these expectations can not be met any longer.

Tranquilidade · 05/02/2012 22:21

The trouble is learning that people think public services are free when in fact they are not, they are paid for by deductions from salary. Many people, whilst they see the value to society of having services, do not see the "value" in each individual consultation/intervention.

I work in the NHS and never cease to be amazed at the number of appointments that people do not turn up to which costs a fortune. We need all users of services to value them as much as they would if they were paying for them.

learningtofly · 05/02/2012 22:31

True - when I said free really I meant free at the point of access and should have been clearer. But the expectation is there when the potential is one day it might not.

ReneeVivien · 05/02/2012 22:32

[rocks to and fro in darkened corner, head in hands]

learningtofly · 05/02/2012 22:40

My biggest worry is for the most vulnerable people and children who potentially could be the greatest effected and those who need highly specialist services (short or long term) which won't be economically viable. Rather than person centred it seems we are heading towards finance driven decisions.

Saying that I have no idea how we (or anyone) change this or make it better!

NonnoMum · 05/02/2012 23:03

Ok - if I'm dying of a heart attack then of course I want to be able to be treated by a world-class health service rather than sung an aria from someone at Glyndbourne.

But I also want to live in a creative, vibrant, diverse country where ordinary people can thrive.

Otherwise I might move to China and manufacture grey dungarees for us all to wear, as we wend our way wearily to work in the banking call-centres.

learningtofly · 05/02/2012 23:38

Ah my projection is we will all acquire guitars ala seasick Steve and be expected to sit around composing our own tunes about the good old days Grin

ChickenLickn · 06/02/2012 00:50

Well looking at the policies they are putting in place I predict:

Everyone will end up on "benefits"/universal credit which replaces minimum wage. As soon as DCs leave school they join a workfare program working for a private, profit making company and claim universal credit, the minimum the government has decided we can live on without dropping dead.

Some people drop dead.

Healthcare is only available if your parents are rich. Rich people dont work, they are "capitalists" living off their capital.

The law is only for the rich who can afford a lawyer.

The rich get richer and richer as they don't have to pay wages/taxes etc. (the Tory dream)

The people get pissed off and revolt and chop all the rich peoples heads off, aka guillotines.

Oh no wait, that's the history books.

This time I think people riot and revolt (already happening) hopefully things go back in the right direction... umm Confused

telsa · 06/02/2012 08:47

well the rich certainly are already getting richer - witness the rise in sales of Bentley's and the profits up at Harrod's/Selfridges etc, plus Central London house prices going ballistic. And if that is just after 6% of cuts....which suggests that it is not about making 'savings' across the board but about redistribution of money - it gets diverted and concentrated through processes such as this. (eg backhanders to friends in business to run now privatised services and the like)