5 years hard labour ?

[Bper]

Is it really going to make any difference who wins the Conservative leadership vote, since none of the candidates seem to appeal to me?☹️
 

[AndyN01]

The Tories are in turmoil and IMHO their opposition is irrelevant because of the Labour majority. All they can do is get something together in preparation for the next election.

Are the Labour party starting off with a clever tactic?

Go properly nasty for the next couple of years. Make the upcoming budget particularly eye watering to "set the scene" for the direction of travel. .

Then, in years 3 or 4, miraculously find the magic money tree and have a great giveaway just in time for the next election?

I wonder if it's their tactic and will it work?

[Bper]

Andy,IMHO, I don’t think it’s a tactic I honestly believe they haven’t got a clue. They walked into Downing Street, and the Tories handed the election to them on a plate. The problem is, they didn’t have a clue either. There seems to be a real issue with how the country has been run for many years. It’s either a case of total incompetence or part of an agenda to change the face of the country. The eradication of British culture and history has been blatantly obvious for some time. The continued failure of any government to ensure the basic infrastructure of the country is working is appalling.

Has anyone besides the rich seen any positive change in the last 20 years? I often wonder how the people of this country have allowed these politicians to ruin what was once a great nation—and how we’ve allowed them to get away with it. I have tried to see the positive over the years hoping that change would take place and improvement would happen, but sadly it hasn't.☹️

[AndyN01]

A family member is over from Australia where they emigrated to for work about 3 decades ago.

They are absolutely incredulous at the state of the Country, the cost of living and the whole "broken" thing. And, yes, they are looking forward to going back "down under." There's no way they'll be coming back to live here.

What have "we" allowed to happen, where have we been and where are we going.......

[Bper]

It was announced this morning that the government is seeking more accommodation spaces for migrants due to the recent increase in arrivals over the past few weeks. Hotels that were recently shut down may be reopened to cope with the demand. This comes despite Keir Starmer's promise to crack down on the gangs behind human trafficking.

Regardless of whether one is for or against migration, this will undoubtedly lead to more costs and place an increasing burden on public services. The ongoing migration crisis can only be attributed to successive governments that, year after year, promise to address the issue but consistently fail to do so. They may bury their heads in the sand, but this problem will not disappear.

If the government has failed to build enough new housing for the population we had before this migration issue, how will it manage with even more people coming into the country?

There is little doubt that hotels and other accommodations will remain permanently full, and the eventual cost may become unsustainable.☹️

[AndyN01]

I wonder if the constituency of those MP's that promote/support/advocate something are the prime placement for whatever that is. And, conversely, those that oppose it are left well alone.

So, if an MP thinks, say, fracking is a great idea then it'll be set up in their constituency (yes, I know it might not be geologically suitable - it's an example).

Or, from above, the accommodation for the migrants is placed there.

Obviously, if whatever it is is such a great idea and is supported by the MP then the voters shall welcome it and help to make sure that it all goes well.

[Haliotis]

In Politics Today on BBC2, housing was a topic, and at one point the need for building 400,000 houses a year was mentioned.   The thing that concerns me is, the UK is a relatively small country and already heavily populated, and we cannot develop indefinitely without seriously threatening the ability for the country to feed itself.  It is all very well importing food from abroad, but this facility can be lost for many reasons so we do need contingency plans to be able to feed ourselves entirely with home grown produce.

The obvious solution is to build upwards but, for some reason, in the UK this results in problematic antisocial situations and such areas quickly degenerate into slums.  Why is this so, and can it be changed in the future?  

In the meantime, however, why have authorities and developers not built “conventional” residential properties in three-storey style, with the ground storey open plan to accommodate a garaging area instead of having a larger plot to allow the erection of a large garage?.   I would have thought that any government (including Labour) would have seen this as a sensible first step in conserving land areas.

[Benzowner]

33 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

The obvious solution is to build upwards but, for some reason, in the UK this results in problematic antisocial situations and such areas quickly degenerate into slums.  Why is this so, and can it be changed in the future?  

The answer could be, if letting as opposed to selling, to let the apartments of a full repairing lease where the residents are responsible for their property and when vacating must be in the condition as it was when they moved in. This system is always used when renting commercial premises, so why not, obviously a a lower price, rent the apartments on that system. Maybe then the residents will have a little more respect for the homes.

[Haliotis]

One problem is that the areas around many high rise blocks seem to degenerate into ghettos due to the type of people who hang around them, and who do not necessarily live in the blocks.  Similarly, any parades of shops in such areas suffer theft and attacks by criminal gangs.  I recall many high rise residential blocks in the Leicester area that went down hill after a few years, and have since been demolished to make way for rented social housing. But, again, if I have reason to visit Leicester (city of my birth), I circumnavigate so as to avoid such areas.

It is sad, really, because I grew up in a terraced house district of Leicester (with a very nice park in the adjacent road), and the houses, mainly owner-occupied, were kept in good order as were the surrounding streets.  Local shops were excellent with no trouble from break-ins or threatening behaviour from young people.  Somewhere, respect for others and self discipline has dropped almost to zero - personally, I am thankful that I lived in an honourable society.  We did not have the trapping of modern society, but everyone was much more social.

I don’t think the UK has any governing bodies (either in power or opposition) that are capable of bringing back a social fabric which now seems like paradise when I was young.

[Eddie G]

11 hours ago, AndyN01 said:

The Tories are in turmoil and IMHO their opposition is irrelevant because of the Labour majority. All they can do is get something together in preparation for the next election.

Are the Labour party starting off with a clever tactic?

Go properly nasty for the next couple of years. Make the upcoming budget particularly eye watering to "set the scene" for the direction of travel. .

Then, in years 3 or 4, miraculously find the magic money tree and have a great giveaway just in time for the next election?

I wonder if it's their tactic and will it work?

The usual promise the earth if they get back into power and hope we have very short memories, it's worked in the past but are we all way too wise for that now? one would hope so but am still undecided if Labour are incompetent power trippers or they have a plan? time will tell! 

[dannyboy413]

11 hours ago, AndyN01 said:

Are the Labour party starting off with a clever tactic?

Go properly nasty for the next couple of years. 

Then, in years 3 or 4, miraculously find the magic money tree and have a great giveaway just in time for the next election?

 

Many, many moons ago, I had a computer game. Basically, I was the Government and I had x amount of money in the coffers and if I needed more, I had to tax people and things. Depending on my 'budgets', I either pleased the population, or displeased them. It did not take me long to realise that I had to be hard on the public in the first 2 or 3 years. This built up a healthy surplus and in years 4 and 5, I could cut taxes, increase public spending and generally please the population. My government was quite often re-elected!

[Bper]

5 minutes ago, dannyboy413 said:

Many, many moons ago, I had a computer game. Basically, I was the Government and I had x amount of money in the coffers and if I needed more, I had to tax people and things. Depending on my 'budgets', I either pleased the population, or displeased them. It did not take me long to realise that I had to be hard on the public in the first 2 or 3 years. This built up a healthy surplus and in years 4 and 5, I could cut taxes, increase public spending and generally please the population. My government was quite often re-elected!

Hi David,was the game one of these,

SimCity

Tropico

Democracy

Capitalism

Republic, The Revolution

[dannyboy413]

@Bper I doubt it Bob. I am talking of many, many, moons ago. I don't think games like SimCity had even been dreamed of in them thar days. If I remember correctly, it was text based, probably using 'Basic', (I told you I was talking of a long time ago!). 😁. Mind you, you have now made me curious so I will have to do some searching.

[Bper]

2 minutes ago, dannyboy413 said:

@Bper I doubt it Bob. I am talking of many, many, moons ago. I don't think games like SimCity had even been dreamed of in them thar days. If I remember correctly, it was text based, probably using 'Basic', (I told you I was talking of a long time ago!). 😁. Mind you, you have now made me curious so I will have to do some searching.

What decade would that be.?👍

 

[Cyker]

I did less well... my nuclear power plant blew up because I cut back on maintenance, then the city got set on fire because of riots which i couldn't put out because I only had one fire station, then legally-distinct-Godzilla attacked which really hurt land values...

It turn out I'm not good at things that require planning...

 

 

[dannyboy413]

11 minutes ago, Bper said:

What decade would that be.?👍

 

Wel............I was born in the, (very early), 1950s, so I am guessing 1970+

[Bper]

23 hours ago, Cyker said:

I did less well... my nuclear power plant blew up because I cut back on maintenance, then the city got set on fire because of riots which i couldn't put out because I only had one fire station, then legally-distinct-Godzilla attacked which really hurt land values...

It turn out I'm not good at things that require planning...

Blimey,its just dawned on me we are living in SimCity🫣

[Cyker]

Well we haven't been attacked by Godzilla yet so there's still hope!...?  

[Rhymes with Paris]

4 minutes ago, Cyker said:

Well we haven't been attacked by Godzilla yet so there's still hope!...?  

Maybe not round your way.

We have a lot scarier creatures up here.

There is an old Lincolnshire saying "I'm not going near that until it talks"

[Bper]

18 minutes ago, dannyboy413 said:

Wel............I was born in the, (very early), 1950s, so I am guessing 1970+

 Can you remember remember any other details of the game.?

[dannyboy413]

Aw come on Bob - I am in my 70s now!  😄

Seriously though, I seem to recall that it was all text based, (which is why I am thinking it might have been written in 'Basic'). Presumably there was some hidden spreadsheet which worked out the results of my taxing the poor public and not spending on infrastructure etc - until it got near election time of course! I am sure that it was based on the UK system of government and I could decide on the parameters and the game would, in effect, tell me how popular my policies were.  I have started trawling the net but am getting a headache already! 

[Rhymes with Paris]

23 hours ago, Cyker said:

I did less well... my nuclear power plant blew up because I cut back on maintenance, then the city got set on fire because of riots which i couldn't put out because I only had one fire station, then legally-distinct-Godzilla attacked which really hurt land values...

It turn out I'm not good at things that require planning.

The people running the plant were not called Simpson and Burns by any chance were they?

[Bper]

11 minutes ago, dannyboy413 said:

Aw come on Bob - I am in my 70s now!  😄

Seriously though, I seem to recall that it was all text based, (which is why I am thinking it might have been written in 'Basic'). Presumably there was some hidden spreadsheet which worked out the results of my taxing the poor public and not spending on infrastructure etc - until it got near election time of course! I am sure that it was based on the UK system of government and I could decide on the parameters and the game would, in effect, tell me how popular my policies were.  I have started trawling the net but am getting a headache already! 

I'm sorry, David. I should sympathise with you about how many years have passed, but I can't remember it all either.😂
 

[Bper]

2 minutes ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

The people running the plant were not called Simpson and Burns by any chance were they?

"D'oh😂

[Bper]

4 minutes ago, Bper said:

I'm sorry, David. I should sympathise with you about how many years have passed, but I can't remember it all either.😂
 

Ok seriously can you remember what device you played it on ,that way we could narrow it down If it helps.?