Off Topic Politics Thread

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The classes are more like income bands these days, but the terminology is still there for the reason Badger said.
I don't know what the income bands are as they actually change depending on where you live. If you are single income household earning less than 25K you are probably in the poverty underclass wherever you live.
 
St Badger said:
There isn’t one.
It’s just a made up class that panders to people’s self importance, designed to divide the working class and hopefully gain more votes for the Tory Party.
Divide and conquer.
It’s been the Tory strategy for decades.
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It certainly worked on my dad. He was able to work his way out of a “proper” working class background to owning a business and a nice house that he will always claim to all be down to Maggie Thatcher. A completely solid true blue conservative voter who will not waiver. Will happily walk down and vote for Michael Gove even though he disagreed with Brexit

He has the odd moment - like when he finally once acknowledged that maybe Thatcher selling off all the council houses wasn’t actually as good as he always assumed it was. It was a real “wow, you think?!” moment
 
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The class system is a means to satisfy the ego. An invisible dividing line to emphasise contempt and superiority to those deemed to be unworthy.
At best its a harmless symbol that appeals to the shallow and the vain but it can be an obnoxious trait for those with power. I expect other countries have similar systems but it seems more pronounced in the UK especially in England. It will always be with us because it seems to be part of the human psyche to want to be seen as better than the next man/woman.
 
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Libby said:
25k a year isn't poverty ffs.
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You are probably right that my figure is too high, not sure it needed the swearing though.

If you say after tax on 25k you keep 21k, rent around 6k pa, utilities at 1.5k pa, food another 5k pa, that would leave approx, that would leave about £700 per month to cover all other costs. Of course I am not including benefits, but it is my understanding most of those ramp to zero if you over a certain earning threshold. So I don't think you have to go too far below 25k before most of us would struggle to support a family.
My point though is not really the threshold, but the fact that there are many people who are struggling.
 
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SaintStu said:
You are probably right that my figure is too high, not sure it needed the swearing though.

If you say after tax on 25k you keep 21k, rent around 6k pa, utilities at 1.5k pa, food another 5k pa, that would leave approx, that would leave about £700 per month to cover all other costs. Of course I am not including benefits, but it is my understanding most of those ramp to zero if you over a certain earning threshold. So I don't think you have to go too far below 25k before most of us would struggle to support a family.
My point though is not really the threshold, but the fact that there are many people who are struggling.
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You're right, my apologies. Its just that this topic is one of my biggest bug bears.

I remember someone posting it before and noticing that I would have fit the poverty criteria for most of adult life. And frankly, I wouldn't class myself anywhere near it for most of it. I could house, feed, and clothe myself and my lad and still had money spare for leisure, and that somehow fits the poverty criteria? Sorry but it's nonsense.

There's obviously poverty in the UK but it ain't those working full time and paying 70% of salary to bills/food.
 
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This video shows how difficult it is for traders in the horticulture industry to import from the EU, and explains how, with some products, you have to us a DEFRA website called PEACH, which is only compatible with Internet Explorer.

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SaintStu said:
You are probably right that my figure is too high, not sure it needed the swearing though.

If you say after tax on 25k you keep 21k, rent around 6k pa, utilities at 1.5k pa, food another 5k pa, that would leave approx, that would leave about £700 per month to cover all other costs. Of course I am not including benefits, but it is my understanding most of those ramp to zero if you over a certain earning threshold. So I don't think you have to go too far below 25k before most of us would struggle to support a family.
My point though is not really the threshold, but the fact that there are many people who are struggling.
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From the internet:
"According to the ONS, the average salary in the UK in 2021 was £25,971, an increase of 0.3% compared to figures released in 2020 (£25,893)

Importantly, the ONS state that the data was impacted by the Government’s furlough scheme and other pandemic disruptions which led to an inflated growth. Regardless, this is the most comprehensive analysis of the average salaries of employees in the UK.


The latest complete earnings analysis (2021) from the ONS shows that for full-time workers, the average earnings are even higher, with the UK’s average full-time wage now standing at £31,285, a 0.6% decrease YoY, while part-time workers in the UK earn an average of £11,310, a 0.6% increase YoY."

So in a single income house with one full time earner, the average is £31k. Add a part time mum and it is combined about £42.5k. I would say then that most households with a family (mum, dad and at least one kid) would struggle on £25k and I am pretty sure there are no benefits paid out. £25k is not poverty in the true sense, but probably a struggle and a vicious cycle that a full family would struggle with.

I actually think that rather like getting a mortgage, benefits should be assessed on an individual basis in a certain band of income where your outgoings and incomings are assessed and rather than no benefits you get topped up. What I mean is if you are struggling and it is obvious that outgoings are all for food, clothes, keeping a roof over your head etc then you get a little help.

I could be talking bollocks too as I am lucky to have never had to claim any benefits so don't really know what the limits are or if there is a sliding scale.

I don't mean they would be assessed as a way to remove them, (though I can see how this would never work as the government would do that) but as a way to help those on the threshold of coming away from receiving them.

But there lies another issue. If you were then offered overtime to say earn an extra £300/month, but lose the benefits, you would not bother as you could get the same for doing nothing.

There is no easy solution as there will always be those willing to exploit the system, from both sides of the fence.


EDIT: Just reread this and the bit about never claiming benefits is not meant to come across as condescending or arrogant. I know full well that it is by luck and good fortune as well as the odd opportunity that this is the case and I never take that for granted. That is why I always stop and talk to the homeless guys around here - not to make me feel better, but as I know they all have a story and really it is just luck and maybe circumstances that are beyond my control that I am not there with them. I remember a good friend of mine said to me that we are all just one bad decision from being in that position, so never take it for granted.
 
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These are instructions to truckers, from P&O, to comply with UK rules on importing goods, since Brexit. Makes perfect sense :emoticon-0175-drunk:emoticon-0175-drunk

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Yep, Brexit is a ****ing **** show.

I hoped my fears would be unfounded, but it’s an utter mess, and I speak with authority having watched order times for machine parts get longer and longer and longer.

Brexit combined with the supply shortages on electronic chips is a recipe for an absolute clusterfuck, and I expect to see more inflation this year.
 
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An interesting report about the Trilateral Commission, an elite group that is said to be “anti democracy” yet includes Lord Mandelson and Keir Starmer in it’s limited membership.
The “late” Jeffrey Epstein was also a member. Annoying that the report keeps misspelling his name, but it points out his close acquaintanceship with Mandelson.

https://labourheartlands.com/why-ar...hat-child-abuser-jeffrey-epstein-belonged-to/
 
Le Tissier's Laces said:
Friend of mine has just been doing some filming on a rooftop with a politician. Said politician was 15 minutes late as they were 'stuck in the lift' up to the top. Turns out they hadn't pressed a button, "because someone normally does that for me".
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:emoticon-0102-bigsm:emoticon-0102-bigsm:emoticon-0102-bigsm:emoticon-0102-bigsm
Just about sums up the complete twat that he is …… (not your friend, obviously)
 
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