Will the Economy Cause Riots on the Streets
Are people going to take to the streets - is there going to be widespread industrial action - are we in for a ‘Summer of Rage’ because of the credit crunch and the government’s diabolical mishandling of the economy ?
I think we could be ! But more importantly so do the Police !
I wonder how much more the long-suffering public will take before they do anything but grumble to themselves and those around them ?
As a nation of people I believe we are fairly passive and seem to simply accept everything the government and Europe throws at us.
The English seem to have made passive non-response an art form, in England we seem to accept everything.
You can be proud to be Scottish, proud to be Irish and Welsh but to be proud to be English and fly the flag of St George is racist !
Severe recession, and a probable depression, though brings real fear and concentrates minds !
When you see bankers who have engineered their own downfall being given huge handouts to keep their businesses afloat and then taking millions of pounds in bonuses you start to enrage even the most easy going tax payer !
As people start to lose jobs that are skilled and once deemed safe I believe people will start to react.
MPs and Euro MPs who all have their noses in the trough then indifference from the public must wear thin.
Whilst I believe there is accountability for many here- as a nation we have borrowed and led lives we clearly could not afford - from the humblest working class man through businesses, bankers and the government itself we must accept responsibility for personal debt and bad judgement.
That said, the difference is that the average working man and woman is being asked to shoulder the burden and pay for everyone’s mistakes !
If you’re in the middle - leading your life without help from others you’re going to be hammered.
Those at the top will continue as they always have, no doubt getting huge bailouts to help them on their way.
As I type this I hear a Russian billionaire who has a £60 million yacht wants the UK tax payer to give one of his companies a fortune in order to keep it afloat !
What help will the average person who loses their job get ! Apart from legal aid to help with the repossession of their home that is !
The whole thing is a sickening disgrace
Little Brother said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:08 pm
Rod,
It wouldn’t suprise me if we saw similar unrest as per the Thatcher years. It’s bubbling under at the moment; the petrol strikes, Lindsey Oil Refinery and work going to migrant workers etc. It doesn’t bode well.
I’ve always said that if you’re a middle income tax payer with no cause for benefit claims then you’re screwed, regardless of government or circumstance.
LB
Annie Flinn said,
February 24, 2009 @ 3:09 am
Just a question–how many native born English people are willing to do the work that migrant workers do? Or do they find the work demeaning and beneath them as do so many American. They gripe that migrants are taking jobs, but they refuse to do those jobs themselves, believing the worker to be for the lower classes.
Rod said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:09 am
LB
absolutely, the LOR situation started not far from me so I had that in mind.
The police are concerned too as they are making preperations and plans for problems !
There’s a lot more to come yet I fear
Cheers
Rod
Rod said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:18 am
Annie,
up until recently unemployment was very low here. Whilst it existed I think when you factor out those who don’t want to want or claim they can’t etc …
Speaking only personally, I don’t know, or know of third hand, anybody who is out of work and wants a job.
That’s all going to change of course.
As to low paid jobs one of the ‘problems’ there is, if you have a family, you can be better off not working it seems.
I don’t say this is always the case but it is certainly the perception - certainly the benefit system is skewed towards families so if you have children you will, generally, get a house and an income that matches many full-time jobs.
As to what jobs people will do I think it’s more the money.
Many jobs are simply ‘minimum wage’ now and I fail to see how anybody, without children, can support themselves on that unless they are already set up and own their house outright etc.
Best
Rod
If you have children the government will give you a lot o fhelp
Femme Fatale said,
February 26, 2009 @ 10:14 pm
Rod,
As to low paid jobs one of the ‘problems’ there is, if you have a family, you can be better off not working it seems
This may be the perception of a lot of people, but it is not true, it depends on the amount of hours you work as to how much help you get from the benefits agency.
Eg, if you work 16 hours or less you get less help, but if you work 30 hours or more you get more help.
Hope this makes things clearer for you
FF
xx
Rod said,
February 27, 2009 @ 9:19 am
FF,
thanks for the info, that sounds like an improvement in the system to me.
Regards
Rod