The changing face of Britain

[MrGongGong]

Lat , I understand where you are coming from (as some might say !)
but don't (even as a parent of an autistic young man and someone who is self employed etc) share your pessimism
the place were I live 20 years ago was almost a total monoculture, over the last 20 years for a variety of reasons it has become more and more diverse, dynamic and a much better place to live. The fear that some felt (and some still do ) is almost entirely born out of lack of experience or exposure to other ways of living.
Personally having had my life saved by a non English surgeon in the NHS I would want to preserve BOTH not retreat into some ridiculous little englander kipper world of the fictional 1950's.......

[Lateralthinking1]

Lat , I understand where you are coming from (as some might say !)
but don't (even as a parent of an autistic young man and someone who is self employed etc) share your pessimism
the place were I live 20 years ago was almost a total monoculture, over the last 20 years for a variety of reasons it has become more and more diverse, dynamic and a much better place to live. The fear that some felt (and some still do ) is almost entirely born out of lack of experience or exposure to other ways of living.
Personally having had my life saved by a non English surgeon in the NHS I would want to preserve BOTH not retreat into some ridiculous little englander kipper world of the fictional 1950's.......

Yes, thank you, but it isn't the 1950s outlook and it isn't ostensibly about cultural apprehension.

God forbid, I will be the new Tory leader's agent for a moment. I am saying - you have the votes of the wealthy, of the traditional law and order brigade, of those who think Labour are useless on the economy, of people who want to leave the EU, of working class whites who feel that jobs aren't going to them, of Indian shopkeepers who worry that extra competition will put them out of business, of the few who are still Christian fundamentalists, of some who are fundamentally racist, ....if it wasn't for concerns about the NHS, you've got a guaranteed landslide. I might even argue that the first thing to be done when elected is to get rid of the NHS and any benefits completely. In that way, the opposition has nothing left to defend. There's no future votes in them.

A nightmare scenario but not implausible. That is principally what I am arguing here to prevent.

[jayne lee wilson]

my long lost sister ?

posh scouse , scally or the missing member of Half Man Half Biscuit ?

Why did I read this before Mahler 5... trying to stop.. coffee time!

[Resurrection Man]

Where a person is born is immaterial.
What concerns me is that the population continues to increase to a level that is not sustainable in that resources and food need to be imported on a vast scale. There are many people who still think it's their human right to have as many children as they want. I beg to differ.

Well said, EA.

[teamsaint]

Well said, EA.

Would you like the government to decide how many kids people can have instead then?
or a quango?
the local GP?
or JP?
or MP?

Perhaps a bank of psychometric tests?

I mean, its important to get it right if we are going to impose the will of the state on individuals.

[MrGongGong]

This from Theresa May

"You only have to look at London, where almost half of all primary school children speak English as a second language, to see the challenges we now face as a country. This isn't fair to anyone: how can people build relationships with their neighbours if they can't even speak the same language?

What an utterly stupid and ignorant woman ............ like i've said before
speaking English as a second language doesn't mean that you can't speak English

who on earth allows these dipsticks to make decisions ?


I like this quote from the Guardian

"Tories are stealing all our jobs and public services. They don't even speak the same language as us. Send them back! "

[teamsaint]

perhaps those who put people like May in control of decision making are impressed by performances like this

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/9740662/Theresa-May-mass-immigration-pushes-up-house-prices.html

Dangerous thing, certainty.

[Flosshilde]

Let me see - 'mass immigration' is forcing down wages, because all these masses of immigrants are happy to take jobs on minimum wages. & then pushing up house prices by buying houses, which 'our own' people can't afford to buy.

Have I missed something?

[teamsaint]

Let me see - 'mass immigration' is forcing down wages, because all these masses of immigrants are happy to take jobs on minimum wages. & then pushing up house prices by buying houses, which 'our own' people can't afford to buy.

Have I missed something?

Not really.

It would be SO good to hear a government actually promise to do something useful, like build more houses, and then actually do it, instead of just blaming other people for the "problems" that they frighten us with daily.

[Lateralthinking1]

"Could be 10% lower over 20 years" means absolutely nothing. I have no idea who it is aimed at. It sounds completely half-baked. They should just get on with it rather than coming up with ridiculous notions.

I agree with Eine. I have a very negative view of anyone who has more than 3 children. Ditto any household with more than 3 vehicles and anyone who has more than 3 foreign holidays every year.

[MrGongGong]

"Could be 10% lower over 20 years" means absolutely nothing. I have no idea who it is aimed it. It sounds completely half-baked. They should just get on with it rather than coming up with ridiculous notions.

I agree with Eine. I have a very negative view of anyone who has more than 3 children. Ditto any household with more than 3 vehicles and anyone who has more than 3 foreign holidays every year.

Or more than 3 CD's of The Rite Of Spring ?

[Lateralthinking1]

Or more than 3 CD's of The Rite Of Spring ?

Especially that!

[teamsaint]

"Could be 10% lower over 20 years" means absolutely nothing. I have no idea who it is aimed at. It sounds completely half-baked. They should just get on with it rather than coming up with ridiculous notions.

I agree with Eine. I have a very negative view of anyone who has more than 3 children. Ditto any household with more than 3 vehicles and anyone who has more than 3 foreign holidays every year.

so is a 6 person household with 4 cars worse than a 2 person one with 2 cars? or 3 X 2 person households with 2 cars each.

what about people with 2 kids who plan a third and then have twins?

What about 4 trips to france on the train, compared to 1 to Hawaii?

Is an american family having 2 kids using their level of resources (roughly 25% of world resources for 5 % of population) really better than a large developing world family using close to zero resources?

3 Rites of Spring ought to be enough, though , I agree !!

[Lateralthinking1]

so is a 6 person household with 4 cars worse than a 2 person one with 2 cars? or 3 X 2 person households with 2 cars each.

what about people with 2 kids who plan a third and then have twins?

What about 4 trips to france on the train, compared to 1 to Hawaii?

Is an american family having 2 kids using their level of resources (roughly 25% of world resources for 5 % of population) really better than a large developing world family using close to zero resources?

3 Rites of Spring ought to be enough, though , I agree !!

That's an awful lot of numbers.

I am organising a festival. I have space for 200,000 and everyone is a mate or a mate of a mate. Unfortunately I am informed by the authorities that the roads and public transport can only cope with 175,000 and the police can only manage the same number.

Furthermore, it is clear from my budget that I can only provide water etc facilities for 150,000, St John Ambulance tells me it can only manage casualties based on a figure of 125,000 and those providing the creches are having to work to a figure of 100,000.

All things considered, I am given a licence for 100,000. Consequently I only issue tickets to 100,000. They go to those who were first in the queue. The other 100,000 are obviously disappointed but they accept it isn't meant personally. What is the problem?

[teamsaint]

your post has bigger numbers than mine Lat !!

Anyway, answer? ticket prices go up. Which is what has happened to the cost of living in the south.Its a miracle anybody can afford kids , cars and holidays hereabouts !