The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Bruce Wayne]

Whilst the above is true for many Bruce, and is often driven by economic necessity (as it was for me in the 80's) it does not make it right that the consequences of a particular policy have far reaching humam, social and economic costs at the individual level, and consequently increase the costs of health care and social care through the destruction of family and close neighbour support groups built up over many years.

Remember the consequences of mass re-housing in the 60's?

I'm not that old I'm afraid

 

[Joey66]

The unwritten consequences of a right to buy to housing association tennants is a long term increase in rents and a continuation of social engineering policies.

Why is this? As social housing disappears off the housing stock it will (assuming it is replaced) be replaced by "affordable" housing. The Government definition of "affordable" housing is 80% of market rent. So the consequences in expensive housing areas are dire particularly in light of the "benefits cap".

On the surface it looks like an election give-away, scratch deeper and you will realise the policy has far deeper consequences for society.

The two faced Tories are at it again some of these housing association houses were built to relive the housing problem from the sell off of council houses in the Thatcher years in the 1980's and ONE and half MILLION houses have been lost on her scheme right to buy which they promised to rebuild - so here we go again the houses when the tenants sell will fall into private landlords it will just push renting properties one way -UP-
Also when these association houses were but the tenants may have used Housing benefits, the very thing the Tories are trying to cut back on so they get a subsidy if they have the right to buy of £100,000 in the south how or were are they finding the funds for this simple any vacant council house in future will be sold at a discounted price!
It really does beggar belief they will say they will build more houses well they are 1. 5 million behind from the council sell off in the 1980's - I know why they call the selves CON servitives as it is another big CON -

They would sell their Grannies to get back into power this is desperation!
On the side of the working class my Ar@SE they are bribing the privileged few!
The waiting list for rent will be torn up if any party implements this crazy scheme!
Using Tax payers money to sell houses cheap!

 

[daylightrobber]

IF the Tories got in and they did implement this policy, how exactly are they going to be able to force the housing associations to sell their assets at below market value, or are they proposing to subsidise the purchase? (has this already been raised? - apologies if so)

Also, are they suggesting that the tenants of charitable housing associations should be allowed to purchase too?

 

[peteblue]

Sturgeon has been on 5 Live for the last hour. She is very very impressive.

Reckon if she had led the Nats last year, Scotland may well be independent now.

She has non of the smugness that put people off Salmond.

She's got it easy really though. Her whole agenda is to give Scots more of everything for free without the difficult part of how to pay for it. Left to their own devices Scotland would be bankrupt and looking like Greece within a couple of years. She does come across well for no other reason than we're all a bit fed up with DC, ED, that other fella from the LibDems, etc..... The Scots would still have rejected independence, but will certainly vote for someone offering freebies within the UK safety net..........

 

[roydo]

Oh sure Pete. Was a bit surprised how reasonable she sounded. Probably the freshness as well like you say.

 

[peteblue]

Oh sure Pete. Was a bit surprised how reasonable she sounded. Probably the freshness as well like you say.

Be honest, you fancy her don't you.......

 

[roydo]

The scottish accent certainly does it for me.......Spent 20 plus years working for a Scottish company. Speaking to them in Edinburgh was always a pleasure.

 

[peteblue]

The scottish accent certainly does it for me.......Spent 20 plus years working for a Scottish company. Speaking to them in Edinburgh was always a pleasure.

They have a decidedly down to earth quality which, when minus the smugness and hostility, actually plays well south of the border.......

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The scottish accent certainly does it for me.......Spent 20 plus years working for a Scottish company. Speaking to them in Edinburgh was always a pleasure.

You know the ladies on those cards in phone boxes don't really look like that don't you?

 

[roydo]

You know the ladies on those cards in phone boxes don't really look like that don't you?

From experience that?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

From experience that?

You can imagine peoples surprise when they found out I wasn't a 34DD.

 

[roydo]

lol

 

[Blue 1]

The scottish accent certainly does it for me.......Spent 20 plus years working for a Scottish company. Speaking to them in Edinburgh was always a pleasure.

Edinburgh and and further north is nice, Glasgow accent is horrific.

 

[piddlywiddly]

Their other Tory treasury bloke, baldy coloured guy was on the Daily politics today got mullard over the 8 billion and tax cuts for middle England, and the 12 billion welfare cuts that they will not say were they intend to get them from, they are making Millaband and Balls look more competent imo, they are doing their manifesto on a whim of Tory dogma- he was a joke Andrew Neil asked him where his money tree was!
Embarrassing to watch their manifesto has been printed and scrapped a few times now it is delayed - They fail to mention their quantitative easing has cost us 4 billion - Gideon Osborne is a Bull - crapper , and he is being found out, Their debt in the last five years now stands at 1.7 trillion they have failed to eliminate the deficit they say it a half it a third Growth is lower than in 2010 by 2 % - Five years of cuts suffering food banks what is next soup kitchens for all! bar the 2% richest in the country oh and by the way the new Bank of England Governor has been granted NON DOM STATUS - since he took the job my have the figures improved - my the books are not cooked they have been toasted!
The up turn in the economy coincided of him taking his post!
The Banks that were responsible for this have had the biggest pay rises, and Bonuses when some are still funded by us the tax payer!

I agree with all of this expect when it comes to the competency of a) Balls and b) Osbourne. I think Balls would be the worst chancellor out of the lot, i really do, i think he's completely out of his depth. Osbourne on the other hand i think is incredibly competent and incredibly smart. He knows exactly what he is doing, (please no one take this as a compliment to GO).

 

[The Mighty Quint]

It's staggering how well Maggies hair suits him...