Jump to content

Cost of Living Crisis


Paco

Recommended Posts

Robin McAlpine has some ideas that may help.  

https://robinmcalpine.org/someone-has-to-start-acting-like-they-have-responsibility-for-the-wellbeing-of-the-people-of-scotland/

Quote

It is a sorry world we’ve built when, in 2022, the best I can come up with to stop social devastation is soup kitchens and electric blankets – but it is. If someone in Scotland has a better idea, let’s do that instead. I’d be delighted.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Salt n Vinegar said:

Great stuff this.  I've just seen our Prime Minister proudly state on Sky news that the government are going to give financial help - "most of the money will go to the eight million most vulnerable households..."

Why the f are there eight million vulnerable households in such a wealthy country? 

I wonder how many actual people that covers.

Even if it averages at 2 per household, that's 16 million people, or around 23% of the population, which is fucking mental.

Edit for fat fingers

Edited by Mark Connolly
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another article you may find interesting. 

Quote

What follows may be controversial with some readers. But then, this newsletter exists to ask difficult questions. So, do feel free to disagree.

The scene setting paper provided a recycled argument that could have been made at any point in the last 30 years or so of Scottish nationalism. I would have thought they might have opted for a real big ideas starting point to obfuscate the most obvious problem with the launch. The question of how to bring about a referendum at all.

Before we get into the detail of this, let’s establish some things we know for sure about the SNP leadership:

 

https://jonathonshafi.substack.com/p/something-doesnt-add-up

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

I’m going with this answer: successive Tory governments.

Did I get it right?

You might not be a million miles away with that answer. 

I wonder what proportion of the Tory leadership electorate will worry about going without food when faced with their energy bills?  

Tory MPs will only give a damn when the owners of failed small businesses start kicking their metaphorical @rses from one end of the street to the other.  Listen to the old/disabled and those "poor people"?  Nah,  not so much. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Granny Danger said:

Energy costs in other European countries are not rising as fast as those in the U.K., I wonder why that is?

I’ve had no indication that my electricity price is going up.

 

Just as well. That stannah stairlift must use up the electric.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Salt n Vinegar said:

You might not be a million miles away with that answer. 

I wonder what proportion of the Tory leadership electorate will worry about going without food when faced with their energy bills?  

Tory MPs will only give a damn when the owners of failed small businesses start kicking their metaphorical @rses from one end of the street to the other.  Listen to the old/disabled and those "poor people"?  Nah,  not so much. 

Let’s face it it’s not the Tory members that’s the main issue, it’s Tory voters.  It’s the guy with the 95% mortgage and £20k in an ISA that thinks his interests are the same as Sunak’s or Mogg’s.  It’s the auld wifie who will ignore the deteriorating NHS services and increasing crime rate so long as she thinks that the Tories will keep out people whose skin is a different colour to hers.

Fortunately there are fewer of them in Scotland than rUK.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Suspect Device said:

 

Just as well. That stannah stairlift must use up the electric.

Averaging 7-8 miles walking each day since we moved here, a combination of having the time and the weather.  Best week so far has been 79 miles.

No need for a stairlift.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Mark Connolly said:

I wonder how many actual people that covers.

Even if it averages at 2 per household, that's 16 million people, or around 23% of the population, which is fucking mental.

Edit for fat fingers

There are 28 million households in the UK.  So if you take that at an average then it would work out to be 19.2m people.

Edited by strichener
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Granny Danger said:

Let’s face it it’s not the Tory members that’s the main issue, it’s Tory voters.  It’s the guy with the 95% mortgage and £20k in an ISA that thinks his interests are the same as Sunak’s or Mogg’s.  It’s the auld wifie who will ignore the deteriorating NHS services and increasing crime rate so long as she thinks that the Tories will keep out people whose skin is a different colour to hers.

Fortunately there are fewer of them in Scotland than rUK.

And the ones in Braemar are going to be a damned sight colder than their brethren in Bognor.

But cue Sturgeon and the SNP to blame.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Mark Connolly said:

So 28% of the population are effectively classed as "vulnerable" by the Prime Minister.

What a country

Yes, but that must mean 72% are doing alright, and the government's doing a good job for most. Typical of this forum to focus on the negatives!

(match that up to the poster of your choice; there's a few)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Middle earners, as well as low earners, are likely to need government help to pay their energy bills this winter, Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has warned.

The energy regulator hiked the price cap on household bills by 80% on Friday, meaning the average bill will rise to £3,549 a year from October.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Zahawi said even those earning £45,000 a year may need support.

He said the Treasury was exploring "all the options" to help households. 

He added that the country was in a "national economic emergency [that] could go on for 18 months, two years".

Both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, one of whom will be announced as the next prime minister on 5 September, have pledged further support, though neither has given details. 

Environment Secretary George Eustice defended the wait for policy announcements from either candidate, saying it was right that whoever got the top job would "want to look at all of the options, properly costed" when they take office.

"Both candidates have said they will do more - you don't have long to wait," Mr Eustice told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.

"They've both made clear that this will be absolutely at the top of their in tray," he added.

The government has already said that all households will get a £400 rebate on energy bills, with low income and vulnerable households receiving an additional £650.

The rise in the energy price cap - which is the maximum amount that suppliers can charge households per unit of energy - means millions of households will see their annual bills rise from about £1,971 currently. 

Typical prepayment meter customers will also see their bills rise to £3,608.

Charities and experts have warned that the rise will have a devastating impact on households and that lives will be at risk without government intervention.

In his interview with the Telegraph, Mr Zahawi said he was also concerned about those who were not on benefits. 

"If you are a senior nurse or a senior teacher on £45,000 a year, you're having your energy bills go up by 80% and will probably rise even higher in the new year - it's really hard.

"If you're a pensioner, it's really hard. So Universal Credit is a really effective way of targeting, but I'm looking at what else we can do to make sure we help those who really need the help."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...