Gransnet forums

Chat

Things that you are scared about with the new Tory Government

(269 Posts)
soontobe Sat 09-May-15 17:21:10

I have seen a number of posters express deep concern about the conservatives having full power for the next 5 years.

Is it worth having a thread for posters to list their concerns?

I am not sure that other gransnetters can put their minds at ease at all, as it may be a case of wait and see what the conservatives do.

soontobe Wed 27-May-15 07:28:21

I had better reiterate the caring bit at this stage.
All of what I have written does not mean that there are no people struggling. Of course it doesnt. But it may be that they are struggling because they got into debt at some stage. Or gave some money to someone else in debt, say a family member. Or they have just lost their job, and their benefits have not come through yet. Or there was a hiccup with the money coming through etc etc.

Or else it could indeed mean, that the Tory government are being too harsh and have got it wrong.

soontobe Wed 27-May-15 07:20:43

If full facts and figures were disclosed, to say the Guardian. And by different groups of people who say they are living in poverty, then that would probbaly end these types of debates. There would not be any need for them, assuming of course the government of the day did something about it. And if the government didnt, it would lose them the next election I would have thought.
Yes, there would be a few who would critisise the figures, there are always a few people like that, no matter what the figures were.
But reasonable people would be able to see if there is a genuine problem or not.

soontobe Wed 27-May-15 07:04:26

If people on gransnet or lurking, know people who are in hardship, encourage them to give full financial figures. And I do mean complete figures. It is no good at all leaving anything out.
That would have a huge impact on welfare cuts. Far more impact tham anything else. All the talking about pot noodles[I happened to have one yesterday, but what does that prove] has far less effect.

soontobe Wed 27-May-15 06:59:33

Links are nothing like the same as digging a little deeper into things for yourself. Or asking around with the people you know, who you can trust, and knwo full details about something. I am not just talking about finances[though that is a very good example] but everything else as well.
We all know that the media rarely get things 100% accurate. Or discover everything.
I learnt this, when my kids were at school, and in an article about our primary school, they got at least 3 things wrong in a tiny article. And they were not even time comstrained on that occasion, as they had spect some time at the school. Plenty of time to get their facts straight, and in enough depth.
So I realised then, that if the media cant even get that right, there is no hops that they are going to get faster moving stories, and happenings from abroad, anywhere near 100% accurate and true.

I also found an article recently Ana, which talked about some people needing to have other people to talk about in a certain way. I will find it later.

soontobe Wed 27-May-15 06:49:34

00.03am I thought that might be the response. Absolutely I would! I would be shouting it from the rooftops if I was in her or their position. And I would get others I knew like it to do it too. Absolutely. No question.
So I am right there too. They dont.

Eloethan, no I was not refering to you Eloethan. NO way. You give quite a lot of detail, practically always.
I suppose you are right with your third paragraph, but there are many other posts of mine, but you are often not on threads that I am on.

Eloethan Wed 27-May-15 00:18:10

soontobe I hadn't noticed you giving any "facts and figures" to support some of the statements you make. I didn't refute what you wrote previously because, quite frankly, I couldn't make head nor tail of what you were trying to say.

If you are referring to me when you speak of "plucking headlines", I also provided a brief summary of what the article said and a link if people wished to read all of it. But I believe on other occasions you have said that you don't want to read links.

And an ostentatiously pious person is not necessarily a caring one.

durhamjen Wed 27-May-15 00:03:18

By the way, would you give out all your financial information so everyone could criticise? Thought not. You're welcome to on here if that's what you want.

durhamjen Wed 27-May-15 00:01:40

Read the reports, soon, then criticise. You complain that I just give headlines, and complain that I give links. Never satisfied, are you?

soontobe Tue 26-May-15 23:46:10

dj - are you trying to say that all tories do not care?

soontobe Tue 26-May-15 23:43:24

My 22.32pm post is why I say that I gloss over a bit at the "living in poverty" bit.
And sadly, no one is refuting what I wrote.

It is no good just plucking at headlines that people say.
Full facts and financial figures are rarely given out. I wish they were. I so wish they were. If Gina above gave out her her ingoing and outgoing financial detials, and others did too, it would make people sit up and listen, if the financial facts stacked up.
But they dont seem to do that.

dj - do you go just by one comment , and not notice 6 months worth of posts?

soontobe Tue 26-May-15 23:41:55

I didnt know that people enjoy ranting. That never occured to me.

Ana Tue 26-May-15 23:37:15

My last post was not in response to yours, Eleothan. I'll dig out the thread where the 'poverty' question was discussed tomorrow moon.

Ana Tue 26-May-15 23:31:03

What's 'frightening' is people scaremongering and giving out biased and misleading information.

Eloethan Tue 26-May-15 23:30:38

Ana Several respected organisations, including Age UK, Barnardos, Joseph Rowntree Trust, the CAB, the Samaritans, etc. etc, have reported that the increase in hardship has resulted in a corresponding increase in physical and mental illness and, as the Mail Online reported, elderly deaths due to hypothermia.

Where is the evidence to support your assertion that "many pensioners manage perfectly well" on a low income?

Anya Tue 26-May-15 23:26:24

Besides I wasn't 'talking' about my own post.

durhamjen Tue 26-May-15 23:24:36

POGS, the Ageuk report which was updated 1st May 2015.

www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/Factsheets/Later_Life_UK_factsheet.pdf

I find it frightening.

Anya Tue 26-May-15 23:23:52

hmm I don't find that an adequate reason for calling people uncaring.

Just ranting on does not prove that you care, just that you enjoy a good rant.

durhamjen Tue 26-May-15 23:15:19

Anya, I was typing at the same time you were which is why I never appeared to reply to you directly. You will find my last post replies to yours.

POGS Tue 26-May-15 23:13:19

Durhamjen

Most commentators and media reports have fairly recently said Pension Poverty is at a 'record low'.

Plenty of records show this, one of your favoured organisations Joseph Rowntree could be accessed for figures.

I believe I am correct as I don't do links I look it up for myself, happy to be proven wrong.

durhamjen Tue 26-May-15 23:13:15

I think soon saying that she glosses over a bit at "living in poverty" does not exactly show a caring attitude to those living in poverty however it is defined. Some people define poverty as living on less than $1 a day. I am sure pensioners in this country have more than that, but it's still poverty.

Anya Tue 26-May-15 23:12:09

Do you ever listen to what other people are saying, or just read it and dismiss it out of hand and carry on ranting?

durhamjen Tue 26-May-15 23:08:18

Last updated 1 May2015
326

Over 3 million older people in the UK were concerned about staying warm in their own home last winter.
327

Nearly 1 million people aged 65 and over have had to cut back on food shopping over recent years to cover the cost of utility bills.
328

Over a third of older people live in one room to reduce their heating bill.
329

Age UK has calculated that the cost of cold homes to the NHS in England arising from the increase in hospital admissions and additional GP consultations is around £1.36 billion per year.

From the latest Ageuk report called Later Life in the United Kingdom. There are lots more statistics in the report.

Obviously I do not expect Ana or soon to be bothered, but it concerns me, and a few others, I hope.

Anya Tue 26-May-15 23:04:48

Your remark about people not caring is personal and offensive DJ

soontobe Tue 26-May-15 22:57:53

Well well. No one has said that my 22.32pm post is wrong so far.

And even though you have much evidence on gransnet of my caring attitude, you think of me as not caring. Speaks volumes.

Ana Tue 26-May-15 22:51:13

And that's rather a personal remark, durhamjen. Do you think you have the monopoly on 'caring' just because you have the time to source endless links to support your own views?