I don’t discriminate, but ….

I couldn't agree more, Cossy. Well said.

You are right Cossy
Regarding the rough sleeping problem though, what Andy Burnham has said he will do is offer rough sleepers a place.
He can't compel people to take up the offer but at least he is intending to do what is possible, as it was during covid.

I would like local authorities to be able to compulsory purchase properties that have been empty for , say two years, for a nominal sum, that is if the owner can be found, and just take possession if the owner is unknown.

Well said Cossy.
Could not say it better 💐

Well said Cossy.

Rough sleepers usually self medicate with drugs or drink because most have mental health problems and have fallen through enormous cracks in our care system. For the past few decades huge cuts have been made to care for adults with mental health problems but have saved no money because rough sleepers often take up beds in the NHS or end up in our prisons, all of which costs money.
Caring for theses adults will free up goodness knows how many places in our prisons, because many inmates are mentally ill, so instead of early releases I think it would be wise to address this.

Fallingstar

Rough sleepers usually self medicate with drugs or drink because most have mental health problems and have fallen through enormous cracks in our care system. For the past few decades huge cuts have been made to care for adults with mental health problems but have saved no money because rough sleepers often take up beds in the NHS or end up in our prisons, all of which costs money.
Caring for theses adults will free up goodness knows how many places in our prisons, because many inmates are mentally ill, so instead of early releases I think it would be wise to address this.

I completely agree

A good post and an interesting one.

However, from my days of linguistics, I remember learning that the words that come after but and although carry more emphasis by virtue of their position in the sentence. I can't remember what it was called used this way, a something or other conjunctive, and its function is to make the latter statement the stronger and more remembered by the listener, who then sees it as a contradiction of the first statement, when it might not be.

A bit of a jumble here, I know, but just to say I would cut people some slack by second guessing the manner in which they express themselves.

The rest of the post is sound.

Good post Cossy. People like to have someone to blame for problems in society and the boat people are taking the brunt of their dissatisfaction.
If they are blamed then people don't have to think any further about what causes all the present difficulties.

I saw someone the other day say that getting planning permission for the spaces above retail premises to be used for accommodation is really difficult. If councils want more accommodation in towns then surely this would solve some problems. People would be near places to work and wouldn’t need to travel, they would use the shops nearby and keep them more viable, etc.

He could start by addressing those houses in every county, up and down Britain, currently left empty.

A cause dear to my heart which I have mentioned many times before but something which Burnham, who says he is keen to devolve powers to local authorities, might do something about.

The empty homes data published by Action on Empty Homes is drawn from local council tax records.

www.actiononemptyhomes.org/facts-and-figures

static1.squarespace.com/static/6553693f7d629a133b6a4ece/t/6930a237c226f15c8bcdc151/1764794935462/data+overview+THIS+ONE.pdf

I’d like to see ambitious targets set for identifying why particular homes have been left empty and local councils exercising the necessary interventions (and giving support if required) to bring them back into use.

Well said Cossy- I couldn't agree more.

MartavTaurus - I agree with you also. When someone begins a sentence by saying "I am not racist but" or "I am not homophobic but* their words that follow indeed carry their emphasis by virtue of their position in the sentence. That's easy to see and understand.

Even when the second part is a contradiction to their initial statement "I am not racist but" the second part is the true meaning of their message and the latter statement is indeed the stronger message and more remembered by the listener.

Lizzies

I saw someone the other day say that getting planning permission for the spaces above retail premises to be used for accommodation is really difficult. If councils want more accommodation in towns then surely this would solve some problems. People would be near places to work and wouldn’t need to travel, they would use the shops nearby and keep them more viable, etc.

Funnily enough, my daughter has twice tried to buy different flats which were above retail premises, and found it almost impossible to find a mortgage lender willing to lend on such a property - supposedly because there is greater risk of break-ins, etc.

I would like local authorities to be able to compulsory purchase properties that have been empty for , say two years, for a nominal sum, that is if the owner can be found, and just take possession if the owner is unknown.

Owner unknown would be theft.

Two years - I know people nowadays who are taking up to 7 years from purchase to making a home.
Mainly because funds are hard to come by.
So people are taking far longer to buy a property and do it up. Well they are around here.

What I really don’t like is virtue signalling. I always think that these are the worst as regards racism, being judgemental and looking for faults that don’t exist.

Well said Cossy. It is unfortunate that some of the newspapers and political parties come out with so much that is untrue , but attractive to those looking for reasons to give to support their racist/misogynistic views.
There is also the point that some rough sleepers want to do exactly that.

In my book it's a positive thing to call out racism, misogyny or homophobia as it can stop immediate harm and breaks the cycle of prejudice. Speaking up shatters the comfort that lets prejudice grow.

Remaining silent can make harmful behaviour seem normal whilst speaking up supports targets of discrimination and prevents escalation. We've seen racist remarks by some on social media escalating and whipping up into severe harassment and physical violence on our streets. We've seen examples where misogyny has resulted in great harm towards women.

Calling out racism or misogyny is not inherently virtue signalling, it can be a genuine stand against prejudice and harm, though some people I guess may do it publicly not because of their personal beliefs or values but to look good to others.

Lizzies

I saw someone the other day say that getting planning permission for the spaces above retail premises to be used for accommodation is really difficult. If councils want more accommodation in towns then surely this would solve some problems. People would be near places to work and wouldn’t need to travel, they would use the shops nearby and keep them more viable, etc.

The problem is insurance. The premiums are very high for the shopkeepers if a flat above a shop is rented out.

I think sometimes there are declarations of not being racist and/or homophobic because for example people criticising the Israeli regime are accused of being antisemitic and criticism of transgender issues can result in accusations of homophobia.

Homophobia targets same sex attraction.

Gender critical views can target the conceptualisation of gender identity and transgender rights.

UK law has determined sex is immutable and defines woman hood so protects gender critical views as a philosophical belief under equality legislation. Simultaneously the law prohibits homophobic and transphobic discrimination and harassment.

Therein lies a tension. You can fervently believe and have the right to do so that sex is immutable and defines womanhood. However at the same time transgender people have the right to identify their preferred gender and are also protected by law from discrimination and harassment and must be treated equally.

The principle remains the same I guess, someone can say "I am not homophobic but" or "I am not transgender phobic but" and then discriminate by their words that follow.

Cossy's principle can apply to any discrimination issue I would think.

nanna8

What I really don’t like is virtue signalling. I always think that these are the worst as regards racism, being judgemental and looking for faults that don’t exist.

I’m not entirely sure if you are accusing those “calling out” discrimination as “virtue signaling”, (sorry loathe that expression and some of the intention some put behind it), or if you using it in context with the “I’m not distributors, but….” Or if it’s aimed at those actually openly discriminating?

Sorry, note to self, use preview!

Of course that should read “I’m not discriminatory …..”

Thanks good old auto-correct and no edit button

That ok Cossy but what happens if I say I don’t want all these blokes coming on to our shores. Am a racist?
Are the whole of Piddington racist because they don’t want a migrant camp there?
It doesn’t bother me that they are black, brown, yellow or whatever but it’s their values that bother me they aren’t the same as ours & that is my only concern.

As for the rough sleepers some are too far gone to get the help they need.
They are more my concern than the people landing on our shores.

I live in London alongside immigrants who have been here a long time and those newly arrived and I have to say that none of them have struck me as not having the same values, most of them love their families and want to make a decent living so that their children will do well in life, in fact many of them are very aspirational. Of course there will always be bad eggs but have seen this in every group in society.
Is a sweeping statement to say ‘they’ don’t have the same values.