Tory sorry for 'never had it so good' remark.

[JCB123]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11793486

Personally I agree with some what he's saying...yes, the country and it's people are struggling financially, but whilst a lot of us are moaning, we're all happy to drive our £20,000 cars back to our £200,000 houses, turning on our £1,000 plasma 42" wide screen TV's, sky, computers, laptops, Wii's, PS3's etc.

I think the point is that expectations are now so high, that we feel we are struggling, but we are hardly going without?!

PH thoughts?

[turbobloke]

Let them eat cake?

[JCB123]

turbobloke said:

Let them eat cake?

Mmmmm cake!

[Dunk76]

JCB123 said:

PH thoughts?

You either live with your parents, or are considerably richer than all of yeow here in this thread allowing you to occupy a world where the fact that council tax doubling in 8 years, petrol has near-as-damnit doubled, food doubling and so on doesn't affect you?

Yes, my mortgage is cheap.

Shame nothing else is.

Edited by Dunk76 on Friday 19th November 07:35

[Derek Smith]

It's the subtext that's interesting. He seems to be saying that the government it telling lies about the level of response required to service the debt. The hype in the press is, according to him, false. One wonders if this has anything to do with Murdoch's desire to take over the news outlets of this coutnry.

So what is it? Has the level of debt been exagerated or is it the response of the government? Or both of course.

But, more to the point, if it is all hype then is there justification for the massive cuts? Is there any justification to limiting the BBC's ability to compete with Fox?

But that said, if any government uses statistics to justify a political response then you know they are false. Is the threat of total financial collapse Cameron's WMDs?

[Westy Pre-Lit]

JCB123 said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11793486

we're all happy to drive our £20,000 cars back to our £200,000 houses, turning on our £1,000 plasma 42" wide screen TV's, sky, computers, laptops, Wii's, PS3's etc.

And how much of that is on the never never ?

As to the politician, I expect nothing less.

[LeoSayer]

The prime minister's spokesman said:

"believes, at this difficult time, politicians need to be careful with their choice of words - these words are as offensive as they are inaccurate".

Very careful indeed. And imbiguous.

[Ribol]

If you keep telling people they cannot feel pain eventually many will stop feeling it - it works. However there will always be those who are a little more switched on that will say boll ox it is still there.

The cost of living is going through the roof, no idea where "they" get their inflation figures from but that is all part of the theory above. It is obviously cheaper to buy a Plasma than it used to be, no doubt they will be included in their figures. Food, Petrol and pretty much everything else you have to buy has gone through the roof. No doubt the same morons that believe things are getting better also believe the inflation figures?

The only people who have never had it so good are the politicians, they will continue to be well paid for talking rubbish and going by this remark they at least get that part of the job done.

[JMGS4]

Couldn't agree more with Lord Young. For those of us born while rationing was the norm, you have never had it so good!!
A safety net which ensures even the feckless lazy gyppos or chavs or whatever the wasters are now called can live the life of Reilly on our backs! Not to mention the average personal debt in GB, which is the highest in western Europe!
Debt was a no-no for us all, if you couldn't afford it you worked until you could. Now you can get anything on tick and apparently have no worries (I mean real worries) about actually paying for it!!!
FFS grow up, get your noses back to the grindstone and don't be so fecking greedy!!! You've NEVER had it so good!
Damned Labour have NOT given you the right to be a parasite!!

[Dunk76]

Ah yes, the baby boomers; the generation without guilt eh?

[anonymous-user]

Dunk76 said:

Ah yes, the baby boomers; the generation without guilt eh?

Too right. Listen to them preaching about how good we have it after they rode the property wave and retire at 50 on their final salary pensions that we are all having to pay for.

Young people today do not have it good at all. They have lower employment prospects and less chance of owning a home and will have to work much longer to get a decent pension. Most people who think they have it good on here should probably have a realistic look at how they are going to pay for their retirement and what they will do when interest rates and VAT all rise again.

[AJI]

JMGS4 said:

Couldn't agree more with Lord Young. For those of us born while rationing was the norm, you have never had it so good!!
A safety net which ensures even the feckless lazy gyppos or chavs or whatever the wasters are now called can live the life of Reilly on our backs! Not to mention the average personal debt in GB, which is the highest in western Europe!
Debt was a no-no for us all, if you couldn't afford it you worked until you could. Now you can get anything on tick and apparently have no worries (I mean real worries) about actually paying for it!!!
FFS grow up, get your noses back to the grindstone and don't be so fecking greedy!!! You've NEVER had it so good!
Damned Labour have NOT given you the right to be a parasite!!

I agree with this and I'm no baby boomer.

So many dossers think they deserve to be rich and equal with people who work hard for a living. There is no recourse for not putting the effort in at school and making a go of life for yourself. Instead so many under the labour generation have decided to sit back and enjoy the efforts of others while they tick the benefit boxes and play their PS3 games on the latest 40" LCD screen.....all of which they fully believe they are entitled to have these days.

With mortgages currently being low interest and this being one of the main monthly outgoings for a working family, then surely this is a good time in that respect.
But for those who don't have mortgages, ie. the labour voting dossers who have their houses/rent paid for by the state just see product prices going up.

[Dunk76]

AJI said:

With mortgages currently being low interest and this being one of the main monthly outgoings for a working family, then surely this is a good time in that respect.
But for those who don't have mortgages, ie. the labour voting dossers who have their houses/rent paid for by the state just see product prices going up.

Typical mortgage is around £100 cheaper now than it was 6 years ago.

Typical council tax bill is up £80

So when you chuck in the fact fuel has doubled since 2003, main foodstuff has as well, and then take the VED rises, it doesn't quite work how you like to think does it?

Now, if you're of the generation who bought property just before the market went mental in 2001-2002, you're okay. If not, you're stuffed.

[DJC]

Dunk76 said:

AJI said:

With mortgages currently being low interest and this being one of the main monthly outgoings for a working family, then surely this is a good time in that respect.
But for those who don't have mortgages, ie. the labour voting dossers who have their houses/rent paid for by the state just see product prices going up.

Typical mortgage is around £100 cheaper now than it was 6 years ago.

Typical council tax bill is up £80

So when you chuck in the fact fuel has doubled since 2003, main foodstuff has as well, and then take the VED rises, it doesn't quite work how you like to think does it?

Now, if you're of the generation who bought property just before the market went mental in 2001-2002, you're okay. If not, you're stuffed.

My pay has risen by 40% in 6yrs and more than doubled in the last decade.
My food bill has barely risen at all, in fact I pay less now for many things than I used to.
The amount of money I spend on motorcars has drastically decreased.

It is swings and roundabouts.

[Ribol]

[redacted]

[Derek Smith]

On the flip side of course, those of us who paid off our mortgages, invested in shares in order to top up our over-hayped pensions, and have a little money behind us are fully aware that things have been a lot better in the past.

I accept that the shares were a risk and so my losses are down to me. I have, unfortunately, no one else to blame. That I expected savings to be able to give me a few holidays abroad has proved less than exact. The Amalfi coast next year looks very iffy.

But I can console myself with the knowledge that in three years house prices will rocket because the construction industry has been hit by these cuts. I was going to downsize next year but by my calulations, or rather those of a friend, it will be better to wait.

So for those of you with massive morgages then make the best of it because interest rates will rise.

[anonymous-user]

I'm sure many people would have rather have grown up in the days of rationing and jobs for life, retiring early and owning a home and receiving a generous final salary pension.

[Eric Mc]

It may have elements of truth to it, but it was an extremely insensitive thing to say because there are plenty of people out there who are not having it good at all. It sacks of the Thatcherite Tory era at its worst and I'm sure Cameron must have groaned out loud when he heard Young's utterances.

Whatever about the merits of a comment, sometimes certain things are best left unsaid - or at least, couched in less inflamatory language.

[Ribol]

DJC said:

My food bill has barely risen at all, in fact I pay less now for many things than I used to.

I don't look at many prices on the odd occasions I buy food, but even I know better than that.

[DJC]

Er no Stovey I think most people are grateful they didnt grow up in the time of rationing and severe post-war austerity! I know Im certainly far more than happy that I grew up in the times of soda streams, CD players, Madonna, Spinal Tap, Turbo F1 cars.