Brexit, for once some facts.

I am getting seriously concerned about security in this country.
We can see that France has admitted that its Police and Army are worn out with all the extra guarding duties and they need to recruit a 'Dad's Army 'of reservists.
So far, we have been relatively lucky in the UK, but our years of struggle with the IRA have surely taught us that you cannot prevent all outrages.
If the response from the politicians is to weaken the Police and also emergency medical attention ( the current battle with the Doctors), where are we going?
To a situation, where prevention is better than cure? To a realisation that you can spend billions on policing, but it won't stop a nutter in a lorry driving into a crowd at event x? To a situation where and educated society of tolerance and understanding exists, therefore youths from any culture, race, religion or geographic region don't feel the need to take "action"?

just a few wild card destinations I'd hope we're going!
 
  • Agree
Reactions: flecc

mike killay

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 17, 2011
3,012
1,629
To a situation, where prevention is better than cure? To a realisation that you can spend billions on policing, but it won't stop a nutter in a lorry driving into a crowd at event x? To a situation where and educated society of tolerance and understanding exists, therefore youths from any culture, race, religion or geographic region don't feel the need to take "action"?

just a few wild card destinations I'd hope we're going!
I see your point, but these are just aspirations, the real world is different. There will always be differences.
Education does not guarantee tolerance and understanding.
 

Kudoscycles

Official Trade Member
Apr 15, 2011
5,566
5,048
www.kudoscycles.com
while we wait for brexit: house prices seem steady or increasing slightly.
I always thought that house prices are controlled by supply and demand and interest rates...there is still a shortage of houses and interest rates are likely to fall. House prices seem to be just above what people can afford,making people stretch to buy,lowering interest rates increases the price people can afford to borrow,prices rise.
Just dont understand lowering interest rates any further,they are pretty much at rock bottom already...doesnt lowering rates make the £ even less attractive.
KudosDave
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,221
30,619
I see your point, but these are just aspirations, the real world is different. There will always be differences.
Education does not guarantee tolerance and understanding.
But that's not an excuse not to try. Any degree of winning is worthwhile.
.
 

oldgroaner

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 15, 2015
23,461
32,613
80
I see your point, but these are just aspirations, the real world is different. There will always be differences.
Education does not guarantee tolerance and understanding.
If we are to deal with terrorism then the first step will be to deny it the sort of publicity that the likes of the Daily Mail Express, Sun and Mirror and media regard as legitimate circulation boosting material.
And that goes for the visual media too.
A news Blackout sounds extreme, but certainly as Brexiters are so keen to expound, control needs to be established.
And a lot less exaggeration of the scale and danger from these attacks would be a good start.
And the press needs to separated from the power groups that wield it as a weapon.
Snag is the money says carry on as we are, doesn't it?
And already we are the most spied on nation on the planet. What next? when even when we know who likely suspects are, the Government CHOOSES TO IGNORE THE POWER IT ALREADY HAS TO EXCLUDE THEM.
The Idea that the EU was to blame for that was like most Brexit claims False.
 
Last edited:

tillson

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 29, 2008
5,252
3,197
Oh come on Tom, what's 3,000 job losses against the joy Brexit is sharing around?
And Shell profits down too! nothing to worry about, after all, whatever happens the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer.T
"
Lloyds Banking is to cut 3,000 jobs and close 200 branches despite doubling its pre-tax profits, with the group blaming uncertainty following Brexit.

The group announced it had enjoyed a £2.5bn profit in the six months to the end of June, compared to £1.2bn in the previous half year.

The total number of jobs cut since the announcement of an efficiency drive in 2014 will stand at 12,000 by the end of next year. The latest 200 branch closures come on top of another 200 already earmarked for closure at Lloyds, which is 9% owned by the Government. Any excuse to rip everyone off and hasn't this lot been quick to jump on the bandwagon?
Surely having doubled their profits they could have waited a bit to see how Brexit would work out?
No change really. BANKING EQUATES WITH DISHONESTY.
Nothing to see here move along (As one might say)
Article 50 or bust! or is that and?
Yet again I agree with some of this.

Nowt to do with BREXIT. Thousands of millions in profit is no longer good enough for them, so they dispose of loyal workers to make even more dirty cash.

The concept of a handsome profit combined with a workforce shown respect seems to be non existent. It appears to be that an obscene profit with disposable staff is the order of the day. This won't change under May's watch.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: flecc

tillson

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 29, 2008
5,252
3,197
"
Hinkley Point nuclear power station plans 'set to get go-ahead'
The station is expected to generate seven per cent of the UK's energy over the next 60 years"
Can anyone explain the logic of having a Brexit vote to establish the independence of this country then if we need a Nuclear Power station, have it built by foreigners and foreign capital, and pay them a huge premium on every Kilowatt of it's output?
Come on now, Brexit fans, logical explanation please!
Why are we wasting money on Trident if we need this power station?
I agree. Except for the Trident bit.
 

oldgroaner

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 15, 2015
23,461
32,613
80
Yet again I agree with some of this.

Nowt to do with BREXIT. Thousands of millions in profit is no longer good enough for them, so they dispose of loyal workers to make even more dirty cash.

The concept of a handsome profit combined with a workforce shown respect seems to be non existent. It appears to be that an obscene profit with disposable staff is the order of the day. This won't change under May's watch.
All we can expect from now on is repressive legislation.
And businesses reverting to Piracy for want of a better word. Just like the days when I sat on a pile of Asbestos and the company put stretchers outside the foundry for men to recover on before going back in to continue work,
Unfortunately the connection with Brexit is that what little restraint they had to show while in the EU is now gone, isn't it?
"We can always vote them out!" you cry, and vote exactly what in that is any different?
is my response to that.
 
Last edited:

trex

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 15, 2011
7,703
2,671
I always thought that house prices are controlled by supply and demand and interest rates...there is still a shortage of houses and interest rates are likely to fall. House prices seem to be just above what people can afford,making people stretch to buy,lowering interest rates increases the price people can afford to borrow,prices rise.
Just dont understand lowering interest rates any further,they are pretty much at rock bottom already...doesnt lowering rates make the £ even less attractive.
KudosDave
I am worried about the asset bubble. House prices and stock market went up considerably in 2007 before crashing in 2008.
I so hope that brexiters come to realise soon that isolation is not what this country needs and their project is no more than vanity and misplaced nationalism. Bad economic news come thicker and faster. The Eurozone now outperforms us. Price hikes in August and September are going to hit everyone hard. There is already a gulf between rich and poor, brexit is proven so far an expensive change of direction when the country can least afford.
 
Last edited:
  • Agree
Reactions: flecc

oldgroaner

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 15, 2015
23,461
32,613
80
I am worried about the asset bubble. House prices and stock market went up considerably in 2007 before crashing in 2008.
I so hope that brexiters come to realise soon that isolation is not what this country needs and their project is no more than vanity and misplaced nationalism. Bad economic news come thicker and faster. The Eurozone now outperforms us. Price hikes in August and September are going to hit everyone hard. There is already a gulf between rich and poor, brexit is proven so far an expensive change of direction when the country can least afford.
My goodness I never expected to see such a headline in the Daily Fail!
Something has changed dramatically for that to happen!
 
  • Like
Reactions: robdon

oldgroaner

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 15, 2015
23,461
32,613
80
And now even the Daily Excess is changing direction too!
"
Juncker ALLOWS Switzerland to CURB immigrant influx in shock EU move boosting Brexit hopes
EUROPEAN Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has given Switzerland a shock concession and allowed negotiators to pursue a deal on curbing an influx of foreigners to the country, diplomats said.
The move has come as a boost to Switzerland who were hoping to avoid a rupture with theEU and will come as welcome news to British Brexit negotiators who are hoping to control free movement while maintaining free market access.

The talks are crucial for Switzerland, which has threatened to impose unilateral curbs on immigration from the EU next year, but will also be scrutinised for potential hints of what Britain might expect after it voted last month to quit the bloc.

Some diplomats had believed the Brexit referendum would kill off the EU-Swiss discussions as negotiations with London would shunt aside consideration with non-EU member Switzerland."
It's beginning to look like the end of "Brexit means Brexit" isn't it?
Invoke article 50 while there's still time!
It looks like even the Right wing rags are getting back into line and dropping the whole idea of Brexit, doesn't it?
Watch out for fireworks!

 
  • Agree
  • Informative
Reactions: oldtom and flecc

D8ve

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 30, 2013
2,142
1,294
Bristol
?........... House prices seem to be just above what people can afford.......
KudosDave
Average wage circa £25k average house circa £300k ??
Just above 3 times salary ??
 

derf

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 4, 2014
1,007
766
54
Average wage circa £25k average house circa £300k ??
Just above 3 times salary ??
It's only ultra low interest rates,the bank of mom and dad and double income screw the kids that keeps the bubble afloat. Up interest rates over a few percent and everyone will realise it's all about affordability and zero about supply and demand.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: flecc

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,221
30,619
Average wage circa £25k average house circa £300k ??
Just above 3 times salary ??
But that's not how the market works, there's huge exaggeration about housing costs.

Average wage now in 2016 is more like £27,000 and first time buyers often start with a flat. Even in my London borough a one bedroom flat could still crop up at circa £150,000 before all the stocks ran out and they all went to buy-to-rent.

So that was about 5.6 times salary, so what? I bought for the first time in 1961 at 5.3 times my salary, very little different, and that's why I challenge many of the assertions about today's unaffordability. I did it by living in poverty to start with and being patient enough to suffer in silence until inflation over time and working hard for more money got me on top of the situation.

What is wrong now is that today's young people are not prepared to do that. They still insist on running a car, having and using hugely expensive smartphones, going on holidays abroad, having extravagant multi thousand pound weddings and the like. That is why I have absolutely no sympathy with them.

And I've based the above on a London price! There are far cheaper properties elsewhere, this 2016 link details a flat at £15,000, one tenth of my local quote above.

The fact is that if someone really wants a property, it's still as possible as it was for me back in 1961 and again in 1967 when I bought again.
.
 
Last edited:

derf

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 4, 2014
1,007
766
54
But that's not how the market works, there's huge exaggeration about housing costs.

Average wage now in 2016 is more like £27,000 and first time buyers often start with a flat. Even in my London borough a one bedroom flat could still crop up at circa £150,000 before all the stocks ran out and they all went to buy-to-rent.

So that was about 5.6 times salary, so what? I bought for the first time in 1961 at 5.3 times my salary, very little different, and that's why I challenge many of the assertions about today's unaffordability. I did it by living in poverty to start with and being patient enoyugh to suffer in silence until inflation over time and working hard for more money got me on top of the situation.

What is wrong now is that today's young people are not prepared to do that. They still insist on running a car, having and using hugely expensive smartphones, going on holidays abroad, having extravagant multi thousand pound weddings and the like. That is why I have absolutely no sympathy with them.

And I've based the above on a London price! There are far cheaper properties elsewhere, this 2016 link details a flat at £15,000, one tenth of my local quote above.

The fact is that if someone really wants a property, it's still as possible as it was for me back in 1961 and again in 1967.
.
Agree with much of this - there is an instant celebrity/gratification in contemporary life that's way beyond unrealistic. But I also disagree. By way of example I bought an end of terrace back in 2000 for £130000 in bucks, it's market value now is around £300000. If I were doing what I did in 2000 now 300000 would be a painful stretch,whereas 130000 was just a stretch then.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: trex

Advertisers