The Budget
- 15 March 2017 15:09325075A large portion of egg on the face of the Chancellor.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39278968 - 15 March 2017 22:08325084I'm sure the U-turn on the self-employed NIC will be smoothed over, after all, the vulnerable and those undergoing hardship are ripe for taxation or benefit withdrawal.
Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean that politics won't take an interest in you. PERICLES. - Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,075
16 March 2017 01:35325089It's getting better by the minute! Lowest unemployment since 1975. Labour will be furious! "Where has our client state gone?"
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson - 17 March 2017 17:44325143"In the early 2000s about 40% of absolutely poor people lived in “working” households, which included people in some sort of employment. Today over half of the poor do. The effect on children, especially, is dismaying: after a sharp fall in the 2000s, absolute child poverty is rising."
Source: http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21701216-number-working-poor-growing-blame-high-house-prices-low-productivity-and-too-littleJust because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean that politics won't take an interest in you. PERICLES. - 17 March 2017 21:58325157Today's BBC report on the poverty amongst those working. "This is more than ever before in figures going back 20 years - up from 43% in 1996-97 to the current 67%." FACT according to ONS figures.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-39291999Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean that politics won't take an interest in you. PERICLES. - Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,075
18 March 2017 11:44325213There is no 'absolute poverty' in the United Kingdom and anyone who claims there is is either a fool or a liar.
The measure of absolute poverty produced by the DWP is more accurately described as a minimum acceptable standard of living, held constant over time. This standard is set relative to what people earned in 2010/11: the threshold is a household earning less than 60% of the 2010/11 median after taxes and transfers, adjusted for household size and composition.
Changes in income distribution will affect those supposedly falling within the criteria even if their standard of living is constantly increasing.
The Blessed Frank Field's report shows where the real problems are in the life chances of the 'poor' and suggests that the solutions are other than the 'obvious' ones of chucking other peoples money at the problem. Serious food for though for ALL politicians.
Perhaps meanwhile we can continue to rely on the clergy to tell the great unwashed that 'blessed are the poor' and that their just reward will come in Never Never Land after their early death due to 'unwise lifestyle choices'. That and mobile phones and flat-screen TVs should keep them quiet in the mean time and after all it's what the church has a history of doing?
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110120090128/http://povertyreview.independent.gov.uk/media/20254/poverty-report.pdf"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson - 18 March 2017 12:21325216Captain Haddock wrote:There is no 'absolute poverty' in the United Kingdom and anyone who claims there is is either a fool or a liar.
The measure of absolute poverty produced by the DWP is more accurately described as a minimum acceptable standard of living, held constant over time. This standard is set relative to what people earned in 2010/11: the threshold is a household earning less than 60% of the 2010/11 median after taxes and transfers, adjusted for household size and composition.
Changes in income distribution will affect those supposedly falling within the criteria even if their standard of living is constantly increasing.
The Blessed Frank Field's report shows where the real problems are in the life chances of the 'poor' and suggests that the solutions are other than the 'obvious' ones of chucking other peoples money at the problem. Serious food for though for ALL politicians.
Perhaps meanwhile we can continue to rely on the clergy to tell the great unwashed that 'blessed are the poor' and that their just reward will come in Never Never Land after their early death due to 'unwise lifestyle choices'. That and mobile phones and flat-screen TVs should keep them quiet in the mean time and after all it's what the church has a history of doing?
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110120090128/http://povertyreview.independent.gov.uk/media/20254/poverty-report.pdf
Oddly enough I said exactly the same thing the other day to the bloke behind me in the queue at the soup kitchen, we have never had it so good. - Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,075
18 March 2017 13:07325217howard mcsweeney1 wrote:
Oddly enough I said exactly the same thing the other day to the bloke behind me in the queue at the soup kitchen, we have never had it so good.
Very funny Howard, however you will have noticed that while the queue is getting longer, which would suggest relative poverty is increasing, the soup now has croutons in it which suggests that absolute poverty does not exist.howard mcsweeney1 likes this"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson - Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,875
18 March 2017 15:35325223The word poverty in this country and a large part of the world is often used when people mean they can not afford to live like their friends or neighbours. Poverty is relative I know but the word is used much to often.
Poverty to me means they have no chance of getting money except by begging and are a step away from starvation, they have no shoes and only own the clothes they are wearing. It does not mean struggling on benefits or visiting the food bank or taking advantage of the soup kitchen or even being homeless because you can not manage life like the average person.
The unfortunate people living in mud huts or shanty towns or dying of starvation are living in poverty.John Buckley likes this-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 18 March 2017 15:56325236Captain Haddock wrote:There is no 'absolute poverty' in the United Kingdom and anyone who claims there is is either a fool or a liar.
The measure of absolute poverty produced by the DWP is more accurately described as a minimum acceptable standard of living, held constant over time. This standard is set relative to what people earned in 2010/11: the threshold is a household earning less than 60% of the 2010/11 median after taxes and transfers, adjusted for household size and composition.
Changes in income distribution will affect those supposedly falling within the criteria even if their standard of living is constantly increasing.
The Blessed Frank Field's report shows where the real problems are in the life chances of the 'poor' and suggests that the solutions are other than the 'obvious' ones of chucking other peoples money at the problem. Serious food for though for ALL politicians.
Perhaps meanwhile we can continue to rely on the clergy to tell the great unwashed that 'blessed are the poor' and that their just reward will come in Never Never Land after their early death due to 'unwise lifestyle choices'. That and mobile phones and flat-screen TVs should keep them quiet in the mean time and after all it's what the church has a history of doing?
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110120090128/http://povertyreview.independent.gov.uk/media/20254/poverty-report.pdf
Direct your chagrin at The Economist. The quote, including the citation regarding "absolute poverty", is directly sourced from that publication - as I declared in post #24.Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean that politics won't take an interest in you. PERICLES. - 20 March 2017 13:32325396If you’re on the heled down uk wage of £7.20 p/h and your bed sit or rented room is £100 a week poverty is very relative .
We have millions stuck on the minimum wage. Maybe some of you pumped up on a middle-class taxpayer-funded public-sector pension should try a bit of it first. - Reginald Barrington
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,257
20 March 2017 13:53325400Even with my forces pension I am still living well below the poverty line of £16,560pa £318pw and I live quite comfortably thank you very much, but if anyone wants to top me up it would only be right to accept, as i could always find space for another flat screen tv!Arte et Marte - Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,075
20 March 2017 14:47325408Poverty is an anomaly to rich people; it is very difficult to make out why people who want dinner do not ring the bell.
Walter Bagehot"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson