Britain faces return to Victorian levels of poverty

OMG!!! This is terrible!! Anyone from the U.K. can confirm this?? I was led to believe that Britain's social programs would help avoid something like this from heppening....

www.independent.co.uk...

Is the country running out of money?? Has it to do with letting too many immigrants into the country???..............

When you have 20% of your population in poverty and your land mass is as small as Brittan's then something is not right. The Rothschild's should be ashamed of themselves. Then again they do not have feelings like normal human beings.

I read a few times that eating squirrels was a big thing in the U.K.. To the point that you can buy squirrel meat at the grocers.

Came out of WWII rationing and had a revival recently with some push to save the red squirrel from the gray squirrel.

If it isnt popular already it sure will be with increasing poverty.

Ok well it is not too dire from my standpoint.
Getting unemployment benefit, help with council tax and just got a letter offering help with the mortgage!
There are a lot of people chasing every job but I'm hopeful of picking up some agency work before Christmas.
In fact there are plenty of minimum pay jobs going but you can be better off on benefit. That's why the jobs are still there.
Was in Leeds last week. People shopping for Christmas - perhaps not as much. I see more people being careful with spending and charity shops are having to appeal for donations because people are hanging on to their clothes for longer. Not exactly 'beggars in the streets' if that's what you are imagining!
I'm sure people have lost their homes but not aware of any 'tent cities'. It's too cold in this country anyway!
I think you have to define poverty. If not getting the latest plasma TV, affording new clothes or holidays is poor, then I guess I'm it. If having a roof over your head, eating reasonably well and having health care is what counts, then I guess I'm rich in some peoples terms.

[edit on 1-12-2009 by unicorn1]

reply to post by unicorn1


Well, i'm glad it's not as bad as depicted. Sorry to hear you are not working friend. I have been unemployed and I can say it sucks!! But you are right when you say about defining poverty

I think the whole world, not just the u.k is going down. Food will become scarce as financial collapse ensues. I've been reading up and watching ray mears to arm myself with wild food knowledge.

I don't think we'll end up with a victorian style of poverty, as I feel that people will react a long time before it gets that bad (whether their reaction causing such a situation to arrise is another thing altogether)

Most people I know are either unemployed, under employed and those still in employment have had their wages cut and are burdened with their ex-collegues work loads.

IMHO, most of the peoples I know savings will be gone by spring, I can't see anyone I knows credit lasting beyond that point either and I can forcee complete exhaustion setting in to those left in employment in about the same time frame.. For me I think this winter will just be about survival.

Spring happens to be when we in the UK will be voting for our next gov, and as the UK will need to start repaying those fatcat bailouts, there will be a lot of talk of tax increases and public service cuts etc..

A whole shed load of negativity converging at the same time I feel will lead people onto the streets unless the establishment finds a way of turning this recovery (haha) into a job based one.. I don't like the thought of what people will do without some real tangable hope that things will get better.

This is what happens when you're a slave. Which brits are.

Now the government installed the whole police state over your heads, and now they are ready to implement phase 2 of the operation : crushing the economic power of the peasants.

Then it will be game over.

reply to post by Vitchilo


As much as I may agree with the debt slavery part, I do not feel that this Gov has the power to crush the people so the game is certainly not over.. it is only just begining.

The sad part is that this is the same battle that has taken place since before the peasant revolts, the only good part is that it usualy ends up in a slightly improved society.

hello, I shop at the biggest food retailer in the UK, the shelves are full, the place itself is full of shoppers most days, the staff, well, apart from supervisors, I have not heard English spoken for quite a while now, that must say something, no beggars on the streets here, yet, no tent cities either, yet.
I have a government pension, and a small private pension, I live rent and council tax free, and can save money too, so for me, I would sooner live here than anywhere else in the world, and I don't have to worry about medical bills or medicines, as after age 60 medicines are free, yep, give me socialism (with a small 's'.
bye

There has always been areas of poverty here in Britain, especially in North West and North East England and parts of Yorkshire.

But are they as bad as Victorian levels?
I doubt it.
The Welfare system ensures this.

I suspect that there will be areas of at least equal poverty levels in most Western countries, especially the USA.

That there is such a gulf between the have's and have not's in this day and age is an absolute disgrace and one of the most importnt issues we face today.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
I read a few times that eating squirrels was a big thing in the U.K.. To the point that you can buy squirrel meat at the grocers.

Came out of WWII rationing and had a revival recently with some push to save the red squirrel from the gray squirrel.

If it isnt popular already it sure will be with increasing poverty.

I think you've got the wrong end of the stick about squirrels. In one part of the country (Northumberland) a guy who worked in the conservation of our native red squirrel species, started culling the non native grey squirrels and selling them to fancy restaurants as a 'delicacy'. It's not a widespread thing and it's not the poor who are eating them. Things are not that bad in Britain yet. Junk food is still dirt cheap and we have a growing population of fatties to prove it. It's true though, things could get worse and food (or lack of) can be an effective weapon against the useless eaters.

Oh and Vitchilo, where do you live? If anyone pays taxes and works for a living then they are a slave. Brits, Americans, Australians, Canadians, surely we're all in the same boat, just seems some of us are entering turbulent waters ahead of the others.

reply to post by thoughtsfull


I very much agree about the employment.
As a jobseeker, I see previous full time jobs now reclassified as part time jobs.
As for those still in full time employment, on a recent radio programme they interviewed people in work who are now doing the work of two. And if you don't like it - well there is a big line of people waiting to take your place. However there still seem to be plenty of jobs going - if you are prepared to work for £6 an hour...

Sorry just read the bit about squirrels ha ha. Where I live we put out bird food and then watch the squirrels come and nick it. Never thought about nabbing them to eat. Maybe an idea for next year


[edit on 3-12-2009 by unicorn1]

Sorry just read the bit about squirrels ha ha. Where I live we put out bird food and then watch the squirrels come and nick it. Never thought about nabbing them to eat. Maybe an idea for next year



Thanks for the handy tip unicorn matey,
Always said this country was heading back to Victorian times,
With regards to anti trade union and minimum wages, Gone is the structure for the working classes to progress up the ladder so to speak.
Nearly all of the apprenticeships for a trade have now gone.
They have done a good job of keeping the working man down in his place..IMO

:

Britain does not have a proper Social System. It is better than the US one, however light years away from the ones in the Netherlands, Danemark , Sweden and so on. I live in the UK for 5 years now, and I can say this - UK is a good country if you are young , healthy , skilled and have no kids. If you are not, it is better to move out! You are on your own !

[edit on 3-12-2009 by Romanian]

reply to post by ARNOMANNN


I guess this is a fitting punishment for the Brits for having such a laughable music industry nowadays.