British Politics Thread.

[Mr Mystery]

Whilst I don't condone the continued kicking of less well off students, and the impact that will have on social mobility, quite a decent budget overall.

And I'm not sure why Labour are objecting to their ideas being adopted. IT'S A GOOD THING, YOU GOONS!

[Cap'nSmurfs]

'cos the housing crisis has very little to do with immigration and almost everything to do with letting the "aspirational" middle classes (or in London, the international oligarchy) buy up all the housing stock, then not building any more for decades.

[Houghten]

and there's nothing luxurious about a 40 square metre box.

As a person living in a 25 square metre box (24 after deducting the area taken up by the dividing walls), I'd consider it a glorious upgrade.

[Psychosplodge]

As a person living in a 25 square metre box (24 after deducting the area taken up by the dividing walls), I'd consider it a glorious upgrade.

I may have confused my metric and imperial there.

[Denzark]

'cos the housing crisis has very little to do with immigration and almost everything to do with letting the "aspirational" middle classes (or in London, the international oligarchy) buy up all the housing stock, then not building any more for decades.

Start from the absolute end. Can all of Britain be built on until like Coruscant, every piece of land is covered in buildings? No I would suggest. Once you have accepted that as fact - you need some non-built on spaces - then the question is how to get to the acceptable limits. Immigration does not cause the housing crisis and I have not correlated those who would need/attract social housing - ie asylum seekers - against rich doctors who would come in and buy full price. But, when the population takes in every year, over 50% more people than it puts up houses for, it is entirely reasonable to say immigration exacerbates the problem. Housing, like all resources, is finite.

[grimmas]

Because it's those who already have money that are pricing everyone else out in a no-lose situation, as they just ramp up rents.

This is why I also support the new 'full priced' social housing thing. Got a council flat? Earn £30k outside Nodnol or £40k in Nodnol? Guess you're paying market value rent!

What's that! You can't afford it? Good. Do what everyone else has to do, and move somewhere more affordable. You're earning bloody good money, so stop schlepping around in housing intended for those less fortunate, particularly as the very same people who should be in your accommodation are currently in private rents, where the 'think of a number' monthly cost is met by the tax payer!

Well I certainly managed to live in T' big smoke in a private rent on a lot less than £40,000 a year, it was only me not a family though. I didn't receive any government help though.

[Mr Mystery]

Labour's leadership elections kick off today, and the other candidates continue to try to put the boot into Jeremy Corbyn, a note left winger.

Why?

Well, I'm not actually sure. Apparently, UK politics should only be a choice between The Tories, and The Diet Tories (formerly known as New Labour, formerly known as The Labour Party).

Apologies if I'm going a bit student radical here, but we need the like of Jeremy Corbyn. Someone who hasn't subscribed to the proven nonsense of trickle down economics. Someone who isn't obsessed with the exploitation of the workers (god I'm sounding student. Apologies again!).

I'm sick of 'big business knows best' when it's pretty clear all they know best is how to line their pockets, and get away with trashing the world economy.

I'd vote for Corbyn, and I'd vote for his vision of the Labour Party, especially given the aforementioned current choice of 'Tory or Diet Tory', not to mention the 'SUPER STRENGTH INSANITY TORY, NOW WITH QUADRUPLED NOT-SO-VEILD RACISM UKIP'.

Britain does have a left - and it's high time they were given their voice back.

[Kirsten]

yup, it is pretty infuriating the way he is being attacked on all sides. People are claiming that the British public doesn't want a left wing labour party because of the last election, but in reality they haven't had the chance to vote for one for quite a long time. as you say, last election was a choice between tory and diet tory, so hardly a good indicator of the will of the people. Corbyn being a long way ahead though, that is a much better indicator from Labour voters.

[Path Walker]

Given how all the news of UK politics has been about how much the voters like his policies, where are they getting the idea what people wouldn't vote for a Left Wing Labour Party? I mean, obviously the media interests are in the right/centre right holding power and will create the illusion that left wing ideas are bad which will make it difficult but its 2015, people aren't listening to the newspapers half as much as they were in the 80s, and by 2020 it'll be even harder for the press barons, or whats left of them, to control the message.

[Wildeybeast]

I think any sort of radical party in unelectable in England. The unexpected Conservative victory was driven by a fear of the SNP in middle ground English voters, so I doubt a clearly left wing Corbyn led Labour party would gain much traction. What it might do is gain back some of the ground they lost in Scotland. Tbh, I feel it's largely irrelevant whoever leads the Labour party. They have been decimated and it will be a generation before they get into power again.