British Politics Thread.

[Gotthammer]

I don't think it's that everyone has more money, just that if you are earning >$33k the govt pays you that, so minimum wage would be around that for a full time Job I'd imagine. Or if you're working, say 12hrs a week the govt gives you money to make up to $33k. Also people would still pay taxes and such.

And it wouldn't be everyone having more money, but it would mean people on benefits wouldn't get trapped in the poverty cycle. This would also be invaluable to people with long term illnesses or caring for people as most current benefits do not come even close to that.

[Mr Mystery]

Thing is, that would put me on the USD equivalent (I assume the pic is meaning USD?) of $76,000 a year.....

And the market would adapt to those prices. It's often felt prices are as high as the market will bear - I politely feel they're simply as cheap as the seller is willing to make them.

Take house prices and rent - not a great example in the UK. It's all interconnected to the average spending power for an area. Low employment rate, low wage average = low house and rent prices, simply because it's roughly pegged to what the market can bear. This of course gets completely dysfunctional in London and the Home Counties, where it seems theres no logic or rationality applied

[Gotthammer]

It's not that the govt gives you $33k no matter what, it's that everyone is given at least $33k a year, so if you earn more from working (ie $43k) that is your income with nothing from the govt.

[Mr Mystery]

Seems a bit weak.

I mean, I work flippin' hard in a job not just anyone could do, and would be a pretty meagre $10k better off than someone sat on their bahooky all day? No thank you!

[Gotthammer]

Well I used to earn $100k a year, then I got sick so (after several months so I could go through my savings because that's how it works because I had assets) I now get $200 a week. Like I literally am so sick I cannot work and have been for a year, but I still have bills to pay, medication to buy, pay for my car, specialists (some of which are $400 a visit - literally a month's entire income!). Plus also the fact that when you're unemployed (for whatever reason) you lose massive parts of your social life, feel useless and awful, are looked down on by society, and have to justify why you feel you should not be thrown into poverty because of events out of your control. But hey, I'm just sat on my bahooky so what would I know

[Mr Mystery]

In the UK we have incapacity benefit, and disability benefit.

Depending the nature of your illness (I shan't pry), you would get one of those - incapacity if it's likely you'll get better over time, Disability is more permanent. This is all fine and well. If you [i]can't] work, you can't work. It's an exceptionally cruel heart who would take issue there.

I was referring to those who would think '£20kish a year, for doing sweet FA? Yeah I'm ok with that'.

[eldargal]

The number quotes is based on the Swiss situation, it would have to be tailored to each nation introducing such a system to take into account average salaries, cost of living etc.

[Mr Mystery]

[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-29439641]Latest run down of the Tory Party Conference[/url].

So far, no objections to me. And in an effort to stymie the growth of UKIP, a truly cancerous little political party, I'll be voting Tory next year - no point voting Labour this time around in T Wells, I've got biggerer fish to fry than sticking to my own political leanings.

And I know my Bro would have a fit if he saw this, but I kind of hope we do get a Tory majority this time around (though I think it will likely be another coalition of some shape), simply so Cameron can deliver that EU Referendum, and strip much of the constant bickering and pathetic whining out of UK policitc - not to mention annihilate all support for UKIP, regardless of outcome!

[Gotthammer]

From best I can understand those benefits are only around 70 pounds a week, with the Incapacity being slightly more, so not that much more really.

[Mr Mystery]

It's oddly compartmentalised here in the UK - though the Government apparently wasting millions trying to make it a single benefit.

Currently?

If you're incapacitated - say an industrial accident, which involves learning to walk again for instance, then you would get....

1. Income Support
2. Incapacity Benefit
3. Housing Benefit
4. Income Tax Benefit.

And quite possibly others. So overall, it adds up to a not uncomfortable living, particularly when Housing Benefit is taken into account