Cost of living crisis.

[String fellow]

1 hour ago, HighPeakFox said:

I think you might be missing my point here Bert. They scaremonger and manipulate our fears the entire time. To pick out a man with an immense knowledge and understanding of the way finances work and point the finger at him is, I would suggest, looking in the wrong direction.

Talking of looking in the wrong direction, if I'm not mistaken, Martin Lewis's video appeared to blame the cost of living crisis entirely on the UK government. Is it not the case that the crisis is not just a national one, but an international one, with a certain Mr. Putin partly to blame? And if you want to hear some more scaremongering, Mr. Putin is threatening to create a situation this winter where some European countries will be forced to ration supplies of gas to both industry and domestically.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/05/31/how-is-the-war-in-ukraine-affecting-the-cost-of-living-crisis

Edited 27 July 2022 by String fellow

[Foxdiamond]

Don't need to shoot the messenger re Martin Lewis. 

[rachhere]

8 minutes ago, String fellow said:

Talking of looking in the wrong direction, if I'm not mistaken, Martin Lewis's video appeared to blame the cost of living crisis entirely on the UK government. Is it not the case that the crisis is not just a national one, but an international one, with a certain Mr. Putin partly to blame? And if you want to hear some more scaremongering, Mr. Putin is threatening to create a situation this winter where some European countries will be forced to ration supplies of gas to both industry and domestically.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/05/31/how-is-the-war-in-ukraine-affecting-the-cost-of-living-crisis

He's criticising their failure to take it seriously and to prepare for it. They are completely burying their heads in the sand if they think what they have outlined so far is going to be sufficient. This is partly why we need a new government in place NOW, so they can start coming up with policy ideas. None of this reconvening in September nonsense. 

[Lionator]

11 minutes ago, String fellow said:

Talking of looking in the wrong direction, if I'm not mistaken, Martin Lewis's video appeared to blame the cost of living crisis entirely on the UK government. Is it not the case that the crisis is not just a national one, but an international one, with a certain Mr. Putin partly to blame? And if you want to hear some more scaremongering, Mr. Putin is threatening to create a situation this winter where some European countries will be forced to ration supplies of gas to both industry and domestically.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/05/31/how-is-the-war-in-ukraine-affecting-the-cost-of-living-crisis

Lewis was warning about this wayyyy before Ukraine. I know because I changed my energy provider last summer based on what I heard him say on Nihal’s show on 5Live. Literally everything he said would happen did happen. I suggest that the invasion is rather a handy excuse (unless you’re German of course, Merkel has ruined them). 

[HighPeakFox]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people will pull off the most extraordinary mental gymnastics, in order to not criticise this disastrous government.

[grobyfox1990]

33 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Lewis was warning about this wayyyy before Ukraine. I know because I changed my energy provider last summer based on what I heard him say on Nihal’s show on 5Live. Literally everything he said would happen did happen. I suggest that the invasion is rather a handy excuse (unless you’re German of course, Merkel has ruined them). 

The invasion is a fantastic excuse for all manner of pure and utter incompetence. We’re in a mess because of years of mismanagement, and if we do want to blame it all on putin, he’s been openly preparing for this moment since 2014, what have we done since then to cover ourselves? Get fully into bed with him and his cronies! Sums up the mismanagement 

[Foxdiamond]

2 minutes ago, grobyfox1990 said:

The invasion is a fantastic excuse for all manner of pure and utter incompetence. We’re in a mess because of years of mismanagement, and if we do want to blame it all on putin, he’s been openly preparing for this moment since 2014, what have we done since then to cover ourselves? Get fully into bed with him and his cronies! Sums up the mismanagement 

It was laughable hearing Truss go on about being wary of China and avoiding the mistakes of dealings with Russia. This is despite being a member of the Tory government that got into bed with Putin and cronies. When Labour and others warned against this the government poo pood the criticism 

[grobyfox1990]

1 hour ago, Foxdiamond said:

It was laughable hearing Truss go on about being wary of China and avoiding the mistakes of dealings with Russia. This is despite being a member of the Tory government that got into bed with Putin and cronies. When Labour and others warned against this the government poo pood the criticism 

When China inevitably march into Taiwan the same excuse will be trotted out. Oh that evil Xi, how COULD we have known he’d do this?! It simply CANNOT be our fault! 
 

edit - and they’ll be interviewing people on Barnsley high st after the price of milk reaches £7 ‘well what can our govt do about it, China invaded Taiwan didn’t they’ 

Edited 27 July 2022 by grobyfox1990

[leicsmac]

2 hours ago, grobyfox1990 said:

When China inevitably march into Taiwan the same excuse will be trotted out. Oh that evil Xi, how COULD we have known he’d do this?! It simply CANNOT be our fault! 
 

edit - and they’ll be interviewing people on Barnsley high st after the price of milk reaches £7 ‘well what can our govt do about it, China invaded Taiwan didn’t they’ 

I would submit that if China do decide to invade Taiwan, given the US treaty obligations, wondering about the price of milk would be rather far down the list of worries.

 

Rather higher up would be getting out the dosimeter to make sure the aforementioned milk isn't terribly irradiated along with everything else - because that is how such a thing would inevitably end.

[urban.spaceman]

13 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

I would submit that if China do decide to invade Taiwan, given the US treaty obligations, wondering about the price of milk would be rather far down the list of worries.

 

Rather higher up would be getting out the dosimeter to make sure the aforementioned milk isn't terribly irradiated along with everything else - because that is how such a thing would inevitably end.

That’s the spirit. 

[leicsmac]

Just now, urban.spaceman said:

That’s the spirit. 

Well, for a more positive take, all three parties involved know exactly how it all plays out (they have their game theorists who will be a damn sight better than me at it, no doubt) and as such it won't happen, unless one party is in fact insane and wants to sacrifice everything because reasons. Which none of them are.

 

So I'm sure things will be fine.

[Mike Oxlong]

Don’t get a job with the Samaritans @leicsmac

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, Mike Oxlong said:

Don’t get a job with the Samaritans @leicsmac

I happen to have the greatest faith and optimism in those humans who don't have much power right now and are just trying to get by, and I'd happily listen to them, talk to them and otherwise help them as best I could, given the chance.

 

I just don't extend that same faith and optimism to those who currently hold power around the world, with a couple of notable exceptions. But, as per above, such people might be power-mongering but they're not stupid and self-preservation will win out there.

[Jon the Hat]

2 hours ago, leicsmac said:

I happen to have the greatest faith and optimism in those humans who don't have much power right now and are just trying to get by, and I'd happily listen to them, talk to them and otherwise help them as best I could, given the chance.

 

I just don't extend that same faith and optimism to those who currently hold power around the world, with a couple of notable exceptions. But, as per above, such people might be power-mongering but they're not stupid and self-preservation will win out there.

 

We agree there.  The danger comes when there is a power vacuum or they have nothing to lose.

[grobyfox1990]

6 hours ago, leicsmac said:

I would submit that if China do decide to invade Taiwan, given the US treaty obligations, wondering about the price of milk would be rather far down the list of worries.

 

Rather higher up would be getting out the dosimeter to make sure the aforementioned milk isn't terribly irradiated along with everything else - because that is how such a thing would inevitably end.

Haha yeh more a trivial example to detail how far the electorate will go to buy the lies the govt spell out. Because blaming the current crisis conveniently and solely on putin is a lie, we all know that 

 

And even then, the looming possibility of 100m starving Africans turning up on our doorstep doesn’t seem to be high up the agenda! As I keep saying in our risk mgt meetings at work, the last time Ukrainian wheat was blocked the arab spring occurred, what high level social unrest will this blockade bring?!? 

[Zear0]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62330190

 

Still, least some people are having a good time... 

 

 

[Raj]

10 hours ago, HighPeakFox said:

It never ceases to amaze me how many people will pull off the most extraordinary mental gymnastics, in order to not criticise this disastrous government.

You've nailed it here.

Imagine if this was Sri Lanka and what happened a few weeks ago there.

The public here should have hauled BoJo out of Downing St by his mp head months ago.

As Nigel Pearson would say, people on here just bury their heads in the sand.

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

The profits are astranomical so how is it they're putting prices up so much, be it petrol or domestic gas/electric? I get they can but why can't the government just do what they've done in France and put a massive tax on them, or just outright lower the limit they're legally allowed to put prices up? 

[Raj]

25 minutes ago, Zear0 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62330190

 

Still, least some people are having a good time... 

 

 

It's a business after all?

It's our Government  that's screwing us over with taxes.

People have posted previously the breakdown of a liter of unleaded and most of it is tax- how else is the government  paying for all the billions they are paying to Ukraine etc. This money just come out of the back of the sofa, when the country was skint?

I'm sure the price of crude oil isnt that much off what it was pre covid  or ore Ukraine  war( I'm sure someone will love to put me right, as always on here!).

We are now jissing ourselves when we find a petrol station which sells at 1.80p when months ago it was 1.30!

We are literally being taken for mugs by this Government.

[Raj]

1 minute ago, Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot said:

The profits are astranomical so how is it they're putting prices up so much, be it petrol or domestic gas/electric? I get they can but why can't the government just do what they've done in France and put a massive tax on them, or just outright lower the limit they're legally allowed to put prices up? 

EDF energy in France are only allowed to increase their prices marginally compared to the astronomical  increases EDF are going to implement in  this country.

Says it all.

[taupe]

Sheesh, Brits subsidising the Frogs again....  

[Zear0]

26 minutes ago, Raj said:

It's a business after all?

It's our Government  that's screwing us over with taxes.

People have posted previously the breakdown of a liter of unleaded and most of it is tax- how else is the government  paying for all the billions they are paying to Ukraine etc. This money just come out of the back of the sofa, when the country was skint?

I'm sure the price of crude oil isnt that much off what it was pre covid  or ore Ukraine  war( I'm sure someone will love to put me right, as always on here!).

We are now jissing ourselves when we find a petrol station which sells at 1.80p when months ago it was 1.30!

We are literally being taken for mugs by this Government.

I think the fact profits on energy companies are higher by, in British Gas' case a factor of 5 (yes, it's a volatile market) would suggest it's not entirely the government screwing us over and that the current inflation is contributed to, in part, by profiteering (despite what the odious Chris Philp, or whichever of Boris' lickspittles is on, says in the media rounds).

 

Don't disagree the government are being utterly negligent on this, as they frankly don't give a sh*t about those affected by price rises, but now we're getting within the half yearly result reporting period, think it might open people's eyes a bit to what the Union chairs have been saying is the cause of inflation.  Maybe inflation is not being exclusively driven by those greedy workers demanding pay and that it's companies cashing in on the situation?  We've seen Tesco's recent spat with Heinz saying the price rises aren't justifiable, they're cashing in everywhere.

 

Companies exist to make a profit and survive by providing a good service, I'm not ignorant of this running a company myself, but hopefully now people will see through the lie that inflation is being driven by wages and not profiteering.  We're being ripped off and it's judged acceptable.  Yes they're a business, but they're a critical infrastructure where people's survival depends on being able to afford the product.  This isn't Haribo where you can boycott them, there has to be a limit.  Even the most libertarians of the Tory party voted on the windfall tax as they were unconfomfortable with it, and this is worse.

Edited 28 July 2022 by Zear0

[Lako42]

11 hours ago, HighPeakFox said:

It never ceases to amaze me how many people will pull off the most extraordinary mental gymnastics, in order to not criticise this disastrous government.

It's actually depressing 

[Lako42]

42 minutes ago, Raj said:

It's a business after all?

 

One that makes it's obscene amounts of money by selling an essential commodity from underneath everyone's feet. 

 

I understand business but this one is in the business of providing essentials to the entire world. 11.5 billion PROFIT in one qtr when people are in fuel poverty is utterly criminal and If the government of this country wasn't so corrupt / incompetent I would say we need to nationalise anything that provides the things we need to actually be alive. 

 

Edited 28 July 2022 by Lako42

[Nalis]

3 minutes ago, Lako42 said:

One that makes it's obscene amounts of money by selling an essential commodity from underneath everyone's feet. 

 

I understand business but this one is in the business of providing essentials to the entire world. 11.5 billion PROFIT in one qtr when people are in fuel poverty is utterly criminal and If the government of this country wasn't so corrupt / incompetent I would say we need to nationalise anything that provides the things we need to actually be alive. 

 

Nuts and sad isnt it?

 

No doubt they will come out with the bs media spin that it will be reinvested into improving sustainable energy etc but of course their outlay on that would have been before profits.