Author: Richard

I am not sure this will all make sense as I am developing my ideas as I progress.

I am starting with a base line of about 1990 when the average house price was about 3 x average income (maybe a little higher – hence need for 1x second income). Now the figure is 6x average income and for many areas a lot higher. This is madness that has been allowed to develop. Over 3 million 20-30 year olds are now living with parents.

A vicious Tory government imposed a bedroom tax on council tenants – why not all of us? I live in a 3 bed bungalow. I think it totally fair to tax me more because of this, but I would get a reduction in Council Tax if I was alone. I am sure that many people would come up with sob stories about family, etc. But for the benefit of society, if it made more houses come on market and reduced prices that would be great. And those living in huge houses can just pay more council tax – end of! Or sell. We live in difficult times where as usual the poor are expected to give up more and suffer.

Second homes – there are a huge number! Nationalise them – why do you need 2 homes or more? I would compensate but not at full price! The poorest are having to miss meals, worry about rent, so sorry – tough!

Renting. This is an important sector as it allows the quick and easy movement of people needed in the economy. However I think it has got a bit out of hand. Landlords are making a fortune out of rising value of premises, and this is of course theoretical money. Surely there should be a fair rent ratio, and basic standards required by landlords.

Interesting in today’s Guardian (22.10.20) suggesting that council/ affordable housing should be provided for 20-30 year olds to enable them to save for a mortgage.

Whilst the wealth of the very wealthy has increased through the pandemic, the CPS wants to prevent future tax rises and calls for sacking 160000 public sector workers, sell off valuable council houses to replace with cheap ones, cut child benefit, cut overseas aid, cut pensions. It is like some horror movie that these people (who I would guess are public school educated, or at least privileged with steady protected incomes) can sit around and work out how to screw more money from the poorest in our society. Do they practise cackling as well?

Andy Burnham stands up for the people of Manchester. But the government refuses to fund lockdown properly. They obviously don’t have mates in the area to chuck money at! And they are spending £7 rebranding the Highways Agency!

Johnson uses Brexit negotiating tactics in Manchester and is shocked they do not work! To call them negotiations is wrong – their stance is agree with us because we are always right! It maybe that he and his acolytes are more dangerous than the virus itself! I have people say ‘why not use the Nightingale hospitals”, then other hospitals could treat all the other patients. Well, the Tory government has run down the NHS for 10 years and there are not enough nurses and doctors. This time last year all the talk was about staffing shortages – this is still true.