This Government

Apologies, but it didn’t look like much of a condemnation. It was a mealy mouthed effort at whataboutery: “b-b-b but every government profits from dodgy donations” when this isn’t about dodgy donations it’s about siphoning money out of the public purse to shady shell companies and companies linked to Tory MPs. And “yeah but you haven’t seen real poverty til you’ve been to Nepal” so we should basically just sit back and not give a f**k about kids from poor backgrounds unless the level of poverty gets to the stage where they are sleeping in the streets? Wow, such empathy!

Why can’t you lot just for once show some humility and wholeheartedly support a policy aimed at doing a kind thing for the worst off? Not only that but for kids ffs. I despair of the people in this country sometimes. Selfish beyond all belief. Part of me hopes that one day you experience British style poverty and you get a taste of what it’s like when you’ve not only got life against you but the system hates you too.

The reality of a Tory Government
Some things never change

inews.co.uk/news/education/headteachers-laptops-schools-coronavirus-self-isolation-half-term-736793

I don't see how he can answer that.
The reasons are so varied.

Perhaps we ought to ask why there are such large movements of migration, especially when they consistently come from the same areas.

That's not how it works in here. You're either a rabid letfy Marxist, or a fascist eugenicist Nazi. There isn't any middle ground, that'd be boring.

Well, actually some people say they are a-political but they're the centrists.

Not on here.
People say what they like, to the point of self parody.
I really don't know who you think is subverting the right to free speech.

Oldie let me start by saying contrary to popular belief I have every sympathy for migrants fleeing their war torn countries. Who the hell wants to be in that situation and up root from their house and country. Anyone who feels differently please read the book "The bee keeper of Aleppo" your view may just change.
Of course the reasons for migrants trying to get to the UK are varied.
In respect of France the country has one of the biggest Muslim populations in the western world which historically has been due to migrants from the Middle East (namely Lebanon) and from many West African countries. Why these countries? Because they are also French speaking .

I'll probably get told I'm speaking "bollocks" by one or two usual suspects but this is my take on why many migrants try to get to the UK.
1. Language. Many of these migrants speak English as a second language or have a degree of English. So it's better for them to get to an English speaking country for communication purposes.
2. Economic reasons. The UK has generally had a stronger economy than France. It is difficult in France to get direct employment. Lots of employers will use employment agencies initially for employees as they can stop employment any time. If you have a full time contract of employment it is very difficult to sack someone hence the reasons for using agencies.
3. Benefits. France although having a good benefit system which the French seem to pride themselves on it is not good for people coming into the country. You have to work in France and give something to the country before you can get something back.
4. Heath Service unlike the UK is not free. You get 70% paid for and then you have to take a mutual policy for the other 30% which is expensive. My wife and I pay €140pm for our policy. Of course not everyone can afford one and that causes financial problems. You pay €24 just for a doctors appointment of which 70% is reimbursed to your account and the other 30% via your mutual policy. The French love their paper work !!

May be wrong but this is how I see it.

I think that is all true and I agree with you.

I'm all for kids being fed. I'm not fecking heartless. Once coronavirus is behind us do you believe school children should maintain being fed during the school holidays ? If yes then why did you not highlight their plight last year and the year before because as you say there was child poverty last year.
Typical view of a leftie about assets. Because people work hard in life and better themselves, save money buy a house etc what is so wrong with that.why are you so offended by people who better themselves in life. How many people from the left on this forum own their own house ? Is that not an asset. What a comment to come out with that it's good the older conservative voters with assets are snuffing it. My God and you talk about me. Unreal.
You just take the usual view of people from the left " because I grew up with nothing I can't have anything in the future because it might mean hard work"
You seriously believe that social mobility was easier under Maggie Thatcher than today ? Were you working in the UK under Thatcher?
Sorry but some of your views are bizarre to say the least.

Oh I’m not from the left, this year has proven to me that if anything I am a moderate, I believe in equality of opportunity and that’s the issue. You talk of hard work but hard work gets you sod all today. Would you like to be a young lad from a poor background today? How would you go about buying a house?

I’m fast approaching middle age and my attempts to acquire secure housing seem doomed to failure. A vast proportion of my income goes out on rent because wages round here are not keeping up with the cost of living and so how am I supposed to then both save for a housing deposit, feed myself and save for whatever I can manage of a pension? I’ve just been told that my job is likely to be at risk from next week so my housing problems are about to become even more acute. I’ve also worked hard my working life and when I was made redundant not too long ago the government showed how proud they were of all my hard work by putting me into an adversarial system where I wanted to re-train in a sustainable career but they offered no help with that whatsoever. Although not surprising really because as much as you lot despise the welfare state and the people who are trapped in it you despise even more money being spent on services to actually help people out of it.

So I don’t begrudge anyone bettering themselves I just want that opportunity to available for all and trust me, as per my experiences of the system itself, you are living in a fantasy land if you think these days climbing the social hierarchy is simply about how heavy a load you can carry. You need nous, luck and contacts to make something out of nothing. Poverty is a trap and it gets worse by the day because the people who have profited from easier times vote to pull the ladder up after them and secure their position. No investment in education services whilst ensuring that housing prices remain buoyant and the private rental sector is expensive is a massive trap to keep the people who have nothing at the bottom.

One last thing, speaking of jealousy I find it interesting that you and all the other Conservatives in this thread, as well as the conservatives I’ve met in life recently all announce that they are conservative the same way: the first thing they do is complain about the welfare state. So rather than talk about the positives of their ideology first and how it benefits them personally the best thing about it is it addresses their own jealousy of a lifestyle that they perceive others to be leading, that of the magical feckless jobseeker ripping off the state for pennies. They never mention the tax avoiders who rip off the state for millions though, funny that.