Cameron v Miliband v Clegg: the official Question Time match thread

[Herr Tubthumper]

Tend to agree with this. When we talk about 'poverty' in the UK how is it defined ? There are degrees of need - I wouldn't compare some of the poverty I have seen in the Uk with that in, say, India where whole families are literally living on pavements (obscenely, in my view, including on the road into the sumptuous 5* hotel my company booked for me) or Brazil, where the difference between rich and poor is staggering.

There is a definition of poverty used by the ONS. And no, you shouldn't compare UK poverty with India.

But, if you know any teachers at state schools in deprived areas talk to them; they'll have sad and depressing tales of deprived children of decent families. Westdene Seagull has touched on this in previous posts and it's true. No, of course it's not as bad as India but as one of the wealthiest countries in the world we cannot compare against them.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Let me correct that for you

People queuing up at food banks because they have to make a decision whether to buy mobile phones, big screen TVs, computer games, cigarettes, alcohol or feed the kids.

Does C stand for Cretin?

 

[dazzer6666]

There is a definition of poverty used by the ONS. And no, you shouldn't compare UK poverty with India.

But, if you know any teachers at state schools in deprived areas talk to them; they'll have sad and depressing tales of deprived children of decent families. Westdene Seagull has touched on this in previous posts and it's true. No, of course it's not as bad as India but as one of the wealthiest countries in the world we cannot compare against them.

Agree - it's relative (and my niece is a primary school teacher and it is sad and depressing). We need to get much better at distributing welfare to the properly needy, rather than allowing too many freeloaders to game the system.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Let me correct that for you

People queuing up at food banks because they have to make a decision whether to buy mobile phones, big screen TVs, computer games, cigarettes, alcohol or feed the kids.

Out comes the nasty man again. Swallowing the bullshit that a very few piss takers negate the vast majority of people in real difficulties. A convenient technique favoured by people like you and applicable over a wide range of subjects.

I volunteer at a food bank so I know whereof I speak. Do you? Have you any real life experience? Please share.

 

[Simster]

Let me correct that for you

People queuing up at food banks because they have to make a decision whether to buy mobile phones, big screen TVs, computer games, cigarettes, alcohol or feed the kids.

What a ****ing NOB you are.

My wife is involved at our local foodbank like [MENTION=5001]The Merry Prankster[/MENTION], and this sort of drivel bears no relation to the truth. The 915,000 now depending on foodbanks on the coalition's watch is a national disgrace.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Let me correct that for you

People queuing up at food banks because they have to make a decision whether to buy mobile phones, big screen TVs, computer games, cigarettes, alcohol or feed the kids.

Ooh dear. Ooh dear oh dear.

 

[Machiavelli]

My overriding view of last night was the front of that guy working in finance, trying to put all the blame for the global recession on to the Labour government, while also claiming that the financial sector puts so much into the economy. Those Yorkshire folk have a phrase for that: brass neck.
Now I'm perfectly aware that Osborne (supported by a partisan press and media environment) has been brilliant at controlling the economic narrative over the past seven years, but the cost of bailing out the banks is the key factor in the spiralling of UK government debt, with a guarantee of over £1 trillion. See:

http://www.nao.org.uk/highlights/taxpayer-support-for-uk-banks-faqs/

Note that the most recent figure for the UK's annual GDP is just short of £2 trillion.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

 

[Machiavelli]

Does C stand for Cretin?

This page has conclusively proved that C does indeed stand for cretin.

 

[Uncle C]

What a ****ing NOB you are.

My wife is involved at our local foodbank like [MENTION=5001]The Merry Prankster[/MENTION], and this sort of drivel bears no relation to the truth.

Ok, so are you claiming that nobody who goes to a food bank has mobile phones, smokes, drinks etc

 

[Simster]

Ok, so are you claiming that nobody who goes to a food bank has mobile phones, smokes, drinks etc

No, I'm claiming that is hardly the typical situation.

 

[Uncle C]

No, I'm claiming that is hardly the typical situation.

So people like me who give to these food banks are subsidising some peoples phones etc.

I would personally give up all these luxuries to feed my kids - how about you?

 

[Simster]

So people like me who give to these food banks are subsidising some peoples phones etc.

I would personally give up all these luxuries to feed my kids - how about you?

What are you talking about? I've just told you that I don't believe most users of foodbanks are thinking long and hard about whether to buy food for their families or whether to buy the latest iPhone. You seem to be asserting the opposite, which is insensitive, crass and by and large, WRONG.

And I have a hard time believing you give to foodbanks given the nonsensical drivel you have posted.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Ok, so are you claiming that nobody who goes to a food bank has mobile phones, smokes, drinks etc

i don't think he said the system was perfect

 

[Uncle C]

And I have a hard time believing you give to foodbanks given the nonsensical drivel you have posted.

You seem to have a hard time getting involved in any reasoned debate, preferring like most people on here to trade in insults.

So I ask again

I would personally give up all these luxuries to feed my kids - how about you?

 

[Triggaaar]

Can't happen surely.....the party with the most seats will decide.....

Party with most seats would be able to go for a minority govt, but if that was the tories, they'd know they don't have support from Labour or the SNP, and not much from the Lib Dems either, so I doubt they'd want to try. Labour would have more success, as the SNP and Lib Dems would probably agree with them on a lot of issues, so it could be done.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

You seem to have a hard time getting involved in any reasoned debate, preferring like most people on here to trade in insults.

So I ask again

I would personally give up all these luxuries to feed my kids - how about you?

The reason you are receiving insults is because of your nasty and ridiculous statements. They're so ill informed they don't warrant reasoned reply.

 

[BigGully]

There is a definition of poverty used by the ONS. And no, you shouldn't compare UK poverty with India.

But, if you know any teachers at state schools in deprived areas talk to them; they'll have sad and depressing tales of deprived children of decent families. Westdene Seagull has touched on this in previous posts and it's true. No, of course it's not as bad as India but as one of the wealthiest countries in the world we cannot compare against them.

HT why not be totally transparent, give an example, circumstance etc. and key in this information into the benefit calculator on YouGov website and lets see the figures, then at least we have some starting position.

These discussions always polarises opinion, from the feckless flat screen TV benefits cheat to the foodbank dependant morally abandoned Victorian Oliver 'can I have some more' sterotype, when more likely neither is correct.

 

[Simster]

You seem to have a hard time getting involved in any reasoned debate, preferring like most people on here to trade in insults.

So I ask again

I would personally give up all these luxuries to feed my kids - how about you?

Yes I have difficulty engaging with this sort of crass stupidity I'm afraid.

Here's an idea: read my post. You're not "getting involved in any reasoned debate" yourself, because you are talking rubbish. You are suggesting most people using foodbanks have a choice between buying food and buying gadgets. I know for a fact that they don't. My wife delivers the foodbank stock collected from St Marks's church in Reigate to St Matthew's church in Redhill where the foodbank runs from. She talks to and sees these people. By and large, these people are desperate and ashamed to be there. They are not turning up at foodbanks just so that they can keep their mobile phones or to go down the pub.

So therefore, aside from the answer being obvious to the vast majority of us and foodbank users (yes, basics before luxuries), your follow up question is also completely irrelevant. Oh and by the way, how is handing in my mobile phone (resale values of maybe £100?) going to put food on the table for a family of four the next 3 months?

 

[heathgate]

No, if cons win by 1 seat over lab, then cons get to decide surely, DC would be PM, ..... getting any bills through would be difficult of course, but Lab couldn't just grab a few minor parties and call it a win......