How are others feeling about the present standards of the people who are supposed to provide you and me with a safe, secure and hopeful society. One or two objectives required by us are:- 1. A society which protects its citizens from external bad influences. and enemies to our way of life. Residents who don't accept the traditional Britsh way of life had better look elsewhere. 2. Provide a good basic pension for retired people and not remain way down in the league. 3. Provide a safety net for people who come upon hard times not of their making but not giving anybody the idea that money is there for the asking. 4. Making sure that everybody realises that crime and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated and will be dealt with quickly and seriously. 5. Encourage anybody to develop their business so that everything possible is done but they should shoulder their responsibilities in business. 6. Retain our own hereditary methods of dealing with military and financial institutions, not handing them over to 'strangers'. And so I could go on, but why are financial criminals sent to prison instead of confiscating the amount they have stolen PLUS a large percentage of that total?
Here we go again, Jake the peg,
You don't have to be a member of any party to recognise that conditions for the 'people' in this country are far from ideal, and I am not a member of any poitical party. If you enjoy what is going on, good luck to you but many of us don't enjoy being dragged down with you.
For too many years now, under both Tory and Labour parties, when citizens have reached retirement age the level of pension has been abysmal. I believe that any government must allocate sufficient money to gradually increase all levels as a commitment so that retired people will gradually receive a pension comparable with any other country. Don't say that there isn't the funds available - this commitment must be one of the priorities.
OK, Jake, the Health Service, messed up over the many years by politicians who insisted on interfering and still do instead of leaving it to those who know about those things. Millions have been poured into the NHS and millions have been wasted on 'ill thought out ideas' which have to be scrapped in the end. Top heavy with administration, largely due to so much paper work passed down through the system. I experienced officials in the teaching profession who, to prove their worth, invented and thought up paper work to send out to the schools to try to prove that they were indispensible. That is what has and is going on in the NHS and still does in the schools.
Something else, it is about time the Human Rights Bill was severely amended, if retained at all. Anybody who, it is proved, commits serious crimes forgoes their human rights. There are too many lawyers making a lot of money taking cases to the Human Rights Commission in Europe and winning their case so that the proved criminal escapes justice. More leverage to the victims who have first considerations. You have to earn your human rights!
In fact, being in Europe is dragging this country down, paying out many, many millions to agree to carry out nonsense laws which make work for a few thousand more people and made by people who have no responsibility for the welfare of people in this country. Do people still think that altering our daily habits will make such a vast difference to global warming? Some of you had better consider whether you are being brainwashed. Still, you are helping to provide thousands more jobs and enabling governments to apply more taxes. We are suckers!
Hello Mani,
My point is that many people who gain access to this country legitimately or otherwise, aim to take away many of the British ways of doing things. I am not for one minute saying that we shouldn't allow other faiths, for example, from setting up their own centres in the country but it should be a peaceful co-existence. It took a long long time for example for leaders of the Muslim community in this country to speak out against extreme groups bent on destroying anything which wasn't Islam. We should be able to retain our Western values in our own country.
What about providing the wherewithall to defend our country. Ignore the present presence of our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, the government has not provided enough finances for our Army, Navy and Air Force to have the most up-to-date weaponry in order to be involved in any emergency to ensure that no other nation can do what they like with us. Whatever the Chiefs of the Armed forces need should be made available. Don't say that we are on a limited budget, this is a top priority and no excuses. And while we are about it, give the troops the best possible conditions in which they can do their nation's duty.
I didn't say I don't like this country but the way the Government is destroying a lot of the things which made it unique. I have devoted too many of my octogenarian years for the benefit of this country - 4 years in the RAF to help destroy the Nazi regime so you can live in a more civilised country and 38 years helping to educate the nation's children - what have you done for the benefit of others? Can you answer that? If you approve of the way this Government is affecting other's lives you are welcome to it!
rojash
I notice you are able to give a quick retort which has no bearing on the many problems facing us in the UK. Do you defend the actions taken by the Government which affect day to day costs, e.g. retirement pensions, exorbitant tax on fuel, unwilling to provide the extra money necessary for our armed forces ? Unfortunately there are fewer ways the citizens of this country can show their objections to these hardships and that is why some of us try to find ways to draw extra attention to them. What do you think?
Also stop tarring good citizens with the same brush as criminals reguarding knives and guns, cars etc, some people are responsible neough to own these things without risk to others lives. Crack down on the baddies and provide proper regulations. Criminals are not detered by laws anyway.
My retort may have no bearing on the problems of the Uk, Hugh, but it speaks to your remark: "My point is that many people who gain access to this country legitimately or otherwise, aim to take away many of the British ways of doing things".
As far as I am aware, your family is among those that gained entry "otherwise" than legitimately.
Rojash
What do you mean gaining access illegitimately? My parents and grandparents were born in this country, our family was working class, my father, who died of TB when I was 8, was a docker, went to France with the military in WW1, mother had to bring up 3 boys with little support , we three boys served in the RAF, I trained as a teacher and taught for 38 years. I tink you owe me an apology, if you are up to that kind of thing!
Rojash
Your reply to my last entry must be offered very very soon otherwise your reputation and credibility plummets to zero. There was no justification in your accusation especially as you have not offered any worthwhile comment on my original entry. If you don't return to explain your atrocious remarks your name will be blackened and your future contributions will count for nothing . Let's hear from you.
You obviously didn't read my first reply very carefully. Your name indicates that you are of Norman descent - hence your ancestors invaded this country and forcibly changed the way of life.
What rubbish are you saying now? Is there a pure English person whose ancestors did not originate from another country? But why does my Christian name indicate that I come from any particular country? My parents could have given me any name. For the sake of any other contributors, do a little bit of thinking before you say anything. Write back, please.
Hugh, "Is there a pure English person whose ancestors did not originate from another country?"
This is exactly the point I was trying to make: Britain has always been subject to influxes of foreigners - some more legitimate than others, and each influx has changed the way of life.
It's probably one of the things that made Britain great - constant injections of new genes, cultures, and ideas.
And yet here we have you banging on about "Residents who don't accept the traditional Brit sh way of life had better look elsewhere" and "that many people who gain access to this country legitimately or otherwise, aim to take away many of the British ways of doing things".
By the way - it's your surname, not your Christian name that you get from your ancestors, and I assumed that you would know that. Spencer is of Norman origin.