Pub conversation last night........

[flip-flop]

In the pub last night we were discussing unemployment - now here in the South East, where jobs are plentiful, unless there are genuine reasons for not working, if you are unemployed you are simply a workshy bone idle welching slob.

Is this fair comment?

[Booldawg]

yes, if you're long term unemployed without even considering taking a job then you have to question the drive and motivation of a person. I'm not sure about jobs being plentiful in the South East - most of the SE is still small town/rural with little or no industry. The employment tends to be in larger cities. In the SE we've never had the large,heavy industry that secured employment for whole families - that was the trouble up North as industry declined in this country, employment rose - simple as that. We've never had it to lose.

[Loosehead]

Yes, I'd go along with that. Anyone who wants to work should be able to find some sort of employment, it may not be what they would like but work is there.

[gary baldy]

Even as loony lefty i tend to agree with you. Thanks to Labour's economic miracle (only saying that to wind you up) i dont really think there is any neeed to be without a job for long nowadays - in fact there are immigrants coming here looking for work because we have so many jobs that lazy 'natives' dont want.
I was was a self confessed workshy bone idle welching slob in the early 90's. Probably could have got a job but couldnt be bothered - i prefered to spend my dole money on pot and watching the Teletubbies.
Different strory 15 years ago if you were 50 years old and lived in a former mining village though!

[Loosehead]

"Labour's economic miracle" mmm, Oxymoron methinks!

[Fish the Mod]

Though I agree with your main points, the problem is not work but poor wages. Living in London you cannot work for less then �25.000 yet Companies including Council wages start at �15.000. I lived and worked in the West Midlands for a year. My boss had a five bedroom house with a 100 ft yard for �120,000. The chip shop up to Morrisons were 10-20% cheaper then North London where I live. Work- why bother?

[charliebaps]

Sorry fish but what are you talking about? 'living in London you cannot work for less than 25k'. I don't make 25k a year and a lot of my friends don't but we still live and pay rent/mortgages etc.

[littlemissx]

i agree... i work in the south west and anyone can work... not necessarily in a job they want but you cant be picky!!!