Who Will Be The Next Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom

[Tamas]

What about those who cannot save, with incomes only to live on day-by-day basis? 

[Yi]They should have made better life choices and earned relevant job skills.[/Yi]

Improving housing by easing building permit laws is what they seem to be planning, and easing the pressure on the housing market can be a key - I am earning the national average and everything would be pretty rosy price-wise if I wasn't burning an insane portion of my income on renting a ridicoulous "apartment".

[Brazen]

I'm pulling for James Hacker.

 

[MadImmortalMan]

Improving housing by easing building permit laws is what they seem to be planning, and easing the pressure on the housing market can be a key - I am earning the national average and everything would be pretty rosy price-wise if I wasn't burning an insane portion of my income on renting a ridicoulous "apartment".

That's a worldwide phenomenon, not a British-specific one.

But it's a good point that high expenses needs to be addressed, since high costs and debt loads are the main things that keep people from being able to save--making them among the largest barriers to social mobility. 

[Hamilcar]

Cameron is an incredibly shrewd operator. He's trying to get his rivals to tear each other apart instead of focusing on him as he becomes vulnerable over the EU question in the next few years.

[Josquius]

Improving housing by easing building permit laws is what they seem to be planning, and easing the pressure on the housing market can be a key - I am earning the national average and everything would be pretty rosy price-wise if I wasn't burning an insane portion of my income on renting a ridicoulous "apartment".

That's a worldwide phenomenon, not a British-specific one.

But it's a good point that high expenses needs to be addressed, since high costs and debt loads are the main things that keep people from being able to save--making them among the largest barriers to social mobility. 

True that it happens elsewhere, but in Britain it is a lot worse than elsewhere.
Even in cities other than London its rare for young professionals to be able to live alone. Here in Switzerland I've got a rather large place to myself.

It wouldn't solve everything but in the UK a big part of the problem though is the government policy of trying to cram the entire economy into London. If they spread things out more then we could reduce the burden- there's more room to build in the north too.

Also a pain is the amount of power land owners have to block new developments, which usually shows itself in them blocking anything taller than 4 stories. And even going that high is rare.
True, Brits dream of living in a house not a flat...but in Newcastle and other cities half of the houses have been converted into flats because of the amount of people needing somewhere to live.

[Admiral Yi]

the government policy of trying to cram the entire economy into London.

By this do you mean an actual policy to cram the entire economy into London (which I wasn't aware of) or do you mean the absence of policies to promote investment elsewhere, such as subsidies?

[MadImmortalMan]

By this do you mean an actual policy to cram the entire economy into London (which I wasn't aware of) or do you mean the absence of policies to promote investment elsewhere, such as subsidies?

There HAVE been those things though. His points about not being able to build properly is probably the more salient point.


Edit: But there's also the macro-environmental factors. Housing won't get cheaper as long as interest rates don't go up.

[The Brain]

Housing? You mean Zack de la Rocha?

[Martinus]

the government policy of trying to cram the entire economy into London.

By this do you mean an actual policy to cram the entire economy into London (which I wasn't aware of) or do you mean the absence of policies to promote investment elsewhere, such as subsidies?

Is there a difference?

[Barrister]

I'm pulling for James Hacker.

 

I dunno - I'm more of a Francis Urquhart man myself.

[Admiral Yi]

Is there a difference?

Of course.

[crazy canuck]

Mongers, this thread needs pics.  How else are we to make a selection in the time honoured tradition of Languish.

[Martinus]

Is there a difference?

Of course.

I am not sure. A government ignoring a negative phenomenon is as bad as one which causes it.

[The Brain]

Is there a difference?

Of course.

I am not sure. A government ignoring a negative phenomenon is as bad as one which causes it.

I think I see the problem.

[Admiral Yi]

I am not sure. A government ignoring a negative phenomenon is as bad as one which causes it.

A government not having a policy to address something you don't like doesn't make it a policy.