I remember watch snatchers at the lights in Liverpool in the 80's - my mate had his Turkish "Rolex" taken off him at knife point.
My mum in St Helens is on the basic pension and says she doesn't need the fuel allowance - she spent the last one on a Benidorm break.
Government scandals and rent boys? Ted Heath springs to mind. Jimmy Saville was covered up for years. Theres always been dodgy politicians and monarchs. Jack the original Ripper is widely believed to be be of Royal lineage.
etc.
There's always been shit - I personally don't think its any shittier than its ever been but people are saying it is and blaming the current government like they introduced shit.
The NHS is worrying but even then i have good personal experience of its benefits - My wife is on extremely expensive drugs for her blood condition provided free of charge and is constantly consulted to monitor her condition. My youngest son recently spent 2 weeks in Liverpool Uni hospital. Sure, he had to wait 12 hours for a bed but even though thats a massive hospital, it WAS full of people. Once he got his bed they looked after him very well and obviously cared for him even though he's a grumpy little sod.
Whenever i ask people down here what they see as the problem they always throw Immigration up as the main issue. They say its spiraling out of control. Its not - its down over the last 2 years and it IS being looked at. Do a fact check on the immigration figures and you'll see the real picture. Were becoming a Muslim state? No were not - the Muslim population of the UK accounts for 5% of the total population and wont ever get anywhere near 50% necessary to turn us into a minority. We've always had Immigration and we need immigration. Liverpool was built on immigration. My family were immigrants and were turned away from hotels and pubs in London as recent as the 60's.
Sorry, but anyone of a certain age may remember Til death us do part? Alf Garnet ranting about the government and calling his daughters fella a red mick scarse git?
Is it really as bad, different or worse, than its ever been? 
Previous Message
Personally, inflation is much more noticeable in everything I do or think about. You can’t blame everything on Brexit.
I go to London on business & can’t make a phone call in public in the west end for fear of phone snatch.
Colleagues won’t wear a watch in London, & my daughter’s firm suggests cabs everywhere when down on business.
My folks aren’t alive, but I’m sure many pensioners are concerned about being warm this winter.
I went to Manchester last week & people were begging at the traffic lights, I’ve only ever seen that in South Africa.
One a wider shambles discussion we get a new MP scandal once a week at a senior level- with what could be the biggest being brushed under the carpet. The 3 Russian rent boys….
Police get attacked & their attackers don’t seem to be brought to justice, but tweet something they find offensive & a car load will be at your door pronto.
Govt puts blocks in place on Grooming Gang enquiries - the rape of children! For shame…..
We give convicted sex offender illegal immigrants money as we deport them. What’s that about?
All we hear is “we were left all this by the Tories”.
A lot of it is correct I’m sure, but did Labour really sit in opposition for all that time criticising what was being done wrong …….& have no apparent plan for some of the biggest issues?
Other than that it’s fine Previous Message
I live in the Southern Tory enclave of Horsham and as everyone knows me as a Northern leftie they love to tell me on a daily basis what a shambles Labour are making of running the country.
Personally I'm not suffering any hardships nor do i notice any difference, good or bad, from the state of the country this year compared to, say, 10 years ago.
I'm not well off by the way, just normal people.
What is this shambles of which you speak and how is it affecting you? (in general people of the North West) Previous Message
The support for Reform is coming from people disillusioned with both Labour & Conservatives, who see no way out of the shambles we are currently in & (in some cases) lifelong supporters of each have told me they’ll vote Reform next time.
I’m sure some of it is a protest vote against just how shit Politicians are with their weekly scandals & seeming lack of grasp of the issues, I’m sure some of it is racist, I’m sure some of it isn’t.
All the public see are liars, idiots & incompetents & I think it’s a massive 🤷🏼♂️ from lots of people fed up with the shitshow of whichever party is fucking it up this time.
To be fair, Labour have managed an excellent “hold my beer” response to the poor strategy of the Tory time in office.
My personal response to all of this for some time has been not to vote for any of these idiots as it only encourages them. That will continue. Yes, I have thought about it Previous Message
... and those who still think it was right.
brexit support is dwindling - down to about a third, which is roughly where support for reform has peaked.
as such they may have found their limits in terms of who'll vote for them, and their actual behaviour in-post is going to put some people off as well.
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on October 30, 2025, 5:15 pm, in reply to "