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Now then...lower benefits for the Northerners ??
Comments
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It has been like that since 1789. The reason we still have a monarchy is because the British establishment have known just how far to push it.
There's probably some truth in that. The difference however is that for most of the period since 1789 it's been a small minority of wealthy, privileged, and powerful individuals versus the mass of the population who were mostly living very frugally at best. Now it's the mass of the population who work or intend to work and who mostly have a reasonably comfortable standard of living versus a relatively small minority underclass that leeches off the majority and which does nothing to pull it's weight.No-one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions. He had money as well.
The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.
Margaret Thatcher0 -
GeorgeHowell wrote: »That's the umpteenth time that has been said, but where's the evidence ?
Where is the evidence to show it is cheaper in the north.
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Where is the evidence to show it is cheaper in the north.
We haven't seen it. The government presumably has it, or intends to acquire it. If it shows there are regional differences then there is a good case for adjustments to benefits and public sector pay in order to equalise real levels. If there are no such differences then no such adjustments are required. Nevertheless people keep saying that these differences do not exist, without any evidence to back it up.No-one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions. He had money as well.
The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.
Margaret Thatcher0 -
GeorgeHowell wrote: »That's the umpteenth time that has been said, but where's the evidence ?
ok if we must:
Shopping : All online retailers charge the same regardless where you are in the uk. (that can cover food, electronics and clothing) High street shopping, other than local convenience stores, specialist stores and motorway services, these costs are fairly universal.
Entertainment :
Ticket for 1 adult at the cinema -
Boldon (tyne and wear) Cineworld = £8.10
London Green Wood Cineworld = £8.30
(a full 20p per adult!)
Cars
Petrol : Garage in London, Kent - 128.7p Min 134.9p Max
Garage in Newcastle - 127.9p Min 133.9p Max
Difference is pretty negligible there!
Source : http://www.petrolprices.com
Car Tax is exactly the same wherever in the country you are.
Car insurance varies all around the country, so much that post codes in the same town can have vastly different.
Car Maintenance
Most Major dealers charge the same hourly rate regardless of where in the country they are based, and parts also have a universal cost. not dependent on location.
Gas + Electric are dependent on usage, not location.
Council tax tends to be more expensive up north than in the south (as shown in one of the previous links
Travel : Peak Ticket on Metro (only has 3 zones!) = £3.20
Peak Ticket on London Underground (Zone 1 to 3) = £3.20
http://www.tfl.gov.uk
http://www.nexus.org.uk
Eating out and drinking out, granted are more expensive, but these are luxuries, and not essential for every day life
Holidays - Flying from Gatwick or heathrow is significantly cheaper than flying from Newcastle Airport (check the same holidays on https://www.expedia.com)
Also there are very expensive areas of the north to live in too, and lots of expensive restaurants, pubs and clubs if you really want to find them (as there are cheaper places down south to drink and eat if you look for them)
Need i continue, or must you continue deluding yourself that southerners are much harder done to, paying twice as much for everything??
Housing costs are covered by a separate benefit, and therefore don't come into the argument.0 -
GeorgeHowell wrote: »We haven't seen it. The government presumably has it, or intends to acquire it. If it shows there are regional differences then there is a good case for adjustments to benefits and public sector pay in order to equalise real levels. If there are no such differences then no such adjustments are required. Nevertheless people keep saying that these differences do not exist, without any evidence to back it up.
EDF Blue Price 2105
Gas all regions standing charge & unit price the same. Electric standing charge the same unit price varies slightly Sothern 14.27, SE 14.36, NW 14.32 apart from Scxotland, SW and N Wales/Merseyside all regions within ~ 0.5p per unit. GDs corner is pretty expensive too.
http://www.ukpia.com/fuel-prices-historic-data.aspx
http://www.amazon.co.uk/
http://www.ebay.co.uk/
http://www.asda.com/
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/
No doubt there will be variances in shoping at local grocery stores or big store "convenience "outlets.
Prices in Tesco Stornaway were pretty much the same as local to us during the summer. An extreme example but elsewhere on Lewis/Harris they rely on cooperative stores/independents 95p for a tin of baked beans, £1.50 for a bog standard loaf of white sliced bread. Doubt this is much different to a number of remote locations in Cornwal, Wales, Cumbria, Scotland, Yorkshire Dales.
Fuel was about 8pl more (than highest prices main supermarket/forecourt local to me) on the Western Isles too. That said we have two independents that charge about 10p more locally too.:mad:
I await the governments evidence with interest."If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop... Being uneducated, you have no fear of the future.".....
"big business is parasitic, like a mosquito, whereas I prefer the lighter touch, like that of a butterfly. "A butterfly can suck honey from the flower without damaging it," "Arunachalam Muruganantham0 -
GeorgeHowell wrote: »We haven't seen it. The government presumably has it, or intends to acquire it. If it shows there are regional differences then there is a good case for adjustments to benefits and public sector pay in order to equalise real levels. If there are no such differences then no such adjustments are required. Nevertheless people keep saying that these differences do not exist, without any evidence to back it up.
Wouldn't it cost more increasing the wages and benefits in London?'Just think for a moment what a prospect that is. A single market without barriers visible or invisible giving you direct and unhindered access to the purchasing power of over 300 million of the worlds wealthiest and most prosperous people' Margaret Thatcher0 -
GeorgeHowell wrote: »We haven't seen it. The government presumably has it, or intends to acquire it. If it shows there are regional differences then there is a good case for adjustments to benefits and public sector pay in order to equalise real levels. If there are no such differences then no such adjustments are required. Nevertheless people keep saying that these differences do not exist, without any evidence to back it up.
That's a big presumption I have the feeling it's just playing to the crowd.
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That's a big presumption I have the feeling it's just playing to the crowd.
Well we'll see won't we. Having raised it they will either have to put it down as some think tank idea that didn't pan out and drop it, or follow it up. If they follow it up they will have to come up with the data, and since it will be scrutinised to death it will need to be sound. There are two separate but related issues :-- Will reliable data be produced to show significant regional cost of living differences ? If so, should and will benefits and public sector pay be adjusted to equalise them in real terms ?No-one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions. He had money as well.
The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.
Margaret Thatcher0 -
GeorgeHowell wrote: »Well we'll see won't we. Having raised it they will either have to put it down as some think tank idea that didn't pan out and drop it, or follow it up. If they follow it up they will have to come up with the data, and since it will be scrutinised to death it will need to be sound. There are two separate but related issues :-- Will reliable data be produced to show significant regional cost of living differences ? If so, should and will benefits and public sector pay be adjusted to equalise them in real terms ?
Nothing new there then0
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