Britain's shop theft epidemic: The shocking stats that expose our justice system is FAILING

[papasmurf]

No it wasn't, it was borne from capitalism, something you don't appreciate: an entrepreneurial spirit and hard work.

It isn't hard work to buy to let. 

[Nick]

It was Thatcher's right to buy policy. The buy to let was an emergent property of that.

No it wasn't, it was borne from capitalism, something you don't appreciate: an entrepreneurial spirit and hard work. 

[papasmurf]

No its not , buy to let was conceived by  the banks

It was Thatcher's right to buy policy. The buy to let was an emergent property of that.

[Streetwalker]

It is Thatcher's legacy.

No its not , buy to let was conceived by  the banks 

[papasmurf]

And what exactly has that got to do with anyone but the government of the day ? 

It is Thatcher's legacy. 

[Streetwalker]

Locally I can't think of any ex council houses still occupied by the original tenants. Many are now private rental properties owned by people who bought them to let.

And what exactly has that got to do with anyone but the government of the day ?  

[Nick]

I only respond when attacked. I commented about Thatcher's right to buy as a response to comments about the lack of housing.

My comment about lack of housing was firmly pointed at the amount of immigrants, keep up. 

[papasmurf]

These pensioners now have assets ,they are home owners either still in their council house or have moved on elsewhere .

Locally I can't think of any ex council houses still occupied by the original tenants. Many are now private rental properties owned by people who bought them to let. 

[Streetwalker]

I wouldn't argue with your view of Blair but council houses were built to rent to those unable to afford buying,if you wanted better you like I and my brothers bought privately.


The sale of council houses was a disaster and nothing more than a bribe to win votes,like many of the utilities which have turned sour and assets you can only sell once.

I agree the reason for council houses and all governments have failed to varying degrees in not keeping up the stock in line with population 
I wouldn't say the sale of them has been a complete disaster though .People that brought their council house back in the 80's are probably now or about to become pensioners .(Right to buy the home you rent was actually in the Labour party manifesto in 1959 ) .

These pensioners now have assets ,they are home owners either still in their council house or have moved on elsewhere .
They are not a burden on the state , they likely don't need pension credits and if the worst come to the worst have funds to pay for the care home ,their cost is effectively off the governments books .
I think that this was Thatchers vision (I know your not a fan) that people would become responsible for themselves ,give people a stake in their communities which would (back on topic)  reduce anti social behaviour and petty crime  

I don't know if that's the same as selling off utilities ,you can always build more  houses as they should have done ,you cant take over something you have sold ,which they shouldn't have . 

[papasmurf]

Another childish retort (a word in brackets) , as for insults, I suggest you look back under your various names and see the abuse you have issued to others. The fact you continue with a spiel about Mrs Thatcher shows you can't follow a thread. I never mentioned her or her policy!!

I only respond when attacked. I commented about Thatcher's right to buy as a response to comments about the lack of housing.

[Nick]

Nick frankly it is YOU who is not particularly sharp. (Seriously.) It is why you persist in insulting me because you can't debate. The Thatcher's right to buy, and those council houses were never replaced plus buy to rent out are major factors.

Another childish retort (a word in brackets) , as for insults, I suggest you look back under your various names and see the abuse you have issued to others. The fact you continue with a spiel about Mrs Thatcher shows you can't follow a thread. I never mentioned her or her policy!!

[cromwell]

The policy may have been Thatchers but Blair didnt have to carry it on did he ?  Under Thatcher councils sold 1.2 million under Blair 660,000 .  But then Thatcher built 450,000 council houses and Blair 7,800 so there isn't really much in it as to who is to blame for the lack of council housing on the numbers . But when you factor in the mass immigration under Blair that put pressure on the housing stock Im saying Thatcher should be off the hook not continually blamed for the lack of social housing because she built more and she wouldn't have allowed the immigration .

I wouldn't argue with your view of Blair but council houses were built to rent to those unable to afford buying,if you wanted better you like I and my brothers bought privately.


The sale of council houses was a disaster and nothing more than a bribe to win votes,like many of the utilities which have turned sour and assets you can only sell once.

[Streetwalker]

The shortage of council housing is down to Thatcher's right to buy. The council houses lost to right to buy were never replaced.


Social housing stock has fallen over the last 30 years - Full Fact


The size of the social housing sector has been decreasing over time.

The proportion of the population living in social housing in Great Britain halved between the early 1980s and early 2010s, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The IFS puts this down to two key developments: the introduction of Right to Buy in 1980, which gave tenants the ability to buy their council houses at below market rates, and a general drop in the amount of social housing being built.

The number of homes for rent from councils or housing associations in the UK has been decreasing from a peak of around seven million in the early 1980s to just under five million in 2014.

In contrast the number of homes available for private rental has increased from around two million to over five million.

The policy may have been Thatchers but Blair didnt have to carry it on did he ?  Under Thatcher councils sold 1.2 million under Blair 660,000 .  But then Thatcher built 450,000 council houses and Blair 7,800 so there isn't really much in it as to who is to blame for the lack of council housing on the numbers . But when you factor in the mass immigration under Blair that put pressure on the housing stock Im saying Thatcher should be off the hook not continually blamed for the lack of social housing because she built more and she wouldn't have allowed the immigration .

[papasmurf]

Yet socialists still blame Thatcher for the shortage of housing (?).

The shortage of council housing is down to Thatcher's right to buy. The council houses lost to right to buy were never replaced.


Social housing stock has fallen over the last 30 years - Full Fact


The size of the social housing sector has been decreasing over time.

The proportion of the population living in social housing in Great Britain halved between the early 1980s and early 2010s, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The IFS puts this down to two key developments: the introduction of Right to Buy in 1980, which gave tenants the ability to buy their council houses at below market rates, and a general drop in the amount of social housing being built.

The number of homes for rent from councils or housing associations in the UK has been decreasing from a peak of around seven million in the early 1980s to just under five million in 2014.

In contrast the number of homes available for private rental has increased from around two million to over five million.

[Streetwalker]

Nick frankly it is YOU who is not particularly sharp. (Seriously.) It is why you persist in insulting me because you can't debate. The Thatcher's right to buy, and those council houses were never replaced plus buy to rent out are major factors.

Thatchers record on house building was second to none as was the take up on home ownership . More social housing was built  in every year of her time in government than New Labour built in their total time in government . 

Yet socialists still blame Thatcher for the shortage of housing (?).At least is was affordable back in the Thatcher years even with 15% interest rates . It was the vast increase in property values  that caused the problems  as housing became too expensive for first time buyers and they turned to social housing (which had been neglected since 1990 ) and the shortages became apparent