Can anyone say if

[noahrab]

I left school in 1979 with six o levels and got an apprenticeship. Place closed early 1981 - operations moved from Dundee to Stoke On Trent, that fair increased Scots wealth and it wasn't the only work to head south at that time - still happening in fact. I'd been out of school long enough that my 6 o levels meant nothing - right onto Maggie's scrap heap then. But I was too clever to let the evil bitch beat me.

I have more money in earnings now of course but I'm very experienced and good at what I do so can't be compared to a naive wee laddie leaving school and entering the world of work. Do I feel wealthier than that naive wee laddie that was paid £32 per week in 1979, handed £10 to his mum and kept the rest? No I don't.

Never had a council house, couldn't get one and had to go into significant debt to buy my first house - yup, an ex council house. The people that bought it off the council made £24,000 out of it in 1992 when we bought it so they did OK. We still own it so have made nothing from it other than a very low rental income (just about break even) over the years, and because my son now lives in it I don't even get that.

The lives of hundreds of thousands changed due to the right to buy scheme - in a country of 5 Million. By the same token the lives of just as many, probably more, were set back by the same right and society continues to suffer from a lack of affordable housing to this day. How Tory is taking what you can when you can and **** the consequences on others?

Mind you I'm sitting on probably £80,000 equity in that house but that's despite the evil one not because of her. Between me and my wife we probably do have have £250,000 worth of assets, but we've both always worked. Do you think £250,000 between a married couple is a decent amount to show for a lifetime of work? I don't, I think it's a disgrace in a country that doesn't even have a decent pension system or health service to look after us in our old age - bear in mind to access that £250,000 we'd need to make ourselves homeless. We can't even get the disgrace of a pension that we've contributed to all our working lives until we're 67. Can we retire early on our assets? Yes if we liquidate them but where does that leave us? I wonder how the equivalent couple in Norway, where the oil and gas reserves were properly managed, are fairing compared to us? Can't see them having to sell their house to pay for care.

I'm 60 now and should be retired by now with the working life I've had but all I actually have to show for it is free bus travel - did the Tories give me that?

Have my wife and I really worked all our lives for **** all? I think so.

‘Too clever’ - really? Not something I had you down as.

‘Very experienced and good at what I do’ - self praise and all that.

‘Pension we’ve contributed to’ - You haven’t.

‘Free bus travel’ - it isn’t free.


Your beloved SNP helped usher in Thatcherism. Look a little closer to home for your woes.

[noahrab]

He's gonna make a what of himself?

Sometimes you make it too easy mate.

[Returnofrros]

Did u vote for her party during her period as prime minister?

Once I think, I've voted Tory twice.

But it's a bit pointless voting Tory in general elections.

Usually vote Conservative in council elections but pay my dues to Scottish family party now so probably vote for them if they have a candidate in my area

[Returnofrros]

I left school in 1979 with six o levels and got an apprenticeship. Place closed early 1981 - operations moved from Dundee to Stoke On Trent, that fair increased Scots wealth and it wasn't the only work to head south at that time - still happening in fact. I'd been out of school long enough that my 6 o levels meant nothing - right onto Maggie's scrap heap then. But I was too clever to let the evil bitch beat me.

I have more money in earnings now of course but I'm very experienced and good at what I do so can't be compared to a naive wee laddie leaving school and entering the world of work. Do I feel wealthier than that naive wee laddie that was paid £32 per week in 1979, handed £10 to his mum and kept the rest? No I don't.

Never had a council house, couldn't get one and had to go into significant debt to buy my first house - yup, an ex council house. The people that bought it off the council made £24,000 out of it in 1992 when we bought it so they did OK. We still own it so have made nothing from it other than a very low rental income (just about break even) over the years, and because my son now lives in it I don't even get that.

The lives of hundreds of thousands changed due to the right to buy scheme - in a country of 5 Million. By the same token the lives of just as many, probably more, were set back by the same right and society continues to suffer from a lack of affordable housing to this day. How Tory is taking what you can when you can and **** the consequences on others?

Mind you I'm sitting on probably £80,000 equity in that house but that's despite the evil one not because of her. Between me and my wife we probably do have have £250,000 worth of assets, but we've both always worked. Do you think £250,000 between a married couple is a decent amount to show for a lifetime of work? I don't, I think it's a disgrace in a country that doesn't even have a decent pension system or health service to look after us in our old age - bear in mind to access that £250,000 we'd need to make ourselves homeless. We can't even get the disgrace of a pension that we've contributed to all our working lives until we're 67. Can we retire early on our assets? Yes if we liquidate them but where does that leave us? I wonder how the equivalent couple in Norway, where the oil and gas reserves were properly managed, are fairing compared to us? Can't see them having to sell their house to pay for care.

I'm 60 now and should be retired by now with the working life I've had but all I actually have to show for it is free bus travel - did the Tories give me that?

Have my wife and I really worked all our lives for **** all? I think so.

So the short answer is you're wealthier than in 1979.

[Returnofrros]

I defy anyone to prove to me that posts on here that Scots are in general poorer than 1979.

Holidays, cars, property wealth, pensions, inheritance.

But the mindset of the Scots govt is to make everyone think they are in poverty.

There are poor people in Scotland, yes but the vast vast majority have had it no too bad over the last 40 years.

Job security in private sector is more flakey, public defo not.

Harder for children to leave home, I'll concede that......but that's maybe no a bad thing.

[eric_sinclair]

Once I think, I've voted Tory twice.

But it's a bit pointless voting Tory in general elections.

Usually vote Conservative in council elections but pay my dues to Scottish family party now so probably vote for them if they have a candidate in my area

I think I cud only vote in 87 when she was in charge you may be older.
It all depends on your circumstances I suppose.
We stayed in a multi,didna have option to buy.
I got started on Maggie's yts we the council.
Good wee break until council cuts next year cut the appreteships by more than two thirds.
Mum and dad always worked but didna have much.
Eventually saved up to work offshore as there was zero opportunities for fowk like myself.
You went into finance,I can count on one hand others I know who ended up there.
I prefer the socialist model but if we were all the same eh.

Who would you say is to blame for the unfairness of the pension system?
Genuine question as I dont know.

[Returnofrros]

I think I cud only vote in 87 when she was in charge you may be older.
It all depends on your circumstances I suppose.
We stayed in a multi,didna have option to buy.
I got started on Maggie's yts we the council.
Good wee break until council cuts next year cut the appreteships by more than two thirds.
Mum and dad always worked but didna have much.
Eventually saved up to work offshore as there was zero opportunities for fowk like myself.
You went into finance,I can count on one hand others I know who ended up there.
I prefer the socialist model but if we were all the same eh.

Who would you say is to blame for the unfairness of the pension system?
Genuine question as I dont know.

Nobody in my family has bought a council house either, my point is it allowed thousands to create their own wealth.

What unfairness in particular, there are many

[eric_sinclair]

Nobody in my family has bought a council house either, my point is it allowed thousands to create their own wealth.

What unfairness in particular, there are many

Those with private pensions having to pay for things that those on state pension don't.

[Returnofrros]

Those with private pensions having to pay for things that those on state pension don't.

Well that's not pensions explicitly.......its those getting means tested benefits and those that don't as the govt thinks they have sufficient income ( above the threshold ).

There are those on state pension alone who also have to pay because they have savings.

I don't think it's fair generally but the " poverty lobby" is strong........

I'd give those earning under 40k extra incentive to save into private pension by giving much greater tax relief on contributions, those on higher earnings less tax relief which is the opposite of how it works now.

I'd also stop subsidising public sector schemes and have everyone saving for themselves.

[Returnofrros]

And there's a fairly strong argument to give men their state pension before woman especially those involved in heavy manual work