RedAsABeetroot
Well-known member
I agree. There should be a threshold of 75% of the country assessed as being in tier 1 before changing to localised rules.I think the country should be under the same rules everywhere.
I agree. There should be a threshold of 75% of the country assessed as being in tier 1 before changing to localised rules.I think the country should be under the same rules everywhere.
Something like 8 of top 20 highest affected areas now in KentSome places in Kent don't need to be in Tier 3 but Swale is higher means all places in Kent have to be in tier 3 at the same time.
The only thing I want to point out is that London and the Home Counties are very different. London is very much a Labour area as shown by the last election when 48% of people voted for Labour (more than the % percentage for Labour in the traditional heartlands of NE and NW England). But I agree the more rural you get in the South East, and into the Home Counties, the political view becomes more Tory, and by and large living standards increase. As you mention it's complex, and there's always easy to find instances of wealth and poverty being just around the corner wherever you go.I always think this south east is wealthy and the north is poor is just political.
The south east tends to be Tory and the north tends to be Labour so if you are in the marginal middle of the country who would you prefer to align yourself with?
They‘ve done it with Covid as well, the north has been portrayed as a virus ridden destitute hole.
But as described above the picture is much more complicated and all parts of the country have both wealth and poverty.
And let’s not kid ourselves that all of London is paved in streets of gold, there are plenty of people living in poverty down there.
Personally I have no problem with London and the south east and as you say we need a strong capital city, it’s the political running down of the north which I object to. I can never tell whether or not this comes from politicians or the media but it does happen and is one of the reasons this country is so divided.The only thing I want to point out is that London and the Home Counties are very different. London is very much a Labour area as shown by the last election when 48% of people voted for Labour (more than the % percentage for Labour in the traditional heartlands of NE and NW England). But I agree the more rural you get in the South East, and into the Home Counties, the political view becomes more Tory, and by and large living standards increase. As you mention it's complex, and there's always easy to find instances of wealth and poverty being just around the corner wherever you go.
London is always let off the hook, as shown multiple times through COVID, because it is so vital the economy. Its the wrong attitude of course, and will just lead to division and a feeling of unfair treatment for those who are far from the capital, however, it's only natural for the government to want to keep their biggest and most important city running as much as normally. It would help if our economy was a little more balanced geographically, but that's a different discussion for a different day, and sadly a pipe dream given the ever-increasing centralisation of the UK economy.
And as someone living down here I agree that we must surely end up in Tier 3. It wouldn't shock me if it happened next week. but it wouldn't surprise me if the incompetents held off until the new year so that the £££ can be spent on pre-Christmas drinking and shopping.
Yup, I'm in Kent. Swale, medway and a few other places off the charts. My area has been really low recently.......but then my sons school got shutdown today as 30% off teachers are isolating or infected. It's complicated, fluid and fast changing. I try and abide by a simple rule ''stay the f... away from me'. I'd be totally safe but for my kids.Some places in Kent don't need to be in Tier 3 but Swale is higher means all places in Kent have to be in tier 3 at the same time.
Totally agree, the difference between the richer and poorer towns is like a microcosm of the north south divide. High speed line has lifted up some of the traditionally poorer areas, yet probably depressed those areas not on the high speed route.parts of Kent had and have poverty - look at Dover, Gillingham, Chatham, Northfleet and in the past Folkstone and Margate and Ramsgate, but people tend to think of Tunbridge Wells when Kent in mentioned and see it as a middle class county.