Tag Archives: Austerity

Time might be changing

Posted on December 1, 2019 by odeboyz

Some can remember their Father’s Father and their Mother’s Father A few know of older generations from stories and photographs So although we all had relatives, back to the beginning of time The longer back we look, the further is … Continue reading →

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The victims of Austerity are children

Posted on July 4, 2019 by odeboyz

Last week (end-June 2019) I tuned into radio 4 at 7am. I wasn’t paying too much attention, until I heard the report of a boy in school who’d fainted in school, when he got there on Monday morning. It transpired … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, housing, Politics, tenants rights | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Not everyone is middle-class with assets

Posted on June 20, 2019 by odeboyz

Rachel and Jack1 are in their late thirties, with two young children. Both are immature but have worked hard on their relationship. Jack’s a self-employed window cleaner, odd job man, labourer and gardener. He’s hardly ever in steady full time … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Health, housing, local politics, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Working on council estates

Posted on May 15, 2019 by odeboyz

I worked for fifty years in Hackney and Havering on Council estates as a plumber. Like everybody else Council tenants are of all kinds of people: loud, selfish, helpful, timid, stupid and clever and I nearly forgot the rich and … Continue reading →

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The price of the Conservatives austerity programme, 2010-19

Posted on February 21, 2019 by odeboyz

A 2017 study published by the British Medical Journal linked health and social care budget cuts to nearly 120,000 excess deaths in the UK since 2010. Last year, the Office for National Statistics revealed that life expectancy has stopped rising … Continue reading →

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Politics over thirty six years

Posted on February 20, 2019 by odeboyz

During my life as a hard line unionist I’ve considered myself to be on the left of main stream politics. In the late 1970s I was very tempted to join the Communist party but instead, in the summer of 1983, … Continue reading →

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The Nasty Party

Posted on November 4, 2018 by odeboyz

The Tories don’t care Pile on the misery, some more Universal credit, payment delays Well that’s just – how it is. They can force you into work Doesn’t matter if its zero hours Doesn’t matter if it’s at the minimum … Continue reading →

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Book review: Anonymous ~ The Secret Barrister: stories of the Law and How It’s Broken

Posted on August 7, 2018 by odeboyz

The Secret Barrister quickly establishes his non-traditional background. He was educated at a comprehensive school and isn’t a high-flyer. His post-2000 career has been blighted by reductions in legal aid payments. He offers many examples of stellar legal work but … Continue reading →

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Land of hope and glory

Posted on January 15, 2018 by odeboyz

Once upon a time This title might have been true However, sublime the music This current Government Flies in the face of this paradigm. Food banks now feed the desperate Job security; a past closed door Vast fortunes, built by … Continue reading →

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This I Know

Posted on October 4, 2017 by odeboyz

It wasn’t ordinary working people Who caused the 80s banking crisis It wasn’t them that caused financial meltdown No! It was greedy bankers Who caused Northern Rock to fall The rich. Many politicians were the root cause Those with mansions … Continue reading →

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