Seconded!
Well said Carol!
I think what we are seeing is the floundering of a failed political leader trying to make a name for himself. Unfortunately as I see the only thing he has achieved is to highlight his dubious honesty. With regard to benefits and migrants, this is not the root cause of all the ills in the UK or indeed the world.
The financial crisis in the pensions field has been known about by successive governments for decades and largely ignored. The current financial crisis has been acerbated by two factors. 1. the low taxation policies brought in by the Thatcher/Regan buddies in the 80's and latterly 2. the greed in the banking sector. To run a country the government needs to collect tax, tax cuts equal cuts in services and welfare. 13 million people living in poverty, 1 million under-nourished pensioners testify to the failure of this doctrine. Why should old Wayne Rooney only pay 45% tax on his £300,000+/week salary? Why should Google, Starbucks and Amazon to name but 3 not pay tax in the countries in which they are trading? Why should Thatcher be allowed to put her estate of some £12m into a tax haven in the Caymens thereby dodging tax of 40% in the UK? I am not an avocate of 'fleece the rich' but I do say they should pay their wack! After all does a teacher, firemen, policeman, nurse have these tax dodging capabilities. No they do not.
With regard to pensions of the future and taking note of a recent Telegraph article, I believe our babies wont get a pension as we know it today. The first step has been taken in putting in place workplace pension. Soon it will be law to contribute to these pensions and the UK will end up with the Australian format. This was considered in the 90's but never implemented.
Concerning the language speaking this is again IDS posturing. He would have to deported thousands of Parkistani wives who do not speak the language and I think that might create a few problems!
A new slant on 'grey panthers' - beware of the tailbacks, the 'grey snail' convoys are coming :-D
Only problem with that is the HGV permit required for stuff over 3.5T. Mine is required to be renewed every 2 years as I'm an old git. You've just reminded me to arrange the medical I need to do this. No problem at the moment but I'm not sure how easy it will be in the years to come. In the meantime if anyone needs a HGV chauffeur ....... I'm wetting myself whilst typing this imagining the carnage loads of geriatric HGV snails could cause:-)
;-)
Spread the word John. By the way it is not "non essential" medical care that may be concerned but "elective medical care" which is very different indeed and indeed in my view the vocab is done that way to mist over people's comprehension of what might actually happen. Please do look at the NHS definitions- they are eye watering and cover many serious and ultimately fatal medical conditions so nobody as you say should be complacent. I believe that many returning expats end up living in "parks" of vile chalets in obscure parts of the UK because that is all they can afford. I saw an excellent scheme where a young architect had converted an American school bus into quite a comfortable home. Maybe that is the way forward. Get an artic and convert a container into a home and just drive around. No taxe d'habitation or taxe fonciere and you can avoid the portiques when they come back. Put solar panels and a small windmill on the roof, and install and Eco WC. When you need medical attention drive your artic to the UK. When you eventually die your near and dear can just scrap the thing and no need to have disputes about inheritances etc. Maybe the Romas have got it right!We can start a reverse trend and maybe drive to Roumania.
It's not necessarily just about language for the professions but technical knowledge of the norms, traditions etc in varying countries. When I ran my architectural practice in London we found that the RIBA accepted the qualifications of many foreigners after relatively simple exams that did nothing like test them to the same level that would be expected of a British architect. Yet on paper they were at the same level and they usually demanded the same money. They were able to open their own firms as well. In fact there were huge gaps in their experience. They knew virtually nothing of contract law or construction or materials so in fact one had to spend a huge amount of time training them and correcting their work. I am not qualified here in France and don't practice, but I know that even if my French is OK in general terms it would not be good enough to convince the French to admit me to the Ordre des Architectes. The British system is much more open and I think in fact too open. There are already too many architects in the UK. Doctors have been "imported" into the UK with sometimes serious results. My late wife who was a Sister in the NHS told me horrific stories of often agency staff from various parts of the world. In all these cases the British qualified people are expected to work with these people, train them up and often their own work and productivity suffers as a result. Training new people is all very well but there has to be a balance and often this is exceeded in the UK to the detriment of the locals.
Firstly, I show no signs of showing an extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others or undue suspicion, fear of persecution and similar. That is what paranoia is. I am a social scientist to begin with, therefore constantly question social and political issues. Those that affect me personally or people close to me get greater scrutiny. However, irrational fear my friend, by no means. Be careful using such words.
There is a greater body of opinion, not simply so-called 'Guardianistas', that by the end of two more terms of Tories in office only the absolute minimum of welfare would remain as too would state ownership of virtually all services have ended. There is a bizarre kind of irony in there, in that late Victorian conservatives were very much involved in early steps to create welfare. It was used to maintain the status quo as they, quite rightly, foresaw upheavals such as revolution. That they got it slightly wrong and Russia did it first is beside the point. You are right about their discomfort though, as too Europe, moves to stop the referendum in Scotland (the motion is all but forgotten but 38 Tories signed up to it) and so on. The UKIP threat irks some of them and is indeed a serious threat, but unlikely they would get enough of a swing for more than a handful of MPs who will be a thorn in the side of the Tories more than any other party. Conservatism is seriously at odds with itself. If they began to see that then they might begin to think again.
Then there is the Iain Duncan Smith phenomenon. He led the party 2001 to 03 and then fell from grace following revelations including his claim that he studied at the University of Perugia. That was found to be false after an investigation by the BBC. His people then admitted that he attended the Italian Università per Stranieri in Perugia for a year without obtaining any qualifications or sitting his exams.He also claimed he was 'educated at Dunchurch College of Management' however the BBC found out that he did not get qualifications there either, revealing also that he completed six separate courses of a few days each. Then Michael Crick revealed that he had made up very embarrassing evidence, this time of questionable salary claims Duncan Smith made for his already wealthy wife that were paid out of the public purse between September 2001 and December 2002.
What has all of that to do with dismantling welfare? Well, he was sent to the back benches in shame and dishonour and had failed as party leader. He is therefore almost certainly embittered. He has also done nothing to make amends, even properly apologise, for perjury that may well have see less privileged people in prison. He has two things going: 1) He has a lot to prove to justify his position at the DWP and particularly has the right wing of his party to impress, and 2) as has been said several times over, he got the job because he knows 'where the bodies are buried'. That is a useful metaphor and one that easily explains why Cameron gave him the job, has not pulled the brakes or sacked him or the vast waste of money and failed schemes he has been responsible for. Whatever the case, he is penny-pinching with many of his schemes for a country with a £1,211.8 billion national debt at the end of September 2013, or the equivalent to 75.9% of GDP. OK, so that has built up over roughly 300 years, so hard to blame the present government but the rate of increase since 2010 is the most rapid ever. IDS is actually contributing disproportionately through his departmental errors. The winter fuel payments are 'chicken feed' that does little to stop that, so too would a pension freeze be. So what is the rationale other than pleasing the people who want state pensions to go the way they would like to see welfare go? I am not paranoid, simply do not like seeing the once potentially strong social state dismantled as far as they dare go.
Anyway, I agree on the Ausweis v UK passport question. Mine is due for renewal in February and it seems disproportionate to others. Two years ago, when we did our other daughter's one, the UK passport was considerably cheaper than her Swiss one. Now with the biometric passport the Swiss have reduced the price against the UK big price hike. Tell French friends the price of a UK passport and even they look in disbelief.
Quite right. Which is why my wife has a french newsfeed. and is why our french neighbour paid for our Caglet to be euthanaised and hasn't yet asked us to pay the bill.
Friends are much more precious than anything else
At this time of year Meet me in St louis and it's a wonderful life. We spend our time imagining the good we could do Merry Christmas everyone!
Thanks Jonathan, I have a Rentenauskunft several times over from tha very same address. They tell me when it is due, October 2018 when I have had my 70th birthday. If I look in the folder, I guess I have twenty odd letters in either direction - I write German as well as they do so they are not able to claim not understanding me. Two of my old university pals are lawyers. one laughed and advised I stop trying, the other wrote and got back a '...laut Gesetz sowieso...'. I made an application to defer, that was approved and I am stuck with it. Kind of you to give the advice and all but I have been there, done it and am my own fool for having done it in the first place.
You're right in every respect. One thing I WOULD say on the benefits front is that the UK is still seen as some sort of Shangri-La (is that the right analogy?) by people who are, probably, still being sold that vision by people-traffickers. When we lived in Norwich we had, for a time, to try to claim jobseekers. We were treated as if we were fraudsters, probably because we had previously not claimed and were fairly well qualified. At the so called jobcentre in Norwich we experienced repeated "delayed" appointments and a "can't do" attitude. My wife, when asked one day what her "Customer advisor" could do for her replied "you could help me find a job" - only to be told "that's not what we're here for."
On one visit, after yet ANOTHER appointment was Britishrailed (unavoidably delayed) we watched two couples who (allegedly) had no English being signed off as fit to work for another fortnight. They achieved this by having no English. Each couple did this within 5 minutes - compared with the time it took us to go through our détails each time with the same members of staff.
I am not the sort of person who says "send them all back" but when you've actually experienced that sort of treatment and yet see at first hand people with at least one less qualification than you do (i.e the ability to speak the language fluently) it hurts.
I tried for a job as a kitchen porter, only to be told I was overqualified. My wife tried for a job at the local Library, but was told she was no good because she had no retail experience - this after 20 odd years' high level experience in Corporate Banking, IT, Sales Management and Customer Service (dealing solely with complaints).
This problem has not arisen with the current government, it's been happening for décades. The last lot weren't exactly at ease with people genuinely needing help - as we can testify.
Speaking solely from experience I can only say that it seemed easier in Norwich for immigrants (especially with children) to claim benefits than it was for us. I dearly hope that has now changed.
According to the Connection 15,000 people have signed the petition out of 200,000, with complacency like that is it any wonder the UK Gov can do what they like, as i predicted after they were knocked back last time they tried to remove the WFA they wont give up, trying to discuss the matter with friends was a waste of time i have now been given the nickname of Mr Doom and Gloom and shouted down with cries of it will never happen stop worrying, a few even making the comment of its only £200 is it worth bothering with, when they run out of wood in January and need £200 for 4 stere to see them through to spring it may hit home was met with i will rent a villa in southern Spain, is this the thin end of the wedge what other delights are just around the corner if they win this round, i have heard rumours that non essential medical care will be supplied in the uk what about the travel and accommodation if you have no relations in the uk to offer help, cost of hotels, aftercare will be crippling and what do they deem to be non essential, David keeps telling us we are all in it together, pity the expats dont adopt that slogan instead of stuff you i'm ok
Two thing:
- Even if your French is good, you will be the last one they would consider.
- The French have a penchant for forgetting they are in the EU when it comes to the Treaty of Lisbon.
But Jonathan - IT is a language in itself. At least according to (sorry, her again) my wife who used to work in IT and still avidly reads Dilbert on a daily basis.
The story re your friend is a good one. But could that happen today do you think?
When I say basic language I do mean basic - enough to shop and point and say hello, goodbye, thank you and where's the nearest petrol station? That was one phrase my wife realised she didn't have (although she (reckons she) could have discussed Corneille, Balzac, Zola or "le nouveau roman" with ease). She had to look it up in the dic!
Professions make exception circumstances possible. I learned Germany in Cologne between 1948 and 1956 when my father was demobbed, so it was my childhood language and was the reason I got my 'fellowship' (I passed the interview) although English was required as my working language (for all written work).
Then I erred, wrote something other than I meant. To err is, etc. My apologies for not reading back over what I wrote, so actually I end up agreeing with you again. Somebody please take my temperature!
On the coming to France bit, reasonable enough. I see nothing wrong either - I doubt my ancient O level certificate would have helped much somehow ;-)
Rentenversicherung, Berlin. Remember, I was in under the old rules when people could still retire at 60 but academics often stayed on until 70 or older and, unless it has changed, drawing a salary and a pension was forbidden. Unfortunately, when our institute closed down those of us who were foreign research staff on grants (mine was actually UK funding split between the UK and German universities, so I never became a civil servant there) never got the fixed jobs we would eventually have been offered. Then they started changing pensionable ages and somehow that moved the goalposts.
I'm in Berlin (assuming I have no health problems then) next October for a while and at the university to boot so I'll have a stab at it then. I have written back and forth enough to realise that is a waste of time and try getting the same Sachbearbeiter twice on the phone. OK, I'll try to survive the next five years at worst...
I agree! re the language skills when jobseeking - should be the same everywhere. I do honestly think a basic language test before relocating is a good idea - we were ok as my wife was rustily fluent and my french soon picked up (I did AS level) when she forced me to use it. I thought she was being cruel at the time but it did make sense otherwise I'd have sat back and let her do all the talking.
The only reason I say re the basic language test is that we've met some people who moved over with pretty much no french and then realised they do need it - at least basic.
It would make things far simpler if such things could be standardised across the EU - I always thought that was one of the reasons for its existence!