Britain’s richest are even better-off – but how did they get that way?
The Sunday Times Rich List has confirmed what some of us have been saying for years – that Austerity has funnelled Britain’s money into the hands of a very few, very selfish people.
The 1,000 richest Britons now own one-third of the nation’s gross domestic product, with their combined wealth rising from last year’s total of £449,654,000,000 to £518,975,000,000.
That’s an increase of 15.4 per cent, an average rise of £69,321,000 each and an average income of 518,975,000.
Average wages in the UK are stagnant at around £26,500, with average pay for the lowest earners having fallen by 14 per cent since David Cameron’s Tory government got its nose in the trough in 2010.
There are only two points to make from this.
Firstly, bearing in mind Gary Barlow’s recent appearances in the news for taking part in a tax avoidance scheme: How many of these 1,000 very rich people are participants in the same or similar – legal – procedures for avoiding tax? How many of them pay the full 45 per cent and how many only throw one per cent into the national pot (from which they get as many public services as the rest of us)?
Secondly, bearing in mind that many of these people take their money from very large corporations who employ very many people, how many of them pay very low wages to their employees?
The answers should provide enlightenment – not only on these people and their reasons for living in Britain, but on the policies of a government that intentionally impoverishes the defenceless in order to make this country more attractive to these fellow parasites.
By screwing the 90%
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I think that there is a semblance of envy regarding the rich.Many of them are in fact business men who create employment for us all. I do agree that there is an element of hoarding and greed within this circle.However a great deal of charity work is also carried out by them.I myself created a business from scratch during my working life and it was tough and risky however by grafting hard it became a success,and I was able to employ 30 plus people. There are many out there doing the same thing. I am retired now and comfortable but not mega rich. I find it ironic that millions of ordinary people partake in the lottery every week hoping to gain the very riches the easy way that are despised by so many.
Mike, I find this site exciting and it is a pleasure to communicate and banter with what appears to be intelligent folk.
I have to disagree with Bryn. He may have worked his socks off, and ended up employing people and we need lots more like him. However, he is nothing like the 0.1%, and it is a symptom of the type of reasoning that has been so powerful & held many of the upper working class and lower middle classes in thrall since Thatcher. The mega-rich are totally different – they do nothing. A bit of charity work? Whoopy-doo-da. That keeps them in the “happy” pages of the celeb-fest magazines that make people “like” them. The truth is far darker.
However, I do agree with Bryn – it’s nice to come somewhere for a bit of intelligent banter, and Mike S always provides plenty of food for thought, and even better, the rally cry when action is needed..
Florence,thanks for your reaction to my comment.However you didn’t comment on the reason why millions do the lottery every week. Is in the hope that they will become rich? If so why do they want these riches.
riches for the masses = small change to the top 1%, let alone the top 0.1%. Millions do the lottery because there is always a dream to escape the daily struggle and grind of just making do, missed meals to feed the kids, or just to be able to afford to have the heating on, and even a holiday. These are the dreams of the poor. I don’t think that they are pursuing wealth as you imply.
Reblogged this on sdbast.
Ok.lets take this scenario. If all of the wealth of the country was divided equally amongst the whole population,within hours some would be wealthier than others.
Some would buy,some would sell,some would invest,some would save.some would borrow and pay interest,some would be feckless and lose everything. Isn’t this just the way of the world? You can’t blame wealthy for being so. Because every body started of equally and had the same chances.
You make such a reset look very attractive to me because, if there’s one thing we know for sure about today’s Britain, it’s that NObody started off equally or had the same chances. I wonder how many of the Rich List names would have been there if they had.
Reblogged this on Britain Isn't Eating.
Sheeple power.
Reblogged this on Beastrabban’s Weblog and commented:
This shows how the Tories and Lib Dems have transferred wealth from the poor to the extremely rich as part of their plans to turn Britain into a low tax state with little rights for workers like America. As for the Sunday Times’ Rich List, I’ve always been highly suspicious of that, not because I don’t believe it tells the truth, but because it always struck me as extremely vulgar. There’s a touch of Harry Enfield’s ‘Loadsamoney’ character about it, in that you are asked to admire these people not because of their achievements, but simply because they’re rich and you’re not.
Reblogged this on UNEMPLOYED IN TYNE & WEAR.
[…] for example, is rising fast. The economic recovery has helped nobody but the very top earners (like those in the Sunday Times ‘rich list’, published last weekend) – and besides, the Tory Democrats are not the only party keen to […]