EFFECTS OF OVER POPULATION IN BRITAIN

Well - one effect is that there are now voices calling for older people to be made to downsize to smaller homes. The proposal is that people over 60 should be made to pay extra tax to stay in "family size homes" (ie 3-4 bedroom houses).

The reasoning behind this very discriminatory proposal (h..e..l..l..o - has anyone remembered we have an Age Discrimination Act?) is to make older people give up these houses in order to "free up" larger houses for families.

The reason why our housing is so dear is mainly down to the fact that we are trying to squeeze way too many people into Britain (particularly England) and thus:

- more people need housing (thus the demand goes up)

and

- obviously we have to fight to protect what countryside we have left - ie that cant be allowed to be totally swallowed up by building - we've lost way too much of it already....and ...excuse me..but we physically need countryside for growing our food in (or should we conveniently forget that little point?).

Hmmm...

Well:

1. Its age discrimination to propose to tax people more just on account of their age - therefore illegal.

2. Having children is voluntary. Getting old is compulsory. We ALL get old (bar accident or illness).

3. A lot of older people still regard their home as not just "theirs" - but as the family base that their children and grandchildren can return to for visits or in the event of adult children finding they can no longer house themselves (eg in the case of a divorce or losing a mortgaged home they have) then the parents wish to be able to provide a place to stay whilst these "children" sort themselves out.

4. Many parts of the country have such high house prices that younger people struggle badly to even get a "foot on the ladder" (ie buy a one bedroom place) - never mind find the money to move up to a 3-4 bedroom house. In my own area, for instance, there is absolutely nothing at all on sale for less than £100,000. One bedroom flats are around £120,000. Standard 3-4 bedroom top-of-the-housing-ladder houses (nothing fancy, not large by any means and in an "ordinary" location) start at around £250,000. We are only starting to talk large and luxurious basically at £500,000. There will be the odd few £400k-£500k - but basically its £500k plus where the luxury/large size starts. Right now - average salary is around £26,000 pa and many of us get less (sometimes a LOT less) than that. Do the maths...

I know personally my feeling is very much that I didn't help contribute to the overpopulation problem - so why should I be expected to help solve it? I've not had more than "replacement number" of children (ie 2 per woman). In fact - I've not had any at all...so there is absolutely NO chance of me downsizing ever and I would certainly be looking to the Age Discrimination Act to protect myself should there ever be an attempt to make me do so.