Probably more to do with local authorities not knowing how much cash they have and are going to receive in future, plus, civil servants having "more important things to do".

Brexit will drag on for some while longer and we may well leave the EU with "no deal" at the end of 2020 and even a free trade deal is agreed, there is a heap of stuff that will need to be sorted.

Hopefully the domestic agenda will move forward but, the ecconomy is flat lining and despite Johnsons "positivity", there isn't going to be loadsamoney for anything.

Situation normal and we carry on in hope with our fingers firmly crossed.

One thing that may become easier is a potential relaxation of planning regs, which would certainly help

Planning wise ,Mr Carter did say the general election ad delayed the plans for new stadium were the seats are buy 6 week at least then they ad to get past

Given the savage cuts of the previous 9 years, there's an easy answer to that question - not enough.

What savage cuts?



Yes, there was a period of austerity after the crash that occurred under Labour, thought it would be churlish to blame them for the crash. It was, however, the Labour party who left the office after failing to implement austerity with the message written on a piece of paper that stated quite categorically that there was no money left! How can you deny that? So what choice exactly did the new Government have?



Nobody detests what the bankers got away with more than I but anyone with an ounce of realism knew they had to be saved and sacrifices made, or would you prefer to live how the Greeks do?



Yet despite this, I an average worker on average wages, in fact, slightly less has not seen a drastic drop in my standard of living. No, I'm not as well off as I was in 2010 but I've not tasted poverty and neither have many others, its a socialist myth in the extreme. If it weren't why were the Tories returned in the very areas where these alleged savage cuts took place, oh yeah I forgot we are all stupid and can't read a manifesto.



If Labour and its supporters stopped with the bull and instead of pandering to every minority with a grievance and instead looked after the hard-working, tax-paying, law-abiding citizens whether they be black, white, man or woman, gay or straight ie the very people they claim to represent then the Tories would probably never be in power again. People want stability, not ideology.



The saddest thing of all is that a fat posh Etonian Tory who's never ever lived in the real world spotted that and the so-called socialist/momentum Marxist didn't. It's tragic and it effectively makes the UK a one-party state. No party can be in power unless first and foremost it represents the majority, the core voters,, when that's done it can address those who have fallen through the cracks, which incidentally isn't all those who claim to have done so.

These savage cuts:



"Council spending on local services has fallen by more than a fifth since 2010, according to a report from Britain’s leading independent economics thinktank.



In a reflection of the austerity drive imposed on local authorities by Conservative-led governments during the past decade, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said spending on services in England had fallen by 21% between 2009-10 and 2017-18.



In a sign of the increasing difficulties facing local authorities across the country, the leading tax and spending thinktank also said the funds available to councils would become increasingly inadequate in the 2020s, rendering the current financing system for the country’s local authorities through council tax and business rates unsustainable."







Ah yes - the logical fallacy of anecdote: "I haven't seen it and it hasn't affected me, so it didn't happen." Meanwhile:



"Welfare changes such as universal credit and the bedroom tax are a key factor in the sharp increase in food bank use and the re-emergence of extreme poverty in the UK over the past seven years, an academic study has concluded.



According to the research, there is “clear and robust evidence” that people struggling on the lowest rungs of the income ladder are pushed rapidly into destitution when their already tight budgets are broken by benefit payment delays, cuts, deductions or sanctions.



The study found five key welfare policies – the rollout of universal credit, increases in benefit sanctions, the bedroom tax, the benefits freeze and the withdrawal of disability benefits – had “sizeable and significant effects” in pushing up demand for food parcels.



One in 50 UK households used a food bank in 2018-19, the study estimated, while at least 3m food parcels were given out – highlighting the rise in charity welfare and the impact of austerity cuts since the start of the decade, when only a small number of food banks existed."



Labour have made a catastrophic mess of this election campaign, that's clear, but please don't rewrite history for the sake of appearing to be wise after the event; it's ridiculous.

Do you pay council tax in Wakefield? Have a look at the letters accompanying your bills from the last decade. Every single one has said "This year we are dealing with a £XXmillion budget gap, caused by yet more Government cuts to the Council’s funding."

excellent post.

I would suggest that the savage cuts are very real indeed but, their effect depends on who you are and the personal circumstances of yourself and those around you.

Cut's to the education budget, leaving kids in larger class sizes or being "taught" by less qualified "teaching assistants".

Cuts to the health service and social care, leaving people waiting longer for appointments or being unable to leave hospital because of an absence of "proper" care when they return "home".

Increased crime, to the point of so much crime no longer being recorded and certainly not being solved.

Increase in food banks

Homelessness on the rise



The list goes on and on and on and if you and yours have escaped all of this, you've probably been quite lucky.



As for the reason that so many people voted Tory, primarily Corbyn and Brexit.

Either of these issues would probably have been enough to return Boris to power but the 2 issues together has turned most of the North Blue.



Again, all of those in the middle, especially those with a mortgage are probably still winning due to the low interest rates but, those in the bottom quarter are probably going to struggle even more.



I'm unfortunate enough to have seen some things over the last few years that I would rather have not, directly due to austerity cuts.

As I say, it's great if you never get dragged into certain situations but, plenty do.



There for the grace of God go all of us and if your out of work or have any kind of severe illness, ouch, just ouch.

Was it really that bad? Or does the constant lambasting from the right wing media play a part in how people perceive things? I know the result was heavily in favour of the Tories but Borris really didn't/doesn't come across very well at all and they know it (hence shirking away from challenging interviews, answering every question with 'get Brexit done' etc etc)

Yes it plays a part - and the treatment of Corbyn has been especially vicious - from the RW media, the BBC and the centrist rump of his own PLP.



That said - I think they handed the media a loaded gun by insisting on the inclusion of PV in the Labour policy on Brexit, and Corbyn having to adopt the very difficult "I will remain neutral" line; Corbyn himself was against it, but it was foisted on him by Starmer, McDonnell and consequently, the conference vote. That created the perfect attack line for the Tories, and hacked off those leave voters in traditionally Labour held constituencies, who for whatever reason, found that 'getting Brexit done' was a compelling enough argument to vote against their own interests.

It looks like with Brexit comes the removal of employment rights and environmental protections because what he said in October to get his deal done no longer applies.

I have also posted elsewhere that in addition to the above the increase in Nurse numbers is now over 10 years.

SO IT BEGINS

I've missed these snippets of news where can I read up on them?