[Tom]

Originally Posted by Shaun

That's a bit of a vague assertion. Poverty in the North still happens but not to the degree it was at in the 70s/early 80s.

But the rich/poor divide is growing even more than it was back then. The working class has pretty much gone, you're now pretty much either in sub working class or at the very least you're 'lower' middle class. I know its happening everywhere but closing the mines was a catalyst for the benefits culture. There are a lot of older men who didn't find work after the mines closed down because they were too old to change career and noone wanted to employ them. In many families its something that has been passed down, the thought that they can't do anything else.

[Angus]

Originally Posted by Tom

But the rich/poor divide is growing even more than it was back then. The working class has pretty much gone, you're now pretty much either in sub working class or at the very least you're 'lower' middle class. I know its happening everywhere but closing the mines was a catalyst for the benefits culture. There are a lot of older men who didn't find work after the mines closed down because they were too old to change career and noone wanted to employ them. In many families its something that has been passed down, the thought that they can't do anything else.

You're right about the rich/poor divide growing even more, and the irony is that this has happened faster and more widespread under New Labour than the previous Tory governments. New Labour's manifesto when they first came to power was to eliminate poverty, instead of which it has increased exponentially. The tragedy is that there are young people in their twenties who have NEVER had a job, what hope is there for them?