‘So many of the problems we face today are a result of Right to Buy’

Big Issue readers debate the impact of the Right to Buy scheme, wildfires and how employment changes have impacted small businesses.

Right to Buy’s long shadow

Your article on Right to Buy’s failure in numbers starkly demonstrates why we have such an enormous lack of essential social housing. So many of the problems we face today come from misguided policies and political decisions since the 1980s. How many of those 2,052,813 council homes that were sold since 1980 are now in the private rented sector? Do we know? It is crazy that homes that used to provide income for local government are now a charge on our government through universal credit/housing benefit.  

Richard Dimbleby, Northampton  

Rage fuel

With reference to Soraya Fettih’s article about being evacuated from her home in Bordeaux, her rage at governments continuing to subsidise the fossil fuel companies driving the climate crisis was very understandable. She mentioned TotalEnergies’ profits of $6.03 billion (£4.45bn) for the last quarter. Shell’s profits were even more eye-watering at $9.84bn (£7.26bn). As she rightly says we must make polluters pay, but it is also vital that all governments move away from oil and gas and invest in clean, renewable energy. New drilling in the North Sea is inconceivable after the summer we’ve just had. The UK government must listen to the scientists and say no to Rosebank and Jackdaw. 

Alison Thompson, Birmingham 

Debt zero

While children in Britain are back in their classrooms, millions in other countries are denied access to education because their governments face overwhelming debt repayments. Almost all countries borrow to finance public spending. However, lower-income countries borrow from private lenders at rates of interest as much as eight times higher. When global economic shocks come, it leaves them unable to fund essential services like education and healthcare. 

Across Africa alone, 25 countries are spending more on external debt repayments than on education. According to academics at the Universities of St Andrews and Leicester, 16,500 extra children could finish primary school if just 10% of Malawi’s debts were cancelled. 

The UK government is uniquely placed to legislate on how debts are negotiated, as most of them are governed by English law, and has the power to pass a debt justice law to compel private lenders to participate in debt relief.  

Private lenders are profiting from this poverty. I would urge readers to join campaigning organisations such as Debt Justice and Christian Aid in pushing for change.  

Kate Taylor 

Read more:

• Labour wants to shake-up the controversial Right to Buy scheme with these three steps
• Councils buy back £34m of ex-Right to Buy homes for over 3x sale price in ‘economic madness’
• Should we end Thatcher’s Right to Buy? How scrapping scheme could help solve UK’s housing crisis

Staff faff

I run a small business and I used to employ a handful of staff on PAYE. Unfortunately, although well meaning, new employment laws have made the risks to the business of having employees too great. I now only contract staff on short contracts. If I could terminate unsuitable staff more easily and have less admin costs, I would employ full-time staff tomorrow.

David, Southampton

RESPONSES TO: David Baddiel and Chris Snell on dementia

Incredibly valuable chat. Thank you, David. 

victoriasilver2016, Instagram 

It was a taxi driver that said to my mum he thought my dad had dementia as he’d seen similar traits in his dad. I think it’s often an outsider that spots what we as family members pass off as that loved one’s forgetfulness. Dad’s now been diagnosed for eight years. 

sarahsemmens_x, Instagram 

My dad described it as an out-of-body experience. As if he was floating above, watching himself not be able to find words or names or memories going, “What is wrong with you?! come on!” 

So sad to see someone you love so distressed and lost. 

lucindalovecheeks, Instagram 

With my mother-in-law, it was when she couldn’t remember how to bake a cake. She was a wonderful baker. 

ewallis68, Instagram

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

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