If Greggs Ran Out Of Sausage Rolls?

[Belly]

If Greggs ran out of sausage rolls would we blame the Government?


The Government seems to take the flak for everything. How can the lack of HGV drivers be blamed on the Government, after all it is NOT a state owned industry/department like the Passport Office, DVLA etc.


If the Government had nationalised all HGV vehicles in the past maybe they could be culpable, they didn’t, so how can they be blamed?

 

[Lysander]

The Government seems to take the flak for everything.

Maybe they should use a different pastry type then?

 

[throwaway4372]

'people' don't blame the govt for everything, the opposition do, and the media do.
'people' know that salary and working conditions are behind it, which is on the employers.
stop watching the news

 

[MadMossy]

The only blame for the HGV issues in this country is the industry itself and the way pay, conditions and treatment of drivers has degraded over the past 10-20 years.

When I was growing up in the 90s HGV drivers were knights of the road, now they are just seen as an annoyance, yet when the system crumbles they are the first to be blamed for it.

 

[Lysander]

'people' don't blame the govt for everything, the opposition do, and the media do.
'people' know that salary and working conditions are behind it, which is on the employers.
stop watching the news

I don't know anything about this crisis, but according to Wikipedia, it's totally the media that's to blame.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_United_Kingdom_fuel_panic_buying

 

[cheesyboy]

Government's job is to oversee and regulate to ensure private enterprise is not acting in a way harmful to its citizens.

The HGV driver shortage is not a new phenomenon, and the impact of Brexit was, and continues to be, of the government's making (being as they control immigration and work visa regulation). A competent government would have regulated to ensure there was not such problem.

 

[marc2003]

They should target the minions who multi-drop for Jeff all day. As bad as HGV drivers say pay and conditions are, it can't be worse than slaving away for Bezos??

 

[bremen1874]

A sensible government would have brought in limitations on foreign driver numbers gradually, allowing time for the industry to adapt.

 

[dlockers]

Government set policy and governance to enable industry to succeed. When competitive industry fails (i.e. they are healthy competitive industries with lots of players) then it can only be a governance failure.

E.g. if sausage rolls were out of stock due to pig welfare standards meaning the yield of pork had gone down and no alternative supply chains were temporarily allowed - then yes, it is a government problem.

 

[cheesyboy]

Government set policy and governance to enable industry to succeed. When competitive industry fails (i.e. they are healthy competitive industries with lots of players) then it can only be a governance failure.

E.g. if sausage rolls were out of stock due to pig welfare standards meaning the yield of pork had gone down and no alternative supply chains were temporarily allowed - then yes, it is a government problem.

Yes, good post

 

[Freakbro]

Government set policy and governance to enable industry to succeed. When competitive industry fails (i.e. they are healthy competitive industries with lots of players) then it can only be a governance failure.

E.g. if sausage rolls were out of stock due to pig welfare standards meaning the yield of pork had gone down and no alternative supply chains were temporarily allowed - then yes, it is a government problem.

You talk far too much sense for GD

 

[R.P.L]

Stop reading the news.

 

[lookitsjonno]

The gov bought in IR35 changes which meant drivers weren't able to avoid tax via umbrella companies. This pushed drivers wages down and into other sectors + loads of the old boys retired.

Who do we blame:
- The fuel companies for not increasing wages to offset the wages the drivers lost?
- The drivers who shouldn't have been dodging tax (legally) in the first place?
- The gov for shutting what was effectively a tax loophole?

 

[mid_gen]

If Greggs ran out of sausage rolls would we blame the Government?

The Government seems to take the flak for everything. How can the lack of HGV drivers be blamed on the Government, after all it is NOT a state owned industry/department like the Passport Office, DVLA etc.

If the Government had nationalised all HGV vehicles in the past maybe they could be culpable, they didn’t, so how can they be blamed?

Well, it would be convenient to blame the electorate, as they voted for Brexit.....but as departing the single market and doing away with the free movement of goods and workers was never specified on the ballot, I'm afraid ultimately the government has to take the blame for their botched execution.

Erect a load of barriers to the import of goods and workers.....and ah my gosh we are short of goods and workers, how on earth did that happen?

 

[MadMossy]

Government's job is to oversee and regulate to ensure private enterprise is not acting in a way harmful to its citizens.

The HGV driver shortage is not a new phenomenon, and the impact of Brexit was, and continues to be, of the government's making (being as they control immigration and work visa regulation). A competent government would have regulated to ensure there was not such problem.

Brexit didn't make the EU drivers leave though, they were working right up until April this year when IR35 was introduced, then they left.

What is IR35 you ask? Tax changes which meant all those self employed EU drivers could no longer avoid paying tax and NI in the UK, meaning it made more sense for them to go back home and earn a living there instead of here.

 

[nine_tails]

If the economy ran on sausages & government was aware there is an expected shortage & choose not to address it , i would blame remoaners who are stock piling sausages

 

[Fluffybob]

I could probably manage if it was Sausage rolls, Although if it was Steak Bakes I'd be marching down to number 10 with a big stick to give Boris a right good prod !

 

[Haggisman]

Brexit didn't make the EU drivers leave though, they were working right up until April this year when IR35 was introduced, then they left.

What is IR35 you ask? Tax changes which meant all those self employed EU drivers could no longer avoid paying tax and NI in the UK, meaning it made more sense for them to go back home and earn a living there instead of here.

It's great isn't it. Now do we not only still not get any tax or NI from those drivers, but we also don't have enough drivers.

It's almost as if the government implemented a short-termist, populist plan without spending a single moment thinking through the consequences. Of course they'd never do that, it's not like they have a proven track record of it or anything...

 

[dlockers]

The gov bought in IR35 changes which meant drivers weren't able to avoid tax via umbrella companies. This pushed drivers wages down and into other sectors + loads of the old boys retired.

Who do we blame:
- The fuel companies for not increasing wages to offset the wages the drivers lost?
- The drivers who shouldn't have been dodging tax (legally) in the first place?
- The gov for shutting what was effectively a tax loophole?

Worth noting IR35 had a profound impact across all industries that were heavy consumers of contractors.

 

[nine_tails]

It's great isn't it. Now do we not only still not get any tax or NI from those drivers, but we also don't have enough drivers.

It's almost as if the government implemented a short-termist, populist plan without spending a single moment thinking through the consequences. Of course they'd never do that, it's not like they have a proven track record of it or anything...

If IR35 rules have not changed , why would adding new visas change the situation ? How much difference is the pay in April and now with added tax.