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I understand your general point and have a degree of agreement. Governments of any colour cannot be held responsible for every change in conditions that impact job loss or growth, though most try to diminish their role in the former and big up their role in the latter. Change and the market is always going to dwarf the imact of government intervention or the lack of it.
I think the circumstances around companies such as Carillion that had such a reliance on taxpayers' money in the contracts awarded necessitated a greater degree of oversight and governance because of the impact that failure in that sector had not just on the employees and suppliers but the services and capital projects with which they were entrusted.
New hospitals are either gathering dust or are delayed more expensively as a consequence of this corporate mismanagement and the government has to bear a degree of responsibility for failing both in its oversight and the decisions it made to award Carillion contracts when doubts had been raised with Ministers about the company's finances. I would not have their heads on pikes perhaps in the way argued but there has to be a level of accountability that is somewhat lacking.
I don't accept that the government should be applauded for limiting people's choices. Age restrictions exist for entering betting shops so it's not as if children use those machines.
Not children, no. But the truly stupid who need to be saved from themselves.
The truly stupid are everywhere, that's why personal debt is through the roof with people unable or unwilling to live beneath their means by spending on crap they can easily do without and cannot afford.
Other than not compelling energy customers to switch to smart meters I'm struggling to think of any decisions the Tories have made in the past eight years that can be congratulated.
Apart from this betting terminals I would struggle too.
I really have a problem with the way gambling has become normalised within society. If it carries on I think it's going to become a massive problem for some people.
I hope the O.P. of this comment on the other board doesn't mind me posting it here
"About £30k and 10 years too late for me but hey-ho.
Ive come out the other side but this is welcome news for those still addicted."
Says it all for me
You might be older than I, but my memory goes back to the early 1970s and gambling was accepted and everywhere then. From having a flutter on the Grand National and Derby to visiting bingo halls I'd say the majority of the population indulged.
I'd say the number of betting shops on the High Street has increased massively since the 70s. That's without the internet.
Growing up, none of my mates ever went to the bookies, maybe someone at work ran a sweep on the Grand National
I watched the last AJ fight with a crowd of mates and their families, most of the teenagers were checking the odds on their phones and placing bets as the fight progressed. I'm sure most of them will never have a problem, but I'd wager one or two may in the future.
Maybe I just had a sheltered upbringing - in Trecenydd!
I won't disagree about the gambling industry having expanded greatly but it's founded on the same something for nothing mentality from decades ago. Betting in-running as you described is deadly for those with poor impulse control. The weak minded will always find ways to submerge themselves in debt. Most do so through rampant consumerism rather than gambling.