(1515) And so into the evening, heavy rain, low temps. (2013)
23. Last for the evening
From a Veterans’ a/c on X:
“Should Every British Soldier Who Serves Over 5 Years Be Guaranteed a Council House? Across the United Kingdom, thousands of servicemen and women dedicate years of their lives to defending the country, often sacrificing time with family, personal freedoms, and long-term financial stability in the process. Yet when many leave the armed forces, they face one of the most difficult challenges in modern Britain — finding secure and affordable housing.
The question being asked more frequently is simple: Should every British soldier who serves over five years be guaranteed a council house, no questions asked? Supporters of the idea argue that military personnel earn that right through service alone. Unlike many professions, soldiers can spend years moving from base to base, living in military accommodation, and being unable to establish permanent homes or get onto local housing lists.
By the time they leave the forces, many veterans are starting from scratch. For some, the transition to civilian life is smooth. For others, it can be deeply challenging. Veterans can struggle with employment, mental health, family breakdown, or adapting to civilian systems that often do not recognise the realities of military life. Housing insecurity only adds to those pressures.
Advocates believe guaranteeing council housing after five years of service would:
* Reward commitment and sacrifice. * Reduce homelessness among veterans. * Provide stability for military families. * Help former soldiers reintegrate into civilian life. * Demonstrate national gratitude in a meaningful way.
Many also argue that politicians regularly praise the armed forces publicly, yet practical support after service often falls short. Ceremonies, medals, and remembrance events are important, but stable housing can have a far greater long-term impact on a veteran’s life.
Critics, however, raise concerns about fairness and pressure on already stretched council housing systems. Millions of civilians also face long waiting lists, rising rents, and housing insecurity. Some argue that prioritising one group automatically means others wait longer.
Others suggest a compromise approach — such as giving veterans enhanced priority rather than automatic entitlement, or creating dedicated housing schemes specifically for ex-service personnel.
The debate ultimately comes down to a broader national question: How should a country repay those willing to risk their lives in its defence? For many people, ensuring that no veteran leaves service without a safe place to live feels less like a privilege and more like a duty. What do you think? Should military service guarantee housing security after years of commitment to the nation?
22. Novato CA
Glad to see an issue not specifically ours … makes it easier to concentrate somehow:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novato,_California
Reader Hal: “This is my hometown and I am 100% not surprised. Novato was a cow town. Money moved in and the city lost themselves.”
Reader Marc James: “We always ask why do local govt’s mess with their own citizens???? And it’s usually cause they are bought and paid for grifters selected via election stealing protocols.”
Reader Nor-Cal Occupied Territory: “Marin county is the NIMBY capital of CA. They don’t want trailer people living there.”
Reader Spam Ranger: “Santa Clara County in California also steals homes from seniors. How they do it is to wait until there is a problem with the septic system. Then they red tag (condemn) the property to force the owner out.”
The connection with us and right across the west is not just party political but generational. I keep coming back to that news item I saw many decades ago, where a Gen X journo asked what they were going to do with all these Boomers paying their dues. These people would do the right thing on a promise by the govt at that time and pay all their working lives.
Just before the payback, they’re robbed on a pretext. Now I do see the Zoomer view that there are not many of them and the massed invaders don’t plan to pay any … so those Zoomers, minus jobs, are in for trouble. But so are those from a different time who religiously paid in.
Who’s at fault? Was it the govt in more productive times thinking the party would go on? Is it current govts looking at their own mess and saying … we just don’t have that sort of money. Not for the little people anyway.
21. Today’s rubbish in parlmt
The starmer theatre is one thing. Quite another is getting the king to announce digital ID. It’s just one thing after another after another, ad nauseam.
20. Moo corner
19. Two of the banned “far right”, lol
18. The pressures upon the ordinary person today
17. The demise of London
16. When combined, they’re more interesting
You saw Wed 7, now this:
From Ms Glass:
For Funzies lets take a look at the Economist’s annual prediction cover for 2026: It features a brain connected to a remote game control, a container ship firing a missile at America’s 250 year birthday cake, an ancient Egyptian khufu ship with a man holding an urn over the side, money all over the floor, tanks, syringes, pills, red and blue boxing, as well as various missiles. The figures include; Trump, Netanyahu screaming, Modi, Xi Jinping, Zelenskky, Putin and a blond woman – possibly Erika.
https://helenaglass.net/2026/05/11/the-economist-hantavirus-ufos-deep-state-staged-distractions/
All the best for tomorrow JH. Signing off for today as not 100%, probably around 70%. Nothing a bit of R & R won’t sort and a bit of heat – cold and windy here today so the fire is lit 🔥
See you on the other side.
I hope tomorrow is successful and not stressful for you James.
Thanks IYE and Andy. There are certain reasons it will be stressful and they’re not med test and procedure reasons … they’re NHS itself reasons … there is every chance and I have to be on my game to stave off things bundled in … that’s as far as I can go.
For IYE at 70%, for Andy, DAD, Steve, our gals, our each day readers … same prayer for health and no complications.
21. “Lammy = Reparations = bankruptcy”.
I recall Lammy saying that his ancestors experienced slavery. What he didn’t say, was that the Bantu, Lammy’s tribal culture, as an offshoot of the Zulu tribe were one of the biggest slavers in Africa, selling their captives to both Europeans and Islamic traders. His ancestors may well have experienced slavery, but he will not say from which side. So I would suggest not only reparations from him, or his tribe, to Britain for the costs of the East Africa Squadrons, which rescued thousands and returned them to freedom, but also reparations to the descendants of those sailors and Marines who died, plus making up for the loss of the nation’s GDP at that time. I think that will do for a start, don’t you?
25. When I joined the British Army in 1962, I attended a lecture by an RAEC officer about my future. It had nothing to do about my military service, but about planning my return to civilian life. One piece of advice, was to put our names down on the council house list of the area we wanted to live in, and to do this as soon as possible, so that we could climb up the waiting list whilst serving. Then, when our military service was nearing an end, to contact that council to confirm our date of discharge and enquire of a predicted waiting time. If our circumstances changed, and we didn’t need a council house, it was easier to remove from that list, than to apply after discharge. Whether this information is still given, I have no idea.
On completing pensionable service, we received a gratuity of 3 times our annual pension, which could be used to ease ourselves into civilian life, or use as a deposit on house purchase. This gratuity could be increased by taking a reduced pension over a period of time, which is what I did, allowing me to buy a property more suitable to the needs of my family and I. Again, I have no idea if this financial arrangement still applies (I retired in the mid 1980’s).
With the politicisation of councils, several apparently anti British, I can see problems over ex military being automatically guaranteed council houses on return to civilian life. What the answer is, I can only suggest options, though I am sure those more intelligent than me will come up with a solution.
If you are in the military, consider the six P’s – Prior Planning Prevents P*ss Poor Performance – and plan for your future.
Off topic, sorry if it appears I’m trying to take over the blog!
Penseivat, I would surmise that at the time of your retirement there were plenty of avenues for employment. Many of my old mates who went into the armed forces did as you did and joined the police. These days I imagine that many prospective employers would run away from ex squaddies.
Andy,
You may well be correct. I have heard of ex Service applicants being turned down in favour of DEI or Union constraints, even though they were more qualified and experienced. In my day, ex Service personnel were respected. Not so much today, it appears. Sometimes I feel like a dinosaur, just waiting for that meteor.
For me, the Police was a chosen second career, though I tell people, I just wanted another job where I didn’t have to buy my own clothes to go to work.