Fox-
The other obvious question is why Oliver is living in London.
I live here because I like cities. I don't want to live in a rural area. However, for many people it is the opposite and they actively prefer living in smaller places, and not just when they're retired, but they can't because the economic activity isn't where they want to live. Many people have active preferences for very particular areas, e.g. where they grew up (acknowledging that many hate where they grew up).
Surely if if he believes this so strongly he should be leading by example?
If I moved out of the city, I'd be doing something I don't want to do. I don't want others to have to do things they don't have to do. As before, many people actually want to move out of the city but feel they can't because of the perverse way in which the economy is run.
Or is moving out of London just for other people as you allude to?
Just for those who want to. That would be plenty. Many people live in small places who'd rather live in a city, too, of course, but some of those at least would want to continue living in smaller places if the civic infrastructure was still there, e.g. the high street wasn't full of empty shops, the library wasn't closed, etc.
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Oliver Schick
@Oliver Schick - isn't there also a double standard here?
Lots of people were up in arms about London councils moving their tenants to other places because they couldn't house them locally. What's the difference? If they all did that wouldn't it be a great way to free London and SE housing stock and relocate the population to less populated areas?
It comes across as thought you're talking about forceably dispersing the population.
Personally speaking I'd ideally live in London proper rather than just outside. I wouldn't mind living on the south cost. I wouldn't want to live in the Middlands or North because it would put me away from family, and tbh I just don't want to. Although I know I often make digs about Norfolk if they built a fuck off big motorway and high speed railway I'd really like to live in one of the nice bits.
£5 says that shit loads of people feel exactly the same way which is exactly why it's about more than just jobs and housing stock.