@@oneoflokis I mean, somewhat yeah they are in the sense they made the decision to immigrate. It's primarily the government who allowed such a thing to exist in the first place
@kravan5063 Yes: but HOW has their presence caused economic decline in Rochdale? 😏 Immigrants are usually more motivated, harder-working and less whiny.
@@safirahmed yup. It opted for another Tory government. Just because Corbyn offered true change and the end of endless war. This didn't sit well with the moderates.
@@devon7771Almost everything in UK is behind compared to other European countries, housing, airports, healthcare, roads, Law Enforcement, right down to the water pressure in the house. Germany's law enforcement took down a coup, Belgium's healthcare ranks 3rd in the world, France has arguably the best water supply in the world, Italy has on average some of the longest living people in the world with a blue zone in their country. Norway's prison system is great too, meanwhile England still hires surgeons and GP's from Europe even though they left the EU. Their own government doesn't play by its own rules, Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock during the pandemic are prime examples. Their healthcare service is collapsing, their teachers and ambulance workers are striking too. How far has the "5th richest country on Earth" fallen.
@@KyojuroRengoku98'Germany took down a coup' i think you mean aresting your political oposition and calling it a coup, it was another richstag fire. Now they are trying to ban AFD, Germany is a dictatorship banning their oposition, no different to russia
Blair endorsed the Tory/Lib Dem coalition. He only endorsed Ed Miliband at the last minute leading up to the 2015 general election; prior to that he and the Blairites constantly griped in the press. He never addressed the loss of industry and manufacturing, nor had a policy of building public housing. Improvements to the NHS and schools involved dubious public private partnership contracts. Blairites, Tories, Liberals have been politically bankrupt since the financial crash of 2007/8.
@@jacob8949 I would agree with you on that also, Blair took things into overdrive when he opened the floodgates and took a hammer to the old order. Thatcher took us into the EU and destroyed national industrial capacity, she spoke well, but her actions did the opposite. Basically all “leaders” since the Second World War have been puppets to the American regime. They have all been engaged in the project to make Britain in the USAs image.
@@johnwinfield9738 Town councils spend or in many cases of Labour councils waste the money they have. My town council has managed to get the town into £1.8b not million worth of debt.Leaving us very close to a section 114 order.
@@tq6892 Councils are on a highly restricted budget set by Westminster, and they’ve had it cut since 2010. Why are you afraid to blame the Tories? Partisanship is illogical.
I'm originally from Rochdale. The town have only ever voted for Labour or Lib Dems and continue to do so, talk about Turkeys voting for Christmas. This is the UK now the Guardian people have finally got what they wanted!!
You do realise that a Labour MP really can’t do very much in parliament when there’s a conservative government, and vice versa. It never makes sense when people say “we’ve had labour MPs for 15 years but they’ve not done anything for our area” - yes cos they’re not in government so they lose every single vote…
Respectfully but totally disagree about the need for proportional representation@@erikzoe1 -- imho that simply leads to sectarianism. I much prefer the two-party system where representatives from both parties are there to actually represent ALL.
Great little video. Really does illustrate how large parts of Britain have been left behind. "Levelling up" was an empty slogan, to garner 'Red Wall' votes, whereas in reality these communities are crying out for real opportunity.
@@aclark903and the influx to the UK costing 15 mill a day. 4.4 billion is the current overall cost. No one is performing for the UK. We are being islamised.
@@aclark903 Even if I were inclined to be generous to Johnson, which I am not, there is no real evidence that "levelling up" was little more than a slogan. A tool to get himself elected.
@grw2903 Even if we use your figures, this barely scratches the money wasted by the Tory government on faulty PPE & failed Track & Trace. Also, refugees are a tiny proportion of overall net migration, encouraged by this government, because we need those workers.
@@johnholmes5674 exactly they don't pay all that tax Alcohol and Pork. And their daughters aren't on Only fans or they don't gamble so they avoid paying all these taxes on things that make Britain so great.
@ Letsthinkaboutit-mb7nn. Haha a fellow student of history. Anyways I think the Spirit of the Workhouse is looking to resurrect itself. The powers that be are on target in destroying the Middle Class and recreating the “ Haves and haves not “, aka the super wealthy and the super poor. Whilst we are set up to fight each other , the real heist that will affect us all is taking place.
It has, they're just obscenely expensive to live in and don't have may jobs for young people. Everywhere affordable or that has jobs is slowly turning into Rochdale
@@goatfader I agree, rest of us have to live with criminals and abusive kids on quad bikes because the police are useless. Different when there’s places with money involved. The police are on it then
Wow, a once vibrant and trust me, beautiful Town, The Town Hall, The Esplanade, Yorkshire Street Drake Street The Market. Looking at it now ...my heart breaks.
Dear Lauren, forgive me as I respond as German. No real comfort for you but this is only the start of a development, that will happen in many towns, step by step and also in my country, and some do not expect this to happen. In my paper there was an argumentative letter to the editor which made me contemplate. The current economic system in our countries must lead to such results. And politicians should honestly admit this. The states can't afford to spend so much money in infrastructure, debts rise and rise and it is "funny" that politicians emphasize that we must care for future generations. Private and foreign investments can help a bit but these enterprises are focused on profit, not so many local people can participate. Growth has its limits, politicians have to admit this. I must admit, I myself have no alternative. I belong to a group that worked for the state, secure income, fiancially firm though I had difficult times as well, 3 children and the only breadwinner. But most with a regular, safe income do not really care. Who will invest in Rochdale? Who will invest in the barren parts of South Italy? In my country Mecklenburg Vorpommern has always been a disadvantaged area, probably no concern for someone who lives in Munich. One has to be careful, promises by Labour, promises by the Conservatives, promises by the Reform Party...and this guy George Galloway is not different. Wish you all the best -
Looks live an average UK town to me. These are the consequences of Thatcher’s Britain 🇬🇧 More or less every UK government has been following her economic policies since
He's the biggest charlatan there is he doesn't care about the town he just goes to stoke up fear and play the antisemetic trop that is loved by a lot of asian communities
@@Believe-you-me- yes of course, everything is caused by the government. Nobody is responsible for their own behaviour, we’re all just victims of circumstance. Do you really believe this drivel?
The fact that a war 2000 miles away seems to be the main concern for politicians in Rochdale shows how much contempt they have for voters.Particularly as Rochdale is filled with an abundance of local issues that need fixing.
@@tomlewis4888do you mean the £87 million of taxpayer money the U.K. govt earmarked for Gaza aid for years 2023/2024? £16 million of which was for UNWRA, until we discovered that it was riddled with genocidal Hamas members who took part in the raid into Israel. That’s not even disputable as the UN fired those identified immediately after seeing the evidence.
@@mattpacket449 Why is Galloway allowed to even stand in the election in Rochdale, he's not from Rochdale, it's ridiculous as Eddie Izzard trying to get elected in Sheffield.It's always a bizzare thing about British politics that you seem to be able to stand for elections in constituencies you don;t live in.
@Black.....Do Pakistanis who now live in Pakistan and were former residents of Rochdale get to vote in this by election , or general election for that matter ?
@@howtoappearincompletely9739 indeed. We all know democracy never existed. Films like this just fuel hatred and division. The historical act of control and power.
I visited Rochdale 50 years ago and it was a dump. There was no diversity then. It was white and skint. Today, it is diverse and skint. Take it up with the levelling up, brexit will make your life better party.
The Tories have favoured the big multinationals and have hammered the self employed and small business owners. Labour will do exactly the same,they are both one of the same. The identity politics and division under Labour will go through the roof, we face sectarianism in the future, dark days ahead.
True. Blair followed much of the previous Tory playbook...he was just better organised at lying about it all to paper over the cracks until we all realised much too late...
@ jeffmurry6219. Thank you someone who gets it. This whole distraction and destruction has been planned for decades in advance. People fail to realise that the destruction of other countries by wars and sanctions are being carried out here but it’s on a more sophisticated level, they simply can’t employ the same weapons that is used on the uneducated abroad. Here they use psychology , planting ideas , lies and FEAR . We as a country have the solution but we are encourage daily to believe the lies . I could waffle on all day but I won’t. People just need to remember “ a house or in this case (country ) divided against itself can’t stand. You on the other hand has an understanding of what is taking place. I wish you and yours all the very best for the future. Keep on shining. Peace.
People need to stop voting locally based solely on party, you need to vote for the candidates based on what they bring to the table, what have they achieved in life, in their community/region, what skills & experience they have
Democracy has gone out the window ? NO, 47,000 didn't bother voting. Out of 31,000 who did vote, Galloway only got 12,335 = less than 16% of the number who could vote. If the other 47,000 had voted, Galloway would not have won. Use it or lose it.
People aren’t educated in politics look at the ones that are in their fee paying education and the mess they have made of the country bankrupt Britain never seen the country’s streets so rundown our Concil rates skyrocketed and 2.4 trillion in debt and councils hand out fines knowing people can’t afford these and interest doubling all the time all this money and our cities are crumbling look at our people they are so desperate and depressed hope all cities have a shake up and start asking where the money going
This once fine and thriving town [ set by the way in some beautiful countryside] has been in decline for 50 years. All the main parties, including the Lib. Dems [ remember Cyril Smith?] are to blame.
I was in Rochdale 50 years ago and it was a dump then, and it was no diverse city either. It was white and skint. Ask the Tories about all the levelling up they promised the north. They've been in charge for the last 14 years.
@@thesameer1707 Nope. The north has been underfunded for decades. For every pound spent in the north, 2-3 pounds gets spent in the south. Is it any wonder it's a dump? Immigrants typically do not have a lot of money, so they are going to settle in poorer areas (obviously). Currently, we are seeing a managed decline across the entire country but of course, a dump is now going to be much, much worse when industry moves out and people think automatically, "it's the immigrants!" because that's the change they see immediately, not the massive underfunding and zero infrastructure being invested in the north. London got billions for it's new Victoria line. Yet here in the north, we don't even get the funding to electrify the railway between the biggest cities in the north - Liverpool to Hull, which would improve industry. Yet, we were promised, time and again by the tories / Bliar they would. By 'eck, even HS2 is only going to Birmingham now... which is the south. That says a lot really.
Of course its a dump thats how labour want it, if they were all well off you dont think they'd be voting labour do you, its not rocket science to work out.
The state of Rochdale and modern Britain is down to the mess created by the legacy parties. It is no wonder they voted for a charismatic maverick who is not afraid to speak his mind and that a local businessman, Mr Tully, got second place. Together they polled 60% of the vote and the legacy parties were nowhere.
I like that they kept it grounded and real. This is the current state for many areas around England. Unfortunately many have been left behind by this government. And people wonder why all the uproar and anger over the last few years.
As someone who has lived my whole life in Rochdale, don’t feel sorry for us, yes the town center is not as vibrant as it once was, but that is mirrored in lots of towns across the country as shopping habits have changed more to online than bricks and mortar stores. Also only being 15 miles from Manchester it’s not a long journey to shop there. We don’t have any gun crime or stabbings and there are no no go areas and as a child of mixed race parents we don’t have any race problems. So don’t feel bad for us, there are worse towns than us
‘If a child is of mixed race, we don’t have any race problems.’ What’s that supposed to mean? Are there places in England where there are problems for mixed races people?
Think about what? People love a Maccy D's. Nothing new about that. The Rochdale Ronald's closed down because the council hiked business rates and the franchises decided to move out of town. They've got an awesome drive through. I used it last month and the milkshake machine actually worked.
People complaining because they weren’t educated about politics at school… educate yourselves! You have more access to information now than ever before, all at your fingertips, you don’t even have to get out of bed! 🙄
Baghdad you mean the jewel of the world ? Where the greatest library in the world once stood ? The place that had centers of learning and great scientific advancement while Britains were still living in wooden huts ?
The absolute state of the UK. How is 99% of takeaway shops and other businesses all owned by the foreign people? And No, I'm not a 'racist' it's a simple question that I've never been able to answer. Does the government give these people loans to start up or something? How do they afford it? Go to ANY city or town and its 99% Turkish, Indian, or Eastern European shops.
I think people are overly alarmist about high street shops closing. It was always inevitable when the internet came along allowing people to find the best stuff for cheapest prices and delivered to home. Any retail business (even when online) now generally has to be a massive conglomerate with large scale logistics and low profit margins. The traditional independent high street retail shop has no chance. They went out in the mid 90s or earlier. And the big British retail chains started to collapse in the early 00s. But bizarrely from early 00s there was also an explosion of new large generic mega malls AND out of town retail parks in every British city. Further watering down the high street. And people act surprised that a quarter of the way into the 21st century that the British high street is dead? Of course it is. This is like being surprised that British manufacturing or coal mining is dead. Get with the times.
Not everywhere but in most places yes, my town in West Oxfordshire is doing fine & there's no mounds of rubbish or boarded up shops but much of the UK which thrived in days gone by is now falling apart, such a shame
@@dfpguitarBut it didn't have to be that way did it? Because of people like you it is. There was room to shop both ways. I do both. There is no get with the times about it. We can have our cake and eat it too in this case.
@@rosemarywoolley8394exactly! It’s a choice and people have made a choice to spend money with big corporations instead of supporting the local area. We’ve do it to ourselves! Perhaps unconsciously to some degree, without thinking of the bigger picture
Rochdale is a virtual slum. Yet the biggest reason for voting was a dispute in a place that's not even in Europe, let alone England. Says it all about politics today.
It makes me sick the lack of pride and respect my countries own government has for its people, it's towns, cities and villages. Just an absolute disgrace what has happened to great Britain.
@@Emilyb21-dm3bfThe top 10% of taxpayers paid 60% of all income tax in 2023-2024. The top 1% of taxpayers rose from 11% in 78-79 to 29% in 20-24. As for online shopping blame your council(labour) who sets business rates for shops!
@@keithmarshall8796 what about offshore? What about who are making billions like Saudi India corporations and black rock that own the highest money making assets and own your insurance. Global business they are not putting 40 percent back . And they own everything so I'f they monopolies the street and online weapons pharma etc that all greedy piggies have shares in and hide on offshore lands. How's that putting in? Half of it's going to India Rushi Sunak wife family are the Indian Black Rock. No we are getting fleesed.
I will never vote for Tories and Labour has lost my vote for life . I will vote for individuals who possess integrity and will defend our democratic values. Not those who have sold our country to Terrorists states such as Israel
How is Israel a terrorist state? And what part of our country have we sold to Israel? We have sold our countries assets to the US and China mostly. And yes the country has been sold out I agree. Just look at our capital city every weekend.
@@ffotograffydd maybe not sold but used. If you are genuinely interested. Read about the Oslo Accords. Read Theodor Herzl. Sarah Schulman wrote a fantastic article in the new york times last year. Manufacturing Consent is a great read.
Never mind, it's gratifying to see we're increasing foreign aid to China, the worlds second largest economy, and India to make sure their space programme flourishes, Rochdale ??? is that near Hong Kong?
Reference China not really British Council programmes in China (see Table 2 for an overview) respond to the Integrated review’s pledges to “strengthen diplomatic contact and people-to-people relationships” with China, and are focused on collaboration around English language teaching, education, and arts and culture. In relation to education there has been a strong focus on securing mutually beneficial outcomes from promoting the UK’s expertise in transnational education, alongside objectives to support Chinese universities to internationalise and to facilitate education and research partnerships.
@@djonfonsteen6331 Number of votes by post for the GE from Rochdale? 13,579. Number for this by-election? ~24,000 Goals will be allowed only one way...
A lot of towns and cities are in this state now, more and more shops closing, pubs closing down everyday. All boarded up and left to ruin. In 10 years you won't even recognise Britain!
Yes I agree that he's only been campaigning for Gaza for fifty years, He's a politician, it's an election, in order to win an election you stand where you have the best chance of winning, why do all the tories stand in the posh parts of the country ?
@@philthrelfall5294 Phil someone whos family has at least 7 generations in living in England. ive met a lot of 3rd generation asians who without even knowing are turning culturally english with a bit of spice. Just an outsider looking in.
where's the father too? if they were a family together that might help with the bills.. and the money for the cigarettes too, that's over a tenner a pack!!! controversial opinion i know
She can’t afford to buy a house because it takes 2 working adults to pay a mortgage and there are too many single mums, through failed relationships. I’m amazed that any single person can take on a mortgage to buy a decent place to live.
@@sambadham1404 I do know singles who have bought their own house, as well, so it’s obviously doable if you have the income but you have to manage your finances, unless you’re earning a lot more than minimum wage. This young lady doesn’t sound like somebody who is in a well paid job.
The lady under the umbrella makes a very salient point, get to 18 and have the right to vote but don't know what you are voting for.. Now you know why "How The System Works" is NOT on the Curriculum.....
@@wduckworth528 Things get no better in a Labour fiefdom, when we have a Labour Government. I have lived most of my life in Castleford or Oldham - so it's not like I lack real world experience.
@@dazjackson1972 I think it’s highly likely that you do lack real world experience if you’re using words like “fiefdom”! You’ll be quoting Magna Carta next! 😂😂😂
Do you live under a rock? Shopping has moved online. Why go to town and pay 30%+ for an item that can be delivered to your doorstep. Nobody wants or needs those stores anymore. They should be either pulled down or converted to housing.
@@Cannon_Fodder_Russians l don't dispute what you say, Surely this leads to a reimagination to the economic model employed, such as (cheap)rents and (minimum)rates and(no) car parking fees and (free) public transport and easy to set up business models and effective policing!?🤔
@@bertrandrussell894how? It was better in the preceding 13 years to 2010 when the tories took power by pretty much any metric. Sorry if I think you are talking BS
@@Dazzerthegooner666I agree with him. No difference between tories and labour anymore. Two sides of the same rotten globalist coin. This country is finished
What 45 years of neoliberalism has done to provincial British towns and small cities.
💯 That's exactly IT. It's not immigrants to blame.
@@oneoflokis I mean, somewhat yeah they are in the sense they made the decision to immigrate. It's primarily the government who allowed such a thing to exist in the first place
Thatcherism
lol. Not signing a treaty with Germany back in 1939 looks like a big mistake today. It was!
@kravan5063 Yes: but HOW has their presence caused economic decline in Rochdale? 😏 Immigrants are usually more motivated, harder-working and less whiny.
The Guardian helped to maintain this terrible status quo.
Explain that then.
They are reporting one sided , can't you see that?
The Guardian opposed Jeremy Corbyn in the 2017 and 2019 general elections.
@@safirahmed yup. It opted for another Tory government. Just because Corbyn offered true change and the end of endless war. This didn't sit well with the moderates.
pretending to be left wing, its like the ted bundy of journalism
What a DUMP modern Britain is
Depressing isn’t it.
@@devon7771Almost everything in UK is behind compared to other European countries, housing, airports, healthcare, roads, Law Enforcement, right down to the water pressure in the house.
Germany's law enforcement took down a coup, Belgium's healthcare ranks 3rd in the world, France has arguably the best water supply in the world, Italy has on average some of the longest living people in the world with a blue zone in their country. Norway's prison system is great too, meanwhile England still hires surgeons and GP's from Europe even though they left the EU. Their own government doesn't play by its own rules, Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock during the pandemic are prime examples. Their healthcare service is collapsing, their teachers and ambulance workers are striking too.
How far has the "5th richest country on Earth" fallen.
@@KyojuroRengoku98'Germany took down a coup' i think you mean aresting your political oposition and calling it a coup, it was another richstag fire. Now they are trying to ban AFD, Germany is a dictatorship banning their oposition, no different to russia
We can rebuild it
@@wizardaka nah, this country is pass the point of being fixed.
Just look at what 20 years of blairism has done to our once great nation.
Blair endorsed the Tory/Lib Dem coalition. He only endorsed Ed Miliband at the last minute leading up to the 2015 general election; prior to that he and the Blairites constantly griped in the press. He never addressed the loss of industry and manufacturing, nor had a policy of building public housing. Improvements to the NHS and schools involved dubious public private partnership contracts. Blairites, Tories, Liberals have been politically bankrupt since the financial crash of 2007/8.
45 years of Thatcherism*
Fixed that for you
@@jacob8949 I would agree with you on that also, Blair took things into overdrive when he opened the floodgates and took a hammer to the old order. Thatcher took us into the EU and destroyed national industrial capacity, she spoke well, but her actions did the opposite. Basically all “leaders” since the Second World War have been puppets to the American regime. They have all been engaged in the project to make Britain in the USAs image.
And don't forget Thatcherism either.she has alot to answer for to the UK's downfall as well.
It's disgusting what has happened to Britain
what has happend??
tax money is going somewhere else....now take a.guess...
@@Abey608 Why do you act so oblivious? Does everything look great to you?
It’s just starting
And you stood and watched!!!
Hopefully Mr Galloway will make it a priority to achieve some justice for all the abused girls in Rochdale.
I don't think he will ever mention it.
Don't think so , it will upset the ones who voted for him
That is under his Persian Carpet.
Don't hold your breath
He'd never risk being called a racist.
Labour has done nothing for Rochdale the same in any northern town..
When was Labour last in power ?
@@johnwinfield9738They have held Rochdale for a long time.
@@johnwinfield9738 Town councils spend or in many cases of Labour councils waste the money they have. My town council has managed to get the town into £1.8b not million worth of debt.Leaving us very close to a section 114 order.
@@tq6892 Councils are on a highly restricted budget set by Westminster, and they’ve had it cut since 2010.
Why are you afraid to blame the Tories? Partisanship is illogical.
Neither have the Tories 😂
Can’t believe there’s still some people in 2024 who think there’s any discernible difference between the main parties 🤣
I'm originally from Rochdale. The town have only ever voted for Labour or Lib Dems and continue to do so, talk about Turkeys voting for Christmas. This is the UK now the Guardian people have finally got what they wanted!!
You do realise that a Labour MP really can’t do very much in parliament when there’s a conservative government, and vice versa.
It never makes sense when people say “we’ve had labour MPs for 15 years but they’ve not done anything for our area” - yes cos they’re not in government so they lose every single vote…
@@GG-xd9vc And there is one reason why proportional representation is needed.
@@GG-xd9vcWe've had Blair's New Labour in power since 1997.
@@jasonchamberlain1405 New tories
Respectfully but totally disagree about the need for proportional representation@@erikzoe1 -- imho that simply leads to sectarianism. I much prefer the two-party system where representatives from both parties are there to actually represent ALL.
Great little video. Really does illustrate how large parts of Britain have been left behind. "Levelling up" was an empty slogan, to garner 'Red Wall' votes, whereas in reality these communities are crying out for real opportunity.
Be fair to Boris, he would have got more done on levelling up if the pandemic hadn’t sidetracked his whole administration..
@@aclark903and the influx to the UK costing 15 mill a day. 4.4 billion is the current overall cost. No one is performing for the UK. We are being islamised.
@@aclark903 Even if I were inclined to be generous to Johnson, which I am not, there is no real evidence that "levelling up" was little more than a slogan. A tool to get himself elected.
@grw2903 Even if we use your figures, this barely scratches the money wasted by the Tory government on faulty PPE & failed Track & Trace. Also, refugees are a tiny proportion of overall net migration, encouraged by this government, because we need those workers.
@@philthrelfall5294 Happy Gorgeous George won? Labour vote down -40+% in a landslide.
No education in politics, l wonder why?
just look at parliament
They've all got phones and Google. Why don't they find out about these things.
@@auntiejilly1954 People especially young people need critical thinking. Google can lead you to misinformation.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGLISH AND FOR THE GUARDIAN JOKE OF A PAPER
@@bl4531 There is that. It's quite scary that some people can vote without knowing anything about how things work.
The Rochdale model will soon be the norm throughout England.
Exactly we gonna get democracy
@@forealg More like the end.....if a certain group take hold. This should be a WARNING to the rest of the UK.
@@webbo9798 what that democracy don't work?
@@forealg yes don’t work nor pay taxes and contribute eff all to the economy
@@johnholmes5674 exactly they don't pay all that tax Alcohol and Pork. And their daughters aren't on Only fans or they don't gamble so they avoid paying all these taxes on things that make Britain so great.
I’m proud of how England has kept its quint towns and villages…. Oh wait a minute
@ Letsthinkaboutit-mb7nn. Haha a fellow student of history. Anyways I think the Spirit of the Workhouse is looking to resurrect itself.
The powers that be are on target in destroying the Middle Class and recreating the “ Haves and haves not “, aka the super wealthy and the super poor.
Whilst we are set up to fight each other , the real heist that will affect us all is taking place.
Just like all the Native American villages
The villages of England are only a generation behind the towns and cities.
It has, they're just obscenely expensive to live in and don't have may jobs for young people. Everywhere affordable or that has jobs is slowly turning into Rochdale
@@goatfader I agree, rest of us have to live with criminals and abusive kids on quad bikes because the police are useless. Different when there’s places with money involved. The police are on it then
Sadly it feels like a lot of Politicians are in it for themselves these days. Constituency’s are just a stepping stone to the gravy train
It’s always been like that! Democracy is just an illusion
Agreed. However, at this point, I don't believe they even need us.
To Quote David Byrne: "Same as it ever was...same as it ever was,"....
Honestly it really is just rich people that wish to control the power and not Tory’s and labour coming together to help the public.
more fool the voters who keep voting for israel
they need to think about voting for representatives who are independent and aren't bought and paid for
Wow, a once vibrant and trust me, beautiful Town, The Town Hall, The Esplanade, Yorkshire Street Drake Street The Market. Looking at it now ...my heart breaks.
Dear Lauren, forgive me as I respond as German. No real comfort for you but this is only the start of a development, that will happen in many towns, step by step and also in my country, and some do not expect this to happen.
In my paper there was an argumentative letter to the editor which made me contemplate.
The current economic system in our countries must lead to such results. And politicians should honestly admit this. The states can't afford to spend so much money in infrastructure, debts rise and rise and it is "funny" that politicians emphasize that we must care for future generations.
Private and foreign investments can help a bit but these enterprises are focused on profit, not so many local people can participate.
Growth has its limits, politicians have to admit this. I must admit, I myself have no alternative. I belong to a group that worked for the state, secure income, fiancially firm though I had difficult times as well, 3 children and the only breadwinner. But most with a regular, safe income do not really care.
Who will invest in Rochdale? Who will invest in the barren parts of South Italy?
In my country Mecklenburg Vorpommern has always been a disadvantaged area, probably no concern for someone who lives in Munich.
One has to be careful, promises by Labour, promises by the Conservatives, promises by the Reform Party...and this guy George Galloway is not different.
Wish you all the best -
Looks live an average UK town to me. These are the consequences of Thatcher’s Britain 🇬🇧
More or less every UK government has been following her economic policies since
Remind me again when food banks started
You would think the people of Rochdale would of learned from the people of Bradford at how gorgeous george couldnt give two figs about a local area.
He's the biggest charlatan there is he doesn't care about the town he just goes to stoke up fear and play the antisemetic trop that is loved by a lot of asian communities
@LuisCarruthers That's a given.
How's George different from the other opportunistic career politicians?
Who says??
@@LuisCarruthersHe says he's going to save the local football club!
Nice men putting homeless in warmer cars
You can use the homeless to build your extension. On the house you bought without a mortgage. How do you do that btw?
Therein lies the id0cy of the current culture. Instead of cleaning up, you encourage more pollution?
And dryer shop doorways.... sickening !!
The UK is an Oligarchy NOT a Democracy.
Kleptocracy
Rubbish we vote in who we want in every County.
@@sarahreid48 No we don't in a first passed the post system and the head of state is unelected.
@@sarahreid48 🐑
@@sarahreid48 Just over 60% of voters in Rochdale did NOT vote for Galloway, so no, with first-past-the-post, what you wrote is untrue.
Instead of Rochdale we send money to Ukraine
And Israel.
@@WillScarlet1991and foreign aid to India and Gaza!
money to rochdale??? why????????? no country that has weapons should get our money ever...
You want to have Dictator Putin in charge of you?
Better to fight the battle in Ukraine, than on the streets of London and Rochdale.
The state of this dump is unreal, can’t believe the Guardian even posted this. Doesn’t sell multicultural Britain very much.
You can't sell that nonsense to people anymore. Even sheep eventually use their eyes and see how it is not our strength but rather our undoing.
Its caused by government not culture. 🤦♀️
Don't tell me tons of shops closed because of multiculturalism...
The Guardian showing what the Guardanistas have always wanted.
@@Believe-you-me- yes of course, everything is caused by the government. Nobody is responsible for their own behaviour, we’re all just victims of circumstance. Do you really believe this drivel?
The fact that a war 2000 miles away seems to be the main concern for politicians in Rochdale shows how much contempt they have for voters.Particularly as Rochdale is filled with an abundance of local issues that need fixing.
2000 miles away, yet are taxes are making it that far to Commit genocide. Don't see you crying about that.
@@tomlewis4888do you mean the £87 million of taxpayer money the U.K. govt earmarked for Gaza aid for years 2023/2024? £16 million of which was for UNWRA, until we discovered that it was riddled with genocidal Hamas members who took part in the raid into Israel. That’s not even disputable as the UN fired those identified immediately after seeing the evidence.
@@tomlewis4888what genocide
only one candidate is going on about Gaza the 10 others are not, sadly the media seems fixated on Gaza along with Galloway.
@@mattpacket449 Why is Galloway allowed to even stand in the election in Rochdale, he's not from Rochdale, it's ridiculous as Eddie Izzard trying to get elected in Sheffield.It's always a bizzare thing about British politics that you seem to be able to stand for elections in constituencies you don;t live in.
Diversity is our strength???????????????
Is that really your take away from this video?
Yes
LBGT can make you strong.
We were sold a lie
come on do something , all talk and no do. huff and puff smoking mirrors.
22,000 voted by post. Why is the postal vote allowed. How can you identify someone by post. Something very fishy going on here.
Cause you only get one ballot and if you vote by mail and then attempt to do it in person then you commit a crime.
Judging by the comments from TH-cam on the various channels here, they do not live in the UK either.
@Black.....Do Pakistanis who now live in Pakistan and were former residents of Rochdale get to vote in this by election , or general election for that matter ?
Postal votes are to allow those who can’t make it to vote. The forms have special code relating to the person who voted.
I read there was a "120%" turn out for postal vote ......wtaf
Absolute disaster from start to finish.
What is? Our government? The influential war lobby group of oppression and debt? The perpetual loop of doom in a punch and Judy show? Which one Dave?
@@djonfonsteen6331All of the above, but most pertinently this report, probably.
@@howtoappearincompletely9739 indeed. We all know democracy never existed. Films like this just fuel hatred and division. The historical act of control and power.
@@djonfonsteen6331
Inviting in hordes who hate Britain was never gonna work
infinity immigrants changes your country - new shock report
Your right.
I visited Rochdale 50 years ago and it was a dump. There was no diversity then. It was white and skint. Today, it is diverse and skint. Take it up with the levelling up, brexit will make your life better party.
Another quisling haha@@owenokane9643
So you think without immigrants Rochdale would be a thriving metropolis?
@@owenokane9643 Ah yes but at least it was a white dump.
The Tories have favoured the big multinationals and have hammered the self employed and small business owners. Labour will do exactly the same,they are both one of the same. The identity politics and division under Labour will go through the roof, we face sectarianism in the future, dark days ahead.
The establishment don't like the self employed because they aren't Union affiliated and much less likely to get benefits.
True. Blair followed much of the previous Tory playbook...he was just better organised at lying about it all to paper over the cracks until we all realised much too late...
@ jeffmurry6219. Thank you someone who gets it. This whole distraction and destruction has been planned for decades in advance.
People fail to realise that the destruction of other countries by wars and sanctions are being carried out here but it’s on a more sophisticated level, they simply can’t employ the same weapons that is used on the uneducated abroad.
Here they use psychology , planting ideas , lies and FEAR . We as a country have the solution but we are encourage daily to believe the lies . I could waffle on all day but I won’t. People just need to remember “ a house or in this case (country ) divided against itself can’t stand. You on the other hand has an understanding of what is taking place.
I wish you and yours all the very best for the future. Keep on shining. Peace.
And yet voted in some one thar won't give 2 craps about Rochdale as gaza is more important
@@caeserromero3013 Well that, and he raised taxes on the better off to give to the poor and spend on public services.
"Galloway an opportunist using Rochdale fir his own ends"?
No different from any other politician since the dawn of time then.
Other politicians tend to stay longer than one term before heading off somewhere else to campaign as an "outsider".
People need to stop voting locally based solely on party, you need to vote for the candidates based on what they bring to the table, what have they achieved in life, in their community/region, what skills & experience they have
What goes on in the Middle East is NOT a local issue!!!
George the grand-standing narcissist who mentioned Gaza in his speech before he mentioned Rochdale!
Democracy has gone out the window ?
NO,
47,000 didn't bother voting.
Out of 31,000 who did vote, Galloway only got 12,335 = less than 16% of the number who could vote.
If the other 47,000 had voted, Galloway would not have won.
Use it or lose it.
People aren’t educated in politics look at the ones that are in their fee paying education and the mess they have made of the country bankrupt Britain never seen the country’s streets so rundown our Concil rates skyrocketed and 2.4 trillion in debt and councils hand out fines knowing people can’t afford these and interest doubling all the time all this money and our cities are crumbling look at our people they are so desperate and depressed hope all cities have a shake up and start asking where the money going
Rochdale, was this not the kind of place that the Tories said they would level up. Instead it has just been levelled to nothing.
they did as much levelling up as labour did. They are all corrupt self seeking organisations that do not care for the public
I think it was self-levelling.
London is fast catching up with Rochdale...pretty soon to overtake it.....
You miss heard, it just needs levelling
This once fine and thriving town [ set by the way in some beautiful countryside] has been in decline for 50 years. All the main parties, including the Lib. Dems [ remember Cyril Smith?] are to blame.
Is nobody mentioning the mass immration that has caused the chaos in this video??
If they did, the Guardian is hardly going to show it as they are in favour of it.
14 years of Conservative government is the cause…
You mean the ones running businesses and trying to make a living?
@@StatingTheObvio😂 the fact you actually believe what you’re typing is mind boggling.
How would immigration lead to high street shops closing down?
I was in Rochdale 50 years ago and it was a dump then, and it was no diverse city either. It was white and skint. Ask the Tories about all the levelling up they promised the north. They've been in charge for the last 14 years.
so Rochdale has always been like this? so its not the immigrants that have caused the area to be poorer and poorrer?
So it was like that under Blair
@@thesameer1707 Nope. The north has been underfunded for decades. For every pound spent in the north, 2-3 pounds gets spent in the south. Is it any wonder it's a dump? Immigrants typically do not have a lot of money, so they are going to settle in poorer areas (obviously). Currently, we are seeing a managed decline across the entire country but of course, a dump is now going to be much, much worse when industry moves out and people think automatically, "it's the immigrants!" because that's the change they see immediately, not the massive underfunding and zero infrastructure being invested in the north. London got billions for it's new Victoria line. Yet here in the north, we don't even get the funding to electrify the railway between the biggest cities in the north - Liverpool to Hull, which would improve industry. Yet, we were promised, time and again by the tories / Bliar they would. By 'eck, even HS2 is only going to Birmingham now... which is the south. That says a lot really.
Of course its a dump thats how labour want it, if they were all well off you dont think they'd be voting labour do you, its not rocket science to work out.
@@sturdywordy1158B. Liar!
What a dump
The state of Rochdale and modern Britain is down to the mess created by the legacy parties. It is no wonder they voted for a charismatic maverick who is not afraid to speak his mind and that a local businessman, Mr Tully, got second place. Together they polled 60% of the vote and the legacy parties were nowhere.
The "legacy party" that won last time dropped its candidate.
I like that they kept it grounded and real. This is the current state for many areas around England. Unfortunately many have been left behind by this government. And people wonder why all the uproar and anger over the last few years.
It's Hard being a Cowboy in Rochdale ! (Anyone else old enough to remember)
As someone who has lived my whole life in Rochdale, don’t feel sorry for us, yes the town center is not as vibrant as it once was, but that is mirrored in lots of towns across the country as shopping habits have changed more to online than bricks and mortar stores. Also only being 15 miles from Manchester it’s not a long journey to shop there. We don’t have any gun crime or stabbings and there are no no go areas and as a child of mixed race parents we don’t have any race problems. So don’t feel bad for us, there are worse towns than us
That’s the biggest load of bull I’ve ever read. You do have those problems.
@@AI-Records24 Well the folks looked happy, look they ain't got much but looked vibrant
Try Spennymoor
@@shazanali692 no town is perfect
‘If a child is of mixed race, we don’t have any race problems.’ What’s that supposed to mean? Are there places in England where there are problems for mixed races people?
McDonalds is aggressively expanding in its developed and deceloping markets - think about that for a second.
But developing markets don't have councils intent on deterring all car users from travelling to the town centre.
Huge fast food chains and even Walmart and Target are closing stores in certain neighbourhoods in America.
@auntiejilly1954 If your political leaders (eg Biden) allow the destruction of industrial society and of jobs, what do you expect?
They are lucky McDonald's have left...
Think about what? People love a Maccy D's. Nothing new about that. The Rochdale Ronald's closed down because the council hiked business rates and the franchises decided to move out of town. They've got an awesome drive through. I used it last month and the milkshake machine actually worked.
The guy at the end saying 'my community' illustrates very well what is wrong with Britain today.
Im a Rochdalian and all i have to say is that there's far worse places to live.
People complaining because they weren’t educated about politics at school… educate yourselves! You have more access to information now than ever before, all at your fingertips, you don’t even have to get out of bed! 🙄
Gwir iawn.
Depressing
looks like the slums of Baghdad on a wet day
Baghdad you mean the jewel of the world ? Where the greatest library in the world once stood ? The place that had centers of learning and great scientific advancement while Britains were still living in wooden huts ?
@@vivalapalestine7235 really, and look at it and the Middle East now.
@@williammohan9784 the skyscrapers and architecture of Oman,uae, qatar and Saudi arabia
@@williammohan9784 After US and and UK bombed it murdered a few hundred thousand people, stole the oil and left.
The state of the place. Unbelievable.
The absolute state of the UK. How is 99% of takeaway shops and other businesses all owned by the foreign people? And No, I'm not a 'racist' it's a simple question that I've never been able to answer. Does the government give these people loans to start up or something? How do they afford it? Go to ANY city or town and its 99% Turkish, Indian, or Eastern European shops.
We have had Chinese, Italian, Indian, etc, restaurants for centuries. What is your problem? Start up a chip shop if you want to work.
@@independentandfree6466what’s your problem ? Go and live in Mogadishu if that’s what you like
@@OhYeah32 He likes your mom.
Too bad she likes me.
@@maquacr7014 are you okay ?
@@maquacr7014
Curry cel
George Galloway was once nicknamed the Member for Baghdad South. He is an opportunist.
All over Britain towns and villages are becoming like this. Decaying left to rot.come and see east cost of Durham. Falling to bits
So to echo the Guardian view of Brexit, most people didn't vote for George.
Shops have been closing everywhere for the past 20years nothing new here 🎉
I think people are overly alarmist about high street shops closing. It was always inevitable when the internet came along allowing people to find the best stuff for cheapest prices and delivered to home. Any retail business (even when online) now generally has to be a massive conglomerate with large scale logistics and low profit margins. The traditional independent high street retail shop has no chance. They went out in the mid 90s or earlier. And the big British retail chains started to collapse in the early 00s. But bizarrely from early 00s there was also an explosion of new large generic mega malls AND out of town retail parks in every British city. Further watering down the high street. And people act surprised that a quarter of the way into the 21st century that the British high street is dead? Of course it is. This is like being surprised that British manufacturing or coal mining is dead. Get with the times.
Not everywhere but in most places yes, my town in West Oxfordshire is doing fine & there's no mounds of rubbish or boarded up shops but much of the UK which thrived in days gone by is now falling apart, such a shame
@@dfpguitarBut it didn't have to be that way did it? Because of people like you it is. There was room to shop both ways. I do both. There is no get with the times about it. We can have our cake and eat it too in this case.
@@rosemarywoolley8394exactly! It’s a choice and people have made a choice to spend money with big corporations instead of supporting the local area.
We’ve do it to ourselves! Perhaps unconsciously to some degree, without thinking of the bigger picture
What stands out in the majority of comments is that these people want benefits for Rochdale not Gaza
Rochdale is a virtual slum. Yet the biggest reason for voting was a dispute in a place that's not even in Europe, let alone England. Says it all about politics today.
Looks like a different country 😂 I doubt there are too many Guardian readers in Rochdale 😂
Maybe try reading for yourself. Start with punctuation.
@@TheMrbc74 I read the Guardian, it's drivel.
😂
@@TheMrbc74 LOL
Typical honesty from Gruan not one mention of that terror hotspot thousands of miles away driving this Na zi.
The UK hospitality has its consequences.
G Galloway , oh dear, may the lord have mercy on you
More like an election for Gaza than for Rochdale!
It makes me sick the lack of pride and respect my countries own government has for its people, it's towns, cities and villages. Just an absolute disgrace what has happened to great Britain.
The tories will be laughing at this prime example of the “surplus population”
It's not that it monopolising business and the top not paying tax and online shopping
@@DJFAmenHeavyare you joking? Under their government we’ve had the highest immigration on record. Obviously it’s what they want.
You mean superfluous?
@@Emilyb21-dm3bfThe top 10% of taxpayers paid 60% of all income tax in 2023-2024. The top 1% of taxpayers rose from 11% in 78-79 to 29% in 20-24. As for online shopping blame your council(labour) who sets business rates for shops!
@@keithmarshall8796 what about offshore? What about who are making billions like Saudi India corporations and black rock that own the highest money making assets and own your insurance. Global business they are not putting 40 percent back . And they own everything so I'f they monopolies the street and online weapons pharma etc that all greedy piggies have shares in and hide on offshore lands. How's that putting in? Half of it's going to India Rushi Sunak wife family are the Indian Black Rock. No we are getting fleesed.
In Guardian HQ the champagne would have been flowing
Is that England?
I will never vote for Tories and
Labour has lost my vote for life . I will vote for individuals who possess integrity and will defend our democratic values. Not those who have sold our country to Terrorists states such as Israel
How is Israel a terrorist state? And what part of our country have we sold to Israel? We have sold our countries assets to the US and China mostly. And yes the country has been sold out I agree. Just look at our capital city every weekend.
Could you explain how the UK has been sold to Israel please? I’m genuinely curious.
@@ffotograffydd maybe not sold but used. If you are genuinely interested. Read about the Oslo Accords. Read Theodor Herzl. Sarah Schulman wrote a fantastic article in the new york times last year. Manufacturing Consent is a great read.
@@ffotograffydd Anything from Noam Chomsky. Or read and thinkabout what Einstein said about Israel.
@@djonfonsteen6331 Mate, I asked YOU to explain. Clearly you can’t if you’re just pointing me to books written by other people. 😂
Never mind, it's gratifying to see we're increasing foreign aid to China, the worlds second largest economy, and India to make sure their space programme flourishes, Rochdale ??? is that near Hong Kong?
Nearer Karachi by the looks of things.
Reference China not really
British Council programmes in China (see Table 2 for an overview) respond to the Integrated review’s pledges to “strengthen diplomatic contact and people-to-people relationships” with China, and are focused on collaboration around English language teaching, education, and arts and culture. In relation to education there has been a strong focus on securing mutually beneficial outcomes from promoting the UK’s expertise in transnational education, alongside objectives to support Chinese universities to internationalise and to facilitate education and research partnerships.
Aid to China has been falling steadily,
And Rochdale ain't near Kiev 😮 tens of billions since 2014 with additional 2.5billion in additional aid this year 😮@ColinH1973
nothing importing a few million more migrants wont solve
_"He who controls the post, controls the universe.”_ Baron Harkonnen...
Its not he who controls the post, but he who has the ability to disrupt the post
They also move and change the posts. No goals allowed. See what I did there?
@@djonfonsteen6331 no, I don't. Rather unspicy
@@djonfonsteen6331 Number of votes by post for the GE from Rochdale? 13,579.
Number for this by-election? ~24,000
Goals will be allowed only one way...
@@hannahcallow6374 spicy isn't allowed.
Sub titles for English speech. Thank you. That did make me laugh.
It's about time, candidates came from the town they were born in...
One of the grimist places on the planet never mind the UK
A lot of towns and cities are in this state now, more and more shops closing, pubs closing down everyday. All boarded up and left to ruin. In 10 years you won't even recognise Britain!
I wonder why she can’t get on the council list 🤔
Too many like her already.
I'm interested in what you think the reason is. Come on spill the beans. Say what's on you mind.
I don't think I will be in a hurry to visit Rochdale.😬 what has happened to it.
rochdale is occupied territory
Lol 😁
@@WillScarlet1991 🧕-🗡-☠- 😁
Exactly, "George Galloway is an opportunist."
Yes I agree that he's only been campaigning for Gaza for fifty years, He's a politician, it's an election, in order to win an election you stand where you have the best chance of winning, why do all the tories stand in the posh parts of the country ?
Rochdale is a poor example of poor English town.
Do they really think GG has any care for Rochdale? He admitted that in his victory speech.
I think you must have heard only half of his victory speech.
NOT A ENGLISH COUNTY ANYMORE
You mean angles no more
Just who do you consider to be the original indigenous "English" people? Or, exactly what year should we consider the 'English' baseline?
Rochdale isn’t a county 😂
@@philthrelfall5294 Phil someone whos family has at least 7 generations in living in England. ive met a lot of 3rd generation asians who without even knowing are turning culturally english with a bit of spice. Just an outsider looking in.
The UK population is 83% white British, Asian British people make up just 6% of the population. What exactly are you scared of?
Awful to see! So many small towns have been run down and ruined. The country is slowly dying
We're being replaced
The great replacement in effect.
oh look, a xenophobe...
@@patrick_h_lauke He's a xenophobe in a tinfoil hat.
Democracy was seen to operate in Rochdale.
Local pressing issues in Rochdale such as Palestine.
Suspicious of anyone who can relax and afford a coffee in Rochdale
“Council house”
Single mother?
State benefits recipients
where's the father too? if they were a family together that might help with the bills.. and the money for the cigarettes too, that's over a tenner a pack!!! controversial opinion i know
She can’t afford to buy a house because it takes 2 working adults to pay a mortgage and there are too many single mums, through failed relationships. I’m amazed that any single person can take on a mortgage to buy a decent place to live.
Should have asked the mum with the autistic daughter what her job was?
@@chris-4566 I'm single and own my own house. My mortgage is 750 a month which is easily affordable for me.
@@sambadham1404 I do know singles who have bought their own house, as well, so it’s obviously doable if you have the income but you have to manage your finances, unless you’re earning a lot more than minimum wage. This young lady doesn’t sound like somebody who is in a well paid job.
The lady under the umbrella makes a very salient point, get to 18 and have the right to vote but don't know what you are voting for..
Now you know why "How The System Works" is NOT on the Curriculum.....
Absolute dump. Surprised they found any true Brits there.
Every single person interviewed was British, mate.
Your “true Brits” are just descendants of an earlier wave of immigration. 😉
How can I now remove Rochdale from my birth certificate?
Dear me Rochdale have an mp who identifies as a cat. You couldn't make it up.
Two decades later these people will crying for what have they done for their children.
rochdale is officially a toilet
Guardian? Oh well...
The 7th most trusted news source in the world, the second in the UK only behind the BBC.What's wrong with the Guardian?
Rochdale is a tip
A Labour fiefdom in all its glory!
Remind me who sets funding for local councils in central government?
Spoiler alert - it ain't Labour.
@@wduckworth528 Things get no better in a Labour fiefdom, when we have a Labour Government.
I have lived most of my life in Castleford or Oldham - so it's not like I lack real world experience.
@@dazjackson1972 I think it’s highly likely that you do lack real world experience if you’re using words like “fiefdom”! You’ll be quoting Magna Carta next! 😂😂😂
@@ffotograffydd Verily, forsooth!
@@dazjackson1972 That was almost funny mate… almost.
What an awful place
Made me laugh that the reporter had to explain what the Guardian was, probably had help with the postal vote as well!
I'm from Middleton in Rochdale. The last thing the council built in Rhodes was a primary School in 1984😢
What a depressing dump .
Rochdale, twinned with Gaza and the west Bank!
Don't hold your breath, i think you will find Galloway is just a chancer.
Where's the trickle down?
In lizz trauss bank account
@@amransaddique7009 she's the down? 🤔
Oh it's trickling down alright. Not the money, but something definitely is.
It "flooded UP"
Something is trickling down, it's not money
The town centre seems so run down....what's going wrong? What have the town councillors done to arrest this?🤔
Online shoppers, out of town shopping centres, people go to Manchester and poverty .
If they are anything like the councillors in North Manchester and Bury they wont be interested.
Down to the property owners I'd think.
Do you live under a rock? Shopping has moved online. Why go to town and pay 30%+ for an item that can be delivered to your doorstep. Nobody wants or needs those stores anymore. They should be either pulled down or converted to housing.
@@Cannon_Fodder_Russians l don't dispute what you say, Surely this leads to a reimagination to the economic model employed, such as (cheap)rents and (minimum)rates and(no) car parking fees and (free) public transport and easy to set up business models and effective policing!?🤔
Labour England is going to look a lot worse …
The England you just saw is the England that is left after 14 years of Tory rule
@@papamurrth1That is largely true. However, I believe with Labour it will get profoundly worse, fast.
@@bertrandrussell894how? It was better in the preceding 13 years to 2010 when the tories took power by pretty much any metric. Sorry if I think you are talking BS
@@Dazzerthegooner666I agree with him. No difference between tories and labour anymore. Two sides of the same rotten globalist coin. This country is finished
@@papamurrth1the Rochdale you saw is labour controlled, they set the rates, they spend the money!