Warning Of 'Food Price Riots In The UK'

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/A-Senior-HSBC-Economist-Warns-Of-Food-Riots-In-The-UK-If-Prices-Continue-To-Soar/Article/201103215948496?lid=ARTICLE_15948496_ASeniorHSBCEconomistWarnsOfFoodRiotsInTheUKIfPricesContinueToSoar&lpos=searchresults


10:23pm UK, Tuesday March 08, 2011
Peter Hoskins, senior business producer
A senior economist at the worldwide bank HSBC has warned of civil unrest in Britain if food prices continue to soar.


Speaking on Jeff Randall Live, senior global economist Karen Ward cautioned that the UK could experience the kind of food riots seen in other countries.
"Even in the developed world I think we have very, very low wage growth, so people aren't getting more in their pay packet to compensate them for food and energy, and I think we could see social unrest certainly in parts of the developed world and the UK as well."
She went on to highlight the link between high food prices and the escalating cost of crude oil.
"More and more we are seeing that some of these foodstuffs are actually substitutes for energy itself, particularly biofuels. So I think the energy markets are a significant contributor to these food price gains."

The comments come as the United Nations warned the cost of food is now at the highest level for 21 years and set to rise further.
Food costs have gone up for eight months in a row, with the National Farmers Union forecasting the trend will continue for the rest of 2011.
The cost of basic foodstuffs has been caused by increasing demand and extreme weather destroying crops and has been partly to blame for the unrest sweeping the arabic world.
Rising prices contributed to riots across North Africa and the Middle East in the past several months that have toppled leaders in Egypt and Tunisia.
Wheat has nearly doubled in price over the past six months and rising demand has caused the cost of sugar to rise by 14% over the past 12 months.
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I don't know how to 'read' this article at all - but having watched the politics going on I rather think it's propaganda (or should I say reverse propaganda).

The way I see things is the present government is on the point of initiating cuts in all areas. Coupled with the disastrous weather events - and oil prices due to the "fight for democracy" which is spreading and will inevitably push the price of food. But then we have an economist at HSBC of all people alluding to price of food increases causing social unrest.

This will have little effect on the people actually running the country and the cohorts of the government - nor indeed the Bankers themselves. So do they fear "food riots" in this country. Karen Ward and her colleagues must be earning enough not to be worried about food prices or is this fear that there will be "Bank riots" instead - since they are the one's that caused our present crisis!

Then there was Cameron's speech recently in Germany about "British values". What did he really mean by saying this. That 'stiff upper lip' or 'pulling together in a crisis' i.e. the Banking crisis. I think secretly the Government does fear unrest but whether we, the people, have/will have swallowed enough for us to want to "fight for freedom" or for "food" is really the question. And is it "freedom for democracy" which we supposedly already have. All democracy means is putting a little cross in a box against a colour!

I think this is orchestrated - showing the Banks concern for the price of food and "fearing for the welfare of the people".

We are being PR'd!

Look at what we have given in aid recently - although I do think we should contribute to other countries but only for the benefit to those who need it - not to go into the back pocket of some regime.

For UN Disaster Relief - the following contributions.

UK -113 million

US - 6 million

France - 5 million

The difference is palpable. Why do other countries contribute so little and yet we give so much. Is it because "a fool and his money are soon parted". If we have so much to splash about why the upcoming cuts in services.

The American trends forecaster, Gerald Celente, was forecasting this two years ago, for the US and the rest of the world.

AnnaEsse

Thank you for your reply - in an extra-ordinary succinct way too!

RT is good - I watch it a lot especially the weather forecast - it's dreamy.

But seriously - yes - GC was/is right - he did forecast it - but did he expect Cairo, Tunisia and Libya.

Angelique wrote:AnnaEsse

Thank you for your reply - in an extra-ordinary succinct way too!

RT is good - I watch it a lot especially the weather forecast - it's dreamy.

But seriously - yes - GC was/is right - he did forecast it - but did he expect Cairo, Tunisia and Libya.

It wouldn't surprise me if Gerald Celente had forecast trouble in those areas. He and his team look at all sorts of factors in their forecasts.