'I'm no communist, I'm an accountant': Caller's amusing exchange with Shelagh on social care
22 June 2021, 16:03 | Updated: 22 June 2021, 16:13
'Are you a communist? No, I'm an accountant'
This exchange over selling houses to fund social care left Shelagh Fogarty chuckling.
Spencer from High Wycombe called to speak to LBC's Shelagh Fogarty on the care system.
The caller told Shelagh he was "speaking as a young person" as he revealed he believed house prices have "increased two and a half times in the last thirty years."
He said this led to "profit being sat on by the older generation."
Spencer said it was a "good idea" for the houses of older people to be sold and then younger people "do not have to pay the tax for the old people."
"What about the old people who don't have houses," Shelagh countered.
He said it was "fine, they'll be funded by the government."
But, Shelagh wanted to know if he could think of anything other than funding care, which required someone to sell their own house.
The caller said his point was that when older people's houses are not sold but are inherited they "often end up as buy to let".
"No they don't," Shelagh countered.
Spencer said if houses weren't sold to fund care, then "young people are the ones who end up having to pay for it. So they're paying twice"
He argued that it was "unfair" for young people.
As the discourse continued Shelagh asked one question to which the answer left her chuckling.
"Are you a communist?" She asked.
"I'm an accountant..."
