GB News’s #DontKillCash Petition (My Reaction and Transcript)
~ Saturday, August 26, 2023 Blog Post ~
I support GB News’s recent petition called “#DontKillCash.” The media outlet sought support from its viewers and listeners to not let the British government allow a fully cashless society.
Indeed, not everyone in the United Kingdom is digitally savvy when it comes to their finances, even if this country is among the G-20 industrialized territories with advanced technology sectors and large, developed economies.
Millennials and Gen Z people are “digital natives” who are adept in using QR codes, credit and debit cards with tap-to-pay feature, and other forms of digital payments. However, there are the elderly consumers, and this segment of the British society find it challenging to adapt to their digitalized environment.
Today’s senior citizens are generally from the Baby Boomer generation, or those born in the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s. These “digital immigrants” are typically not the technology-savvy types. They would usually request their children or adult children’s assistance when it comes to making digital payments. Baby Boomers’ children are typically those in the Generation X and Millennial generations.
Hence, I think it is best if the British government not let physical money go into obsolescence in the next five years. Phasing out the physical mode of exchange completely this year will be detrimental to the society’s elderly segment. Instead, the government should continue to allow both digital and physical modes of payments for the benefit and convenience of people from all generations and walks of life.
Additionally, senior citizens should be given tutorials or classes regarding how consumer finance has evolved over the years. They should be given lessons regarding how they can settle their payments online and in various establishments, the contemporary payments modes, and all other significant information to help them adjust to the ever-changing realm of personal finance.
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GB News’s Don’t Kill Cash Petition on Twitter, Thursday, August 17, 2023
Twitter link: #DontKillCash
TOM HARWOOD: Liam, shall we go back to you and your giant, inflatable pig?
LIAM HALLIGAN: Indeed, Tom, we have just broken through 285,000 signatures (of) GB News viewers and listeners. Now back in this campaign in droves, let’s get to 300,000 before myself and other GB News presenters go to Downing Street and hand in that petition to the Chancellor at Number 11 because what we are campaigning for is to not kill cash.
So many of you have written to us. So many of you have gotten in touch via e-mail to say that you’re concerned. It’s more and more difficult to use cash; many shops no longer taking cash.
Banks are withdrawing their services from many high streets; people increasingly living a long way away from banks. People need cash in their daily lives. Ten percent of homes, Tom and Ellie, don’t have regular access to the Internet. They can’t shop online. Over a million people don’t have bank accounts. They don’t have debit cards. They can’t tap to pay. They need cash.
It’s a very, very important aspect of our economy, our culture, our society. That’s why we are campaigning today to not let kill cash. 285,000 signatures and counting. Let’s get to 300,000 by today lunch time.
TOM HARWOOD: Well, Liam, I’m going to ask you. What are the suggestions to name this giant, inflatable pig that you are standing beside?
LIAM HALLIGAN: Well, I tell you what. This upcoming World Cup Final on Sunday, it’s going to be hardly contested, but so is the competition to name this inflatable pig.
We’ve had some brilliant suggestions from GB News viewers and listeners. We’ve had Dosh. We’ve had “Peggy.” Julie says “Penny,” “Sixpence,” or “Tuppence.”
Wendy says “Prue” as in prudence. Irene says “Trotter.” Grant says “Sterling” as in pounds sterling. Claire, in a very, very clever acronym, suggests “T.R.U.F.F.L.E.” Pig reference there. “T.R.U.F.F.L.E.” stands for “Tackling Regulations Unfair to our Financial Future. Legislate for Everybody.”
Brian suggests “Johnny Cash.” A lot of people are suggesting “Nigel.” I don’t know where they get that name from. Perhaps for our inflatable pig with a little cigar. How about our pig with a monocle? “Jacob Rees-Hogg”!
Quickly, says Andrew, “GB News viewers and listeners: Let it never be said they are not innovative. They are not wordsmiths.” “Piggy McPigface,” says John. “Bill” as in pound, I guess, says Dennis. “Crackling” says Len. But I have to say Frank is the current frontrunner. I don’t mind my idea of sterling dosh being not top because Frank says, “Pound Hog.”
TOM HARWOOD: That’s a good one. You ain’t nothing but a pound hog.
LIAM HALLIGAN: You get it? ’Cause it’s a hog’s pounds. Big pounds inside it. Sign the petition.
Sources:
https://twitter.com/GBNEWS/status/1692099331761819893/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAgLuP3Dv2o
