It is a well known fact that the status of politicians has seriously declined over the last forty or so years. The ‘Cash for Questions’ and the ‘MP’s Expenses’ scandals are just two of the latest. The murky world of two Lib/Dem MP’s, Cyril Smith and Lord Rennard hardly put this Party in a respectable light, starting all those years ago with Jeremy Thorpe. Added to this unpalatable catalogue is the still unanswered ‘mysterious’ death of Dr.Kelly and the ‘strange’ death of the Foreign Secretary, who resigned in opposition to Britain’s invasion of Iraq. We’ve had Neil Hamilton, Jeffrey Archer and many more. Is there any wonder as a counter-balance public apathy has quadrupled? This is a very dangerous development especially when at a time like this, when the rich and powerful are increasing their wealth and power over us and are unaccountable, making decisions that can and have changed all our lives in recent times, and yet they remain elusive and invisible. This is made all the more uncomfortable when certain television companies rub it in our faces by making programmes about how the rich and privilege live and enjoy luxurious lifestyles. I will cite a few notable examples to illustrate my points. It isn’t the MP’s who make the ground-breaking decisions, they are just puppets, it is the faceless men in grey-suits, the invisible, anonymous wheelers and dealers.
In 2008 came what was called the ‘Financial Meltdown’ beginning with Lehman Brothers in New York. Because our banking system is inextricably linked to that of the USA, we also suffered the fall-out starting with Northern Rock. Many banks had to be bailed out, using tax-payer’s money; RBS being the prime example and are now partially public-owned. However, despite malpractice and corruption, bankers – unlike other workers – still receive massive bonuses, while ordinary folk have seen their living standards fall, wages frozen and a whole new employment model subtly introduced that has turned the clock back nearly one hundred years. There is something very wrong here. Some time ago, Owen Jones, that redoubtable, intrusive and highly intelligent young journalist, summed it all up in an article he wrote. He pointed out that the CBI produced a Report: The Shape of Business over the next ten years.(2009) This Report deliberately introduced the concept of a new flexiforce, a new “employment model where the core of permanent staff is smaller.” Enter: the explosion of zero-hour contracts, increase in temporary workers and the insecure self-employed; all this with new employment contracts, pensions and reduced conditions of service and the clock has been turned back. It would seem all this was effected with the advice of an American billionaire tycoon, a Mr. Warren Buffet, who when questioned had this to say: “There’s class warfare alright but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war and we’re winning.” A real slap in the face for British workers. Add to this the threat of TTIP the Transatlantic Trade Partnership, and the entire public sector across the EU could be privatised and gobbled up by American Big Business. Fortunately, there has been an outcry. The EU have put these ‘negotiations’ on the back boiler. Our Primeminister could have exercised his veto, but he didn’t. I wonder why? Labour is hotly against the whole idea, which would in effect mean the loss of British and EU member states sovereignty, in short we would be ‘absorbed’ by the USA. Did we fight two world wars to give all our hard fought rights away to the yanks? The Welfare State and the NHS – the ‘jewel’ in our crown – to American Corporate Business? I should hope not. None of this has gone on without fight. On October 18 2014 the major trade-unions spearheaded in the main by Unite and Unison led a massive march to Hyde Park in London. It was attended by thousands from all over Britain, but hardly mentioned in the Press!
Earlier, in July, last year, public sector workers went on strike. It was in protest. Executive pay had reached 162 times more than the average wage, following a 15% pay rise for the top 100 bosses in the UK. This, along with tax breaks for the super-rich and no let up on banker’s bonuses provoked a reaction. If the Conservatives win the next General Election, David Cameron intends to “clip the Wings” of the trade unions by imposing tough and controversial new laws in the Conservative Manifesto. Ed Miliband accused him of “inflaming the situation.” Frances 0’ Grady said: “This is nothing more than a renewed Thatcherite onslaught on trade unions.” Cameron intends introducing a threshold on union ballots. He intends using(abusing) the law to prevent unions holding ballots. The TUC will not go away. There are thousands of union members in this country who are opposed to this wretched coalition Government.
Having started this letter by outlining how our lives have been ‘changed’ by faceless, unaccountable very wealthy people, and by secret, surreptitious changes to working conditions, pay and pensions, subtly and subversively introduced; I end by pointing out that the reaction has set in. TTIP will not go ahead before the next General Election. David Cameron is goading the trade unions and ordinary people into an all-out confrontation with the privileged and the powerful. Neo-liberalism is a thing of the past. So is over-powerful trade unionism. We need to find a careful balance between the ‘Rights’ of workers and Employers. We have remembered all those who died in the First World War. I hope we don’t just remember them, I hope we remember what they died for. At the time the adage was: “A Land fit for Heroes.” In 2045, I will be 95 if I live that long. I sincerely hope we will have reversed all these backward policies the Tories have introduced – especially the hated Health & Social Care Act, with its ‘Bedroom Tax’. I hope by then we will have preserved and properly funded our treasured NHS, and hope everyone is taxed fairly and appropriately to pay for all our public sector services (Essential Services) and the rich 20% pay their share pro rata. If we are “All in it together” a phrase purloined by Mr.Cameron from the Second World war; then we should all contribute according to our incomes. Tell American Big Business to “go home” and eradicate the ghost of TTIP forever. This not done on May the 8th 2015 and I think the words of old Mr. Smith (91) at the last Labour Conference will come home to haunt a younger, inexperienced generation: “If you aren’t careful, my past will be your future.!” And for sure it will be. Everything lies in the balance. The younger generation must not be a ‘disenfranchised generation’. They must get out and vote for their future as well. Changes to registration must not be allowed to alter this. And, yes, I hope they doget even with Nick Clegg. After all he got a “crumb of power” by breaking his word. Hardly a gentleman!