OK, so we have a new coalition Government. The time of mourning, and of mutterings about a marriage of convenience &c is passed. If we want PR, we have to get used to coalition governments, and we must optimistically hope that the LibDem influence, and Cameron's aspiration to have taken the "nasty" out of the Nasty Party, will overcome the Tories' innate inclination to favour the rich and clamp down on the poor.
Cameron wants a Big Society. For that to mean anything at all, it means increasing equality. To their everlasting shame, NuLabour failed to do this. It will be a challenge to get the Conservatives to do this, but they are in coalition with the LibDems who do understand the importance of equality (for instance, in taking those below £10,000 out of income tax). Now, while they are fresh, is the time for us to press David Cameron and perhaps Ian Duncan Smith (Dept of Work and Pensions) to give a clear and unequivocal undertaking to increase income equality in our country their term of office.
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5 comments:
Have just come across your site. Excellent pieces. I will reply fuller later.
Hi John,
Thanks for dropping by. What is a Zeroaire? It's not in the dictionaries.
Richard
For crying out loud, Richard. Get your act together:
"... but they are in coalition with the LibDems who do understand the importance of equality (for instance, in taking those below £10,000 out of income tax)"
http://www.leftfootforward.org/images/2010/03/Think-Again-Nick-FINAL.pdf
OK, their measure would do nothing to help the very poorest, who don’t have income large enough to pay tax.
And other criticisms. Here is a truth to stick to your wall on a Post-It: Nothing is Perfect. Especially in Politics. Also, no single measure will address inequality of itself; there is a need for many measures, not least a change in the way new money is created.
Here is a stab at a few of the kind of measures we need to bring about equality
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