Politics
Vega
Hugh and Annie
Fri 20 Jan 2017 15:23
I have to say that, for the leader of the party that is taking us out of Europe, pursuing an economic policy of austerity, embracing global market forces that create low wage insecure employment and is destroying public service to claim that she will address the social inequalities that her party promotes is as bizarre as it is risible. Ed Miliband was pilloried for saying these things but the PM’s mates in the press will ensure she gets a smooth ride. When she starts to talk about fundamental reform of our institutions and addresses vested interests then I may begin to take it more seriously. Government has steadfastly withdrawn from control of market forces that result in trans boundary corporations such as Amazon, Starbucks, Uber, Deliveroo etc building investor loved institutions on the backs of thousands of low paid zero hours contract workers. In the spirit of Britain as part of the global economy we wave goodbye to manufacturing and will do so even more outside Europe. We now can’t even fund and build a nuclear power station without bringing in the French and the Chinese.
In a determination to “control” our borders the government is saying that we will leave the single market. The inference is that we will embrace free trade and make the UK a world centre of business. What this actually means is that, given the UK will no longer have favourable trading terms within our largest market, incentives to business will be given to counter the trade barriers we will face. This means low costs for running business here - yes, you’ve guest it, low taxes, low wages and a “flexible” i.e. insecure workforce - just the kind of place for the Amazons. As we will no longer be part of one of the largest manufacturing economies to compete with China, the USA etc we will fall back on the service industry that we are so good at. We will no longer be leading finance within Europe; New York and Shanghai will become more dominant and the UK will become an offshore tax haven for money laundering and tax avoidance.
Society requires a degree of altruism through strong government to prevent this market exploitation that is now rampant. As we run down our public services and lower our tax revenues there will be less and less support in the UK for those who cannot afford to pay for it. World market forces create a rush to the lowest cost option that has, arguably, resulted in less real poverty throughout the world but at the cost of a general lowering of living standards for many (but not all) in the developed world and particularly in countries such as the UK and USA. Global corporations and the internet facilitate the creation of greater individual wealth for a few at the expense of the majority. We have seen this in the Caribbean islands and the societies we in the UK have created where tax avoiding housing and marina developments for the super rich are creating local employment for gardeners, cleaners and bar staff. Corrupt politicians line their pockets with tax exempt foreign investment. This is an exciting time for those capable, aggressive, acquisitive individuals and the public school oxbridge graduates who will thrive in such an environment. For the majority there is a better way but only Theresa May is allowed to say it whilst ensuring that it will never come about.