Is George Osborne squeezing the rich to help poor families? No!

I posted earlier this year in defence of universal Child Benefit, when gossip was spreading that it could come under attack. I won't repeat here the arguments I made there in defence of universality, but I do want to make a few points about the specific policy that the Tories have just announced - to remove Child Benefit from families where one person earns more than £44k.

In doing so, I want to tackle the aspect that I find particularly annoying - the Tories' pretence that this is a pro-working-class policy, which will no doubt find cheerleaders in the tabloids and may even impair the ability of some on the 'left' to defend universal Child Benefit against this attack.

Despite its pretensions at squeezing the rich, George Osborne's announcement leaves rich people without kids well alone while those with kids have money taken from them. No-one is losing money for being rich, but for having kids.

There is a serious ideological point here about society's attitude to, and responsibility for, children. The attack on Child Benefit is based on an assumption that children are the private indulgence of their parents rather than the responsibility of society in general. Sometimes, it feels like people think that "the taxpayer" is being asked to pay towards people's cars or butlers, not towards their children.

Moreover, earning £44k and bit most definitely does NOT make you "rich". It may be well above the average wage, but it is the wage of, for example, some skilled manual workers. If you are one of these and, say, you live in London bringing up three kids on your own or with a partner on much lower earnings, then you may get by, but you hardly live the life of Riley.

The rich-poor divide is not between people on £25k and people on £45k, but between people on £25k and people on £100k+ and a stash of wealth. Let's target our anger against the genuine rich, not on working families who might earn more than other working families, but who certainly do not share in the full fruits of their labour, and are definitely not "rich".

Even so, the way to deal with the genuinely rich is not to take away their child benefit, but to tax them til the pips squeak, or better still, to legislate a maximum wage.

Cameron "pure and simple lies"

Video from Political Scrapbook blog.

“We will keep the pension credit, we’ll keep the winter fuel allowance, we’ll keep the free bus pass. Those leaflets you have been getting from Labour, the letters you have been getting from Labour are pure and simple lies.” – David Cameron, 22 April

Who is lying now ?

Never trust a Tory, or a Lib Dem for that matter !

Pete Wylie "The Day That Margaret Thatcher Dies! "

Hat tip Harry P and Lawrie C on Facebook.

All in it together, all making sacrifices and curbing our spending ...err no

Seems the Tory faithful are splashing the cash , no sign of belt tightening there or having to put on an extra woolly at this bash:

David Cameron and his rich Tory chums will toast the bloodbath Budget hammering the poor at a lavish champagne party where the CHEAPEST ticket costs £450.

The ConDem PM and his Chancellor George Osborne will be the star turns at the glitzy ball, which was last night angrily condemned by Labour MPs.

It will be held at an exclusive London venue days after Osborne delivered his “austerity” Budget, which hits low-earners hardest – and hands a business tax cut to the fatcats on the guest list.

Organisers have lined up 432 bottles of champagne – more than one each for the 400 guests, who will include City financiers and Tory donors. The event is expected to raise more than £1million for Conservative party funds.

.........

Senior Labour MP Tom Watson last night attacked Mr Osborne for failing to live up to his pre-Budget promise that “we are all in this together.”

Mr Watson said: “I can’t imagine there will be any worried pensioners or frightened families at this event. Clearly, we are not all in this together.

“Holding this lavish ball days after the toughest measures in any Budget ever just shows the breathtaking arrogance of the Tories.”

Many of the high-rollers at the event will be wealthy donors from City hedge funds and investment banks – blamed by many experts for sparking financial meltdown and driving us into recession.

.........

Rich Tory backers can buy one ticket for an eye-watering £450, pay £4,500 for a table for 10, buy a “benefactor” ticket at £1,000 or blow £10,000 for a de luxe table for ten.

Still, don't say you weren't warned that they will look after their own , time to re-watch this excellent video:

Edwina Currie on cuts

For those who still think after the budget, that there is no difference between Labour and Tories, listen to this.

Go to 42 mins in, where you will hear Edwina in When Harry met Sally mode .Yep she is very excited over the cuts . Still, she was very excited over a naked John Major .

Tories relish cuts .

Check out Dave's post on the budget , looking at how this Con Dem Government will go further than Thatcher.

The ConDem Debt Repayment Con

Economics is never going to be my specialist subject, but even I can see that the line of argument from Cleggeron is a con.

They keep repeating that the nation's debt must be paid off as soon as possible or else catastrophe will ensue. (Not that the LibDems believed that during the election campaign when they wanted progressive-minded supporters of public services to vote for them, but hey.)

Many millions of us are in debt. It's called a mortgage, and it was positively encouraged by the Tories the last time they were in power. But how many of us feel an overwhelming sense of urgency to pay off their mortgage RIGHT NOW? Hardly anyone. The arrangement with the lender is to pay it off over 25 years or so.

Similarly, you'd think, the nation's debt. Especially as, as I understand it, most of the debt is in a form equivalent to bonds, so the lenders are not beating at the door to get it repaid.

Would you pay off your mortgage this year if you could? Maybe. Would you starve your family to enable you to do so? Of course not. But Cleggeron are not starving their own families, are they? They are starving ours - of the services, wages and pensions we need.

Clegg's speech yesterday was particularly loathsome, with not a sniff of liberalism or democracy in the air: it was a straightforward Tory speech. Public sector workers' pensions are, apparently, 'gold-plated' and unfair to private-sector workers (not that private-sector workers will benefit from attacks on public-sector workers' pensions, but hey). And it's a shame to cut public-sector workers' wages, but we really have to, except the very very badly-paid ones (why there are very very badly-paid workers in the public sector to start with is glossed over). Taxing the super-rich, stopping the massive tax avoidance/evasion, or nationalising the banks? Nah.

It seems to me that if the ConDem coalition does not need to slash public services and attack public-sector workers in order to pay off the debt immediately, then it must be doing so because it wants to. And why does it want to? Because this lash-up of ruling-class parties wants to break the consensus that grew after the Second World War that the state should provide for people's welfare, and replace it with one that we should fend for ourselves.

It's an economic, political and ideological offensive that we must respond to with an industrial, political and ideological counter-offensive - including by spreading the word that people should not believe the crap about having to pay off the debt right now.

[PS. All of this, of course, skims over the argument that Labour could have avoided building up such a big debt by taking the money from the big financial institutions rather than borrowing it from them. But that's for another time.]

Scotland hates the Tories!!!!!

A wee video made up by the Scottish Socialist Youth - I know the the SSY and Scotland are not the only people who hate the Tories!!

No return to the Tories

Tories

Who's Not Normal?

Conservative candidate Mr Philip Lardner has been suspended from the Tory Party for writing that gay people are "not normal". Mr Lardner vows to fight on as an independent in defence of his right to be a bigot in defiance of all this modern, tolerant, heathen, politically-correct nonsense.

Despite the Party suspending Lardner, this proves, if proof were needed, that the Tory Party is still a party that attracts homophobes. Just when David Cameron was hoping we had forgotted Chris Grayling's 'off-message' view that B&Bs (Bigots and Boneheads?) should be allowed to turn same-sex couples away.

I also sniff a little double standard. Mr Lardner is a Scottish Tory. That, surely is "not normal".

Cameron , wants to con the "common people" ...

Tories

No amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred of the Tory party. So far as I am concerned, they are lower than vermin. - Aneurin Bevan

Oooh, but look, Dave with a puppy wuppy . Bite doggie, bite .

Troops to teachers ??

Arghh, what the fuck:


The shadow schools secretary set out a plan at the party's conference in Manchester to sideline local authorities, scrap the curriculum agency, sack the worst headteachers and return to traditional values in the classroom, with pupils expected to wear ties and ex-soldiers imposing discipline.

The state monopoly over schools would be removed, with every school offered the chance to opt out and become an independent academy.

Gove said the best schools would be automatically allowed to break away from local authority control while headteachers at the worst would be sacked and their schools taken over by existing academy sponsors.

He launched an attack on the "educational establishment", claiming it suffered from "defeatism, political correctness and the entrenched culture of dumbing down".

A Conservative government would champion school uniforms, including blazers and ties, setting by ability and traditional subject-based classes, while a new Troops to Teachers programme would be introduced, with former soldiers retraining as teachers, Gove said.

"We'll develop a Troops to Teachers programme to get professionals in the army who know how to train young men and women into the classroom, where they can provide not just discipline but inspiration and leadership," he said.

New shiny caring sharing Tories or same old reactionary bastards?
New Labour same as New Tories ?

Things CAN only get worse .

Hat tip Rory on Facebook.

Brendan Barber to Speak at Tory Party Conference

What a plonker.

I was going to write a long tirade, but I thought I'd leave the comments to you, dear reader.

The C word

Take your pick; Labour , Tory or LibDem cuts .

Thatcher's funeral? Government responds

Some time back, varous Stroppybloggers put our names to a petition demanding that on no account should that total scumbag Margaret Thatcher be given a state funeral.

You will be pleased to know that the government has deigned to reply, but may be less than impressed with their actual reply ...

The petition stated:

“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to not support a state funeral for Baroness Thatcher.”

... and went on to explain ...

“Baroness Margaret Hilda Thatcher is not deserving of a state funeral. To deem her worthy of such an honour is to overlook a host of awful things, like her support for General Augusto Pinochet, and to overlook many more deserving candidates.”

... and the (Labour) government responded ...

In the event of the death of any former Prime Minister, the Government is responsible for liaising with the family and representatives of the deceased about arrangements for a suitable service of remembrance, including any administrative support from the Government. For reasons which we hope will be understood, it would not be appropriate to make any comment about detail of any discussions.

£250,000 salary for 'knocking off an article," well thats just chicken feed says Boris

Under Cameron the Tories try to make out they are all new, caring, sharing and in touch with ordinary people. Yeah right, we all went to Eton didn't we. Even the expenses scandal , where no party came out well, highlighted the class differences;moats , duck islands and country estates , never mind wanting to claim for servants!

In my last post I wrote about how low paid workers are asked to take a hit of up to £8000. Contrast that with Boris talking about his second job :


He told the BBC's Hard Talk programme that it was wholly reasonable for him take the second salary in addition to about £140,000 he gets as mayor.
He added: "Of course I make a substantial donation to charity".

When asked about the pay for the articles Mr Johnson said: "It's chicken feed.
"I think that frankly there's absolutely no reason at all why I should not knock off an article as a way of relaxation.
"I write anyway, I happen to write extremely fast.
"I don't see why on a Sunday morning I shouldn't knock off an article - if someone wants to pay me for that article then that's their lookout and of course I make a substantial donation to charity.
'Out of touch'
"Maybe that money shouldn't go to charity, maybe you'd rather I didn't make those contributions to charity," he added.




I do hope none of you are going to criticise Boris, I mean do you want to take money away from charity !!

This is of course a distraction, so he gives to charity, but he still trousers more in one year than most earn in 10 or 15. And lets get second jobs in perspective, many take them to make ends meet and I'm not talking about nice little lucrative newspaper columns. People who work all day doing a shitty minimum wage job and then head off to do something similar in the evening.


Boris may think this is all part of his 'charm, ' the mop haired buffoon. What it shows is he hasn't a clue what second jobs mean for most people and how insulting dismissing sums they can only dream of getting via a lottery win is .

Friday Fuckwits- Gay exorcisms, Conservative Future, Mark Sanford and John Cruddas

Not done this for a while and as usual spoilt for choice, so here is a selection...


Again god bothers getting their knickers in a twist about lesbian and gay people having sex. This really pisses me off. I have known a number of people who are lesbian or gay who have been made to feel guilty and bad for what they are by their families , in the name of religion.

Below is a you tube of an 'exorcism of gay demons' supposedly in this 16 year old boy.Terrifying abuse. What if he gives in and pretends to be straight, living a lie. Not exactly great for any woman he is involved with.



Of course trying to 'cure ' lesbian and gay people is nothing new, as I discussed in a previous post.
As I said before, with reference to Iris Robinson:

Sadly many people are still pressurised to conform to heterosexual norms , usually through family and religious pressure. Others have residual guilt and if they do try to change only end up unhappy and living a lie, trying to please the religious intolerance of people like Ms Robinson.

What is her problem, why does it matter to her if two men have sex together. No one is asking her to indulge in a little girl on girl action, no one is telling her not to be in a heterosexual marriage and family.

Next up for the title of Friday Fuckwit is Conservative Future, all of them. CF have got the video taken down from YouTube, but it can be found here .

New Cuddly Cameroonies, well they seem quite old school in their politics; low tax, questioning climate change, wanting the family and marriage to be 'strengthened.' For them Boris is a trendy radical pin up. Most obnoxious though was the London Conservative Futures Chair, who said :


Personally, I want to be a mother. Every woman in society should achieve that…We’re here to procreate.

Speak for yourself, I have no intention of procreating !


Hat Tip F Word.

Next Friday Fuckwit is Mark Sanford , Republican Governor of South Carolina , not living up to the family values pushed by his Party .

As Hakmao puts it :

Nothing beats a good ‘family values’ sex scandal — they who protest too much can always be relied upon to put their dicks/fannies where they say you shouldn't’t, and lie through their teeth to try to make it all go away.

The press has got hold of his e-mails to his mistress :

The e-mails show the internal struggles of a religious conservative awkwardly donning the mantle of adulterer as he mixed wholesome descriptions of family life with steamier language about “the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of night’s light”.

Slightly at odds with a previous quote :

"It is my personal view that the largest proclamation of one's faith ought to be in how one lives his life."


And finally, John Cruddas . Check out Marsha-Jane's post :

One thing I had to bring to your attention though was the way Cruddas voted yesterday in parliament - as you may be aware, there was a vote and debate yesterday in parliament on a motion (tabled by the opposition) to oppose Brown's proposal of holding the inquiry in to Iraq war in secret (although he conceded that they would 'try' to determine that 'some' of the inquiry 'may' be in public), without oaths and any form of possibility of repercussions in relation to the findings. Oh yeah and that the members of 'independent' inquiry were hand selected by the government.
...
I would like to point out that Jon Cruddas MP and Michael Meacher MP were among those who voted AGAIN with the Government. Comrades, it is about time people stopped sowing (or allowing union bureaucracies / The Guardian /The New Statesman to sow) illusions in politicians who have repeatedly voted against the will of the people. Both Cruddas and Meacher voted for the war and complained since that they 'were misled' or that 'they made a mistake'.

OK, Meacher is a fuckwit as well, but this is more about how some on the left back Cruddas. Well I have made my feelings clear before and nothing since has given me reason to change them.

Suggestions for other fuckwits?

Tories splashing the cash ...credit crunch, what credit crunch.

No sign of it amongst those at the annual Tory Black and White Ball:



Hundreds of well-heeled aristocrats, socialites and celebrities turned out to gorge themselves in spectacular style at the Conservative Party’s annual Black and White Ball.

Arriving in a long-line of chauffeur-driven Bentleys – complete with personalised number plates and built-in TVs – they had paid £10,000 for a table at the lavish do.

Tory leader Cameron, 42, had contemplated cancelling the event because of the gloomy economic climate. A senior Tory admitted: “The last thing we want are photos of us quaffing champers while people across the country are losing their jobs.”

As a consequence, security guards manned the entrances and police patrolled the building, determined to prevent unwanted guests seeing the opulent soiree.

Cameron even ditched his bow-tie in a bid to show he is an ordinary guy and that his party has changed to be more in touch with the common man.

Guests including fashion guru Trinny Woodall, Liz Hurley, Bryan Ferry and ex-Tory leader Michael Howard, partied the night away in a giant Union Jack-decorated marquee in London’s Battersea Park. An auction for party funds raised around £300,000 with one true blue supporter paying £13,000 for a game of tennis with Cameron and actor Richard E Grant.

Another blew £70,000 – more than double the average national wage – to hire Annabel’s nightclub in London for just ONE night.

A large portrait of former leader Margaret Thatcher went for £3,100.

And as many people struggle to pay the mortgage or even put food on the table, last night’s revellers did not bat an eyelid when someone paid £16,000 for a day of partridge shooting on an estate in Salisbury.

Other lots included a two-seater Morgan, which went for £24,000, a special-edition Rolex for £18,000.

...

Cameron, who was careful not to be seen sipping champagne, left almost as soon as the auction had finished, stopping off for one quick dance with wife Samantha.

No State Funeral For Thatcher

Sign the petition here.