As an Englishman it goes against ones abiding cultural principles to discuss personal fiance openly or even really to put ones self at the centre of a post. However this will (unusually it is to be hoped) be a personally based piece. It takes a lot to push the conservative (with a small c) mild English to this point but this government is achieving it.
The breaking point has come in the whole 'stivers versus shirkers' debate that the Conservative (large political c) commentators have chosen to frame the debate over the state of welfare in this country. They are looking to cap benefit rises at 1% for the next 3 years. At the same time they say they are doing this for 'strivers' who go out to work to feed their families etc because as they frame it why should the 'shirkers' with their 'curtains drawn, laying in bed whilst others work' be equally well remunerated. You might think this is a sound argument, why shouldn't working people earn more than non- workers? only seem fair right?
EXCEPT!
Except that 1% applies to working families tax credits, to allowances that are given to people in poorly paid jobs who work often long hours for not much and need that extra money to supplement their lowly (earned) income. How is this helping strivers?
Another great way to cut the deficit apparently was to freeze wages in the public sector until April 2013 and now they want to limit rises the to 1%.
So if you work in the public sector - so called striving - you've had no pay rise for 2 years, when you do it will be well below inflation and any top-ups you might have got for low income will also be well below inflation. Effectively meaning a long term pay cut - for 'stivers'.
Originally the government said we had to reduce the deficit so austerity was needed. Then they said to people in the private sector - look how well remunerated public sector workers are - let's do something about it for balance. Not let's do something about poor pay in the private sector by the way- let's pull every body's wages down rather than striving for bettering things.
Then they said to all working people - look how 'well off ' people on benefits are (they're not at all one has experienced it in away few politicians have or will), let's cut their money.
Disabled groups have had cuts to their support. The levels of ability for working have been manipulated so that its harder to not work if disabled.
Before the last election our esteemed PM to be used the mantra 'we're all in this together'. That would be a mite more believable oh chinless wonder if MP's weren't currently mooting themselves a 32% pay rise (aren't they the sort of parasitic public sector workers with gold plated deals you promised to target? No? My mistake then!)
So let's not get at each other. Let's not focus on how much someone else has and how we can take it of them to make ourselves feel better. let's not be a society fuelled by bitter resentful schadenfreude. Instead let's work out how we can get more people into work that pays well, gives them worth and helps society generally.
In the meantime perhaps this should be our anthem
http://www.last.fm/music/Mike+Harding/_/God+Help+the+Poor
If you're wondering how this relates to an interjection of the personal as suggested at the start - it was written by a public sector worker who recieves tax credits to supplement a low income for working a 40 hour week who resents being branded a shirker by the inheritors of millions who've never known a days privation in their lives.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-welfare-bill-a-government-of-millionaires-just-made-the-poor-poorer--and-laughed-as-they-did-it-8443619.html
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