Loathe as I am to link to an article in The Spectator, Fraser Nelson's interview with Nick Clegg highlights a number of interesting issues, not least of which are the positions adopted by each of the three main parties in relation to tackling the structural deficit. As you'll no doubt be aware, these break down roughly as follows:
Conservatives: Tax increases: 20%. Cuts 80%.
Labour: Tax increases: 33%. Cuts: 67%
Liberal Democrats: Tax increases: 0%. Cuts: 100%
The thing that strikes you immediately about these figures is the rightward-shift in Lib Dem economic thinking. For a long time the ex-SDP wing of the Lib Dems was in the driving seat (as personified by Charles Kennedy). Now with Clegg and the 'Orange Book' faction in the ascendancy, it seems like classical liberalism, red in tooth and claw, is back with more force than most people would have thought possible.
If there was ever any doubt, these figures starkly demonstrate which party are the real progressives - the real believers in social democracy (hint: it's Labour). Whilst almost everyone agrees that some cuts in public spending are necessary and unavoidable, the Tories and Lib Dems seem intent on cutting deep into public services and relying on the voluntary sector to pick up the pieces of an emasculated welfare state. In case they've forgotten, both their parties advocated such an approach in the 19th century and it failed then as it will fail now. Labour was founded to challenge such thinking and the challenge remains the same today; 'A Future Fair For All' is more than just a slogan.
So there's just one more little piece of motivation to get out, pound the streets and fight the good fight!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment