Politicians get elected on the promises they make. They set out a manifesto and one weighs up all the different manifestos of the political parties and come a general election votes for the party with the promises they want to see enacted. Political party says, ‘we’re going to do all of these amazing things, vote for us!’ And so we do. I know it’s not as plain or as easy as that. I mean, stick a coloured rosette on a desiccated tea towel in some constituencies and many would vote for it regardless. Well that’s how I imagine Jacob Rees Mogg found himself as an MP. There are many factors that affect the voting intention of the general public, but manifestos are a big part for me. I remember the first time I ever voted. I sat down with the manifesto supplements from multiple papers, scored the pledges with a system and I voted for the party who got the best result. I really can’t remember who I voted for, but it was at a time when my interest in politics was minimal, but it had been instilled in me that I should vote because I had the privilege to vote. It’s still part of my decision making process today.
I like manifestos because I don’t often like politicians personally. A list really gives me a snapshot of what the party is about and what they will do for me. I don’t mind if I think the person saying the words is a complete swamp donkey, as long as changes are made for the better. Also I believe in my personal life that keeping promises and sticking to my word are important traits in an adult or relationship. Sometimes it can be hard to keep a promise, but you do so that others can rely on you. A politician works for their constituents, not for themselves and if the majority put them into government, then they need to enact their promises the best they can.
If you take a look at the two pages linked by the buttons above, you’ll see a very specific pledge made by the current government; they will not raise taxes. And yet last week, that is exactly what they proposed to do. They believe raising national insurance by 1.25% will garner them enough money to tackle the big issues facing social care and the NHS. Although when you look into the detail it simply won’t. Our Prime Minister, promised on the steps of Downing Street in 2019 that his government had a plan to tackle social care. And after nearly two years, his plan is to raise taxes with most of the money going to the NHS and fiddling around with the rules about how one pays for social care. This is not a plan. It’s a sticking plaster. Try coming up with some actual reforms – you’ve had two years. Also due to national insurance contributions being taxed less after you earn £50,000 pa this means the tax will affect those less well off more. Does this seem fair? If you want to raise taxes and make it equal, use income tax instead as there is no reduction. This is one example of where the extra funding could come from. Another could be clamping down on tax avoidance.
Now always in the back of my mind I’m thinking about the pandemic and the measures we have had to undertake to ensure the majority have jobs after lockdowns and the increased costs associated with shutting down a country and having to spend on healthcare, to keep all of us safe and healthy. So we definitely do need extra funding. And fuck me, the NHS needs the extra money this will bring, there is no denying that. But why tax the poorest of us more? Why punch down? And why throw away billions on a track and trace system that doesn’t work and splash millions on PPE that is sourced by questionable companies that have no track record but happen to be run by mates of Conservative MPs? Maybe instead of squandering money, we could have been putting it to better use already.
And if you are looking for some effective opposition to our government, don’t bother looking to the Labour party at the minute. I’d be following Marcus Rashford on twitter, he seems to be able to cut to the quick of an issue and ask those searching, simple questions of our government. It’s interesting to me that a young man with no real ‘skin in the game’ of politics except coming from a working class background, but who has a massive platform is able to cause the government so much discomfort.