[Politics] The Labour Party loves poor people so much, it makes as many of them as possible

[davywavy]

I see from this morning's newspaper that the number of people 'out of work and claiming benefits' has tipped over 6m for the first time ever. That's a pretty big jump from the 5m-ish which was reported 18 months ago and indicates that far more than that number have actually lost their jobs.

We've got a general election coming up next May. With this in mind, and for reasons outlined in this post, I'm offering bets that we see our first BNP MP next year. I'm offering a fiver. Any takers?

Comments

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

It's fairly self explanatory; if you are a champion of the poor, you need people to stay that way as otherwise they'll no longer need you.

[(Anonymous)]

"Their target demographic seems to be the middle classes these days."

Say what?

The super rich, who are taxed at a net rate less than low earners, and anyone in the state sector, would be my guess at where they're aiming. Follow the money...

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

It does strike me that if you're setting yourself up as a champion of the wealthy, though, it is in your interest to make more wealthy people.
That was Thatcher's stroke of genius; as the Conservatives were the party of the middle classes, create as many new members of the middle class as you possibly can.

[(Anonymous)]

I guess all things being equal, most people would rather be wealthy.

It's the relentless grinding down of the professions & middle classes, the engines of economy, which has been the signature of Brownanomics.

That, the shameless toadying to big bucks, and infantilisation of the working class. It says a lot for our resilience that he has done as little damage as he has.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Well, as Tony Benn once said, if you can get more than 50% of the population into your electoral demographic then the revolution is complete. I'd rather live in a country where more than 50% of the population are wealthy than one where more than 50% of the population are poor, so I vote for champions of wealth creation.

[(Anonymous)]

It didn't work for John Major.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Alas, Benn was wrong. The error he made was not realising that people start feeling guilty about their success and vote to assuage that rather than in the best interests of self and nation. Blair's success was in manipulating that crisis of guilt.

[(Anonymous)]

Major's failure was letting his MPs get away with... what today would be quite minor corruption.

Four legs good, two legs better. Teflon Tony was, for all his faults, a political genius.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I never thought I'd miss the oily little git, but watching Brown ramming his chubby finger up his nose to the second knuckle at the dispatch box, I couldn't help but feel that Blair was at least Prime Ministerial - he had a dignity which Brown lacks.

[(Anonymous)]

I think that is by design. He deliberately benched all the talent in the Labour party and surrounded himself with mediocrities. He wouldn't have hung on as long as he did, (and by consequence become as rich as he had) had he allowed Frank Field to challenge his key self assessed needy demographic.

Actually, Blair's rule was a perfect storm: Enron led to the US Sarbanes-Oxley regs, which pushed a load of bankers to London, where 'trained from birth to be shit' Gordon Brown's dismal FSA let them do whatever they wanted as long as the tax revenues flowed, and Tony was able to spend like a sailor on shore leave whilst letting millions rot on the dole.

Now the hangover.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Apparently Obama has proposed a 90% bonus tax. I wonder where all the banks will go next?

I hear the Gambia is in the same time-zone as us (which allows trading with both east and west markets in the same day), and they're busily building infrastructure and financial legislation to encourage banks to set up offices there.

[(Anonymous)]

Geneva.

But don't count on it - someone will shoot him if he tries that crap.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

If you can get your hands on the Gambia: Vision2020 document, it's worth reading. Over 50% of their economy is financial services based and it's a long-term objective to grow that sector.

[(Anonymous)]

Like everyone elses' then. That's why soaking the super rich is a non starter, regardless of foam flecked exhortations from wannabe revolutionaries. London is certainly losing it's lure for them, that's for sure.

[(Anonymous)]

As an aside, I have it from a 'jolly well paid' acquaintance that they netted 94.5% of gross last year...

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

You know, I think the difference between me and my lefty pals is this: I know a lot of them will see that figure and say how awful and scandalous it is and how that money could have paid for more social justice projects like grace and favour apartments for minsters and cakes for John Prescott.

I just look at it and think "Good for them! I wants me some of that action."
And then I go and work harder.

[(Anonymous)]

It seems I posted it for their benefit then, not yours.

Hey losers! Gordon's letting very rich people pay damn all tax! Like Thatcher, but without the positive social mobility!

Think they'll listen?

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

A tenner says that the power of cognitive dissonance results in _grimtales_ voting Labour next time round and claiming that he's done a good thing.

[(Anonymous)]

What odds?

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

A gentlemans bet, surely. Equal stakes.

[(Anonymous)]

10:1 On. I reckon he *may* be induced to vote geen, or stay in bed.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

You, sir, are no gentleman.

[(Anonymous)]

I just looked at his blog.

I think you meant to say: 'You, Sir, are no fool.'

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

How can you learn anything from his blog? It's comprised entirely of pointless and self-regarding tweets?

Oh, yeah.